Freebie

The weather really never looked terribly treacherous.  But last night they cancelled all after school activities.  Then they had a 2 hour delay.  Then at 6:30 a.m. they cancelled school.

So this morning it is Murder By Phone (1982 with Richard Chamberlain and John Houseman)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081203/

Some knitting- (Plant a Seed ponytail hat with doubled fingering yarn on size 7 needles) I've upped the needle size so maybe this one will fit.

And a zumba playlist for later-

And because this day was so unexpected I feel obligated to complete nothing and my brain is pleased.

No Nap. No Pizza.

But it was a close one.  I was starving on the drive home and so ready for a GIANT double cheese pizza.  I knew I was in trouble.  I’ve also been exhausted all day which meant that if I napped, the odds of pizza would have increased exponentially.

Instead I cooked brown rice pasta in vegetable stock. Added leftover celery and carrots.  When you cook brown rice pasta you boil for 2 minutes and let stand covered for 16. That seems wrong but it turned out well.  The best brown rice pasta to date. Which I think is partly due to leaving it alone and not trying to get fancy.  Then small corn tortilla shells with refried black beans and Mexican cheese folded over and fried in a pan like mini quesadillas.  Also filling and pretty tasty. However many calories I may have eaten I’m certain it doesn’t equal a giant pizza.  Also I’m pretty sure I won’t need any Roland’s later.  Crisis averted.

I’ve taken to running on the indoor track now and again.  I even did a half mile of walking/running before Zumba last night. I’ve held on to the new number in the tens column for three weigh-ins (morning and night)  so I’m losing a little again.  Pretty close to 35 so far.

One hour for the win

I danced the whole hour at Zumba tonight (as opposed to having to stop because I feared I might have a heart attack)   A second new friend and I chatted- her name is Julie.  She counts every class we have as in "there's another one down."  Which is actually confusing to me because it sort of implies there's a set number that we'll get to.

There was a woman in the back who was struggling and I had planned on saying hey to her afterwards.  Then I heard "Hey Mrs. Terry!" and she was the mom of former students.  It's funny how it works.  I knew her last name- always called her "Mama Lastname."  Then as I drove home all three of her kids appeared in my head as well as the time I shut the youngest ones hand in a door on his birthday and the first baseball game of the season.  Her middle initial and signature also appeared in my head.

I get it-that's how people think and all- but I am the girl who remembers absolutely nothing prior to 1980.

And finally- music teacher friend story time.

Once upon a time I went to a summer workshop.  There was a music teacher I recognized from the southern part of the state.  She recognized me.  We were not friends.  In fact, I thought, by the looks of her she was probably a horrible judgy mcjudgejudge person. (note the irony) I later learned she thought the same of me. (We we’re both right, sort of.)We ended up sitting next to one another at a group lunch and after a glass of wine realized  we were sisters from a different mother.

This made us happy and made for a laughing summer- I paid a visit to her house once- then I got married, we lost touch- then Facebook.  We reconnect, exchange a few words etc etc.  Several years later I see that she has become a knitter.  And then a few years after that I discover that although she doesn't advertise it like I do, she is a fan of the ridiculous sci-fi movies that I love.  How can that even be?  Two friends, separate lives,  no keeping in touch, same favorite things. Same very eclectic favorite things.

Nowadays there are random Facebook texts with knitting questions and newly discovered movies (although she is much more a connoisseur than I am).  Also I've let her know that if, in our dotage, we both find ourselves occasion or need for companionship it would be a travesty not to grow old and die together.

Until then we always have these-

IMDb: The Twonky (10 June 1953 (USA))
Tweedy college professor discovers his new TV set is animate, apparently possessed by something from the future, and militantly intent on regulating his daily life.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046475/?ref_=ext_shr_eml_tt

IMDb: The Tingler (29 July 1959 (USA))
An obsessed pathologist discovers and captures a parasitic creature that grows when fear grips its host.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053363/?ref_=ext_shr_eml_tt

And

IMDb: The Monster That Challenged the World (June 1957 (USA))
Giant mollusk monsters attack California.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050722/?ref_=ext_shr_eml_tt

Experimental Saturday

Did a Zumba class this morning.  Still have to stop in the middle so I don’t have a heart attack but I made an accountability friend.  Took the cousin shopping and then, having failed to find any recipes, looked to the produce section for inspiration.

Squash, zucchini, and baby bela mushrooms added to garlic sautéed in sesame oil. Flavored with red pepper and tamari sauce.  THEN some cornstarch to turn the liquid into a sauce.  It’s still cooking.  I’ll eat it over some brown rice.  I’m hoping it tastes amazing as I plan on it being the meal for the rest of the weekend.

Edited to add:  it was amazing!  Exceeded expectations.  Squash and zucchini added texture and variety.  Mushrooms were about the flavor and bulk.  Hint of red pepper so it wasn’t boring and the cornstarch sauce was perfect.  I can’t believe it. It’s the first time I’ve gotten cornstarch to do what it was supposed to.

A week later...

It has been a good week off.

Let's talk about laundry.  It's taken every bit of this entire week to this point to get all of the clothes clean and folded.  And by all I mean all of them except that last load in the dryer.  It's always been a chore but even more so when it involves sorting and trying to figure out which clothes still fit and which are too big.  Because there are in fact now some clothes that are just too big to wear.

Food- I made some fried tofu.  I did not hate it.  Marinated in red wine vinegar, tamari (vegetarian soy sauce), roasted sesame seeds and garlic and then coated in corn starch and fried in olive oil. Eaten over brown rice.  That was the weeks biggest adventure- The computer is now charged and I may go in quest of something to try this weekend.  There is still chili in the freezer for lunches next week.

Zumba- and then some. The burg of Wayne has a new rec center built by the energy company EQT and the local hospital foundation.  I am now a member.  I went to my first zumba class there on Monday.  It kicked my damn ass.  She's not inclined to stop.  Also there are more cute skinny perky there than fat old and trying to get it together people.  I prefer the latter. But I will go back.  It happens on Monday, Thursday nights and Saturday mornings.  I'm in it to win it.  There is also an indoor walking track.

I do much better on this than I do on a treadmill.  I managed 2 miles in 30 minutes today. Then moved to the thing that pretends you're skiing (apparently called a freestride trainer) which I can only do for 60 seconds at a time and then a thirty second rest- and that for only 5 minutes.  Then a little recumbent bike pedaling.  I listened to Beethoven today and the longer pieces seemed to keep me going longer.

And finally- I was hoping to get several weeks of music appreciation lesson plans completed.  I've got three documented days which will likely stretch into five because I always overplan.  We are moving from the Baroque to the Classical period.  Sonata form, Mozart, Beethoven, a little opera, some Bugs Bunny cartoons.  It's a little overwhelming.  What's important to learn, what's the best way to teach it, how do you teach it and make it interesting enough to feel relevant?  Is personal enthusiasm enough or are there more inspirational ways to approach it.  On the other hand I'm learning some stuff I didn't know and revisiting the time period with less hurried teachers eyes so it's been fun.

Greathusbandbob found the ecowool too itchy and has opted to use the Kaffe Fasset afghan.  This means I get the ecowool.  This little space could not be any cozier.

There are seven pairs of mittens completed.  Three to go. Sadly the last three are in the same color so it will seem endless.  I haven't woven in any ends.  I'm going to keep knitting and save the weaving for knit night.  I'm looking forward to doing some lace for the accountant and then with the sweaters from the past fitting a little better, I may soon heed the call of the top-down.