Time to report what I've been up to

 I'm in the middle of storms again so I thought I'd better update with some pictures now, instead of waiting until Thursday, while I can.  Here we go.

First of all....drum roll please...I have a finish!!!  Well sort of.  :)  I finished the stitching on the Christmas stocking cross stitch.  That counts, right?  

Sorry I'm showing it without ironing it first but oh well.  I was too excited.  Now what to do with it?  I was thinking of making a mini wall hanging out of it.  I won't quilt much but I through to trim it down and then maybe just put on a border.  I would quilt the border area.  I found this fabric that I thought might work for the border.  What do you think?

Not only did I finish the stocking but I caught up, again, with my blackwork.  The next block comes out tomorrow (Wednesday) so I can't wait.

Two more weeks and then I will start the last border.  I liked how I did the inner border.  As soon as I finish one side, I started to add the border to that side.  So by the time I get down to the last square (bottom left corner) I should have three sides of the border all finished.  

Another triumph today was finding the fabric for my August block for my block exchange.  It is tulips in a vase.  Basically it would be a darker green for the stems.  Then the red for the tulip bottoms, the yellow and red flowers for the middle of the tulip.  Another green for the two petals and finally the vase.  The pictures makes the fabric more gray but it is a muted green.

The bit of news I have is that my July partner in the block exchange sent me this pretty block.

It reminds me so much of my mother since pink was her FAVORITE color.  It will be interesting to see how all the blocks I'm receiving will work together.  

That's it for this time.  I hope you enjoyed looking at my work and that you have  a great day/night.

Menu plan for July 17 - July 26, 2023

 I have my meal plan for July 17 - July 26th so I thought I would post it here before I forgot. LOL.  Are you ready to see what I am thinking of making?

Monday - Chicken Shephard's Pie - using chicken from food pantry (have over 12 packets so need to use up some of them)

Tuesday - Leftovers

Wednesday - Balsamic Crock Pot Chicken - I will use chicken leg quarters

Thursday - Leftovers

Friday - Sausage Cream Cheese Casserole

Saturday - Leftovers

Sunday - Chicken Tamale Casserole - using chicken from food pantry

Monday - Leftovers

Tuesday - Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Soup - using chicken from food pantry

Wednesday - Leftovers

You all know me though.  Things and life can cause any of this to change at the last minute.  As I search for new recipes and contemplate what old recipes I might want to make...anything could happen.  Of course this also depends on what I have on hand and this week I found I had a lot of packets of Chicken so that was what was dominating my decisions this week.  Who knows what else I will think up of.

On a side note, the flatbread that I made is popular and my friend Dan left with my latest batch.  Another recipe that I've made over and over is the Ranch Salad Dressing recipe.   :)   

I hope everybody has a great week and let me know what YOUR favorite recipe is.

Best Laid Plans

 Well this post isn't going according to plan.  I woke up this morning thinking I would just go and add my pictures for the post and get right on it.  Oops.  Wasn't going to happen.  Sometime overnight or this morning, my computer decided not to recognize my hard drive,  That means no hard drive, no pictures, etc. to be had.  I'm typing this on my older notebook which I'm surprised is still working.  Anyway, I will report what I can and then will show pictures when I can.  

I got caught up on my blackwork.  I have the new block downloaded and took a couple of stitches on it but put it aside since yesterday was my birthday and Dan took me to the movies.  We saw the latest  Mission Impossible movie.  It was good but the only bad part is it is a part 1.  We'll have to wait for part 2 to come out.  We also saw some trailers that looked pretty good but don't ask me which ones.  I can't remember their names now.  None was coming out soon so I'm sure I'll hear about them later on.

Yesterday was also the quarterly Commodity day and boy, did I come away with a ton of fresh veggies.  I have enough to take some of the fresh veggies to our SCA meeting on Sunday  I cut up a ton of tomatoes yesterday as well as a couple of cabbages and green bell peppers.  Those I'm keeping but there is a ton of hot peppers and small cucumbers and two more cabbages that I'm going to give away on Sunday.  

That's about it for this report since I can't post pictures.  My back is bothering me today from all the activities yesterday.  I'll post again when I can.

Everybody stay safe and have a great day!

Birthday Plans

 Happy Birthday to me!  Yes I managed to survive another year and am still loving it and myself.

This post, however, is about food.  I am going to brag a bit here since I made two new recipes this week and they turned out pretty good.  One was Flatbread and the other was Butter Chicken.  I will definitely make both again.  What else did I make this past week?

I had breakfast burritos salad

Shrimp Scampi leftovers (still good)

Plenty of salads

Chicken noodle soup

Butter Chicken and flatbread

and leftovers.

That means it is time to look at what to make for the upcoming week.  So far I have the following recipes in the running.

Balsamic Crock Pot Chicken

Chicken Pot Pie Bubble Up Casserole

Tuna and Rice Bake

and a Chicken and Rice casserole. 

I've made the Chicken and Rice casserole (not bubble up) before so I know that will work out.  Another possibility might be a chicken tamale casserole.  I have to check to see if I have a cornbread mix.  

I don't know what I'll have today because Dan is taking me to the movies for my birthday and I know I'll have something there.  We'll have to see but if we don't go out to eat then I'll just have a salad.  I'll have to let you know.

Everybody have a great day because I know that I will.  :)

Craft plans

 Even in this heat I want to keep up with crafting in one form or another.  I started out this week with changing up my wall hangings.  So now I have more patriotic wall hangings up.

Now I can start to look at what I want to do for the next month's block exchange.  This is what I sent to my partner for the July block.

I'll let you know what I decide for August.  

Now on to my update on my blackwork.  This is what I have done.

On another note, I am close to starting on a new project.  I don't want to show it to you yet.  I have to wait for the right fabric to speak to me for it.  I'll see.  I might have told my friend Susan but I can't remember.  Time will tell. 

So this week I will be starting on the next blook for the Blackwork.  I'm still debating on whether I will wait until I turn the corner at the top before I start on the outer border.  It worked well for me on the inner border to work on one side at a time instead of doing it all at once.  I might try that again for the final border.

I have another project that is close to being started.  It will be a table runner.  There are so many projects that need to be finished or worked on that I doubt I will EVER run out of things to work on.  Wish me luck.  LOL.

I will let you all know next update.  :)

Take care.

Planning? What's that? Oh yeah...

 I think that I will count this as weeks plan.  :)

I weighed in today and I didn't lose any weight.  On the other hand, I didn't gain any either.  I will take that as a win.  Part of my problem was...I just didn't care.  I will admit it.  Dieting, if I can use that ugly word, just isn't fun.  At my age I deserve to have some fun.  I like to eat.  I just have to get back on track and even if I don't gain or lose weight, I just need to be held accountable.  So what did I last week?  I can't remember that much because I wasn't keeping track.  I'm bad!

This week I will try to be better.  That is my goal.  It won't matter to me if I gain weight or lose it or even stay the same.  As long as I get back into the habit of not going overboard.  I will try to eat more salads which won't be a problem as long as I get to the store to keep stocked up on lettuce.  My problem is basically what I put into the salad or on top.  That's ok.  Things will even out

So what do I have planned for this week's food?  I actually thought about it a bit and have come up with the following to eat this week.

Breakfast burritos leftovers - this is a new recipe that I made today and liked.  However I think I might just like to eat the fillings without rolling it into a tortilla.  It would be good to make a taco salad with I think. It has Italian Sausage, onions (yellow onion and green onions), hash browns, eggs, and cheese.

July 4th - shrimp scampi and lobster tails, corn, garlic bread. Yeah, this is probably what will make me gain weight.  :)

Omelets

Shephard's Pie - made on stove top

Tuna salad - possibly

Whatcha think?  I figure a couple of those days will give me enough for leftovers.  Of course on July 4th leftovers might go back with Dan but we'll see.

Do you have any plans for meals this week?  What about on the 4th?

No matter what, have a safe and delicious week.

Not a good week

 This hasn't been a good week for me on both the losing weight side as well as on the craft side.  That's ok.  I'll bounce back.  It's so hot right now that I get antsy and don't have patience if things don't work out.  What hasn't worked out this week?

1.  My messenger bag.  I could have sworn I followed directions and it didn't turn out at all.  I'll cut off the bottom of it, perhaps, and just use it as a quick bag when I need it.  Of course I'm just as likely to cut it apart, store the scraps for another project, and throw out this pattern.  I have another messenger bag pattern that I can try to make but my patience has gone for a bit.  Perhaps because heat indexes over 100 make me grumpy?  Patterns not working out make me grumpy?  Both?

2.  I have messed up my Blackwork so it is set aside for another day.

3.  I gained weight - gee Bonni, see what happens when you binge eat?  SHOCKER!

On the good news front..

1.  I chased off 4 big dogs with my walking stick when they wanted to eat the cat food and was scaring little Luna.  I really wasn't in danger.  They are large dogs but no growing at me.  Just barking at Luna.  A wave of my stick, a stern voice, and me staying on the porch until I see them give up on waiting and all was fine.  I held Luna for a little bit and then big brother Sunny came over and wanted his cuddles and pets also.  She showed up for breakfast this morning so she's ok.

2.  I found a dragon pattern that I want to make.  I don't necessarily like how they did it but I'll think on it.

3.  I'm getting some exercise in.  It counts picking out fabric and putting it away again, right?  Walking to the corner grocery store and then picking up weights (2 liters) and walking again counts right?  LOL.

That's it for now.  It is 83F right now and it is 8:45 a.m.  Think I had better walk to the gas station before it gets hotter.  Heat index is expected to be over 100F today.  I have plenty of water to drink so I'm not worried.

Stay cool and have a great day.

Moving recipe and cooking info to Monays

 After thinking about it, I will be posting about recipes and such to Mondays (instead of Wednesdays).  That is because I've been trying to lose weight and I weigh in on Mondays.  LOL.  Nothing like being held accountable for things by posting it someplace.  :)

So here is what is happening as far as food is concerned.  

1.  I don't have a specific weight loss program that I will be following.  Done that before and yes I did  lose weight but it eventually came back on.  I have lost over 100 pounds twice.  So I know what will work for me.  Now that I am less active,  will have to be a bit more careful but I will do it.  I'm not in a hurry.

2.  I've cut down on my soda.  I do prefer regular but I am pretty proud that I have cut back down.  I am on the same case of regular soda and it has been over a week.  That is a record for me.  Before I allow myself some soda, I am forcing myself to drink water which I do not like.  Yes, I know it is better for me but my taste buds don't care and neither do I.  I do have some diet soda sometimes, like I get it from Pantry Day, but mostly it is regular.   I also drink some tea.  I have one that I love and can drink without anything added to it.  It is a loose tea from:

https://www.auntiearwenspices.com/.../Featured_Products.html

I love Auntie Arwin's Bah! Bah! Black Sheep Rosemary Citrus Blend as well as their Very Berry Beneficial tea (loose tea). I will order more eventually but that is what I've tried so far.

I will be getting some sugar free Kool-Aid  when I go to the store next...unless I forget it again.  LOL.

3.  What did I eat?  For brunch? I usually have an omelet with fresh spinach and feta cheese.  

4.  In the afternoon I have fixed French Bread Pizza.  Well fixed half of it and put the other half of the bread back in the freezer.  I also had enchiridia's.  Another day I had tuna mac.

That is what I HAD.  So what am I going to HAVE this week?

I still like versions of omelets for brunch.  Then I will decide what to make for dinner.

I have a lot of recipes I want to try but I haven't gotten to the store yet to get all the ingredients to make them do to my income and also Dan's vehicle not running.  It's fun being retired isn't it?  Sigh.  LOL.

Some things that I would like to make soon-ish are:

1.  Chicken breasts with tomato paste on top, cheese, and then Italian seasoning to top it all.  Bake.  I know.  That recipe is a bit lacking in directions.  That's how I wrote it down.  LOL.

2.  Chopped chicken bacon ranch sub - but I'm not sure if I will put it on a sub roll or just make it as a salad, etc.

3.  crack chicken pinwheels.

4.  Marinated Beet Salad

5.  Southwest Chicken Hummus Wrap

6.  And more...  :)

What do you plan on making?  Do you have a favorite summer dish you like to make?

What I been up to?

 There is a lot of things I *should* have been up to but sadly I wasn't.,  Between my allergies and the rain and the heat...I didn't feel like doing much.  I did, however, run cross this website and thought I'd share the link with you.  It tells how many cuts you can get from a fat quarter.  Interesting...

https://haileystitches.com/how-to-cut-a-fat-quarter/

My allergies and eye sight is a little better today.  I managed to catch up on my blackwork weekly blocks.  

Soon I will start on the current week which is week 24.  What is exciting about week 24 is that it is the last block before I start on the last row.  It's coming along.

That is about all I have to show for the crafting.  I am in the middle of stitching my July block exchange.  It won't take me long to finish it so that it will be all ready to mail out once I get the name of my partner.  The next month, August (to be stitched in July) will take a bit more thinking of what to do.  I'm not worried though.  I am sure that I'll find something that I will want to stitch. 

To make up for not showing too much on the crafting front, I have some kitten pictures for you.

First up in little Luna.  She gets into everything.  I now have to be careful when I open the door to go outside.  She is just waiting for the moment when she can scoot in.  

Next up is Smudge.  Smudge has the markings similar to Momma Smidge but is more gray.  The markings are starting to come out more and it is fun to see.  One of these days I might even be able to pet him/her.  

Their big brother, Sonny, is showing them around the yard more.  I'm not sure he is the best influence since I remember when he would sneak into the house or get into other things.

Of course, BC (or that could be Uncle Orange - it is hard to tell) is standing watch while Callie gets a chance to eat.  I saw Callie's kittens the other day but they might have moved on.  I haven't seen Callie or the kittens in about a week.  Dan did say that he saw her the other day so I know she is still around somewhere and is getting food.  She will show up eventually.  With kittens of her own, I'm sure she is busy.

I know that this post isn't very long or anything  but I'll try show some more stuff next time.  

Take care everybody and I'll see you next week.

Back on track...sort of

 Wow.  So much has happened and yet looking back I'm not sure what DID happen.  Best laid plans and all that.  So....

My plans for food have been turned upside down when I agreed to go on a weight loss journey with a friend.  I'm not sorry I said I would go on this journey for I needed to lose around 30-40 pounds. I am happy to help my friend on her journey too.  We've always exchanged recipes so it is fun.   I just hadn't expected it so wasn't prepared for it.  I am TOTALLY happy she convinced me to go on this journey with her.  So where does that leave me?  Good question.

I should plan again my meals but I am not quite in the mood for it.  LOL.  I am still collecting recipes and sharing them.  Of course I can eat anything, or should that be everything, I want just as long as I don't overdo it.  So what am I eating this week?  Good question.

The front runners are:

something with hamburger since I have some that is already cooked up

something with rice and/or potatoes

maybe some of my tuna quiche-like pie but crestless

Taco soup

maybe chicken pinwheels

When I get to the grocery store, I'll buy some lettuce and spinach for salads.  

Any suggestions?  

Did you miss me?

 Yeah I didn't post this week??  Last weeks? updates.  So there isn't much to talk about this week.

It has been in the high 80s and low to mid 90s last week and this week.  It doesn't give me energy to work on things,  So that is my excuse which really isn't an excuse but more of an explanation.

My eyes are also bothering me this week.  I'm not sure why but it has slowed me down.  Normally I'd have my weekly update for you with my blackwork but I'm still stitching it.  

Here is what it looks like up to this current week.  I will have it ready for the next craft update though.

I was able to send out my block to my partner.  She was happy to get it and it brought a smile to my face. 

It's time to start on the next block.  It will be a patriotic theme since it is for July.  I already know which block I want to do.  I have it printed out and now I have to get the fabric picked out and the pieces fused on.  I have plenty of time so I'm not worried.

I did get some more of the cross stitch done.  Not sure if I will get it anything done on it this week but I'll see.

That's about it for my crafting report this week.  I also am going to try to lose some weight so I have a lot of things on my plate right now.  At least I won't be bored.  LOL.  This meme is a good reminder not to give up.  

Things will get done.  I'm retired.  I have time, right?

Stay cool everybody and maybe I'll post again this week!