Food For Thought

I hate football. Oops. Did I say that out loud?

Ok. Maybe hate is a strong word. I just really don't get a lot of enjoyment out of watching football.

It's like the instructions on a bottle of shampoo...wash, rinse, repeat but throw, catch, score. It's repetitive and can be a little boring especially that one play where the guy runs into a wall of other guys and actually gets negative yardage. Wait, did I just use football words?

I grew up in a home where sports were very important. We were equal opportunity really. Fall/winter = football, spring = basketball, summer = baseball and golf. The only thing my dad and brother did not get into was hockey. But they have made up for lost time since my brother-in-law joined the fold and taught them all the ways of the puck.

When I was little, my parents would host Steelers parties when my dad wasn't actually at the game. Back in the 70's, when tickets were around 5 bucks, it was probably cheaper to go to a game than cater an event for a house full of people.

Even though I didn't like watching the game or understand the game I did like the variety of party snacks that were on hand for sampling. My mom's shrimp dip, spinach dip, Chicken In a Biskit crackers, Gibbles potato chips and Tom Tucker ginger ale were just some of the items I remember. There were probably really yummy foods my mom made that were not snacks, but I never made it that far. My belly was full from all the dips and the chips.

It would only make sense, based on my childhood experience, that food brings me to football. Because I am a good wife and hold my wedding vows true (I took my husband for richer or poorer, in preseason and post season and all the Steelers Sundays till death do us part) I do sit in the room when the game is on, but multiple times he'll say, "Hon, check out the replay" or "Did you see that" or "Watch this" because I am really not paying close attention.

Everyone has their passion and football is not mine but I will happily be around when an important game is on if....there is food. And I have made some good dips to keep my fingers busy including, spinach, hot crab and my mom's shrimp dip. I bring back those Chicken In A Biskit crackers for the crab dip just for old times sake but only sparingly because I can and have eaten a whole box.

We watch the Super Bowl each year as a family and play Super Bowl bingo which makes it fun for two of my kids who like me, are also just in it for the food and the commercials. They have a playing card and have to watch for things like famous person in the stands, player crying during the National Anthem and talking animals. 

We eat multiple courses and just last year we started making foods special to the cities represented. For the AFC playoff game last year, I made a complete English meal in honor of the Pats with Welsh Rarebit, fish n' chips and scones. This year, since most of us are rooting for Philly, except my 7-year-old who happens to like the colors silver and blue, our meal will consist of cheese steaks and soft pretzels. I even have some New England recipes for Joe Froggers (a colonial times cookie) and fluffernutters - a grilled sandwich with peanut butter and marshmallow fluff.

Yes, I've already done my food homework for the Super Bowl because like I said, for me it is all about the food. Unfortunately, now I have two weeks to think about all the food and yes, I'm hungry. Sounds like I need a box of Chicken In A Biskit crackers to tide me over.

2017 AFC Championship Game Food

Temporarily 43

Sometimes the truth hurts. I was made aware of that this past weekend.

I had taken my oldest and his friend to the mall to do some serious shopping. The deals now, as teens these days would say, are off the chain as stores are getting rid of fall/winter merchandise to make room for spring and the hot new items for 2018. It truly is a great time to go shopping, if you don't think about the fact that a few weeks ago you spend $49.00 on a pair of boots that are now going for $9.00.


I had packed up my laptop hoping to take advantage of the free Wi-Fi in a quiet corner of the mall to get some work done. I also had visions of sipping hot tea and being alone to deal with my cabin fever after the weekend snow storm kept me holed up in the house with my brood. My plans came to a screeching halt when we remembered the Youth Escort Policy at the mall on weekends. Teens are unable to walk around without an adult after 6 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Ok. Change of plans. No big deal. I escorted them to Forever 21, a store that was having a crazy sale. Racks of clothes priced between $5 and $7.  Buy one get one. Shoes 75% off. A young lady could get a whole new wardrobe if she was savvy and had a eye for a bargain.

I kept my distance from my teens, letting them do their thing while I checked out possible deals for this Over 21 consumer. I checked out the shoes - finding a pair of black Beatle boots that caught my eye and actually fit my narrow, podiatry challenged feet. But then I got a little cocky. I branched out. I made it to the million percent off racks. I started to look at the clothes.  l forgot my age and let my guard down.

I am well aware of items that are appropriate for a 21 year old verses someone 2 times 21. I did recognize the see through material, short skirts, and shirts that would not make it past my belly button and I kept my distance.

 But there were some nice coats I tried on, and actually almost bought. One of the coats caught the attention of another shopper who told me she just bought the same one and loved it. She seemed a little older than me, her lovely dreadlocks were mostly gray, so I got a boost of confidence - maybe I could shop in here.

Then I made it over to the dresses. There were some as cheap as $5!!! Again I let my guard down and was blinded by the sale. I had two events to attend the next day and was thinking a new dress would be just the ticket to boost my blah winter mood.

I selected a few off the rack and made it to the dressing room. I steered clear of my teens because I didn't want them to see I was actually trying things on. I wanted to make sure something fit before I announced this forty-something found something on the fountain of youth racks.

The dressing room attendant was polite. He did not make me feel like I didn't belong. He showed me to my room and I could not wait to see how these dresses looked.

Now, don't get me wrong. The items I picked out were age appropriate. One was a wrap dress and the other was a long sleeve straight A- line dress with a scoop neck. I chose two mediums because they looked like they would fit me, but boy was I wrong.

Sometimes I forget about what happened to my body after giving birth to three kids.  How parts like my hips, chest and thighs will never be the same. Plus, there is a lipoma (benign fatty tumor) on my right side that, according to my doctor, could be surgically removed but since I'm not wearing a bikini anymore, why bother.

When an interior button on the wrap dress I tried on went flying across the dressing room, and the curved slit up the middle revealed more than I show my husband, reality came tumbling back.  I am a former 21 year-old who has evolved into more conservative, less form fitting attire.

I actually had fun browsing at the mall this past weekend. I got some ideas of how I can spruce up my wardrobe and did get complements from my kids when I wore my new black boots with an old dress that kicked it up a notch.  My figure might not be Forever 21, but apparently my feet are! So to borrow words from Nancy Sinatra, "Are you ready boots? Start walking."

                     



You Say You Wanna A Resolution

Resolutions smezalutions. I did not make any resolutions this year. I normally do, but within a few weeks I always give up. Last year I started a happiness journal. By day 5, I was done. Either I had a year's worth of happiness in 5 days or I got lazy. What do you think?


So this year I am weighing my options. I do get invigorated with the start of a new year and wanting to make positive changes but sometimes it is overwhelming because I set out to change everything. I wanna get organized, eat better, be happy, enjoy life, pet a zebra, take it slower, visit a foreign land...see what I mean? A monumental set up to fail. Big time.


A friend of mine does a resolution a day - one thing each day that she works on. I kind of like that idea. Manageable and practical - plus you get to work on many things throughout the year instead of just one. Maybe I can find a few good ones that I can rotate throughout the months? Put more emphasis on chocolate, revisit naptime, make wine a priority today - good start, right?


Last year, my cousin made an accountability chart for his fitness regimen.  He completed 200 workouts in 2017. He was able to post his completed sheet a few days before New Year's Eve. I think that is a nice idea. Have something tangible so you see your progress and then reflect on your accomplishments at the end of the year. Whatever I choose, I need motivation, so having something to measure my progress would be helpful.


Facebook has been awash with motivational phrases since 2018 rolled in...

Every year is a new beginning.

You don't need a new year to make changes - you only need a day.

Everything is better with hot tea!

That last one is in honor of Mariah Carey who on New Year's Eve only wanted a cup of tea while performing half naked in subzero temps in Times Square.  (Ok, she wasn't really half naked, but some parts were more visible than others.)   I don't want to be cliche but I think girlfriend is onto something. We should adopt the English way in 2018 and have tea time each day whether it's cold or not and whether we have to sing or not. Although when you have tea you have to have scones and a scone each day will make that girlish figure go astray, especially if you are using the traditional clotted cream.


I do want to improve my life so maybe I can start simple. I would like to make the things I have to do each day a little better. Like when I get up in the morning, having a Keurig by my bed so I can enjoy my coffee first thing before escaping the sheets. Especially on these cold mornings, a hot Cup of Joe on my nightstand would be a decadent pleasure for sure. I can imagine I am waking up in a royal palace like Queen Elizabeth, but 50 years younger, with kitchen staff waiting to meet my every whim. Geez, I need to stop watching The Crown on Netflix.


When I have to take my son to school, I would like to listen to something fun (not news) on the drive that gets us moving and feeling good.  I am thinking his new Aquabats ( a rock band geared toward kids) CD will be perfect to kick this resolution off. With song titles like "Worms Make Dirt" and  "I Fell Asleep on My Arm" - we are bound to let out a few chuckles while barreling down Route 30 trying not to hit every traffic light.


In rooms of my house, like the kitchen and laundry room, where I spend a great deal of time doing thankless tasks, I need to infuse some sort of beauty to enjoy while I carry out particular chores. I think I will hang some art, like a Campbell's Soup can, by the washer and dryer or even make something creative with the lint from the trap or empty dryer sheet boxes that can boost the aesthetics of the space.  Filling the room with ambiance will boost my mood when I find pieces of kids' clothing that were thrown in the hamper, that I know are clean, but were never hung up from a previous wash.


And finally, when I check off a block of boxes on my 'Make the Little Things I Do Each Day A  Little Better' accountablitiy chart, I need to have a reward like - celebrate your birthday even though its not and eat some cake. I already know the kind I want and where to get it. Resolution motivation secure - 2018 is going to be so sweet.