A Lazy Day

It was another late night with Eric. I am really rooting for allergies, the palo verde are just yellow with pollen. I did manage to get to sleep a little after midnight and sleep in until 7:30 this morning. After multiple late nights I decided it was going to be a lay low day.

Since Eric was busy sneezing and coughing and I just did not want to watch a day of kids programing, Eric came with me to the living room to sit with me while I spun some yarn. After the first 2 trips to run and get supplies, it was just more prudent to bring a pile of bibs, napkins and swabs in with us. The only thing I did not think of was a laundry basket. Isn't it great that hind site is always 20/20?

After finishing spinning and plying some merino, it was time to try my hand at my first art yarn. I took some hand spun wool in blue, pink glass beads and a metallic thread in white. It took about 45 minutes to get the beads on the metallic thread. There were some bumps along the way but I did manage to get the wool plied with the thread and beads. It does look very wonky in my humble opinion. The end of the skein is better looking than the beginning of the skein. That being said the last time I saw this being done is when Kathy Withers taught me to spin a few years ago. Lisa said it was not wonky but artsy. This is my first try and I expect to try it again.

I managed to get a nap after lunch when Eric was sleeping. Not much got done after lunch.

Lisa asked Eric if I was any good at the art yarn and he signed no to her. Lisa then asked if mommy needed more practice and he signed yes. Not bad for a kid who can't see what I am spinning, but instead basing this all on what he heard while I was spinning.  Eric has also decided that I don't sing as well as Carole King when I sing Child of Mine. This is our song.

 

Tomorrow I plan on fixing my apricot shawl. I found 4 different holes in it a dinner that were not there last night. I will just scream if I find scissor cuts in it. I am hoping for plan old snags which are easy to fix.

 

I am hoping that Eric will sleep tonight. So It is time to go do Eric's finial bed time routine.

Life with Eric

It was a very long night with Eric last night. First there was the asthma treatment at 10pm followed by the tummy ache at midnight, that lasted until 2:30 am.  I finally got to sleep a little after 2:30am. Then woke up with the headache from he double toothpicks at 5:30am. For a while the day seemed to go down hill from there. Eric's Kangaroo Joey pump bag broke leaving a mess of formula to clean up and requiring another pump bag be filled and primed.

On the good side I only had 3 loads of laundry today. Followed by 2 hours of house work. John joined in the house work effort today. I really don't know how he does it. He manages to stay in one area until it is completely done. While I am a blur of constant motion. We seem to get the same amount of work done but he is not as tired at the end of 2 hours of cleaning. After lunch I took a stab at the computer desk, it is only 40% complete, but there is a lot less paperwork on the desk. I also got some spinning and knitting done today.

While we were doing laundry and cleaning, Eric slept most of the day. John and I managed to get a short nap. Eric had another sore tummy this evening which has been taken care of, hopefully. It seems to be time to go give Eric another breathing treatment before bed.

Chicken Chili

It has been a while since I posted a recipe. We are trying to cut down on red meat so I have been working on chicken dishes. Here is a new on that has been husband approved.

Chicken Chili

2 large chicken breasts - skinned , boned and rinsed
2 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 pound frozen sweet white corn
2-15 ounces cans of diced tomatoes - do not drain this will be the liquid for the chili
1 - 15 ounce can or Red kidney Beans drained and rinsed
1 large sweet onion diced
salt
pepper
1tablespoon of your favorite chili powder. I use The Spice Hunter Salt Free Chili powder Blend

Optional

1 - 15 ounces can of black olives

In a 4 quart cover pot. I use my red soup pot. Add the olive oil and chicken. Salt and pepper as desired, I like to keep it on the light side. Cook the chicken on medium low for 15 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pan and add the onions. Cook the onions until translucent. while the onions are cooking cut the chicken in to bite size pieces. Put the chicken and the remaining ingredients into the pan. Cook covered on medium low for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

While that is cooking make your corn bread.

This recipe serves 5 as a main course.

Poor Eric

Poor Eric had a very bad night last night. The high pollen counts have flared his asthma. We were up until 2:30 am today before he could breath well enough to sleep. As soon as Eric was asleep I went to bed for a few hours before it was time to get the day started again.

Eric was doing well enough to go to his day program. So John dropped Eric off at his program then went to work out. I would have love to go back to sleep, but I had an appointment across town. The appointment went well. Since I was so far across town I stopped by Whole Foods to pick up a few things on my way home. After an early lunch, it was time for a nap.

John volunteered to pick up Eric from his day program so I could pick up a few things at the mall. I also decided to walk around a bit to see if that would help me feel better. I did not realize how pale I can look during a flare up. The nice sales woman at the Clarine's counter gave me a quick makeover. It was amazing what a little blush and some lipstick can do. She was also trying to sell me the latest miracle serum at $85.00 a bottle. She said that now that I was in my 40's it was time to step up the amount and type of face creams that I use. I think I will keep to my current routine of sun screen with moisturizer and continue to wear wide brim hats outside. After 2 miles of walking I was beginning to feel better so I headed home.

Eric just seems to know when my flare up is a bad one. That compounded with me not picking him up to day left him sad and anxious. When I walked in the door he had on the saddest face you can imagine. He was afraid that I was upset with him about his asthma flare last night. I told him that I would never be mad at him for keeping me up when he was sick. You should have seen the huge smile that he gave me. Followed by Eric's version of a hug. Then it was time to watch some PBS with Eric.

Well it is time to get the red pot out of the fridge and warm up dinner.

It Was Really Monday

It has been a very busy day around here. A lot of projects are halfway through. The only thing I can really say I finished was the chicken chili stew I made for dinner. I seem to lose focus when I am very busy. I worked on 3 different knitting projects, 1 spinning project, laundry and house cleaning today.

Don't tell anyone but I am saving laundry, paperwork and knitting for tomorrow. I hope to be more focused tomorrow. Wish me luck. Maybe I should make a to do list? I wonder if it will help?

A Great Weekend

It was a good weekend around here. I can truly say it was very relaxing.  I was overwhelmed by flowers from the guys this weekend. John gave me some very pretty roses. Eric made a vase of lovely construction paper flowers in a vase filled with buttons. He also had help at his day program making and painting a clay rose, which was also fired. He also made me a small knitting bag.  I also got a call from Teri.

Lunch was the traditional Mother's Day Dim Sum ( Dim sum (/ˈdɪmˈsʌm/) refers to a style of Cantonese food prepared as small bite-sized or individual portions of food traditionally served in small steamer baskets or on small plates.*1 ) If you are in Tucson you must try the Dim Sum at China Phoenix at the corner of Ina and Oracle in the Safeway shopping center. We have been going there since the mid 1990's and the food is still wonderful. They server it on weekends only from 10am to 3 pm. We like to get there on the earlier side.

Dinner was a very light affair of Sushi at Shogun's at the corner of River and Oracle in the Denny's parking lot. Yes it was a weekend full of eating.

I also found some time for knitting and spinning. No projects finished though.

The current load of laundry is almost finished washing. As soon as it goes into the dryer it will be time to start the next load and go to bed. We had a formula spill tonight and it has to be washed before it drys, otherwise it leaves a stain and the laundry room smelling like formula,


*1 Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dim_sum

Busy, Busy, Busy

Wii Fit can be a funny game at times. It has been 3 months since I lasted played. Well first it called me dad. Second it said I had lost 3 pounds and needed to set a new goal. So I figured 1 pound a month down was not a bad goal. Then it was off for 30 minutes of exercise with warning signs flashing saying that this move or that was an advanced move. I did not break myself and plan on trying again tomorrow.

Then it was off to knitting followed by  lots of errands. It was one of those busy days when I did not get lunch until 4pm. As per John I was my own fault. Don't tell him, but he was 100% right. A glass of tea does not constitute lunch. I also managed to work on a lot of charity projects, getting things ready to leave the house.

I worked on a lot of different knitting and spinning projects today. A little bit of progress on a lot of projects as I see it. As usual not a lot got finished, that usually goes in spurts.

Oh, a quick reminder please leave a can or two of food by your mail box tomorrow for the Mother's Day Food Drive sponsored by the great people at the USPS. Going into summer is the worst time for the food bank. Demand increases do to children not getting their meals at school. We are also a seasonal town with lots of layoffs in the summer months as tourism declines. If you don't live in Tucson and don't mind a little heat ( its a dry heat, we promise not to tell you when the humidity dips below 10%), this is the perfect time of year to come. The rates go down and there are still a lot of things to do in and around Tucson.

Well I have a very busy day tomorrow. So enjoy your day, I know I will.