one surgery down, one to go

Surgery #1 is done, and surgery #2 is tomorrow, March 17--I'm SO ready for it so I can get on with recovery.

Here's a rundown of what's been going on.

Surgery

The first surgery was Tuesday, March 3. I had to be at the hospital at 6:00 am that morning, with surgery scheduled for 7:30 am. That meant noting to eat after midnight, clear liquids only until 4:30 am, and then absolutely nothing after that except enough water to take any pills I needed to take. I thought I'd be hungry, but I wasn't. I was nervous, so I'm guessing that's why I wasn't hungry. I did, however, miss having my daily homemade iced mocha latte. I made one to have in the fridge for when I returned home.

Surgery was about two hours and 20 minutes, which is pretty fast in my opinion.  The doctor removed the affected disc; placed a spacer between the vertebrae; injected some of my own bone marrow, which was harvested from my pelvis; and installed temporary plates to hold everything in place.  According to my husband, the doctor said he "cleaned up" a lot of arthritic tissue in the area. I knew there was arthritis there and that it had progressed, which explains why I was feeling worse the last six to eight months, but it sounds like there was more than he expected.

I spent about five hours in Recovery, as did many people. They were waiting on an available bed. Plus they were on Day Two of a new computer system. They wouldn't allow me to get up for the bathroom, so I had my first experience with a bed pan--that was fun. But hey, you gotta do what you gotta do! And I had a busting-full bladder, so it's not like I could just hold it. The down side to being in Recovery that long was that they don't allow visitors like other hospitals do, so Bob spent many hours in the hospital just waiting to hear something.

The hospital stay was fine, but uncomfortable. The discomfort I had really wasn't post-op pain. It was pain and stiffness in my hips and back muscles due to laying on the operating table, followed by hours in bed. (Unfortunately I never got rid of that pain until I got home--pain meds didn't help with that at all.) They brought me for a CT scan that night, which was so the doctor could see what the bones look like and help him prepare for the next surgery. The next day the occupational therapist and physical therapist made visits to make sure I can walk, get dressed, do stairs, and just function in general.

I spent one night in the hospital, which is good for several reasons:  it means I'm doing well, it means I can get home to my own bed, and it means no more being woken up every couple hours for medications, check on vitals, etc. Everyone was very nice, but it was nice to get home. The only issue we had was that they couldn't find my back brace. I was advised to bring it with me to the hospital since I would need it for the ride home and possibly while I was there. The morning of surgery they put in on the stretcher with me and wheeled me to the OR. They weren't sure if the doctor would put me in it right away, so they wanted to have it available if needed. I didn't realize until the following morning that it wasn't in my room. They searched for it without success. They called my doctor, who apparently made it Abundantly Clear, based on the the nurse's tone and the look on her face, that the brace must be found. Coincidentally, they found it while I was being discharged. It turned out they put it on the shelf under the stretcher since it wasn't needed, and then they forgot about it.

This is supposed to be my special recliner, but it's
impossible to get a seat with these guys around!

Pain Levels

Thursday after surgery was a good day. I was able to get around quite a bit. I did a little laundry, cleaned up, etc., all with the help of a grabber I'd bought before surgery (no bending!).  Friday I started to feel pretty sore, mostly sciatica. This continued through Monday. Then Tuesday...Tuesday was awful. I woke up about 2:30 am (I thought it was 1:30 am; however, I'd forgotten to change my bedside alarm clock for Daylight Saving Time) with awful pain in my back.  The only way to describe the pain is that it was like when you sit with your back against a hard surface and there's something protruding from it that pokes into your pack and creates a really uncomfortable pressure point. I took my first dose of oxycodone (2 tablets) along with some Tylenol and tried to get back to sleep. No luck. I took another tablet about an hour later, as the first dose did nothing for me. This additional tablet made it bearable, but it was still very uncomfortable. About an hour later, the pain level increased again so I took another tablet. Same thing. I ended up taking my entire day's worth of oxy (eight tablets) between 2:30 am and about 9:30 am and all it really did was make the pain tolerable. I eventually went down to the couch and slept for a bit, which seemed to help. I found that if I stayed on the couch in one position, the pain eventually went away. So I spent the whole day sleeping either on the couch or in bed, moving as little as humanly possible, so as not to aggravate my back again. (There may have been some crying mixed in there...)

Wednesday I felt much better and the rest of the week was pretty good with the help of the pain meds. I was able to do some things. With Bob driving and the support of my back brace, I ventured out to the drugstore for a prescription refill and a Reese's Peanut Butter Egg. Priorities, you know.

Saturday night into Sunday (this past weekend) wasn't great.  My left leg was killing me. It started out as occasional aches near my knee and in my calf, and then by Saturday night it was a near-constant ache from the back of my upper thigh down to my foot. When I went to bed, I found it impossible to fall asleep, even with the sleep aid I'd taken. I couldn't take it anymore and had to take an oxy to get to sleep. I woke up at 3:00 am and the whole-leg ache was back. I couldn't fall back asleep so I got up and took two oxys along with three Tylenol, which helped immensely. It didn't completely eliminate it, but it at least made me much more comfortable. I spent yesterday relaxing as much as I could, though I still made sure to get up and move around, take a shower, etc. Last night I took both the sleep aid and an oxy, plus two Tylenol and slept until about 1:30 am. Due to the return of the whole-leg pain, I really wanted to get up and take another dose of pain meds, but I didn't since I knew that would leave me short on my prescription. I made an effort to just lay there and deal with it, trying to fall back asleep. I somehow managed to do so, and woke up for good at 4:00 am. I took my pain meds and while the pain is still there and it's really annoying, it's at least tolerable. I find myself wishing today was surgery day so I wouldn't have to deal with this anymore--it's SO uncomfortable.  I really hope this doesn't happen again after this next surgery.

Other Stuff

I haven't had any issues with getting up and down, using the bathroom, and using the shower. It's hard to get used to "no bending, lifting or twisting," but I'm managing just fine. We put a garbage bag on the passenger seat in the car so I can easily get in and turn myself.

The incision in my abdomen is quite big (see picture--sorry if you're squeamish!)--about seven inches--and was closed with staples and stitches. I'm not thrilled about that, as it's not nearly as pretty as what the plastic surgeon did a few years ago, but it's just a scar. It's worth it, because it means my back has been fixed and I'm on my way to being pain-free.  I had a reaction to the bandage, which I've never had before. I broke out in red, itchy bumps. I've been using hydrocortisone cream and it's almost gone. though I'm still a little itchy once in awhile. The incision was sore for over a week, but that's feeling good now. though the staples are starting to annoy me.

In summary, I'm getting around really well, much better that I thought I would be. I was surprised that my pain levels weren't as high as I thought they would be, which is good. Most of the pain I've had has been more around the sciatica and leg pain, and the episode I had last Tuesday, which I'm guessing is from inflammation. I'm surprised that it took almost two weeks for that to set in.

And now it's on to surgery #2, which is tomorrow morning!

tomorrow is the day!

Got my hair cut recently, so I'll be looking good while I'm on the operating table! LOL
Calvin's Hair Studio in Middletown.

Obviously I haven't followed through on posting here more! I started this post several weeks ago, so I've updated it and here it is.

Tomorrow is the day:  anterior (from the front) L4-L5 fusion. I have to be at the hospital by 6 am.  No solid food after midnight, clear liquids up until 4:30 am, and nothing at all--not even water--after 4:30 am. I can handle the food part, but I'm really sad that I won't be able to have my daily iced mocha latter, which I have every morning while I read my favorite advice columns. Also no hair gel, which means I'll look absolutely fabulous when I show up at the hospital tomorrow. Yes, of course I don't need to look good for surgery, but I feel so frumpy without my hair done. I can handle going without makeup, but the hair HAS to be done. But such is life. Hair products are flammable and I really don't want the OR to burn down.

These guys don't realize this is MY seat, not theirs.
Come tomorrow, they're being evicted!

I've been thinking a lot about life after surgery. I know the next six months or so will be hard, but if I want to (hopefully) be pain-free in the coming years, I need to do it. I'll get through it--the post-op pain, physical limitations, and emotional struggle are only temporary. Time will inevitably pass whether I have surgery or not. I can either spend it in pain, living on narcotic pain meds and trying to put off surgery longer, or I can suck it up and get it over with, deal with the post-op pain, and then move on with my life. I'm opting to suck it up and just do it.

I've been thinking about the things I'm looking forward to after all is said and done:

• No longer saying, "My back hurts." 
• No longer saying, "I can't lift this." Or going ahead and lifting it anyway and paying for it later.
• No longer having to go to a meeting or event and looking for the chair that seems as though it will torture me the least.
• No longer being the person with the bad back.
• No longer dreading long meetings due to having to sit for so long. Instead, I'll be able to dread them for the simple fact that I could be doing something better than sitting in a meeting.
• No longer dreading sitting down to watch TV in my own home.
• No longer needing narcotic pain medication. While it's great pain relief, I've built some tolerance and it usually gives me a headache; I feel like I've constantly had a headache for the last eight months.
• Being able to once again sleep through the night. At the moment, I'm waking up around 1 am due to back pain. At that point, the pain meds are starting to wear off. I then spend hours tossing and turning, and sleeping fitfully. 
• No longer feeling like a train wreck in the morning. Part of this is the pain medication and part of it is back pain ans stiffness.

So, I'm looking forward to NOT doing, feeling, or saying a lot of things.  And tomorrow is the day it all changes for the better.

(As you can see, I got my hair cut. I finally found someone who is very close by so I don't have to drive an hour anymore. If you're in mid-state CT, try Calvin's Hair Studio in Middletown. Very reasonable prices, very friendly, and he does a great job.)

good riddance to 2019, and hello to 2020!

Yikes. I can't believe it's been more than two months since I've last posted here. It's been a combination of laziness, not really having much to say, and not having a desire to sit here and type about nothing. But today I'm back, and I'm hoping I post more often.

So, what's been going on?

Well, I'm happy to say 2019 is over. It was the year of Stupid Bullshit, both personally and professionally.

Stupid Bullshit:

• I ended a job of four years due to sale of the company and my position being made redundant
• I started a new job, which I wasn't initially thrilled about giving I didn't WANT to get a new job (but I'm happy now)
• Said new job was extremely frustrating for the first six months or so
• I had a personal issue going on that cost a lot of wasted time, wasted money, a couple rude surprises, and shitload of hassle
• My back pain got worse, and another the second round of radio frequency ablation didn't work

And here are the good things, which happened in the same year:

• The frustration at my job resolved itself and I'm happy now
• The personal issue was resolved. Another great day.
• We sold our old house, which has been an anchor around my neck for more than five years. We took a big loss, but we're just glad to nearly be rid of it forever. (closing is soon)
• I found alternative pain relief

And the biggest and probably most important Good Thing?  I made the decision to have back surgery. Lumbar fusion of the L4-L5 vertebrae.  

When is surgery?  March 3...and March 17. Yes, it's two surgeries:  one from the front to remove the disc and place the bone graft, and one from the back to build the cage.

So, I've decided that's what I'm going to blog about in the coming months:  prep for surgery, the surgery itself, and then recovery. Not only because it will give me something to post about, but hopefully it will get me back on track with my eating habits so I can lose a little weight before surgery.

What else will I post about? My new home gym, the new fuzzy additions to my family, and other things.

See you soon!

my first trip to Washington, DC

Oh boy--it's been more than two months since I last posted! I've had some things going on and really haven't felt like writing. But I'll get back into it by posting about my business trip I took in October. 

I'm lucky enough in my particular job role that each year I get to go on a business trip. It's an annual conference for a software company my employer uses and it's typically in a good location, such as California. This year it was in Washington, DC. I was really excited about it since I'd never been there. My husband hadn't either, and he loves history, so it was a perfect vacation spot for him. (My boss was shocked to learn I'd never been to DC. I'm not sure why that's so shocking, but it was to her. I guess because she goes there often with her family and they all love it there.)

We decided to tack on about three days of vacation, which were prior to the conference days. Since I had only that time to see everything I wanted to see before having to spend two and half days at the conference, I made a list of my must-see attractions. We made it to most of them. Unfortunately, I missed out on seeing the Holocaust Museum. In order to see it I would have had to go on the last day of the conference, which was a half-day; however, I'd forgotten it was Yom Kippur and it was closed. I still made it to the Bureau of Engraving and the Library of Congress, though.

This is what I saw while I was there:

• Bureau of Engraving and Printing. I’m a banker, so seeing money being printed was exciting to me. It amazed me that one small pallet of $20.00 notes was $6.4 million, and there were SEVEN pallets in one little space! And yes, the place smelled like money!

• Lincoln Memorial. I saw this at night on the Monuments by Moonlight tour (we also stopped at the MLK Jr. Memorial and the Iwo Jima Marine Corps Memorial), which we did on the second night we were there. It was SO worth it! It was beautiful. Someone was having their wedding pictures taken while we were there. I loved standing on the steps and looking out onto the reflecting pool and then Washington Monument beyond that. And yes, there were A LOT of steps!

MLK Jr. Memorial

Iwo Jima US Marine Corps Memorial

The Capitol building at night.

View from the Lincoln Memorial on the Monuments by Moonlight tour. 

Lincoln Memorial at night.

• Arlington Cemetery, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and Women in Military Service for America building (very well done). We stayed for the changing of the guard. There were two wreath-layings at the Tomb. They played Taps each time. My husband is former Army so he was quite moved by it, as were most people.

Kennedy's grave site

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

• Air and Space Museum. I LOVED this! So interesting. The Hubble telescope was on display, so that was quite interesting to see. Definitely not as big as I thought it would be. I wish we could have spent more time here, but we got there about an hour and half before it closed. Also, they were renovating so several sections were closed.
• American History Museum. Lots of interesting stuff here. I wasn't able to see all of it; there was just so much to see (three floors!) and I didn't have enough time.
• National Archives. Here I saw the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, among other things. 
• United States Botanic Garden.  Here we saw lots of different plants and flowers.  Very warm and humid inside!

• Library of Congress. This was probably my favorite. The architecture is absolutely beautiful! We got library cards just so we could go into the main reading room (yes, I'm a geek). I love books and it’s kind of cool to say I got to browse the shelves of the Library of Congress. I also enjoyed seeing Thomas Jefferson’s library. I saw one book there that was published in 1571!

While out and about we also saw the WWI Memorial and Washington Monument, among other things.

As far as food goes, we didn’t get much beyond the hotel and the National Mall area. My husband is a very plain eater, so we stuck with things he would like. Plus, even though the company paid for most of it, food was expensive. We hit a few food trucks and the food was really good. We went to the Hard Rock Cafe once. We also had a rib eye steak on our last night since it was still part of my business trip and the company paid. :)

Getting around DC was easier than I thought it would be. We got a three-day Metro pass and hopped on and off the train as needed. Only once did we get on in the wrong direction. :) On the second day I finally figured out that in order to know which train to take and which direction to go, we had to look at the last stop on the line, not the stop where we want to get off. Once I figured that out we had no more issues determining direction. (Taking the train isn’t a daily thing in CT unless you commute along the shoreline/to NY or through the middle of the state, so I don’t have much train experience.)

We took Amtrak (Acela train) and that was a pleasant experience. It was a little annoying, though, how many people took up two seats on purpose, which meant it was hard to find two seats together on our way there. Once we got to NY the conductor made announcements that people cannot take up two seats since it was a nearly-full train. Oh, and there were MANY announcements for people to check their tickets and make sure they’re on the right train. Apparently there’s an express train and then another Acela train. Guess what? At least one person got on the wrong train going to DC, and at least four different people got on the wrong train coming home! One huge difference between taking the train and flying was that once you get to the train station, you just get on the train. No checking bags, going through security, etc. Also, lots of leg room!

So, we had a great time. I'd really like to go back again, though, so I can see more. I felt rushed since I only had a few days to see what I wanted to see and had to skip some things.

Lou and Roscoe

We gained one, Roscoe, and lost one, Lou.

Lou came to us from someone who worked at the deli, which was downstairs from my former employer. She was moving and couldn't take him, so we did. I think that was somewhere around 2008. I'm not sure how old he was at the time, though I think he was maybe three years old. He was likely around 15 years old when he disappeared last month.

Lou was an indoor/outdoor cat.  He could be quite the grouchy asshole if we didn't let him out, so we continued to allow him to go outside even though all my other cats are indoor-only. He generally stayed in the yard. He would walk around the perimeter, sometimes sit in the driveway or the yard and watch cars go by, or just hang out on the patio chairs.

He was a tough bastard. When we first moved to our new house five years ago, he tangled with something that de-gloved his tail. What that means is that whatever animal attacked him stripped the fur from his tail. It was quite disgusting and he had to have half his tail amputated. It didn't stop him, though. He continued to go outside and do his thing, often bringing us "prizes." Mostly dead, but some alive:  mice (mostly dead, sometimes alive), chipmunks (alive), and a bird once or twice. He would sit outside and do his "I brought your something, mom!" meow and I knew to check and make sure it was dead before I opened the door. (I neglected to do that recently, and this is what happened.)

I left for work one morning last month and for some reason I decided to go over and pet him. I though to myself, "Let me pet him just in case I don't see him again."  And I didn't. He didn't come home that night after being let out for his usual afternoon stroll. My hope is that he simply went somewhere to die since he was getting old. He never went much beyond the grass behind the garage, which is well away from the property line, so this is more likely; however, it's possible an animal got him.

Even though he could be a jerk, I'll miss him. He became a marshmallow the last few months. He was getting old and I think that's why he softened up a bit. He wanted to be pet more often. He purred more. Made more biscuits. And even though he could be quite embarrassing when he sat outside and howled to come in--he sounded like he was yelling "Hello" and it ECHOED through the neighborhood--I'll miss it. I was actually quite funny, though embarrassing.  I like to think he's crossed the Rainbow Bridge and that my other long-gone kitties have accepted him, even though they were the frequent recipients of a growl or swat from him for no good reason!

On to the new kitty, Roscoe.  Strangely, Lou disappeared about three days after we got Roscoe. I doubt it's connected, but it's strange nonetheless.

Roscoe came from the Stratford Cat Project.  Another "special" kitty. (For some reason, Karin loves to give me the "special" ones!) He's a little over a year old; has a harelip; an eye issue, which just means I need to keep it clean everyday; and what appears to be a neurological issue. His neurological issue consists of his head moving from side to side when he's focusing on something, going down the stairs in a zig zag pattern, and, once in a great while, kind of tipping to one side as though he's lost his balance for a moment. None of these things stop him, though. He's playful, talkative, and seems to get along with the others. He hisses at Leia for some reason, but that's about it. I'm finding that the other cats don't attack, growl, or hiss at him the way they do at some of the others (par for the course in a multi-cat household). I think they sense that he isn't aggressive and that he's got some issues.

Roscoe seems to love the ripple rug I bought last year. None of the other cats care about it, but he loves it. He likes to dive through the holes while he's playing with a toy. He also likes when I toss the fleece blanket on him. He wrestles with it and tries to drag it away, chirping the whole time--I often end up in a tug-of-war game with him.


I also need to comment on his tail. His tail is fluffy and fabulous; I can't resist touching it every time he walks by. He knows it, too, because he tries to side-step me. Sometimes I can get him in time and sometimes I can't.

Overall, he's a little weird (see the picture of him eating), but we love him. He's a good cat and hopefully he's enjoying his new home.

life lately

It's been a few months since I've done one of these posts, so I guess it's time. (I've also been sitting on this post for two months, editing here and there, so time to finally post it.)

Family

Unfortunately my in-laws' house burned down last month.   Thankfully everyone, including the dog, got out in time, so no one was hurt.  I can't even imagine how it feels to lose the house you've been living in for most of your life, as well as nearly all your belongings. Family pictures, memorabilia, clothing, appliances, everything.

So, they're having to live in a hotel until they can move into my old house. (Luckily the insurance company found a hotel that will take the dog.) That will happen the first week of October. It's going to take about six to nine months to rehab the house, so they'll likely be in our old house until Spring. Once they leave, that house is being sold come Hell or high water! Although, they've talked about selling their house once it's completed and buying ours. That would be absolutely fabulous and I pray it happens. That house needs to go!

My niece, Ashley, is getting married next month. I can't believe another one is getting married. I feel old!! It seems like only yesterday my sister was pregnant with her. In fact, she was pregnant with her when I got married! I was married February 10, 1996, and Ashley was born on February 27. I wish her all the love and luck in the world!

Back Pain

I still have back pain, and it's gotten worse.

Although the nerve ablation I had in January for the facet joints helped a lot, it doesn't help the sciatica I get from the bulging discs, and that's what's still bothering me. Also, the ablation has worn off. I was told the pain relief could last anywhere from six months to two years. I'd say it lasted about six months, then started creeping back again.

My back started hurting more somewhere around June, though it was mostly while working. I have a desk job and a majority of my job requires me to actually be at my desk. Even though I have a sit/stand desk and a decent chair, and I try to switch positions at least once per hour, it's not enough. If I stand for more than 10-15 minutes, the bulging disc starts pressing on my sciatic nerve and it's time to sit down. Then my lower back starts hurting after about 20 minutes and I need to either stand up to work or go walk around a bit.  Then the leg pain kicks in. So, I finally figured out that I need to take Percocet at work, as my back pain is at it's worst when I'm working. I asked for a refillable prescription about three months ago, and I'm SO thankful I've had that, as it's helped me stay focused on my work and not on the back pain.  I also finally connected the dots about the ablation having worn off when I started having sleeping problems again, which was about a month ago. The Percocet has also helped me to sleep longer. By "longer" I mean that instead of waking up a midnight or 1:00 am with back pain, I can sleep until about 4:00/4:30 am. Then I start the tossing and turning and am generally in pain. Prior to the ablation wearing off, it wasn't this bad.

So, I'm going next Monday to have another ablation. I'll get the right side done that day, and then the following week the other side. Hopefully that will get me through my upcoming business trip--a five hour train ride--and carry me into Spring, which is when I'll make a decision about fusion. I could continue to take Percocet and have ablations, but why cover up the problem? I'd rather just fix it.

Elbow Pain

I'm also dealing with really bad tendinitis in my left elbow, which is also now in my right elbow, too. I've been dealing with this since February. I went to physical therapy, but that didn't help. It also aggravated the pulled bicep muscle from a few months ago. I had a cortisone shot, and that didn't help either. Apparently the solution was water-soluble, which may be why it didn't work. I'm going to make an appointment to get more shots next week, this time with a non-water-soluble solution, and hopefully that solves the problem.

Work

I've been in my new job for about six months now and I like it. It was tough at first, since I hadn't wanted to go back to a bank at all and definitely not in the same capacity; I didn't want to job search (previous bank was sold); and I was walking into a tough situation. Thankfully that situation resolved itself, so things are looking up. I really like my team--they're awesome!--; I love my boss; and I like the people and culture. Onward and upward!

my first batch of pickles

This year I decided to grow cucumbers for the first time:  one pickling cucumber plant and one regular cucumber plant.  I planted them in pots and put in a small trellis so I wouldn't have to worry about having enough room for the vines to grow, nor would I have to worry about them being forgotten under the leaves. Plus I just didn't want to dig a garden.

But what to do with them since only my husband likes cucumbers? Pickle them, of course!  Although I've learned how to do canning, I didn't have nearly enough cucumbers to do more than one jar of pickles so I opted for a refrigerator pickle recipe.  (At this point I had only two pickling cucumbers so far.) All I had to do was cut up the cucumbers, mix the ingredients, put them all in a jar and stash them in the fridge overnight. Pickling the cucumbers was also an excuse to use the fresh dill from my garden.

Here's the recipe I used:  Easy Dill Lovers Refrigerator Pickles

Here are the pickles before they went into the fridge. A couple days later the level of liquid rose almost to the top, because the salt in the brine released water from the cucumbers.

Overall I liked this recipe. They're so fresh-tasting and crispy. Much different from jarred pickles from the grocery store. (And notice they're not Army Green-colored!) I tried another one a couple weeks ago and it just didn't taste like a sour dill pickle should taste. I think I'll be sticking with this recipe. A word of caution, though:  if you're not used to fresh pickles, brace yourself for the first bite--it will put hair on your chest!

grilled vegetables

I've been extremely lazy and completely unmotivated the last few months, which is part of why my blog posts are getting further apart. Hopefully my issues will be resolved in the next couple months, though.  In the meantime, a short post about my first-ever experience making grilled vegetables.

Recently I had some store-bought grilled veggies and they were delicious. The best part was I didn't have to make them myself--a definite plus these days. I had them as a side dish with some fish for lunch at work. Unfortunately, the store where I got the veggies is 20 minutes away and not cheap--Whole Paycheck...I mean Foods. There's no way it makes sense to spend that much on grilled veggies when I can easily make them myself. Did I actually feel like it? No. But did I do it anyway? Yes.

I made a marinade using some garlic balsamic vinegar I had in the cabinet. My husband got it for me a while back and I just haven't made an effort to use it. He got it from Beekman 1802 Mercantile and it's called Roasted Garlic Drizzle.  (If anyone watches the Amazing Race, the owners won the 2012 season. We visited their farm in 2014 and I got to hold the baby goats. 😊)  I also used olive oil, lemon juice and some salt and pepper.  For vegetables I used vidalia onions, cremini mushrooms, red peppers, zucchini, yellow squash and roma tomatoes. I chopped all the vegetables into either strips or chunks. The onions were cut into quarters from top to bottom, leaving the root end intact so they didn't fall apart when grilled. I then put them all in a two-gallon plastic bag to marinate for the day.  Once that was done, I grilled them until charred and soft. I left the red peppers a bit crunchy for texture. I then cut the bigger vegetables into smaller pieces. And that's it!

I have to say, they tasted delicious. I really enjoyed the flavor of the vinegar.  The veggies were a little crunchy, a bit sweet, and had a nice charred flavor from the grill. And I'm happy to report that not one vegetable fell through the grates!

Marinade for Grilled Vegetables
(You could use this for chicken, too.)

1/4 cup olive oil
3 TB garlic balsamic vinegar (use whatever balsamic you like)
Juice of one lemon
1/2 tsp salt (add more if you like)
1/2 tsp pepper

Mix well and pour into a dish or plastic bag along with the vegetables.

to catch a chipmunk

I'm trying to get better about posting here; however, I don't have much motivation lately.  I figured I would tell a funny story--something that happened this week--and make it easy on myself.

Anyone who knows me knows that I have a lot of cats. Like, A LOT--11 at the moment. Yes, 11. Double digits. Having 11 cats means my house is sometimes a circus. The cats chase each other, play together (usually), sometimes fight, crowd us out in bed and hog the covers, step on my boob, cry for their dinner two hours early, and do various other cat things. (One of my favorites is when they sit and stare at the ceiling for no apparent reason. I know they probably hear a critter in the attic; however, my house was built in 1735 so I tend to wonder if they're seeing a ghost. Freaks me out.)  Sometimes they leave me all-natural, homemade "gifts" that I sometimes don't see until I've stepped in them, which is always fun. And occasionally the one indoor/outdoor cat I have, Lou (above), brings me outside "gifts." These "gifts" are typically dead mice, dead birds, and once a dead chipmunk. Key word here is "dead." He leaves them on the door step to show me what a good hunter he is and how proud he is of his kill.

Earlier this week I was getting ready for work–getting ready to step into the shower, actually–and Lou was crying to come in the house. He was using his weird cry, which means, “Ma! I caught this cute, fuzzy animal and killed it for you! Come look!!” When I hear that cry, I know to check and make sure it’s dead and laying on the patio, and not in his mouth and alive. That was followed by normal cries, so I didn’t check like I usually do. Well, I let him in and he’s got a live chipmunk in his mouth. He trotted in like he’s all that and a bag of chips. The other cats were VERY interested. 

(Now, before I go on, keep in mind that I was just getting into the shower, which means I was naked. Seeing what was about to happen, I panicked for a second and then threw on a sweatshirt and underwear. For some reason, I couldn't find my pajama pants.)

Lou proceeds to drop the chipmunk on the floor in front of me. It promptly plays dead for a few seconds while the others look on--chipmunks are smart like that. Then it gets up and runs around the house, starting with the living room.  So there’s a chipmunk running around with no less than six cats chasing it. Bailey (above) catches it and runs off in another direction and the others follow. Bailey drops the chipmunk in the den and they all race to get it, but Bailey is too fast--there's no way he's giving up his prize. So Bailey gets it again and runs into the family room. Luckily the family room has a door and  I thought to close it so at least the situation is contained in one room. I then had to figure out how to get the chipmunk out of the house without getting bit (those things have jaws like a vise and very sharp teeth!). It then occurred to me to throw a towel over him and the chipmunk.  So I grabbed a bath towel and flung it over Bailey, who still has the chipmunk by the tail, then picked them both up and brought them outside on the back stair. (Yes, in nothing but a sweatshirt and underwear. Luckily it was the back stairs and the neighbors aren't too close.) Since Bailey is an indoor-only cat I couldn’t just put him outside. He wouldn’t let go of the chipmunk, so I did the only thing I could think of--I shook him until he dropped the chipmunk…and then the chipmunk grabbed on to the towel! Rather than put the towel on the ground like a normal person would have, I started shaking the towel until it let go and ran away. I tossed Bailey back in the house and I got on with taking a shower.

Took me just a few minutes to contain the situation. I got on with my shower and got to work on time. :)

Wondering what other live "gifts" I've received from various cats over the years, and which made it into the house?  Mice, birds, and a live snake. Yes, a snake! And now a live chipmunk. I'm not sure what was more fun, though:  the live bird that flew around the house while multiple cats chased it, jumped in the windows, trashing the blinds and knocking stuff over, eventually catching it and giving it a bath (nope, they didn't kill it!), or this chipmunk.

Best ever dead "gift"? A dead catfish from the pond behind my old house. It was delivered to my front door and was sitting on the Welcome mat.

Krave the Krunch Grainless Granola

I just realized that I had this post languishing in Drafts. For some reason I wrote it a couple months ago and then forgot to post it! Anyway...

I found this grainless granola when I went to the natural foods store on my way home from volunteering in my old hometown. I'm always looking to try something new and grainless granola seemed like a good idea. I won't lie--this was not cheap by any means.  I cost $8.29; however, there was no tag on the shelf or the bag, so I had no idea until the cashier rang it up. I wasn't thrilled, but I wanted to try it because chocolate!!

So, what's in it? According to the Just Real Foods website:  Walnut, Shredded Coconut, Dark Chocolate (Cacao Powder, Cocoa Butter, Wildflower Honey), Wildflower Honey, Almond, Pecan, Maple Syrup, Sunflower Seeds, Pumpkin Seeds, Coconut Oil, Golden Flaxseed, Cinnamon – Grain-Free/Grainless – Certified Paleo – Non-GMO Project Verified – Kosher Pareve – Certified Gluten Free – NO Processed/Refined Sugars.  So, basically it's granola made out of walnuts instead of rolled oats.

And how does it taste?  I thought it was good. It had a nice chocolate and coconut flavor; however, it had too much walnut flavor for my taste. It wasn't overwhelming, but I definitely knew it was made of walnuts. I'm not a fan of walnuts in general, so a product whose main ingredient is walnuts doesn't make for a great treat for me. If you like walnuts, though, you may like this product.

As I said, I like trying new foods, especially when it's low in carbs, sugar and calories. I usually don't eat granola, because it has a lot of sugar and I just don't want to spend that many calories on such a small, non-filling snack. This granola has only 116 calories, 6 grams of carbs (!!) and 4 grams of sugar. That's pretty good for something called "granola."

Would I buy this again? No. It was good, but it has too much walnut flavor for me. Plus, it was $8.29 and that's a bit expensive.