Yay, Volans. I hope the kitty continues to improve.

I'm up and looking up recipes to finalize our Thanksgiving menu.

Volans, if not being employed is due to the events of November 3rd my sympathy is somewhat muted. Changes! I hope you are doing okay. I can only imagine your experiences since 2016 have been even more alarming being that much closer.

Sheesh, it has been a Monday morning. I started this post a really long time ago. Let's see how much time has passed. eta: 3 hours! So I missed the kitty update. Phew!

askye, I am sorry about the losses for your poor mom. Sending comforting ~ma her way.

What a relief re: cat, Volans!

How is the weekend already over? Do not like.

I've been thinking that as well, but then I remembered I only have to work two days and then have five off, so that should help.

In other news, my team is doing a gift exchange with a $15 limit or homemade. I am the boss. The person I drew said she likes sweets. Everyone knows I bake. I should send her a couple of kinds of cookies or similar, right?

We are going to be making way too much food for 3 people, especially since one of those people is a 5 year old who things anything we make is "icky".

I know I will make too much, but hope to make some frozen meals with the leftovers. Trying to keep on track with the diet. Just turkey breast made in the instant pot, then my carby sides of sweet potato, white baby potatoes, and stuffing. We have been eating so healthy that this will be so decadent.

To switch things up with the morning oatmeal game I made a oatmeal/pumpkin/banana bread that is so tasty it was off the charts. Added 1/2 cup of walnuts to this recipe - [link] The 'flour' was 2 cups of pulverized whole oats. With the walnuts it was 235 calories a serving (1/8 loaf). I put a tiny bit of peanut butter on top. DH had a couple scrambled eggs too because his caloric needs are substantially different from mine.

Anyway, enough of the boring talk after I note that DH is down 35 pounds and me 11 after a month. Daily routine of oatmeal varieties for breakfast, salad varieties for lunch (wide variety like today is Waldorf), and fish and veggies, vegetarian, or lean protein and veggies for dinner. Lots of walking and swimming. This week adding weights. So much cooking! So many dishes! Much of the loss is just not eating out.

We are, too, sj, and without the five year-old. I'm a pretty big eater, frankly, but I'm still glad for freezers!

I'm so sorry for your mom's losses, askye. In close succession makes that even harder. My Uncle Bill (dad's best friend) died the year after my father did, and it was just gutting on top of devastating. Like, no, really, just stop. (This was mid-seventies, so, many moons ago.)

Uh. And on that cheery note... unicorns, butterflies, puppy dogs, Earl Grey tea to clear the melancholy. I actually only have one of those things. Guess which one!

Potential oatmeal:

That's awesome, Laura! Congrats on the healthy.

How is the weekend already over? Do not like.

My brain REALLY felt this this morning. So much do in fact that I was SURE it was Sunday and kept hitting snooze. Finally heard NPR say Monday about the time I should be leaving for work. 25 minutes late. Oh well no one else in the office anyway and my boss on vacation. I’ll work through lunch.

TCG is only working two days this week, and ltc is in school 3 days. We need Wednesday without her here for meal prep.

Laura, that recipe looks great. Bookmarking it for later. I really need to start eating better as well. In the middle of all of the medical tests for the shoulder/neck issue, my sugar was high. Not scary high but not good. After Thanksgiving.

The plan with the leftovers is to not have to cook again until Monday and then freeze whatever is left.

I just heard from a single woman at church that she is making a 16 lb turkey, as she always does! She has one or two people over for Thanksgiving and then freezes the rest to eat all winter!