When the cat's away...

. . . the mice definitely play!  We had a party on Thursday at work.  It was for James' 18th birthday, I've been back in Pierre for 6 months with no problems, and Don and Linda are leaving us.  So I made a gigantic pan of apple crisp--of which there wasn't so much as a crumb of the crumb topping left.  If it doesn't get up and walk away, someone in the office WILL eat it.  After I left work, I came home to eat dinner and relax.  My phone chirped that I had a new message.  I'd seen the paper hat Tina made for James the night before.  But the hats had become pandemic, attaching themselves to the heads of seemingly intelligent people.  Attorneys even.  The tower fan had even been infected.  As of yet, there is no cure.  Here, see what I mean?

 James and Don, sporting the latest in call center technology--the tri-corn headset!

Strangely enough, the more they enjoy themselves, the more productive they are.  And the more sugared up they are, the more productive they are.  So I will gladly make some treats now and then if it means happy workers.  And the best part about apple crisp (aside from the crumbly topping, that is)?  NO sodium!!  A perfectly legal treat.  It's fruit, the oatmeal is fiber, and all the cinnamon should help control blood sugar.  Ok, maybe that's at stretch with the added sugar and the whipped topping we loaded on, but it's still not bad as desserts go.

Time to go take my meds so I get nice and drowsy by the time I need to crawl into bed.  Toodles Poodles!

Hodge Podge

All sorts of things I should have written about lately, but just never seemed to get around to.  Where to start?

It's been an unusual winter, for sure!  This past Saturday (3/10) it was actually 86 degrees. Yes, I said 86--it isn't a typo.  Don't believe me?  See below:

The BankWest sign at Harrison Hill confirms the 86 degrees.  What a gorgeous day it was!  I got outside to play for a bit after I got off work.

I was watching "The Young and the Restless" one evening while eating my dinner.  Suddenly my brain just snapped, and I was comfortable with getting the liver transplant.  Why then, I don't know.  But I've been struggling with the time element, the recovery, the possibility of rejection, and the thought of having another person's 'spare' parts floating around in me.  But since that moment, I'm ok with it, and ready should it be necessary.  I guess it just took me a while to make peace with it, but I have.  That doesn't mean that I don't want to avoid it for as long as humanly possible, but when and if the time comes, I'm good.

What I'm not good with?  Lactulose.  I still cringe just opening the bottle in the morning.  Then about gag when I have to drink it.  Really--couldn't they make some effort to make it taste a little better?  The most recent refill I got on it was one small (quart) bottle and one large (half gallon) bottle.  I think my car holds less anti-freeze than the green slime in those bottles!

Since I can't use commercial soap and have to make my own, I did make a batch last night.  The scent is a duplicate of Estee Lauder's Pleasures for Women.  Very nice!  And it even swirled nicely for me so I can have pretty soap  See?

I had my appointment with Dr. E on the 2nd.  Doing pretty well.  My MELD score looks like about a 16 according to the Mayo calculator.  I will see him and Dr. C the first week of June for my EGD, liver CT, and re-check.

The cookbook I put together for some of my staff and friends is finally done.  I was the holdup on getting it finished, but I picked them up on Tuesday.  Some low-sodium recipes, and some of the regular recipes that everyone always asks for.  Like the Pecan Pie Cake.  It's the illegitimate love child of a butter pecan can and pecan pie.  I'm not sure how I stumbled across it, but after some tweaking, it is pretty good.  My staff always try to con me into making it.  Actually, they don't much care what I make, as long as I bake something.  What those people do to banana bread is unbelievable!

Ok, time to go to bed now.  More again soon!