Summer's Days are Numbered

It became very real to me today that my summer break is nearly over. A week from today, I start my summer fast track class. So, I'm starting to try to get things ready. I'm also trying to squeeze in a few appointments, and as much rest and relaxation as possible. I wish I were more like Joey, who seems to be able to take a nap anytime and anywhere, as the picture above indicates. Sometimes I think she's half cat.

Last night, Ken and I put a chicken on the grill. We tried one of those stands in which you put a can of beer, pop, whatever in the chicken. We chose root beer. Neither of us had a can of beer readily available (I prefer bottled beer). It worked really well, but can you imagine the indignity for the poor chicken. It's one thing to end up as someone's meal, but quite another to end up as a meal with a can of root beer up your butt.

The chicken turned out really good, with only the slightest hint of a sweet taste. We seemed to have over cooked the chicken though. One minute it seemed like it wasn't quite done and the next, it was VERY done. The dark meat, which I prefer, was great, but when we sampled the breast, it was moist, but chewy. I was going to save the breast meat and make a chicken pot pie for Ken. He had recently requested I try one. However, since the meat was chewy, I decided to grind the meat and make a chicken salad with it. I'll use some poached chicken breast meat for the pot pie. I have to say, that grilled chicken meat in the chicken salad is wonderful. I love the slight taste of smoke in it, and of course, ground, it lost it's chewy texture.

I think I should get some more tuna salad made as well, and get some carrots and grapes etc. So that I can easily pull together lunches for the next couple of weeks. My fast track will keep me so busy, I won't have an opportunity to do much experimentation, at least not for my lunches. Doing something interesting for my suppers will be a nice creative outlet.

Hummus

Yesterday, I finished off a store bought container of hummus. When I looked at the list of ingredients, I nearly went into shock. It listed nearly 20 ingredients many of which I couldn't pronounce let alone know what they were. I had made my own hummus years ago, and I dug up the recipe, and made it tonight after Ken left.

Hummus, for those of you who are unfamiliar with it, is a Middle Eastern dish which is combination of garbanzo (chick peas), tahini (ground sesame seeds), oil, and garlic. Although some of these ingredients may sound exotic, they are not that difficult to find. If I can get them in a small town in Iowa, you should be able to find them just about anywhere. However, it was funny trying to locate tahini in the local HyVee tonight. Ken was with me, and we were both wandering around looking for it. He kept asking, "Now what's it called again?" And I kept spelling "t-a-h-i-n-i," and adding, "It's ground sesame seeds." I finally happened upon a store employee, and although he had no idea what I was asking for, he made a call to somewhere, I suspect somewhere celestial. And sure enough, he was able to locate it.

It doesn't look good. Even the stock picture above isn't pretty, but it's very tasty. I had Ken try it tonight. He doesn't like it, but he doesn't like spicy things the way I do.

It would be a very easy dish to whip up if I had a food processor. I think the first time I made it, I used a potato masher to mash the garbanzos. I remember, that didn't work out well. This time I tried to run it through my meat grinder attachment to my Kitchenaide. The grinder did not work either The beans are too hard for a potato masher and too mushy for a meat grinder. Given how much I like to cook, I've decided that I need to get myself a food processor. This is ridiculous and I can't tell you how many times I could have used one.

Anyway, hummus makes a great spread, dip, and I even like it as a meat substitute in sandwiches and wraps.

I have no idea where I got this recipe. I wish I could give credit where credit is due.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large cloves garlic
2 cups cooked garbanzo beans (chick peas)
1 cup plain non-fat yogurt
2 tablespoons tahini
1 teaspoon cumin
Lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste.

Process these ingredients together until smooth.

This recipe makes 10, 20 tablespoon servings. Each serving contains 54.4 Calories.

12 Wasted Hours

Yesterday, there was an America's Next Top Model marathon. Not feeling very well, I was taking it easy. I sat down to knit, and I watched the first show not realizing it was a marathon. I don't know why I like this program. I suspect that if there was something else on, at least at first, I would have stopped watching. But unfortunately I was hooked.

I could care less about the personal drama between the contestants. That when I go and do a chore around the house, go to the bathroom or even take Joey walking. I teach at a community college. I can watch that sort of thing between roommates any time I like...and I don't like. I think what I find interesting is that it isn't always the prettiest girl that wins. It's usually the individual with personality that comes out through her pictures.

I was really cheering for the plus-size girl. Not only was she beautiful, but she had a strong bubbly personality. I'm afraid those people who were stuck in the skinny paradigm wore her down. Aside from her, I think the right girl won.

But I couldn't help myself, I watched all 12 hours. I feel as though I need to redeem myself. I think today I had better do some reading.

Aaaalllll Uuuunnnnnwwwwwooooooouuuuuunnnnndddd

I made a really dumb mistake when I was packing to go to Minnesota. I forgot my levothyroxin. This is a medication that treats my hypothyroidism. In other words, I have had almost no metabolism. I knew I'd survive without them, and I felt fine while there, but when I came back, I started back on the medication and finally, on Wednesday, I started back on my diet. I've had headaches, aches and pains, and I've been very tired. Today, I've feeling a bit better. I'm hoping that my hormone levels will even out on their own. If not, I'll need to go see my doctor. I'll see how I feel by Monday.

Fortunately, Joey's been keeping me going. The fact that I need to walk her twice a day, albeit on short walks, has kept me moving. Without those walks, I think I would have stayed in bed and not moved over the last couple of days.

I have been doing a little research on kayaks. If I could find a reasonably priced, used, large, single-woman kayak, I'd snap it up now. I suspect that's not going to happen, and I will hopefully be able to afford a new one next spring.

Ceolmhor

Tonight, as a special treat Ken took me to Little Swan Lake Winery to listen to Ceolmhor, a very nice band that plays music from my era. It was very nice. I drank too much wine, but not enough to get sick. I didn't even get a headache which will definitely surprise Ken. :)

I want to recommend that everyone check out my friend Mari's blog. She's in England right now with her brother. It makes for very interesting reading. Check it out at
http://mourningglories-mari.blogspot.com.

Northern Exposure

Well, I'm back. We had a great time up north. My family fished. I read and slept. It's really hard to encapsulate the week. Words make it seem much less than it really was.

The one thing I swore I was going to do was try kayaking. The picture above proves that I fulfilled my goal. I wanted to try it because I love canoeing and I don't get enough opportunities to do it. A canoe is just too much for me to handle on my own. So, I wanted to try a kayak. I was worried that I'd have too many difficulties getting in and out and that I'd be too uncomfortable (my knees aren't what they used to be). But it wasn't too bad at all. Getting in and out wasn't pretty, but I pulled it off. I didn't do a lot of kayaking, just enough to know that it'll work for me.

So, now I'm in the market for a one-man...err, one-woman kayak. Looking at prices on the net, I figure it had better be a used one. And one that is a bit larger and more durable.

I really loved it up north. But then it wasn't terribly hot and I don't even burn in the sun up there. I'm definitely a cool weather gal. Yesterday, we left temperatures in the 50s-70s and entered temperatures in 60s-90s.

However, I certainly wasn't on my diet then. I'll be starting again on Monday. It'll be difficult, but it is essential. Things have really gotten out of hand.

It's good to be back, and soon I will be back in business.

Busy Busy Busy

Ken kicked me in the butt to get me to update this. Not that I didn't want to, but I've been incredibly busy. Yesterday, I finished a 5 day writers' workshop. That is incredibly intense. It's hard to write creatively on command.

This morning, we're taking off for a 6 day vacation with most of my family to northern Minnesota. I think I've packed everything including the kitchen sink. I better go double check though. Hopefully, I'll be able to update up there...if we can get a wifi connection. Hope to see you then!

Update

Ken is after me to update my blog to explain how I feel about giving up Buddy. He's right. At the same time, I needed time to figure out how I felt.

I love Buddy and I miss him terribly, especially when I remember how he was when he was little as the picture above. And even now, he maintained some of those adorable qualities. But, now that he's gone, I realize how crazy my home had become. It revolved around keeping Buddy as much in control as possible. It was not a sanctuary for me. I frequently wanted to get away from home just so I could avoid dealing with the dogs if only for a short time.

Now, with just little Joey, it's quiet...maybe a little too quiet, but it's calm and life is easier again.

I frequently think about Buddy, but I try to keep the negative thoughts away. I think of him with a family where he is well-loved and controlled.

My dieting has to gone to hell. It'll be better next week when I'm busy with the writing workshop I attend. And then the following week, I'll be on vacation to northern Minnesota. And then, I start with school activities again. So, in a way, my summer is already winding down.