My Old Man Crush Part Deux

Woke up before 4 am this morning because mom has to go to the bathroom. So I ended up watching the two episodes of Dear John that are on at 4 a.m.

Why does Dear John have to be on that early?

Fell asleep and had a strange dream about Judd Hirsch. I dreamed that he was a college professor at the University I went to and we were walking down Main Street in California.

Very weird.

Dear John

I loved Dear John when it aired in the late 80s and early 90s. I think I might have had a crush on Judd Hirsch when I was a teenager too.

I just found out that it was based on a short running series in the UK.

I watched the first episode and a half tonight and I have to say, they were freaking hilarious. This was also the first time I think the US did a good job bring a UK show across the pond. I think part of it has to do with Judd Hirsch. He is a pretty damn good actor.

I highly recommend watching both shows, which are on youtube. The best character on the UK version is Louise, played by Rachel Bell. She is absolutely fabulous.

You really need to watch these shows.

Do I Have A Type

I was thinking about whether or not I have a type when it comes to the opposite sex. I think I've come to the conclusion that I don't.

I like the quirky sort....

But I do like classically handsome too

Finally A Funny Big Bang Theory

The season finale of Big Bang Theory had to be the best of  the season. I think that was pretty much because they had all the parents on the show, including Leonard's father who we see for the first time in this one. It makes things better because his dad is played by Judd Hirsch, who basically steals every scene that he's in. (And OMG Johnny Galecki looks like he could be his son)

I have a huge crush on Judd Hirsch. I've loved him since Dear John back in the late 80s and early 90s, but I really fell for him in Numb3rs.

I still haven't forgiven ABC for cancelling Forever. I adored that show and it deserved a chance that ABC wasn't willing to give it.

I hope he'll make a few appearances next season, especially after the ending of tonight's show.

Randomosity

Yikes!

It has been awhile.

I keep telling myself I'm going to be a better blogger again, but life keeps me from doing so. So do all these wonderful books I have piling up.

Here's a few things going on in my life.

~ Still trying to get in exercise. I'm still doing Zumba Basic, because I have no coordination for these steps. The have easy beats, showing the levels to get to the correct move. For the most part, I can do up to easy beat 2. Oh and I look like a lumbering cow doing these things.

~ I bought two other DVDS...and uh...Denise Austin's cardio workout is for the birds. You aren't supposed to be in a sweat while warming up. 'nuff said.

~ There is nothing sweeter than a kitty cat hug. I have a few kitties that like hugs and when they want one they stand up and put their front paws on my shoulders.  That, my friends is love.

~ Election 2016 = YUCK. Let's give ourselves back to Britain. I think we'd be better off, especially with the scary ass choices we have on both sides right now. (At least in the lead positions)

~ My sister sucks the life out of me. For the last 5 years or more I've cooked supper for my family as well as my sister and the nephew still lives at home. (The other nephew lives with us). By the time I finish supper and dealing with her, I'm totally drained. We used to be fairly close, but several years back she was in an accident and had to stay with us for 4 months. Lets just say our relationship has never been the same since.

So that's it...at least for now.

Zumba Will Be The Death Of Me

Ok, I'm trying to get back into a shape other than a roundish pear. So I shelled out $60 for a Zumba set. I was ambitious the first day and tried a regular workout. Bad idea. I'm 41, fat and uncoordinated. So last night I decided to look through the dvds and found the basics disc that teaches you the moves for all the areas they work on in the other discs. It proved to me, I have no coordination and that I now understand why Richard Simmons did so well with his show. Why? The dancers on the Zumba videos are all teeny tiny, which doesn't make a fat girl feel too good and the moves are way more complicated then they make them out to be. I guess I'll be doing the Basic Steps Workout for a few weeks before I can build up to anything else. ~sigh~ I probably should have bought the discs for the Baby Boomer Set.

Its Been A Rough Week

I feel like my life is one big "woe is me."

Mom is home from the hospital. She's eating better now, but because those idjits at MVH decided to do all her PT in her hospital bed, she's not really able to stand, which means potty time isn't fun, as she's preferred a couch to a bed for the last 8 years. In fact, she's miserable in the hospital because she's in a bed.

Hopefully we'll have PT coming to the house soon, because I don't know how I'm going to deal with it otherwise.

I know we may be hitting a point again when things won't be getting better and frankly I'm scared to death of that. Losing my dad was hard enough, I'm not ready for anything to happen to mom.

Life Interruptus AGAIN

Mom is in the hospital again.

I had great plans of blogging on a more regular basis again.

No luck there.

A whole lot of craziness though.

Mom has an infection, possibly just a UTI or a kidney infection and she was dehydrated, possibly from her own trying to keep from retaining too much fluid and possibly from the infection.

We cant win for losing.

I need a vacation from my life.

TV Shows I'm Sick Of

Thanks to all the strange channels that air classic tv, I'm reminded that tv used to be funny and good. There's very little that I watch these days that are on the big 4 channels.

The Big Bang Theory used to be a favorite of mine, but when they started marrying everyone off the show started to lose its luster. In fact, if it weren't for one of the guest stars I probably wouldn't even watch the rest of the season, because I haven't found it funny in a very long time.

Modern Family was another show I used to adore, but now it isn't fun anymore. I still like most of the characters, but when Lily started growing up, she just became too obnoxious.

Fresh Off The Boat was cute in its first season, but it got old pretty fast.

I've totally given up on any and all cop dramas...Law and Order, Criminal Minds, CSI, & NCIS...as much as I love some of the characters on these shows, they've all overstayed their welcome.

I wish there would be some new show that showed some originality.

TV sucks.

Pennywise Goulash

I'm trying to revive the blog and I found a page with writing prompts, one of them is "A food that reminds you of your youth."

Pennywise Goulash was something my mom made all the time. It was made with stew meat, tomatoes, ketchup, onions, mushrooms and bow tie pasta. I think it was something my grandmother made before

I've made it many times since I started cooking but something wasn't the same.

It was the bow tie noodles. They aren't the same. When my mom made this dish when I was a little girl those bow ties were huge and round. Now they aren't even really called bow ties, they are called farfalle and they are getting smaller and smaller.

The dish is still fabulous and one of my favorites, but I still love it.

Here's the recipe for anyone interested

Pennywise Goulash

3/4 lb lean beef
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 med onion sliced
1 small can mushrooms
1/4 cup ketchup
1 1/2 cup canned tomatoes
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 package farfalle noodles


Cut meat in very small pieces (or use stew meat that's already cut)
Melt butter in skillet and brown meat slowly for 10 minutes
Add onion and brown 5 minutes longer.
Add remaining ingredients and simmer gently for 45 minutes
Serve over cooked noodles.

We prefer to mix the sauce and meat mixture with the noodles. My mom made her's with fresh tomatoes from the garden so this was usually a summer dis for our family.

Happy Birthday Daddy

Today would have been my Daddy's 90th birthday. He passed away Nov 16, 2014. It was one of the worst days of my life, because my daddy had become my life. I, along with my nephew, Raymond took care of him in his last year.  My mother's failing health made it impossible for her to be a primary caregiver.

But lets talk about my daddy.

He served in the Coast Guard during the second world war.

This is my parents official wedding photo

But this is my favorite picture

This is my mom and dad with my uncle Leonard and aunt Delores.

Now for some of my favorite pics of my daddy through the years

Classic TV Boyfriends

I've been watching a lot of classic tv, and I've developed a few tv crushes.

Sadly some of them are dead.

Thankfully others are still working.

Let's Talk About Body Shaming

I'm a fat girl. I wasn't always though. In my twenties I wore a size 2. Yup, you read that right, a 2.

Then something happened.

My grandmother died.

Then my dad got sick.

My life totally changed and with all the changes, my body changed too, and not in a good way.

I'm sick of people being nasty to fat chicks. I have to say, I admire the girls that can wear their bikinis and be comfortable in their own skins, because I am not.

If you are a fat chick like me, most of the time, you feel bad about your body. And you try hard to change.

I still make it to the gym, but with my responsibilities it isn't easy to get there with any regularity and it makes me feel bad.

It makes me feel bad that I can't wear the clothes that I want to wear.

I don't need anyone shaming my body anymore than I do myself.

I hate self righteous people that think that because I'm fat means I'm lazy. For the last 7 years I've been a caregiver for my parents, doing all the shopping, laundry etc that goes along with that. You can't be lazy and do that.

But do you know what?

You can be depressed.

So before you shame someone that is overweight, especially if they are lucky enough to feel comfortable with themselves then shut your pie hole, because you don't know their life situation.

The same goes for those girl's that you want to buy a cheeseburger.

I Need Motivation

This month has been not so fun, which is why I haven't been blogging here much.

I started out with the stomach flu.

Mom ended up in the hospital for a few days.

I just don't know what to say anymore.

I'm really trying hard to make low sodium meals for her that have flavor. I've found a few. Yesterday I made a Poor Man's Pepper Steak for dinner.  I had to buy lite Soy Sauce. Have you ever checked the sodium count on Soy Sauce. Oye to the vey! But this had lots of lovely veg and the gravy is 1 cup of water, 1/3 cup of soy and 2 tablespoons of flower.  I used minute steaks, but you can use cubed steaks. Anyone want to explain the difference in the two of these for me, except the price? I actually think the minute steaks taste better, and are more tender.

The other day I made Honey Dijon Pork Chops, which was totally easy and pretty tasty.

And lastly my only offering that wasn't low sodium, but I did change the tomato sauce to a no sodium variety; chicken cacciatore

So I guess, I've been cooking. Now if only I could be motivated to do something else.

If you want the recipes for any of these, just ask.

Musical Television

For the last few months I've been watching the musical 2 hours on Antennae TV on Sunday afternoons. The first hour is The Monkees and the second is The Partridge Family.

It really is amazing how very different these shows could be.

I've loved The Monkees for years and years and I find the show to be very enjoyable even now, but when aired next to The Partridge Family, it is easy to see how bad the show actually was.

The music is timeless, and the guys were decent actors, but the writing for The Monkees was terrible, awful even.

There was such potential if they really did a show about a band. If they would have even done a show that parodied A Hard Day's Night, which was supposed to be what the band was about, it could have been great.

I'm not saying that there weren't good episodes, because there were, especially in the second season. The Devil and Peter Tork and The Christmas Episode, but this was a show that could have been so much more, especially with the talent of the stars

Its really only been recently that I've taken a shine to The Partridge Family. I watched them a little bit when I was little, but not much. Seeing the two shows back to back, you can really see the differences and yet both shows have a lot of similarities.

The primary difference is that The Partridge Family didn't try to be a real band, it was David Cassidy.

This show only started a year or so after The Monkees ended, but this show was so much more developed. There are actual stories that make sense, rather than just silly ones.

Sure this show was based on The Cowsills, but they did so much and the show is entertaining, regardless of how you feel about the music.

Which show did you like better?

La La La La Feeling Blerghy

Last Friday I had a bout with a very nasty stomach bug that rendered me useless for most of the weekend.

I've been very cautious with what I eat, but now it seems my sinuses are going to help make sure I'm miserable.

I swear the only thing that doesn't make me want to wretch is jello.

I was trying Campbell's Soup In Hand, cos they were easy and they taste pretty good, but the sodium content is insane. 1 cup of soup has 960 mg of sodium, and I'm trying to watch my intake, because I have my mother's bad genes.

The worst part of not being able to eat much and all of this..I haven't lost a freaking pound.

There is something wrong with the world.

I have to say that I have now caught up on all the old Drew Carey episodes I missed back in the day, and probably all the old Night Court episodes too.

Why can't tv be funny like that anymore?

I Need To Vent

I am depressed.

My life started its downward spiral in 2008 when my grandmother passed away. After that it was dad's illness, and then his passing.

I've packed up the plantation and moved in the last year, still caring for my mother, who lives with me.

I haven't had a proper hair cut in months.

I don't wear makeup anymore, except for bb cream and sometimes lipstick.

I'm fat.

I don't like myself or my life.

My mother offers help financially while she can, but I don't want to take it, because I know at some point she won't be there, and I need to see what I can do on my own.

I'm terrified most of the time.

I used to have people to talk to, but they felt they couldn't share their problems with me, and now I don't want to share mine with them.

I'm lonely, miserable and frustrated.

I don't even feel like a human being anymore.

I feel like a lump.

Missing Davy

Its been 4 years since Davy Jones passed away.

I have to say that when I first read about his death, from a text from my nephew, I thought it was a terrible terrible mistake. A hoax or something. He was one of my first celebrity crushes. (Even though I was born long after The Monkees hey day)

The Monkees were my very first concert in 1986 at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh. Both Davy and the Arena are now gone.

How sad is that?

Classic TV Is The Best

I have to say I'm getting old.

I find myself watching MeTV and Antenna TV all the time.

I think I watch shows like Newhart, MASH, Mama's Family, and Bewitched more than I do new tv. I think maybe its because new tv just isn't funny anymore.

I used to love The Big Bang Theory. Maybe it is because the show has been on forever, but I really don't get as many laughs anymore. 2 Broke Girls is just ridiculous. Mom tends to get depressing.

I like the Wednesday lineup with The Middle and The Goldbergs and to a lesser extent, Blackish. Modern Family is getting old for me too.

As for new shows, Superstore is actually a hoot.

But so few of these hold up to the classics.

Heck, I find myself enjoying The Partridge Family, when they play them after The Monkees.

Ah The Monkees, I have a huge rant there. That show could have gone for a long time, if they had writers worth their weight in salt, which they obviously didn't. The guys had talent and were all passably decent actors. They should have written a real show, rather than the nonsense that they did.

The second series had some stellar episodes, like The Devil and Peter Tork and The Christmas Episode oh and The Frodis Caper.

The producers should be ashamed that this show was as ridiculous as it was. (Funny but ridiculous)

I want good tv.

Oh and thanks to Decades, I want to see more of Love, American Style.

Stop Telling Me How To Live My Life

I am so sick of celebrities telling us how to have a wonderful, healthy life.

I saw Kate Hudson the other day promoting this book.

I think most women wouldn't mind looking like Kate, who for those not in the know, is Goldie Hawn's daughter. If you don't know who Goldie is...well then I feel very old.

But back to the case in point, she's telling us how to get moving, but as she does it she says one little thing that sets her apart.

She was athletic from the time she was a little girl.

That my dear Kate is why you are a skinny little thing. What about those of us that aren't? I haven't an athletic bone in my body. I can't dance and exercise is just not fun.

Healthy ways to love my body?

It would be nice if these women that can afford trainers and instructors and stylists could grasp the fact that most of us just can't sit back and meditate and run a couple of miles or even get to the gym and that compiled with the stresses of day to day life make it damn difficult to love our bodies, let alone do anything healthy.

Damn it, I  want to find ways to get dinner on the table in about 30 minutes, without consulting Rachael Ray, who makes an awful lot of hamburgers and pasta.

I am sick of actors and actresses selling their brand of snake oil.

On that note, why can't reading burn butt tons of calories?