jelly on the plate

So Americans call Jelly - Jello. Irish folks call it Jelly. Americans use the word Jelly for Jam that doesn't have fruit in it. Irish folks call all Jams - well Jam and I don't think we have any that doesn't have fruit in it. Theres certain things we just don't mess with.

Well I'm now addicted to Jelly(Jello). I must have 80 fruit cups and jelly cups in my fridge. I had forgotten how tasty Jelly is. Sister chick laughs at me because I'm claiming to get in a fruit serving eating the jello but not only that - its 40% calcium serving for the day folks ! Yep - eat three of these a day and I get my calcium and possibly fruit serving for the day (OK even I know its a stretch that its my fruit serving ;-) However it is low in calories and low in fat so nah nah nah nah...

So of course now I'm thinking - maybe its just because I haven't had Jelly in such a long time since I was a kid that it tastes so good. So got me thinking - what else am I missing. So I made some toasted banana sandwiches.. Yep , not Elvis style but in a sandwich toaster where it squashes the two pieces of bread together, toasts them and seals them. Banana slices, sugar, butter (we used to eat sugar butter sandwiches as kids but even I am staying away from those - the banana in the bread lets me add sugar ;-). Well I can testify that yes the toasted banana sandwiches are bloody wonderful and made some for himself - actually I made some for supper one night with soup and we really enjoyed them.

So what other early adventures into food am I and you missing out as an adult if the Jelly and the banana sandwiches were that good? Himself brought me home a six pack of flavored Jelly cups a couple of nights ago and I got teary eyed with joy. Forget flowers for Valentines folks, bring your loved one some taste of their youth..

good news :-)

Did some blood tests a couple of weeks ago and found out that I'm a carrier for cystic fibrosis. http://www.cff.org/ Quite a shock really but turns out its very common with Northern Europeans and 1 in 24 is a carrier. Which means that either my Mum or Dad are and likely my siblings are as well as if you're a carrier you pass on 50% of the time. We just got word last night that himself is not a carrier which is fantastic news. Was trying not to worry as worry never helped anything but tis a relief. Treatment of CF has come a long way from when I first heard about it 20 yrs ago and PG they find a cure soon. Just makes you grateful for what you have folks. True Love, Good friends, Family and your health. Everything else is just flotsam.

Reminds me of that Irish advice

Why Worry?

Why Worry?
Theres only two things to worry about -
You're either sick or you're healthy
And if you're healthy why worry?

If you're sick - theres only two things to worry about-
You're either going to live or die
And if you're going to live why worry?

If you're going to die - theres only two things to worry about -
You're either going upstairs to heaven or down to hell
And if you're going to heaven why worry?

If you're going to hell , sure you'll be so busy shaking hands
with all the friends you haven't seen in years wont worry at all.

weekends

I'm sure most folks feel the same, but I want longer weekends. I want three day weekends every weekend so I can enjoy them. I normally wake at 7am during the week without the alarm. At weekends my brain signals Queen of Sheba and I stay in bed until 1030am when my did I mention wonderful hubbie brings me breakfast in bed. So the days half over before I get up. Of course no one to blame but myself but I think 3 day weekends would have most of us working a more effective workweek. We all relax during the week and hard pressed to find anyone who says they give every day of the 5 days of work their absolute all. While we're at it I want the summers off again. As a school kid and then in college you really get used to having those summers off, then you hit workforce and none... OK maybe every Summer is a bit much to ask for but we can dream, cant we... ;-)

Anyway we had a lovely weekend. We went to see the Queen and really enjoyed the movie Saturday night. The cinema is literally across the street and a small one but great seats and screens. Because its not a huge one we avoid all the talking teens and folks who seem challenged during movies and have to keep asking their friends whats going on. Even when its a cartoon and painfully obvious...

Sunday we went for a walk downtown Campbell to Sonoma chickens for lunch and walked back - it was a lovely sunny day with a breeze perfect for walking. Then of course last night was first BattleStarGalatica night again. They moved to Sunday, I suppose to grab more folks but puts a bummer on our previous all Friday Sci Fi nights. We are geeks in a pattern folks who enjoyed our curry and all Friday sci fi shows. No curry for a while but more on that later ;-)

Now comes the planning for spring and summer weekends. We wont be going anywhere really far away this year, which is a bummer but there ya go. We had planned to go to our friend Alan's wedding in April in China which was exciting but we cant go unfortunately and wish we could. Hes a great mate, I've known him since my first summer in America at Camp and has come to Ireland for my birthday and our wedding last year. I've got to think of something fun to send him to send our sorry for not being able to make it.

Anyway - here's Monday again and another week. They are just whizzing by at this point. Weather is getting warmer and time to get moving again. Wake the blood up folks its time to work. Just don't forget ; work to live, don't live to work...

Vroom Vroom

So himself picked up our new car yesterday - a Prius Toyota Hybrid in blue. Very snazzy and we went for a wee spin late last night. Its so much different than a regular car with its power button and park button. Its as smooth as a bigger car but drives as quiet as a golf cart.. Gets about 40 miles per gallon so that's a good thing and good for us to have one very reliable car. His old golf went off to the dealers for a tradein and none too soon, had started those wee car problems that normally mean $2k-$3K car bills

Now to find a hybrid for me with heated seats...

New Years

So myself and himself flew to Florida for Dec 27th and my folks flew in from Ireland.

Things we learnt while over there

1. My Mum will actually go to Walmart every day if she can. She also will try things on if I make her but it doesnt matter as she will come back next day or day after to change them saying they dont fit. Its somehow different at home than dressing rooms in Walmart.

2. Apples to Apples is a very bloody funny board game and if you havent played it I recommend it now. We played it on New Years with himselfs folks, mine and two friends of his parents. We laughed ourselves sick

3. Telling your parents that hot weather is not normal and unseasonably warm weather for Florida of 80 degrees in December doesnt matter. They will now think its 80 degrees every December no matter what you say until they go there one year and its snowing...

4. My Mum loves to shop and its best to go at 530pm so the shops will close and she will eventually leave


5. When going to Chilis restaurant make sure that the waitress doesnt accidently throw a plate of leftovers over your father in laws head while clearing up. They did give him his meal free and pay for his cleaning bill but nothing can take away the memory of taco salad head...


6. When JetBlue says it will be a bumpy ride home from Florida - believe them. 2 and half hrs later of turbelence and two vomit bags later - I could see they werent joking


7. This year my new years resolution is just to enjoy friends and family as much as possible and put on more weight. Yep figured thats an easier one to keep ;-)

We had a fantastic time in Florida and actually rested up - no internet access and just a pool, hot tub and 80 degree days to sit read and shop by.

Hope yours was all wonderful too and talk to you soon friends