Random Thoughts

Stitches itch.  Stitches itch.  Band Aids on your nose are hot. Stitches itch.

Grocery Spending this week: $0
We did a huge grocery shop last week.  There was some uncertainty surrounding paychecks, so we bought enough to see us through a week or two.  We've eaten some really fun InstaPot Meals, had some old favored standbys, eaten some leftovers, and baked some goodies, too!

Total spent this month: $425
Total spent this year:    $425
(Over)/Under Budget ($175)


stitches itch... stitches itch... stitches itch

Super Blue Blood Moon
So this is fun... I've had some fun researching this one!

So, a blue moon is when we have TWO full moons in one month.
A Super Moon is the moon's closest approach to the earth coincides with the full moon.
A Blood Moon is a Lunar Eclipse.  A Lunar Eclipses happen when the moon passes into the Earth's shadow. 

All 3 of these events will coincide on Jan. 31.

If you'd like to read more information about the Super Moon, you can follow these links:

From the Independent:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/super-blue-blood-moon-supermoon-next-lunar-eclipse-total-nasa-january-2018-a8142641.html

From NBC News:
https://www.nbcnews.com/mach/science/super-blue-blood-moon-coming-here-s-how-see-it-ncna840356

stitches itch... stitches itch... stitches itch....

Star Wars
Have you seen the new movie?  I saw it over the weekend.  It was a wild ride!  Predictable, but fun!
Husband and I went Sunday morning after church.  We got to the first show, so we also got the matinee price.  There were an awful lot of really good one liners in there.  Hate to admit it, but there was also one very teary eyed moment for me.  

stitches itch... stitches itch... stitches itch

Hobbes
Hobbes continues to grow and thrive.  He's a wild and crazy 5 months old now.  He likes to slide down the laminate floor in the hallway and crash into the closet door at the end of the hall.  (All of our cats have done that when they've been feeling a little wild and crazy.)  He has also started sharing the sofa with Luna.  They're not on the same cushion, but they are both sleeping near each other on the sofa.  That's progress, right?

A Nose Job

I went to my primary care doctor back in November with a concern about a weird looking bump on my nose.  I've got a lot of bumps on my nose, but this seemed to be a little bit different than the rest.
I went to my Dermatologist back in December, and he took a biopsy of that weird little bump.  At the time, he told me that he thought it was a carcinoma, and we scheduled a follow up surgery for early January.

And so, a couple of weeks ago, I had the margins removed.  And then, he removed more.  Remember when I said I had a lot of bumps on my nose?  Turns out all of them had to be removed.  So, I had a large chunk cut out of my nose.  He stitched it up with 6 stitches.  And it hurt. Because it was on my nose - pretty much running the length of my nose, from just below the bridge of my nose to the end.

I even got to wear a big huge bandage on my nose for two fun filled weeks.  At work.  Remember, I work with the public?  It was memorable.

The stitches are out now.  My nose is slightly smaller than it was before.  I have a wonderful scar running the length of my nose.  But that's okay - it's better to be here with a scar.  I can wear make up on it if I really feel the need - once it's completely healed.  But honestly?  It adds character!  And - it's a reminder to people to get their skin checked - and if anything looks weird?  Get it checked!

So, this is a reminder to you, too.  If something seems wrong, get it checked.  If your doctor dismisses your concerns, find another doctor.  You know what your normal is.  If something isn't normal, find a doctor who will listen to your concern.

I'm glad I got that weird little bump on my nose checked.  My nose hurt, and it looks a little odd, but hey, that's okay. I just tell people that I had a nose job! 

Truman Library and Museum

While it's not a public library, it's still a library!  I really enjoyed visiting the library, and I really enjoyed the ability to put his presidency in the context of U.S. History at that time.  I knew the history, but I don't think I truly appreciated the full extent of what he did and the impact it has had on our modern world until I went through the museum.  We went because we were celebrating husband's birthday.  I was expecting the entire thing to be a yawn fest, but - nope - I thoroughly enjoyed every single minute that I was in the building!  I'm going to share a few pictures below, but I honestly don't think that my pictures do justice to the experience.

Replica of the Oval Office during Truman's Term in Office

The flame outside of the museum.  The Truman family is buried in the courtyard.  See those windows across the courtyard?  That's where the library is. Only REAL researchers are allowed in there. 

The infamous newspaper that came out ahead of the election results!

Harry, Bess, and Margaret!

I don't know if you can read all of the text.  This is the most sobering artifact I've ever seen.  It's the plug from the "Fat Boy" bomb that was dropped on Nagasaki.  Remember, Pres. Truman made the decision to drop the bombs.

The document, with Truman's corrections, that recognize Israel as a state.

Grocery Expenses

I went well over budget for the month this week.  I spent $350 on groceries this week.  We decided that putting money into groceries to see us through a couple of weeks made some sense with some paycheck uncertainty approaching for my husband.  My paycheck can cover the minimum payment on bills. Fortunately, I've gotten ahead on car payments and the mortgage, so we can skip a payment if we have to.

What did we have for dinner this week?

Salmon Pasta Salad

Shepherd's Pie
This made lunch for 2 more days.

Asian Lettuce Wraps with turkey.
I took the leftover meat, and wrapped it up in corn tortillas to make a fusion style enchilada.  The results were amazing!!!

The One Pound Bag of Garbanzo Beans
I rehydrated the beans and cooked them in the InstaPot.  From there, I made:
Hummus
Moroccan Chick Pea Stew
Sheet Pan Meat Balls with Crispy Tumeric Chick Peas

I must admit, I still have a ton of food in the freezer.  I don't think I'm going to need to go shopping again for a while!

Total spent this month:
This week: $350
To date: $425

Traveling Gluten Free

Our recent trip out to Kansas City really challenged my ability to eat gluten free - and has probably been the cause of some of my recent stomach distress.  It's hard to plug into the local Celiac Community when you travel. 

I have a few things that I always take with me that I know are safe to eat.  Surprisingly, Wal-Mart has become one of the places that I can count on to find portable food that I can eat.

So, what do I eat?

Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Oatmeal Cups.  Most hotels that have a breakfast bar have fruit and nuts that I can add into my oatmeal.  I was able to hit up the breakfast bar every morning with my oatmeal cup and add a couple of spoons of dried mixed berries.  The days that they offered bananas were amazing, as I absolutely love bananas!

Starkist tuna in the pouches.  It's a small pouch of protein!  I depend on these things when I travel.  If I'm lucky, I can find mayo or pickle relish that I can add to it.  If not, then I can eat it straight out of the pouch.  If I can find gluten free crackers to mix it up, I will.

If I'm lucky, and if I can find coconut milk yogurt, I make something with yogurt, fresh fruit, nuts, and whatever else looks tasty that is gluten and dairy free.  These mixtures have been one of my go-to staples for a very long time.

Gluten Free Bread.  Again, if I can find a loaf, I can take a couple of slices with me to the breakfast bar and have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  Never, never, never do I toast the bread in the toaster at the hotel bar.  I heat it, wrapped inside of a paper towel in the hotel microwave for about 10-15 seconds. 

Actually, at the last hotel we stayed at, they had spinach and hard boiled eggs at the breakfast bar.  I made a spinach and egg sandwich with my own mayo for breakfast one day.  I really, really wanted to add sausage, but I wasn't sure if it was gluten free, and I couldn't find anyone to ask.

For dinners, we always stay where we can find a kitchenette.  Salads, quick soups, and sometimes eggs will make up our menu.  I've made tacos, and taco salads over the years.  If we're staying someplace where we can drive, we've been known to take our crock pot with us.  This time, since we were moving middle child into a functioning apartment, I used his kitchen to cook meals every night, and I left him with copious amounts of leftovers.  ;)

Grocery Expenses for the Week

Granted, we're only feeding 3 people and not 5, but sometimes, it's harder to keep expenses down when your feeding a small number of people after years of feeding large numbers of people!  My goal for this year was to keep our expenses for groceries under $250/month.  When you keep in mind that I also have to find food that is gluten, dairy, and soy free, it seems reasonable to keep expenses that high.

Grocery Trip: $75
I picked up 2 packages of chicken breasts: buy one, get one free.
I also picked up sweet potatoes, white potatoes, onions, bananas, celery, and a bag of dried beans.
2 quarts of veggie stock.
1/2 gallon of cashew milk.
1 pound of GF oatmeal.
Frozen Vegetables.
Coconut Milk Yogurt,
5 pound bag of frozen fruit.
And a few other odds and ends.

Here's what we made with it:

Root Vegetable Tagine with Kale:
https://feedmephoebe.com/tagine-recipes/

This very filling recipe provided us with dinner Sunday night and lunch for 2 extra days.

Smoothie Fruit Bowls
My tummy has been acting up for the last month.  This month, my goal is to eat foods that will nourish and heal my GI Tract.  (It's a Celiac Flare-Up.  Not certain where the contamination came from, though.)

Have you had a smoothie bowl?  You mix the yogurt with some fruit and juice, and then pour it into a bowl with nuts, seeds, berries, and other goodness on the top.  I used what I had on hand, so my bowls were made with coconut milk yogurt and pineapple, and topped with coconut, dried mixed berries, pumpkin seeds, and sliced bananas.  So much goodness!

White Chicken Chili 
One of my favorite chili dishes.  I like to take a break from the tomato every once in a while!  This was another huge pot of soup, with leftovers for lunch for several more days.  Both daughter and I take our lunch to work, and reheat it there.  It's always a treat to have some leftovers!

Quinoa Acorn Squash Rings
http://tastefulventure.com/roasted-acorn-squash-with-cranberry-walnut-quinoa-stuffing/

Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole
Made in the Insta-Pot

Spaghetti 

I had lots of leftovers this week!  We finished most of them off today around lunch time.  I still need to make dinner for tonight - but I'm not terribly hungry right now!

How did you do with your grocery shopping this week?

Lawrence Public Library

While we were in Kansas, we ventured over to the Lawrence Public Library.  I have been following them on Facebook for quite some time.  I love their social media presence, and I just couldn't wait to see their physical building!  

I can honestly say this was one of the most surprising libraries I've ever been in.  The building is large, and built in a circle.  (Hence the fiction loop below.)  They have a large auditorium in the front as you enter the building, in addition to a coffee shop.  Looking at the picture below - you can see the fiction loop along the back wall.  You can also see the open doorway halfway down - that's where the circulation department is located, and you can also shortcut over to the non-fiction collection, the children's and young adult section and access the stairs to the basement.  It's a gorgeous building that brings in light, air, and art - oh so much art.  The building was breathtaking!

Join me in a tour of this beautiful building!

Front Entrance

The back of the building, along the fiction loop.  Romance is on the right.

Coming off of the fiction loop and into the non-fiction.  If you look at the front of the building, this is on the right hand side of the building.

The back corner of the building.  Just look at those gorgeous windows!  There's another set on the other side of the building, both overlook the big park across the street from the library.

The center of the building.  I guess the proper word is atrium.  Stairs to the downstairs on the left.

Children's is directly across.  Look at that beautiful strand up above!

Downstairs.  Meeting Rooms, Business Center, Computer Lab, and Local History Section.  So many people down here - it was impossible to get pictures without faces.

Lovely artwork in the basement!

View from downstairs looking up.

Looking into the children's section from the atrium area.

You can't see it from here - but the city has flooded one end of the park across the street from the library to make an ice rink.  You can kind of see the ice and the kids skating on it if you squint!

Lawrence Public Library Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/lawrencepubliclibrary/

Lawrence Public Library Website:
http://www.lawrence.lib.ks.us/

A Trip to Kansas

Middle child has a new job.  We spent last week moving him out to Kansas and getting him settled into his new apartment.  He was offered the job six weeks ago, and we've spent the last six weeks getting him ready to move - buying a car, getting insurance, finding an apartment, packing everything up, unpacking and deciding what he REALLY needed, and then packing up again.

If you weren't paying attention last week, the weather was pretty horrendous.

When we left here on New Year's Eve, we had two cars loaded with junk, and the roads were snow covered.  I drove one car, and husband drove the other.  Let me tell you, we were thrilled to get west of the mountains and away from the snow!

We moved out of the snow and into the cold.  New Year's Day, the temperature was a warm and wonderful -5*F. The windchill took that temperature down even further.

He moved into his apartment on Tuesday.  With the windchill, the temperature was down to -15*F.  Good Lord, it was cold!  We moved him in, but moving someone in while wearing heavy down coats and gloves is an entirely new experience.  It's slow, and you just can't seem to move fast enough.  When we finished, I couldn't feel my face.  Due to middle child's lack of moving space, he had no furniture to sit on, so we sat on the floor, huddled around heating grates, trying to warm up!

His apartment is very nice.  It's a one bedroom.  He has a small galley kitchen, his own washer and dryer, and a built in desk in the kitchen.  His bathroom is attached to his bedroom.  All told, he's got 800 square feet of space.  It's a very nice size for a young man starting out on his own!

The temperature wasn't a lot warmer when we came back home.  It was still below zero, but the windchill wasn't as severe.  The road back seemed to be even longer than the road out.  Possibly because we were coming from the Central Time to Eastern.

Middle child is settled as best he can be.  He has food.  He now has two chairs - one a kitchen chair and one a living room chair.  We offered a U-Haul trailer.  His grandmother has furniture she wanted him to take with him, but he refused to take it.  So.... he has very little furniture, and no tv or internet.
As he reminded me, he can get internet at the library, and he's going to be at work more than he's going to be home. 

We're flying out to see him at Easter - we know he's not going to have any vacation time for a while now.  Hopefully we'll pick up a few more things for him while we're out there next.  Like maybe a sofa.  Or possibly a kitchen table.  Maybe even a bed.  (Although, if I must admit, I didn't have an actual bed in my apartment for the first year I lived out on my own.  He doesn't know that - but you know, I can understand.)

It's kind of odd to see our kids grow up and take off on their own.  I mean, it's what we spent the last 20 - odd years working towards, but it's still weird to see them out on their own when all you see in your head is a toddler running around with a giant stuffed Cheetah, wearing a black cape and conquering the neighborhood!

Wow I'm going to miss him!

Random Pictures

Are Painted Rocks a thing where you live?  The idea is to paint the Rocks and hide them. Whoever finds the rock posts them to the Facebook Group listed on back of the rock and then resides them.  I found these in the library.  I'm going to hide them in another library today.  

Christmas cards. I still haven't mailed them yet!

Sunset a couple of nights ago.  Just beautiful! 

The National Christmas Tree in Washington DC.