Three Meals-One Ham, Granny Stripe Afghan and Applique Needlebook
Hello again, we are finishing off another busy week. I like to take care of maintenance things- for the car, the house and us, before winter sets in and weather and driving becomes an issue. We both were out of the house every day which seems to make the time fly by extra fast. It always feels good to have checkups behind us.
As a result of all that I didn't get in any daytime stitching, but my nights are still my stitching in front of the tv time.
A few more rows have been crocheted onto my Granny Stripe afghan. This will be a Christmas gift which is a good incentive to finish it up.
I watched Sandra at Cherry Heart while doing so one night. She has finished her wonderful Leaves & Lace blanket. Inspiring! I learned to crochet hexagons for a project years ago but my centers were not as intricate as these.
I decided I wanted a winter needlebook. One a little smaller than the last one I sewed. I found the colourful reds in the scraps and decided to applique a little snowman. That plaid piece definitely needed saving. My progress so far and this will be a very quick project.
I mentioned before that I had an appointment with the doctor and my main issue was sleep. I can certainly tell in my body if I've slept well or not. I've always been a person who needed my sleep in order to feel in top shape. I don't usually have a problem falling asleep ...my issue is waking in the night and then my mind's voice turns into a chatterbox. I worry about everything under the sun. It feels like I can't draw a deep breath, something hurts in my stomach when I try to.
What do I worry about...easier to say everything, from the mundane....mice getting inside the car in the garage now that the weather is colder to family stuff to awful thoughts about how the world seems to be changing for the worse. I'm very clear I am not depressed, but I do seem to have anxiety in these nighttime sessions. So doctor and I had a good long chat about all that and the upshot is I came away with a prescription for an anti-anxiety medicine. One that works well with sleep issues and I can take intermittently as required. As I'm sensitive to any OTC drugs, I am going to quarter the pills and try just a little first to see how I react. There is a part of me that is doubtful this is going to work for me though I know I should not be thinking like that. I promise I won't speak of this for a while as I've whined about this so often to you all. Thanks for listening! But I will tell you if it's working. Fingers crossed.
ON to Happier things...eating!
I bought a ham at Costco and did well with the meals I made with it. Even though I don't have the running around with children and working anymore, it is still a win to have meals planned and ready to go.
Meal #1
First I made a traditional meal of baked ham with pineapple rings, corn and scalloped potatoes. I used a can of Cream of Mushroom soup for the potato sauce which I saw on a video. I have only almond milk now in the house so I figured the soup would have more flavour. I used lots of cheese; everything was tasty and enough for leftovers the next night. I didn't get a photo.
Meal #2 was a ham and veggie quiche. This time I went back to my usual pastry recipe, one I've shared often here, the Crisco recipe.
I used all the dough in the very large pie plate...it's one of those with a recipe painted on it but fully intended for baking. And the quiche as well lasted for two nights with a veggie salad as a side.
Meal #3
I love homemade pea soup, something I know isn't for everyone that's for sure. I used my slow cooker which I love, 2 1/2 cups of yellow split peas, some onion and a container of chicken broth and the last of the ham...with added water as needed too. Very easy. Tony loves Skye Flakes crackers.
That's enough about me for this week; I'm off now to read what you all have been up to. Happy Eating, Stitching, Show Watching etc. or as Connie, the Spinster Stitcher, says...doing whatever blows your skirt up!
I hope the newness will take the edge off your anxiety issues and that you start to sleep better. Such pretty colours in your afghan! We have had snow tires put on both cars this week and are trying to get things done before winter too. Take care.
Connie must have been watching that Marilyn Monroe moment!!!Sleep, that elusive repairer of the daytime troubles, down here we both have some problems, if I wake, it takes ages to nod off again, but Hugh has some serious trouble. The ham, one year a good while ago I bought the traditional Ham on the bone for Christmas, and liking numbers, worked out that we had so many individual servings that would cost #1 each!!!I am guessing that this year that price per meal might be more.Night time stitching, a good idea, and you will have this finished in time, I'm sure.
Another thought, As Tony likes crosswords, does he play" Words of Wonder" from Crazy Games? You get a set of letters, starting with 3 I think, and a blank crossword grid, fill it in, then onto the next level. A warning, if you like puzzles like this one, it is VERY addictive. I'm up to level 1020 !!! with 7 letters now. Download is free.
Your soup looks delicious. How long does it need to cook for the peas to get done? I have trouble during the night as well. If I'm awake more than an hour I take one melatonin.
Sleeping, or as in my case, staying asleep certainly can be a issue with a lot of us. Like you, sometimes my mind goes round and round, and often I find I'm thinking not of worries so much, but of quite strange things. Our minds are very complex, and who knows what's happening inside? Your ham meals sound very tasty. Ive noticed hams appearing in the super markets here, in time for Christmas, must get us one. Generally we buy a bone in half ham. As it is early summer here, we usually have it cold with salads, thick slices as ham steaks, or like you, in quiche.
Ah, the elusive sleep. I rarely get a full night's sleep, which then makes me anxious, because everyone stresses how important sleep is for your health. Pea soup is one of my favorites, but since I'm cooking for one now, it is hard to downsize some recipes, so that I don't end up eating the same thing all week. Or worse, throwing good food out because I get eat it in a timely manner. My freezer is already stuffed, so that's not the answer, either. Pat
Your ham meals sound yummy, Jocelyn! I often get a Costco ham at Christmas time and we make many meals out of it. Love your new needle book in progress - how fun to have a snowman appliqued on the front. Reading both what you said and all your commenters, it sounds like many of us have those sleep issues. Waking up in the middle of the night and the brain kicking in with all its worries is such a frustrating problem! I hope you've found the best solution for you!
I found medicine helps to shut my brain down so I can sleep. I can tell when I forget to take it for a few days though. Going on 9 years now and it still works. Hope it helps for you. Your meals sound yummy. I have not made a quiche in a while and pea soup in ages. I do a lentil one that is yummy though. Have a good weekend.
falling asleep is an issue for me and then if I wake up I'm awake and can't fall back to sleep - I do tend to be a worrier - I never thought of an anti-anxiety medication for it though. Let us know if it works. A quarter tablet might not be enough to tell a difference though. I like ham but dislike pea soup, Mike does too so that is not an issue. I love scallop potatoes and ham with cheese - Mike doesn't care for cheese added so I don't put it over half of it. I started a crochet blanket last year and then put it aside - I might toss it as I didn't get far and change over to the granny stitch I always like that - it is with using all the left over yarn I have from Attic24 afghans.
You are like me in the sleep department. If I wake up, I worry about every little thing. I hope your medication works out for you. My Daddy was a pharmacist, and I have a healthy regard for medications. But I don't like to take them and almost always cut them in half. All your ham creations look and sound delicious, especially the split pea soup - love, love it. My husband won't even try it because "it has peas in it" - lol!
Mmmm yellow split pea soup! I much prefer it to green. Delicious! As for waking in the middle of the night and having anxious thoughts, that is me, too. I read recently that everyone wakes at 3am and to NOT turn on a light or look at a clock. Just slow down your breathing and you will fall back to sleep. Well, that has worked once or twice for me but not always. I hope you report back about your pills....love reading your blog.
I hope the medication will work for you and you feel better. You really had busy weeks, being away from the house every day and still find time time to crochet and sew! I love pea soup, had a bowl yesterday as well. Have a good weekend!
Ham goes a long way, at least it does here. I love buying a big ham and then Resident Chef cuts it up into a multitude of meals and then uses the bone as the base for bean soup. Your new needlebook is going to be so sweet...I love the wee snowman. I read what you had to share about the sleep issue with interest and must admit I wasn't surprised that you got a prescn for an anti-anxiety medication. I have one of those too and take half a pill every night. I think it helps but it's not perfect because I still do have sleepless nights but certainly not as many. I sometimes wonder how I would react with a whole pill but I'm afraid to go that far. I hate taking medications so am always extra cautious. My doctor said that the medication I'm on has a cumulative effect so it's not a case of taking it 'as needed' but on a daily basis. I've always been afraid to take sleeping pills mainly because I never know when I'm going to need one and by the time I realize it, it's too late in the night to bother. I'll be interested to know what happens after you've tested the medication.
Maybe we should form a group -- the 3 o'clock quilters. Sometimes I can go back to sleep then but more often I am awake for an hour or more. I often debate getting up to stitch.
I have the same problem with my sleep. If it's too quiet, my brain just keeps going and I can't sleep. I found that if I play an audio book very softly, it's enough for my brain to latch onto. Of course, it has to be something you've already heard, so you don't get interested in a new story. I put the timer on and rarely am I still awake when it goes off. Maybe this could work for you instead of the OTC medicine. PS -- Your pea soup looks delicious!!!
I can empathize. They call it Monkey Mind. You just mull over past mistakes. It is awful. I usually listen to podcasts. I enjoy your craft work. Such fun.
I do hope you resolve your anxiety issues. I have struggle with it and it can disrupt your sleep. I am retiring next month and am considering taking up crochet. Your work is inspiring me! Thank you for linking up and have a great week ahead.
The snowman is cute. Ham does go a long way. With turkey on sale, I roasted one already to freeze and make turkey squares to freeze. Waking up with racing worry brain, it has been years since I had frequently had that horrid bother. I got up and did something or forced myself to think on good things. It is good to know someone else doesn't need much medication. I have to always take the lowest dose when I do have pills to help me.
I love your projects and the afghan colors are delightful! I sure wish I knew how to crochet because I love seeing these projects. The only thing I know to do when I can't sleep is put really boring shows on the tv and that does knock me out. My sister-in-law is having a similar problem to yours and I'll be interested to know how the quartered pills work. Sending hugs!
I've read your blog regularly for years--thanks for sharing your life this way. I've gotten so many great ideas and advice from you! But it's funny that what prompted me to comment for the first time are the Sky Flake crackers! Our 4 children spent their childhood on the island of Palawan in the Philippines where we lived at a mission hospital for 12 years (my husband is a Physician Assistant, retired now). Because of the humidity there, Sky Flakes crackers in their tin were the only way to enjoy crispy crackers! All 4 of them still enjoy receiving a tin of Sky Flakes as a nostalgic gift now and then. What memories they bring back! Ruth in VA
Your little snowman needle book is precious! I’ve had trouble waking up and not being able to fall off to sleep again, hate it. My mind starts talking and there you go, just get up, can’t sleep. I’ve been taking a 25mg generic Benadryl every night and it has helped falling asleep 😴 😻. Your ham recipes sound so yummy 😋
My sleep issues are similar - waking up in the middle of the night, and then my brain just won't shut up. Hope you and your doctor find a good solution for you. Your afghan is so pretty, both the stitch and the colors.
I have had panic/anxiety for years. It started with an event when I was 7. I handled it all my life without medication. When I was diagnosed with Menieres the medication I was given also helped with that and Fibromylgia. Stress can start it or something in our past. Now with the world going NUTs and how they handled COVID SHUTTING the world down and then we got idiot Biden, it is hard to shut it all out of our minds. I have a thumb surgery next week and anxiety will hit me the night before. But with God’s help I will get through it. Do not feel bad about taking medication to help you get rest!!! A good night’s sleep helps with Focusing on other fun things. I think of you often but life has given us a lot of interruptions again. Take care and have a great week! Hugs to you Jocelyn !
I love reading your blog. It is comforting to know that others are living their lives just like I do and not like those portrayed in the news and on FB. Needle arts have been always a part of my life. Sometimes I call it living in the fast lane. the dosage I too have suffered with anxiety. I do have pills that I half. But I only use that occasionally. Deep breathing helps. I wake often during the night but only long enough to get rid of the water. I stagger back to bed and right back to sleep. I used to not be able to this with high anxiety so I would listen to the radio which now has become computer radio. Pod casts usually put me back to sleep.
29 comments :
I hope the newness will take the edge off your anxiety issues and that you start to sleep better. Such pretty colours in your afghan! We have had snow tires put on both cars this week and are trying to get things done before winter too. Take care.
Oh yum, pea and ham soup! Winter is coming - I must make some. Love the crochet, gorgeous colours. xx
Connie must have been watching that Marilyn Monroe moment!!!Sleep, that elusive repairer of the daytime troubles, down here we both have some problems, if I wake, it takes ages to nod off again, but Hugh has some serious trouble. The ham, one year a good while ago I bought the traditional Ham on the bone for Christmas, and liking numbers, worked out that we had so many individual servings that would cost #1 each!!!I am guessing that this year that price per meal might be more.Night time stitching, a good idea, and you will have this finished in time, I'm sure.
Another thought, As Tony likes crosswords, does he play" Words of Wonder" from Crazy Games? You get a set of letters, starting with 3 I think, and a blank crossword grid, fill it in, then onto the next level. A warning, if you like puzzles like this one, it is VERY addictive. I'm up to level 1020 !!! with 7 letters now. Download is free.
Your soup looks delicious. How long does it need to cook for the peas to get done? I have trouble during the night as well. If I'm awake more than an hour I take one melatonin.
I also love pea soup, Harvey not so much though he will eat it.
I am glad you talked to your doctor about the lack of sleep.
I have two dental appointments left and then I am done until my cleaning/xrays in late February.
God bless.
Sleeping, or as in my case, staying asleep certainly can be a issue with a lot of us. Like you, sometimes my mind goes round and round, and often I find I'm thinking not of worries so much, but of quite strange things. Our minds are very complex, and who knows what's happening inside?
Your ham meals sound very tasty. Ive noticed hams appearing in the super markets here, in time for Christmas, must get us one. Generally we buy a bone in half ham. As it is early summer here, we usually have it cold with salads, thick slices as ham steaks, or like you, in quiche.
Ah, the elusive sleep. I rarely get a full night's sleep, which then makes me anxious, because everyone stresses how important sleep is for your health.
Pea soup is one of my favorites, but since I'm cooking for one now, it is hard to downsize some recipes, so that I don't end up eating the same thing all week. Or worse, throwing good food out because I get eat it in a timely manner. My freezer is already stuffed, so that's not the answer, either.
Pat
Your ham meals sound yummy, Jocelyn! I often get a Costco ham at Christmas time and we make many meals out of it. Love your new needle book in progress - how fun to have a snowman appliqued on the front. Reading both what you said and all your commenters, it sounds like many of us have those sleep issues. Waking up in the middle of the night and the brain kicking in with all its worries is such a frustrating problem! I hope you've found the best solution for you!
I found medicine helps to shut my brain down so I can sleep. I can tell when I forget to take it for a few days though. Going on 9 years now and it still works. Hope it helps for you. Your meals sound yummy. I have not made a quiche in a while and pea soup in ages. I do a lentil one that is yummy though. Have a good weekend.
Count me in on the pea soup too, yum. It's really good in the winter months too! I hope you all have a super nice weekend.
falling asleep is an issue for me and then if I wake up I'm awake and can't fall back to sleep - I do tend to be a worrier - I never thought of an anti-anxiety medication for it though. Let us know if it works. A quarter tablet might not be enough to tell a difference though.
I like ham but dislike pea soup, Mike does too so that is not an issue. I love scallop potatoes and ham with cheese - Mike doesn't care for cheese added so I don't put it over half of it.
I started a crochet blanket last year and then put it aside - I might toss it as I didn't get far and change over to the granny stitch I always like that - it is with using all the left over yarn I have from Attic24 afghans.
You are like me in the sleep department. If I wake up, I worry about every little thing. I hope your medication works out for you. My Daddy was a pharmacist, and I have a healthy regard for medications. But I don't like to take them and almost always cut them in half. All your ham creations look and sound delicious, especially the split pea soup - love, love it. My husband won't even try it because "it has peas in it" - lol!
Mmmm yellow split pea soup! I much prefer it to green. Delicious! As for waking in the middle of the night and having anxious thoughts, that is me, too. I read recently that everyone wakes at 3am and to NOT turn on a light or look at a clock. Just slow down your breathing and you will fall back to sleep. Well, that has worked once or twice for me but not always. I hope you report back about your pills....love reading your blog.
I hope the medication will work for you and you feel better.
You really had busy weeks, being away from the house every day and still find time time to crochet and sew! I love pea soup, had a bowl yesterday as well.
Have a good weekend!
Ham goes a long way, at least it does here. I love buying a big ham and then Resident Chef cuts it up into a multitude of meals and then uses the bone as the base for bean soup.
Your new needlebook is going to be so sweet...I love the wee snowman.
I read what you had to share about the sleep issue with interest and must admit I wasn't surprised that you got a prescn for an anti-anxiety medication. I have one of those too and take half a pill every night. I think it helps but it's not perfect because I still do have sleepless nights but certainly not as many. I sometimes wonder how I would react with a whole pill but I'm afraid to go that far. I hate taking medications so am always extra cautious. My doctor said that the medication I'm on has a cumulative effect so it's not a case of taking it 'as needed' but on a daily basis. I've always been afraid to take sleeping pills mainly because I never know when I'm going to need one and by the time I realize it, it's too late in the night to bother. I'll be interested to know what happens after you've tested the medication.
Maybe we should form a group -- the 3 o'clock quilters. Sometimes I can go back to sleep then but more often I am awake for an hour or more. I often debate getting up to stitch.
I have the same problem with my sleep. If it's too quiet, my brain just keeps going and I can't sleep. I found that if I play an audio book very softly, it's enough for my brain to latch onto. Of course, it has to be something you've already heard, so you don't get interested in a new story. I put the timer on and rarely am I still awake when it goes off. Maybe this could work for you instead of the OTC medicine.
PS -- Your pea soup looks delicious!!!
I can empathize. They call it Monkey Mind. You just mull over past mistakes. It is awful. I usually listen to podcasts.
I enjoy your craft work. Such fun.
I do hope you resolve your anxiety issues. I have struggle with it and it can disrupt your sleep. I am retiring next month and am considering taking up crochet. Your work is inspiring me! Thank you for linking up and have a great week ahead.
I love a good old granny, you can't beat it.
The snowman is cute.
Ham does go a long way. With turkey on sale, I roasted one already to freeze and make turkey squares to freeze.
Waking up with racing worry brain, it has been years since I had frequently had that horrid bother. I got up and did something or forced myself to think on good things. It is good to know someone else doesn't need much medication. I have to always take the lowest dose when I do have pills to help me.
I love your projects and the afghan colors are delightful! I sure wish I knew how to crochet because I love seeing these projects. The only thing I know to do when I can't sleep is put really boring shows on the tv and that does knock me out. My sister-in-law is having a similar problem to yours and I'll be interested to know how the quartered pills work. Sending hugs!
New meds. Ugh for autocorrect.
I've read your blog regularly for years--thanks for sharing your life this way. I've gotten so many great ideas and advice from you! But it's funny that what prompted me to comment for the first time are the Sky Flake crackers! Our 4 children spent their childhood on the island of Palawan in the Philippines where we lived at a mission hospital for 12 years (my husband is a Physician Assistant, retired now). Because of the humidity there, Sky Flakes crackers in their tin were the only way to enjoy crispy crackers! All 4 of them still enjoy receiving a tin of Sky Flakes as a nostalgic gift now and then. What memories they bring back!
Ruth in VA
Your little snowman needle book is precious! I’ve had trouble waking up and not being able to fall off to sleep again, hate it. My mind starts talking and there you go, just get up, can’t sleep. I’ve been taking a 25mg generic Benadryl every night and it has helped falling asleep 😴 😻. Your ham recipes sound so yummy 😋
My sleep issues are similar - waking up in the middle of the night, and then my brain just won't shut up. Hope you and your doctor find a good solution for you. Your afghan is so pretty, both the stitch and the colors.
I have had panic/anxiety for years. It started with an event when I was 7. I handled it all my life without medication. When I was diagnosed with Menieres the medication I was given also helped with that and Fibromylgia. Stress can start it or something in our past. Now with the world going NUTs and how they handled COVID SHUTTING the world down and then we got idiot Biden, it is hard to shut it all out of our minds. I have a thumb surgery next week and anxiety will hit me the night before. But with God’s help I will get through it. Do not feel bad about taking medication to help you get rest!!! A good night’s sleep helps with Focusing on other fun things.
I think of you often but life has given us a lot of interruptions again. Take care and have a great week! Hugs to you Jocelyn !
I love reading your blog. It is comforting to know that others are living their lives just like I do and not like those portrayed in the news and on FB. Needle arts have been always a part of my life. Sometimes I call it living in the fast lane. the dosage I too have suffered with anxiety. I do have pills that I half. But I only use that occasionally. Deep breathing helps. I wake often during the night but only long enough to get rid of the water. I stagger back to bed and right back to sleep. I used to not be able to this with high anxiety so I would listen to the radio which now has become computer radio. Pod casts usually put me back to sleep.
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