That old adage..."Feed a cold, starve a fever" has been replaying through my mind every day since Mike came down with his cold, and subsequently shared it with me. I've never quite figured out the meaning of the saying, but it doesn't have much to do with food!
I've had so little appetite through this mess, that I think the scale must be stuck. It hasn't moved in more than a year, even with the January stomach ailment and this cold, which is now on it's tenth day. It's not fair! I've been eating, but not as much as usual, and that's a fact.
Every day we talk about what to have for dinner. Neither of us is excited about anything food related, but we do finally end up choosing something. Most of the time, it's been soup or a sandwich, or some left over something that was frozen and just needs to be heated up. We've been eating lightly and not well-rounded meals in terms of meat, starch, vegetables. Nothing sounds good....even though once it's in my mouth, it tastes pretty good. I lost my taste buds the first few days, but after that, I could taste everything quite well.
I'm sure that before long we'll be back to our normal cooking/eating activities, but for now, it's kind of a catch-as-catch-can mode. I think I'll weigh myself again today, and see if there's any encouragement on that scale. If so, maybe I can keep my appetite at bay, and continue to eat lighter meals, albeit more elaborate ones. We'll see. Maybe I'll just toss the scale and give it no more thought.
Still...I'm not sure about feeding a cold.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Sunday, February 26, 2012
PBS...
As I am typing this, I'm listening to a PBS rock and roll and doo-wop show on TV. Now, I've got to tell you, I am loving hearing all this old music that I grew up with in the 1960's. The Ronettes, Jay and the Americans, the Crystals. I'm singing along with the sounds. I always have enjoyed hearing this stuff, and today is no different. It takes me back to my teens and all the memories associated with each song.
Back in those days, I saw a good number of these acts on stage at the Brooklyn Fox Theater. A New York Radio station WINS dj, who called himself "Murray the K" brought us the newest groups and singers and put together shows that were affordable for us. I have in my scrapbook, two sets of notes which I wrote while in the audience at the Fox. They are notes as to who sang in what order, and what they sang. You know, that's very important stuff to a fifteen year old of the day, and a real chuckle for me now! Somewhere, there's an autograph, too, from Murray....and another from Jay Black of Jay and the Americans.
While I'll probably love singing and hearing these old songs until I take my last breath, I must admit that I'd prefer the faces to remain in my memory. Seeing 70 year old women dressed as teenagers and wearing very long brown tresses, barely able to walk in those high heeled boots, let alone do a simple dance step, isn't thrilling to me. I applaud the breath control of Jay Black in today's show, as he sang an extended note in "Cara Mia", but seeing him with age spots on his bald head, was not welcome in my memory bank while the song was sung. Some time ago I saw Eric Burton of the Animals....his long gray hair pulled back in a low pony tail, his left ear pierced, and his flabby arms looking white beneath the sleeves of his wild tropical print shirt that barely covered his rotund physique. This vision didn't match the voice singing "The House of the Rising Sun."
I'm pleased that these entertainers can still sing and maybe even do a show somewhere, but I'd rather hear the music with no view of the singer, unless PBS would play the old tapes of their performances. My husband said I just made complaints about both the one who looks natural and the one who is trying to look young. I didn't realize it, but he's right, I did just that! Awww heck, go ahead guys....sing to your hearts content, for as long as you can! I'll just not watch.... but you can bet, I'll be listening!
Back in those days, I saw a good number of these acts on stage at the Brooklyn Fox Theater. A New York Radio station WINS dj, who called himself "Murray the K" brought us the newest groups and singers and put together shows that were affordable for us. I have in my scrapbook, two sets of notes which I wrote while in the audience at the Fox. They are notes as to who sang in what order, and what they sang. You know, that's very important stuff to a fifteen year old of the day, and a real chuckle for me now! Somewhere, there's an autograph, too, from Murray....and another from Jay Black of Jay and the Americans.
While I'll probably love singing and hearing these old songs until I take my last breath, I must admit that I'd prefer the faces to remain in my memory. Seeing 70 year old women dressed as teenagers and wearing very long brown tresses, barely able to walk in those high heeled boots, let alone do a simple dance step, isn't thrilling to me. I applaud the breath control of Jay Black in today's show, as he sang an extended note in "Cara Mia", but seeing him with age spots on his bald head, was not welcome in my memory bank while the song was sung. Some time ago I saw Eric Burton of the Animals....his long gray hair pulled back in a low pony tail, his left ear pierced, and his flabby arms looking white beneath the sleeves of his wild tropical print shirt that barely covered his rotund physique. This vision didn't match the voice singing "The House of the Rising Sun."
I'm pleased that these entertainers can still sing and maybe even do a show somewhere, but I'd rather hear the music with no view of the singer, unless PBS would play the old tapes of their performances. My husband said I just made complaints about both the one who looks natural and the one who is trying to look young. I didn't realize it, but he's right, I did just that! Awww heck, go ahead guys....sing to your hearts content, for as long as you can! I'll just not watch.... but you can bet, I'll be listening!
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Monday, February 20, 2012
Sickness...
This winter has been plagued with viruses and flu and cold symptoms, seemingly all over the country. I was down for about ten days in January, with some evil stomach virus. My mother had some version of it that lasted only a few days. Now my husband has come down with a wicked cold/flu.
He's drippy and barking like a seal. His head is full and heavy, and he's unable to concentrate or think straight. He drifts in and out of sleep and dozes in his chair during the day, and then sleeps until he's wracked with coughing at night. Poor thing, he's almost never sick, and I hate it when he gets sick.
He's not one of those men who whines and demands and wants me to wait on him when he's not feeling well. He's quieter, but that's about the only change I see. He continues to fuss in the kitchen, though he has no real appetite for food. (This goes to prove my theory that his appetite, in general, is more in his head than it is in his stomach!) He's not cooking 'real' meals, as he usually does, but he's creating new things of left overs and eating them. As for me, I'm fending for myself with soup or tortillas or some other easy-cook meals. It doesn't matter much to me what I eat, so long as it's real food and the hunger is abated.
I've offered many times to make a big pot of garlic-y chicken soup, which I believe is the best medicine for any cold. So far, he doesn't seem interested in taking me up on it. I wanted to go to the pharmacy yesterday to replenish our Nyquil products so he'd have something to alleviate some of his symptoms, but he wasn't enthusiastic about that either.
Well, I've decided to do both of those things today. If it's here, maybe he'll just eat the soup and take the medicines. I think he was just trying to keep me from going out of my way for his sake. As thoughtful as he is, I am just as stubborn. I will try to take care of him, despite his objections. I'm hoping I won't get this cold, but should symptoms show up, I'll be prepared!
He's drippy and barking like a seal. His head is full and heavy, and he's unable to concentrate or think straight. He drifts in and out of sleep and dozes in his chair during the day, and then sleeps until he's wracked with coughing at night. Poor thing, he's almost never sick, and I hate it when he gets sick.
He's not one of those men who whines and demands and wants me to wait on him when he's not feeling well. He's quieter, but that's about the only change I see. He continues to fuss in the kitchen, though he has no real appetite for food. (This goes to prove my theory that his appetite, in general, is more in his head than it is in his stomach!) He's not cooking 'real' meals, as he usually does, but he's creating new things of left overs and eating them. As for me, I'm fending for myself with soup or tortillas or some other easy-cook meals. It doesn't matter much to me what I eat, so long as it's real food and the hunger is abated.
I've offered many times to make a big pot of garlic-y chicken soup, which I believe is the best medicine for any cold. So far, he doesn't seem interested in taking me up on it. I wanted to go to the pharmacy yesterday to replenish our Nyquil products so he'd have something to alleviate some of his symptoms, but he wasn't enthusiastic about that either.
Well, I've decided to do both of those things today. If it's here, maybe he'll just eat the soup and take the medicines. I think he was just trying to keep me from going out of my way for his sake. As thoughtful as he is, I am just as stubborn. I will try to take care of him, despite his objections. I'm hoping I won't get this cold, but should symptoms show up, I'll be prepared!
Saturday, February 18, 2012
A GIVEAWAY...
Follow this link for a chance at a giveaway....(even if you don't want the gift, you'll be blessed by this blogger's words!)
http://ajoyfulchaos.blogspot.com/2012/02/giveaway.html
~Kathleen
http://ajoyfulchaos.blogspot.com/2012/02/giveaway.html
~Kathleen
New Friends...
Perhaps you remember a blog I wrote some months back about a new group I'm a part of. It's called a Circle Letter group....a bunch of ladies who are becoming pen pals, with real old-fashioned, hand-written letters. A letter started the circle, was sent to the next lady on the list, and so on, until there are 9 letters making their way, in one envelope, back to the original sender, who then writes letter #2, removing her letter #1, and passing on the whole envelope again to the second on the list. Thus begins the circle again.
Our second round was very slow, and I was so impatient! I received emails from some in the group asking if I could find out where the letter was at a given point. I did so, and prompted the ladies not to hold up the circle, but to try to get their answer back in the mail within a week of receiving the packet.
Well, finally, I received the second letters just the other day! What a wonderful gift it was, after such a long wait. These ladies are all from different walks of life, and yet so much about us is similar. There are crafters and farmers, bakers, cooks, paper artists, and writers. All of us has a spiritual side which we encourage in similar, yet diverse, ways.
It is fun to share with these ladies and to get to know them and their families. We are becoming new friends, and I do hope that we will continue for many years, sharing prayers, information, recipes, ideas and all the events that life brings us. There is nothing like a girl friend, whether new or old, to be an encouragement to another woman. For me, it is like a gathering of sisters that I never had. I happen to love people, but connecting with other women is especially precious, and I look forward to learning from these women whatever lessons the come with.
May each of you be blessed with relationships that are dear to you!
Our second round was very slow, and I was so impatient! I received emails from some in the group asking if I could find out where the letter was at a given point. I did so, and prompted the ladies not to hold up the circle, but to try to get their answer back in the mail within a week of receiving the packet.
Well, finally, I received the second letters just the other day! What a wonderful gift it was, after such a long wait. These ladies are all from different walks of life, and yet so much about us is similar. There are crafters and farmers, bakers, cooks, paper artists, and writers. All of us has a spiritual side which we encourage in similar, yet diverse, ways.
It is fun to share with these ladies and to get to know them and their families. We are becoming new friends, and I do hope that we will continue for many years, sharing prayers, information, recipes, ideas and all the events that life brings us. There is nothing like a girl friend, whether new or old, to be an encouragement to another woman. For me, it is like a gathering of sisters that I never had. I happen to love people, but connecting with other women is especially precious, and I look forward to learning from these women whatever lessons the come with.
May each of you be blessed with relationships that are dear to you!
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Love, Love, Love....
We started celebrating Valentine's Day a little bit early this year. Our pastor had suggested doing a special service on Sunday evening, Feb. 12.... a marriage vow renewal service. Over the month between the announcement of the service and the actual event, a dozen couples signed up to renew their vows.
I didn't even ask Mike if he'd like to be a part of it, having asked him on our tenth anniversary, and again when our fifteenth was coming up. He squirmed and wiggled and gave a gentle moan of protest. He isn't one to make a public spectacle of himself, he gets nervous and embarrassed. So, I didn't ask. However, when we got home from church on the day of the announcement, Mike asked me if we were going to renew our vows! I was shocked that he'd even entertain the idea....and I said just that. He said, "No...let's do it." I teased him, saying, "I guess you really do want to stay married to me for all eternity!" And so, I signed us up, fast and furiously, so that he couldn't back out!
On Saturday evening, he asked me what I wanted him to wear. (I never have seen any man so concerned with looking 'just right' for anything. Maybe it has something to do with his stint in the US Marines, but whenever he's dressed, he's neat, he's clean, he's put together...without my help.) He asked me what to wear because there would be pictures taken. So, I gave him my thoughts, and he chose from the ties and shirts I'd picked out from his assortment.
Sunday night arrived and we sat with the other couples, some missing due to an attack of colds and flu. We listened as the Pastor read a piece on love....and then he called us all to the front of the church. He told us to hold each others hands and to look deep into each others eyes. Then he had the men repeat their vows after him, followed by the women repeating theirs. At the end he declared, 'by the authority vested in me, I now pronounce your wedding vows are renewed from this day forward." Tada!
It was a very meaningful service...bring tears to the eyes of some of us. One 'bride' wept! I just couldn't stop smiling! I am so blessed to share my life with this wonderful husband of mine, who holds me when I'm sad, encourages me when I lose sight of my goals, makes me giggle over nothing, points out special things going on in nature, talks to me about his feelings, the tv shows he's watched that I might have snored through, and the books he's read. He shares my interests, appreciates my efforts and is very complimentary about anything I do. He thinks it's his job to wait on me, to please me, to keep my happy. I've been given the gift of this man... and I love telling you that I appreciate him, enjoy him, and plan on staying with him until the earth crumbles, the seas dry, and the skies fall....in other words....for all eternity.
I didn't even ask Mike if he'd like to be a part of it, having asked him on our tenth anniversary, and again when our fifteenth was coming up. He squirmed and wiggled and gave a gentle moan of protest. He isn't one to make a public spectacle of himself, he gets nervous and embarrassed. So, I didn't ask. However, when we got home from church on the day of the announcement, Mike asked me if we were going to renew our vows! I was shocked that he'd even entertain the idea....and I said just that. He said, "No...let's do it." I teased him, saying, "I guess you really do want to stay married to me for all eternity!" And so, I signed us up, fast and furiously, so that he couldn't back out!
On Saturday evening, he asked me what I wanted him to wear. (I never have seen any man so concerned with looking 'just right' for anything. Maybe it has something to do with his stint in the US Marines, but whenever he's dressed, he's neat, he's clean, he's put together...without my help.) He asked me what to wear because there would be pictures taken. So, I gave him my thoughts, and he chose from the ties and shirts I'd picked out from his assortment.
Sunday night arrived and we sat with the other couples, some missing due to an attack of colds and flu. We listened as the Pastor read a piece on love....and then he called us all to the front of the church. He told us to hold each others hands and to look deep into each others eyes. Then he had the men repeat their vows after him, followed by the women repeating theirs. At the end he declared, 'by the authority vested in me, I now pronounce your wedding vows are renewed from this day forward." Tada!
It was a very meaningful service...bring tears to the eyes of some of us. One 'bride' wept! I just couldn't stop smiling! I am so blessed to share my life with this wonderful husband of mine, who holds me when I'm sad, encourages me when I lose sight of my goals, makes me giggle over nothing, points out special things going on in nature, talks to me about his feelings, the tv shows he's watched that I might have snored through, and the books he's read. He shares my interests, appreciates my efforts and is very complimentary about anything I do. He thinks it's his job to wait on me, to please me, to keep my happy. I've been given the gift of this man... and I love telling you that I appreciate him, enjoy him, and plan on staying with him until the earth crumbles, the seas dry, and the skies fall....in other words....for all eternity.
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