Slumber Update

So, we have our Sleep Number bed and we’ve had three nights sleep in it.  

Friday night: Blech.  Not really for me.  The mattress is soooo much lower than my other set (with my little memory foam topper thingy we had about 18″ – now we’re at 10) and I have a hard time watching television at that angle.  No, that has nothing to do with comfort, but I couldn’t really get comfy.  Here’s a score:  Will snored less that one night than he has ever snored in the many moons of us sharing sleeping quarters.  I slept 7 1/2 hours, though.

Saturday night: I convinced Will to add my layers of memory foam to the new bed.  2″ under the mattress cover and one on top.  I slept 8 1/2 hours and he didn’t snore all that much.  

Sunday night: I fell into a very, very deep slumber almost as soon as my head hit the pillow.  Will said I left him talking to me.  I woke up a little hungover, but that didn’t have anything to do with the bed.  I’m just grateful it wasn’t a waterbed or else I’m sure I would have gotten sea sick.  I guess last night’s review can’t really be used as I’m guessing had I landed in the gravel drive, I would have awaken this morning with pebbles embedded in my forehead.  I will say that taking the air mattress down from a 65 to a 30 can cause one to be a bit queasy if the room is spinning ever so slightly already.

Oh, yeah…Carolina beat Oklahoma.  Love. That.

Night, night…sleep tight

Our list of ailments:

1. I’m an insomniac.
2. I routinely wake with numb limbs from my pittance of sleep I get nightly.
3. Will snores.
4. He is uncomfortable with his back.

We’re working on other solutions, but the first one to get put into place is a new mattress set.  I set my sleep number to 45 and I’m hoping for the best.

This set of mattresses puts me sleeping about 8″ lower than the other set.  It looks odd and it feels odd; I feel like I’m sleeping too close to the floor since I’ve been so high for so many years.  If I wake rested, or even halfway close to rested, I’ll only complain minimally until Will adjusts the bed frame.  The two pluses are Olivia doesn’t have to repel off the bed now and Pom Pom can get up and down on her own.

My allergies are off the chart tonight from stirring the dust bunnies.

I hope we all rest well with sweet, sweet dreams.

House Divided

If Carolina wins tonight, they’re going to play Oklahoma. The Tarheels are going to play Oklahoma.  One of us is a Sooner fan and one of us is a Carolina girl.

Sooners are a good team, but the Tarheels are gonna whoop up Southern style.

Would make a bet with Will, but I’d hate to take his cash.

Go Heels!

I’m spent…

For those who don’t know, and it’s likely a good many of you who don’t,  I work for a cabinet manufacturing company.  Today we had something happen that had the potential to be extremely devastating.  We had a fire and explosion within our dust collection system.  By Grace it was in the outside “hopper” that feeds into a truck we have hauled away and once we got all employees out of the plant, my two lead guys  in the plant were AWESOME at getting the pipe unhooked from the line that leads back into the building to keep it from getting back into the building.  Saw dust is very combustible.  Highly.  Extremely.  Very much so.   The fire department got there in no time.  Word spreads fast in a small town and I’m sure some prayers went up quickly for us.  

I’ve worked for the company for about 5-1/2 years, but it has been my “family’s” business for about 25 years.  Even though my parents no longer own the company, it’s still my family’s business.  Some of these guys have been around for 12-13 years and many for 3-6.   We’re extended family.  

 Sawdust paid for my first car.  Sawdust paid for my college.  Sawdust kept me from having to move to Oklahoma when Will and I got married (my dad offered him a job to keep us on the East coast).    For the past 12 years sawdust has paid our bills; first when Will worked there and now for me.   

With a 75,000 square foot building that has wood in every part of it – raw materials or finished goods – that’s a whole lot of kindling, folks.  

Adrenaline kept me going, but the aftermath has me spent.   

I’ve had a shower and my clothes are being washed, but I still smell smoke.

Tomorrow’s another day.  It will be a better day than today.

-1.4

I skipped weigh in last week.  I simply couldn’t bring myself to go.  

I went tonight and lost 1.4 lbs.   

Success.

Cry Baby

Friday night, Will, Olivia and I headed west into the big city for a shopping trip at C*stco.  In true Olivia fashion, she had to go potty.  We were in the farthest corner from the bathrooms, which were waaaay up at the front, and I told Will to take her Will obliged.

According to Will, there was a little boy in the bathroom who smashed his fingers in the stall door and was wailing super duper loud.  And this was Fabul-O’s response:

He shouldn’t be a cry baby, daddy.

Thank goodness she didn’t tell him to suck it up.

Confessions

So, I was checking out a fellow blogger today and she ‘fessed up about her exercising (or lack there of), dietary habits and all things that affect her.  I’m here to ‘fess up a bit.

In 2004, I lost almost 50 lbs on Weight Watchers.   Will deployed in ‘05 and I ate Big Macs.  A lot of them.  If I remember correctly , they are 14 pts. and I budgeted for them.  I also ate Taco Bell so much, they got to know my voice at the drive thru and I had to start going to another one.   I gained about 10 lbs.  I was fine with that.

He came home and life settled in and it settled on my hips.  My too cute jeans got too tight.

Then came Olivia.  I lost the 20 lbs I gained in next to no time due to learning to be a mom to a fantastic toddler.

The cycle kept going.  Weight up.  Weight down.  Weight up.  Weight down.  Then the cycle changed.  Weight up.  Weight up.  Weight up.   This is where I’m at.

I’m a stress eater.  There are so many times when I have zero will power.  I try to keep those things that break me away, but sometimes I find myself around them and I can’t help it.   With problems that came about Chateau L, I would find myself indulging.   Problems would fade and so would some of my eating, but not enough of them.  As the intensity of problems increased, the worse my eating would get.  I found myself in the comfort of a burger blanketed with cheese and a side of fries followed by a delightfully fudgy dessert.  Desserts…the old joke is “desserts is stressed spelled backwards.”  It’s true.

I can count the times I’ve since rejoined WW and fallen off the wagon.  I always say, “tomorrow” or “come Monday.”  Yes, come Monday – just like Jimmy Buffet says, “come Monday it will be alright.”  You know, Monday comes and it’s not alright.  Not for me and people who are like me.

I saw a counselor not too long ago and she kept saying, “people like you,” “people who are in your position,” “those who act like you.”   People like me is people who think they have to be in constant control of everything or they are failing.  People who can’t say no for fear of letting others down.  People who soothe themselves when no one else can or will.  Maybe others can’t or won’t because people like me don’t give them the opportunity.  Little Debbie, our favorite Chinese restaurant, the guy at the Italian restaurant who makes Alfredo sauce fresh upon ordering and the plate holds about four servings and I eat it all.  They can all soothe me.  They have been.

I need to get a grip on what is going on in my life and change the things I can and learn to accept the things I can’t.  I believe there are more that I can’t change and it frustrates me.   It frustrates me to no end.

I rejoined WW and had a successful first week back. -2.4 lbs.   I weigh in on Tuesdays and it’s also the night I treat myself to something I want.  I did that last week.  Friday was a bit of a hectic day at work.  I wanted a burger.  No problem.  Whatever.  I met Will at Chili’s and I had a burger.  This was after the HUGE order of chips and salsa.  I did have black beans instead of fries.  But I had a few big ‘ol frosty libations.   They were followed by a molten hot fudge cake topped with a scoop of delicious ice cream.  I did pick the hard shell off.  But it didn’t stop there.  Saturday, Olivia and I went to Ikea and I had their delicious meatballs with mashed potatoes.  Pizza for dinner.  I ate so badly all weekend.  Then Chinese on Monday.  I couldn’t stop.  I did what I knew I shouldn’t…I skipped weigh in on Tuesday.  I need to go on Saturday so I don’t miss a week, but I don’t think I’m going to be able to bring myself to do it.

Prom season is here.  For those who may be new around me blog, a local radio station has a second chance prom to benefit their children’s charity.  Last year Will couldn’t go…he was with the Guard.  The year before we had a blast.  I bought a little black dress.  It’s a pretty dress.  It was a GREAT deal.  The problem: It almost zips.   Yes, you read that right: I bought a great dress that almost zips.  I need it to fit.  Otherwise, I feel like I’m slipping back into that failure slot, which is where I feel like I’ve been way too long.  I have until April 25.  I can do it.  I will do it.

There you have it.  My laundry is aired.  Hopefully I’m refreshed and renewed.

Be well,
Susan

Bagels

I have a new bread machine.  My old one went kaput.   I lurve fresh homemade bread piping hot and  smeared with buttah.  Heavenly.

I also love bagels.  There is only one place in my town to get them (aside from pre-packaged at the grocery store) and that’s at Dunk*n D*nuts.  The line is always terrible and if their service was any slower they would be moving backwards.  So, I made my own.  Aside from the fact I didn’t let my first batch “rest” after I shaped them and before I boiled them they were okay.   Yes, it’s a little time consuming.  They’re not quite as good as those you find in New York City first thing in the morning, but I’ll definitely make them again.

Ingredients:

1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C) 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 2 tablespoons white sugar 3 cups bread flour 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

3 quarts boiling water 3 tablespoons white sugar 1 tablespoon cornmeal 1 egg white 3 tablespoons poppy seeds

Directions:

1.	Place water, salt, sugar, flax seed, flour and yeast in the bread machine pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select Dough setting.
2.	When cycle is complete, let dough rest on a lightly floured surface. Meanwhile, in a large pot bring 3 quarts of water to a boil. Stir in 3 tablespoons of sugar.
3.	Cut dough into 9 equal pieces, and roll each piece into a small ball. Flatten balls. Poke a hole in the middle of each with your thumb. Twirl the dough on your finger or thumb to enlarge the hole, and to even out the dough around the hole. Cover bagels with a clean cloth, and let rest for 10 minutes.
4.	Sprinkle an ungreased baking sheet with cornmeal. Carefully transfer bagels to boiling water. Boil for 1 minute, turning half way through. Drain briefly on clean towel. Arrange boiled bagels on baking sheet. Glaze tops with egg white, and sprinkle with your choice of toppings.
5.	Bake in a preheated 375 degree F (190 degrees C) oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until well browned.

Things I did differently:

• I increased the water by about 2 TB
• I used 1-1/2 cups bread flour and 1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• I added 3 scoops of ground flax seed – don’t know the scoop size – it’s whatever came in the container.
• I made 8.  Two were pretty small.  I’m thinking 6 would make a good, hearty size.
• I baked 4 at a time.  The first batch I didn’t let rest before I boiled them, so the second batch rested for 20 minutes while the first ones baked.
• I did not use the egg wash on the top.
• I didn’t have cornmeal so I didn’t use it.  I have silicone baking sheets and I didn’t have any issues with them sticking.
• Mine baked for right about 20 minutes.

I actually read most of the reviews and followed some of their tips and tricks.  I’m thinking I might like to make cinnamon-raisin next.  I taste-tested with cream cheese and with reduced sugar grape jelly.

1, 2, 3, 4…

Who loves a hairband tour?

I DO. I DO.

We have ticket to go see Def Leppard, Poison and Cheap Trick this summer.

I.Am.So.Stoked.

Quiet Pets

The Location: Kitchen table

The Players: Daddy, Olivia, Mommy and Pom Pom

Scene 1: Family having dinner.  Dog barking.

Mommy: Pom Pom!  Stop Barking!!! (repeated 1000 times)

Daddy: (shoos the dog away)

Olivia: Maybe we should just get a quiet pet.

Mommy: What kind of pet is quiet?

Olivia: We could get a fish.  And a hamster.  Two quiet pets would be much better than a loud one.

Daddy: (chokes on dinner)

Mommy: What would we do with Pom Pom?

Olivia: Waaaayul.  We could give her to another family.  I’m sure they’d like her.  She’s a good dog, you know.

End of Scene 1

Scene 2: Tucking in for bedtime

Olivia: Mommy.  I was jus kiddin about giving Pom Pom to another family.  I really, really wuv her.  Even when she barks.

Mommy: You sure?

Olivia: Oh, yes.  I can get a fish when I grow up.  (kisses dog)  Good night, Pom Pom.  I wuv you.

End of scene.

Burned it.

Grrrr.  Last night I had the brilliant idea to put chicken in the crock pot for dinner tonight.  Normally, my crock doesn’t go the full “8 hours on low, 4 hours on high.”  I used frozen chicken breasts and figured it would take closer to the full amount of time on low.  Ahhh, the smell of Italian Herb Chicken wafting through the house this morning at 7 hours of cooking time.   That was until I took the lid off my crock pot.  I have never burned ANYTHING in the crock pot before.  Nevah.   I even went as far as  to throw a can of V8 in there to give it some extra cooking liquid so it wouldn’t cook all the way out.  Guess what?  Didn’t work.

Yes, I fed it to the family.  Bon Appetit.

Oh, yeah…about the snow.  Approximately 6″ for us here with at least one downed tree (I only know it’s one because it’s in the front yard.  I didn’t make it out to the back yard before it got dark).  Thank goodness the wind went in the right direction when it went down.   Main roads were fair when I left for work and this evening they were pretty much clear.  There are some wet spots I’ll watch out for in the morning that will freeze tonight.   We faired well…much better than a lot of other folks.  Bless ya’ll who live like this for months on end.

A Lil Something About Me

It has rained for two days straight, torrential rains.  I swear I saw the stray cat in the neighborhood recruiting for his ark.   Then it sleeted.  Now, it’s snowing.   I don’t like snow.  Not even a little bit.   I have an hour commute to work -each way- on a good day.  I like living here because it doesn’t snow much.  That was until this year.  Third time this year.  Yes, it’s pretty.  Yes, it goes away as quickly as it comes, but it makes for a nasty, nasty mess.  Now that we’ve had two days of rain, it’s snowing and it’s all going to freeze.  

Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight.  I wish I may, I wish I might, have this wish I wish tonight.

*Wishing for sunny and 72* in the morning*

xoxo

Cap’n Crabby