Lazy Weekend

It's been raining for many days...almost straight. It's actually been really nice - I like any excuse to stay inside and do inside stuff. It hardly rains at all during the summer here, so I am going to enjoy it while I can.
Friday was a crappy day at work - a fellow employee and I were told by our boss that we have to be more "bubbly" and "smiley" at our patients. I didn't know what she was talking about - I really was taken aback. I almost wanted to say "I'm a nurse, not a hooters waitress." but instead I didn't say anything. I think it's completely ridiculous. I know I am doing a good job and my patients like me a lot - I've never had a complaint against me like some other employees there. I think it's time to look for a new job...

I baked a couple times this weekend. I have a recipe for a "healthy" banana bread emailed to me by that health-guru who looks like Pavarotti and Chef Prudhomme (sp?). I skip the nuts, add an extra banana, some mini chocolate chips. This time I also substituted 3 T of applesauce instead of the oil. They come out very moist with chunks of banana (as long as you don't puree the banana at the beginning). Very good.

3 very ripe bananas
½ cup honey
3 tablespoons expeller-pressed canola oil, plus a little more for oiling the loaf pan
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 ½ cups whole-wheat pastry flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Instructions
1. Heat the oven to 350° F. Lightly oil a loaf pan. 2. Mash the bananas and mix with the honey, canola oil and vanilla extract. 3. Stir together the whole-wheat pastry flour, baking soda and salt. Add the nuts.4. Blend the two mixtures and spoon into a lightly oiled loaf pan. Bake for 40 minutes, or until center is set.

I also baked the Vanilla Rich Chip Cake that's printed on the vanilla extract box. I altered it a little - using egg substitute for the 4 whole eggs, applesauce for the oil, etc. I don't think it came out as good as it did last time I made it. It's probably the oil...although I wish it was the eggs. The egg substitute is very nasty looking. Next time I will try to do half oil half applesauce.

Eric took me to the library on Friday. Our town has many different branches and the one down the street from us, as I have said, is very small. The larger one downtown was somewhat better, but is still kind of dingy. I got a couple cookbooks, and also took out a book on CD (The Heart is a Lonely Hunter) because I am in my car at least an hour and a half each day. I don't mind the traffic as much anymore.
I did end up taking out the Cooking Light 2007 cookbook, even though I think I have most of the issues from last year. So far I've made the Spinach Fettucine, which was amazing. Not exactly light though, because I used what I had on hand (bacon, cream cheese) which were not the low-fat versions. http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1215892. I highly reccomend it.

Today I went to the mall because I've been wanting to get this green canvas bag from the Gap. Turns out the mall stores are not open until 11 on Sunday, so I had to hang out in Target for about an hour. I didn't mind at all...who doesn't love Target? But I always end up spending more than I set out to. I ended up trying on a lot of clothes, and buying a dress because it was the only thing that didn't make me feel horrible. Also bought an eyelinder brush, Hallmark magazine, and a large tupperware container for my pasta salad. After getting my bag at the Gap, I just came home. Now I think we may be settled in for the day. Perhaps I will make an attempt to work on my scrapbook.

Day 2

I almost forgot to do this, of course.
It wasn't hard getting out of bed today as the boyfriend has taken up snoring - at 5 am this morning. So I am totally exhausted because of that combined with a very bad day at work. We had an emergency "meeting" called by the boss so she could complain about all the mistakes we're making. Not fair OR welcome. Having my work insulted is something I get pretty emotional about, so of course I cried in the bathroom. I always have a shitty boss.
So I treated myself to lunch out (I do it so often that I should no longer consider it a 'treat') where I had vegetable soup and a half a chicken salad sandwich (a new fave). Eating lunch alone in a restaurant while reading is really one of my favorite things. So that was nice until I saw a couple of my patients seated across the way from me. Oh well, at least they are happy and pregnant.
I had to stay at work late on account of it being Thursday and I had to help one of the pain doctors give patients injections in very sensitive areas. I can't even think about it without crossing my legs.
I drove home from 430 to 530 in the rain. The weather here has been crap lately- dark and rainy and cold. The wood casing of our window seems to be rotten and our heat doesn't work so we aren't the most comfortable.
We went to Ralph's and loaded up on 75 dollars of food for only about 50. We've been improving our coupon organization. I made a new recipe tonight from the Cooking Light 2007 cookbook. It involved pasta, cheese, spinach, and bacon - very very good. I don't see how it was light when it involved a ton of cheese and half and half, but I will accept it.
Thinking about bed...

The beginning

I thought I would start a blog because I really enjoy reading other people's. Well, some of them. Mostly ones that involve pictures of food and reccomendations for good books. I like seeing what kind of crafts people make because I am pretty incapable of doing the same.
I am thinking that this will also eventually be a way for my family and friends to see what I'm up to. There are no promises that it will be interesting!!
Today I called out of work. I'm not really sick, I just woke up before the alarm, as usual, and couldn't bear the thought of getting out of bed. I never want to of course, but today seemed especially daunting. I don't make a regular practice out of this. In fact, I had excess unused sick time last year. I figure I can always use that as a defense if I'm ever given an attitude about calling out.
I am glad I did...it's nice to have a weekday off: most people are at work and not crowding around everything. Good TV is on (right now: an old Twilight Zone), and I get to stay in pajamas until I decide to leave the house. Plans today include walking to the library downtown. The branch nearer to me is crap, pure and simple, consisting of one medium sized room. I want to get a book called Identical Strangers. (http://www.amazon.com/Identical-Strangers-Memoir-Separated-Reunited/dp/1400064961/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201112948&sr=8-1)
I will probably also pick up some cookbooks. I have a thing about reading on the subject of food and cooking, but I don't do a lot of cooking myself. I recently made the cake recipe on the back of the bottle of vanilla extract and that was pretty good, but highly unhealthy. Starting a baking habit while also trying to lose weight is not a good mix at all.