Outside My Window ~ 2.28.10

Outside My Window…is blue skies, sunshine and a slight breeze.  The temperature at 11:30 a.m. is 42º with a 37º wind chill….forecast high is expected to be around 54º.  It doesn’t actually feel all that chilly outside.  I was surprised to see the wind chill was that low.  I went out earlier this morning without a jacket and thought it felt quite nice.

I am thinking…about all the things I need to get accomplished today.  It is a bit of a list, but not an impossibility.  I started some chores early this morning and decided to take a break to do this post for the day.

I am thankful for…not getting sick last night!  There is a reason for this exclamation and I need to provide a bit of back story so you will understand why I’m so thankful. If you are of the vegetarian persuasion, you want to skip this paragraph and move on down.  🙂  Once upon a time, I was a vegetarian….I didn’t eat poultry, pork or red meat.  After several years, I incorporated meat back into my diet a little at a time.  About ten years ago, I discovered that my body could no longer handle red meat.  And by handle red meat, I mean it was making me physically sick in the evening after I had eaten it.  It began with prime rib……I began to notice each time I ate prime rib I would become very, very ill later that night…..so off the menu it came.  As the years passed, more items fell off the menu because of the same reaction until finally I was eating no more.  My diet has consisted of pork, poultry or seafood for maybe about five years.  Last night, my youngest and I went to Fresh Market.  As we stood in front of the butcher counter waiting for our turn, she noticed some hamburgers made with bacon and cheese bits incorporated into the hamburger patty.  I picked up four to make for the kids dinner and grabbed a couple of turkey burgers for myself.  When I got home, I put the four hamburgers on the indoor grill first……and as they cooked, the more I wanted one.  One of the things I have really missed is a good cheeseburger….and these were beauties!  I finally convinced myself that I was going to eat one….and if I got sick, I would have no one to blame but myself.  I knew I was taking a big chance, but I really did want one of those burgers!  I prepared it as I normally would and it was delicious…just like I remembered.  Off to bed I went, telling myself I would not get sick.  I wasn’t going to let my fears get the best of me.  I woke up once during the evening and began to wonder if this was it, was I getting ready to regret that burger?  I quickly repeated my mantra….I will not get sick and fell back to sleep.  When I woke up this morning ~ I was thrilled!  I had eaten a burger and not gotten sick.  Of course, I’m not going to push my luck and began to eat red meat on a daily basis….but maybe I can have that special treat once in a while now.  🙂

From the kitchen…a Brunch of broiled boneless pork chops, hash browns and eggs of choice.  Tonight I’m planning on making Chicken Alfredo. 

I am creating…my home movie DVD collection.  I’m still working on transferring from video to DVD.  I wasn’t able to work on them as much as I wanted to this past week so the project continues.

I am going…to run a few errands today but other than that I will be home completing my list of things to do today.  🙂

I am reading…not so much right now.  I have gone through spells like this before, but this one seems to have lasted a bit longer.  I haven’t been to the bookstore in some time, that could be one reason why.

I am hoping…that our weather continues along the same lines as it has the past few days.  Warmer temps…..less moisture….sunshine…..I can live with that for a while.  🙂

I am hearing…The Discovery Channel talking about what if an earthquake hit New York (outcome not so good by the way)….the ticking of my many clocks……my kids talking to each other.

Around the house…laundry……video equipment set up for transferring images…….plants that need watering….general clutter.

Plans for the week include…trying a few new recipes this week, and including the ones I mentioned last Sunday on my blog.  Last week went a little wonky and things didn’t work out like I had planned….but new week, new month….new plan.  🙂  

One of my favorite things…setting personal goals and achieving them.  Sometimes when something shakes you up to your core, you begin to realize that it could actually be a good thing.  That is the way I am approaching it anyway…..all things happen for a reason, and that was reaffirmed in a way this weekend.

A picture I’d like to share with you…a few images actually.  My big girl finally found a car she wanted.  She has been looking and looking online with no success.  We have looked in several lots, and she even had a car dealer friend of my sister and brother-in-law’s searching for her as well.  For one reason or another, nothing came together.  Then we had a new neighbor move in, and not long afterwards, she put her Honda Civic up for sale.  The car, a 2004, was in excellent condition with extremely low miles for its age ~ only 48,000.  She spoke with the woman first, than I spoke with her.  We asked if she would give us a week to see if we could get things together……and she agreed.  As luck would have it, the stars aligned and it worked out.  As I said above, I believe things happen for a reason….and while all the things and reasons in this case are far too many to list right now…….I do have photos of a very happy girl with her new car.  🙂