Let's see. What's been going on recently? I only wish I could remember exactly what, but here are a few things that pop into my mind.
Baby, it's cold outside.
Like the rest of the East, we've been having unseasonably cold temperatures. For this area that means, single digits with winds at 30-40 miles/hour. Throw in a couple of snowfalls and that means that you were much more likely to find me on the couch wrapped in a fuzzy blanket with a cat on my lap than enjoying the great outdoors.
Darn that weather.
And while I love my couch time with the fuzzy blanket and cats, I wish the weather had let up a little last week. Ward and I planned a couple of days away from the hustle and bustle of the holidays to do some hiking and explore the little towns on the way to where we would spend the night. The reality was that most everything was closed for the season or for the weather (see above). So while we didn't commune with nature as I had hoped, darn that weather, we did find a nice art museum and some good unstructured time to just talk.They're dropping like flies.
It's cold and flu season again and seems like everyone around is getting sick. Most of the people I work with have had some kind of cold, flu etc., and the holiday events have had their own share of ill people attending. Nothing like being in a crowded church pew with coughing people or at a holiday party with sneezing and coughing people. However, so far, no one in this house has been sick. We're hoping that the extra Vitamin C will continue to protect us.
It tastes so good.
And while we've been able to avoid the flu so far, we've not been able to avoid those extra pounds that often show up this time of year. I guess I should speak only for myself. I haven't been able to avoid those extra pounds that show up this time of year. Christmas brings out the best bakers and candy makers and I have really enjoyed the fruits of their labors. Not to mention the special chocolates and party food that abounded. I'm glad that we're almost done with all of the goodies because my pants are starting to get a little tight.A Fresh Start
The new year is a time for reflection and for looking forward. A fresh start, so to speak. And as soon as we get the Christmas stuff put away, I'll start thinking about that. However by popular demand, all of our Christmas decorations are still up. We agreed to take them down on the Epiphany which is today. So in case you're interested, I think you can figure out what's on the top of my To Do list for today.
Until next time...
Welcome back, I have missed your posts!
ReplyDeleteWell, you guys are really getting hammered up North, I feel for you so much. I hope it's over soon so you can get back outside. Kudos for going out to the museum, still, when your original plans had to be cancelled. I don't know if I would have braved the weather but then again it's only been super cold (for Central FL!) for 3 days down here, hardly time to get cabin fever.
I hope you don't get the flu. It was horrible when I had it last month and I'm finally not coughing anymore. Make sure you wash your hands with antibacterial soap when you leave each store/public place. People are coughing in their hands and then touching everything. I'm hardly a germaphobe but the epidemic is real!
I chuckled when I read about your weight gain but only because the word "party" is right over the word "pants" over just 2 lines on my Feedly feed, and my brain read it as you wearing "party pants", which I guess they were after all :) Glad you enjoyed some yummy treats that others baked, too!
Be safe on the roads if you go out this weekend! Stay warm with your cats, the couch is the best place to be (or bed) right now.
Party pants. That's funny although I think we all have a pair. :)
DeleteOur weather is supposed to warm up Monday, but be accompanied by freezing rain. Not conducive to outdoor activities either. At this rate our outdoor lights will stay up until spring.
I am pretty good about washing my hands, but working in a library is a germy place. If not the direct contact with the people, who knows what's on the books. One of my coworkers used to work in a daycare center and she said she got sick more working in the library than with the little kids and their runny nose
Hmmm. For me, yes, yes, yes, yes, and yes--you and I are having similar life experiences! Single digits (further inland temps are in the negatives), which has led to both snow from big systems as well as lake effect snow. For about two weeks, our joke was "look, it's snowing!" ... funny because it never stopped snowing. We had 50 inches in December and it's continued to accumulate. So, like you, some of our plans were curtailed due to bad weather/frigid temps/bad roads. We usually try to go to a very nice museum in Grand Rapids but didn't want to chance the roads. However, we took a nice, long snowshoeing trip a couple of days ago, so that was good. We've also been playing games and doing puzzles. So far so good for us on staying healthy--I think you can only do so much germ avoidance, even with washing hands frequently, and for what it's worth, I would avoid antibacterial soaps--here's a link if you are interested: www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm378393.htm
ReplyDeleteI'm up a few pounds, too ... I used to really stress about it, but I've learned that we will get back on the wagon in January without even thinking too much about it--fewer parties, and people aren't giving me food items as gifts every other minute--I've been a little lax about my exercise program but this week I got back at it. Which has our family mirroring yours on "a fresh start". :)
Funny thing--I usually leave decorations up for awhile, but decided to have my daughter and I take them down today (the guys were taking down real trees/lights at the local park as part of a boy scout/Lions club service activity so it was a good activity for her and me to do together). I'd like to say we planned it for Epiphany but I didn't put any thought into it except that it would be easier with 2 people rather than just myself (and it was!).
While we've had snow, it hasn't been that much. Only a few inches each time. The problem is that we're not used to having sustained temperatures this long and it's not melting off the roads like it usually does. And while the highs today were only in the low teens, the sun was out and melted some more areas so all of the main roads are good as are most of the secondary ones. I guess you adjust, but I don't know how you and the others deal with all of the lake effect snow. It seems overwhelming to me.
DeleteWe have always taken down the Christmas tree and other decorations on New Year's Day, so this is late for us. And so far today, I've done everything else besides take down the tree. I feel another session with the fuzzy blankets and a cat on the couch, so I may not start things until tomorrow.
I find that it isn't the amount of snow that is overwhelming as much as it is frigid temperatures and wind. When we get those in combination with the snow, it blows the snow across the road and ices it up. Road salt is ineffective when the temps dip below 17* or so--they sand our roads, which helps with traction, but I hate hate hate driving on an ice rink. I try to avoid driving as much as I can when the weather is like that.
DeleteOur car died last summer and my line in the sand was that our new vehicle would have all-wheel drive. Oh my goodness, it's like night and day driving our new car. You still have to be careful, obviously (although any number of people driving AWD still drive like maniacs), but I have a lot more control driving this.
We probably have road service that is more prepared here than where you live. I grew up across the state, where we got a lot less snow, so this was all shockingly new to me when I moved over here, but yes, I have adjusted.
The kids go back to school Monday. I have found myself in vacation mode, too, and I'm not looking forward to back-to-reality. Fuzzy blankets, a cat, and a book are really appealing to me right now.
The blowing snow has been the problem here the last couple of days. My sister lives in Maine and they used to use sand on the roads until there was so much of it that it was clogging drains. Have you ever had that problem there?
DeleteNot that I have heard of. A problem we have with road salt is that our area has many blueberry farms, some of which are by main roads and highways. The road salt can affect them. I think there was some sort of initiative to deal with this but I can't remember what it was. Seems like there are problems no matter what solution is found.
DeleteNo easy solution except stocking up for the winter and staying inside.
DeleteThe northern and panhandle part of my state had ice and snow last week, down my way we had wind, rain and chill. We'll see if the weather forecast for a warm up holds true.
ReplyDeleteNo matter where you live this week, the weather has been cold--including FL. I remember a couple of years ago we visited Disney World in January. We were trying to go some place warm before the kids went back to school. Well, there was a cold snap and there was frost on our rental car every morning. However, unlike the cars you rent in the north, it didn't come with an ice scraper. Luckily, we had credit cards that were able to do the trick.
DeleteI'm sure it will warm up soon. I hope.
Unseasonably warm here in Oregon but looks really really cold along the east coast, from the news. Its nice you haven't yet caught the flu. I haven't either but so many have it here also, I suppose it may be a matter of time, and contact with the wrong person or a dirty doorknob.....or....I love cookies and those in your photo look sooooo good.
ReplyDeleteThe chips in the cookies in the picture are pieces of Andes Mints. If you're a mint and chocolate lover like I am, you would enjoy them. I certainly did.
DeleteThe flu is rampart in most states. Hopefully, that's because the flu season is peaking early this year. Not because it is a particularly bad outbreak.
Brrrr... Would it be inappropriate to mention that it was 57 degrees in Denver today, and CatMan & I went for a 35 mile bike ride?
ReplyDeleteWell anyhow, I hope you stay virus-free. I have a crazy little theory about how vitamin C works to prevent colds & flu. I have absolutely nothing to back this up except my crazy little brain, so you probably shouldn't take it too seriously. Anyhow, I once read that when you take extra vitamin C it's "pointless" because it's simply excreted through the urine and the skin. So here's my crazy lady theory. If it's excreted through the skin, that would (one would assume) make your skin more acidic. And... since most cold and flu viruses are transmitted on surfaces (in other words, you get them on your skin and then they get transferred when you touch your eyes or mouth or whatever)... well, maybe the acidic skin somehow interferes with the virus being transferred. Maybe it kills the virus, or maybe it just makes you less likely to rub your eyes if your fingers are acidic and it makes your eyes burn. That's my crazy lady theory anyhow!
Anyhow, stay warm, and be thankful for those few extra pounds - they're helping your body deal with the cold!
That's an interesting theory. I hadn't heard that it is secreted through the skin, just urine. But it makes sense, since Vit. C is water soluble and your sweat has water in it. I always thought that it helped boost the immune system some how. I read that white blood cells have one of the largest concentrations of Vit. C in the body, so that probably ties in somehow. Anyway, I haven't been eating many fruits and veggies these days, so I figure it can't hurt to take a little supplement. Especially since I already have them and should use them before they go bad.
DeleteDon't blame you, at all, for wanting to stay at home, snuggled up with a blanket and a cat, when it is so cold outside! And if you have a mint chocolate cookie to munch on while doing that, so much the better! I managed not to gain any weight over the holidays, but only because I had to monitor my blood sugar daily and have another doctor's appt. and weigh-in coming up!
ReplyDeleteI have been able to avoid coming down with something, so far *knock on wood* for which I am very grateful! I've been told not to take any Vitamin C supplements by my oncologist, as, apparently, it feeds the cancer cells! Fresh fruit and the occasional glass of orange juice is OK, but no supplements.
I wish you safe driving on those icy roads!
To answer your question, stores in the UK including Aldi there, place yellow stickers on fruits and vegetables at the end of their prime in an effort to sell them quickly. Aldi in the US does not do that at least not that I've ever seen.
ReplyDeleteWhile I see other stores mark down old produce, I don't think I've seen that at Aldi's. They go for volume and a lower profit margin, so I can't imagine that they waste a lot of it. I may look into that.
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