5 Showtunes I like to dance to

Sometimes I just like to dance around the house.  Normally, I am alone when I do this LOL Mainly because there are certain songs that, when they come on, I totally blast on the stereo.  And I try to be respectful of Michael in regards to my music. 

But there's just something about freeing oneself up and just letting loose.  And it's good exercise.  I don't have to impress anyone.  I can move however I want.  It's just fun and, hey, we all need a little of that these days.  So, here are 5 showtunes that I love to crank up and dance to:

It's Your Wedding Day - The Wedding Singer

You Can't Stop The Beat - Hairspray

Mama Will Provide - Once On This Island

Dreamgirls - Dreamgirls

Hello 12, Hello 13 - A Chorus Line

Yes, there are more, but I'm sticking to these five today.  I'll add more on another list later on.
Enjoy!

Recipe of the Week - Cabbage and Beef Casserole

About six months ago, we were watching a rerun of A Chef's Life on PBS and this was one of the recipes on the show.  Vivian was attending her church's potluck and this was a dish that someone she knew had been making for years for the potluck and it was her favorite.  It sounded pretty good, so I had to try it.  We've had a couple of times and really enjoyed it.  Great comfort food

Cabbage and Beef Casserole
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 lb ground beef
3 cups chopped cabbage
3 medium potatoes, thinly sliced
salt and pepper
1 can cheddar cheese soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/3 cup of milk

Saute pepper and onion in olive oil (or butter) until tender.  Set aside.  Brown ground beef.  Layer bottom of casserole dish with cabbage, then layer potatoes on top of that.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Combine both soups with beef, bell pepper, onion and milk.  Pour over potatoes.  Cover in foil and bake for 45 minutes at 350.  Remove foil and bake 10 more minutes.

Enjoy!

Great Is Thy Faithfulness

I wanted a calm, beautiful hymn this morning and I chose this.  Be blessed!

Escapades in Adulting - Overspending

As if my bank account was not sparse enough, I am finding myself overspending the past two weeks.  I checked my account this morning and, yes, there's still money in it but I was like "Whoa!  what have I been buying?!"  Of course, with the hysterical atmosphere we live in right now, I have been going to the grocery store a lot more than normal....stocking up on essentials and such.  Now, I'm not overspending on toilet paper...just the usual amount there.  LOL  If I run out of that, I will find a creative way to deal with the situation.  But canned and dry goods.  That's where my money seems to be going.

I know that a lot of people are doing it, not just me.  These are crazy, scary times and we all want to make sure we have what we need.  I think, though for myself, I need to be better about my budget.  I'm thankful that I still have work and an income for the moment.  I'm luckier than some of my friends in that regard right now.  I still need to live within my means however.  This is really teaching me a good deal about how I spend my money and where it goes.  That is a definite positive I am taking from this entire experience.

And, yes, I have also overspent on a few things for myself.  The power of internet shopping can be very enticing.  I will see something that I don't really need but would like to have and think "Why not?  I might as well treat myself to something extra!"  And I end up with a cart full of stuff.  I do put things back but I still make that unnecessary purchase.  Oops!  LOL  I simply need to be more careful where the money goes.  I have gotten caught up in spending before, for other reasons, and I know firsthand what some of the consequences can be. 

Payday is next week, so I will take this opportunity to really sit down and look at the finances.  I might as well start this habit in earnest while I've got the time and means to do it.  We shall see how that goes!

That is all :)

The Continuing Adventures of Just a Waiter - a note to my coworkers

Well, work is certainly different than it was this time last week.  We have visitor restrictions at all 3 buildings.  That makes things tough on all of us.  Everything has changed as far as entertainment and activities for the residents.  Obviously, who can enter the building has vastly slimmed down.  It's definitely an adjustment, but we are doing what we must to protect the residents and ourselves.  This is the best thing.

I would like to tell my coworkers thank you.  Everyone is stepping up to the plate and doing what needs to be done to keep our people safe.  Work schedules have changed and we often find ourselves working in a different building than where we normally are.  That is, actually, on the fun side for me because I get to see residents I haven't seen in a long time....which is something I need to be better about once this is all done.  Anyway, it's so nice to see everyone contributing to the team atmosphere at HG.  Everyone pulling their weight.  Everyone helping each other out.  It's pretty great to see.  We actually have this kind of atmosphere at work even when we aren't in crisis mode.  The associates really work together on a daily basis to give our residents a wonderful quality of life.  It simply feels highlighted right now under our circumstances.  So, thank you for that!

Also, I want to tell my coworkers to take care of themselves.  I don't mean physically because that goes without saying.  I mean mentally and emotionally.  Right now, most of us are coming to work and then going straight home only to do it all over again the next day.  And we could have this routine for the foreseeable future.  Don't forget while you're at home to take time for yourself.  Yes, there are children to be taken care of.  Yes, there are other family members to look after.  Yes, we still have to pay bills and buy necessities.  But do try and take time for yourself.  Whether it's binge watching on Netflix or going for a walk or reading a book, find something that can help you energize your spirit and let you escape for a while.  Self care is very important and if we don't practice that, we will not be as good as we can be to our residents and they need us now.  And we need each other now. 

We will get through this and come out all the better for it once it is over.  Thank you for all that you do and remember that we do make a difference every day.

That is all

Recipe of the week - Raisin Pecan Coffee Cake

I found this recipe in my large stack of random recipes I've saved...magazine clippings, newspapers, loose recipes from home.  This one comes from one of my Mom's coworkers, Alice Brainard.  She worked for Council On Aging at United Way in the office next to Mom.  I remember Alice being an amazing cook.  She made the best homemade eclairs!  Anyway, I thought I would give this a try a few weeks ago and was really happy with the result!

Raisin Pecan Coffee Cake
2 cups sugar (reserve 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon for topping)
2 sticks of margarine
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
2 cups of flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup raisings

Mix sugar and margarine until creamy.  Add eggs, one at a time.  Add sour cream alternately with flour.  Mix in pecans and raisins.  Spoon batter into tube cake pan.  Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon topping.  Bake at 350 for 50 - 60 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean.

Enjoy!!

Prayer of St. Francis

I know that I've posted this before, but I can't remember if it was simply the words of the prayer that I posted or this arrangement.  We sang this arrangement in youth choir at FBC in Monroe back in the day.  I've had this song in my brain over the last few days and wanted to share.

Be blessed today!

Escapades in Adulting - The Doctor

Every week at work, we have a blood pressure check for our residents and anyone who works there that wants theirs checked.  Actually we do it twice each week, Wednesday and Friday.  So, this past Wednesday I decided to have mine checked.  It had been a long time and I figured it was time to find out.  Chelsea, a member of our wellness team, does the bp clinic on Wednesdays so I made my way downstairs to our rec room where it was going on.  They use one of those digital wristband machines to check and they check it several times for accuracy.  Keep in mind that I was pretty relaxed when I went downstairs.  After she checked it the first time she asked me if I was stressed.  I said no, I wasn't.  She said "well, you should be."  It was pretty high, which is not good.  She took it a few more times and it eventually came down a little, but was still high.  Of course, I was definitely stressed by then!

I figured it was time to make an appointment to see a doctor to get this under control.  I had not been to a doctor in years, literally.  I called an office that my neighbor uses, told them what was going on and made an appointment for the next day.  I was nervous, but relieved at the same time.  At my age, I really need to build a relationship with a doctor.  I had tried out several doctors in the past and they fell by the wayside, but oh well.  It was time and I was ready for it.

I get to the office early to fill out the new patient paperwork.  I was still in the Cone Health system, but it had been at least 7 years so many things needed updating.  And, as luck would have it, there computer system was down.  Not that it affected my doing paperwork, but it did delay my appointment.  Apparently, the doctor is notified via messaging when their patient arrives and they forgot to tell her I was there, so that added a half hour onto my visit.  It didn't bother me as I know the frustrations of when systems shut down.  Besides, everyone at the desk was super nice, so it was all good.

After the nurse, who had great countenance, took my vitals (I weighed less than I thought I would...whew!), Dr. Hernandez came on into the room.  We went over things like family medical history, why I was there and what my health concerns and goals were.  All I can say is that she is fantastic!!  We are on the same page concerning my goals for myself and she's all about helping me with that.  She was incredibly easy to talk to.  She explained things in terms I understood.  And, most importantly, I was not embarrassed to ask questions or divulge information.  So many times in the past when I've been in a doctor's office, I have not been open about things.  And that's not a good way to be with your doctor, I know I'm not the only one who's done this.

She took my bp again and was like..."yep, you've got high blood pressure."  She wouldn't even tell me what the numbers were that time.  I did sneak a peak as she was writing and it was higher than it was the day before.  I was probably physically anxious at being there, even though emotionally I was quite comfortable.  We talked further about how to handle that, among other things.  Since I had not eaten that morning, she went ahead and did bloodwork on me.  That's unnerving simply because I was not really prepared for the possibilities that the bloodwork could open up.  So many things that could show up there.  Luckily, a member of my church was sitting right across from me in the lab, so that was comforting.

So, now I have a doctor that I really like!  That is such a relief!  BTW, if anyone in Greensboro needs a doctor, I will definitely recommend Dr. Hernandez!  So, there will be some definite changes coming to my life.  I will be starting to take prescriptions for my high blood pressure and for smoking cessation.  I'm interested to see how I react to those...keep your fingers crossed!  I also have several referrals to other doctors, she wants me to get a mole on my ear checked out.  I can deal with that.  And I've got an ultrasound scheduled.  My left carotid artery is clogged and we need to find out how much so that we can move forward in treating it. 

All in all, I feel good about everything and am looking forward to taking better care of myself.  Welcome to adulthood, Bob!

That is all

Just a few thoughts on dealing with the current situation :)

Here it is Saturday after a long, strange week of life and I survived LOL  As things in our world are changing due to the current health concerns, sometimes I feel like it's all I can do to keep my head above water (metaphorically since I don't know how to swim in real life haha).  But, things seem to be going along as smoothly as possible despite the circumstances.  Plans have to change, schedules have to change, priorities have to change but you learn to roll with the punches and simply make the best of all situations presented to you.

So in thinking about all that is happening, I have been swirling ideas in my head on how to deal with the normal everyday life operations while coping with the world.  Obviously, one can't ignore the elephant in the room, but one can do things to handle situations and still stay somewhat sane. 

Being afraid of something is different than living in fear
     Yes, Covid 19 scares me.  Lots of things scare me, but right now I have no intention of living in fear.  Life is too short for that.  I will adjust what I need to adjust and go with that.  I'm not saying that I'm going to become reckless, but I'm certainly not going to keep life's pleasures at bay if I can at all help that.

Taking precaution doesn't mean never leaving home
     I have to work, so not leaving home isn't an option, which is fine.  I just don't want to leave my house only to go to work.  Yes, I need to be safe, but I also need to get out as much as possible.  Even if it's only going for walks now that the weather is getting lovely. 

Tackle some projects when events get cancelled
     When plans change...and they will, I need to prepare a list (you know I love my lists) of back up plans.  There are so many things around the house that I need to do, I will start to tackle them when what I had previously planned cannot happen.  I have already had to cancel 2 activities over the next few days because of work and other reasons, so why not go through some of the boxes in my garage in my spare time?  It will be productive and I will feel better knowing I'm being useful and not just sitting around.

Keep communication open with the people in your life
     This is one area where social media can actually be helpful lol.  Simply checking in on people, via FB, email, phone, letter, etc. I feel is very important right now.  Reaching out to someone who might be overwhelmed will help them feel better as well as myself.  And, for Heaven's sake, if you have elderly people in your life, check on them!  See if they need something.  It's important every day, not just now!

Figuring out how to help businesses
     This is a tough one.  Many people are going to financially strapped right now because businesses are shutting down for various reasons.  As long as I am able, I want to get out there and support those businesses in operation because people's livelihoods depend on consumers like me.  If small business have to shut down during this time, I want to do whatever I can to make sure that those businesses open back up once this is all over, knowing they have loyal clientele.

Mental health is just as important right now
     The health of the human spirit is vital to the health of the body, I firmly believe that.  Finding and keeping up ways of self care will help me deal with the stress of it all.   This one is fairly easy for me because it could be something as simple as sitting down listening to a record or watching a movie.  Just taking some time for myself is something I have been trying to do for a long time, with moderate success but now is really the time to put that into action.

So, these are a few mindsets I am using right now to make my daily life experience more steady.  I recognize the fact that this could all turn on a dime tomorrow, but as for right now, I feel pretty confident in dealing with all life has to offer me these days!

That is all!

Recipe of the Week - Slow Cooker Chicken Curry

I found this in an old issue of Taste of Home Magazine and thought I'd try it.  We love chicken and we love curry, so why not?  We both enjoyed it and it smelled great while cooking!

Slow Cooker Chicken Curry
4 bone-in chicken breast halves, skin removed
1 can (15 oz) white kidney or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup thinly sliced sweet onion
1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper
1 cup peach salsa
1 Tbsp curry powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup fresh green beans, trimmed and cut in half
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 cup cold water


Place chicken, beans, onion and red pepper in slow cooker.  Combine salsa, curry powder, salt and pepper in a blow; pour over top.

Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until chicken is tender.  Stir in green beans.  Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; gradually stir into slow cooker.  Cover and cook on high for 30 minutes or until sauce is thickened.

*I used boneless chicken thighs and they worked just fine!

*It might need more curry or salt to give it a little more zing.  Still, it had good flavor.

Enjoy!

Communion

19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 

20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.

I don't take communion every time it is offered in church and there are several reasons for this.  One is that since I have never been baptized, I was always told growing up that I was not allowed to take it.  It was only for "members" of the church, being those people who had been dunked in front of their fellow church goers.  My lack of baptism as a child/teenager came down to 2 factors:  1. I'm afraid of going under water. 2. By the time I truly understood what baptism meant, I did not care for our pastor and did not want him to be the one to baptize me.  But, that's for another post.  Anyway, growing up I didn't take communion because of that.

The other reason I don't always participate is that, and this is my own personal feeling, I have to be in the right place within myself to sit at the table of the Lord.  I know this is not how He feels, but it's how I feel.  Sometimes, I simply do not feel worthy of the privilege.  I know that He welcomes all to His table so it just depends on how I am feeling about myself and my spirituality that day.  That is why I choose to sit in the balcony at church on those days when communion is served and I am just not in that place.  My church sometimes will have the entire congregation stand around the sanctuary and people come by with the bread and wine for you.  There's no way not to participate when it's like that, so I hide myself away.  I hate that, but it is what it is.

I enjoy the communion service, itself.  I always have.  Growing up, it was a beautiful service with the full regalia and silver trays, etc.  It took up the entire hour.  I enjoyed the pageantry of it.  The service I attend now is more down to earth, but still a nice time of reflection on why we are there.

Now, I just need to get there more often and see if I'm feeling up to it.  And, maybe get myself baptized at some point along the way.

That is all

Brief reflection on my last post

I spent a lot of time last night reflecting on my last post and came to some realizations.  I don't necessarily want to live in a bubble of my own making, but I would like to take the ideals that I cling to and incorporate them into my every day life.  That's doable, I just have to do it.  Also, it was a long week and I was pretty emotionally drained during the last post.  To be honest, I'm pretty tired of being scared of life.  I don't mean living life, but of the life going on around me.  The primaries were this week and any kind of election leaves me feeling scared and hopeless these days.  Yes, I know it's my privilege to vote, it's my right, blah blah.  I get that and yes, I'm grateful for it, but our political climate scares the crap out of me and I often think what does it matter.  It all comes down to money anyway.  And now we have this coronavirus thing going on.  Starting to stock up on food and supplies just in case mass transit is interrupted.  I hate that mentality and that also scares me.  But, it is what it is.

There's always something and I just want to have one day when something doesn't worry me.  I don't think that's too much to ask, is it?  Probably.  Oh well.  I realize that these feelings of fear are probably small potatoes compared to what other people are going through, so I will find a way to deal with it.

That is all.

Escapades in Adulting

There are times, I admit, that I really want to live in my own bubble.  I want to live in a world of my own creation, free from the outside forces, free from the troubles of the world.  Sometimes I want to be that ostrich with my head buried in the sand so that I cannot see all of the ills going on around me.  Of course, I know that I cannot live that way even though I would like to, but I do need to create some kind of space/time where I can have the world I want even if only for a moment.  It's my form of self care, I suppose.

I don't exactly know how to do this without isolating myself from other people.  Or maybe that is the point?  I don't know.  Life gets hard sometimes.  Whether it's an emotionally stressful day at work, like I had yesterday, or it's the stress of life from paying bills and trying to get it all done, I need to find that quiet perfect place for myself to be to let it all go and rejuvenate.  I don't think that's too much to ask, but I must figure out how to create that space.

I often look to the past to find comfort.  Not to live in, but to find comfort.  Maybe I can take that and place it in the present in some form to relieve pressure.  Maybe I find it in cooking a family recipe.  Maybe I find it organizing old photographs.  Or maybe I just have a glass of wine and sit down surrounded by all of the things I own from Grandmother. I don't know yet, but I will find out.

Being an adult is hard to balance at times.  It feels like everywhere I turn there is turmoil of some kind.  And if I don't find something good for myself to sit on the other side of the seesaw, I'm going to be stuck on the ground forever.

That is all.

Recipe of the Week - Strawberry Bread

The other week, I bought some strawberries on sale.  Even though they're not really in season, it was a great price...gotta love a bargain!  I searched online for a new recipe to try when I cam across this one on allrecipes.com.  It turned out great and will definitely add it to my repertoire!

Strawberry Bread
2 cups fresh strawberries
3 1/8 cups all purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
1 1/4 cups chopped pecans

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter and flour two 9x5" loaf pans
- slice strawberries and place in bowl.  Sprinkle lightly with some sugar and set aside
- combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt and baking soda in large bowl; mix well.  Blend oil and eggs into strawberries.  Add strawberry mixture to flour mixture, blending until dry ingredients are just moistened.  Stir in pecans.  Divide batter between pans
- Bake 45 to 50 minutes until a tester inserted comes out clean.  Let cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes.  Turn loaves out of pans and let cool before slicing.

*my pans were 8x4" so I baked a little longer than specified.

Enjoy!

It Is Well With My Soul

This is one of my favorite hymns and I am always seeking new arrangements and versions of it.  I came across this on YouTube and remember watching this a few Christmases ago with Dad and June.  It tells the remarkable story of how this song came into light and the extraordinary family whose tragedy gave us one of the most enduring hymns of all time.

Enjoy and be blessed