I actually LIKE blogging where I don’t have to worry about comments, just stream of consciousness thought processes.  It helps.  Oddly enough it helps.

A lot of things have changed since 2008.  For one thing, I forgot I used Flickr for many of my photo posts when I deleted it.  Of course I deleted it in a moment of pain, anguish, and response to the judgement of others.  That’s never good.  Recently I’ve limited my photos to only landscapes as a response to too many people complaining that even though they wished their moment in time captured, they didn’t like the way it turned out.  Charming.  Downside though is when you stifle a muse, he decamps and Harold never was one for restriction.  That’s probably by Anonymous Spaghetti has been sitting idle for so long.

Parkinsons still rules our very existence.  I hate the fact that gaining life insurance in any affordable measure is nigh to impossible once the diagnosis is delivered.  Talk about an unwanted delivery.  Sadly, the insurance companies either don’t know — or don’t want to know — that Parkinsons in and of itself is not life threatening.   Some of the hideous side effects can be however.  That’s all they care about.

I cringe in fear of the day that Jon will need to go on permanent full-time disability.  Thankfully that day hasn’t happened yet, but I see the signs on the horizon.  I just wish there were more options available.

So, here’s to St. Patrick’s Day and happier times.  This weekend we celebrate with good friends of ours.  They go out of their way to make certain that Jon can comfortably enjoy an evening.  As the parents of children with limitations (CF among others), they understand that catoring to limitations must come first.  Sadly, so many good friends don’t understand and take our lack of participation as a want of separation.

Sad, but it is the way it must be.

Yeah I know.  Not quite the way it’s supposed to work.  Jon, however, has lost over 30 pounds.

Doesn’t seem fair does it?

I’m back to doing Southbeach again.  I can incorporate for Jon the limited protein and still work it for me.  So far roughly 10 pounds down.  I’ve not climbed on the scale since the 6 pound mark though.

I had to laugh because friends of mine — good friends — asked why I would start something like this coming up on the holiday season.  For that I had no answer except when something feels right and the time feels right you just do it.  Well you do if you’re Stephanie that is.

I’m still using the Weight Watchers cookbooks because they *are* limited sugar.  I have, in small quantities, reincorporated some whole grains.  However, I had to come to the conclusion that free carbs just aren’t my friends.  Sadly that includes pasta and bread – 2 of my favourites.

Anyway, for Thanksgiving, On The Menu is a bit different.  I got a lot of input from Jon on this and he is the one that chose to do non conventional and to skip the carb dish.

So without further ado, Thanksgiving at my house:

• Steak with olive oil, basil, and garlic made on the grill
• Brussel Sprouts sauteed with garlic, green onion, and olive oil
• Green Bean Casserole (Jon’s request)
• Iceberg Wedge with olive oil viniagrette
• Fresh tomatoes and mozzarella with olive oil
• Chocolate Mousse
• Chateau Landat (a wonderful blended red wine)

This year will be the first with just Jon and myself.  Robert is staying in Virginia, Montana lives in Kansas, and of course Mom passed in February.  Jon’s family are in Rochester and Cape Cod.  Yes it’s just us.

Odd.  Different, a little exciting, but decidedly odd.  We’re cooking literally just.for.us.

Now all I have to do is wait for Safeway to open so I can pick up some more garlic and more olive oil.

That is a photo of Jon and I from our trip to Lake Erie summer 2008.  Hopefully our shadows (if not our spirits) will be smaller by next summer ….

I do – however – plead an overabundance of social obligations coupled with faire season for my lack of distractions here.

Then again, perhaps I didn’t have much to say?  Either way, I am drawn back here again.

My camera was my friend this year more than not but I found myself taking more photographs of persons as opposed to scenery.  Not a bad thing at all — however — I’m always quite hesitant about putting non-professional performers’ photos on a public blog without previous permission.  Mimi (aka Cybele) has no such issues and I never fear posting her image plus she *is* a professional performer.  Others … well … let’s just say I spent more time putting up photos then getting the emails *oh my god my face looks fat take it down* *oh noes I have a double chin take it down* *oh you can’t post that because [insert name of romantic interest] might get upset*

It reminds me why I prefer landscapes.

And on that note – the slideshow.  I’ve taken more photos and I’ve taken better photos, but I don’t believe I”ve come away from faire with the memories I did this year.  I didn’t just chronicle – I participated.

yes the photo above is from this year and yes that’s Jon and I.  It’s one of the few of us together.

the more things change the more they stay the same?

I’m a good cook.  Actually I’m a very good cook.  I like food and I like to fix it – it’s really quite simple.  Mother was always fond of telling people she taught me everything I knew.  I was always quite fond of not correcting her.  Basically I was raised on a catch-as-catch-can schedule of processed and fast foods.

The saving grace to that is I don’t really care for processed foods.  So … as soon as I could, I learned to do things to make Campbells Chicken Noodle Soup or Rice A Roni taste a bit better.   I also found you can do nearly anything with an egg.  Great stuff that.  Soon I learned so long as you could read, you could follow a recipe and have at least a 90% success rate.  Experience brought that up to about a 99%.

Fast forward to adulthood in Kansas.  Family dinners always happened at my house.  Big birthday celebrations and Christmas dinners and even just-because dinners were always at Stephanie’s.  Whenever – rare cases that they were – we were invited somewhere, there was usually a list of things to bring.  I was once asked for jars of homemade bread and butter pickles to be gifted for Christmas. 

Fast forward to life in Maryland.  Ahhhh the land of convenience.  The land of restaurants.  Here there were (are) dozens of places that fix food as good as I — often even better.  Indulgence.  OVER indulgence.

oops.

The very thing that kept the weight off of me over the years — my disdain for processed foods — came back to bite me.  An overabundance of rather tasty convenience and restaurant foods combined with a successful end to smoking (over 5 years now) and a bit more sedentary lifestyle conspired to put the weight on – FAST. 

So … full circle.  I am back to cooking nearly every meal.  It makes sense from a Parkinson’s standpoint as it takes a delicate juggle of protein to maximize the medications.  It makes sense from my personal belief that many of today’s health woes are laid at the feet of additives and preservatives and growth hormones.  It makes sense from a weight standpoint as I can control the caloric content and still keep the flavor without extra salt and additives.  It also makes sense from a financial standpoint.

It just makes sense.

*****

The photo above is from our trip to Geneva, Ohio this summer.  As much as I love to cook and Jon loves my cooking, sometimes it’s nice to go out someplace lovely for the unusual food and atmosphere.  However, I’m quite careful to limit it now to twice a month.

I’ve not made any excuses for my love of water and light on the water.

This would be why.

More pictures to eventually follow but for now, this is my first view of a Great Lake – specifically Lake Erie.

I now see why they were so revered by our ancestors.  Awe-inspiring comes to mind.

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This is simply a photo of the sun setting on Lake Erie July 11, 2008

ok that wasn’t exactly the weekend plan….

This weekend we had hotel reservations in Baltimore at The Hilton Garden Inn Inner Harbor with the intention of viewing the wonder that is the Baltimore fireworks display and then on Saturday celebrating my 44th birthday.

The best laid plans and all that eh?  The fireworks were a bust as we thought 1) they would be cancelled as it downpoured @ 9:15 and 2) that we could see them from our room.  Partially right — we could *hear* them from the room but there was a building in the way.  Eh it happens.

So some reviews and opinions:

• The Hilton Garden Inn.  Very nice hotel for the price.  It’s cheaper than The Marriot (which has it’s own water taxi stop) but still in a nice area and nearly on the water.  It’s half way between Fells Point and The Inner Harbor in the heart of Little Italy.  Tons of stuff to see and do.  Downside?  parking is $20.00+ / 24 hours.  It’s also a little odd finding/getting to the parking garage.  Still very nice.
• Rusty Scupper.  They’re nearly always a pleaser and I think this is the first time I’d not had a 4 star meal.  Mostly that could be my choice as I’m rather picky about shrimp salad.  I’d always ALWAYS recommend the stuffed shrimp and the cream of crab soup.  The atmosphere is wonderful.  One more small downer – they’ve discontinued the wine flights
• One Eye’d Mikes.  We NEVER go to the Fells Point area without stopping by here.  The people just remind me of Cheers.  I’ve never failed to be promptly greeted and served and they always have a smile.  They also have one of the best Ruben Sandwiches I’ve ever had.
• Max’s on Broadway.  It’s a beautiful bar but for some reason I have yet to ever be served there other than when someone purchased Grand Mariner shots for a group of us one time and a private party upstairs.  Seriously, I have had wait staff brush past me to walk over and talk to each other with nary a glance.  I’ve stood at the bar until I’ve just given up and left.  This was our 4th time trying.  I might just give up.
• Kooper’s Tavern.  I’d been in there before but usually I get sidetracked by Slante (a neat place providing soccer isn’t on unless you’re a soccer fan in which case you’ve just discovered Mecca).  They carry the entire line of Clipper City Beers, and I had the best seasoned fries I’ve ever had.  Brunch the next day was spot on as well.
• Ride The Ducks.  Still overpriced.  Sorry sorry but @ $25.00/person I don’t want a passive agressive driver who cut our tour short by 20 minutes and one stop (Poe Grave) because he got started late.  Not my problem.  I am sending an email out to them about this.
• Birds of a Feather.  Picture a homey type (nearly beatnik) place only with scotch and no drums (or smoke – or poetry).  Seriously, no noise at all … just people sitting around drinking scotch (or libation of choice including non alcoholic) discussing the weather, current events, whatever.  We will be back.  Best Scotch Selection I have EVER seen.

Photos here

All in All Baltimore never fails to please.  My biggest complaint is the lack of effective mass transit.  I’ve been quite spoiled by Washington DC.  Then again since I mostly wander between Fells Point and the Inner Harbor (and that IS available via water taxi if you’re interested) it’s not that big of a problem.  Still I’d love to be able to see other areas that are not 1) walking distance or 2) available via water taxi.

 ****

**the photo above was taken out the window @ Kooper’s Tavern.  It’s taken of the building across the street that is the building used in filming Homicide Life On The Street.  I just liked the play of light and shadow with wood on brick.

This is new.

I’m checking this morning to see who’s up and about at OMG 5 in the morning and I noticed my last blog title had linked to messenger. 

I don’t remember THAT happening before. 

I know that Yahoo uses WordPress (as does CNN and I Can Haz Cheezburger) but now I’m wondering if this is the blogging platform they are/were planning on using with their ‘universal portal’.

Meanwhile, it’s a little disconcerting to find that a blog that I had as ‘mostly’ private — well not broadcasted anyway — is linked in odd places.  I haven’t put things out here that cannot be read by the public.  I learned my lessons back on Y360 and that’s why it’s been mostly friends only.   However, I was enjoying the fact that not quite as many people knew about this blog.

Wandering down that thought path, a friend of mine from Multiply stated she didn’t understand why anyone would blog just for themselves and not expect feedback.  It’s odd – perhaps I’m selfish, I don’t know — but I actually like having this blog that just throws my thoughts out there without worrying about who is reading and writing for potential readers.  This one has mostly been for me since the beginning (much as Anonymous Spaghetti has been for Harold) and while I don’t discourage comments, the very fact that it’s not widely published keeps the comments down.  If I whine I whine.  If I’m boring I’m boring.  It’s rather nice that way.

Later today I’m doing a review on Ruby Tuesdays.  I’m rather looking forward to the fact I doubt I’ll have a comment saying “OMG how can you say that that place ROCKZ gurlfriend”.

::shudder::

So … now I’m wondering how I can UN link this silly thing from YIM.  I’m feeling rather exposed and not in a good way …

…definitely not in the walking naked through the park on a warm summer’s night dream way

****

I took the photo above July 2007 during the annual Don Pablos party, come watch the fireworks, here in Laurel.  The composition tickled me.  I blame the margaritas.  Either way, this year they’re doing the Laurel fireworks on my birthday and I already have a hot date in Baltimore with the hubby.  They’ll have to continue on without me ….

I truly do hate being responsible.

I just cancelled our 4 day 3 night cruise for December.  I looked at gas prices being $4.00+ per gallon.  I looked at the economy.  I looked at the rising airline prices.

Mostly I looked at our meager savings and Jon’s increasing symptoms.

At the rate he’s going, I wonder if he has 5 years of work left.  He can barely write.  Often typing is an issue.

So — I made the responsible decision to cancel a trip I truly wanted to take and that I desperately needed to hopefully regroup.  Yet another sacrifice made on the alter of this friggin disease.  Yet one more thing foregone because.

I don’t recall signing up for this.  Trust me, I would’ve read the fine print where it said “take care of someone from the day you’re born until the day your breathe your last” and asked for another option.  One day I’ll be whithered and old and used up.  Who’ll care for *me* then?  Who will even *care* then?

*cue the crickets chirping*

Thought so.  So … again I make the responsible decision.

Again, I make the only possible decision.

***

The photo above is from summer of 2006 in the Chesapeake Bay off of Calvert Cliffs.  I love the water more than most anything. 

I’m starting a new (to this blog anyway) entry called On The Menu.  Here is where I catalogue what I’ve fixed for supper — or in the case of weekends, possibly brunch.

Tonite on On The Menu:

• Grilled Garlic Chicken Thighs
• Wild Rice
• Garlic Green Beans
• Fiesta Corn (corn with peppers and onions)
• Weight Watchers Mocha Sundae
• Turkey Hill Diet Green Tea
• Jacob’s Creek Shiraz

17 points for:

• 2 chicken thighs
• 1 tbsp (to 1/4 cup) of corn
• 2 glasses shiraz
• 1 glass diet green tea (no points)
• 1 cup wild rice
• 1 1/2 cups green beans
• 1 sundae

I will say it was quite filling  and a rather enjoyable meal.  Yes the wine wasn’t necessary to a ‘diet plan’ but sometimes it’s just necessary for the ambience and atmosphere.  Jon was thrilled with the entire menu.

More than likely these posts will show up from time to time.  They’re mostly for me but I will post the points values in the different menu items.  I will also more than likely use pictures from the internet as the last thing on my mind is taking photographs after cooking.

Enjoy !!!!

it’s an eating plan?

Yes I’m back on the wonderful world of Weight Watchers.  I do much better and have more success with weight loss on Atkins but it’s just not feasible — not with Jon’s diet restrictions.  We try — I try — but it just isn’t working.

Besides, he also does better when I cook at home and better when it’s mostly organic.   This means it’s much easier to plan meals using my handy dandy WW cookbook and making certain the carbs are kept separate and — for me — to a minimum.  I will say the online website/tracker is quite handy.  It’s all supposed to be about being healthier right?  As opposed to diet plan?  This way I can plan meals with thoughts of how the food components will affect him (first) and then me (second).

This actually brings me to a side rant:  preservatives, msg, and other things that creep into your food.  I mentioned Jon does better organic and does better when I cook at home.  He does.  His medicine wears off too quickly whenever he ingests too much protein but I’ve also noticed that certain types of processed foods tend to block the medicine.  It’s fairly simple:  you’re sitting across from him and watching him start the movement and complaining of his neck going out.  That’s from the strain of him trying not to move.  MSG appears to be one of the bigger problems so far.  I do notice fast foods, processed foods, and certain ethnic cuisines cause him more problems out and about than at home.   I’ve complained for years that I suspected all of the growth hormones and chemicals cause more problems than we’re aware.  Now I’m seeing some of this first hand.  I guess we’ll see how it goes.

On the lighter side, hopefully I *will* be on the lighter side, it’s definitely cheaper than going out, and hey since I like to cook this is a no brainer. 

I wonder about the people facing this that don’t have that choice – that either don’t — or can’t — cook or choose mostly organic.

Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook

Weight Watchers Make It In Minutes

 *****

The photo above was taken summer of 2006 @ Phillips in Annapolis.  There is out – to – eat and then there is Out – To – Eat.  Phillips is a lovely restaurant right on the Annapolis Harbor.  If we have to limit how often we go out then I’m picking the better places