I'm In-Between!!

I'm always stuck in between Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Getting ready to cook that big Thanksgiving turkey dinner is always fun and exciting, but once that's over and done with, I get stuck.  This probably says it all.

I seem to have a hard time getting into the swing of Christmas trees and decorations.  Not that I don't LIKE putting up all the decorations, because that's really fun, especially if you have people to help and to enjoy them.    

If I could leave the decorations up for a couple of months and someone would actually see them, I would probably feel a little better about the whole project.  Since I always leave the first of January to head down south, they all have to disappear right after Christmas when I'm trying to pack the rig.  Leaving all those decorations inside where someone might see them through the windows is definitely an invitation to break in.  The horseshoe Christmas tree will have to suffice.  

Always being on the road makes it difficult for other things too ... like eye appointments.  Last year when I called there was a three month wait, so I passed.  By now, I figured I needed glasses like you see on this puppy, so on my way back from Oregon, I made an appointment .... for 8:00 in the morning on Cyber Monday.  I didn't want to deal with a lot of sick people.  

I have to interject here that I finally went to the doctor to have my blood pressure checked.  SO MANY SICK PEOPLE!!  I went outside to fill out the paperwork.  When I was done, I took a seat inside in the farthest corner and kept my mouth and nose covered with my hands ... not that it would really help, but I did it anyway.  In ten short minutes, four other people had their mouths covered with their hands.  I had to laugh!!

Really, if you have a cold or the flue and are coughing and sneezing all over, PLEASE cancel that eye appointment and DON'T go to the grocery store.  I DON'T WANT TO GET SICK!!!  I come very close to locking myself in the house every winter so I don't catch the crud.  

At any rate, I got in early and lo and behold ... no change in prescription.  "But Doc, sometimes I can't see the guide on the television".  "You will never be able to see that distance clearly ... be happy you can see up close and far away".  Well okay then!!  I got another pair of glasses anyway, just because I have insurance that I never use.

Sadly, I returned the boots.  Seems they had been returned before for the same reason.  No biggie, I found an even BETTER pair that still had a 25% off Cyber Monday discount attached.  My Christmas present to myself.

With all my errands out of the way, I whipped up five dinners.  It didn't take me any longer than if I cooked one dinner, except for the rice.  I figured to take a shortcut and not use the big rice cooker.  The small pan should work just fine.  And it did!!  It worked it's magic and overflowed all over my stove before I knew what was happening.  I guess I was a little distracted cutting up the meat.  What a mess!!!

Never give up is my motto, so I added more water and threw it back on the stove.  I had no idea how long to cook it and suspected I'd have a gooey lump, but I pressed on.  In the end, the rice came out reasonably well, but it took me 30 minutes of scrubbing to get the pot clean.  I haven't even started on the stove.

I browned the meat quickly in a cast iron skillet, added lots of spices and spooned it over the rice along with some black beans.  Just for good measure, I parboiled some brussels sprouts to make me think I was getting more to eat.  I ate one dinner and put the rest in the freezer.  Yummy!!!

Next up ..... turkey meatballs and zucchini noodles .... if I can figure out how to use the new handy dandy magic Zoodle machine I got for $9.99.  I have 911 on speed dial.