I just threw some Pine Sol on the inside, set the sprinkler wide open and now it's cleaning the trash can while I enjoy my coffee.
Bonus points if you can get it over a section of grass that needs water.
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Stinky Trash
I meant to drill a few holes in our big roadside trash can/herbie curbie. I forgot and the trash guys always seem to leave the lid opens and it always seems to rain on trash day. I decided to clean the trash can before I started flipping it over and drilling the drain holes.
I just threw some Pine Sol on the inside, set the sprinkler wide open and now it's cleaning the trash can while I enjoy my coffee.
Bonus points if you can get it over a section of grass that needs water.
I just threw some Pine Sol on the inside, set the sprinkler wide open and now it's cleaning the trash can while I enjoy my coffee.
Bonus points if you can get it over a section of grass that needs water.
Thursday, March 7, 2013
The Food Pantry Chronicles
The movers are coming in a little over a month and I've been working my way through the pantry for what seems like forever. It was more of a goal to tap into the pantry reserves than it was a necessity to empty everything. Now we are getting down to the line and I'm really trying to use up the pantry contents. I'd really just like to take spices and staples and buy new food when I get there.
While Hubs is gone I should be cooking for one. I've found that cooking up a soup or a casserole to share with the neighbors gives me something to look forward to and I'm using up more ingredients that way. It's also nice to have that social interaction.
I have made some fun meals with ingredients mostly from the pantry. I've also embraced my inner 13 year old and tried combining ingredients that I normally don't use. My two favorites from this week were Chili-Ghetti and Tuna Melts.
My Chili-Ghetti was much better than the stuff my mom (or was it my dad?) used to toss together when I was a kid. I used the last of the lentil chili (lentils, chili powder, cumin, garlic, Rotel, Boca beef crumbles) I made on Sunday along with bow tie and corkscrew pasta bits. I topped it with bagged taco cheese shreds and half a can of chopped green chilis. (I used the rest of the can chilis in omelets.) I had a few boxes of 1/2c or so of pasta left in the box so I combined them to empty the boxes and just followed the instructions for the pasta with the longest cook time. I'll post the recipes for everything along with pictures as soon as I can.
For my tuna melts I used the usual tuna salad ingredients but I substituted hot Chow Chow for the relish. I didn't want to buy another container of relish just to eat up the canned tuna and I had a jar of hot Chow Chow that I bought at the farmer's market over the summer. It was amazing on a Tuna Melt and the Chow Chow flavor did very well with a sharper cheese.
2. Stick to buying produce, dairy and small portions of meat that can be combined with pantry contents to make meals.
3. Try to use something from the pantry at every meal.
4. You can throw a lot of stuff into soup! The same goes for casseroles and pot pies. Make it on Saturdays and let the neighbors know that a container will be coming their way. Don't freeze more than you know you'll eat between now and move day.
5. No more condiments. Look up recipes for ketchup, mayo etc. or use up salad dressing as substitute.
6. Save sour cream containers, mayo jars, etc. to give soup to neighbors. Avoid tracking down the good Tupperware on move day.
While Hubs is gone I should be cooking for one. I've found that cooking up a soup or a casserole to share with the neighbors gives me something to look forward to and I'm using up more ingredients that way. It's also nice to have that social interaction.
I have made some fun meals with ingredients mostly from the pantry. I've also embraced my inner 13 year old and tried combining ingredients that I normally don't use. My two favorites from this week were Chili-Ghetti and Tuna Melts.
My Chili-Ghetti was much better than the stuff my mom (or was it my dad?) used to toss together when I was a kid. I used the last of the lentil chili (lentils, chili powder, cumin, garlic, Rotel, Boca beef crumbles) I made on Sunday along with bow tie and corkscrew pasta bits. I topped it with bagged taco cheese shreds and half a can of chopped green chilis. (I used the rest of the can chilis in omelets.) I had a few boxes of 1/2c or so of pasta left in the box so I combined them to empty the boxes and just followed the instructions for the pasta with the longest cook time. I'll post the recipes for everything along with pictures as soon as I can.
For my tuna melts I used the usual tuna salad ingredients but I substituted hot Chow Chow for the relish. I didn't want to buy another container of relish just to eat up the canned tuna and I had a jar of hot Chow Chow that I bought at the farmer's market over the summer. It was amazing on a Tuna Melt and the Chow Chow flavor did very well with a sharper cheese.
I've also set a few guidelines that seem to help the pantry emptying process.
1. No random canned goods or boxes of foods for future use. If I can't cook it tonight, don't buy it. (Exception: Max of two cans of soup for use this week, broth and coffee.)2. Stick to buying produce, dairy and small portions of meat that can be combined with pantry contents to make meals.
3. Try to use something from the pantry at every meal.
4. You can throw a lot of stuff into soup! The same goes for casseroles and pot pies. Make it on Saturdays and let the neighbors know that a container will be coming their way. Don't freeze more than you know you'll eat between now and move day.
5. No more condiments. Look up recipes for ketchup, mayo etc. or use up salad dressing as substitute.
6. Save sour cream containers, mayo jars, etc. to give soup to neighbors. Avoid tracking down the good Tupperware on move day.
Things I Wish I Knew About COT and JASOC
I haven't updated in a while. I've noticed that is a reoccurring issue with most post I've read about COT and JASOC. The blogger will almost always drop out of contact for a few weeks. Now that COT is over and JASOC is well underway, I'll just post a few things I wish someone would have told me before this all started.
2. COT is horrible the first few days. Pat him or her on the head and let them know that it's alright if they don't call on the first couple of days but you would like a text or email update letting you know if they're still breathing. Once they get their COT legs they will be able to email and text more, but the first two weeks is hit and miss.
3. Watch those stupid videos on folding underwear and making sock nuggets. They're going to have room inspections based on one of the most vague and poorly scripted manuals ever written. They're going to freak out. Then they're going to realize that no one has ever been kicked out of Air Force COT for an improperly rolled sock.
4. They do kick you out for not keeping your hands to yourself.
5. Read up on the Dining Out before you attend. The Dining Out at COT seemed more semi-formal and even ladies at the head table were wearing very conservative knee length dresses. I'm not sure if that is a COT specific evolution of the event. It does make sense for COT Dining Out to have a less formal attire standard as there are so many graduates bringing their parents or even grandparents. I'll update you more after JASOC.
6. I wish someone had started a spouses page on Facebook for his COT class. I think if we had one we could have posted when we received updates or if we heard about something big happening in their schedule that would make it harder for them to contact home. It would also be helpful to meet some of those spouses online before all of the graduation events.
Things I Wish I Knew About COT
1. COT sucks, by design. Just be supportive and try not to drag drama into the few conversations you will be able to have while he is gone. Try not to be a whiner. I finally cracked after I had been sick for a week and a half and really needed to find out about the insurance. It stressed him out and I still feel bad about it. Unless someone dies, try to keep the conversations light. Send a few pictures each week. My dogs would occasionally hijack the computer and send him messages and a photo. Don't send anything you don't want someone else to see and don't be upset if he doesn't really have a chance to look at what you send. It got to the point I was shooting off two or three random emails a day, just keeping him updated on funny things going on at home.2. COT is horrible the first few days. Pat him or her on the head and let them know that it's alright if they don't call on the first couple of days but you would like a text or email update letting you know if they're still breathing. Once they get their COT legs they will be able to email and text more, but the first two weeks is hit and miss.
3. Watch those stupid videos on folding underwear and making sock nuggets. They're going to have room inspections based on one of the most vague and poorly scripted manuals ever written. They're going to freak out. Then they're going to realize that no one has ever been kicked out of Air Force COT for an improperly rolled sock.
4. They do kick you out for not keeping your hands to yourself.
5. Read up on the Dining Out before you attend. The Dining Out at COT seemed more semi-formal and even ladies at the head table were wearing very conservative knee length dresses. I'm not sure if that is a COT specific evolution of the event. It does make sense for COT Dining Out to have a less formal attire standard as there are so many graduates bringing their parents or even grandparents. I'll update you more after JASOC.
6. I wish someone had started a spouses page on Facebook for his COT class. I think if we had one we could have posted when we received updates or if we heard about something big happening in their schedule that would make it harder for them to contact home. It would also be helpful to meet some of those spouses online before all of the graduation events.
Things I Wish I Knew About JASOC
1. JASOC comes with a lot more freedom. Hubs has been able to come home for two weekends and I've been able to visit him there on one other weekend. We're lucky because home is only a few hours from Maxwell. A new AF friend (and I suspect he will be a dear friend for many years) has a wife a children back home on the west coast. Try to squeeze a little extra in the budget for hubs to fly home for a weekend. It may be tough to take the whole family to Maxwell, but your significant other may be able to come home for a weekend or two. Some spouses have moved to Maxwell full time and will just move again when it's over.
2. JASOC seems to be more social and they are encouraged to build friendships with everyone else there. I think they're planning a touristy trip as a group somewhere this weekend or next.
3. The DC trip was supposed to be a lot of fun. It was canceled due to budget cuts. :( I haven't heard if they will bring it back for future classes. They took a bus down to Florida for the other field trip. Yep, a bus. They had an amazing time and you'll hear lots of cool stories about the fun stuff they were able to see and do. If you live near DC and were hoping to meet up with your JASOC person there, time to develop a Plan B.
4. They are in ABU 4 days a week at COT but in their blues 4 days a week at JASOC.
5. The University Inn at Maxwell has efficiency hotel rooms with a mid-size fridge, microwave, two burner stove and small kitchen sink. On my last visit I took hubs the crock pot, extra kitchen towels, a small cutting board and a proper cutting knife. They have some pet friendly rooms but I don't know what the demand is like for those. I think I'll make my first trip to the commissary on my next visit and pick up meat and veggies to grill at the Inn's outdoor grill area. It should give hubs enough leftovers for the week or some to share with friends.
 |
| Daddy, we went on a long walk. It was cold and wet so we made Mama carry us the last block. |
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
COT...Halfway through
Update: Taking a printer/scanner was a very good call. At one point the copier was out of paper and it saved him (and some flight mates) some headaches. We packed the printer/scanner, new cartridges and a pack of paper for COT/JASOC. I think I'll take another pack of paper for JASOC, just to be safe.
I finally got to see the hubs. On the computer. Today is the halfway point for COT and we were finally able to video chat. I realize people have been doing this for years without the benefit of frequent emails or the occasional cell phone call. It makes me appreciate the connectivity we have these days.
Streaming isn't allowed on the Maxwell supplied Wi-fi but we got a thingie from Virgin Mobile so he can have his own Internet access. I'm not sure of the data plan but it's very similar to Clear, which wasn't available in Montgomery as of Dec. 2012. He can connect multiple computers and Virgin Mobile offers it month to month so we can cancel once he's finished at Maxwell. We'll probably keep it until we finish the move to allow for any gaps in Internet service at the new base. There isn't a Virgin Mobile store in ATL but he was able to order it and set it up online before he left. Thank goodness.
The connection is a little slow and we had to reconnect twice but it was so nice to see his face.
I'm so happy he has the Internet connection.
Facetime wouldn't work without the web connection on his iPhone and we didn't have everything set up. We used Google Plus and were able to "Hangout" using the connection on his laptop through the Virgin Mobile device. I've had a Google Plus account since the invitations first went out but this is the first time I've actually used it. I used my iPad but I will charge my Netbook for the next video chat. It was hard to hold the iPad and lift dogs into the frame.
The dogs were very excited to see their daddy.
Now maybe they will stop being spiteful jerks. They've had some potty training setbacks since the hubs left for Maxwell. It isn't like they're having accidents. They're really going out of their way to show how much they disapprove of the hubs being gone. Two pairs of shoes won't make the move. The shoes were already in a pile to be donated so it wasn't as if they killed my best work shoes. I just made sure the shoes went into the dumpster. You're welcome, Goodwill.
The first week Hubs was gone the dogs seemed miffed but not really devastated. After week one, all of that changed. Week two brought some behavior problems and they slept on his side of the bed...
All day.
There was lots of moping.
I think that they think that I ran him off or made him move out. They were probably fine for the first week because we've traveled and had to be apart for about that time. I think they started getting nervous after the first week when he didn't come back with a suitcase of dirty laundry for them to nap in.
This week they've started running to the door around 5pm-6pm. That was the time he used to come home. They also seem to bark at noises outside more frequently.
Sometimes they get silly when I mention the word "Daddy".
Zoe is nine years old and no spring chicken. She doesn't really run and prance but she did today. All I said was "Daddy".
And then she took a nap.
I finally got to see the hubs. On the computer. Today is the halfway point for COT and we were finally able to video chat. I realize people have been doing this for years without the benefit of frequent emails or the occasional cell phone call. It makes me appreciate the connectivity we have these days.
Streaming isn't allowed on the Maxwell supplied Wi-fi but we got a thingie from Virgin Mobile so he can have his own Internet access. I'm not sure of the data plan but it's very similar to Clear, which wasn't available in Montgomery as of Dec. 2012. He can connect multiple computers and Virgin Mobile offers it month to month so we can cancel once he's finished at Maxwell. We'll probably keep it until we finish the move to allow for any gaps in Internet service at the new base. There isn't a Virgin Mobile store in ATL but he was able to order it and set it up online before he left. Thank goodness.
The connection is a little slow and we had to reconnect twice but it was so nice to see his face.
I'm so happy he has the Internet connection.
Facetime wouldn't work without the web connection on his iPhone and we didn't have everything set up. We used Google Plus and were able to "Hangout" using the connection on his laptop through the Virgin Mobile device. I've had a Google Plus account since the invitations first went out but this is the first time I've actually used it. I used my iPad but I will charge my Netbook for the next video chat. It was hard to hold the iPad and lift dogs into the frame.
The dogs were very excited to see their daddy.
Now maybe they will stop being spiteful jerks. They've had some potty training setbacks since the hubs left for Maxwell. It isn't like they're having accidents. They're really going out of their way to show how much they disapprove of the hubs being gone. Two pairs of shoes won't make the move. The shoes were already in a pile to be donated so it wasn't as if they killed my best work shoes. I just made sure the shoes went into the dumpster. You're welcome, Goodwill.
The first week Hubs was gone the dogs seemed miffed but not really devastated. After week one, all of that changed. Week two brought some behavior problems and they slept on his side of the bed...
All day.
There was lots of moping.
I think that they think that I ran him off or made him move out. They were probably fine for the first week because we've traveled and had to be apart for about that time. I think they started getting nervous after the first week when he didn't come back with a suitcase of dirty laundry for them to nap in.
This week they've started running to the door around 5pm-6pm. That was the time he used to come home. They also seem to bark at noises outside more frequently.
Sometimes they get silly when I mention the word "Daddy".
Zoe is nine years old and no spring chicken. She doesn't really run and prance but she did today. All I said was "Daddy".
Friday, January 18, 2013
Vegetarian Hot and Sour Soup
I crave Hot and Sour Soup when I get sick. I love it when it's so spicy it clears up my sinuses. This is a vegetarian version I've been playing around with. It has egg but you could omit that if you really wanted to. I recommend leaving the egg in the recipe unless you're going for a vegan dish.
The hardest part is the chopping. Once I started chopping I just kept going until I had everything chopped. I put half of everything in a big bowl and put it in the fridge for the next day. Hot and Sour soup on the second day is so much faster. You could just double the recipe and use everything at once.
I always crave this when I'm sick so I usually go for a pretty hot flavor. You can scale back on the pepper and chili garlic sauce and add more to taste.
I find that the trick to a restaurant taste is to let it cook for a long time so the tofu becomes less tofu-y. If you don't mind the tofu taste you can eat it a lot sooner. I think restaurants have a big pot on a burner and they just let it simmer until someone orders it.
The hardest part is the chopping. Once I started chopping I just kept going until I had everything chopped. I put half of everything in a big bowl and put it in the fridge for the next day. Hot and Sour soup on the second day is so much faster. You could just double the recipe and use everything at once.
I always crave this when I'm sick so I usually go for a pretty hot flavor. You can scale back on the pepper and chili garlic sauce and add more to taste.
I find that the trick to a restaurant taste is to let it cook for a long time so the tofu becomes less tofu-y. If you don't mind the tofu taste you can eat it a lot sooner. I think restaurants have a big pot on a burner and they just let it simmer until someone orders it.
Hot and Sour Soup
1 32 oz box Vegetable broth
2 cubes vegetable bouillon
2 cups water
1/4 c rice vinegar
1/8 c low sodium soy sauce
1-2 Tbsp Chili Garlic Sauce, start with 1 tbsp and increase to taste
1 pinch of sugar
1/2-1 tsp of finely ground white pepper
1/2 can of bamboo shoots, cut into matchsticks
1/4 package firm tofu, cut into matchsticks, drain on paper towel
2-3 green onions, chopped
1/2 package of gourmet mushroom blend, further sliced into thin pieces
3 Tbsp of corn starch
3 Tbsp cold water
1 Egg
Slices of green onion and La Choy Fried Rice Noodles to garnish (Optional)
Start with your tofu to give it time to drain. Cut your tofu into matchsticks and place on a paper towel to drain.
Add your broth, bouillon, water, vinegar, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, sugar and pepper to a soup pot. Allow it to come to a boil. Add vegetables and tofu and bring back to a gentle boil. Turn heat to simmer and place a lid on the pot. Allow to simmer for at least an hour. I don't like my tofu to taste like tofu so I cook it until it taste like something else. I left this particular batch simmering for just over two and a half hours. Yum!
In a small bowl or measuring cup, add your corn starch and the cold water and stir. Slowly add this to your pot while stirring. I add it 1/3 at a time, stirring slowly. You may not need all of it. This will thicken it up. Allow it to simmer a while longer for the corn starch to cook up and the soup to thicken.
In a small bowl or measuring cup (I rinsed and reused the same one), beat an egg with a fork. Beat it to within an edge of its life. You don't want any big pieces. Beating is good here.
Now...I have trouble with this part. But slowly stir the soup in one directions. While you are stirring it SLOWLY drizzle in your beaten egg in a small stream.
Continue to cook for another few minutes to make sure the eggs cook up.
Bowl it up with more sliced green onion and the La Choy Fried Egg Noodles on top.
The noodles add a nice crunch!
COT Dorm Room Inspections
Hubs left for COT ten days ago and it seems like he's been gone forever. Please don't confuse me for one of those needy and clingy wives as I am not one. It really does seem like a long time. Part of that could be because I've been fighting a wicked chest cold. I've been feeling really gross but very happy that it isn't the flu. I've also been out of work as my industry shuts down for Christmas and having a hacking crew member is just bad for morale. (Audio equipment is very sensitive.)
Hubs had a dorm room inspection today and his flight failed the test. If you're going to COT I suggest you look up the details for a dorm room and start working on your folding. There is a lengthy list of do's and don'ts and you might save yourself some trouble by planning ahead of time.
Hubs got dinged for having a coffee cup on his desk. Others had more serious infractions resulting in demerits.
There are several video tutorials on the folding of t-shirts, socks, etc. on YouTube. Look for the Air Force ones and try to practice before you leave.
I'm not allowed to send any care packages until they pass room inspection.
Part of my nervous energy over him being gone has been directed towards care packages and cooking soup.
I'm drowning in soup.
I've also put together a lovely package for a friend stationed in Afghanistan.
Next week I may send her my living room couch.
Hubs had a dorm room inspection today and his flight failed the test. If you're going to COT I suggest you look up the details for a dorm room and start working on your folding. There is a lengthy list of do's and don'ts and you might save yourself some trouble by planning ahead of time.
Hubs got dinged for having a coffee cup on his desk. Others had more serious infractions resulting in demerits.
There are several video tutorials on the folding of t-shirts, socks, etc. on YouTube. Look for the Air Force ones and try to practice before you leave.
I'm not allowed to send any care packages until they pass room inspection.
Part of my nervous energy over him being gone has been directed towards care packages and cooking soup.
I'm drowning in soup.
I've also put together a lovely package for a friend stationed in Afghanistan.
Next week I may send her my living room couch.
Friday, January 11, 2013
Holy Non-Refundable Pet Fees, Batman
It's my anniversary and Hubs is at Maxwell so I thought I'd do something to perk up my afternoon. I decided to make my hotel reservations for Montgomery for his graduation.
Interesting thing I just discovered. While some hotels in Montgomery allow you to bring pets at least one charges a $100 NON-REFUNDABLE pet fee.
What?
I called.
I asked.
They said it's so they can deep clean the carpets and room once you checked-out.
I know I can board my chihuahuas for less than that. I just want to take the dogs because it's a short enough drive, it will be good PCS practice for the dogs and the hubs misses them terribly.
I'm not doing this to call out a particular brand of hotels for their fine print. I try to limit the snark on my blog, avoid giving scathing reviews and limit that to my other other Twitter account. I'm just pointing this out in case anyone is planning to travel with your pets to any graduations in Montgomery. Check the fine print.
Anyway, if you're going...I hope to meet you there.
And your dogs.
 |
| They're such hellions. |
What?
I called.
I asked.
They said it's so they can deep clean the carpets and room once you checked-out.
I know I can board my chihuahuas for less than that. I just want to take the dogs because it's a short enough drive, it will be good PCS practice for the dogs and the hubs misses them terribly.
I'm not doing this to call out a particular brand of hotels for their fine print. I try to limit the snark on my blog, avoid giving scathing reviews and limit that to my other other Twitter account. I'm just pointing this out in case anyone is planning to travel with your pets to any graduations in Montgomery. Check the fine print.
Anyway, if you're going...I hope to meet you there.
And your dogs.
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
COT Day 3
I've received one text and an email. Things seem super hectic at COT. I wish I started a Facebook page for friends and family for this particular class. We could probably string together the cryptic emails and frantic texts to draw a conclusion about what they're going through. Besides, having someone to toss care package ideas around is always a good thing.
Future COT'ers, take note.
I did put his first care package together. It contained the following:
One pillow from our bed, packed in a Spacebag along with a dryer sheet
One package of Oreos to share with his flight-mates
One package of powdered Gatorade drink mix
One package of 100 Calorie Cocoa Almonds
One package of granola bars
One package of organic fruit leathers
One hand written card with an update on stuff at home...all good news.
In other exciting news...
Hubs forgot to pack his cold and take it with him.
I had a scratchy throat this morning and it got worse over the day.
I bought NyQuil and cough drops at Publix.
I drank my NyQuil out of a shot glass.
Big pimpin'...housewife style.
Future COT'ers, take note.
I did put his first care package together. It contained the following:
One pillow from our bed, packed in a Spacebag along with a dryer sheet
One package of Oreos to share with his flight-mates
One package of powdered Gatorade drink mix
One package of 100 Calorie Cocoa Almonds
One package of granola bars
One package of organic fruit leathers
One hand written card with an update on stuff at home...all good news.
In other exciting news...
Hubs forgot to pack his cold and take it with him.
I had a scratchy throat this morning and it got worse over the day.
I bought NyQuil and cough drops at Publix.
I drank my NyQuil out of a shot glass.
Big pimpin'...housewife style.
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
COT Day 1
I just got a text message that said he was alive and trying to go to bed. While I was tempted to ask him more questions I decided to suck it up and just tell him to kick butt, take names and message me when he could. Sometimes I think being a good wife is about just letting things go and not wanting details.
I sent him off this morning with two suitcases, a gym bag full of towels and his briefcase. I hope he didn't show up looking like a pack mule. Again...sometimes you just need to let it go.
He called about an hour from Maxwell when he realized he forgot some paperwork. It was paperwork he may or may not have needed but to be on the safe side I made a lovely dash to Maxwell and got there about 10 minutes to spare. (Almost three hours in driving with the traffic from Atlanta and the overturned syrup truck...I-85 was sticky...Ha!) My phone was dead, I hadn't showered and I was a hot mess. I was also in my pajamas.
I tossed him the paperwork, he took off and then I went in search of a charger for my iPhone 5. It's a new phone and I needed a charger but never got around to it. Nothing says needing a charger like being almost three hours from home and wearing pajamas.
I came home, opened a 750ml bottle of Blasphemy beer and hung out with my neighbor, Jason.
Jason's wife is traveling abroad and we've committed to grabbing a meal or sharing leftovers since we're both solo for the next several weeks. Jason's mom is a retired Colonel and he's familiar with the nuttiness. Another neighbor has offered to cook dinner the nights the movers are packing us up. I've had two other neighbors offer to come by for mover oversight duty while they pack our goods. Living in a condo has its perks.
Lesson learned: Wait until after he leaves before starting the task of purging and cleaning closets. My house needs a good torching, as with a bomb or big set of matches. I started buy had to stop halfway through. I couldn't get anything done last week as we were prepping for COT. Now I'm stuck with piles of clothes, hangers and assorted random all over my house. I don't know which end is up and I would bang my head on the table if I could find it.
Good news: We got the antique furniture out of storage in SC.
Bad news: It's a dusty mess and I needed more time to get it cleaned up. It took longer than expected and we both got sick from all the dust and crazy schedules.
Lesson learned: Check the calendar and plan an early celebration for any big dates he'll miss. We made dinner reservations and celebrated our anniversary last night since he'll miss it later in the month. A nice steak at a great restaurant meant he could relax and I didn't have to cook. I'm guessing Maxwell has great restaurants but taking him to a REALLY great restaurant was a nice send off.
I sent him off this morning with two suitcases, a gym bag full of towels and his briefcase. I hope he didn't show up looking like a pack mule. Again...sometimes you just need to let it go.
He called about an hour from Maxwell when he realized he forgot some paperwork. It was paperwork he may or may not have needed but to be on the safe side I made a lovely dash to Maxwell and got there about 10 minutes to spare. (Almost three hours in driving with the traffic from Atlanta and the overturned syrup truck...I-85 was sticky...Ha!) My phone was dead, I hadn't showered and I was a hot mess. I was also in my pajamas.
I tossed him the paperwork, he took off and then I went in search of a charger for my iPhone 5. It's a new phone and I needed a charger but never got around to it. Nothing says needing a charger like being almost three hours from home and wearing pajamas.
I came home, opened a 750ml bottle of Blasphemy beer and hung out with my neighbor, Jason.
Jason's wife is traveling abroad and we've committed to grabbing a meal or sharing leftovers since we're both solo for the next several weeks. Jason's mom is a retired Colonel and he's familiar with the nuttiness. Another neighbor has offered to cook dinner the nights the movers are packing us up. I've had two other neighbors offer to come by for mover oversight duty while they pack our goods. Living in a condo has its perks.
Lesson learned: Wait until after he leaves before starting the task of purging and cleaning closets. My house needs a good torching, as with a bomb or big set of matches. I started buy had to stop halfway through. I couldn't get anything done last week as we were prepping for COT. Now I'm stuck with piles of clothes, hangers and assorted random all over my house. I don't know which end is up and I would bang my head on the table if I could find it.
Good news: We got the antique furniture out of storage in SC.
Bad news: It's a dusty mess and I needed more time to get it cleaned up. It took longer than expected and we both got sick from all the dust and crazy schedules.
Lesson learned: Check the calendar and plan an early celebration for any big dates he'll miss. We made dinner reservations and celebrated our anniversary last night since he'll miss it later in the month. A nice steak at a great restaurant meant he could relax and I didn't have to cook. I'm guessing Maxwell has great restaurants but taking him to a REALLY great restaurant was a nice send off.
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Buying Uniforms for COT and Christmas (before a big move)
Here are some things I picked up on while hubs and I were shopping for his uniforms last week. He begins Commissioned Officer Training (COT) soon and then he's off to JASOC. We've been in prep mode so there hasn't been much time to blog. I'm also including some gift ideas if you're looking to have some COT friendly gifts as part of your holiday, give a send-off gift, pack something in the suitcase as a nice surprise or mail a care package later on.
We live about 2 and a half hours from Maxwell and decided to make a day trip to buy uniforms before COT. The Exchange that has the uniforms is actually a block or two behind the main base exchange (the big one is a lot like a small Target and the smaller only has uniforms). There was also another store where items could be purchased but they were closed for the holiday. The store that was open had 95% of what he needed so there are only a few things left to pick up. He may even wait until the first day of COT. We were actually able to get almost everything from the COT uniform list but items like the flashlights need to be picked up at the other store. Yay!
We were told the PT uniforms sold at Maxwell and required for COT are different than the ones sold at most other bases. We thought we'd pick those up and anything else we could and pick up the rest at Dobbins or Robbins. We lucked out and got almost everything he needed.
Tips:
What I learned: Green goes with green, blue goes with blue, BLACK GOES WITH EVERYTHING!
Here are a list of gifts that could be used at COT:
Last minute Christmas ideas or send off presents...
Remember: Green goes with green, blue goes with blue, BLACK GOES WITH EVERYTHING!
Black gloves (no logos). These can be worn with ABUs or the service blues. Grab a pair (or three) so he can wear them for PT as well. It actually gets cold in Maxwell in the winter, no snow, but cold enough to suck if you don't have gloves. Obviously, go with machine washable. He has a pair of Nike running gloves that he can use for PT but I'll have to kill the logo with a black sharpie.
Black watch cap. Like the black gloves these can be worn with any of their uniform combinations in cold weather. It's just the plain black knit hat that you can find for $2-$5 most anywhere. It appears as if polar fleece hats are also acceptable.
Ear muffs: Navy or black, over the head or behind the head. (Ross has the behind the head ones for $3.99). Again, blue can only go with the blue uniforms but black can go with anything.
Ipod or MP3: Yeah, I know you have one but unless it's black, dark blue or silver you'll need another one. My hubs had a bright blue iPod (I don't think they've ever released a dark blue one) that wasn't regulation according to the AFI. I opted for silver since much of their PT will happen in the early morning when it's still very dark. If he drops it at night it should be easy to find.
MP3 Player armbands have to be black too, no bedazzled armbands.
Watches: Have to be black, silver or gold and trend neutral. I think it looks more professional to check your watch for the time instead of fishing out your cell phone. Hubs is definitely taking a watch. I'm not sure if they can even have cell phones with them during the day and while in class.
Thermal Underwear: Must be cream to wear under the ABU
T-shirts: Must be the sand color (for ABU) or white V-neck for the blues
Socks: Sage green boot socks for the boots and black for the low quarters. We went with a thicker black sock sold there but will look for a black hiking sock at REI. Invest in the good hiking socks that provide lots of support.
Shoe strings. The shoe strings for the black shoes and boots seemed a little on the thin side to me. I suspect a broken shoe string could spell extra stress so I'm going to look into picking up a spare set for the shoes and the boots. They don't take up much room and if you need them, you REALLY need them. Besides, he'll use them eventually.
 |
| Our tree. |
We live about 2 and a half hours from Maxwell and decided to make a day trip to buy uniforms before COT. The Exchange that has the uniforms is actually a block or two behind the main base exchange (the big one is a lot like a small Target and the smaller only has uniforms). There was also another store where items could be purchased but they were closed for the holiday. The store that was open had 95% of what he needed so there are only a few things left to pick up. He may even wait until the first day of COT. We were actually able to get almost everything from the COT uniform list but items like the flashlights need to be picked up at the other store. Yay!
We were told the PT uniforms sold at Maxwell and required for COT are different than the ones sold at most other bases. We thought we'd pick those up and anything else we could and pick up the rest at Dobbins or Robbins. We lucked out and got almost everything he needed.
Tips:
What I learned: Green goes with green, blue goes with blue, BLACK GOES WITH EVERYTHING!
- The PT shirts are huge, so go down a size. They're also 85% polyester and I kept shocking myself so I'm sending hubs to COT with Static Guard.
- We were the only ones in the store when we got there and the associate went through the list with a fine tooth comb. She provided a lot of information. She was so amazing I'm going to send her a thank you card. Her name is Julie and if you're within driving distance of Maxwell it's totally worth a day trip (that you can write off your taxes in 2012 BTW.) We were there for almost three hours. She even knew how the shoes were supposed to fit.
- They chalk your uniforms while you're there and they go straight to alterations along with the ABU shirts to have the velcro sewn on for the name tapes and such.
- We were told they don't give you a chance to try on if you buy the first day of COT. She said they just hand it to you based on what size you think you are. Oy! She said lots of people come back through to get a better size shoe.
- Julie said that good socks are key since they will spend so much time on their feet and marching is a lot harder than walking. Leave the Gold Toe or Calvin Klein socks at home and invest in the Under Armour and the Thorlo boot socks. If you're heel is slipping in the low quarter (black oxford shoes for the blues) you should get the thick socks they sell there and consider the gel inserts. We ended up spending close to $70 on socks.
- Mess jackets run small in men's, not sure about women. We didn't get his mess jacket since he was between sizes and the woman who does the complicated alterations wasn't in. They advised us to come back after the holiday so she could be there to get him fitted.
- We grabbed an extra ABU uniform and extra PT uniform just so hubs wouldn't be on the same laundry schedule as everyone else/
- They'll keep your ABU shirts to sew velcro on them. They'll place orders for your blue name tags and name tapes for the ABUs. You aren't allowed to wear the JAG pin until you complete JASOC so you start with just your name and the Air Force tape on the front of the ABU.
- If you're buying at a different base, make sure you tell them that you're a 1st LT and make sure they get the right rank. Most people starting off as officers are 2nd Lieutenants. They grabbed the wrong rank at first but as soon as I said he was a lawyer she knew he was a 1st Lieutenant and got us straightened out.
- I'm glad I took some time to read through parts of the AFI before going shopping. I started reading up when I was trying to shop for Christmas. With a 1,000 mile move I wanted to buy things that could be used at COT or JASOC (Read: I don't want to pack it while he's gone). We were also pretty good about buying smaller things this year. I wanted everything to fit inside a shoe box.
Here are a list of gifts that could be used at COT:
Last minute Christmas ideas or send off presents...
Remember: Green goes with green, blue goes with blue, BLACK GOES WITH EVERYTHING!
Black gloves (no logos). These can be worn with ABUs or the service blues. Grab a pair (or three) so he can wear them for PT as well. It actually gets cold in Maxwell in the winter, no snow, but cold enough to suck if you don't have gloves. Obviously, go with machine washable. He has a pair of Nike running gloves that he can use for PT but I'll have to kill the logo with a black sharpie.
Black watch cap. Like the black gloves these can be worn with any of their uniform combinations in cold weather. It's just the plain black knit hat that you can find for $2-$5 most anywhere. It appears as if polar fleece hats are also acceptable.
Ear muffs: Navy or black, over the head or behind the head. (Ross has the behind the head ones for $3.99). Again, blue can only go with the blue uniforms but black can go with anything.
Ipod or MP3: Yeah, I know you have one but unless it's black, dark blue or silver you'll need another one. My hubs had a bright blue iPod (I don't think they've ever released a dark blue one) that wasn't regulation according to the AFI. I opted for silver since much of their PT will happen in the early morning when it's still very dark. If he drops it at night it should be easy to find.
MP3 Player armbands have to be black too, no bedazzled armbands.
Watches: Have to be black, silver or gold and trend neutral. I think it looks more professional to check your watch for the time instead of fishing out your cell phone. Hubs is definitely taking a watch. I'm not sure if they can even have cell phones with them during the day and while in class.
Thermal Underwear: Must be cream to wear under the ABU
T-shirts: Must be the sand color (for ABU) or white V-neck for the blues
Socks: Sage green boot socks for the boots and black for the low quarters. We went with a thicker black sock sold there but will look for a black hiking sock at REI. Invest in the good hiking socks that provide lots of support.
Shoe strings. The shoe strings for the black shoes and boots seemed a little on the thin side to me. I suspect a broken shoe string could spell extra stress so I'm going to look into picking up a spare set for the shoes and the boots. They don't take up much room and if you need them, you REALLY need them. Besides, he'll use them eventually.
Military IDs and prepping for COT
Last week the hubs took a long lunch and we drove to Dobbins to get his ID so we could get his uniforms before COT. I'm glad he was able to take a long lunch because the process took closer to two hours with the drive.
There were lots of retirees and people in uniform getting their new cards and several children in the waiting area.
Once our name was called it was a pretty quick process. We were only expecting to get his ID but she asked if I had two IDs and the marriage license. We did so I got one too!
My ID is red and I have no idea what access I am allowed with it. Hubs was listed as a reservist and I think they will issue a card of a different color after the start of COT. Not 100% sure.
(I'll post about buying his uniforms in my next blog.)
I've been picking up a few toiletry items each time I go to the store and I think I've got him stocked for the duration of COT and JASOC. He'll probably need to buy contact solution and deodorant before it's over but he won't need it for several weeks. I like that he'll be able to focus on school and not worry about running to the store for a basic need item.
When he had his internship I bought him the LL Bean hanging toiletry bag. It will be perfect for COT and JASOC. It holds full size items so he'll be set for a while. We're also sending along his smaller toiletry bag since his class will be making a trip to DC and Florida and he'll need smaller travel sizes for those trips. I blogged about the LL Bean toiletry bag here.
I decided to send him with Tide PODs. It will be easier to take a few PODS to the laundry room instead of lugging around a bottle. I may scoop Oxyclean into ziplock snack bags but I suspect he's about to put his foot down before requiring the need of a pack mule to move in.
I'm also packing a snack box for him. The measurements for the approved seal-able container are the size of a shoe box and I was able to find him one at Target. I've read that meal times are pretty hectic and they sometimes only have 7 minutes to shovel food in their mouths and drink three glasses of water. I don't want him starving while he's trying to study so I'm sending along some healthy snacks with good calorie sources for his dorm room. In addition to granola bars I am sending along fruit leathers. I thought it would be nice to have something sweet available without sending straight up junk.
I got this kind from Trader Joe's and a few other flavors from Whole Foods. They only cost $ .55 each and there are a number of flavors available. They're also very small and are about 60 calories each.
Some other items going in the snack box:
Gatorade drink mix packets
Country Time lemonade drink packets
Beef Jerky
Various granola bars
Gu or other sports gel (in case he is able to squeeze in a long run on the weekends)
Chex Mix or other snack
Fruit cups
There were lots of retirees and people in uniform getting their new cards and several children in the waiting area.
Once our name was called it was a pretty quick process. We were only expecting to get his ID but she asked if I had two IDs and the marriage license. We did so I got one too!
My ID is red and I have no idea what access I am allowed with it. Hubs was listed as a reservist and I think they will issue a card of a different color after the start of COT. Not 100% sure.
(I'll post about buying his uniforms in my next blog.)
I've been picking up a few toiletry items each time I go to the store and I think I've got him stocked for the duration of COT and JASOC. He'll probably need to buy contact solution and deodorant before it's over but he won't need it for several weeks. I like that he'll be able to focus on school and not worry about running to the store for a basic need item.
When he had his internship I bought him the LL Bean hanging toiletry bag. It will be perfect for COT and JASOC. It holds full size items so he'll be set for a while. We're also sending along his smaller toiletry bag since his class will be making a trip to DC and Florida and he'll need smaller travel sizes for those trips. I blogged about the LL Bean toiletry bag here.
I decided to send him with Tide PODs. It will be easier to take a few PODS to the laundry room instead of lugging around a bottle. I may scoop Oxyclean into ziplock snack bags but I suspect he's about to put his foot down before requiring the need of a pack mule to move in.
I'm also packing a snack box for him. The measurements for the approved seal-able container are the size of a shoe box and I was able to find him one at Target. I've read that meal times are pretty hectic and they sometimes only have 7 minutes to shovel food in their mouths and drink three glasses of water. I don't want him starving while he's trying to study so I'm sending along some healthy snacks with good calorie sources for his dorm room. In addition to granola bars I am sending along fruit leathers. I thought it would be nice to have something sweet available without sending straight up junk.
 |
I got this kind from Trader Joe's and a few other flavors from Whole Foods. They only cost $ .55 each and there are a number of flavors available. They're also very small and are about 60 calories each.
Some other items going in the snack box:
Gatorade drink mix packets
Country Time lemonade drink packets
Beef Jerky
Various granola bars
Gu or other sports gel (in case he is able to squeeze in a long run on the weekends)
Chex Mix or other snack
Fruit cups
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Vegetarian Corn Chowder
It was a cold and rainy election day. Since I voted last week I spent time cooking up a pot of a smokey vegetarian corn chowder. By adding smoked paprika and chipotle powder it adds a nice smokey flavor to replace the popular bacon.
1 T butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 can creamed corn
2 cans corn, drained*
1 can or box of Cream of Mushroom soup concentrate (I used Pacific Natural Foods organic)
5 Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled and chopped**
1 box vegetable broth
1/2 cup half and half
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp ground rosemary
2 bay leaves
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp chipotle chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp pepper
1 pinch of celery seed
1 pinch of cayenne or to taste
Add EVOO and butter to a soup pot over medium heat, add onions, salt and carrots and cook until onions are clear. Add corn, soup and broth and stir well to combine. Bring to boil. Add potatoes and spices and cook for 30 minutes. You can cook it longer but 30 minutes will get the potatoes cooked.
Remove the bay leaves.
Use a cup or ladle to move about half of the soup to a blender. Leave vent on blender top open to avoid steam build up and blend to chowderize. Pour the blended back into the pot of unblended soup. I used an immersion blender and ran it through the pot to blend about half of it. Add half and half and let heat through for another 5-10 minutes.
Serve with oyster crackers and a splash of your favorite hot sauce. I added Cholula because it adds even more smokey flavor.
*This is a great way to use any frozen corn you have in the freezer.
** I like to peel my potatoes for soups. I don't like the bite of the peel and there always seems to be bits of peel floating around. If you like peel or if you're in a big hurry, don't peel them. It's just my preference. You can also use frozen potatoes if you're in a pinch.
Corn Chowder
1 T EVOO1 T butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 can creamed corn
2 cans corn, drained*
1 can or box of Cream of Mushroom soup concentrate (I used Pacific Natural Foods organic)
5 Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled and chopped**
1 box vegetable broth
1/2 cup half and half
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp ground rosemary
2 bay leaves
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp chipotle chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp pepper
1 pinch of celery seed
1 pinch of cayenne or to taste
Add EVOO and butter to a soup pot over medium heat, add onions, salt and carrots and cook until onions are clear. Add corn, soup and broth and stir well to combine. Bring to boil. Add potatoes and spices and cook for 30 minutes. You can cook it longer but 30 minutes will get the potatoes cooked.
Remove the bay leaves.
Use a cup or ladle to move about half of the soup to a blender. Leave vent on blender top open to avoid steam build up and blend to chowderize. Pour the blended back into the pot of unblended soup. I used an immersion blender and ran it through the pot to blend about half of it. Add half and half and let heat through for another 5-10 minutes.
Serve with oyster crackers and a splash of your favorite hot sauce. I added Cholula because it adds even more smokey flavor.
** I like to peel my potatoes for soups. I don't like the bite of the peel and there always seems to be bits of peel floating around. If you like peel or if you're in a big hurry, don't peel them. It's just my preference. You can also use frozen potatoes if you're in a pinch.
Monday, November 5, 2012
JAG, the Bar Exam, the Waiting Game and Mama Drama...
We found out a week ago Friday that hubs passed the Bar. That information was forwarded on to his AF contact along with his official results. Now, we wait.
I have no idea how long it takes them to decide on a base assignment.
I'm excited and anxious and frustrated. I'm ready to get this show on the road. Hubs leaves in two months. There's an awful lot of honey-do lists to knock out in two months. :) I can handle it alone but it's nice to have an extra set of hands when you're cleaning out storage rooms, de-junking and trying to sort what stays or goes to charity.
Oh, and it's not just one move...it's actually more like three moves.
Indulge me one long paragraph of back story and venting: One of the bases I'd like to avoid like the plague is the one closest (as in the same town) as my mother and many old friends. I went to high school there and have many close ties to the town. I just never want to live there again. My mom is in deteriorating health and really shouldn't live alone anymore. Before you call me a rotten daughter you must understand that my brother and I have planned for months to move my mother to New Jersey to live with him. My sister-in-law is an excellent care giver and doesn't get sucked into my mother's drama and manipulations as her children are prone to do. If there was even an inkling that I'd be moving near her she wouldn't move and would plant her co-dependent self in my guest bedroom and accuse me of not loving her when I had to leave for work or couldn't give her my undivided attention.
So back to moving. I have logistical issues to sort through with parental road blocks tossed in to make it interesting.
Before we move to parts unknown with our PCS I have to move some things from a storage building near our old house (3 1/2 hours away). I'm hoping I can give some of the furniture to a friend moving to the area and donate the rest. There are only two dressers and a bed frame that I want to bring home.
I also have some things at my mother's house (4 1/2 hours away) that I need to move back to our condo. She has two dressers that go in my guest bedroom and she won't have room for them in New Jersey. There are also some photos, oil paintings and miscellaneous items that will require a small truck to bring back.
The ideal situation would be getting one truck, loading it with anything to be donated from storage and dropping it off. After that, I would load the few things I'm bringing home, swing by my mother's and load the items from her house and then come home. It would make sense to only rent one truck and knock it all out.
There's still the trick of moving my mother to New Jersey.
Oh, then there's Thanksgiving and Christmas and visiting family.
And then I have to move to who knows where. At least the heavy lifting is handled by Uncle Sam. I just have to get organized.
And I need to be supportive of my husband as he is finally starting a job that he has wanted badly for a long time.
I think I'm going to find a beer and cry in it. Just because de-junking and mama drama give me a headache.
Yep, that's what I'll do.
But getting our base assignment will make me happy. It will be nice to have an idea of the end-game. Maybe some things will fall into place. It will definitely be easier to plan. Somethings may just not be in my power to do before we leave and will get scratched off the list. I'm going to have to say no to some things this holiday season. There may be less time visiting friends as we focus on family time. Then again, they may move us an hour south and all this fretting is a total waste of time.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a beer and twelve to-do lists waiting for me.
I have no idea how long it takes them to decide on a base assignment.
Oh, and it's not just one move...it's actually more like three moves.
Indulge me one long paragraph of back story and venting: One of the bases I'd like to avoid like the plague is the one closest (as in the same town) as my mother and many old friends. I went to high school there and have many close ties to the town. I just never want to live there again. My mom is in deteriorating health and really shouldn't live alone anymore. Before you call me a rotten daughter you must understand that my brother and I have planned for months to move my mother to New Jersey to live with him. My sister-in-law is an excellent care giver and doesn't get sucked into my mother's drama and manipulations as her children are prone to do. If there was even an inkling that I'd be moving near her she wouldn't move and would plant her co-dependent self in my guest bedroom and accuse me of not loving her when I had to leave for work or couldn't give her my undivided attention.
So back to moving. I have logistical issues to sort through with parental road blocks tossed in to make it interesting.
Before we move to parts unknown with our PCS I have to move some things from a storage building near our old house (3 1/2 hours away). I'm hoping I can give some of the furniture to a friend moving to the area and donate the rest. There are only two dressers and a bed frame that I want to bring home.
I also have some things at my mother's house (4 1/2 hours away) that I need to move back to our condo. She has two dressers that go in my guest bedroom and she won't have room for them in New Jersey. There are also some photos, oil paintings and miscellaneous items that will require a small truck to bring back.
The ideal situation would be getting one truck, loading it with anything to be donated from storage and dropping it off. After that, I would load the few things I'm bringing home, swing by my mother's and load the items from her house and then come home. It would make sense to only rent one truck and knock it all out.
 |
| My move will look nothing like this fake pretty family and neatly labeled boxes. |
There's still the trick of moving my mother to New Jersey.
Oh, then there's Thanksgiving and Christmas and visiting family.
And then I have to move to who knows where. At least the heavy lifting is handled by Uncle Sam. I just have to get organized.
And I need to be supportive of my husband as he is finally starting a job that he has wanted badly for a long time.
I think I'm going to find a beer and cry in it. Just because de-junking and mama drama give me a headache.
Yep, that's what I'll do.
 |
| I've graduated from to do lists to moving spreadsheets with timelines |
But getting our base assignment will make me happy. It will be nice to have an idea of the end-game. Maybe some things will fall into place. It will definitely be easier to plan. Somethings may just not be in my power to do before we leave and will get scratched off the list. I'm going to have to say no to some things this holiday season. There may be less time visiting friends as we focus on family time. Then again, they may move us an hour south and all this fretting is a total waste of time.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a beer and twelve to-do lists waiting for me.
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Favorite Fall Foods + Bleu Cheese = Bestest Fall Foods
I love pumpkin pie and a good pumpkin cheese cake. I like pumpkin muffins and pumpkin cookies. I really really love a pumpkin black bean soup my friend Mel introduced me to. She found it on Rachel Ray's "30 Minute Meal" recipes on the Food Network site.
Here it is. Until I made it I had never tried a savory pumpkin recipe. It has become a comfort food staple in my house. I encourage you to give it a go. I really like that it's fast and easy. Love that Rachel chick.
I tried something new with the recipe today. I'm so glad I did because it really cranks up the flavor.
I added a big teaspoonful of bleu cheese crumbles to the top of my soup and zapped it for a few seconds in the microwave. Oh...wow.
Let's back up.
Last year I was determined to like sweet potatoes. I decided I wouldn't turn down a single sample of sweet potatoes and I would try it prepared in as many ways as I could.
I hated all of them.
Why do people add marshmallows to a vegetable? Bleck!
And maple syrup or brown sugar?
It was just too sweet.
And nasty.
So I started tossing some toppings on my sweet potatoes and I found that a little bit of butter, bleu cheese crumbles and salt and pepper work really well together. I also like the Morning Star faux bacon crumbled on top.
It seems I like my sweeter vegetables balanced out with more savory toppings.
I may start adding bleu cheese crumbles to everything.
I'll save the marshmallows for my hot cocoa.
Here it is. Until I made it I had never tried a savory pumpkin recipe. It has become a comfort food staple in my house. I encourage you to give it a go. I really like that it's fast and easy. Love that Rachel chick.
I tried something new with the recipe today. I'm so glad I did because it really cranks up the flavor.
I added a big teaspoonful of bleu cheese crumbles to the top of my soup and zapped it for a few seconds in the microwave. Oh...wow.
Let's back up.
Last year I was determined to like sweet potatoes. I decided I wouldn't turn down a single sample of sweet potatoes and I would try it prepared in as many ways as I could.
I hated all of them.
Why do people add marshmallows to a vegetable? Bleck!
And maple syrup or brown sugar?
It was just too sweet.
And nasty.
So I started tossing some toppings on my sweet potatoes and I found that a little bit of butter, bleu cheese crumbles and salt and pepper work really well together. I also like the Morning Star faux bacon crumbled on top.
It seems I like my sweeter vegetables balanced out with more savory toppings.
I may start adding bleu cheese crumbles to everything.
I'll save the marshmallows for my hot cocoa.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Oh, my poor car...
After seven days of traveling all over Georgia for work my car is a complete disaster area. I knew it was bad but realized I crossed a new threshold for messiness when I reached into my backseat to find my charger and couldn't fit my hand enough to reach the seat back pockets.
By my calculations I was traveling with at least fifteen complete outfits, twelve pairs of shoes (boots, heels and athletic), three winter coats along with scarves and hats, two backpacks, two tote bags, makeup bags, hair supply bags and at least one cell phone charger that I haven't seen in weeks. I also suspect there are at least seven or eight water bottles and a couple of Tervis Tumblers. Oh, I think there are two coolers in there too.
The car smells like gas from the seven gas cans I hauled in the trunk on Sunday night. Which also explains why everything is heaped into the back seat.
I tried to get dressed yesterday and I realized all of my jeans were in the car. I couldn't find a sweater to wear and just finding my makeup will be a scavenger hunt.
Until I can tackle the disaster which is the car I'll be rocking this lovely ensemble.
Uggs and fuzzy pajamas pants.
No makeup.
And a Motley Crue concert t-shirt.
Please don't throw spare change in my coffee cup.
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
JAG and Military Life Questions...Your Comments and Wisdom are Appreciated
There is a tremendous amount of information on the internet about somethings and a lack of information about other things. I thought I'd toss these questions out there in case someone happened to know. Any advice you have can be left in the comments. Lay it on me!
Help me, Yoda...show me the force.
1. When do we move? He won't get orders until November and we'll meet with the travel office after that. Just looking for educated guesses as I know it can vary. I'm just trying prepare myself. AF Jag used to have two weeks between COT and JASOC but it looks like hubs will finish COT on a Friday and report to JASOC on the following Monday in Feb. I know people have blogged about moving during this two week window. I've also heard of people moving before COT begins and others while the spouse was away. I would appreciate a ballpark idea as well as what your timeline experience was with this.
2. Do lots of people move while the spouse is away at COT and JASOC? I suspect it will be more difficult in some ways but easier in other ways. I'm pretty independent and self-sufficient so it will work out either way.
3. What did you find yourself lugging around that you wish you'd donated? Just wondering if it's on my "OMG...can't forget to pack that" list.
4. Will they let me pack my opened spices if I vacuum seal them and then store them in a seal-able container? I'm very attached.
5. If we find out we're staying CONUS I want an SUV with ample cargo room. Good plan? Will it make moving me and the dogs easier? We live in an area with minimal (less than 1 inch) of snowfall each year. All wheel drive is very appealing since there will be traveling done over the next several years.
6. How much food should I send with him to COT? Any thing you or your spouse wish you had while there? How about supplies or comfort items?
7. Base housing? We think immersing ourselves in the culture will be a good experience. We'd like to do base housing. What was your timeline and experience getting into it.
8. We've been married for almost ten years. We've got stuff for days and a house full of furniture...and three chihuahuas. I'd like to hang on to a respectable amount and donate or sell the rest. From your experience in base housing, will a 0-2 with a wife and no kids get a two or three bedroom? Is there a long wait?
9. Did you inventory your house? Is there a good way to do it? It seems a lot like climbing Mt. Everest to me. (And I wouldn't climb Mt. Everest if it were made of chocolate and cash.)
10. I'm thinking about ditching the older mattresses and getting new once we move. No sense moving old mattresses around. The cost of moving the weight vs. the actual value of the mattress or taking something I'd rather have. We'll really have to reduce our household goods to get below the weight. Happy anniversary to me! (He'll be gone for our 10th anniversary. I want a nice present...something sparkly.) Good idea or am I over-thinking it (the mattress, not the present)?
Thank you for reading this and sharing your wisdom!
L
Help me, Yoda...show me the force.
1. When do we move? He won't get orders until November and we'll meet with the travel office after that. Just looking for educated guesses as I know it can vary. I'm just trying prepare myself. AF Jag used to have two weeks between COT and JASOC but it looks like hubs will finish COT on a Friday and report to JASOC on the following Monday in Feb. I know people have blogged about moving during this two week window. I've also heard of people moving before COT begins and others while the spouse was away. I would appreciate a ballpark idea as well as what your timeline experience was with this.
2. Do lots of people move while the spouse is away at COT and JASOC? I suspect it will be more difficult in some ways but easier in other ways. I'm pretty independent and self-sufficient so it will work out either way.
3. What did you find yourself lugging around that you wish you'd donated? Just wondering if it's on my "OMG...can't forget to pack that" list.
4. Will they let me pack my opened spices if I vacuum seal them and then store them in a seal-able container? I'm very attached.
5. If we find out we're staying CONUS I want an SUV with ample cargo room. Good plan? Will it make moving me and the dogs easier? We live in an area with minimal (less than 1 inch) of snowfall each year. All wheel drive is very appealing since there will be traveling done over the next several years.
6. How much food should I send with him to COT? Any thing you or your spouse wish you had while there? How about supplies or comfort items?
7. Base housing? We think immersing ourselves in the culture will be a good experience. We'd like to do base housing. What was your timeline and experience getting into it.
8. We've been married for almost ten years. We've got stuff for days and a house full of furniture...and three chihuahuas. I'd like to hang on to a respectable amount and donate or sell the rest. From your experience in base housing, will a 0-2 with a wife and no kids get a two or three bedroom? Is there a long wait?
9. Did you inventory your house? Is there a good way to do it? It seems a lot like climbing Mt. Everest to me. (And I wouldn't climb Mt. Everest if it were made of chocolate and cash.)
10. I'm thinking about ditching the older mattresses and getting new once we move. No sense moving old mattresses around. The cost of moving the weight vs. the actual value of the mattress or taking something I'd rather have. We'll really have to reduce our household goods to get below the weight. Happy anniversary to me! (He'll be gone for our 10th anniversary. I want a nice present...something sparkly.) Good idea or am I over-thinking it (the mattress, not the present)?
Thank you for reading this and sharing your wisdom!
L
Smoked Salmon Scramble Recipe
Update: As of today I've lost 17.6 lbs on the Angry Wench Diet! Tomorrow it will be one month since I started the diet. I started it as a rush way to fit into a cocktail dress. I've tweaked it to be less radical but it's still annoying.
I've found the best way to stay on track with my diet is to avoid eating nasty and bland food. I try to liven it up with minimal calories and by adding good stuff with lots of flavor that works within my hair brained diet plan.
For breakfast I will start with a 1/2 cup of Egg Beaters (I used the Publix brand today) and add a few fun things.
Today's breakfast included:
Smoked Salmon Scramble
1/2 c Egg Beaters (or store brand...I really can't tell the difference)
1/2 tsp capers
1 tsp of diced sun dried tomato
1 tbsp of green onion
2 tbsp of chopped smoked salmon
Pinch of dill
Pinch of seasoning salt
A few good shakes of black pepper
Combine ingredients except for smoked salon, pour into pan sprayed with vegetable spray and cook over medium low heat until it's almost done. Add smoked salmon into egg mixture the last 1-2 minutes and stir to combine.
This recipe is less than 250 calories. I'm showing 170 on My Fitness Pal and I factored in 2oz of salmon.
The smoked salmon gives it a nice flavor. The combination is a lot like other breakfast dishes but without the English muffins, hollandaise and other badness that won't fly on the diet. Who doesn't love the combo of smoked salmon, capers and onion?
Penzey's has a seasoning called Northwoods and I added a few shakes to my eggs. Good stuff. If you get their catalog you'll spend an hour dog earring pages. Don't say you weren't warned. They have a store in Atlanta and hubs breaks into a cold sweat whenever I pull into the parking lot. Most of their spices start at about $4-5 dollars and I find 10-15 jars to buy almost every time.
I'd also like to mention that Egg Beaters travels a lot easier than eggs. These ingredients are portable enough to stash in a cooler and take on getaways, stays with efficiency kitchens, etc. You can even premix everything and put it into baggies or storage containers. If you don't know the trick about making an omelet in a ziploc bag let me know and I'll explain the process. Because the salmon is smoked you don't have to fret as much over it as you would raw fish.
I've found the best way to stay on track with my diet is to avoid eating nasty and bland food. I try to liven it up with minimal calories and by adding good stuff with lots of flavor that works within my hair brained diet plan.
For breakfast I will start with a 1/2 cup of Egg Beaters (I used the Publix brand today) and add a few fun things.
 |
| Busted...I am totally eating this off of a paper plate. Fancy, no? |
Today's breakfast included:
Smoked Salmon Scramble
1/2 c Egg Beaters (or store brand...I really can't tell the difference)
1/2 tsp capers
1 tsp of diced sun dried tomato
1 tbsp of green onion
2 tbsp of chopped smoked salmon
Pinch of dill
Pinch of seasoning salt
A few good shakes of black pepper
Combine ingredients except for smoked salon, pour into pan sprayed with vegetable spray and cook over medium low heat until it's almost done. Add smoked salmon into egg mixture the last 1-2 minutes and stir to combine.
This recipe is less than 250 calories. I'm showing 170 on My Fitness Pal and I factored in 2oz of salmon.
The smoked salmon gives it a nice flavor. The combination is a lot like other breakfast dishes but without the English muffins, hollandaise and other badness that won't fly on the diet. Who doesn't love the combo of smoked salmon, capers and onion?
Penzey's has a seasoning called Northwoods and I added a few shakes to my eggs. Good stuff. If you get their catalog you'll spend an hour dog earring pages. Don't say you weren't warned. They have a store in Atlanta and hubs breaks into a cold sweat whenever I pull into the parking lot. Most of their spices start at about $4-5 dollars and I find 10-15 jars to buy almost every time.
I'd also like to mention that Egg Beaters travels a lot easier than eggs. These ingredients are portable enough to stash in a cooler and take on getaways, stays with efficiency kitchens, etc. You can even premix everything and put it into baggies or storage containers. If you don't know the trick about making an omelet in a ziploc bag let me know and I'll explain the process. Because the salmon is smoked you don't have to fret as much over it as you would raw fish.
Saturday, October 6, 2012
The Gym-free diet...sorta...
I've been dieting for the last few weeks. That means I'm cooking but my kitchen time is spent on providing nutrition within the boundaries of the diet and not going all willy nilly. I keep thinking about blogging my dieting adventures but it starts to get overwhelming when I think of the things I do each day. Please don't confuse that with me actually doing a lot. There are just several different components I've added into my diet and those seem to work for me.
I started my diet on 9/13. It's 10/6 and I've lost 16.3 lbs as of yesterday morning.
Here are some things I'm doing...
- Avoid the gym and all exercise. Seriously!!! I had to get traction with my food intake and portion control. I'm bad about letting things slide because I can justify anything if I went to the gym that day.
- Once I can get my intake and portion control under control the numbers start moving down. Unless I can get the numbers moving by diet alone the rest is doomed.
- I weigh myself every day before I have breakfast (do it with minimal clothing) and I write down my weight and log it online. Screw what other people say. I weigh, I weigh often and I want to see those numbers going down. I have been known to weigh myself 3 times in one morning...removing everything to my skin to see how low the number will go.
- I took pictures...I want to see the results as other people do.
- The first two weeks I did the Total Body Cleanse by Whole Foods. It's just a high fiber supplement taken in the evening...no crazy diet pills. I've found that at least a few pounds should have been "dropped" a long time ago and it's just weirdness clinging to my colon. Besides, I want all of the nutrients of the food I'm eating.
- After 3 weeks the numbers stopped sliding downward. They aren't going up, just hanging out. Not cool. I'm sticking to my dieting plan but I'll add in exercise to bump this plateau. Not crazy exercise...walking. I'll try to walk 2+ miles a few days this week.
- Forget cheat days! I give myself one cheat meal a week. It's Saturday morning breakfast. Next week it will be Saturday morning breakfast and next month it will still be Saturday morning breakfast. If you want to hang out, grab a beer and eat chocolate with me...meet me for Saturday morning breakfast. If I let my cheat meal float I'll have 4 within 2 weeks and use every gathering as a justified cheat. I have turned down amazing meals these last few weeks. I'm bitter and cranky but I'd rather be a bitch than get those 16 lbs back.
- You gotta count calories. I keep mine under 1200.
- I only drink water (Not really--I don't like plain water so I only use it to take my vitamins), green tea (I make a gallon of iced green tea and take bottles with me everywhere), and coffee.
- No artificial sweeteners unless it's Stevia. That means no splenda or nutra-sweet and especially no diet colas.
- No sugar...none! Not a single cookie or piece of candy.
- No carbs...no rice...bread...potatoes...nada.
- No meat
- You're scratching your head at those last two, eh?
- I eat 1-2 servings of fish a day. Not fish breaded or covered in sauce...go for fish with dry rubs and a touch of EVOO or a light marinade that isn't loaded with juice and sugar. Most of my fish is usually baked or out of a can.
- I eat vegetables...lots of vegetables that are low in carbs. Lots of green leafy stuff and nothing beany or white...except cauliflower.
- I make a big batch of vegetable soup and boil some cabbage on the weekends. I make many meals and sides with it or make huge salads with fun vegetables.
- I carry a cooler almost everywhere that contains: Several water bottles full of iced green tea, Baby carrots, Hummus, Celery, Cubed cheese of a good quality and 1-2 String cheeses of questionable origin, 2 Snack bags: One with almonds and one with pistachios (these usually go in my handbag), Via coffee packets in cast I get a caffeine headache.
- If there is any chance I'll be someplace that might not have diet approved items I pack an additional plastic container with a salad of some sort (tuna, straight up veggies or maybe a salad with some salmon on top). I'll sometimes add a half an avocado sliced with a teaspoon of Cesar dressing on top of it. These tuna wraps work well...just use a toothpick to keep them from unrolling.
- I'm cranky and I glare at people who eat yummy food and openly bitch about my hate of diets. Then I eat my celery or nosh on my almonds.
- I avoid restaurants
- I eat lots of egg beaters in the mornings and have come up with some pretty yummy breakfast solutions that are about 100 calories each. This recipe is also handy.
I'll post more later including some meal plans and shopping lists.
Now I'm going to make myself a nice veggie burger topped with onions and bleu cheese along with a lovely side salad.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Powdering (or dicing or chopping) mushrooms...
A Moment of A-ha! Not the band...the mushroom!
As we've discussed, I'm adding the Cabbage Soup Diet into my low-carb eating plan for the next week. It's all in an attempt to help a cocktail dress fit a little better. That and it's kind of fun to embrace a fad diet for a few days.
As we've discussed, I'm adding the Cabbage Soup Diet into my low-carb eating plan for the next week. It's all in an attempt to help a cocktail dress fit a little better. That and it's kind of fun to embrace a fad diet for a few days.
While I was making my soup/stew I had the most amazing kitchen epiphany. Why wait until the dehydrated mushrooms have re-hydrated in hot water before dicing them?
Let's back up...
I decided to add some mushrooms to the soup and opted to use the dehydrated mushrooms from my pantry.
I had two kinds. The trumpets are kind of big.
I tossed those in a bowl so I could add boiling water to re-hydrate them.
I reached in and started breaking them up with my fingers since I knew I'd be dicing them later. It was something to do until the kettle heated.
And then I giggled...it was maniacal laugh. If I had a mustache I would have twirled it.
I took my bowl of dehydrated mushrooms and dumped them in my mini chopper and pulsed them until they looked like this...
The ones on the bottom (it's hard to see in this picture) are super tiny.
You can pulse them as finely as you want.
Heck, you can completely powder them and add it by the tablespoon into just about anything.
I still wanted mushrooms that were chopped looking. You can also go for a dice or a mince depending on how much you process it.
Heck, you can completely powder them and add it by the tablespoon into just about anything.
I still wanted mushrooms that were chopped looking. You can also go for a dice or a mince depending on how much you process it.
I am never dicing mushrooms again for soup.
I'm guessing this will finally be the way I can sneak mushrooms into sauces without my husband looking for fungi invaders before he takes the first bite. I'm going to keep an eye out for other dehydrated foods that I use often and especially those that get a good dice before going into soups or casseroles. I'm also going to suggest this to my brother-in-law as he's always working to have his girls eat healthier foods. This is a great way to incorporate (ok, sneak or hide) vegetables. The smaller you make it the harder it will be for picky eaters to identify in a dish.
Fad Diets...Yes, Please.
There are a gazillion fad diets out there and another gazillion people telling you to make a lifestyle change instead.
Poppycock, I say! (And I say it often because it makes me laugh.)
I also say:
Serendipitous
Bajiggity
Snicklefritz
I'm a huge fan of the fad diet. I'm a huge fan of anything that will make my ass look less huge in the next 7 days. I have an event next week that will require a cocktail dress. Shoot me now. I'm wearing a dress purchased before the Hub's last year of law school...when I gained 15 lbs. The fit is bajiggity and it's making me a snicklefritz.
So for the next 7 days, I'm going on not one fad diet, but two at the same time.
I'm already a vegetarian and I don't consider that a weight loss diet. It's too often confused with the pasta and chocolate diet and probably why my dress doesn't fit.
I am going on a vegetarian low-carb diet and part of that plan will integrate the cabbage soup diet. I haven't tried the recipe for the cabbage soup diet. I'm really just going to slightly tweek my stewed cabbage recipe and include it as meals within my low-carb diet.
I'm also staying below 1200 calories every day.
Perhaps we should call it what it is. "The Egg White, Spinach, Tuna and Cabbage Diet".
Oh, and I'm also doing the Whole Foods Complete Body Cleanse. It's good stuff and doesn't make my stomach get that flibbertigibbet feeling.
I'm not an idiot and I know I can't maintain this eating plan for long if I wanted to, which I don't. I also know that it will be all water weight and it will come back as soon as I'm finished.
However, seeing the number go down on the scale is good for morale. Seeing that number go back up ticks me off and keeps me motivated.
I'm not trying to drop 15lbs this week. I'd be happy if I could loose 5lbs and the dress fit a little better for this shin dig.
Update: I weighed on Wednesday evening after dinner and since then I've lost 10.1 lbs. It's Saturday. Granted I weighted after meals and stuff and I was clothed. Today I weighed before breakfast and was still in light sleepwear. But dude, it's so nice to see that number move.
Poppycock, I say! (And I say it often because it makes me laugh.)
I also say:
Serendipitous
Bajiggity
Snicklefritz
 |
| Tell me Snicklefritz isn't fun to say! And it's her fault I say it now. |
So for the next 7 days, I'm going on not one fad diet, but two at the same time.
I'm already a vegetarian and I don't consider that a weight loss diet. It's too often confused with the pasta and chocolate diet and probably why my dress doesn't fit.
I am going on a vegetarian low-carb diet and part of that plan will integrate the cabbage soup diet. I haven't tried the recipe for the cabbage soup diet. I'm really just going to slightly tweek my stewed cabbage recipe and include it as meals within my low-carb diet.
I'm also staying below 1200 calories every day.
Perhaps we should call it what it is. "The Egg White, Spinach, Tuna and Cabbage Diet".
Oh, and I'm also doing the Whole Foods Complete Body Cleanse. It's good stuff and doesn't make my stomach get that flibbertigibbet feeling.
However, seeing the number go down on the scale is good for morale. Seeing that number go back up ticks me off and keeps me motivated.
I'm not trying to drop 15lbs this week. I'd be happy if I could loose 5lbs and the dress fit a little better for this shin dig.
Update: I weighed on Wednesday evening after dinner and since then I've lost 10.1 lbs. It's Saturday. Granted I weighted after meals and stuff and I was clothed. Today I weighed before breakfast and was still in light sleepwear. But dude, it's so nice to see that number move.
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