Monday Morning This and That

When you get in a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems you could not hold on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn. 

Harriet Beecher Stowe 

Monday has arrived, and it will be spent making last minute preparations for the storm. Have to run to the bank for my bill money and pick up a few items at the store.  I was going to go to the old center to play a little bingo, but running these errands is more important.  Don't know if I'll be able to make it to the bank at any other time this week.  Not looking forward to this storm and told hubby I wish we could just pack up and go somewhere until it was over.  I used to thrill over storms.  Maybe it's my age, but they scare me now.

Took this picture while waiting for the bus to go to church yesterday.  Looks like storm clouds, but it was actually fairly sunny yesterday.  The calm before the storm.  Although you can't make it out, the store on the corner across the street is a furniture store. The bus stop is right in front.  They never shovel.  This year I got news for them.  I'm going to turn them in.  Last year their lack of shoveling made me a prisoner in my home.

Don't know how long I'll be attending the old center, though. One of my peers said they offer so much,  they offer nothing for me except a chance to sit and have lunch with a few people that I really, really like.  The art class, if you can call it that, on Wednesday is nothing more than coloring pictures.  I usually bring my own supplies and utilize the time for practice on what I learned the day before in my 'real' art class.  The groups are all the same.  Everyone talks about the same thing week after week.  

Even Women's Group which I had looked forward to as a  place where I could speak about some of my issues always turns into a talk about current affairs.  How much can you talk current affairs?  Personally, I attend the center to have fun and get away from the madness of the world, but they bring it there. 

The new center, on the other hand, offers so much.  The exercise, the art class, and soon they will be starting both crochet and jewelry making. And I've noticed a difference in the people who attend as well.  One doesn't find the cliques they have in the old center.  I mean, I've been attending the old place for over a year now and there are many people I don't even know.  They are so into their own little groups, and I guess I am one of them. But, the difference is, I only attend now to see my friends.

Hubby's doctor called on Friday with good news and bad news.  The good news is that the medication is performing its miracle.  It is curing him.  The bad news is that his kidneys are now deteriorating, and the doctor wants to see him on February 2nd.  He's pretty depressed right now, and all he can think of is dialysis.  I am thinking, though, that because he has had regular blood tests and high creatinine levels have only begun to show,  it is early in his kidney disease and change of diet, more water, and medication may be able to help.  I'm praying that is what it will take.  He has been through so much already.  

Made a nice beef stew in my crock pot for Saturday dinner.  Can't afford to buy stew beef anymore, so I took a steak and chopped it up myself.  Added everything but the kitchen sink.  Beef, celery, onions, garlic, potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, Spanish paprika, Spanish Oregano, salt, pepper, Grill  Mates Steakhouse Onion Burger seasoning, Mrs. Dash Extra Spicy, Chives, sodium free beef broth and a couple of tablespoons of tomato sauce.  As you can see, I love using spices. One can make a cheap meal taste like it came from the best restaurant. 

I served it with cauliflower topped with some low fat, low sodium cheddar cheese.  Don't like the way it melts and probably won't buy it again.  I buy these plates from the Chinese store in my neighborhood.  One thing I have learned about food intake is that when you are used to eating a lot like I am, you want to see a full plate.  On a regular plate this portion looks skimpy; hence, psychologically it leaves me hungry.  But in this plate I fool myself into thinking I overdo.

Well that's it for now.  Hoping you all have a good one.