My daughter Heather introduced me to these wonderful cookies … well cookie dough.  You could say they are “Simply” ready to bake into delicious cookies!

With our family of 5 down to a family of 3 (two daughters have moved out), I no longer bake a double batch of cookies.  And … with us watching our weight, I rarely bake cookies at all.  So, when my daughter brought a package of this cookie dough over for dessert, I thought, “This is great!  Just the right amount to bake and have in the house - only a dozen.”

I bought a package of each, Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip and had this great idea :)  Put them together - half and half …  So, I cut each pad of cookie dough in half and stuck half the peanut butter and half the chocolate chip together.  YUM!  Who doesn’t like chocolate with their peanut butter?

They are really good! You should try it!

They do tend to come apart in the middle, so if you try this, perhaps “push” them together “tighter”.

You can find the “Simply” by Pillsbury in your grocery store’s cold food isle … you know with the cheese and bacon!

Tags: Cookies, Simply

I attended the Writing for Wellness Seminars last month at Mission Hospital, in Mission Viejo, California.  This was put on by author of the “Writing for Wellness” book, Julie Davey and professional writer, Laura Seiler.  I was able to attend 3 of the 4 classes and they were great.  First, they fed you a nice lunch - free.  Second, it was all voluntary … if you shared or not.  You were never put on the spot to share.  I did read … or tried to read … and had Laura read it for me …. my “Addicted to Kleenex” short story (see a previous post on this blog) and after that I shared a few things.

This class taught me how to start writing, beginning, middle and end.  The book is filled with stories from patients, caregivers and survivors. 

One thing the book touched on and I did, was to write a thank you note to my Dad’s surgeon … about 4 years later than I had intended.  But… It made me feel good to do it!

When my Dad had surgery, I immediately wanted to thank the surgeon for all of his knowledge and skill at making a bladder out of a part of my Dad’s intestine!  Wow!!  Surgeons and other people in the health care field should be thanked more!

Click to see larger ..

One of our in-class writing assignments was to write about a place you are at peace …

Here’s mine ..

Paddling in my kayak in the peacefull morning at the harbor.

It takes a lot to get me there, but once I get out of bed, dress, drive, unload and get my kayak in the water, it is well worth the effort.

I paddle out and glide across the water.  It’s around 7 am and there are few people on the water.  it is quiet, peaceful, calming.

I paddle around the harbor island watching the ripples in the water, the birds, people walking on the island and a few other paddlers.  This is wonderful.  I need to do this more often.

I consider bringing my radio or iPod, but decide the quiet is better.

Maybe the next time I come out for a morning paddle I will bring my fishing rod and cast a few times, see if I can get a bite.  Now, that would be a nice morning.

I remember the time I brought my Dad kayak fishing.  I so wanted him to catch a fish., to feel the bite on his rod.  Although he didn’t catch any fish that day, I know he had a great time in my world on the water…

Tags: Family, kayaking, writing for wellness

My Mom-In-Law has the CUTEST garden EVER!! Everywhere you look you see something cute. Check it out - Click on each picture to enlarge it.

Tags: Garden

My Kleenex addiction and how I’m beating it.

Kleenex piled up on the floor of the passenger side of my car became a common occurrence on the drive home from my parents. First they piled up when my Dad was fighting bladder cancer. His body was being beaten by cancer and seeing him so thin just made me cry on the way home. I was always strong in front of him, but alone in the car with the radio blaring, I let the tears flow.

Kleenex really piled up when my Mom was diagnosed with 4th stage kidney cancer 2 days before my Dad died. My eyes were puffy, red and sore and the Kleenex pile grew. I learned to pat my eyes and not rub them. I let the tears flow.

The Kleenex use continued through the next four months. Caring for my Mom, taking her to all of her appointments, radiation, Chemo, the Lab, etc… Seeing my Mom get weaker and weaker made my Kleenex pile grow in the car quite rapidly.

After my Mom passed away my Kleenex addiction grew. Sitting at my kitchen counter drinking beer, eating junk food and crying was a nightly occurrence. Handling the trust, two homes, and three brothers brought stress to a high level and the Kleenex was always there for me.

2 years for my Dad in April and for my Mom it will be in August. Kleenex and I still have a close relationship, but my use has really tapered off. The help of friends and family, a grief counselor and knowing my parents would want me to be happy has really helped.

Kleenex …  I should have bought some stock in you.

I still let the tears flow.

Tags: Crying, Grieving, Kleenex, Parents

We camped at Silverwood Lake this past weekend.  We should have taken Caution Tape.

We were in site 44 and our friends were in site 43. Site 44 is a site that has the driveway for your cars/camper with a path down to your table, fire ring, tent area. This is fine and all, but site 45 backs right up to your drive way.

This shows how close their tent was to our camper.

This might not have been a big deal, but the site 45 campers seemed to think it was okay to walk through our campsite - either to the trash can between 44 and 43 or to the path that is right behind 43.  They didn’t have a clue on camping etiquette.  You DON’T walk through someone’s campsite, PERIOD.  Their kids rode their bikes down our driveway into their campsite.  We told them a few times “You’re in our campsite”.  The parents heard us, but nothing changed.  My husband put the cars at an angle and the kids tried to ride through.  My husband had to tell them to stop.  Hello ?????  Saturday afternoon I laid down to take a nap and I heard kids talking right next to my window.  They were sitting on their bikes in our campsite.  Sigh ….

Then, Saturday night one of their campers had too much to drink and was loud and obnoxious for about an hour.  Other campers were yelling “Shut Up” and she would yell at them.  I went into our camper and got the pamphlet the park gives you on the way in.  I called the number on the back.  It was discontinued!  Then, two park rangers walked down our driveway and talked to her.  I guess they were doing their rounds and heard her from a street over.  They walked her into our driveway to talk to her.  I immediately got up from our campfire and told them that this is “Our campsite.  Theirs is next door”.  The park ranger said he knew and was going to question her.  I told him I didn’t want my stuff messed up!  They finally arrested her as no one could drive her home.  We later asked the park ranger what number to call if we needed them, and he said 911.

We thought maybe we should put some caution tape in the camper so we can “mark our area”.  Not, that I would want caution tape strung across an area … and these campers would probably just go under it!

And … Sunday morning after all of that fiasco the night before, adults from the camp had thrown some trash away and came walking back through our site!!!  My husband told them we had had enough!

Here are some pictures of campsite 44 and 43 -

This is looking out the back window of our camper.  You can see the path down to our fire pit.

This is a picture of site 44’s table and fire pit area.  GREAT shade!  GREAT trees for a hammock.

Here is site 43 -

The path comes right up to the back of site 43 -

The lake was beautiful.  We kayaked, shore fished and enjoyed the weekend … besides having campers with no idea of camping etiquette!

There are ants, gnats, snakes, bears, bob cats :)  come prepared.  I wore flip flops all day and didn’t get any ant bites!  They would crawl on my feet, I’m sure, but no takers.

Tags: Camping, Lake Silverwood, Silverwood Lake