Timely Tuesday - Sleepless nights - What's that?

How long does it usually take for you to fall asleep? Do you do something prior to actually falling asleep? What really works – reading, milk and cookies or watching TV? Lately, I have been spending way too much time in bed and not falling asleep. I lay awake in the dark with my mind just wondering about too many things that are not important.  I seem to recall telling people that when it’s time for bed, I would only be awake for maybe 10 to 15 minutes and I’ll be in deep sleep.  Sometimes I would listen to some music and I cannot even remember listening to the end of the song.  Jeff gave me a nick name of PON (princess of nap).  He thought that was a good name for someone who can just take a nap just like that.

·        waiting at the doctor’s office,

·        waiting for Alysia at the train station parking lot,

·        sitting at my desk after lunch,

·        at the airport waiting for my next flight

·         

These were the good times when I make use of time for my power nap by being patient and taking advantage of some quiet moments and getting caught up with sleep. When I use to travel for work, I would start storing sleep a few days prior to a long trip. This way I know I will be all rested.  My colleagues thought I was crazy but it actually works for me. So this "not falling asleep issue" is something new for 2011. Speaking of 2011, did you notice today's date. 1/11/11 - if you are into numerology, (1) means LEADERSHIP. But if you add them it equals 5 and it means CHANGE and if you add the 2 from year then it equals 7 which means INTELLIGENCE. Therefore my final analogy is that those of you intelligent leaders, today is your time to make a change. As for me, I will definitely have to make some sleeping overhaul tonight.

Maybe Monday - Road Sign

On our way to Gamble’s house yesterday, we decided to take the scenic road and not use the regular highway (101).  The street was called Santa Teresa and it was pretty well a straight shot from our house to theirs. We have used this route a few times but for some reason, this is the first time I noticed this particular sign. So after we dropped off Gamble, we took the same route in order for us to take a photo of this road sign. See for yourself.

So just to make sure that I was not reading it incorrectly, that's my proof. I also check the dictionary in case this is a new word that has been added or a replacement for the word DIVIDED.  Each time I did the search, it keeps asking me, do you mean divided?

Cutter, puncher, lighter, box, humidor = CIGARS.  A month ago I was searching for a surprise gift for Jeff for Christmas. Since he plays Poker with the boys every 6th week or so, I thought of getting him some cigars. I stopped by a Cigar shop and ended up with a puncher/lighter, several types of cigar both flavored and regular.  The salesperson was very helpful and knowledgeable without being annoying. This past weekend, I took Jeff back to the same store as he is now interested in getting a small box with a humidor, but the store did not have anything that he liked. We checked out another store and saw a small travel humidor. It was shaped like a tiny poker chips carrying case that holds 6 cigars. He is currently checking online but I am amazed how much information you learn just by going to two shops.

Soulful Sunday - Grandparents are cool

What are grandparents for? They are the best babysitter ever, right? When you are a young grandparent – you are cool, because you are still able to do a lot of stuff with your grandchildren.  If you are the older grandparents, you are just the one that buys toys, etc. you can’ really play with them because you are just too tired. Yesterday we were asked to take care of our Grandson so the parents can have one free adult night. His name is Gamble and he loves to stay at Grampa’s and Ola’s. It actually is a sleepover as he arrived yesterday afternoon and we will drive him home today, maybe after lunch.  He is actually a very easy going little boy who loves CARS (the movie, the characters, the book, the clothing line, the dinnerware, etc.).  We usually starts playing with the toys he has at our home. Last night we played with 2 fire trucks. Then we he got bored, we put on the movie called ASTRO BOY. Prior to the movie we all had tiny brownies and some ice cream. I decided to bake a banana bread and Gamble wanted to help, so I let him mashed the banana and beat the eggs. He then measured the walnuts and placed them in a tiny bowl. He was a great helper. When he is sleeping over, we don’t follow the sleeping schedule, we would let him stay up until he falls asleep which is usually during a movie that we are watching.  When he wakes up in the morning, he would sit quietly in the living room and wait until we get up.  Since this is a Sunday, Jeff will make pancake for breakfast and some ham and eggs for him. Last night's favorite words were super warm, so sick and super super cool.

Simply Saturday - Tennis Anyone?

Can you believe that I played tennis on Thursday morning – outdoors.  It was pretty cool at 8:30 am, but if  3 senior men can play when the temperature is at 40F (+5C), then I can play too. We played doubles for 2 hrs. switching partners after each set. This tennis group sort of adopted me. One of the players who I met at the golf course, invited me to be a substitute and from then on, I am the regular sub.  They have one player who organizes everything and all I have to do is show up.  Sometimes after tennis we would go directly to an executive golf course and play 9 holes. Since the tennis court is close to Jeff's workplace, we would take one car so we can use the Carpool lane. I would drop him off, play tennis, and sometimes I would meet Jeff and his co-workers for lunch. For the rest of the afternoon, I would window shopping for real bargains and sometimes I get lucky and find some. When Jeff is ready to go, he would text me so I can return to pick him up. We usually time it so that we can take advantage of the carpool lane on the commute home. 

Thursday evening I attended a Living Well with Diabetes Classes. You would think that after all these years I should know everything. It was a two hour session and it was a full house. The one thing that made me feel good was the fact that I felt skinny compared to the rest of the students. Each time the teacher ask a question, I knew the answer except I did not shout the answer because I did want to be that one student that everybody hates. There are 3 more classes and I have to pace myself.  Half the class were recently diagnosed, the other half is doing remedial. But as we all know, every class there's always one or two that never stops talking (asking too many questions or sharing TMI). I thought I should complete the rest of the sessions because the last two sessions covers healthy choices and counting carbs. This is something I need to learn because I am not doing the Canada Food Guide anymore. Now it's all about how many GRAMS of carbs I am allowed (between 45 to 75 per meal). The final goal of this class is to have better Diabetes Management.  DO EVER WONDER HOW MANY CARBS YOU EAT PER MEAL? 

Last night Jeff and I went out with for dinner with my tennis friend and her husband.  We were trying to get together during the holidays but due to busy schedules, we agreed to go after new year. We ended up going to this restaurant which one of our favorite place to go for drinks and dinner with our other couple friends. We tried the GB select which a little darker but not as dark as Marzen. Check out their site.

http://www.gordonbiersch.com/locations/san-jose-ca/happy-hour-san-jose-ca
After dinner we checked out another bar/restaurant called AZUCAR.  The special drink for the evening is MOJITO. So everyone tried a different kind from Classic lime, to Mango and  pink guava.  We did not really get to the dancing part but we all agreed we will try another venue next month or so. If the weather is nice for the weekend, Jeff and I will be playing tennis as our weekend workout. During the week, we have been walking around the neighborhood after dinner. As some of you know, I like to do fun type exercise. So it takes a lot of encouraging for me to complete an hour of walking.

Freaky Friday - Who's afraid of what?

Today I will be taking my Behind the Wheel Test to finalize my application for a California Driver’s Licence. Am I afraid?  Uhmmm, I am guessing it’s more nerves because after having a DL in Canada for the last 33 yrs., I now have to prove to DMV that I can drive, and BTW, I have a very clean driving record, just check with MTO. I think this is more scary than freaky. So here's the five things that I am afraid of and most of my family and majority of my friends know this very well.

     Heights – this even includes someone picking me up 
       Water – bodies of water, ocean, lakes, rivers, swimming pools – except showers and hot tubs (I can normally sit and stand without water touching my chin) 
        Scary movies – anything with weird creatures or rated HORROR
       Critters – certain types both big and small
    Ivy – I know, you’ll say Whaattt? At night I see them, I think they will sneak up and strangle me. During daylight, I think something will jump out, really freaks me out.

Enough of scary stuff- it is not even Friday the 13th or Halloween. I am the only who is afraid? Someone once told me that Canadians are afraid of the dark. Are you?

Truthful Thursday - Happy or Sad

Do you promise to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?

Do you remember the line “YOU CAN’T HANDLE THE TRUTH”?

Telling the truth, sharing how you truly feel and actually handling truth is something that some people have difficulty with. So I thought of posting some questions that were given to me during a grief session that I attended last year. Maybe some of these questions might help some readers who have experienced the same loss:

What is the most important thing that I learned from this loss?

How have relationships with friends and family change since my loss?

What frightens me about this experience? 
Is there anything I need to let go?

How have my priorities changed because of this loss?

What is the hardest part of my grief? 
Do I let others know how I really feel? 

After losing my son in 2008, these questions are still lingering in the back of my mind.

Can I stop wondering why? 

Will I ever find an answer? 

Does the pain really go away with time?  

Lately I have been asked this simple question. Are you happy? My answer - I am very happy. But is it strange that sometimes I feel guilty about it. What makes me happy?

Blue sky and sunny days  

Receiving snail mail

Getting phone calls from family and friends  

Jeff working from home

Blood sugar between 80-100 mg.      
Good hair day
Tennis and golf           

Surprise of any kind just not scary ones

Holidays and Vacations  

My happy songs

Whipped Up Wednesday - Surprise Dinners

Did you notice the pie in the corner? That is my chicken pot pie, one of the pies that I made for Christmas eve dinner. Jeff's second cousin was home for the holidays (attending college in Chicago) and she requested the chicken pot pie. I thought why just make one pie. So I made a French Tourtiere, Mediterranean Pie and Pecan butter tarts for dessert. Now that I have those extra time to try out new recipes, I would try them out every time we have company. Last Wednesday a couple of friends came over for dinner and here's the complete menu.

Appetizer: Beef in puff pastry

Soup: Butternut squash soup with Crostini with Fontina Cheese

Entree: Butter Chicken, Lime Cilantro Basmati Rice, Stir fry veggies (red and green pepper, green beans, yellow and green zucchini, onions, broccoli and carrots)

Dessert: Brownie with individual Haagen Daz ice cream 

When I get up in the morning, I am already thinking what I would make for dinner. During breakfast I would be checking recipes while listening to 95.3 the Vinyl (Toronto Station).  This part of my morning is kinda special because I can listen to my favorite kind of music, the current weather in the area where I use to live. Only problem is that when I forget that I am tuned to that station and they are talking about the traffic on the 401 and the temperature is -10C with light flurries and then I look outside, it's sunny with blue and it's 53 F - oops back to reality.  Certain days of the week is leftover nights but Thursday is surprise night. This is when I would try a new recipe and Jeff won't know what we are having for dinner until he gets home and actually sit down for dinner.  One night I was not really in the mood to cook and so when he got home I said: SURPRISE, you are taking me out to dinner. Do you have any favorite recipe that I can try?  Do you sit down and plan the weeks menu then get your groceries? or Do you just open your fridge, freezer or pantry and just whip it up - TA TA TA DA!