Tuesday, April 28, 2009
4 Week Menu Plan
Way back when, I posted an 8 Week Menu Plan. It was grand, it was ambitious, it worked fabulously.
But now we are down to the nitty-gritty. Now that I'm working, I need simple, easy stuff in my life. So here's what I did. I went through that list, picked out our family's favorites that were also EASY. Easy was really, really important. I allowed myself one day a week to do something more time-intensive, but mostly I want the quick and simple recipes. Here is one month's worth of menu plans:
Week 1
Pot roast in the crockpot with vegetables
Tacos
Mahlouba
Open (I do this once a week to try something new or go out or order take out)
Week 2
Koosa Mahshi (Lebanese stuffed squash)
Lasagna
Open
Week 3
Sandwiches
Cauliflower Soup
Open
Week 4
Bezella (An Arabic beef stew)
Curry Cajun Chicken
Corn Chowder
Shepherd's Pie
Open
So those are the weekly menus. I'm going to be working on developing weekly shopping lists to go along with them, so I'll post them once I've got them ready. It makes it a breeze to do your menu planning and shopping when you've got it all laid out in front of you already. And four weeks is still plenty of time to rotate menus so that you don't get bored with the dishes.
Making life easy. Works for me!!!! For more ideas that work for busy women, visit We Are THAT Family.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Thankful Thursday
I have so many things in my life to be grateful for today, it's easy to write this post. Things are going pretty well in life right now.
It seems as though the issues at work have been resolved. I'm not sure what was said, but the woman we've been having a problem with was called into the principal's office yesterday. They spoke for about an hour and when she came out it was like she was a different person. All day today, she's been friendly, helpful and even chatty! I'm hopeful that the change will last. It's been so much more pleasant and relaxed.
Also ever since I went to the doctor again and got an inhaler, I've been sleeping better and feeling better. May God bless whoever created inhalers and Ventolin. I'm not a hundred percent up to snuff, but it's nice to be able to breathe deeply without gasping for air.
I had a great day yesterday. Even though I had to suffer through the Middle School talent show. There were some really good acts and, well, then there weren't. I found the pogo sticking set to Arabic music particularly odd. But I give them props for having the guts to get up and do it on stage!! Thanks to all of you who dropped by with birthday wishes. It was so sweet to hear from you! And special thanks to Hubby, who sent me the most amazing flowers at work. Even though I specifically told him I wanted him to do that (LOL!!! I'm a little pushy, huh?!), I didn't really expect him too. Flowers are extremely expensive here and it was definitely a luxury.
I'm thankful for the changes I'm seeing in my daughter since her trip to Jordan. While there is still plenty of 14-year-old-girl attitude in her, I do notice that she is beginning to strive to be more Christ-like. That was my prayer throughout her trip and I'm grateful for His work in her.
God is good. Our family has gone through so much turmoil and transition in the past 18 months and it has not always been easy. I've often felt like there would never be light at the end of the tunnel. But He is faithful and I honestly feel like we have emerged from the tunnel into a beautiful forest. The sunlight may not be as bright through the tree canopy, but it's there and we can enjoy the journey through the forest until God moves us out into the bright sunshine.
For more Thankful Thursday posts, be sure to visit Women Taking A Stand.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me...
Yes, internets, today is my birthday. I'm turning 29...once again. *Cough, cough*
Actually, I'm turning 41 today. Which means I'm actually "into" my 40's and not just 40, which implies I'm on the cusp of my 40's wouldn't you agree? I'm not happy about it in particular, but I must admit that it's been a pretty good day so far.
I woke up to find that my darling husband had cleaned my bathroom sink for me. (This will sound like the height of laziness, but please remember that I've been sick for two weeks.) A while back I dropped a blue eyeshadow into my sink and, of course, it broke into a million tiny little eyeshadow fragments. I did my best in my weakened condition (don't I sound like a Jane Austen novel now?) to clean it up, but basically I ended up with blue streaks all over the sink. So to wake up to a shiny clean sink was a treat.
Then Hubby had several cards for me. I especially like it when he hides them for me to find in different places - it makes the day full of fun and anticipation.
At work, my office manager had made a birthday cake for me and had a card. They were very sweet surprises given that I'm so new here. As the day went on, I was surprised with a drop-dead gorgeous bouquet of roses and lilies, plus a gift certificate to Chili's that would pay for our whole family to go out to eat! Ok, those last two things were actually for Secretaries (or Administrative Asst. for the PC among us) Day, but it was a nice touch on my birthday!!
Plus my Facebook is overwhelmed with messages and well wishes. It's nice to hear from so many people from all phases of my life.
The day is only half over and yet my birthday has so far been a million times better than it was last year when I was brand new into a country and life that was totally foreign to me. Thanks be to God for His care over every little detail!!
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Just Call Me Wheezie
How many of you remember "The Jeffersons?" I used to love that show, and I loved it when George called Louise "Wheezie."
That's not why I'm considering changing my name.
After feeling better for a few days, I've since taken a turn for the worse again. Fortunately, I'm not in pain and I still feel pretty good for the most part. But I've still been having coughing fits and now those fits are finished up with my windpipe completely closing up, leaving me gasping for air. Picture those movies where the character is asthmatic and is in the throes of a severe attack, gasping and frantically searching for an inhaler. That's what it's been like for the last 3 or 4 days. I cough for about 30 seconds and then gasp for air for another 30-60 seconds. It's a terrifying feeling to be totally unable to breathe!
It got to the point today that my boss sent me home from work early. I went back to the hospital to get re-checked and the doctor (bless her heart!) prescribed an inhaler for me. I'm hoping that that will help tremendously.
Oh, and I may have some news on the job situation tomorrow. I've been promised that the problem will be resolved as soon as one woman returns from vacation and that should be in the next day or two. I wasn't told exactly what the resolution would be, but whatever it is, I just want things to be peaceful and settled. I'll keep you posted.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Insane, Delusional Crazy-Man Story Telling
Ok, I realize that I may be one of the few people left who will own up to still watching Survivor. But I love it! You get to see people do things they would (hopefully!) never do in real-life.
Like blatantly lie and expect the entire world to believe them.
If you watched this week's episode of Survivor, you know that Coach shared a little bit of his life story with the world. It was quite interesting. Interesting in the "I'm completely out of my mind to think that anyone would believe any part of this story" way.
Now, Coach has already proven himself to be utterly delusional. Consistently referring to himself as "The Dragonslayer," insisting that he started the whole Samurai-hairstyle thing, taking credit for strategy decisions that he had no part in other than to jump on someone else's coattails, and more. But two things stuck out last night that just left our family in stitches.
First, as the show opened we got to see Coach standing hip-deep in water doing some kind of strange warrior-posing type thing. Last week's version of this was better since it was scored to this rising crescendo of music. (Note to self: contact show producers and ask them to make this a regular feature.) As his tribemates made fun of him when he emerged from the water, he informed them that he was doing Chong-Ram, which of course no one had ever heard of. That, according to Coach, is because it is un-Google-able and not on Wikipedia because it is only taught by Tibetan monks and he had to go to a monastery to learn it. Now it seems to me that most of those martial arts things that are taught in those monasteries are, in fact, able to be found with a quick search. But not the one Coach does, oh no!
Then to top it off, he decides to share a fireside story that night. In this story, he is dropped by military helicopter from several feet off the ground into the jungles of Peru. As he is kayaking down the Amazon, he is suddenly attacked by a group of short, indigenous people. They beat him with clubs, tie him to a stake in a hut and continue to beat him with clubs. Through some stroke of "Coach-ness" he manages to escape his bonds, sneak out of the hut and escape with his kayak.
As his tribe sat in stunned silence, only Brendan was able to say anything to confront this outrageous story, asking, "How much does it cost to get a military helicopter to do that?" Coach replies, "Nothing. I pulled some strings." Because don't all college soccer coaches have favors to call in with the Peruvian military? Oh, and by the way, National Geographic wanted to follow him along on his journey and document it, but told them no because it was just about him and his personal journey. Uh-huh.
I don't know why I felt compelled to share this story on the blog. I guess it was just so funny to me that people can make things up like this. Now, if he comes up with some kind of proof that the story is true, I will eat my words and happily post an apology. But for now, it just seems like Survivor has found the most mentally delusional person they've ever had.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Because I have nothing big to share today, here's a sampling of some of the random thoughts I've had lately.
1) I've now heard the song, "Girl From Ipanema" twice this week on the local radio. I think I could say with certainty that that is more than I've ever heard it on the radio in my entire life leading up to this week. I believe that says something about the quality of radio here in Qatar.
2) I'm watching, "The Constant Gardener" on tv right now and I'm quite confused. It's not at all what I thought it was about. I thought it was about a gardener who was passionately in love with someone - not a murdered woman involved in working against drug companies in Africa. I'm confused, but still watching.
3) I don't understand how rain here in Doha makes the cars even dirtier than they were before the rain.
4) I bought a breadmaker this morning at a moving sale. I used to have one, but sold it long ago because I felt I didn't use it often enough. But I miss the smell of freshly baked bread and the kids miss the fresh pizza dough. I found it for just 20 riyals - about 5 dollars. Not a bad deal!
5) I'm hooked on a new reality show called "Running in Heels." I don't know how long it's been running in the States for, but it's only been on a couple of weeks here. It's about three interns at Marie Claire magazine. Oh my gosh, is the one girl mean!!!! I mean, just downright nasty. She's always late, doesn't do a good job, is constantly scowling and then wonders why she doesn't get the plum assignments. Hmm...I wonder?
6) I'm holding out hope for finding some good stuff for the house in the next few months. Doha has a very transient population - most people only stay for about 2-5 years. Many people leave in the summer once school is out. I'm already hearing of moving sales as people prepare to go. (Hence the breadmaker mentioned above.) What I really need is decorative things to make the house feel more put together and homier. Today I also got this great set of carved candlesticks that look great on the piano. Tomorrow I'm going to another sale by three families from church that are all moving back to the US and I'm hoping to make a bigger score there. Sales like this don't happen often here. It's not like in the States where you can just go out driving around and find tons of garage sales, so this is a great chance for me to pick up some things for a song.
I think that's all I've got for now. Like I said, just random things running in my brain. Hope you all have a nice weekend!!
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Thankful Thursday - Wisdom
I have much to be thankful for this week. It's been a tiring week, both physically and emotionally, but still I can see God's hand on my life. It's so reassuring to know that He is always there with me, even when I feel like I am too tired or distracted to give Him the attention He deserves.
Physically, I must say how thankful I am for healing. After my bout with "tracheitis" over the past couple of weeks, I am thankful to be free of pain when I breathe. I'm still coughing, but not nearly as frequently and without the immense pain I had before. I'm still struggling with fatigue, but I'm thankful that it doesn't generally hit until later in the evening. It's great to be able to go about my day with energy and stamina again.
Emotionally, the struggles at work seem to be easing up. I did end up meeting with the other ladies in the office as well as the principal and asst. principal to try to work out our problems. It was uncomfortable, but I prayed alot beforehand and really feel as though God guided my word choice and helped me get through it without losing my temper or crying (if you don't know me in real life, you may not be aware that I cry at the drop of a hat. I cry at the Waltons, for goodness' sake!!). Since the meeting, things have slowly thawed out between the woman I was having problems with. It's not that great, but it's not horrible either.
I'm continuing to pray for the situation between her and the other woman. There seem to be deeper issues there which were not resolved during the meeting. The other woman continually comes to me with her frustrations and I'm really trying to be a wise counsel to her. I am working hard not just to commiserate with her about the woman, but instead to work towards reconciliation.
So I'm thankful that God has been gracious enough to give me wisdom. I'm not claiming to be perfect, but He has blessed me with enough wisdom to let me know that it is clearly not of my own doing!!! As I continue to grow in my faith, it's a joy to see the results of that played out in the day-to-day situations of my life.
Proverbs 8: 1-21
The Blessings of Wisdom
Does not wisdom call? Does not understanding raise her voice?
On the heights beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand;
beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:
“To you, O men, I call, and my cry is to the children of man. O simple ones, learn prudence;
O fools, learn sense. Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is
right, for my mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them.
They are all straight to him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge.
Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold,
for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.
“I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion. The fear of the Lord is
hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.
I have counsel and sound wisdom; I have insight; I have strength.
By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is just;
by me princes rule and nobles, all who govern justly.
I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me.
Riches and honor are with me, enduring wealth and righteousness.
My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold, and my yield than choice silver.
I walk in the way of righteousness, in the paths of justice,
granting an inheritance to those who love me, and filling their treasuries.
For more Thankful Thursday posts, be sure to pop on over to Women Taking a Stand.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Quick Update on the Work Situation
I just want to thank you all for your prayers. It seems as though I will not be attending a meeting this afternoon after all. The person with whom I (and the office manager) are having a problem with asked to meet with me privately today so she could tell me "what her job is and what my job is."
Isn't that thoughtful of her?
I said why don't we wait and sort it out during the meeting and she said that she thought the meeting (called by her boss!) was pointless and she didn't think she needed to go, the rest of us could work out whatever our troubles were. Uh-huh. Regardless, I agreed to meet with her during break to hear what she had to say.
Before we met though, I spoke with one of our bosses and told him she wanted to meet with me. He said that he didn't think that myself or the other woman even needed to be present, that he needed to deal with her one on one. I told him I was willing to meet, but he said that her behavior has been outrageous and that wouldn't be necessary.
When I did meet with her, she proceeded to tell me her job description, as defined by her and what she wants to do, and kept talking about how she isn't putting her work on anyone and how I need to not try to do her job. She was getting more and more excited and I just remained calm and kind (thanks to YOUR prayers, I know!). I told her that I wasn't here to be her assistant, which is how she has treated me, and that my only problem with her was our disagreement on whether or not I should be able to answer students and teachers who come into the office with questions. I realize that's her job, but if I'm also sitting at the front desk, I need to be able to help people as well rather than sit like a dumb rock just to protect her territorial feelings. We agreed to disagree and I said we will see what the bosses said.
Later one of the bosses came by when I was alone and I told him of the conversation and he said that the other boss will deal with her today and get it all sorted out. I told him I felt that she hasn't wanted me here since day 1. I also found out that when I was hired, she told other people that there were certainly other people more qualified than me and that she felt that they should have opened it up to other people already at the school than rather hire me from the outside. So I'm wondering if she would have liked the job or something. I don't know what to make of it.
So, after getting the silent treatment for most of the morning, I'm now just getting one word answers to direct questions. She's clearly very upset and I just continue to be friendly and act like everything is ok. What else can I do? If you wouldn't mind praying again, just pray that whatever she is told in the meeting she is able to accept with grace and that we can move on from here.
I'll keep you posted.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Menu Plan Monday
Welcome!!! I hope you had a blessed Easter and were able to take time to reflect on the true meaning of the day. I can't really say that I enjoyed last week. Being a school employee, I had the week off for Spring Break. I had high hopes of making delicious meals for my family and doing a lot of maintenance work around the house. Unfortunately, I was pretty much flat on my back sick the whole week. Yesterday was the first day that I started to feel better, so hopefully I am on the mend. This week should be better. I'm hoping that by implementing my new routines which I posted the other day, things will go more smoothly and I'll get dinners on the table on a regular basis.
At least that's the plan.
Here's the menu for this week:
Sunday - Turkey Noodle Soup and biscuits
Monday - Creamy Pasta Primavera
Tuesday - Lentils & Rice, lemon dressed salad
Wednesday - Spaghetti and meatballs, salad and caesar salad
Thursday - Mezze (Kubbe, Hummous, cheeses, pickles, bread, etc.)
Friday - Taco Salad
Saturday - Roast Sticky Chicken, roasted potatoes, broccoli and salad
That's the plan for the week. Hopefully it will all work out and we will be eating a homecooked meal every night.
Can I just prevail on you for just a minute longer? If you wouldn't mind, I would really appreciate your prayers for me today. Tomorrow I'll be having a meeting with the other ladies in my office as well as both the principal and vice-principal. The objective of the meeting is to sort out some work-related issues that have been going on, but I think that it's gotten personal for some of us and it is promising to be a very uncomfortable meeting. It's already gotten uncomfortable just since they called the meeting! If you would just pray that God would give me wise words and an open heart I'd appreciate it. I don't want to hurt anyone, but I do want to get things settled so we can all move on. Thank you.
And now, I'm off. But be sure to visit The Organizing Junkie to get more great menu ideas!!
Friday, April 10, 2009
Routines for this Working Mom
Well, as promised, I've taken some time this week to re-examine my routines. Things obviously had to change once I started working full-time. I haven't gotten much else done this week as I'm still pretty much flat on my back from my trachea/pharynx/whatever infection. I had such great hopes to do so much work in the house during our spring break, but I've been pleased to get a meal on the table, a load or two of laundry done and dishes washed. Hubby and Daniel have been so sweet and helpful.
I've broken the routines down into time frames. It's kind of like little checklists to do at each part of the day. I'm blessed in that, even though I work full-time, I'm still home by 4 pm. I work from 7:30 to 3:30. That gives me plenty of time to get dinner ready and do a little housework, as well as do some homework help, before, say 6 pm.
Morning Routines: (Waking up at 5:30 and leaving the house at 7 am)
Make bed
Do 30 min on treadmill or a 3 min exercise video
Shower and dress
Swish toilets/swipe bathroom sink
Hang laundry washed the night before
Decide what's for dinner and defrost something if needed
Kids: Unload dishwasher, take out garbage, feed dog
Afternoon Routines: (To be done between 4pm and 6 pm)
Fold clothes hung in the morning
Finish cooking dinner
Help with homework
Focus task (explained below)
Evening Routines: (To be done before bed)
Wash dishes
Clean counters, sink and table
Run a load of clothes
Prepare clothes and lunches for morning
Focus Tasks
(A focus task is a job or area that I assign to myself once a week to focus on)
Sunday - Bathrooms and mirrors
Monday - Kitchen
Tuesday - Master bedroom and bathroom
Wednesday - Hubby's room and bathroom (no, we don't have separate bedrooms - he keeps his clothes in the guest room and gets ready for work there in the morning so he doesn't wake me and we each have our space)
Thursday - Organize desk
Friday - Sabbath - rest
Saturday - Grocery shopping, home blessing time, desk work
Home blessing time includes: Dusting, vacuuming, mopping, changing linens, and cleaning the glass doors. The kids help out with these things, as does Hubby when need be. He's the chief mopper around these parts!
So that's the plan. Not everything will get done as often or as well as I'd like it to, but you have to set your priorities, you know? And I'm sure there will be times when I don't get everything done on the list, but at least I'll have a plan to fall back on when I'm feeling lost and rushed.
I've broken the routines down into time frames. It's kind of like little checklists to do at each part of the day. I'm blessed in that, even though I work full-time, I'm still home by 4 pm. I work from 7:30 to 3:30. That gives me plenty of time to get dinner ready and do a little housework, as well as do some homework help, before, say 6 pm.
Morning Routines: (Waking up at 5:30 and leaving the house at 7 am)
Make bed
Do 30 min on treadmill or a 3 min exercise video
Shower and dress
Swish toilets/swipe bathroom sink
Hang laundry washed the night before
Decide what's for dinner and defrost something if needed
Kids: Unload dishwasher, take out garbage, feed dog
Afternoon Routines: (To be done between 4pm and 6 pm)
Fold clothes hung in the morning
Finish cooking dinner
Help with homework
Focus task (explained below)
Evening Routines: (To be done before bed)
Wash dishes
Clean counters, sink and table
Run a load of clothes
Prepare clothes and lunches for morning
Focus Tasks
(A focus task is a job or area that I assign to myself once a week to focus on)
Sunday - Bathrooms and mirrors
Monday - Kitchen
Tuesday - Master bedroom and bathroom
Wednesday - Hubby's room and bathroom (no, we don't have separate bedrooms - he keeps his clothes in the guest room and gets ready for work there in the morning so he doesn't wake me and we each have our space)
Thursday - Organize desk
Friday - Sabbath - rest
Saturday - Grocery shopping, home blessing time, desk work
Home blessing time includes: Dusting, vacuuming, mopping, changing linens, and cleaning the glass doors. The kids help out with these things, as does Hubby when need be. He's the chief mopper around these parts!
So that's the plan. Not everything will get done as often or as well as I'd like it to, but you have to set your priorities, you know? And I'm sure there will be times when I don't get everything done on the list, but at least I'll have a plan to fall back on when I'm feeling lost and rushed.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Thankful Thursday
Today I'm thankful for the sacrifice that Christ made for me on the cross.
24 years ago on Easter Sunday, I finally understood what that sacrifice meant. Even though I had been attending church for several years, I had not truly understood what that meant. Church was more of a social event for me. My life outside of church went pretty much the same as it always did, with the life (and death) of Christ having no real impact on me.
Then, on a bright and sunny Easter morning in the mountains of Arizona, I got it. I realized that His sacrifice had been so tremendous and that He deserved my very best. He deserved all of me, not just that part that I had set aside for Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights. I begged forgiveness and committed to live my life for Him.
The change was instantaneous, and yet has taken all these years. It's still not complete. I still find myself coming to the cross daily to lay down and be changed. I fail miserably every day and yet He never gives up on me. This process of sanctification is a long and challenging one. While we often hear stories of people who accept Christ and are instantly changed, there are those of us who struggle daily with renouncing our sinful nature.
I think I can say that the reason for that is that the closer we come to Christ, the more obvious our sins become. Yes, it's easy to see those big things that we might have been doing before we were Christians. When compared to those things, the "smaller" things (by the worlds standards) seem to be no big deal. But the closer you come to Christ, the more you realize that often those things are a bigger deal than the major "sins" the world considers a bigger deal. Pride, envy, lust, anger - these are all things that the world may make jokes about, but in reality they area bigger problem in the life of a Christian than many of the "big sins." Those big sins are usually just symptoms of these internal, heart attitudes which Christ found so offensive.
Ok, I'm getting off track. My point is that I'm so very thankful that Christ has an unending well of love and mercy for me. As I learn every day, that well is deeper and wider than I could ever imagine.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Update on the Death Watch
Ok, ok. I know I'm not actually going to die. It just feels like it and probably would feel better than how I feel right now.
Hubby insisted on taking me for a second opinion this evening. We visited a very close hospital's ER. We were totally impressed by the place and will be going there from now on for our medical needs.
Anyways, the doctor I saw there actually agreed with the other doctor's diagnosis, but did believe that I need antibiotics. Hooray!! So I started on them a few hours ago and hope to be feeling better soon.
Thanks for your prayers and well wishes!!
Hubby insisted on taking me for a second opinion this evening. We visited a very close hospital's ER. We were totally impressed by the place and will be going there from now on for our medical needs.
Anyways, the doctor I saw there actually agreed with the other doctor's diagnosis, but did believe that I need antibiotics. Hooray!! So I started on them a few hours ago and hope to be feeling better soon.
Thanks for your prayers and well wishes!!
This is Why I Don't Go to the Doctor's More Often
So, I've just returned from my first ever visit to the doctor's clinic here in Qatar. Apparently I do not have bubonic plague, despite my conviction to the contrary. I have been diagnosed with "tracheitis."
The doctor, a very cute little girl who was maybe 14, said that my lungs are clear (even though I've been coughing up all kinds of stuff which might lead me to believe otherwise) and that it's a viral infection of my trachea. Anti-biotics, she said, were definitely not necessary. Which actually relieved me, because of the huge tendency here to prescribe anti-biotics for everything from the common cold to, oh, I don't know, a sunburn.
I've been given three different remedies - an anti-histamine (though I have no sign of a runny or stuffy nose), a cough syrup, and a mouthwash (I swear I popped a mint right before I went in!!). All this for the grand total price of six riyals - about $1.50.
So here's the problem. Being the naturally curious girl that I am, I went online to look up tracheitis, which I had never heard of. Apparently it is a bacterial infection (which means it DOES require anti-biotics) which most often strikes children. Oh, and it can lead to death. It seems that the windpipe can become so irritated that it can actually close up.
If this is my last post for a while, you may want to send Hubby flowers.
Why can't I catch a break with doctors? I mean, can I just remind y'all of the time I went to the doctor with a shooting pain in my head and the doctor instantly diagnosed me with depression because I was upset he dismissed my pain? That was fun.
Ok, I'm now off to bed. Well, a reasonable facsimile of bed anyways - the couch. I think I'm gonna veg out while I watch Pride and Prejudice. Hubby and I watched Sense and Sensibility last weekend, so it seems that there's a Jane Austen thing going on lately.
The doctor, a very cute little girl who was maybe 14, said that my lungs are clear (even though I've been coughing up all kinds of stuff which might lead me to believe otherwise) and that it's a viral infection of my trachea. Anti-biotics, she said, were definitely not necessary. Which actually relieved me, because of the huge tendency here to prescribe anti-biotics for everything from the common cold to, oh, I don't know, a sunburn.
I've been given three different remedies - an anti-histamine (though I have no sign of a runny or stuffy nose), a cough syrup, and a mouthwash (I swear I popped a mint right before I went in!!). All this for the grand total price of six riyals - about $1.50.
So here's the problem. Being the naturally curious girl that I am, I went online to look up tracheitis, which I had never heard of. Apparently it is a bacterial infection (which means it DOES require anti-biotics) which most often strikes children. Oh, and it can lead to death. It seems that the windpipe can become so irritated that it can actually close up.
If this is my last post for a while, you may want to send Hubby flowers.
Why can't I catch a break with doctors? I mean, can I just remind y'all of the time I went to the doctor with a shooting pain in my head and the doctor instantly diagnosed me with depression because I was upset he dismissed my pain? That was fun.
Ok, I'm now off to bed. Well, a reasonable facsimile of bed anyways - the couch. I think I'm gonna veg out while I watch Pride and Prejudice. Hubby and I watched Sense and Sensibility last weekend, so it seems that there's a Jane Austen thing going on lately.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Menu Plan Monday
Hallelujah!!! This week we are Easter Break (even though it's called Spring Break) and I couldn't be happier! Who would have thought 20 plus years ago that I would be looking forward to Spring Break so I could cook and clean for my family? Wierd how life changes, isn't it?
Unfortunately, the cleaning part hasn't been happening so much. I've been pretty much knocked out by a horrendous cough and sore throat. I'm pretty convinced it's the bubonic plague, but so far no one is believing me. Anyways, it's leaving me sore, achy, and exhausted. Last night I went to bed at 8:30 and that is something I can NEVER remember doing! Unfortunately I woke up at 5:30 am, so that kind of seemed to cancel out the benefits of going to bed early!!
Anyways, I am still determined to do some delicious cooking this week. Since I started working a few weeks ago, dinner has been pretty hit or miss, so this is my week to redeem myself. Here's what I have planned:
Sunday - Well, I had planned lasagna, but I forgot to buy mozzarella so we did Spaghetti with meat sauce. I'll do the lasagna later in the week.
Monday - Pot roast in the crockpot - (Put the roast in the crockpot along with chunked up carrots, potatoes and onions. Combine a can of cream of mushroom soup with a packet of onion soup mix. Add to mix one chopped onion and stir well. Pour over top of roast and vegetables and cook for 7-8 hours on low.)
Tuesday - Lentils & rice with a lemon dressed salad
Wednesday - Lasagna, tossed salad and garlic bread (see, I told you I'd work it back in!!)
Thursday - Shrimp and Sausage Jambalaya over white rice
Friday - Chicken and broccoli casserole with a tossed salad
Saturday - We're having Easter dinner a day early since Sunday is a work day here in Qatar. We've invited over a few guys from our church that are here alone in Doha. I'll be serving a turkey (ham is not sold here), with sausage and apple stuffing, vegetables, mashed potatoes, devilled eggs, spinach and strawberry salad, and some yummy yet-to-be-determined dessert.
So that's what we will be having. For more great menu plans, be sure to visit The Organizing Junkie!!
Thursday, April 2, 2009
I Don't Think I Was Cut Out For This Working Thing
I know, I know. Millions of women work full-time jobs every day.
HOW ON EARTH DO YOU DO IT!!!!
I am really trying to figure out how to get everything done. By the time I get home from work and help the kids with their homework, I'm completely exhausted, dinner isn't cooked, laundry isn't done, and the house looks like a tornado went through it.
Thank goodness today is the last day before spring break. I plan on spending that time trying to figure out new routines and schedules. I am the queen of list-making, as my family continually makes fun of me for. But those routines saved my sanity back when I was homeschooling. I'm hoping that I can work some of that magic to make this whole working woman thing go a little smoother.
I just really didn't realize how much harder it would be. The big issues I'm struggling with seem to be getting dinner on the table, getting the laundry done and doing the grocery shopping. The laundry and the grocery shopping are just things that are more difficult here to start with. With no dryer, the laundry requires much more time to hang everything to dry and then it all needs ironed to be wearable. Grocery shopping requires at least a stop at two different stores to get everything on my list.
So by the end of this break, look for some new routines to be posted. I'm also planning on working on my new 101 in 1001 list. Between the above-mentioned problems and Emily's pneumonia, I've just not been able to get to it. But I'm excited to get to some of this stuff.
May I just say that I'm also very excited to sleep in for a few days?!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
LinkWithin
Subscribe To
Posts
All Comments
