Blech

I will start off on a positive note: exercise was excellent yesterday! 1 hour of walking, plus 30 minutes of HIIT at the gym. I am a goddess! Also, food was very good. I had 2 NA “beers” after dinner, plus a square of dark chocolate, but it was planned for and fit into the food for the day.

So many stressors are coming at me from so many different directions right now. I can’t believe I didn’t turn to food last night, although I certainly considered it!

The boy is having a tough time right now, on several fronts. He thinks his best friend stole 20 dollars from him. His grandpa’s wife’s mom just died, and her dad is in the hospital. MIL is getting on his nerves too – she at our house during the week and over at grandma’s when he goes over there on the weekend. He feels like he doesn’t get much of a break except up at grandpa’s – which is true. MIL is driving my husband insane and he is taking his ill humor out on the boy and is totally acting like a jerk! On the plus side, he does at least recognize the fact, and he apologized this morning, but his behavior has been pretty aggravating.

Me? I’ve just been hiding in the tub with the latest Stephen King book (which I finished last night BTW – excellent!). I spent 45 minutes last night holding my son while he just sobbed his little heart out. I gave him a Tylenol and a cool rag for the headache, and held him until he passed out, exhausted. Hub took him out for breakfast at their favorite breakfast spot this morning, so I hope he is feeling better today. He just had a lot bottled up that he needed to release. Poor guy.

It’s been two months – her unemployment lasts for six. She has yet to produce a single quilt, or to advertise the “sample” patterns she has made up so that people can select a style & color to place an order. A good idea, but no follow through, as is the norm with her.

The more I think about it, the more I realize I don’t want the headache of managing a rental property that she is “renting” from us. But god knows hub’s brother won’t help her in any long term kind of way – his patience with her is much shorter than hub’s! And quite frankly I don’t think the woman is capable enough to manage on her own. She’s just too messed up. Sigh. I don’t have an answer.

I am walking at lunch, and going to the gym to do an upper body workout this afternoon. Legs are still sore from Sunday. Now let’s work the upper body until it matches!

Here’s a recipe I modified from a cookbook I checked out of the library by Kathleen Daelemans.

Plum Butter:

4 plums, 1 apple, ¼ c sugar (if needed)
Quarter plums, chop apple, use sugar if plums are tart. Microwave 20 minutes. If you want it smoother, you can put it in the food processor. This is great on toast, French toast, pancakes, and I bet it would be yummy on a pork tenderloin.

Unfortunately, I only have the book until the 31st, and I can’t renew it. That and Bill Phillip’s “Eating for Life” are on my must purchase list. I’ve renewed Bill’s book like 3 times! I guess people think a “bodybuilder” can’t write a cookbook. Fools! Yeah, some of the recipes are a bit bland for my palate, but I use Rachel Ray’s seasonings & Bill’s ingredients. That way, I know the meal is balanced for my needs, yet conforms to my family’s palate. And most of the recipes are great as is. I made his sloppy joes last night and everybody loved them – especially my MIL.

Here’s another freebie recipe to zest up your food:

Salsa Verde

1/2 lb tomatillos (remove husks)
1 slice onion (about 1/4 inch thick)
1 garlic clove
1 canned chipotle chili (preserved jalapeno) OR 1 serrano
bunch of cilantro plus stems
salt to taste
1/2 to 1 cup low-fat, low-salt chicken broth
1 TB vegetable oil (optional--also can use Pam)

Blend all ingredients except oil in food processor. Don't worry about coring the omatillos or trimming the stems off the cilantro. Just toss it all in.

Use raw for: chips, veggies

Cook for ten minutes in sauce pan with vegetable oil until dark green. Use cooked for eggs, enchiladas, tamales, etc.

It is rainy & miserable & cold here – I just slept in this morning. Maybe that is affecting my mood also. Hopefully, I won’t be such a downer tomorrow. Until then, grouch, grumble, moan. :-[