New Jewelry Style

I have become enamored with a new metal technique called chain maille or chain mail. It is the basis for the suits of armor made from rings assembled to make mesh and various type of link bracelets, chains etc. Very fancy and quite intricate. I have decided to branch into this area after seeing some very cool designs. One can become quite involved in elaborate patterns and when I learn how to upload pictures and images I will do so to show some techniques. Right now Byzantine stitch or style is my favorite. Physically, I am feeling stronger everyday. I cannot imagine how sick I was a week ago. Now I hear that SARS was going around the area again. Please God let that one miss me! I am hoping to get all of scans and tests from Hamot together today to go to Roswell for a second opinion this week. I think that I was having a reaction to the Decadron and it was keeping me up all night. Last night was my first night to go to bed before morning! My step son was helping me the other night because I was so out of it. I didn't know what end was up! He is a good boy and Is just about ready to take his driver test. Dad and I paid for lessons because it is just too darn mard to work with him one on one. It was the best money spent yet! After polling other teen's parenents we knew we had to do it because it is the best way to accomplish an end to a means or vice versa! Pray for me that Roswell cannot do any more for me than we are doing here at the RCC. And that all is on course as it should be. I'll blog at cha come Friday or Saturday. Hey Pizza Wings- How's Eli's lookin?

The Three Dreaded Letters F-L-U

Saturday morning ( 3/14) I woke up in a complete haze. Thought I was dying (again). DC said you want to crawl out of your skin don't you? I could not agree more. I will spare all of us the details. I got home from Hamot today at 10:30AM. Feeling much better. When they diagnosed my issue as FLU "A" they couldn't get rid of me fast enough!! My Life Saver Doc mix up a big old bag of power vitamins and juiced me up with B12 shots and made me feel like a millionbucks. The good part, from what I could glean was that I broke through the Parade!! ANY pub crawlers PLEASE BE CAREFUL!! Respect the beast. WE HAIL Dr. JOE ALL HAIL!!

Energy Vampire (Scary-But Not Too Scary)

I am sure that some of you are very familiar with this personality type- You would know if you met them or know them.The best way I can describe the interaction is that they approach, plug into you, suck all your life force, feel regenerated, and leave. You, are left either exhausted or very frustrated. I even am now having a get sick at the sound of her voice reflex. We took my son to Prep the other morning, I got up early, showered, changed and was with them at the school when she started the phone calls. Two to my Husband Two to me. I had 3 voicemial from the previous day because I had slept most of the day. I turned on the voicemail. Yes, they were from her. That was it, The fact that I wasn't on my A game did not help but we started to laugh-at first-then ArGH. OK, go home and rest and try Walmart tomorrow. Her grand plan for Tuesday was that since she was off of work (nurse) that day she could just come over and hang out with me. Even if we did nothing. That's great but if you met her it is like CHAOS walks through the door when she lands. I believe her emotional vampire type is to merely suck energy to sustain this turmoil all around her. I have dealt with it when I was stronger, pretty well. Now, I can't get the edge and she is gaining fast. OK Here's the example. My MD. had to get me some nausea pills. He had them at the office. My husband was at the club having a couple well-deserved beers and when I called, I said run over and pick up the pills (its next door). Convenient-no problem. He got the pills, and came home. The next day our friend said that The Vampire struck. Told everyone I am with hospice, this is not good, If they want to see me, they better start making arrangements crying, carrying on. She is a nurse and should be able to help me, etc. I assure you, I am on the mend and back in the ring and she is-getting worse. I need help. Anybody willing to toss some good advice my way, perhaps an amulet or chakra, or crystal, I don't know, send me strength that will help alot. I decided to call her tonight at work because she was supposed to work 3:30PM-3:30AM. She was not there. So I left a vmail and told her I was sorry that I missed her. But I probably shouldn't have said that because I really wasn't. And I lied to her. Of course, she tends to put me in that feeling. I spoke with one of our mutual friends whom I haven't heard from in quite awhile. She said Vamp told her that Vamp and sister were staying here and doing watch and Vamp was getting burned out leaving here to work 3rd shift. I haven't seen Vamp or sister in a month. That scares me. She also told friend not to call because it will distrub me. I was mad at Vamp and told friend she has to ignore her. Friend does not really have intuition on people so she feels something and I'm trying, slowly, to help her see what it is. OK Thanks for letting me rant. Dinner tonight- Early Corned Beef. We love it so much we're doing it again on St. Patrick's Day but making reubens. Or Perhaps Kevin will make reubens for us. LOVE YOU OAKWOOD!!

I'MMMMMM BAAAAACK! (How cliche)

Well I have finally rebounded again. Wow, this one took a couple of days. And I was not happy about it at all. I'm tired of getting sick and tossing everything good I try to eat. I have to eat but my body says I don't have to retain what I eat. This is so frustrating. People have suggested ginger root. Does ANYONE know if this is an effective nausea treatment? I just might have to try it-it sounds good. I had a really great day today! My sister, who is a complete suburbanite, was afraid to go to Natalie's (Erie County Farms) alone. So she took mom with her! They waited over an hour to buy corned beef but the beef never came. Meanwhile, Nancy, a diehard Wegmann's shopper went nuts on all that gourmet crap she eats; organ meats (gag), head cheese(x2), cheeses, fruits, veggies, etc. She was as always amazed at what she saved on her purchase. Using Weggie pricing, she calculated approximately A $150.+ tab. Bottom line$70.00, nice take. However not so nice as to go again I don't think. Wegmanns has heat and cafe latte and fresh sushi and.... My mom goes for me and her every Wednesday that Nat. is open. It is a highpoint of her week. She gets there at like 8:30, grabs a cart, and is the first in line. ALWAYS. If you see a lady about 4 feet tall with a brown winter coat, say "Hey mom! Tracy said 'Hi'". She'll go nuts! Tomorrow, she has to go because the corned beef all had to be remarked and was not out early. PLus, Natalie opened late and that really gets the line brewin'. Actually, we love the veggies and fruits we can practically eat for free from there. I don't ever feel guilty about my Asparagus fetish at the prices she charges. Romaine and greens either. You could give mom your list and she would shop for you too-she is such a keeper! Total matriarch of the family. Her routine is firmly engrained in all of us and very, very little will sway her. When my Dad was passing a few years ago, we were sitting by his bed and she looked over at me and said this SOB better not goof up my card night. Of coursse, she loved him more than anything but, he had been sick a looong time and she needed the rest. We began to worry more about her for a while, he had the morphine. Plus, she never allowed him to worry about anything. She worries for all of us. Wow, did that digress. As you can see, I must be feeling better. My niece in CT emailed me today. I think I may have to fly up to see her version of Turkey Hill and go to the buyers district in NYC for deals on jewelry supplies for my art. It was a good day especially after my afternoon nap when I woke up with better vision and balance than I've had since Saturday. That is the part that scares me alot but it does clear and I hope it continues to do so. We never got to the polenta because I was too sick to make it and/or eat it. Tonight we ate the bread bowl beans and greens. Yummy. If you want the recipe, let me know. It very nutritious and is sinfully easy and filling. Perfect for this ugly day. Tonight I spoke with a good friend I've been missing like crazy. It was so nice to catch up with her and now were cyberlinked again so I am back in the loop on that front. You go and have yourself a Merry little Hump Day and I'll be talking at you because I love to talk and my man can only listen about 10 seconds before he is under and out of the radar.

Monday Manic? Not Here.

Eh I wasn't going to say a thing today and then Martha Stewart's damn dog up and died in a a propane explosion. Sheesh-ya think he'd know better than playing around. Probably was trying to do some craft on it and... BOOM! No. Seriously, that is awful. Martha may/not be alot of things but animal lover she is. I have to close for now, I have not felt good all day and radio (for radiation) brain is making this way to difficult right now. Later Peeps. I'm out. By the way, I've got pics to post later this week.

SUNDAY "GRAVY"

Clocks reset.... Check. Realizing its 7:00 instead of 6:00 AM...Check. Blog and Sunday Menu... I'm on it. First- Congratulations to the Sansone-Guthartz Families on Maria and Joshua's Wedding. Good Luck to them both. SUNDAY GRAVY Around here, DC, my husband, which you will meet and get to love like I do, Is the cook. We used to cook together and than the ugly kitchen witch came into my house and now-it is HIS Kitchen. We do NOTHING alike. Me flavor/him safe (Think low everything). One thing we do agree on is any and all of the Italian he can make. One of our very favorite, very authentic Italian cookbooks is the no-non-sense, depression cooking, of Henry Hill: The WISEGUY COOKBOOK-My Favorite Recipes from MY Life As A Goodfella to Cooking on the Run. Many of these recipes provide the backbone for good, hearty, inexpensive meals. And all make fantastic leftovers. Due to my new-found "Agita" and Prilosec routine, we decided to find some comfort food without reflux. Two great thoughts, neither of which I can get enough; Polenta and Risotto with Peas. Both are sinfully easy and can be had with without spice and herbs but never suffer. The Polenta is for me, the truer comfort food of the two because prior to being she-she,froo-froo, we ate it as kids pretending to be German Settlers. Was not called Polenta and did not warrant a huge price tag per serving. The recipe I use is from the Wiseguy Cookbook and it is fine. Basic Stovetop Polenta 6 C. water 1tsp. Salt1C. Course grain Corn Meal 1-1/2 T Margarine or butter1 1/2-1 tsp. Black Pepper 1/4 C. Fresh Ground Parmesan Cheese (optional) 1 T. Olive Oil (optional) (Note: If you happen to have a heavy bottom copper pot called a paiolo, this is great to use for this recipe.Thank-You Evyelyn DiLoreto for mine.) 3C. Water heavy bottom pot (paiolo), and 3 C. water to regular sauce pan. Add salt and corn meal to water in heavy pan and stir with wire whisk to start and then switch to wooden spoon as it thickens. Heat the water in the suacepan to boil and then keep at a simmer. Heat the Polenta mixture to high heat to boil, stirring constantly. Lower heat and simmer, occasionally, for 10 minutes. When the mixture starts to thicken, add another cup of the heated water pan and stir well. Stir constantly for 2 minutes. Cover the pot and let it cook until mixture thickens, approx. 10 min. Polenta should be simmering fast but not boiling. Remove lid, stir well for about 30 seconds. Re-cover and allow to cook another 10 minutes before stirring another 30 seconds. If mixture is too thick,add 1/2 C. heated waterfrom the suasepan, at a time, stirring weel, (You probably won't use all the heated water.) Repeat process once more (for a total of 30 minutes). The polenta should be pulling away from the sides of the panwhen you stir it. If it is not,Stir well and cook another 5-10 minutes. It should have a smooth, not grainy texture. If serving immediately, remove polenta from heat and stir in butter and pepper, then optional cheese. Stir well to combine and serve. If making firm polenta for later use (**MY plan), Cook an extra 5 minutes to thicken a bit more. Lightly oil a 1-1 1/2 Qt. casserole and spoon warm polenta into it, smoothing on top with a spatula or knife.Cool to room temperature, cover with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for about one hour. Polenta will get firm as it cools. That's it. I am not going to add the chees into the polenta this time because my step-son likes the slightly sweet flavor without it. I'll add mine on th side. Because I DO LOVE FRESH Grated Parmesan. MANGIA!