So back to work wishing I'd taken the whole week off, but then again, I HAD to get out of the house.

Sore throat went away yesterday and today it is just a residual cough, runny nose and sneezing. I don't feel like falling down when I move, so I guess I am doing much better.

Didn't get the pies done yesterday, but I did get the mashed potatoes and candied yams done and in the freezer. I can probably get the pies done either tonight or tomorrow night.

Scored actual Idaho potatoes:



Usually we only get Washington grown potatoes this side of the border, so it was a real surprise to see these.

Made the lamb roast yesterday, totally YUM!!!!! I unrolled it, seasoned it with salt, pepper and minced garlic, rolled it up again and put it back in the netting and then more salt, pepper and garlic along with lemon juice and olive oil. Slow roasted it until it was almost done and let it rest and finish coming up to temp. Sliced it and served it with some of the mashed potatoes and Keister Sauce:



I was so anxious to dig in I forgot to grab the camera while everything looked pretty hehehehehehehe We still have some of it and I'll look at doing something with it tonight. I got lots of juice off it and will see about making some gravy with it, maybe come up with some kind of shepherds pie. I've plenty of mashed potatoes I can do that with.

A bit of snow yesterday:



I think we got about an inch or so. Was pretty windy so we didn't get a lot of build up. Rum Tum of course was a happy camper. We finished sealing in the one kitchen window and the office window, noticeable difference in the temps in both rooms.

Since I am still a bit under the weather I will skip the pool tonight. No sense in pushing things. They are closed on Wednesday anyways, so a week off is not biggie.

So day 3 of being sick. Still have a sore throat and general ICK! feeling. We managed a foray out to the store to pick up turkey day supplies, so we have a 22 lb bird thawing in the fridge.

No plans on going anywhere else this weekend. That foray took out what little energy I had today. But we also have a new bottle of White Christmas, so I am well set for toddies.

I'll do up the mashed potatoes and the sweet potatoes tomorrow and possibly the pumpkin pies. I was going to do a sweet potato pie, but that is pushing it I think, esp since I am the only one who will eat it. May look at making one for Christmas tho.

Hubby picked up a boneless lamb shoulder roast the other day. He's been jonesing for lamb, so I will cook it tomorrow. I'll season it with a bit of salt, pepper, garlic and lemon juice and slow roast it with a bit of liquid and a tight lid. I'll save out some of the mashed potatoes to go with it and cook up some of hte delicata squash.

Very windy today. Wind made it hard to get to sleep last night, was amazed to see we were still in Idaho this morning LOL. No snow, so that was good. Only a 10% chance of it today, 80% tonight, 100% tomorrow and rain starting on Monday.

Now to curl up with a hot toddy, see what is on the DVR and try and work on some designs for my shop.

I hate being sick

and I am giving serious consideration of investing in steel wool because the itching on my legs is getting unbearable, even with the lotion I am using.

Hormonal shifts again and I am breaking out in hives. Luckily this time it isn't head to toe, more like hips to toe. Tho I had a bit in the middle of my back last night. So popping Evening Primrose oil and I've got my Dermarest lotion and that is helping. Still want to scratch, but I am fighting it.

Picked up some gel heel cups yesterday. The feet are feeling a lot better. Wasn't too sure about the cups, since they are totally different from the ones I'd had previously (those were more of a solid, flexible plastic), but they seem to be working. No where near the pain levels I was in on Saturday when I was running around in the tennie runners.

So the Keister Sauce got made yesterday, we've about a gallon of it. We'll repackage some of it to give to friends. I don't have as many jars as I thought I did, I guess I dehydrated more garden stuff last year then I thought and haven't used it all up. I made a pork loin roast for dinner last night with some hash brown patties on the side. The sauce was very yummy on both.

Gotta start thinking about turkey day dinner. I'll look at getting most of the sides done this weekend. I'm thinking I'll be working on Monday and Tuesday since my mom won't be coming this year (she'll be flying to LA to stay with my aunt) and I don't want to do a lot on the Wednesday before. I like having that day to not do much before the big day. Will have our friend J over for dinner, maybe have him bring some games.

Not only did I put on a jacket with sleeves, I also wore regular shoes instead of my Crocs.

I hurt now :(

My tennie runners don't really have any support and I think I am developing tendinitis in my heels and achillies tendons, so walking is starting to get a bit painful. So it is OTC anti-inflammatory time (have to figure which is best, ibuprofen or acetaminophen) and start considering getting some heel cups, which is what the doc prescribed way back when when I developed it the first time. I'd stick with the Crocs, but with snow and wet weather, they just aren't going to do.

So we hit Lewiston for some shopping. Picked up a big roll of reflective insulation at Home Despot so we can seal up hubby's office window and put some in the little kitchen window. Rather then using the shrink wrap there, the reflectix will let me be able to look out on sunny days when I am doing dishes, just have to pull it back and VOILA! Window!

Not much of a selection of cheeses at the Grocery Outlet. Only came back with a bit of Wensleydale (been wanting to try it since I first saw Wallace and Grommit) and a chunk of Parmesan. Was really hoping for some goat cheese and some more blue cheese. Ah well, that is the nature of the Outlet, so fingers crossed for next time.

Rum Tum is a VERY happy kitten, he's been out playing in what snow we got. He will be upset since we are supposed to warm up some and the snow will go away. But here is what it looked like this morning:





So a bit of snow. It did melt off a bit while we were gone as it clouded up and got a bit warmer, but there still was plenty when we got back. As long as I don't have to shovel it I am fine.

We did pizza from Pizza Perfection last night, the two-fer take out special, so we have leftovers for dinner tonight. Got a nice pot of tea going and we've everything we need for Keister Sauce, so just need to finish straightening up the kitchen so they have room to make it.

And still no snow. They are predicting it, giving it an 80% chance of it. I'm holding out for the 20% that it doesn't snow. I saw enough of it last spring I can wait to see it for as long as possible.

Did nachos grande for dinner last night, got some leftovers for lunch today. Should have packed some sour cream to go with it, oh well. Not sure what we'll do for dinner, got plenty of stuff to cobble together something.

Planning on some shopping this weekend sometime. Need to hit Costco to pick up a few things, like cat food so we have plenty on hand.

Speaking of cat food, the neighbor's cats turned their nose up tot he bag we gave them, so they took it tot he food bank, so hopefully someone's kitties will like it and it doesn't go to waste.

Plans are on for keister sauce making on Sunday, so need to get things straightened up for that. While the kitchen is MY domain, when hubby and B get to work, I stay out of there. I think that may be a good time to work on more designs for my shop. I have those photos I'd submitted to that one online photo contest and several will do quite nicely on some of the products. I've also a long list of slogans and such I need to do text designs with.

that pool noodles are rather, um, hmmmm, not sure how to put it.....creepy? Here is a floaty device you put between your legs and float around the pool on that looks very, very weird.

Fun tho We never really used them in deep water aqua fitness class and they came out LONG after I took swimming lessons (when were they invented?), but have been using them in the aqua fitness classes I am going to now.

Speaking of aqua fitness class.....OWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My knees are hurting less for the most part, but the rest of me is now complaining. I'm definitely finding muscles I haven't used in a while. We are still lobbying for a Friday night 6:30 pm class, but any decisions on that will have to wait until after the remodel.

Since I'd saved the chicken and noodles from Sunday night, dinner last night was very easy. Just popped it int he microwave and voila! Dinner. Hubby had been wanting Nachos Grande, but since I didn't feel like going to the store after class and then cooking, we'll have them either tonight or tomorrow.

Gearing up to make Keister Sauce. Hubby got a hold of our friend B and she'll come over this weekend so they can make some. He wants to do a huge batch so there will be LOTS. So I need to figure out what we have and what we will need. We are good on garlic and sesame seeds and roasted sesame oil. I think we are okay on yellow mustard, have to check. We will need more butter and definitely honey. I hope I have enough jars.

They are predicting the "s" word for tomorrow. I hope not, I am SOOOOOO not ready to deal with it yet. It can snow over Christmas break and then it HAS to go away. I really don't want a repeat of the last two years, not to mention a late spring. I have plans for my garden and I need spring to be here on time, if not early.

Thank you

It was so nice under the covers I was hard put to get out from underneath them. My bladder had other ideas tho LOL.

At least the sun is shining today, rained a bit yesterday.

Like I figured, I didn't get a whole heck of a lot done this weekend. I did however venture into Wally World to pick up cat food. We were out of the Kirkland brand and not headed down to Lewiston anytime soon. We'd gotten a bag of food from some friends whose kitties didn't like it. Well, my lot turned their noses up also. So off to Wally World I went as the only brands they will eat is the Kirkland and Special Kitty.

SIGH!!!!!!

The things we do for our fur children hehehehehehe. At least they are happy now and we've passed the food onto the neighbors whose kitties aren't as picky, so it won't go to waste.

Baked some boneless, skinless chicken thighs int he oven roasted tomatoes I did. Seasoned it with Italian seasonings and then added some sliced white cheese, Mexican 4 cheese blend and fresh grated Parmesan at the end. Served it up with some tri-colored rotini. Very yummy dinner:



It was all I could do to keep from bringing the leftovers for lunch today, but I need to have something ready for Wednesday night after the pool, so I will wait. Tonight's dinner will be some of the shredded pork. I'll heat it up in some of the broth I'd saved out from when I cooked it in the crock pot and then make a gravy and serve it with some rice.

I packaged up the rest of the oven roasted tomatoes and have 3 1 qt baggies of them in the freezer. The dried tomatoes will go into a container for tossing into whatever.

Watched the race yesterday, seriously bummed that Jimmy crashed. Was REALLY hoping BOTH Busch brothers would run out of gas, really bummer that Kurt won. Can't wait for the last two races, I would not be at all unhappy if Mark Martin wins the Chase, that would be so cool. I don't mind Jimmy winning, would very much rather Jeff to win, but it would be cool for Mark.

No big plans this weekend. Lots of puttering and sleeping I think.

Still a bit breezy out, thought I was going to wake up in another state the way the wind was blowing last night. Not a whole heck of a lot of rain today, if any at all. Was raining pretty good about 3am tho.