Carefully Planned Life?....Not So Much!

Those of you who know me well realize that I am a planner. Being spontaneous is and has always been very difficult for me. I like to know what I am doing and when I am doing it. I suppose that is probably why I gravitated toward finance/accounting in my prior life. With this set up you probably know what is coming right? I had everything scheduled out and knew exactly what I was doing the two weeks before surgery. It appears that the universe had other plans for me. *shakes head* Here is what has been going on in my world:

Saturday:

Saturday morning I made us a new smoothie variation which was very well received. I didn’t measure but I am going to tell you what I did and estimate quantities. When things settle down here I will make this and measure so I can share the specifics.

Chocolate, cherry and kale smoothies were on the menu. In the Vitamix I combined: 1 frozen banana (to add creaminess), 1 bunch kale leaves and stems, approx 1 cup frozen cherries, 1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds (for omega-3’s and lignans), a small handful of walnuts (for more omega-3’s and to add richness), cinnamon to taste (for antioxidants and to help our bodies process the natural sugar in the fruit), vanilla to taste (for flavor), stevia (for a little sweetness), about 2 tablespoons cocoa powder (for both flavor and antioxidants) add as much water as you need to get the mixture to blend. This turned out really well which is why I wanted to share it now rather than waiting until I had a chance to measure.

Saturday was had a nice relaxing day on the water. Our buddy Ian (yes chef Ian), his wife Carmen, and two of their little ones (Sophia and Simon) joined us for some sailing. We got him at the helm right after we left the dock and he stayed there most of the trip. You can’t learn without doing which is why when someone says they want to learn we immediately get them behind the wheel. We had decent wind on Saturday so it was a good day for Ian to get his feet wet (no not literally wet). When we saw Ian Sunday morning he told us he really enjoyed sailing and is looking forward to learning more. :-)

For dinner Dan and I stopped at Me Kong Delta Café for a quick Vietnamese meal.  We had planned to go out with Ian, Carmen and the kids but their oldest son needed to be picked up earlier than expected so it was just the two of us for dinner. Dan eats Vietnamese often for lunch so this place is also becoming a regular stop for us when we are at the boat and I haven’t brought food. If you are local you should check this place out. According to Phiet (who is from Vietnam) the food is authentic. If you go to the restaurant remember to take cash because they don’t take credit. There is a cash machine at the Fresh and Greens on Charles Street (which is nearby) if you forget.

We started dinner with our favorite the tofu and veggie spring rolls.  I don't think we have come here and not gotten these because they are that deliciou.

Next we ordered the veggie and tofu rice since Dan is in a rut. If I were there he would always order the same dishes.

Since we hadn’t eaten lunch we ordered the lemongrass tofu which we had them make spicy.

We also had hot jasmine tea for dinner.  All this food was just over $28. I think this restaurant is quite the bargain.   If you are local and haven't tried it please do.

Sunday:

Sunday morning we started our day at the farmers’ market where we picked up our 5 reusable grocery bags full of local organic produce. After we stopped at the restaurant to drop off Simon’s jacket to Ian we came home to have breakfast. Before we could get to the boat for some sailing we heard from my parents. My father had fallen over the deck when the railing gave way. Fortunately he didn’t fall far but he did mess up his knee and ankle. While Dan ran to the hardware store so that he could fix the deck I took care of my parents.

We are very lucky that my father didn’t break anything. He isn’t your typical 80 year old man and I am sure that helped in this situation. To give you an idea of what I mean my father is already complaining because he can’t exercise given the fall. My father is 6’4”, weighs about 225 pounds and still lifts weights and does cardio. See what I mean about not your typical 80 year old American male? ;-)

I have also been on caregiver duty Monday and Tuesday this week and this will continue for a while. Fortunately my father is starting to improve but he is still using crutches to get around. In between studying for finals, doing laundry and trying to clean the house I have been checking on my parents every one to two hours. Something tells me that I am not going have time to get the Christmas decorations up this weekend and get the boat winterized. *sigh*

As you can probably tell I am a little busy at the moment. I had planned to write a few posts and schedule them for the time when I will be at the hospital but that isn’t working out as I had intended. I will get in at least one more post to let you know when I will be off line.

Happy Thoughts:

• We are all grateful that my father’s fall didn’t result in any broken bones. However I want to point out that I think the reason for that is his exercise routine. I am sure his bones are much stronger than most 80 year olds because of all the weight bearing exercise he does. That is definitely something that I think all of us should try to keep in mind as we age.

• Spending time sailing with Ian on Saturday was a blast. Ian is quite funny and we definitely enjoyed ourselves. Both Dan and I are thrilled that Ian wants to learn how to sail. We had asked him about doing the Annapolis to Bermuda race he was interested then and appears to be more interested now that he has been sailing. :-)

• Studying for my final nutrition test is going well. I have been fitting it in between checking on my parents and trying to get things done at my place. I am definitely looking forward to taking a break from studying over the holidays. However since I love to learn I am already looking for a new program. You aren’t surprised by this are you?

• I am happy that I took the time to start my holiday shopping over a month ago. Knowing that I am going into the holiday season with some of my shopping finished reduces my anxiety particularly since I know that decorating will get a late start.

• It is nice to see holiday decorations going up around town. I took this shot as we were heading north on Charles Street. I love Christmas and particularly the decorations. :-)

• Today I bought tickets to see Jeff Kashiwa, Steve Cole and Kim Walters (The Sax Pack) in March. We both loved Jeff Kashiwa when we saw him play with The Rippington’s last year so we are looking forward to the concert.

• I am also thankful that Dan isn’t working Thursday or Friday this week. I love long weekends and am very much looking forward to more time with my hubby even if it means spending time taking care of my parents and winterizing the boat. With a little luck we will get started decking the halls too. *finger crossed* However even if the tree doesn’t get put up we will be listening to some holiday music because that always puts me in a festive mood.

Signing out:

It was another long day at my house. I am definitely in need of a little relaxation this evening. Unless something comes up I am will listening to jazz, sipping hot green tea and have a “snacky” sort of dinner (probably hummus veggies and salad) and relax.

I hope you are enjoying your short holiday week. Have a wonderful, happy, and healthy Thanksgiving if we don’t get a chance to chat between now and then. Talk with you again soon. :-)