Tag: Nutrition

Big Meatball Pasta Dinner, To Do List, and Nutrition

On By BackporchwriterIn Uncategorized5 Comments

George fixed “The Big Meatball” Italian dinner last night. He went all out. He even put “snow on the mountain” with his Ricotta cheese. The buttered garlic bread was good with it too even though we don’t need it.

Was able to get most of the Withholding Returns done yesterday. Just a couple of things to wrap up there and follow back on. And of course there is Oregon which is an All in One where you do both the Withholding Return and the Unemployment Return as well as several other taxes and it’s very different in style and takes up a lot of time so I always do it last. That way if we WERE to run out of time on something its just the one state and not several, but I don’t think we’ll be late. So today I’m going to start working on my end of quarter reconciliation spreadsheet. Quarter End is right on target. It’s usually around mid month when I get to this point. I will work on it for a few days and then start the Unemployment Returns. But I have to get my Friday stuff done first. So the month is moving on – that’s for sure.

I’m glad it’s Friday. I have a lot of things built up I need to do. You can’t see all of my list on the screen shot. Each section scrolls up where you can see the complete list. Of course there is no way to get all of this done in a weekend. I just park my “to do” lists on here so I don’t forget to do them, or look things up. I love this app. It’s the Focus Matrix. It syncs across all devices.

I do not use the categories like they mention. It is confusing to me to have a block that you call “Not Important, But Urgent” – that seems conflicting, at least in my mind. If it’s urgent you still have to do it, but I guess it’s supposed to be a priority thing. Anyway, I use the blocks in priority mode as I call it from 1, 2, 3, and 4. The grey section being things I’m not even considering doing right now. The top two columns are the most priority.

I wish I was off today so I could get started on everything. But it’ll be here soon enough. I’m really excited to do the camera research. But I need to do a few other things first. I’m just glad to have “my spirit” back where I’m excited about something. It’s been a bit difficult to fight the blues away. But the nutrition thing is key. If I don’t get the greens and fruits in and the nutrients and Vit B’s and D’s in it is difficult for my body to function and think properly. It really impacts my moods. Even 1 day without my vitamin pack is noticeable. I know that sounds unreal. But it’s something I’ve noticed. So I try to make sure I’m doing what I need to every day on that. It’s helping have had more veggies this week. Squash, carrots – anything yellow and orange. Not just beans. Anything green. I eat a lot of potatoes and beans and meats here at the house. So we have to focus on adding those other veggies in or we’ll by pass them. Fish is also good brain food. And we are low on that front right now but going to Aldi this weekend. They have some pretty good frozen fish. I do have my “That System I use” that I can do my “greens” and “fruits” and also even the Hydrate water has vitamins. But I have to focus on that too or I’ll drink coffee, water, and tea and the day is gone. So I’ve been trying to notice and plan these things in my diet to help my mood, clarity of mind, and also keep the immune system boosted.

Got to have a long chat with my Katebug yesterday. She is feeling less nauseated in her pregnancy and was able to cook a meal finally. Food has made her feel so sick. But she’s coming out of it into the 2nd trimester. I can’t wait to see her and Cody in a few weeks. And of course I continue to pray we can go. She says right now everything is at full capacity in their small town. Even schools are starting back as normal. Stores are open as normal. So let’s hope it stays that way and we can get through. I guess as we travel it’s best to do small towns for our meals and restroom stops – less COVID huh? My worries is that states will shut down their borders. But I’m hoping that does not happen.

I also need to order more books from audible. I have 3 credits. I have had some very very very long books I’m doing, also some very boring. lol And I’m trying to get through those but I’ve waited to use my credits. I need a Christian book to replace the 5 Love Languages I’m almost through with. Not sure what other books I’m wanting. I think I have several already downloaded to read. Might even do a fiction one b/c right now, we kinda need some fiction! lol. Real life is almost too much.

Anyway, hats off to George and his “big as your fist meatball” pasta dinner.

He wanted to show you all how big it was! It was great!

Have a wonderful Friday! I have a lot of blog subjects I want to do but short on time! More later.

Making Hopeful Plans and Keeping High Spirits

On By BackporchwriterIn Uncategorized9 Comments

We received this by text this week. I scratched out the last name for privacy and cropped the dates and info. I am hoping that we get to go. The nation is blowing up with COVID and particularly in TN and in TX and if they shut borders, shut restrooms and such it will be very hard to get there and when we do will we have anything to do for a week while Katy works? Maybe she won’t be working, but then again she may also be working from home and we’d be a distraction. I’m hoping we can go. Every time I say I’m excited George says “if we get to go”. I’m usually the one considered the “Debbie Downer” due to my training of looking for things to go wrong in advance and trying to pre-empt them for years and years in my career and being brought up under Mom that liked to be prepared for anything. Normally George says “it’s all gonna work out just fine” but with this every time he says “if we get to go”. So……I’m just not sure. I hope we can. But one thing is for sure, we are excited to know what the baby will be!

I’ve tried hard to take my vitamins, drink my greens, and get in as much nutrition as I can. With all of this COVID going on and how it has DULLED our life, any plans we ever try to make, along with retreating in doors due to the heat and less VIT D – it has really made me SAD. I think I mentioned recently that much like winter there is a period of summer that we retreat indoors when it gets so HOT as it is right now in the 90’s and earlier in the week near 100.

God provides the summer thundershowers although this week they have missed our area. So I think I’ll try taking an extra D until we get out more. But I’ve been sad on some days and some days not even wanting to do anything. And that is not me. I like to make lists, and do things on the lists, and check off boxes on the list, and feel good about getting things done. That has been the essence of most of my life is checking off boxes. It’s what excites me and motivates me usually. But when I don’t get enough nutrients and sunlight I start to think less, do less, and quite frankly just feel like a deflated squash! lol

Do you all ever do that? But I notice I can usually control that with nutrients. Particularly for me needing greens, orange and yellow veggies, making sure I take my vitamin pack and supplements, and exercise helps even inside with toe touches, sky reaches, windmills, leg lifts, side swipes – lol lol – all those things you did growing up in school when they tried to wake you up or had you stretch in gym class. Sometimes I have Alexa play disco or dance music and then dance like no one is watching and get a bit of cardio in. All of these things help when the “blues, stagnancy of winter, and muggy indoor dog days of summer”. It helps keep the spirits high it seems and the mind active. It also might help one’s immune system to fight better.

On the flip side of that, you can allow yourself a treat every now and then. When your coworker wins ice cream for the office, you get to enjoy a Nutty Buddy! And take a moment and view the cool air of the snowy mountain tops on your computer screen.

That reminds me…I should change my entire desktop theme to a winter themed pic. lol

Yesterday George and I went to the store. As we went in our county was getting weather alerts but it was to our east. God provided us with a pretty rainbow on our end.

We filled our buggy full yesterday, having been out of a lot. I will say that Kroger disappointed. Still we filled the cart full of other things we needed and wanted. I figured they would have most everything we needed, but now I’m going to have to go somewhere else to get the rest. While there is enough for survival, it’s still kinda unsettling to not be able to get cleaning supplies, rubbing alcohol, my organic oatmeal that has no sugar additives, and they never have my Stouffers spinach souffle!

There are less cleaning supplies than there were the last time we went. There are more sanitizers and toilet paper though. And meat is going way up in cost. And 9% of employees at meat factories getting the COVID according to an article George sent yesterday. Why are the people in meat factories getting it? I don’t get the connection but isn’t that kinda where it started in China – the meat factories? Is it being planted? It’s all suspicious to me. I know people are getting the disease everywhere. But in particular there are certain places where it’s been more prevalent.

I looked at cameras yesterday and actually had one in my cart in Amazon, but I took it out. The more information I look at, the more confused I am. One person says this one is the best, another one the next one is the best. So I will wait til the weekend and see what I think. I remember that I have some stimulus money George set back and said you can use it or save it. I may have used some of it buying maternity clothes for Katy as a surprise, but I still have some left. I have enough to cover all but about $100 in blow money so I think I will go ahead and get it and be learning on it. I also think we can plan some mini hikes that are not too strenuous. Or take a drive to some lake front views and let me capture some photos. I can also go to some downtown areas and get some shots of buildings and things – not Nashville though – too much COVID in the air around there. But I can begin to learn how to use the camera and go out on excursions for that. It would give us something to do. And I’ll be good at using it by the time the baby is here. So someone commented on the last post saying “go ahead and get it!” That is all the push I needed. Well, also George said I could get it too that $100 wouldn’t break us. So I think I will do more research this weekend and make my decision from there.

I also have to order George’s bday gifts! And wrap Mom’s. We are going to get to go see Mom. She invited us to spend the night. I know it’s been lonely for her – just her and Fancy, her poodle. So we are going to spend the night so we have more time together. We will be celebrating her birthday too. I have her gifts but need to wrap them. So we have that to look forward to. As long as they don’t shut us down b/w counties, we should be good. That would be harder for them to do.

I have lots of ideas for the next video for my “providing value” section – if that is what you want to call it. It’ll be interesting using the new camera to film from my home set up and I think whatever I get I’m getting the wide angle lens camera. I can’t wait to get it and learn how to use it. I’ve always been intimidated by them but I realize now that you get so much info on YouTube, I’ll have the help I need to learn how to use it! I NOW have a lot of reasons to use it. The grand baby coming, the new vlog, and it will make me want to get out more and go walking and go on excursions where we can.

It takes about two weeks to have enough collected to do a video. I do have some cooking scenes done. But it’ll be a little bit before enough things happen to even try to slap a video together. I also have to be in the mood! lol

My coffee is good this morning. Time to get a 2nd cup, get ready for work and pack lunch. Strong storms coming today and a LOT of payroll related work and then need to work on Quarter End. It has been busy crazy. It went from quiet to chaos in a heartbeat it seemed. And now I have to step it up to even have time to work on Quarter End. Will likely have to work over some to get it done but maybe not. Maybe I’ll have more time Friday to work on it. Just crazy times.

Looking forward to the weekend. As always! Feeling a lot better today after working hard the last few days to get the right things (and a few treats – like ice cream) in my body. Ya’ll take care! How are you coping? Sources say this COVID thing will last about 2 years? Hang in there.

Product Reviews, Eating Healthier, and Being a Slob

On By BackporchwriterIn Uncategorized6 Comments

Well, I’m officially making some intentional efforts now at trying to lose a bit more. I don’t like the tummy that is coming back, nor the inflammation. I see now that even with vitamins and supplements, I get stiff and also the pain comes back in my right upper arm. But give me a shake and the life comes back into me, I can feel it and I miss it. The nutrition qualities of this shake is incredible and now that it is summer, I can drink cold again. That said though, I’m finishing off the grits this morning, lol. THAT SHAKE/SUPPLEMENT COMPANY I USE had the Cookies and Cream come back out so I ordered one. It’s my favorite flavor I think and I add PB Powder to it. I’m about out of PB Powder. Since so many of us do THAT SHAKE/SUPPLEMENT COMPANY I USE at work, we have a blender at work that we all use. I try to wipe it down with a clorox wipe, just like we do the coffee pot handles and microwave buttons. But at least I’ll have another canister of the good stuff for a while. I’m only ordering one because I have so many flavors and I am really wanting Pina Colada to come back. They have not done any new or resurgance of shakes in a while. They have been introducing and changing some existing products instead.

Saw this on Facebook today. I agree. There is one thing in life that is certain – I like coffee and I’m thankful to have it. I require it. If I don’t have it, I’m liable to say things like this:

So the last couple of days I have been a total slob. I really didn’t notice it until I got up this morning. I said to myself “Where are you and what have you done with yourself”. lol As I walk into the bathroom there are coffee cups, make up, hair equipment and all sorts of stuff on the counter. On the floor are the boxes and stuffing the new hair equipment came in.

In my office I have finger nail polish and nail supplies out, notes, cotton balls, mail, my new earbuds and all the packaging it came in. And there are clothes on the floor in my changing room (extra bedroom). Somehow I’ve let things go in the last day or so. That is not like me. I pride in having clear horizontal spaces. Can’t stand it if I don’t. Normally. It’s bothering me this morning, but yesterday and the day before I must have just flit from one thing to the other just messing up everything.

It’s true that the new hair styling air brush came in Wednesday along with the new wireless ear buds and charger. And I didn’t have much time to play with either, just ripped it open and began using it leaving it’s trash in the wake.

It’s true that I had enough of my nails yesterday and had to trim them and then left all the stuff out. My nails, with their ever brittle cuts and tears, are just looking horrible since I’m trying to just go with natural nails and simple polish. It’s not working very well but I’m making myself wait until mid July to see if I can’t train them again to sturdy up and look nice without having to have them done every month. They are so brittle. I mainly want to save money.

I spend about $280.8 or more just on my nails alone per year at the rate of 22 and 32 flip flopping that price every three weeks as you do white in 3 weeks and both pink/white the other set of three weeks. No doubt I’ll spend some on polish doing it on my own. But Epidemic Sound is about that much per year. I just have so many subscriptions like that with the blogging, vlogging, and music scene. I have the iTunes per month fee also. I love love love it though. So I figured I’d offset those little amounts by the cutting back on nails. I am not cutting back on the pedis though. And I may treat myself to a mani on occassion and let them do them but just a regular nail session and not the pink/white solar or dip. It’s just too hard to get it off. Your stuck doing it if you want your nails to look nice. The last I had mine done was early Feb I think. It’s mid June and I’m still dealing with it. My nails are so scarred and fragile.

So yeah, bottom line is I need to pick up after myself tomorrow! Like Scarlet, there is always tomorrow!

So a review of this Hot Air brush.

Hair Dryer Brush,Hot Air Brush, One Step Blow Dryer Brush,Hair Volumizer Curler Straightener Styler, 4 IN 1 Brush Kit with Interchangeable Brush Head, Negative Ionic Ceramic Electric Blow Combo by Brightup on Amazon. LINK

I love how it does my hair. I’m using one of the middle brushes, probably the one shown on the wand. And it was easy to use except for turning it on. See the pink switch at the bottom? It is VERY difficult to turn. Matter of fact, I just almost can’t turn it. But with determination I can finally make it move. And sometimes when it finally moves it moves too much – like all the way over and you have to keep trying to get the setting you want. Also the low setting blows out higher than the medium setting and about the same as the high setting, so that is weird. However, I do like how it styles my hair. I don’t have a lot of styling time in the mornings but it quickly does what I need and is more efficient than my hair dryer and styling brush. It just gets a better hold. You do have to be careful though, much like a curling iron – not to grab the brush section because it’s hot. You can grab the tip though when you need the extra hold. So it has some quirks, but I like it enough to keep it. I will do a review on line because the company needs to fix these things. It’s ridiculous how you almost need a burly man to come turn the thing on.

Wireless Earbuds, [Upgraded] Boltune Bluetooth V5.0 in-Ear Stereo Wireless Headphones 40Hours Playing Time Bluetooth Earbuds Built-in Mic Single/Twin Mode, Red

LINK

And as for these. I give them the thumbs up. Surprising clarity and I love not having to deal with the cords as much as I get up and down in my office. I can even go to the bathroom with them in my ear or the break room and I can hear the music still. ha. They will also let you answer calls. I’ve not read the instructions yet. I’m a rulebreaker I guess. But I will. I need to see how certain things work. They paired up with my iphone immediately. I am enjoying them immensely.

I went to Logans yesterday for lunch. It was perfect and what I needed. I had taken a frozen rice/bean 250 calorie thing but I was really needing some chicken and greens so the lunch I took stayed in the freezer and I headed out. The chicken was a bit on the drier side but the broccoli was so good. I wish I’d had more. They must cook it in butter and chicken broth is all I can figure. Broccoli that good is no doubt covered in butter. ha.

So this is about all I know. I am happy that it is Friday!

I will say that I’ve made significant progress on the next iMovie. I’m sorry it’s taking so long. Work gets in the way of everything right? lol. I have also had to focus on some other to do items before pressing on with the next segment. I’ve been worried that it would not come together as I’m basically trying to make something of nothing exciting. The past month has been no different from the month before hardly. But the right music pulls it together.

You know it’s weird, but I’ve noticed that my brain processes the iMovie overnight. I wake up in the night or the next morning with ideas. So that is interesting. I love coming home from work, getting a glass of wine and setting into it. It’s very relaxing to me. However, I am ready to get out and explore and do some things so we have some different things to share. We will soon.

I worry though that one or both of us will get the Rona and our plans will change. It’s typical for me to worry about such because I like to be planned up against anything that could go wrong. I can only control so much of that. It only takes one time of setting your phone down on something that has the virus and forgetting to clean off the phone before you touch it. I’m horrible about that. If I get it it’ll be from my phone! Or where I’ve touched something and touched my glasses. I’m so sick of thinking about germs!

I just want to curl up with this little guy. Roger and I snuggled last night. He is a good snuggle button. The dogs get their trims tomorrow and we are going to graduation shower of the daughter of some long time friends. I don’t know if we are all making the right decisions yet on all this. It only takes one person to have it and give it to the rest and we take it and give to others. But society is coming out now and businesses are coming back. The virus rates are going up. But what can you do? We can’t stay home forever. I figure we are all going to get it eventually. I’m not getting the vaccine, so….

Anyway, I need to get ready and get in to work. It’s Friday Friday Friday and I’m a happy girl about that. Busy day tomorrow but Sunday we can chill and get the laundry done and go the store and hit the reset button for another week, and clean up all these messes I’ve made. Doesn’t leave a lot of room for play but I imagine we will sneak in some play time.

Ahhhhhh I just want to stay here all day and play! We did get to read some last night after dinner. I’ve not sat and just read in a while. It was nice.

OK over and out.