Booming Banter

My Dad ate an apple every day at lunchtime. He was particularly partial to a Golden Delicious. They are my least favorite variety. Maybe because that’s what we always had and it got boring.

My Mum would often buy sour cooking apples called Bramblys and stew them with a mountain of sugar or bake them in pies. They were so good and sort of dissolved when cooked. We don’t have them here and other apples don’t stew nearly as well so I miss them.

When I was dieting as a youngster I would substitute a meal with three Bramblys. I’d be fit to burst with all the pectin and the sourness. It would cut any appetite for a few hours and almost stopped the skin of the roof of the mouth!

Apart from the Bramblys the local apples of Ireland are Coxes Orange Pippins. Don’t you just love that name! They are the best with a little rough skin, a sweet and sour taste and a great bite. Never mealy always yummy.

Recently a new variety from Australia has hit the market here. It’s called a Pink Lady which is also a great name. There much more attractive than the Pippin shiny not rough. They really pack that same great flavor and texture punch. Got a big bag of them today to keep me virtuous on the old diet at least till evening comes. Just could wait to have one as soon as I got home didn’t even take time to get the coat off!

Do you have a favorite apple? Wonder what variety Eve ate, or William Tell shot with the arrow or that evil queen used when she tried to kill poor Snow White. Anyone care to speculate?

Blessing #503 – Crisp and Clean and Crunchy

Friday’s pizza day for us. We get ours fresh in Aldi it takes up the full rack of the oven and it’s meant to serve eight!

Not exactly the best diet dinner especially when Krishna has doctored the already lavish topping with more mozzarella and pepperoni as well as his blend of herbs and spices!

I always wash mine down with a little fizz and light a few candles to get the weekend off to a sparkling start. Did you know you can make it extra specially fizzy by adding ice cubes?

Its the one day in the week when I watch TV while eating while Krishna still sits at the table with his book. Aaron fluctuates or has flown out with his girlie if she’s not working.

Today we have something to celebrate. Being Krishna’s birthday weekend he gets to do his favorite things. Today he wanted to explore the thrift stores . He didn’t find a single book but I found a treasure. Well maybe!

Who knows this mark? Is it KPM? If so we struck gold.

If not the plate is still lovely and ideal for a few naughty nibbles!

Blessing # 502 – Finger Food

We have had the most beautiful fall ever with great colors and warm weather. Until today that is! The weather has definitely taken a turn for the worse for Halloween.

First it poured and Scooby and I got soaked to the skin. Now a gale has come in so by tomorrow there will be no leaves left on the trees. The forecast says frost maybe even snow tonight. Result the bucket loads of candy that we have purchased for trick or treaters are likely to be left here to tempt me!

In Ireland our Halloween parties involved a lot of apples. We dunked for them, we made them into candy apples and we baked them in potato bread in a heavenly combination that kept you warm even on the wettest windiest weather.

We made our Jack-O-Lanterns from turnips not pumpkins and trust me it was a LOT easier! Here what the Irish call turnips are known as Rutabaga and what we called white turnips are turnips. Regardless of name I absolutely love them and Krishna hates them.

My Mom made turnip every week when they were in season. Sounds healthy right and good for the diet. Well they might be with just a little salt and pepper but that’s not the way to turn them into food for the Gods. You must drown them in butter or fry them till they are sticking to the pan with a load of good crispy bacon. So yummy!

Since I thought of them all day and didn’t have any and since I had no desire to get soaked again I did the next best thing and made a good drop of lentil soup.

It will stick to the Irish Superman’s bones as he heads out with Wonder Woman to trick or treat while any sane person might sit at home and help his Mom eat all that candy!

Blessing # 501 – Timeless Tradition

Today is trash collection. Krishna gets everything ready the night before and then either Aaron or I take it down to the road in the morning. We keep a small plastic bag in the kitchen bin to put last minute things like the coffee filter into before putting it in the trash.

This morning when I woke up, thinking as you do of food, it came to me that I should portion out the huge family pack of chicken that was in the fridge so I could through out the packaging rather than have it lying around getting smelly for a week.

So when I’d walked Scooby round the yard for his urgent needs, given him his breakfast, made Aarons lunch and taken out the recycling bins I hit the chicken.

I labeled up three boxes for the freezer and another for tonight’s chicken pot pie and crumpled up the packaging.

Off to the road then as proud as punch with the big bag of trash thinking how much had been done in just a few minutes. On the return first stop would be coffee right? Wrong!

The bold Scooby had a surprise waiting! We’d all been remarking that he was getting taller. Who knew dogs of one year could exhibit catch up growth but seems they can. Anyway he’d put the paw up and pulled one of the boxes off the counter. One big piece of raw bird was lying on the floor and he was merrily munching away not on it as you’d expect but the box itself! It had cracked when it hit the floor and he had one of the broken bits in his mouth. Could I get it off him? Of course not. He swallowed it!

The remaining piece was sharp and so the googling began as to what to do if your dog eats a sharp object and of course the answer was the one we all know. Take him to the vet!

Being as it was only six fifteen this was not helpful! So I consulted the oracle when he deigned to descend for his breakfast. Of course he too then starts to google and so we agree that the vets it must be. He had no sooner left for school than Scooby emits a massive grunt and out pops the chewed up piece of plastic!

Fortunately the other piece was in the totally empty trash bag in the kitchen so it was relatively easy to play Sherlock and put the puzzle of pieces back together.

I got so flustered though that instead of putting my porridge into my milk and water mix I tossed in Aarons coco pops instead.

A bit of a treat to compensate for a stressful morning. Not diet food and not sure the water with the milk is ideal either but I ate it nonetheless while a certain person sat beside me looking contrite!

Blessing # 500 – Coughs & Sugar

Today is National Cats Day. Fun for feline fans!

We’re definitely doggie people as Aaron is allergic to cats and Krishna just doesn’t get them. I can take cats or leave them but would never want to own one although many dear friends are kitty crazy.

Not sure why they don’t do it for me but I suspect it’s because they are so aloof and being the Alpha type I need lots of attention.

They also have a great ability to control their food intake and most seem to remain slender and youthful for eternity. So truth be told maybe I’m also a tad jealous.

There are exceptions though one being the only cat that I ever really grew so fond of as to say I loved him. He was called JuJu and lived a long and highly indulged life with my friend Patrica.

We were living in Switzerland when we first met him as a kitten. As we moved we didn’t see him so regularly but each time I went alone to Switzerland I stayed with Patrica and he always made a point of snuggling up with me and even shared my bedroom.

He was HUGE all muscle of course! With beautiful markings and a little half moustache. He enjoyed his food so much and wasn’t bad at devouring the odd mouse either. So bottom line is he was a rare breed not a picky puss at all.

Why though don’t most cats overeat? Is it because they are true carnivores driven to eat meat and not the least interested in sweets? Does that really keep you feeling fuller forever?

Maybe it’s a hormonal thing after all look what that Cushings did to dear Dibley. Maybe it’s just the boredom of eating when they could be out prowling instead.

This past weekend I was charged with preparing breakfast for the volunteers staying at the Church before we left for prison each morning. We had the usual array of cereal, fruit, bagels, cream cheese, sliced cheese, raisin bread, yogurts and just in case that wouldn’t be enough a gazillion hard boiled eggs.

Well you can guess what’s left. So it is that I’ve been on the Humpty Dumpty lunch yesterday and today and am set to continue for the foreseeable future.

There is just something about this food that sure does keep the hunger at bay.

Maybe I’ll just have to « crack » and share with a certain person or just slather them in mayo and onions and stick them between two big bits of bread and be done with it!

Blessing # 499 – Satiating Snacks

We has a really good weekend at the Reformatory. Great teamwork with our Kairos graduates that we call our Angels in making this a once in a lifetime experience for our new participants.

As expected we ate huge amounts of delicious food so I stepped on the scale with trepidation this morning. Believe it or not I shed a pound since last week. Just goes to show that I did good before going inside or maybe cutting out the old alcohol while I was there did the trick.

The bold Scooby gained a pound so we are on the road to success. He’s nearly 30lbs. His Dad fed him well while I was away but he didn’t walk him the miles I do so no wonder he’s moving up. I gave him a bath just to check on the state of his musculature and he looks great. Don’t tell him but he also looks funny with his hair all fluffed up.

Speaking of fluffy things brings me to cupcakes. On the weekend we have lots of sweet treats: cookies, pies, ice cream that I can resist. Cupcakes that’s another story especially when they come with maple syrup frosting. This is pure unadulterated temptation. There’s something about that mix of sugar and cream cheese that is irresistible.

Think then what might happen if a little alcohol was mingled with that magic. Well that’s exactly what a ninety three year old man in New Jersey has done.

He was on TV this morning explaining that when he stopped work a few years ago he felt bored so decided to keep his mind and body active by baking. He’s come up with some great combinations like tequila sunrises and coffee caramel caluah. Funniest thing of all he doesn’t drink a drop!

Blessing # 498 – Heavenly Combinations

 

There’s no better diet combo for me than steak and salad so that’s what it’s going to be tonight.

It’s so chewy and salty and satisfying! It’s one of those things like pizza and spaghetti that I could eat everyday. Pizza and spaghetti are lethal though once started impossible to stop.

As some fries will be made for the men a few may cross my path as well. They are the oven variety so not too bad!

Of course a little vino tinto will be needed to wash it all down. So by the time the count is done there may be little loss.

Do you use an app to looks at your energy balance? Years ago when my friend Patricia and I were doing studies on food intake in women one thing we found was that almost without fail as soon as people started to record what they ate the also started to reduce intake and shed a few pounds. Most likely the shock that did it!

I use an app called Fat Secret. It’s simple and it free to download. There are many functions available on the app but all I do is record intake and output.

Tomorrow I’ll be heading off to the  Ohio Reformatory for Women where of course phones are not allowed so all calculations will be mental.

One thing I know for sure is I’m not going to move a lot and I am going to eat plenty because one of our signs of love to our lady participants is to give them some good home cooking.

There’ll be no vino though so that’s a plus for Days 4,5,6 & 7 should just about compensate for no Zumba!

Let’s see what the scales say Monday. Adios till then pals!

Blessing # 497 – Like Mama Made

Many of the homes in our neighborhood are decorated for Halloween and Thanksgiving. There are pumpkins on hay bails in abundance all around.

Why then is ours the only home where these big orange beauties are treated as snacks by the local wild life?

Its not like we don’t have warning signs and scary monsters in the yard too.

Could it be the curry calling? Certainly when the chef has fired up the stove the aroma is powerful  and pervasive. Pumpkin spice is certainly a popular combination.

Which critter is the culprit?

One of those deer who call our yard their home? Or a spooky white squirrel that Scooby and I encountered yesterday.

Or maybe it’s just a big beak digging into the rabbit food just like me.

Blessing # 496 – Head Start on Carving

Two years ago I went for my annual physical and the doctors scales weighed me in at 145lbs. That caused some extra frown lines to appear as it was 7lbs more than the scales at home! So I weighed myself at the gym and guess whose scale was right!

Out went the VERY old predigitals that must have suffered some serious defect and in came a fancy dancy new pair that measure not just body weight but body fat, lean body mass and bone (I’m guessing by difference).

You have to introduce all your vital statistics age, height, sex etc. Seeing me do this of course Aaron jumped in too and then of course so did Dad.

We (I) decided we were going to do a family check in each week and see all that fat fall far far away. We would muster the mighty muscle. Of course Dad has everything recorded down to the finest detail in a journal labeled Family Health so there is no escaping the truth!

As always with gritted teeth I took a serious lead in the path to eternal fitness. The pounds fell off all the way down to 130lbs this time last year when I had to do that house clearing in Ireland. People started asking was I feeling all right! Maybe I’d gone too far!

Aaron had his ups and downs depending on season and experiments and access to all you can eat buffets. Dad pursued as is his want the slow but steady path.

With the arrival of Dibley’s Cushing Syndrome and his reluctance to walk further than the nearest mailbox my daily steps dwindled and the weight crept upwards. Dad sickeningly continued downwards!

Six weeks ago when Scooby arrived Dad felt the need to include him in the weekly check in as he was skin and bone weighing only 25lbs. Dad was determined to make him mighty.

Thus began a period of ad libitum feeding for the newest member of the family and as you know what goes in must come out. He has been walked almost exclusively by me morning noon and night ever since. There is no end to his desire to roam.  My steps have skyrocketed! One walk alone is almost a days worth!

Secretly and smugly I was imagining that as Scooby gains I will loose. No way! Each week the boy has indeed put on a pound and Dad feels triumphant. But guess what? So too have I. Scooby is now a stellar 29.6lbs and I’m 139! Some gift that was!

Can’t be muscle or I’d have calves and thighs like Arnold Schwarzenegger. It’s fat and it’s floating all around the tummy.

All that fresh air does give you an appetite for a few baked goods and peanuts but the end has come the Diet has begun!

The salad has been purchased the cucumber chopped and the path downwards has been planned today. With five weeks to go till Thanksgiving I should be able to loose just about as much as I’ll put back on in a big bird belly buster!

Blessing # 495 – Checks and Balances

Right in the middle of our pretty little town of Powell there is a railroad crossing.

We live about two miles by foot from the center of the town or as the crow flies maybe just a mile.

The traffic through the town is always quite busy as it joins two arterial routes into Columbus.

So when the train is some distance off it begins to toots real hard and it toots for a really long time.

We can hear the 4:00 am passing somedays in the still of the night even with the bedroom windows closed.

This morning being Sunday we got to sleep late so it was close to seven when I took Scooby out for his ablutions.

The poor soul had just dropped his first dribble of pee on the grass when the train horn struck. It was synchronized to perfection and he gave me such a look of astonishment it was as much as I could do not to laugh out loud.

Made me think of Pavlov’s dog and if he’d ever potted trained his puppies with a bell too!

It also made me think of a much loved song I hadn’t played for years Paul Simons beautiful Train In The Distance. If you don’t know it do listen to it. Better still get the album it full of fabulous tracks. Here’s the lyrics for now.

It’s really a gift of great poetry and to think I’m sharing all this because of a puppy’s pee-pee!

Blessing # 494 – Greatest Hits