Feeling Better, Baking and Journaling

Orange Pecan Muffins

     So far so good. I keep feeling better each day and thanks to my Mom and family, I think I'll be in great shape by next weekend for my daughter's graduation party. The morning seems to be the roughest time for me, the incisions ache then, but after some motrin and moving around, they feel much better by noon. Since I have to spend time upright, but can't go far, I spent some time baking today. Orange Pecan Muffins and a "cherry" version of Carrot Raisin Bread, both recipes featured in the October 1998 issue of "Cooking Light" magazine. Although both recipes are low in fat, I think the Carrot Raisin Cherry bread came out much better than the muffins. I replaced the raisins in the bread with dried cherries from Benjamin Twiggs

Cherry Carrot Quick Bread

and used Eggbeaters in place of the one egg in both recipes. The bread tasted a lot like carrot cake, my hubby loved it! The muffins were just ok, kind of on the dry side and not very flavorful, maybe they needed the fat from that one yolk. Still, I made an orange glaze for the muffins and that did make them better. It tired me out though, I had to go lay down after all that baking!
     I pulled out my visual journal train case full of art supplies for a while today. I worked on some of my pages in the journal I created in Teesha Moore's class. It felt good to play again. I hope to start using it daily now that I'm feeling up to it. So many things I want to do, this surgery stuff is so very inconvenient! Also need to get ready for the Wine, Food and Art show on the 21st this month. Right after my daugher's party I'll be in jewerly fabrication mode. So short post today, off to work on the "Honey-Pecan Crusted Chicken" with my mom...hope it tastes as good as it looks...

Recovery and Foodie Friday

     It is now Friday and I've been on the mend since Tuesday from my gall bladder surgery. I've been so lucky to have my mom here helping me out with everything. She is such a trooper! The little incisions were especially painful the first few days, but are just "sore" now. I'm only taking motrin, the darvocet made me feel way too woozy and loopy. Never been a fan of those narcotic type pain killers. I've spent time watching movies and sleeping, getting up to walk around several times a day as directed. I miss sleeping on my side, but won't be long I'm sure. I am itching to work on my visual journal, but the position I have to sit in just isn't conducive, same with the ATC's, so just biding my time till I can play with my stuff again too. I've been reading through a wonderful Cooking Light cookbook I have, since the gall bladder thing is what I consider a wake up call from a higher power concerned about the direction I've been taking with my diet and nutrition. So, in an effort

Honey-Pecan Crusted Chicken

to make some smarter choices in the future, I'm getting into the spirit with some great new recipes. There is a wonderful Honey-Pecan Crusted Chicken recipe I can't wait to try and another chicken pot pie recipe I know my family will love. They are pretty good about eating most of what I make, no matter what country has inspired the dish, so I'm lucky, or they are, however you choose to look at it.

     I also ordered some new spices from The Spice House, which I mentioned last Friday, I was out of tarragon and chipotle chile powder. But now that I think about it, it's Friday and that means time to mention some of my favorite foodie

places/stuffs. If you are in Traverse City, and you love to cook, don't miss Folgarelli's, Mary's Kitchen Port or Oryana, which is the local food co-op. Mary's offers some wonderful food to go, like their Ceaser Chicken Sandwich, Chicken Spaetzle soup and Maytag Bleu Cheese Slaw, all wonderful goodies. They also have some fantastic cooking equipment and great knives. And there is the chocolate case, gorgeous bon bons to give or indulge in yourself.
     Folgarelli's is another foodie landmark in Traverse City. They have the best selection of imported cheeses and Italian meats or charcuterie. They also have a great selection of olive oils and pastas and offer sandwiches to go as well, though I have never bought one myself, my hubby has and really likes them. The shop has old wooden floors and is always a fun stop, though I never get out of there without spending at least $40. But you can't keep me away.
     Oryana is the last place I'll mention. It is a huge co-op and offers lots of excellent organic and local produce as well as bulk grains, dried fruits and nuts. They have the best yogurts in town, homemade dolmas, hummus and specialty juices. I also never leave that place without spending at least $40, but I get a decent amount of food for that. Their international food stuffs are extensive too, whether I need Japanese, Indian or Mexican ingredients. And they have a lovely little cafe where you can grab a quick bite of something delicious, I love it.
     So there is my list of great foodie places for today. Hope you get a chance to check them out someday.

Scoping and Subconscious Battling

     Yesterday was filled with nothing but clear fluids and my colonoscopy prepping, so if that doesn't sound remotely interesting to you, I advise you to skip my blog for the next couple of days, since I'll be consumed by my scoping procedures and gall bladder removal. Fun stuff...
The procedure this morning, scoping top and bottom made me anxious all week, even though I heard that you don't remember it at all and feel no pain after, usually, but still, seems so invasive to me. Anyway, I was a good patient, followed the prep to the letter and arrived on time this morning at 9 a.m. They got me right in, gowned up and placed the IV port in my arm. Then I walked to the room where I would have the procedure, and was given a "shot" to knock back of anesthesia for my throat. I had to gargle with it first and then drink it. It was a clear thin liquid that tasted like anebesol, delish! Almost couldn't swallow it! There were two nurses in the room and one called the other the "bartender," the one who handed me the shot, so I told her "no tip!" Then I lay down on my side, feeling like there was a lump in my throat from the nasty anesthesia and trying to swallow anyway. When the Dr. arrived, he squirted some cherry flavored anesthesia on my vocal cords, twice, since I didn't open up wide enough the first time, and I gagged both times on that stuff...but it was at least cherry flavored right?
     Back onto my side, they hooked up the anesthesia to the IV port and I don't remember anything else about the procedure. The next thing I know, my hubby's face is close by and it is time to go home, yeah. I was sooo woozy! He had to help me big time. As soon as we got home, I went to bed and slept for at least 2-3 hours, I'm not sure. Next thing I know, my nurse is quietly knocking on my door, my mother actually, she came to take care of me this week while hubby has to work. I got up and still felt very woozy. Spent the day sitting around, trying to let the slightly drunk feeling pass, without much success. No pain whatsoever though, would never know I had the scoping done today. The results: colon is all clear (yeah!)but they found a paraesophogeal hernia and some polyps in my stomach. Of course I've never had any problems with my digestion or heart burn, save for during my pregnancies after the fourth month, so don't know what's next regarding those things.
     And now to my incredible subconscious battle. My hubby tells me that the nurse told him that because my gag reflex wasn't quite under control and that I was gagging, I was trying to get off the table! Yup, even sedated, out of my head, my body knew something wrong was being done to it and it tried to fight back. I was so glad to hear that,  you have no idea. My self knows to get itself out of a bad situation, even under sedation. I, of course, have no recollection of this insane event, me in my gown, with a plastic thing stuck in my mouth to protect my teeth, hooked up to a pressure cuff on one arm, an IV on the other, doing my best to overcome two nurses and a Dr...wish they had videotaped it. I'm so proud of me!
     Getting ready now for my 5:30 a.m. curtain call at the hospital for my gall bladder removal. Special soap I have to shower with tonight and tomorrow morning, no food or drink after midnight(I'm not a gremlin!), and then getting up with the sunrise, so that makes two from my list of four that I want to see on my list of "44 things I want to do before I turn 45." I think I'll add "have something removed from my body" too now...
     And lastly, the photo up top is the ATC card I sent to my partner this month. Created with water color, acrylics, gold leaf, collage and marker.

Fat Free Garage Sale

     Ok, so there is no such thing as a fat free garage sale, but I had another fat free day and a garage sale and wanted to talk about both. We spent yesterday afternoon and evening pulling things together and doing a partial set up for the garage sale and then got up about 7 a.m. to finish the set up and pricing. Then we opened at 7:45 a.m. and had the most perfect weather for our sale. We met some interesting people and sold lots of goodies. The Blue Angels even flew over a few times during their practice. My daughter's lemonade and rice krispy treat stand did very well too. But I am totally exhausted even though we ended at 3 p.m.  Tootsies are tuckered out! Tomorrow we'll get up early and do it again. I have to pull some more stuff out tonight for tomorrow since we sold a lot of the bigger things.

   And now onto my current Dr. sanctioned fat free eating plan. I met with the surgeon yesterday who is going to remove my gall bladder at the end of the month. I asked if I had to keep to the fat free eating plan and he said "yes." Soooo, I have to avoid fat of any kind until the end of the month and am trying to figure out how to do this without losing my mind! I've been trying some new things that are fat free that I had previously snubbed. Some are still worth snubbing, So here is a short list of what I really like in case you ever have a gall bladder attack and have to stay away from fat for a little while.

1.  Ball Park Franks Fat Free Smoked Turkey Hot Dogs
2.  Spartan Brand Caramel Rice Cakes
3.  Delmonte Dilled Green Beans in a Can
4.  Black Beans, several different brands
5.  Mott's Natural Apple Juice
6.  Snack Pack Fat Free Vanilla, Tapioca and Chocolate puddings
7.  Fat Free Cool Whip
8.  Swanson 100% Fat Free Chicken Broth
9.  Strawberry and regular Marshmallows
10.Hormel Vegetarian Chili
11.Kraft Fat Free Sharp Cheddar Cheese Slices(good enough, melts very nice over chili, scrambled eggs and baked potatoes.
12. Eggbeaters
13.Cannellini Beans
14.V8
15. Snyders unsalted pretzels, they are fat free.

That's it so far, there are other things that I really don't care for, including fat free sour cream, fat free cottage cheese and Fat Free Saltine Crackers. I've also discovered some good combos from the above list. I like the dilled green beans with black beans and/or cannellini beans, they make a very satisfying warm or cold salad. The Eggbeaters on fat free english muffins with a slice of fat free cheese is also good. And then the vegetarian chili over a baked potato with a slice of fat free cheese in between makes a tasty dinner. I crumbled some fat free saltines on top and that made it better. So there you have it. If I find more things I like in the fat free world, I'll be sure to post them. I do so wish bleu cheese was fat free though...

Purging Monday

     Actually, I should say Saturday, Sunday and Monday since we have been tackling one room each day. Saturday was the living room, Sunday the dining room and today the kids and I tackled the pantry. Our pantry is also the laundry room and was in serious need of decluttering, purging, dusting and organizing. We went to town! And when my sweet hubby got home all tired from a hard day at work, he took the time to put up a new shelf that required a trip to the hardware store. We now have mountains of things for the garage sale that I am intent on hosting on Thursday and Friday. The tourists will be landing for the Cherry Festival and it is a perfect time to have a ginormous garage sale.
     Tomorrow we have the kitchen and back hall to overhaul. I actually got a couple cupboards in the kitchen started today, and thankfully it is a very small tunnel type of kitchen (though this is something I also lament about being so fond of the kitchen and cooking) so it isn't the massive job it could be. The back hall is another story. It is not a big space, but most of it is wasted. Our charming bunny "Stella" lives in it in his cage, but he only takes up a 2x2 foot space, the rest is basically all clutter, except for the recycling bins, of which there are two, that can easily be moved right into the garage which is adjacent to the back hall. My youngest daughter and I debated about all the things we could do with that little space and finally decided on turning it into a reading and game room. Yup. It will need a couple coats of paint, the bunny will have to move (the location is still tbd, but I just can't give the bunny almost the same amount of space that the kids have for their bedrooms) and we will need to relocate a book shelf or two, but it really has so much potential. It can be cozy and artsy with a mural or mosaic, some fun lighting and some pieces of art that really need to go up. I am  really psyched about this little project. I suppose I should take some before and after photos starting tomorrow.

     Speaking of photos, here is a photo of my daughters' new goldfish. I don't know why, but I felt like getting them some goldfish. One now lives in an old fashioned fish bowl in my youngest daughter's room and the other lives in a small tank that my kids bought for me one Mother's day in my older daughter's room. I did warn them that goldfish sometimes don't live very long but that we could afford to replace them, unless they started dying everyday or every other day. I have a really colorful curtain that looked quite cool behind the fish bowl, colorful, almost circus-like in the photo. Doesn't look like that without the fish bowl in front of it, lol, not at all! My son said he was content with the bunny and did not want a goldfish. But maybe he'll change his mind.

     And then there is my new Gall Bladder badge/patch. I'm feeling so much better, obviously, though the fat free diet is still a pain in my patootie. However, I can report that I must have lost at least five lbs since my brand spankin' new clam diggers are now so loose I have to roll the waist band. Yes I'm thrilled to have lost any weight, but bummed about not fitting into my cute new pants! Life is full of balance right?

You've Got to be Kidding and Mermaid Wisdom

  
     A couple new visual journal pages. One about my ridiculous gall bladder called "You've Got to be Kidding." Might as well have fun with this right? And I had fun making a grand poobah type headress for this persona, and very prickly looking hair.  I also had fun with her shoes, love to make curly toed shoes for some reason, I don't own a single pair and wouldn't know where to buy them either. The jelly belly logo in her hands represents my own jelly like belly that probably got me into this mess as well as the irony that I can still have jelly belly products, since most are fat fee. The stand up collar is something I want to add to more figures as well, something regal yet silly about it with lots of potential I think. We'll see...

     The other is titled "Mermaid Wisdom." I am crazy about mermaids, among other things. They appeal to me artistically in a way that invades my thoughts pretty often. I find the idea of mermaids mysterious, sensuous, beautiful, serene and playful all at once.  I also love the water and maybe that has something to do with my feelings too. And then there is living so close to Lake Michigan, you can't help feeling inspired every time you drive by or jump in. I'd love to write a book, create a few sculptures and some dolls, all are already formed in my head, but I haven't done more than collect the items I need to start...just procrastinating at this point for some reason. Visual journal pages give me the opportunity to explore a little more with them in a more manageable way until I'm ready for the big stuff. At least that is what I'm telling myself, don't you love rationalizations?

New Books

     I am so thrilled! I got two new books in the mail today, Rice Freeman-Zachery's "Creative Time and Space: Making Room for Making Art," and Alison Eads' "The Artful Card." I'm about halfway through Creative Time and Space and highly recommend it for anyone struggling with this issue, finding and making time and space to create, it is very inspirational and full of great ideas. I just skimmed through the other book,  but it looks yummy as well. It has some great techniques that I can use for visual journal pages too, and lots of collage of course.
     As for my inconsiderate gall bladder, still feeling it, but not bad enough to go to the ER, just bad enough to not feel up to doing anything very active. I have piles of "housework" but no real energy to get to it right now. Oh well, it isn't going anywhere, is it? The fat free diet has been interesting. I'm not starving, and actually, my appetite is way down, another sign I'm not feeling up to par. But I have had to be pretty creative. The liquid diet the Dr. recommended ended yesterday, so today I've been able to eat solid food too. My favorite today was a can(I normally don't go for canned veggies except beans) of dilled green beans with a can of black beans. The two together were pretty good. The dilled green beans were actually green beans marinated in a vinegar and dill and they were very good, surprisingly. But even better with the added black beans. I would eat this again, fat free diet or not. I will have to be eating fat free for a few weeks until I have my gall bladder removed. Any fat will cause it to "turn on" and could bring on another attack, so I don't want to agitate the thoughtless thing if I can help it. And I have to admit, it was time to change my eating habits. I won't cry if I never eat another piece of fried anything or fast food, honestly. The chocolate covered twinkie is another thing altogether though.

Gall Bladder attack anyone?

     I had my first gall bladder attack, guess I need to make a patch for that! Started around 9pm last night and by 2:30am, I had my husband take me to the emergency room, in the middle of a big thunderstorm, of course. I thought it was just gas, lol, really painful gas, and was too embarrassed to go sooner. And apparently the best cure for a gall bladder attack is to have it removed! I think that is overkill, no? They don't take hearts out for heart attacks do they? The staff at Munson hospital was wonderful and kind. They took some blood, hooked me up to an IV and gave me some dilauden for the pain and then a lovely ultrasound. We left at 5:30am, with the sky lightening, but too many clouds to see one of the five sunrises on my list of 44 things to do before I turn 45, darn it. I felt better and was advised to take it easy and stick to a liquid diet for the next couple of days, broth, water and jello type things. But after that kind of discomfort/pain, I could care less if I ever eat anything again the rest of my life! So looks like I'll be losing my gall bladder at some point in time probably sooner than later considering that the pain has been creeping back up on me for the last couple hours, even though I've been laying in bed trying to sleep and have only had some water to drink today. Why didn't I think to put "have something removed" on my list of 44 things to do before I turn 45? BTW, number (5) is the gall bladder in the illustration, tucked under the liver...