Out with September.......in with October

This month just flew by for me. It must have been all that I did that caused that sensation. Starting with my birthday on the 3rd, and then my brothers and their wives came to visit. After that we went to the coast for crabbing and salmon fishing. Now we are preparing for another visit, this time from my hubby's sister and her husband. This must be vacation central this year. Just kidding, we love seeing our siblings and enjoy their visits.

When I got home from the coast I felt as though I had gained 5 pounds or more. I stepped on the scale and it was up 2 pounds. I got back on it this morning and that 2 pounds was gone. I am still amazed at how I am maintaining weight instead of gaining it. After years of slowly gaining back what I had worked so hard to lose, this just is so cool. I do love this band!! But, I haven't lost any weight in six months. I had my last adjustment (fill) in February. They say as you lose weight you need to get a fill because the fat (ugh, what a word) around the band goes away and then the band becomes lose again. I was reading one of the blogs I follow this morning and it's a fellow lapbander's blog. She wrote what she ate in a day and I was stunned. I realized then I am eating way too much a day and that is why I am not losing but just maintaining. Think I need to call the surgeon for an appointment. I mentioned it to my DH a couple of weeks ago and he said, "no you don't! You have to sleep sitting up now!" But I do that to keep my reflux from causing me to cough or aspirate during the night. Since I started propping pillows up behind me I sleep so much better. It's working so why shouldn't I get an adjustment. I wonder if I told the doctor how I am sleeping, would he say no more fills. I am torn. Then the other day my friend and I were talking and she said she thought I didn't need to lose anymore weight. My husband agreed. I don't want to be rail thin, I just want my BMI to be out of the obese category. How can I be "thin enough" if the charts say I am still obese? Lately I have had several people mention that I have lost even more weight. I haven't. I think your body just redistributes the weight and that is what they're seeing. Also, I am at the gym 5 days a week working out and that causes muscle mass and fat loss but I think I'll call and talk to the nurse at the surgeon's office and see if she recommends I come in.

He finally caught his salmon.............

My hubby has been fishing for 6 years and finally caught a salmon. He was beside himself happy. Grinning from ear to ear. It was only 17 pounds but it was his and he is so proud. I am so excited for him. Now his life is complete. Now I have to wrap it up and put it in the freezer.

Winchester Bay Resort

We went to the coast on Sunday and spent three days there with some new friends we've recently met. They had never gone crabbing before. We took them crabbing in our boat. The catch was plentiful. The first day we used chicken parts for bait. You can only keep the males and they must be a certain size to be legal. After our first days catch, 17 of them, we heard about a business there in town that would cook and clean them for you. We took them to be cooked and it saved us the trouble and mess of cleaning and cooking them ourselves. Then we just had to remove the meat from the claws and bodies. The second day we caught more still but the cooking place was closed when we got there so we had to cook them ourselves. Here are a few pictures we took of the process. This resort was sure nice. 3 days wasn't long enough to be there and I definitely want to go back again. The space we had was large enough for our motor home, our boat and our truck. And it's right on the bay of the Umpqua River and the ocean. I like to have melted butter with garlic in it and to sample it while removing the meat from the shells. MMMMM good!!

A visit from my family........

We went to Crater Lake on Tuesday. We rented an 8 passenger minivan. It was lots of fun. We went to breakfast and then headed off to the lake. Once we got there we had lunch and took pictures. We got home around dinnertime. I had made the chicken in the crockpot. It turned out very delicious but a little too spicy for my one sister-in-law and my great niece. Here is the recipe I used:

Jamaican Chicken

chicken thighs and breasts

Adobo seasoning

1 onion finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic minced

4T soy sauce

1 cup ketchup

1/2 habanero chili chopped fine ( I used a jalepeno and seeded it)

chicken broth

Rub the chicken with the adobo seasoning and brown in frying pan. Put in crockpot and add other ingredients. I cooked it for 8 hours on low. It could have been cooked a little less because the chicken was falling apart but it wasn't dry. I made rice to serve the gravy over.

Wednesday we decided to drive to the coast and show our guests some of the sights along the beach areas. After driving for about an hour and a half we got to our destination only to have one of my sisters-in-law become very sick. She was stricken with a case of the flu. We decided to head for home since she was so ill. It took us four hours to get home because we had to stop every so often for her to use a bathroom. Poor thing looked so miserable. She also felt terrible that our plans were ruined but that is not a big deal. We were just concerned about her. She started feeling better that evening and today feels great again. We're hoping none of the rest of us catch what she had.

Last minute touches

What is going on with me. I woke up at 4am and laid there for almost an hour awake. I decided I would just get up. Now it's almost 6 and I am getting sleepy again. I got most of the things done yesterday so today I just have to dust a little and put a roast in the slow cooker.

Bob and his friend came home with no salmon yesterday. But they said they had a fun time anyway. I guess that's what it's all about anyway.

When we were camping in July a couple we know came camping also and we all had dinner together a few times. The time she made the main course it was a chicken dinner made in her slow cooker. She said it was a recipe given to her by a friend from the Caribbean. She gave me the ingredients. I thought that would make a good meal while my bros are here but I don't know the amounts of anything. I wrote her an email and asked for the recipe. She called yesterday and said she couldn't find the recipe and would call her friend for it and email me. Well, I haven't heard anything from her yet. So.....I figure either she couldn't reach her friend or she really doesn't want to share the recipe so I may have to improvise. After all I do have the ingredients. Only hitch is one ingredient is Goya Adobo Seasoning and my brother is bringing me that since I couldn't find it anywhere in my town. He found it in a Mexican market in Nevada. So I will be making it another night this next week.

The weather is supposed to be better the next week. It's been raining for two days off and on. I'm not ready to have cold and rainy weather yet. Well, I think I may go back to bed for a couple more hours. Have a Blessed Day everyone!

My New Toy........

Here is a picture of my new sewing machine. It has a longer arm than the standard machines do. It's 12 inches instead of the usual 7. I am hoping this will make a big difference when I quilt small projects. The larger ones can go on the quilt frame (when it comes in)
I went to my class yesterday to learn how to use the features on the machine. I am loving it.

Today Bob and a friend went to the coast to salmon fish the river. I have lots to do as both of my brothers are now on their way here. One brother is coming from Kansas and the other from Nevada. They are both planning to arrive tomorrow. I can't wait to see them all. I haven't seen the Kansas group in three years. I also have a third brother. I wish he and his wife could make it but they said they couldn't. I tried to stress the importance of spending a little time together because you never know how long any of us have. It's been over 20 years since we all have been together. I plan to make the best of this visit. Lots of pictures and laughter and good times. I thought I would bake some peanut butter cookies for them. When we were kids and went to visit my grandmother (paternal) she always had a crock of freshly baked peanut butter cookies for us. I have her recipe and thought it would be a nice touch. She also used to make a chiffon dessert that she called Pink Puddin but I've never been able to find the recipe. I think it had a cookie crust and was made with Jello and whipped up and was a raspberry flavor. Does it sound familiar to anyone? Well, I guess I should get started with all I have to do...............

Busy week...

I'm sorry I haven't written in a few days. I have been trying to get ready for my two brothers and their wives coming for a visit. They will be arriving Friday and Saturday. We haven't all been together in almost 18 years. I have a third brother but he and his wife can't make it this time. We're getting so excited for the visit. Whenever I am with my brothers there is laughter and reminiscing and such good times. They will be here for a week. I am hoping our weather behaves itself. My one brother has never been to Oregon and the other brother came in April and it rained all week. We plan to go to Crater Lake since they haven't seen it. I checked Weather.com and the forecast looks good.

Another reason I haven't been on here is that Friday was my birthday. Hubby Bob and I drove to Eugene and went to a sewing store to look at machines (not that I needed one). We bought (gulp!) the new Bernina 820 computer machine. It does so much. It even ties a knot and cuts the thread for you if you want it to. No kidding. Also my hubby wanted to help me out with my quilting and bought me a quilting stand. I don't have it yet, since the store hasn't received the new models yet. They were promised them in October. That will give us some time to make room for it. It expands from 5 feet wide to 10 feet wide as needed. This was quite an extravagant gift, he's very good to me. I'll take a picture of the machine and post it later today. I have a class at the store tomorrow to learn how to use the sewing machine. I have to bring it with me plus all the goodies that came with it. It' pretty heavy. Weighs 39 pounds. I guess now I have to start sewing my own clothes and all. NOT!! Well, I might attempt a couple of things, like something simple that nobody would see other than Bob. A nightgown or pajamas. I will hopefully remember all I learn at the class tomorrow. My other sewing machine is feeling pretty dejected I'm sure. I was loving it until I got this bright shiny and large new one. I haven't decided if I will keep it or sell it yet. I have a friend who has offered to buy it.