Going Green

Spinach Apple Pear Green Smoothie

NO! Not THAT kind of "green"!
Tho I try to do my part in keeping our little corner of the earth nice and clean, what I'm talking about here is what I had for breakfast this morning!

A couple of weeks ago my friend and neighbor Michelle did a post on green smoothies, and how wonderful they are.
And since my appetite is still not what it used to be, I thought I would give one a try.
Following Michelle's instructions I put a cup of water in my blender and tossed in three handfuls of raw baby spinach. Blend till smooth.
Add 1 peeled and cored apple and 1 peeled and cored pear.
A bit of ice to keep it cold and blend.
It makes a LOT.
I drank 2 cups and there is another cup in the fridge for later.
YUM.
Not too sweet, not too spinachey.
Just right.
Maybe tomorrow it will be a blueberry green smoothie?

xoxo,
Cindy

Lookin' up!

Off my bum and onto my tummy!

At physical therapy this morning the therapist asked me to lay on my stomach.
"I think I forgot how to do that", I replied.
Not for long, tho!
What a glorious feeling, to lay on your stomach after weeks of NOT laying on your stomach!
When I got home I cleared as much of the bed as possible and got right back on there and asked Pete to take a photo.
I don't care how unattractive I look!
It just feels so good!

And...that's not all I've been up to.
I have been cooking.
Kinda.
Last night it was Chicken Picatta with Lemon & Thyme Orzo.
Tonight it is baked herbed salmon with leftover orzo, to which I will add diced tomatoes and feta cheese.
Even tho I needed a LOT of help toward the end of the cooking process, it was a great feeling to get back in the kitchen.
I just have to remember to simplify and take short cuts.
And not be afraid to ask for help.

Not sure if I am back in the saddle again, but at least I'm headin' in the right direction!

And, yes, I have been stopping by lots of my favorite blogs, but haven't had much time to comment.
Every day gets a bit better and I hope to be posting AND commenting on a regular basis real soon.

xoxo,
Cindy

Slow and steady wins the race...

This is me, only hairier

....Or at least gets you to the finish line!


I've had my ups and downs of late, and spend an awful lot of time flat on my back.
I am NOT a sleep on your back kind of a gal. I am a tummy/side sleeper, so this has been a tough one.
I feel like there are owies on me bum, and the achiness is driving me batty.
All things considering, that's not so bad!

I don't live in Haiti.
I have very generous friends who have been bringing in meal after meal after meal.
Really delicious meals.
Meals I am asking recipes for.
I have a husband who does what he can for me, pretty much w/o complaining.
I am now on pain level 3, on a scale of 1 to 10.
(that's WITH the pain meds, cause I'm no dummy)
I don't have to give myself blood thinner injections anymore.
I can, if I want to, have a very small glass of wine with dinner.
(just don't drive or work with heavy machinery....AS IF!)

A couple of days ago I felt like there was a turning point here.
My head didn't feel foggy.
I was able to read a bit.
Put a small "honey do" list together.
I could do a few of the therapy exercises on my own, w/o Pete's help.
I didn't feel as if I needed to be watched over like a newborn.
Pete could actually go outside the house and I didn't panic.
Almost normal feeling.

And that's a GOOD thing!

xoxo,
Cindy

Thanks to all who have commented here and have been praying for us. We can really feel it, and have been encouraged by friends from all over the world.
I am blessed.

Down...but NOT out

Urinary Tract Infection symptom

Among the other things that have not gone exactly "right" over here, I was hit this weekend with a UTI. Likely caused by the 1 day with a catheter, but regardless, a pain in the....well, not a pain the you know where, but pain, nonetheless!
Adding insult to injury, my family doctor made me pinky swear to high tail it to the emergency room is this was at ALL accompanied by a temp!
So....my therapy has taken a nose dive, and when my therapist shows up later this morning and sees my great lack of pregress, I am going to plead the UTI.
And pray for compassion.
Cause physical therapy hurts like hell.
For real.

On the bright side, our friends have been incredibly supportive.
Meals have been rolling in on a regular basis and have been inhaled.
My friend and neighbor, Michelle, has managed to bring in 3 meals last week, and what a treat they have been!
And...she has done all of this cooking and baking for US, while her whole family has been on an elimination diet to find the food culprits responsible for allergies, etc. that have run amuck at their home.
Can't imagine how difficult that must have been....cooking up wonderful food, then giving it all away! Michelle and her family have truly gone the extra mile!
And that girl can cook!

So, all that being said, I am slowly feeling better and getting around a bit more. This walker thing drives me batty! Using it tends to make you shuffle like the old man character Tim Conway used to play on the Carol Burnett show!
Gotta stop that!

And...I am trying to stop in on my favorite blogs, even tho I am not likely commenting.
Sitting at the computer for too long stiffens out my leg, and I end up getting frustrated.

But, I"m back.
Slowly but surely.
And I'll be in touch again real soon.

xoxo,
Cindy

FARMGIRL HIT BY MACK TRUCK....

News at Eleven


OK, I wasn't exactly HIT by a Mack truck, I just feel as though I have been.

More to come.

xoxo,

Cindy

To hospital, to hospital, to get a new knee...

...home by Monday, quick as can be!

This Friday I head for the hospital to get a total right knee replacement.
If all goes as expected, I should be home by Monday evening, or possibly Tuesday.
Oh, the things I have been doing to prepare!
Laundry. Groceries. Cooking.
Cut & color.
Rearrange furniture to accommodate a walker.
YIKES!
It's worse than going on vacation!

And...except for a few meals that friends will be bringing in for us, the cooking and cleaning will be all on Farmboy for a while.
DOUBLE YIKES!!!

A sweet package from Joy came yesterday....stuff she knew would keep me occupied during the long recuperation.
Like chocolate.
LOTS of chocolate.
Interactive French lessons.
Did you know I am French?
Can't speak a lick of it, but that could change!

And books!
Cookbooks!
Two beautiful books on cooking with herbs.
Thank you Joy.
You know my heart!

Twelve pigeons roosting in a tiny tree outside my bedroom window

I think the worst part of this whole knee business is the disruption it will cause.
Geez Louize...can't use the stairs.
Can't drive for 6 weeks.
Can't take care of the chickens.
And can't stand long enough to put a meal together!
I think THAT will be the worst part.
Not getting to do what I love best.

The BEST part of this whole knee business???
I GET A NEW KNEE!!!
Right now I wobble when I walk.
Remember...."Weebles wobble but they don't fall down"?
Well, I am a weeble.
But that will all change!
I just have to give it some time, follow thru with the therapy and exercises...
And by spring I should be getting around quite a bit better.
The left knee is supposed to be done in 3 months, but if I can handle it, I will put it off till September.
That way I get my gardening in and can enjoy the beautiful Michigan spring/summer.

Hope to be back REAL soon.
If you're so inclined, please pray for me.
And pray for Farmboy.
HE'S gonna need it!

xoxo,
Cindy

HOMEMADE CRACKERS...or....BYE BYE TRISCUIT!

ROSEMARY GARLIC CRACKERS

I am gonna have to be pretty darn desperate before I will EVER buy another box of Triscuits again!
THESE are so simple, and SO delicious, how could I ever go back?

And...have you looked at the list of ingredients on a box of Triscuits?
YIKES!

Oh, they make them sound all healthy and all...
"may help reduce the risk of heart disease"
But, a quick look at the list of ingredients and you'll think differently...
MSG(bad, bad, bad)
soybean oil(ick)
disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate (flavor enhancers)
I say, if you can't pronounce it you should not be eating it!
And you most certainly should not be giving it to your children!

I have been guilty of this....but no more.

READY TO BAKE

You'll find this EASY-PEASY recipe HERE, and I will tell you what I did a bit different from the original.
I rolled it out ON the piece of parchment paper, with a goodly amount of flour ON the parchment and of course on top of the dough.

I cut the dough in thirds, not half as the recipe says.
When rolled out thinly I had enough for 3 pans.

I cut the dough with a pizza cutter BEFORE laying it on the cookie sheet.
That's cause my pizza cutter did not get the very edges cut(on the 1st pan) and I had to go back and cut them with a sharp knife.

I also needed help getting them on the cookie sheet...you each take two corners and lift gently, placing it on the sheet.

And...watch carefully.
These will burn rather quickly.
Ask me how I know this.
No, don't.

In my defense, my oven has been on the ka-flooey for several months now, and fluctuates wildly.
I am praying that in 2010 I can get it repaired.
But...I would STILL watch carefully.

And cool completely as they really only get crispy when they are totally cooled.

For my herb topping I used my own dried rosemary which I ground in my coffee grinder.
Mixed that with some garlic powder, kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.

Trust me.
You will thank me for this.
Your children will thank me for this.
Your children's children, should the Lord tarry, will thank me for this.

xoxo,
Cindy