working out for Disney

[HouCuseChickie]

Good morning-

I did an hour of yoga this morning and will be out for a walk when it warms up a bit. Most people are good about keeping their distance, but I do get the occasional person who is a butt about it. Yesterday, I encountered a man who refused to move and I had a hedge on my side, so we were not 6 ft apart, more like two.

I have all the ingredients to make a glazed lemon poundcake, but it uses three eggs. I want to minimize shop trips, so I am thinking twice about making it. I've been on a baking tear the past 10 days. I made a Hummingbird Cake for my husband's birthday and banana bread last week and I made 3 loaves of baguettes on Monday.

I'm thinking there is not going to be a graduation ceremony for my son's graduating class in June. They give 20 tickets per student! It is supposed to take place at Temple U in Philly, but I'd be shocked if this happens. My MIL purchased tickets to fly in from the UK a couple of weeks ago, so it's doubtful she'll be coming now. My mother has lupus and RA and is on meds that make her immunocompromised and she is the caregiver for my grandmother who is 85 with a neurodegenerative disease, they are last people who should be boarding planes and attending large gatherings. I hope the school can still do something special for this class. This is all so surreal.

I canceled my hair appointment for tomorrow. I'm sporting a serious "skunk stripe" and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

It's really challenging in some places, but frustrating when people are in a spot where there are options and they just don't choose to be smart.

Man...all of that baking sounds amazing! I have been resisting the urge. I still have some eggs, but I really don't want to be out at the store when we have plenty of food.

I've heard from several people whose seniors are losing out on so many senior class tradition in an effort help flatten the curve. Prom, senior trips, graduation, etc. Just such a mess. I have a friend with lupus and the stress alone is sending her into a flare. We've been trying to encourage her to stay home and get her husband and kids to go out for things for her. It really is crazy.

Thankfully, I just use home dye kits, but not sure of the point if we hit a point where we're not leaving the house. Hey, just rock the skunk with pride!

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Well, no workout yesterday and so far, none today. The running in the pollen seems to really hurt my system. I am back to feeling like I was a couple of weeks ago. No fever or anything like that, but just trying to not aggravate things either. We're expecting rain, so hopefully it'll wash the pollen out of the air.

Like so many of us, I'm just trying to stay sane with the world going mad. My husband has been shifted to work from home. He isn't a fan of it, but I think he's adjusting. I, on the other hand...who regularly work from home, am still required to go into the office on my in-office days. They are just making the in-office rules more and more stringent as the situation develops. Still, I think it's going to be impossible to maintain social distancing in more narrow halls and I'm guessing we're going to line up 1 at a time to take the elevator. My kids were on spring break last week, but supposed to return to school this week. Obviously, that did not happen. The teachers are taking a bit to get everything organized, so I'm playing teacher for the time being. I make daily lesson plans (math, social studies field trips, art/music, PE, reading/writing, science), ring the bell, say the pledge, etc. Today, I got a bunch of cancellation texts from the orthodontist followed by a panicky call to get my younger one in pronto, since she's scheduled for a device to be installed, and not just routine maintenance. So, that freaked me out as well.

I saw an article about people putting up holiday lights to help spread some joy and hope. Some people think it's nuts while others love it. I figure it's something people can still enjoy while social distancing. I may go through with it this Saturday.

 

[Songbird76]

Good morning-

I did an hour of yoga this morning and will be out for a walk when it warms up a bit. Most people are good about keeping their distance, but I do get the occasional person who is a butt about it. Yesterday, I encountered a man who refused to move and I had a hedge on my side, so we were not 6 ft apart, more like two.

I have all the ingredients to make a glazed lemon poundcake, but it uses three eggs. I want to minimize shop trips, so I am thinking twice about making it. I've been on a baking tear the past 10 days. I made a Hummingbird Cake for my husband's birthday and banana bread last week and I made 3 loaves of baguettes on Monday.

I'm thinking there is not going to be a graduation ceremony for my son's graduating class in June. They give 20 tickets per student! It is supposed to take place at Temple U in Philly, but I'd be shocked if this happens. My MIL purchased tickets to fly in from the UK a couple of weeks ago, so it's doubtful she'll be coming now. My mother has lupus and RA and is on meds that make her immunocompromised and she is the caregiver for my grandmother who is 85 with a neurodegenerative disease, they are last people who should be boarding planes and attending large gatherings. I hope the school can still do something special for this class. This is all so surreal.

I canceled my hair appointment for tomorrow. I'm sporting a serious "skunk stripe" and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

Can you actually get baking ingredients?? People are stockpiling here and even though most people don't bake, things like flour and eggs are out. Well, actually, for some reason I haven't been able to get flour for weeks, even before all the Corona hoarding. I asked and they said they got some in a week ago, but none since then. Then this morning, I saw they had self-rising flour again, so I asked if they had also gotten regular in. She said no. I asked if there was a way for me to order it because you can order things as long as it's in their system. But she said no because it's unavailable at the moment. They keep telling us there's plenty of everything, no one needs to stockpile, but then some things are out for weeks and I'm told they can't get it in.

 

[Sans Souci]

Well, no workout yesterday and so far, none today. The running in the pollen seems to really hurt my system. I am back to feeling like I was a couple of weeks ago. No fever or anything like that, but just trying to not aggravate things either. We're expecting rain, so hopefully it'll wash the pollen out of the air.

Like so many of us, I'm just trying to stay sane with the world going mad. My husband has been shifted to work from home. He isn't a fan of it, but I think he's adjusting. I, on the other hand...who regularly work from home, am still required to go into the office on my in-office days. They are just making the in-office rules more and more stringent as the situation develops. Still, I think it's going to be impossible to maintain social distancing in more narrow halls and I'm guessing we're going to line up 1 at a time to take the elevator. My kids were on spring break last week, but supposed to return to school this week. Obviously, that did not happen. The teachers are taking a bit to get everything organized, so I'm playing teacher for the time being. I make daily lesson plans (math, social studies field trips, art/music, PE, reading/writing, science), ring the bell, say the pledge, etc. Today, I got a bunch of cancellation texts from the orthodontist followed by a panicky call to get my younger one in pronto, since she's scheduled for a device to be installed, and not just routine maintenance. So, that freaked me out as well.

I saw an article about people putting up holiday lights to help spread some joy and hope. Some people think it's nuts while others love it. I figure it's something people can still enjoy while social distancing. I may go through with it this Saturday.

I'm not impressed with our school district's response to this. They made it sound like classes were going to be conducted online and it's just been looking up homework assignments online, doing and turning in said assignment. I guess the bright side is we're close to the end of the school year and this didn't happen in Sept. or Oct.

 

[Sans Souci]

Hello-

I did an hour of "cardio yoga" which was grueling and not enjoyable, tbh. Then I followed that up with a quick core yoga practice. I'm hoping to get out for a walk, but honestly, so many people are out and very few are concerned about the 6 ft rule. I'm thinking of staying in. I might start weeding my yard to get fresh air instead.

I'm done with my baking for now. I did end up making lemon pound cake, but tomorrow is my weekly weigh in and I'm certain I'm going to be up a bit. It was keeping me occupied, so I liked that aspect of it.

I'm making honey mustard chicken in my Instant Pot with roasted veggies and brown rice for dinner tonight.

Other than that, I'm just putting one foot in front of the other, like we all are. TBH, I'm more angry about this virus than worried. I'm worried, too. But right now, I'm definitely angry with how this has caused such a drastic change in our lives in so many ways and it's early days, yet. I'm angry that some people feel it's ok to write older people off so easily, too.

 

[Sans Souci]

Can you actually get baking ingredients?? People are stockpiling here and even though most people don't bake, things like flour and eggs are out. Well, actually, for some reason I haven't been able to get flour for weeks, even before all the Corona hoarding. I asked and they said they got some in a week ago, but none since then. Then this morning, I saw they had self-rising flour again, so I asked if they had also gotten regular in. She said no. I asked if there was a way for me to order it because you can order things as long as it's in their system. But she said no because it's unavailable at the moment. They keep telling us there's plenty of everything, no one needs to stockpile, but then some things are out for weeks and I'm told they can't get it in.

I got eggs and flour on Saturday. I haven't been back to the supermarket since, so I don't know. I bought an extra bag of flour, because I figured I can easily bake some bread so nobody has to go out for it. I've been trying to find tofu, freaking tofu, of all things and I am coming up empty. Who knew they are people who would hoard tofu? Good grief, I've seen it all now.

 

[epcotisbest]

@MinnieM123 I made one of my more weird breakfasts today, so weird my wife would not even taste it, but that's OK, more for me.
We had leftover meatballs and spaghetti sauce from the other day and I took some of it, added peppers and onions and mushrooms and a can of roast beef hash and simmered it down until all the liquid was reduced out and the diced potatoes in the hash started to crisp up a little.
The flavor of the spaghetti sauce was amplified and really added to the roast beef hash, and it went especially good with scrambled eggs. Of course, after I took the pic I doused it with Tiger Sauce for extra kick.
This was really good. My wife just shook her head and said no when I tried to share, and she just continued with her boring old shredded wheat.

 

[epcotisbest]

I got eggs and flour on Saturday. I haven't been back to the supermarket since, so I don't know. I bought an extra bag of flour, because I figured I can easily bake some bread so nobody has to go out for it. I've been trying to find tofu, freaking tofu, of all things and I am coming up empty. Who knew they are people who would hoard tofu? Good grief, I've seen it all now.

Tofu, yeah I have never needed extra tofu, or even one can (does it come in a can?).

 

[epcotisbest]

Other than that, I'm just putting one foot in front of the other, like we all are. TBH, I'm more angry about this virus than worried. I'm worried, too. But right now, I'm definitely angry with how this has caused such a drastic change in our lives in so many ways and it's early days, yet. I'm angry that some people feel it's ok to write older people off so easily, too.

My wife is working from home now and for the foreseeable future and is trying to juggle multiple offices and many people needing many things. I don't see how she is not screaming out of frustration, but I am trying to be supportive and stay out of the way the best I can.
Was just watching the news and kids on spring break talking about how they were not worried about all this and they were going to party anyway. These same brilliant kids will be coming home and possibly bringing bad stuff to mom and dad and maybe grandparents. A couple they interviewed on the news just needed some sense slapped into them, but I'm afraid that probably would not help.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Can you actually get baking ingredients?? People are stockpiling here and even though most people don't bake, things like flour and eggs are out. Well, actually, for some reason I haven't been able to get flour for weeks, even before all the Corona hoarding. I asked and they said they got some in a week ago, but none since then. Then this morning, I saw they had self-rising flour again, so I asked if they had also gotten regular in. She said no. I asked if there was a way for me to order it because you can order things as long as it's in their system. But she said no because it's unavailable at the moment. They keep telling us there's plenty of everything, no one needs to stockpile, but then some things are out for weeks and I'm told they can't get it in.

Eggs are one of the things that have been tough to find here. You have to time store visits just right to get certain things or happen to hit the right store. It's tempting to bake, but I haven't been baking much, so probably better if I just use the eggs I have as I normally would...for hard boiled, breakfast, etc. We had a run on flour about a week ago when bread started flying off shelves. What's funny...you'd think there would also be a run yeast, but there was plenty of that. So, I at least picked up yeast in case I want to make bread with what I've got. Honestly, it's the TP shortage that worries me. We're currently good on TP, but the older one uses it like the shelves are stocked! I am so sick of unclogging toilets because of her excess TP usage.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

My wife is working from home now and for the foreseeable future and is trying to juggle multiple offices and many people needing many things. I don't see how she is not screaming out of frustration, but I am trying to be supportive and stay out of the way the best I can.
Was just watching the news and kids on spring break talking about how they were not worried about all this and they were going to party anyway. These same brilliant kids will be coming home and possibly bringing bad stuff to mom and dad and maybe grandparents. A couple they interviewed on the news just needed some sense slapped into them, but I'm afraid that probably would not help.

I saw that and it just makes me so mad. I feel bad every time I have to go out...and that's HAVE TO. I worry about what I could be bringing home and then it keeps me thinking about the future and how long before I won't fear possibly exposing my parents...even if we're all trying to be smart with this. I feel for your wife. Even though I normally work from home several days a week, it's different when it's every day and the conditions with it.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

@MinnieM123 I made one of my more weird breakfasts today, so weird my wife would not even taste it, but that's OK, more for me.
We had leftover meatballs and spaghetti sauce from the other day and I took some of it, added peppers and onions and mushrooms and a can of roast beef hash and simmered it down until all the liquid was reduced out and the diced potatoes in the hash started to crisp up a little.
The flavor of the spaghetti sauce was amplified and really added to the roast beef hash, and it went especially good with scrambled eggs. Of course, after I took the pic I doused it with Tiger Sauce for extra kick.
This was really good. My wife just shook her head and said no when I tried to share, and she just continued with her boring old shredded wheat.

View attachment 457285

Looks good to me. I would have tried it.

 

[Sans Souci]

@MinnieM123 I made one of my more weird breakfasts today, so weird my wife would not even taste it, but that's OK, more for me.
We had leftover meatballs and spaghetti sauce from the other day and I took some of it, added peppers and onions and mushrooms and a can of roast beef hash and simmered it down until all the liquid was reduced out and the diced potatoes in the hash started to crisp up a little.
The flavor of the spaghetti sauce was amplified and really added to the roast beef hash, and it went especially good with scrambled eggs. Of course, after I took the pic I doused it with Tiger Sauce for extra kick.
This was really good. My wife just shook her head and said no when I tried to share, and she just continued with her boring old shredded wheat.

View attachment 457285

No judgements here. I sometimes eat dinner leftovers for breakfast. Just this week, I had lasagna for breakfast.

 

[Sans Souci]

Good morning,

This morning was "strength yoga." I'm not sure the phrase "Embrace the suck." has a place in a yoga class, but he said it. I did back out of the "suck" in certain poses, rather than embracing it though. Life is too short to do things that suck in an activity that's supposed to be enjoyable, especially right now.

I'm hoping to get out for a walk today. It's supposed to be 79 here, so I am marinating some pork tenderloin (Cuban-style) to go on the grill later. I'll serve it with Cuban black beans and rice with a salad. I am hoping sit outside today with a cup of coffee, or if I am feeling edgy, a glass of Pinot Grigio.

I hope everyone is safe and finding ways to stay sane.

 

[Songbird76]

I'm not impressed with our school district's response to this. They made it sound like classes were going to be conducted online and it's just been looking up homework assignments online, doing and turning in said assignment. I guess the bright side is we're close to the end of the school year and this didn't happen in Sept. or Oct.

Yeah, that's what ours has been too. It's fine for some kids who are really fast learners and don't necessarily need a demonstration or whatever. My kids are both really lucky in that they can work independently and figure out how to do things without much instruction. But 1/3 of my daughter's class was already in danger of having to repeat the year and be kicked out of the dual immersion program. Some of them really struggle with Physics, Math, French, and German especially. They will have an even tougher time with no instruction. 2 of her best friends are in that group and probably won't make it now. It's sad.

In 6th grade, the kids take a national test to determine what level of high school best fits them and it's usually in April. It's been canceled this year, which is sad. Teachers give advice and then they take the test, which is basically just a confirmation. But sometimes the teachers might be biased against a certain kid or group of kids and give them lower advice. If they score higher on the test than the advice that was given, the teacher has to review the situation and possibly adjust their advice. Now all those kids will just be relegated to the lower level schools. For some, it might be a relief because it's always a stressful time for the kids and for their parents and teachers...there's a lot riding on it, so there's immense pressure to do well for most kids. So some are probably relieved that they don't have to do the test, but for anyone who was hoping for a chance to prove themselves is going to just be stuck.

 

[Songbird76]

I got eggs and flour on Saturday. I haven't been back to the supermarket since, so I don't know. I bought an extra bag of flour, because I figured I can easily bake some bread so nobody has to go out for it. I've been trying to find tofu, freaking tofu, of all things and I am coming up empty. Who knew they are people who would hoard tofu? Good grief, I've seen it all now.

Yeah, still no flour here. I've been going to the store as soon as it opens each morning to look. I figure when they finally get it in, I want to be the first one to get it and I'm going to buy 2 bags. (I think they are only kilo bags here...you can't buy a big bag of flour here. Bigger bags don't exist) That's one thing I really miss about the States, actually....the larger sizes of products. Big bottles of shampoo or soap, big bags of flour, bags of powdered sugar, packages with 4 sticks of butter...you can't buy bulk here. And even if you could, people don't have deep freezers here so you have the freezer part of your refrigerator and that's it. You can't keep a supply of anything the way you can in the US.

 

[Songbird76]

Eggs are one of the things that have been tough to find here. You have to time store visits just right to get certain things or happen to hit the right store. It's tempting to bake, but I haven't been baking much, so probably better if I just use the eggs I have as I normally would...for hard boiled, breakfast, etc. We had a run on flour about a week ago when bread started flying off shelves. What's funny...you'd think there would also be a run yeast, but there was plenty of that. So, I at least picked up yeast in case I want to make bread with what I've got. Honestly, it's the TP shortage that worries me. We're currently good on TP, but the older one uses it like the shelves are stocked! I am so sick of unclogging toilets because of her excess TP usage.

I'm good on TP....I buy the 40 roll packs when they are on sale. I have about 80 rolls of TP, and none of it was bought since people started stockpiling. I bought it all before that happened. Eggs you have to hit right at the right time at the right store, but they are doing pretty well restocking within a day or two. I probably should have picked up some rice and pasta today, and maybe a bag of potatoes, but I didn't think to. But the flour there is something going on. I'm not sure why, but none of the stores have had any for weeks...it's not coming in, and when I tried to order it, they told me I can't because they don't know when they will get it. It's just undeliverable at the moment.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

I'm good on TP....I buy the 40 roll packs when they are on sale. I have about 80 rolls of TP, and none of it was bought since people started stockpiling. I bought it all before that happened. Eggs you have to hit right at the right time at the right store, but they are doing pretty well restocking within a day or two. I probably should have picked up some rice and pasta today, and maybe a bag of potatoes, but I didn't think to. But the flour there is something going on. I'm not sure why, but none of the stores have had any for weeks...it's not coming in, and when I tried to order it, they told me I can't because they don't know when they will get it. It's just undeliverable at the moment.

That's interesting that the flour is such a hard item to come by. I must admit that I haven't been into our local stores in over a week. My husband has made a few runs to the big bulk stores since he's had better luck with milk and bread, but I haven't been in to look in on the flour situation. It kind of makes me wonder where your flour is sourced. At this point, all I can say is that I hope it returns soon. This is all so crazy...changing sometimes by the minute. So, I'm hoping things improve soon for everyone.

 

[epcotisbest]

So I had my first grilling failure of the spring season this evening. One of my favorites is meatloaf and I usually make them moist and tender with lots of flavor. Today I upped the cooking temp from my usual 300 to 350 with the goal of finishing sooner.
That worked but the outside sorta burned when I hit my internal temperature goal of 160. It was a little dry too. I also forgot an airspace between the platesetter and drip pan, so the drippings burned as well. Guess I tried to rush things.
I just trimmed off the burned part and we did salvage the vast majority of it, but this was a fail.
There is plenty left for good old meatloaf sandwiches, maybe we can dice some of it up for tacos or burritos and, knowing me, perhaps a bit for some breakfast hash...yeah, might give that a try.

 

[epcotisbest]

OK, failure number two...sitting here having a cup of after dinner coffee (Southern Pecan with hazelnut creamer) and I reached over to grab my cup, did not pay a lot of attention and spilled half the cup down my chin and all over my shirt. Mostly missed my mouth, as big of a target as that is. It must be old age or something.