More Doctor Visits and More Baking

Late last week, I was not feeling well. While I don't sleep real well at night as a rule, it seems to be getting worse.  And at the same time I've been very very tired, no energy, stomach aches/pains......added to the daily routine  with the heel.  I have done nothing in the yard at all..........but Rich managed to get a whole lot done without me!

So I called my Doctor and went in to see him on Friday afternoon.  Went to Florida Hospital on Wednesday with my script for more blood work, and urine sample.  Thursday was my 6th month visit to the Ophthalmologist, and Friday to the doctor to have my circulation checked.  Doctor gave me pills that were supposed to help me sleep - but they are not working.  Actually, I don't want to take them, because they can become addictive.   Follow up with the doctor a week from Monday, and then we're scheduling a Sleep Apnea test.

I did manage to get a little baking done for Rich, last weekend; another batch of chocolate, peanut butter no bake cookies, and a loaf of banana bread ( which Rich cut and ate before I could grab a photo!)

On Wednesday we went to Golden Corral, and sat for about 45 minutes listening to a health seminar on magnet therapy and then enjoyed a free lunch.  Would love to try the magnet bed pads.....but they are pretty pricey at $1600!!   Rich had his usual 2 big plates of food followed by his hot fudge sundae.  It was still early enough so I grabbed some breakfast....

Below is the guy who came back checking on the gator.  Yes he's too small to capture, but because it's such a nuisance he said that he would attempt to catch him and move him to another area on the lake..............But while the gator is usually right around our docks every day - he was no where to be found..... so he said he'd come back and try again another day.

Comcast was supposed to come on Friday and install, TV, Voice, and Internet..... Well the guy DID arrive..........but since no one has ever had Comcast in this house, it is necessary from them to come and run the wiring.  Guy that came to install, generally could do that.........but ours has to be run under the driveway.  So that will take a couple more weeks, while permits  are obtained, and electrical, water pipes  etc. are located underground.  So we'll stay with Direct TV and Centurylink a bit longer.  As a new Comcast customer, we'll be paying a whole lot less than we currently pay for Direct TV, Verizon, and Centurylink - at least for the next 2 years. 

That brings us to today, Saturday!  Love the weather!  By mid afternoon the temperature was down to 67 degrees..........but we got lots of rain most of the day.  So, it was a good day to do the baking again.  So today we made a Butter Pecan Cake, with Butter cream Icing.  Actually, I cut the cake in half, iced one half and put the other in the freezer.  Also did up a couple dozen Snicker doodles!  And then marinated some Chicken Kabobs for Rich to fix later on the grill.

Got my brother's Christmas Gift finished.........and now working on Dennis and family!  

Meeting up with friends for dinner on Monday.

Another Week Just Flew By...............

Can not believe how quickly time passes.....and we're half way through the month of October already!  Nothing real exciting to report............. Still enjoying my cooking and baking though.........  And I've started working on Xmas Gifts for the family!

We do eat a lot of pasta but generally with sausage.....or shrimp if it's scampi..... or Chicken if it's Cajun.  So decided this past week to pull out the recipe for meatballs.  Of course, you know who..........couldn't wait for dinner!!  Linguine and Meat balls were excellent!       Same day made up a batch of fudge brownies......... topped with peanut butter icing, 1/2 put in the freezer for another day. 

And then Rich found an old recipe in the Betty Crocker Cookbook, and put in his request for homemade Chicken Pot Pie.  Now - I do not have any "pot pie" size dishes, so we adjusted the recipe and used regular 9 inch tins, and enough for two meals.   Rich made the crusts, and we jointly prepared and cooked the filling.  It was fun............... a lot of work..........and they were JUST OK.    If I have my way, we'll go back to buying the already made ones from the freezer section in the grocery store!!

And then the week was over.........and except for a trip to the grocery store I don't think either of us took the car out of the garage. 

Still have so much work to do in the yard, but Rich's back does not allow him to do too much for very long without it putting him out of commission for several days.  He's much better at using the back brace, and the support pillow.......and that has really helped.  My left foot ( heel spur) has really been a problem for the last couple of weeks so I decided to give Dr. Feldman a call.  Because of our trip up north we had not scheduled another follow-up visit.........and actually until the last couple of weeks, it has not been a problem.....But I have been doing work in the yard!

So on Monday, Rich closed up shop early on the stock market and went with me to the foot doctor.  Made a couple of stops along the way at Walgreen's, and Home Depot, and the Bank before we went for dinner. 

Doctors visit lasted longer than expected, and he was running behind!  He really spends a lot of time with his patient, asks a lot of questions, and records everything.  Checked out the foot, and there seemed to be some "new" sore areas, especially on the actual "heel bone", and he noticed that I had some numbness on the upper ball of the foot.......AND he told me it was time to get a new pair of sneakers!!!   Any way he gave me my shot of cortisone, took more x-rays, put me back on an anti- inflammatory, and scheduled me for blood work. (I didn't ask, but I think he's checking for Rheumatoid arthritis,and/or Diabetes!  I am now on a schedule of using heat in the morning if the heel is sore, and the BOOT at night.  Don't have to sleep with it, but should wear it while sitting ( no weight ) for a couple of hours.  Blood work tomorrow, and back to see him in 5 weeks. 

So then we went for dinner.  We used another of the gift cards that we earned using Choice Hotels........and this time went to Chili's.  We have not been there in years........ and neither of us were real impressed.  Got there early, waited several minutes just for someone to notice we were there and seat us.  Food is pretty pricey, but there were some pretty good choices.  Did not like that the waitress pretty much  insisted we use the machine on the table to pay.... and when I could not figure it out -she just took the whole machine with her......... Obviously, she did not get her 20%.  The food was OK.... Well, Rich did like his burger.  But when they claim that their Cajun pasta is their biggest seller.........my opinion of good food changed quickly.  It was good........but not as good as I make at home.

I think we saw the baby blue heron, that fledged from his nest around the time we left for NY.  We think it's the one that was in our yard on Sunday.  Beautiful!!

And FINALLY the county sent the Disaster Relief Truck to our street to pick up the debris from down trees.  They parked in front of our house, and began taking the limbs from the house across the street....  But you'll notice that there is a power line that stretches from one side of the street to the other........and that was creating a problem...... it was in the way of the bucket. .... so they could not get anymore from across the street or from our front yard without turning the truck in the opposite direction.......Well........ as they started to pull away, the young man in the orange hat told us what they were doing..........he said the would continue on down the street, and on their way back they would finish ..... That was two days ago!!!!!!  So I think our house and the one across the street are the only two on the street with debris still in the front yard.................

Sure hope they decide to come back soon!!!

Update on the gator.......Jim and Patty called to have it taken away.......They came, and with the pole, caught him right away.......Unfortunately, he is not yet 4 ft long, so they had to let him go....  He is really going to be a problem, when anyone is fishing off their dock. UGH!

Not much going on this week.....more baking, dinner out, family football

The week went by really fast.  Lots and lots of rain which means more and more weeds!!  So pulling weeds is about the most active I've been all week, when it wasn't raining or 100 degrees outside.  Sure do wish we'd start getting some cooler weather.  Neighbors called about our pesky gator out back, and they are supposed to be coming to take him away.


Ran out of all those goodies that Rich made last week ( actually one more loaf of homemade bread still in the freezer) so I did a little easy baking: 2 dozen peanut butter/chocolate chip cookies, and 2 dozen oatmeal raisin cookies. ( I know the picture says Oatmeal chocolate chip - but that is wrong!!)

Tried a couple new recipes this week too: a meat sauce for hot dogs, and a really good pork chop and gravy crock pot recipe!

On Thursday we met up with Buddy and Dianne at the Hibachi Buffett in Sebring.  Just the four of us this time.  Haven't seen them since before the hurricane, so it was a nice evening just catching up...............and we're starting to make plans for Thanksgiving.  These two keep so busy........during the winter with Music and Church.........They've already informed us that starting in November they are booked every night except Saturday!  And then NOT the third Saturday of the month!  Whew!

Friday seems to be our Pizza night.  No.......not every Friday, but it seems that whenever we plan it..........it's always a Friday!  I do cook the sauce ( with supervision from Rich) - but he does the preparation, and I clean up the mess!!  This week was a meat lovers'  pizza with ground beef, sausage and pepperoni!  Nice job Rich....................and delicious!

Always like to keep up with what the kids are doing.  And of course, now that it's football season, that's where the family hangs out when it's a home game.  This week was homecoming...........

Dalton plays in the marching band and this week they did something special.  The children's hospital is right next door to the stadium, and at half time everyone in the stadium waves to the kids, watching from their windows!  This week the band made a waving hand on the field.  AWESOME!

Click on the link below to see the video!
Hawkeye Marching Band has a new move - a giant wave to the kids.❤️ pic.twitter.com/9d5dZZCo6w

— Hawkerella (@Hawkerella) October 7, 2017

Meanwhile..more cleaning up!, cooking, baking and a fun night out with friends.

We're still cleaning up around the house.  And working outside is still no fun!  Fall has arrived, but you could never tell by looking at the thermometer!  It's been hovering around 100 degrees almost every day, until the last few.  Most of the brush is out front waiting for the country to take away...........We thought our yard was bad....they had three times the amount of tree limbs across the street!  And just a few days ago, Rich got the ladder out to clean out all the gutters that were clogged - or close to it!   

Our neighbors, Jim and Patty have a handyman that does work for them, most recently putting up and taking down storm shutters, and repairing their lanai roof and replacing the screen.  Ronnie, will be helping us out as well, and we expect that within the next week or so, he will be replacing the fascia board on the roof, and repairing the screens on our back sliders.  

I really enjoy cooking so made a couple special dishes this past week.


One of my newer recipes for Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin was delicious..... Thickened the sauce which made a great gravy for the mashed potatoes.

.but  while the Pasta e Fagioli looked very good we were both a little disappointed.  Next a little less tomato, and a bit more Chicken stock.   

Or try a new recipe!!



Friday we headed to Fort Myers to meet up with friends Nathan and Krystal at the Broadway Palm Dinner Theater.  We hit some pretty wicked rain storms on the way, and got stuck in traffic about a mile and a half from the theater.

But arrived in plenty of time to enjoy and adult beverage, an awesome buffet that included chicken, pork with a cherry sauce, white fish and Beef Sirloin, complimented by veggies, potatoes, rice, varied salads, lobster bisque and every desert imaginable!  The show was "Groovin' The 60's & 70's Musical, and it was excellent!  They have two more coming up soon that I'd like to see; Pippin and Chicago. 

Since it's only an hour and a half away, we decided not to spend the night.  A bit late when we finally got home, so we both slept in later than normal the next morning.  Saturday was a fun day!   Rich wanted to make some home made yeast risen bread, so I made a quick trip to the grocery store since I had no yeast... and picked up a few other items. (Also stopped at the hardware store and picked up some new house numbers to replace the sign over the mailbox).

Funny though.......I did not fix a meal at all, all day Saturday.  We threw a hot pocket in the microwave at lunch time ( which was after 1:00 o'clock....and sometime after 6........we sliced the still warm bread...........and that was dinner!!

Well..............we did have dessert a little later..............A small banana split, with vanilla ice cream, crushed pineapple, chocolate or hot fudge, peanuts and whip cream!!!!  We were sooooooooo bad!!   But it was soooooooooo  good.



Sunday was a bit more of the same...

Rich was still in the mood for baking so together we made cream puffs with a whip cream and french vanilla pudding filling.Mmmmmmmm...  delicious!  Yes, I had ONE!........Monday, I definitely must go back to being good and eating better!

Checking out some of the shows coming soon.  There are a lot of good ones this year at the Broadway Palm, Visani Comedy Club, and the South Florida Performing Arts Center.......

Just a few favorite pictures~

This past week, Dennis' job took him to Hawaii........... I know  - real tough job, right?   He sent pictures from Waikiki, Honolulu.  Here's just a few of the many

And I swear this guy has a t-shirt for every occasion!! While in Hawaii, he ran into an Army Brother and softball teammate from when he was stationed at Fort McPherson, Ga.  They have not seen each other since 2001, 16 years ago! Dinner together at Buffalo Wild Wings in Pearl, Hawaii!

Long flight back to Iowa on Saturday!