kitty companiona

kitty companiona

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Vegetating

I must quit vegetating!

Over a week ago a friend emailed me and made a statement about life after the kids are gone and retirement that really slapped me on the side of the head.  I realized that I am really wasting what I have left of my life.  Sitting around with no motivation and no energy is not the way I want to spend the next twenty years.

I have been so sedentary over the winter and now it is continuing into the summer.  And when I'm depressed and sitting around doing nothing, well....I'm doing SOMETHING and it's usually eating.  And the pounds have a sneaky way of adding up and on.  Shortness of breath and more lethargy are the result.  Vicious Cycle!

The decision to try Weight Watchers *AGAIN* has been forced upon me if I want to have any life at all.  But does it ever take time!  And planning.  And I become obsessive.  All my creative energy will now be channeled into planning meals, trying to make them healthy, and attractive enough to keep me from straying off into the lazy world of prepackaged food.  Eating non-healthy is so EASY!

So which of my other creative outlets can I sacrafice?  Rug hooking? No.  Knitting?  Probably.  Staring out the kitchen window?  Yeah, that one I can do without.  And less weight means more energy.  Right?

So to celebrate the life-changing decision, Zip and I took a trip to the Kitchen Shoppe in Carlisle PA.  The shop is housed in a lovely historic barn.  Down the hill behind the barn is the famous LeTort trout stream.



About twenty years ago I used to work here as a sous chef.  It was great fun and I got to meet quite a few rather popular cookbook authors.  They have a delightful teaching kitchen where you can watch the meals being prepared and then get to sample them.

The shop is FILLED with every kind of cooking equipment imaginable. 

The pots and pans.


Check out this huge selection of baking pans.  On the other side of the shelf are all the cake and bundt and specialty baking pans.


These are just part of the 'gadget' walls.


Small kitchen appliances for every need.


The coffee and tea counter always has a few samples for tasting.


A peek in the door of the teaching kitchen.  They were just finishing up a class so I didn't go inside.  The large mirror over the counter makes it possible to watch the chef as food is being prepared. 


You can hardly go there and not come home inspired.  They also have table settings, fine china, linens, cookbooks and tempting things too numerous to list.  If you love cooking and kitchen decorating, this is a great place to visit.

Afterward we drove down to the bridge and looked at the beautiful meadow with the stream flowing through.  Such a beautiful and peaceful place!


So now my vegetating needs to take a different direction.

More greens have come into the house and been consumed in the last week than all of the last six months.
I am trying to keep it simple but interesting. 

Here are some of the results.  Yeah, I'm taking pictures.
Ham, eggs and asparagus for breakfast.



Tabbouleh for lunch. This is made with avacado, zucchini, cilantro and lime juice instead of the middle-eastern version with cucumber, mint and lemon.


Our local Weis market had a really good sale on seafood this week.
I sauteed mahi-mahi in fresh tomato and cilantro.


The leftovers made a great next-day lunch in a pita with avacado, greens, and some taco seasoning.


A summer feast!  Lobster, corn and a fresh green salad.


Summer rolls stuffed with greens, zucchini strips and imitation crab, with an Oriental dipping sauce.


See what I mean about taking a lot of time?  Planning and preparing creative meals is a full-time job.
I just hope I can stay interested for more than a week.

So there is no new rug being started.  My sweater is still waiting to be blocked and sewn together and the socks are back in the knitting bag.

I have done some sewing.  Brad and Kami are going to be at Old Bedford Village this weekend for a "wild west weekend".  Brad needed a pair of late 19th century pants so that was my one productive effort of the past week.




 The  fabric is 100% wool so the leftovers can be used in a rug.

I will close with some cuteness. 

We have a small group of stray/half feral cats in our neighborhood.  We put out food, but only one or two are tame enough to touch.  This is one of the wild babies from this spring.  I know I have ENOUGH cats, but if I can ever catch this one, it will be an indoor kitty.


Thanks for stopping in!

16 comments:

  1. Pat, I am so impressed by your culinary expertise that if I had the time I would cook like that. My meals are healthy but my presentation lacks luster for sure. Yours makes everything look like it comes from real nice cookbook.

    I'm hoping that you will keep it up and I would love for you to show us pictures of your healthy meals.

    I get a lot of exercise but that's because I have a lot of walking back and forth from one end to the other and then back home and I have to cut the lawn with a push lawn mower.

    I used to go for brisk walks but since I work at the farm, I don't bother anymore. I hope that you feel super energized real soon and Zip will also zippier... Hugs, JB

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  2. I know what you mean about sitting around I am doing it. I am trying to move more I will say it helps. I love that kitty.
    cathy

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  3. I am so empathetic to the whole lethargy thing. With all of the changes in my life...I'm rewarding myself with food...does the ice-cream cone I just ate explain everything? I used to be so active and now, I can barely shlep home and think about dinner. I do want to change that, like you do. I love all of your meals...they look so good. I have great ideas for veggies and good stuff...but it does take effort. Maybe we need a little blogging support group to do some exercise and eat better!
    The little kitty is sweet. My husband has promised me a cat when we move. I've been looking on-line, but I will go to the shelter and really get the feel for the cat. I'm thinking of an older cat, as they are harder to find homes for than a kitten. I really can't wait...I hope Gus feels the same!
    Courtney

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  4. OMG...the kitchen store is calling me! Have never seen so much temptation in one place! Your meals look beyond fantastic. I first thought you were showing us restaurant meals. The kitten is precious and I say that partly because my cat must have looked exactly like that when he was a kitten. I got him as an adult from a shelter and he is beautiful. His white belly is adorable! I hope you can catch him!

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  5. I just love your food adventure posts. Your dishes are very tempting looking (and tasty I'm sure). And that store .... What a treat. I would go nuts in the gadget section. Good luck on weight watchers.

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  6. Oh, forgot to mention - now I feel guilty and bad because I'm eating a bag of Doritos right now!

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  7. Pat ~
    Your food presentation is gorgeous ~ worthy of Martha Stewart! And it sounds yummy, too.
    Is there anything you can't do? Those pants look so professionally made!
    That kitty is too sweet. I hope he/she figures out that you would be the best momma in the whole wide world!!!
    Pug hugs :)
    Lauren

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  8. Hi Pat!!! Seems like ages since I visited, I think I somehow missed your last post :-( The meals on your new diet plan look amazing (want to share your tabbouleh recipe?), my mouth is watering just from the pictures. You are so right it's hard to stay motivated if the food isn't appealing. I wanted to lose a few lbs. before the wedding so I stopped eating sugar in all it's glorious forms and boy was it boring, but admittedly it did the trick! Good luck, I hope you see some results because its easier to stick with things when your waistband tells you its working :-)

    Oh my gosh that kitten is adorable...I'm sure he would make a great addition to your gang!!!

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  9. Pat, I'm back... I just wanted to answer your question about the twin heifer probably being sterile. There is a cross-over of blood between the male and the female while in the uterus and this causes some problem to the reproductive tracks as the male testosterone interferes with her fertility. I hope that I got that right.

    By the way, I would love to visit that cookware store, not that I need another gadget but I'm sure that I would come home with and armful. JB

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  10. Pat,
    You should be running one of those cooking shows on TV! Those meals look fabulous! I'd say they are worth the extra effort to prepare..... everything is so fresh and wonderfully presented! I wish I had your talent for cooking. We eat the same things over and over and every once in awhile I try something new. One thing it's hard to obtain a lot of the unusual ingredients here...... but I haven't tried too hard I guess.
    I wish you great success with the new eating and lifestyle changes. We are firm believers in walking everyday and with my arthritis some days it's very hard to manage. It helps with the energy and the frame of mind. Even a 10 minute walk if thats all I can manage.
    Cute kitten. I hope you can catch him too! Courtney should swing by and take him to Maine on her way there! Now aren't I full of bright ideas! LOL!
    Can't wait to see your upcoming posts!
    Cathy G

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  11. Your pictures of your new eating style are gorgeous!! They look like cookbook photos! You are very creative even with food ~ wish I were! And wish I would change my eating habits!! I am walking 2 miles a day but believe me, nothing much has happened!!! Continued good luck with your new eating plan!!!

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  12. OMG! Sign me up! You make Weight Watchers look like a gourmet experience! Heck! I got more energy just looking at all of the good foods you cooked up! :-) You're right though... I was on WW awhile back... and I do remember how much more energy I had after treating food like it was "fuel" rather than just "anything quick" to stop my stomach from growling... That kitchen store looks like a fun place too! I'll have to take a trip out there. Cute kitty! I would be tempted to grab her up too! ;-)

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  13. Hmm, I'm thinking I was at that kitchen place years ago. If it's the one that's near the turnpike?
    Anyway, great store, and how interesting to learn a little more about you! Cheering you on with your decision with Weight Watchers. With your experience, I'm sure every meal will look and taste delicious and be healthy. Keep it up Pat!

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  14. I had to restrain myself from licking the computer screen--those meals look FABULOUS!!

    That kitten is adorable!

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  15. Hi Pat....meals look fabulous is right ....you should have your own cooking show on TV....wow please come cook for me....I don't like too cook but I like to eat...best of luck on WW ,hope you meet you goals soon...

    Nettie

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  16. Pat, I understand you on wanting to lose weight
    and feel better. OH MY your photos of the food you have been eating are so yummy looking! I am coming to your house..Ha! I agree with Nettie...You should have your own cooking show...Now you know I love the kitty photo...

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