Deep Breathing and Chatty Omelets

Well, Jim and I attended the information class about an exercise regime our local chiropractor was sponsoring. It's done with deep breathing and stretching; making Tai Chi-like movements. We did it at the office last night,and got up early to do it first thing this morning. The dogs kept pacing around us, wondering what all the inhales/exhales were all about. It stimulates your brain, organs and lymph node system. The "jangle" looks as if you're having a spasm, and praising the Lord, all at the same time.
We met the lady from the pool I wrote about earlier, (who, at 61, is going to the Learn More Center because she never had the chance to get any type of education, growing up in the coal mine area of Kentucky,) along with her husband, and friends of theirs for breakfast in Warsaw this morning. We all had omelets, which came out the size of a large calzone. We began the meal, all as strangers, but the conversation never lagged, and at times there were three or four going on all at the same time. All those folks were natives of Kentucky, and by the sounds of it, those two women can really cook. They gave me tips on "good fried chicken," and how biscuits can be ugly but still taste good. They both admitted to making a fantastic sausage gravy. I was thinking up names for the diner they dreamed about opening in their younger years. Kentucky Tucker, Good Grub, Down Home Eats. Anyway, after hugs and handshakes, we hit Wally world, trying to finish up Christmas. We brought up the outside Christmas decorations from the basement now that it's nearly December. We'll be in Florida over Christmas to see the Florida kids/grandboys, and part of my family. It's been in the 20's today, very windy, and they say, by Saturday, our world will be a white one. Being in warmer weather for the holidays sounds pretty inviting and should be a nice reprieve from the bone chilling, yukky stuff, Indiana has to offer!

Hydro-aerobics and Turkey Meatballs...

Nights are in the freeze zone now in northern Indiana. With November more than half gone, it's time to face reality...yep, Winter is coming. Poets say that April is the cruelest month, but for me, it's always been November. The wind whips around, blasting cold air, making whirling dervishes out of the fallen leaves. If you have any achy area on your body, it magnifies, in November. Numerous houses(in town) have those blow up Christmas thingies in their yards now...just wish they had discarded those Halloween pumpkins still on the porch steps first. Sigh...Thanksgiving is cool, but knowing that Winter is out there...lurking....waiting to freeze fingers and feet, and raise havoc with the roads...well, it's just, dare I say it... "poopy!"
Jim and I joined the town's Pool/Fitness center today. We did the hydro-aerobics class and stayed for the lap swim afterwards. We've been married over 10 years and have never seen each other in a swimsuit, or gone swimming together! We enjoyed the class a lot, and the "playtime" afterwards. We'll go three times a week. I wouldn't call it aerobics necessarily, maybe water resistance training is a more accurate term. Jim is a terrific swimmer, and hopes to utilize the fitness center in the basement there, down the road.
November also makes one think of things to be thankful for. Today, we met a lady, probably in her 60's, who never had the opportunity to receive an education. Her father was a coal miner, and her mother died when she was 11 months old. Her older sister raised her, and no one, ever, thought to take her to school. In the last year, she has lost 160 pounds and began taking classes at the Learn More Center in town. Kudos to such a brave lady! She is as nice as can be; just wasn't blessed with the advantages that most of us take for granted. We met her husband, and her dogs, and thoroughly enjoyed our time with her. Education...being able to read...to spell....these are the areas she has the most trouble with, she said. Next time I see a bumper sticker that says, "If you can read this, thank a teacher!" I will think of the lady we met today, and feel humbled somewhat.

Now~for the turkey meatballs. On the WW site, I found a recipe for those appetizer-like meatballs people like to eat at holiday gatherings. Here's the recipe....we had them for supper tonight, and they were a hit!

1bag of (Fit & Active) frozen turkey meatballs, from Aldi's
1 can of jellied cranberry sauce
1 bottle of Heinz Chili sauce.
I mixed up the sauces and poured them over the meatballs in a crockpot. You can heat them for 4 hrs. on high, or 6-8 hrs. on low.
(I've never had these before and the flavor is unique. If you are a WW point counter, each meatball = 1 pt.)

Fred Claus and Applebee's~~

Friday night, date night...as the old song goes. We took Josh to Huntington tonight to see Fred Claus, on its first night out. He's been waiting since May for this one. It was a pretty darn good movie; your typical Christmas movie, but with some new twists. We went to a jammed Applebee's for supper, as did the rest of the population, it seemed; the foyer was jammed with folks, and still jammed when we walked out after our meal. T'was beginning to "feel" a little Christmasy out as temps were down in the 30's. Josh will be going to his Dad's for T-day, so, who knows, Jim and I may have turkey and trimmings in our jammies, and watch movies.

Fall perfection in Chapel Hill~~

Today is the last day in Chapel Hill before heading back to possible snow and colder temps than normal in Indiana. Another blue sky, cool day, with autumn colors, people in sweaters, enjoying voting day. I ran over to a close by plaza to weigh in real quick at Weight Watchers, then joined April, Emmy and Keith to eat alfresco at the Whole Foods(an organic grocery store that has a hot and cold bar with tasty, organic items that are delish!) It's always packed, and the selection is just awesome. Emmy enjoyed the warm air, and loves to people watch. We went to Border's afterwards where she experienced the magazine rack(shiny paper, what fun!) and tasted her first bite of a warm white chocolate macadamia nut cookie....let us just say, she is a future book store/coffee house kind of girl!
They have some new transit buses here that are so odd looking...they look like two bus bodies connected with a slinky, making them very, very long. I could so easily relocate here, everything is here, folks are friendly and people really "like" living here.
Addie sat in the car while I packed up a few things, getting ready for our early morning trip back north. She was a little hard to get back out again, and seemed to be ready to roll. She has throughly enjoyed running in the pine needles and fallen leaves in the kids' woods behind and beside their Indiana farmhouse style home.
Emmy is getting a third tooth, on top this time, and has crawled forward, and signed more all while I've been here. She's always doing something new, and seems to have had a spurt of development all at once. Keith and April are wonderful parents, and Emmy is a very lucky little gal, living in Chapel Hill. We were wondering yesterday if she will develop the local accent, eventho her parents don't speak "south"....most likely she will if her teachers do. April and Keith both voted today, did you?

Cardmaking and Ming Garden dinner...

Today was a perfect fall day in Chapel Hill, with crisp air and blue skies. Five nurses from one of the oncology clinics April works in came to her house today for a card-making class. We made 40 Christmas cards, using various printed cardstocks, stamps,and embellishments, which turned out to be a fun filled day, four hours long. April's hobby turned her into a demonstrator for Stampin' Up. It's a very creative outlet for folks, who like to make cards, stamp, watercolor,make crafts and scrapbook. The kits were pre-cut, and everything we needed with instructions, were all in a bag. She served us lunch and made delicious pumpkin muffins.(These are made the weight watcher way, using a spice cake mix, and a can of pumpkin, and a little water. So moist, so tasty, and only 2 points.....ok, there was cream cheese frosting, but we worked that off, making the cards!) The Website for Stamping Up is :www.stampingup.com/us/enu/default.asp Tonight, we went to the neighborhood plaza and ate at Ming Garden which was a delish asian place. We had steamed veggie dumplings, green beans which had been cooked on a grill, yummy, and pad thai with chicken. We shared the meal, and still had some to bring home. Emmy was charming, and enchanted the restaurant patrons....just like her momma used to do as a cute little 9 month old.
Jim met the Winnebago-Itasca group at the Quaker Steak and Lube, in Portage, Indiana today for the November luncheon. Forty three members of the RV group were there to enjoy the "garage setting". Corvettes were up on the lift, motorcycles, and other vehicles were "wall art" in the realistic oil lube place that is really a steak/wings/sandwich joint with lots of atmosphere. Jake, our male corgi, went along for the ride as it was so far from home; only 19 miles from the Illinois state line.
Jim had a good visit with everyone, enjoyed his day, and we'll get together again on December 8th, for the last gathering for the year. The RV group winterizes their rigs by then, and the snow birds head south for the winter. Our season of camping with them will begin again in April '08.
Well, time for bed in North Carolina.....don't forget to "fall back" your clocks tonight!

Girl's Road-trip, and Onstar...

Addie, our female corgi, and I left town at 10a.m., heading towards North Carolina to see my two favorite girls, April and lil' Emmy. The trees are full of color, but I was surprised how many bare trees there were going through Ohio. Around Chillicothe, the flat terrain of Ohio began getting hilly and rocky, which reminded me of Kentucky. The sky was blue the whole way, and looking up, I just happened to time it so to catch sight of a brown hawk on an updraft, and was able to see his downy underside that looked so soft and plush. What a nice thing to see, on the fly! The tree covered "hills" looked like they were covered with a muted tapestry; really pretty. The Ohio River was sparkling as we crossed it several times this afternoon. There was a loaded barge floating west as we crossed in Charleston, West Virginia, where we stopped for the night, at a dog friendly Red Roof.
Onstar...what a wonderful thing; which we got in our '07 Malibu, when we purchased it this past April. There are 3 push buttons: a phone, 911, and Onstar itself, which helps you if you get locked out of your car, locates a stolen car, and can help contact police and be a friendly voice if you have trouble of any kind on the road. It's a traveling woman's best friend. Today, I had the big three working for me. Jim, on the car's no hands phone, Onstar, and Helga on the GPS. (You just talk up to the rear view mirror, and the radio quiets when a call comes in.) It takes a village, believe me, to get me somewhere, as I'm a small town gal who gets lost on major highways!