Simply Balisha

Simply Balisha

Monday, December 29, 2014

This and That

                             
Christmas is almost over. We have one more celebration on the 4th. Did it seem like Christmas this year? I have heard several people say that it just didn't seem like Christmas to them. Maybe the fact that we didn't have any snow, but there are lots of places that never have any snow. Do those people get the Christmas blahs...I wonder.I seem to have those blahs today....so I will get out and visit my local grocery. Our fridge is sort of empty, after all the holiday feasting.

 I rented a movie called The November Man over the weekend. I thought that Joe would like an action film. Then last night, he went to the video store and brought home Magic in the Moonlight. It was a film starring Colin Firth and Emma Watson. He knew that I would love this film. Loved the clothes....sort of like the clothes in Downton Abbey.(Can't wait for the 4th...when Downton starts the new season) We both enjoyed seeing the old cars and lovely gardens on the estate.   A couple of days ago, I watched Truman Capote's A Christmas Memory starring Patty Duke. A cup of hot chocolate, an easy chair, my afghan and a wonderful film to enjoy. 

I've developed a cough. It's a lot like and asthma cough. Chest gets tight and uncomfortable. I only cough here at home. As soon as I come in the door...I start in. I've tried to think of anything new that I have put in the house. My geraniums, that sit right next to me in the computer room, were just blooming. I decided to toss them. We just switched bed covers and I put the down comforter away. I love milk, but I have stopped drinking it. I've always been bothered by allergies. My son has asthma, grandson too. My brother is allergic to pine trees.  Dad was allergic to down, and different cheeses, and he had asthma. Until I married Joe...I lived amongst smokers. My daughter and I were the only ones who were non smokers. At my yearly physical, I talked to the Dr. about this and he told me to try Musinex. He said my lungs are clear. So, here I am trying to find the culprit. Thinking that we will have the carpet cleaned. We usually do this in the early spring or fall, but I want to do what I can to stop this. Any ideas???

Well, it's nice to see the sun today. It was a nice trip to the grocery. Everyone is so kind...a pleasure to shop in our little town. So much more personal than the big stores. Friendly, helpful clerks at my beck and call. Help out to the car with my groceries. Friendly conversation. Recipe exchanges often. I know it's more expensive, but I have an argument for that. There isn't as big a selection in a small town store. Not so many temptations. If you watch the sales and make a detailed list...I do believe that you can spend about the same at each store...counting the gas that is spent for driving a distance. Maybe a little more at a small store, but the benefits are many. Joe prefers the big stores in Rockford, but I don't like the drive. So, he does 1/2 the shopping and I do the rest. It works out well for us. 

Guess I better close. I have chop suey cooking for dinner. I was going to have shrimp stir fry, but since we have already had fish over the weekend, I decided to change the menu. Stir fry will come later in the week.

Have a nice day....Balisha

9 comments:

  1. Hope you are feeling better soon.
    Have not had chop suey in ages
    how do you make :)
    can I make for one...

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  2. This makes quite a bit, so would probably be nice when you have company.
    Servings:
    6


    1 lb tender cut of beef or pork cut into cubes
    2 cups beef stock
    1 cup onion, chopped
    1 (28 ounce) can of la choy chop suey vegetables
    an extra can of bean sprouts
    1 (8 ounce) can sliced water chestnuts
    mushrooms are nice...either fresh or canned
    1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
    1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
    2 tablespoons soy sauce
    1 tablespoon bead molasses, I have used regular molasses but bead is so much better
    I brown the meat and then braise in sm amount of water until tender. While the rice is cooking I add the vegetables and water chestnuts to the meat and beef stock. Today I added some celery to the beef while it was cooking. I make a slurry of the corn starch and water and add to the mixture to thicken. Then let it cook until rice is done. I served it with rice and chow mein noodles. We used soy sauce at the table. I use the light soy sauce.
    I have added a packet of French's mushroom gravy for more flavor. Not necessary.

    I don't know how you could cut this recipe down. I have frozen leftovers, but it never tastes as good.

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  3. Our almost 4 year old nephew said several times Christas Day that it wasn't Christmas because it hadn't snowed! Ha. I guess the tv shows or the song got to him. All the hub bub can make it kind of a downer afterwards, but I just enjoy the change to quieter and the fresh start of a new year. We still have a pretty full refrigerator because every place we went sent something home with us!
    Hope you figure out your cough soon. That's no fun.
    Glad you support your small town grocery. We know so many towns that have lost their little store and it is really a hardship on the people who can't drive to the city as much. We used to live in a little town and I did the what you mentioned, made a list of the sales and stocked up then. It really didn't have a lot of things so we made a monthy trip to the larger town (that we now live in) for the other stuff. Have a good night!

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  4. Scented candles?
    Furnace needs a new filter?
    Pot Pourri?

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  5. I felt like Christmas came and went so fast. I was trying to do so much that I did exactly what I hate to do, and that was not stopping to take the time to look around, relax, reflect. I will not make that mistake again.

    I'm wondering ff your cough has anything to do with dry air in your home. My daughter has been sneezing and I have very dry eyes, they start to burn within about 15 minutes of sitting at my computer or watching TV. I am thinking of getting humidifiers. Do you have dry eyes or skin? Just a thought.

    I went to the grocery store today, too. We have a lot of Mom & Pop places here in the city and I will go to them when I'm out of just a few things. In the larger stores I get more menu ideas but I do admit, I see things to try that I normally wouldn't get!

    I'm so happy the parties are over...we will celebrate NYE just the two of us. I have some good cheeses and wine and we will probably make it to about 10:30! lol!

    Happy New Year to you and Joe!

    Jane x

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  6. Dear Balisha ~ I do hope you are feeling much better soon!

    Christmas was over for me by 12:30 Christmas day. After I had opened presents, I was so ready for the new year, that I dismantled Christmas and boxed it up. Got it into the attic two days later. Christmas just isn't the same without my DH.

    Love and hugs to you and Joe and may 2015 be a great year for you both ~ FlowerLady

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  7. I think you are right abut the lack of snow. I usually don't want to take down the decorations, but without the snow it makes me feel like it's time - but I'm still wasting until after New Years!

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  8. We also had a brown snow-less December until the day after Christmas and then it snowed! It came and went so fast, I didn't even get all my decor put out! Think I need to start scaling back on these things a bit! Hope you figure out what is causing your cough... I was wondering about the dry air too. We always use a humidifier... just a small one in the bedroom at night. Helps us both sleep much better. Hope you start to feel better soon. Here's to a Happy and Healthy New Year!

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