Garden update--cicadas, a well, and being green.

They started drilling the well. Everyone in the neighborhood can see it. WOW.

Long watermelon!

do watermelon come in "crookneck"?

round watermelon

spaghetti squash--nearing the end...

Okra--too hot for the pods

I heard that there aren't the expected amount of cicadas this year. Imagine my surprise to find them in our yard. Oh wait, we get to see every kind of bug here...

cicada on palo verde

cicada on tree stake

Down to one truck.

Leaving--this "path" can't be planted...

They are done drilling the well. Now the pump installation...

We had a guy come out from an energy audit company to evaluate our house and make recommendations on improvements to reduce our utility bills. We knew it would be a sales pitch but, wow, I didn't know he'd be there that long. It was exhausting. The good news is that there isn't really anything substantial we need to do. Most of his recommendations were about putting film on the windows. I'd consider it but it's a lot of money and I'm not sure it's that much benefit. I just can't tell you how exhausting that was.

Coming home

Coming home, I realize...

I don't look thin in this outfit. I had compliments on the top though. I like the color; everyone likes the little bling at the neck.

At least it's comfortable?

TGIF, motherfuckers. TGIF.

Fries with a friend

I went to lunch at Five Guys with my friend A. She hasn't been before and wanted to try it, and I go there too often when I want something quick or not so healthy.

She wasn't impressed with the burgers, but I wonder if it's because she got it lettuce wrapped like me. They aren't great burgers; they are fast food burgers. I go there for the fries! In an ideal world, I would just get their fries to go with a homemade "milk" shake. Hmmm. Sounds like a plan worth making...

Oh, here's the important part. So we're talking about my diet and our various health issues and it comes up about how hard it is to bake gluten-free without eggs. And she says I should just use the eggs anyway. Huh? I love the woman but WTF. W. T. F. WTF people--do you all think I'm overboard here? Or is it just too hard to imagine that I can go without something, even if it means really going without something, not finding a substitute. Huh. Don't answer that.


Awesome

I do think if I go to Europe again, I would consider trying some things there I wouldn't try here. One, because their food sources and laws are totally different. Two, because it's Europe. And I would want to experience Europe. I don't think I'd go crazy by any means--they have g/f food. But I would consider the flexibility of my personal rules based on the circumstances.

dinner: barbecue beans, sausage, and rice.

Grocery Shopping--Sprouts

It takes forever. So many labels. Words. Tiny words.

Local hot sauce and honey.
First try: red palm oil (made a mess already) and Pom pizza sauce.

Nutrasumma pea protein (rec from Rock A Healthy Lifestyle)
Love Grown granola--one of my favorites
Flaxseed with berries. Worth trying.

Food for Life tortillas--best I've found so far.

Test. Test. Test.

Yesterday, I had my labwork done for the drug trial research monitoring. Right arm for blood work. Bruise. Meh. I just feel meh.

Today, I had my blood work for the endocrinologist. Left arm. Hurt but no bruise. I still feel meh. And super hungry all of a sudden. So I go to Nourish but they are closed--summer hours. Meh is taking hold of me pretty strong. I have no craving, no real interest in anything but my stomach claims I must eat, and something good.

And I see a place I've heard is good for gluten-free--Havana Cafe. Hmm, worth a try. I decide to start with gazpacho. It's kind of a tiny cup for the price. But it is very good.

Eat yer veggies.

Then I have a chicken dish I already forgot the name of. I don't think he even had to modify anything but I did check all my normal culprits. The chicken and onions were citrusy in a good way and the beans and rice were a good side. Lunch (without the soup, and I didn't get a drink) is pretty reasonable, although not cheap of course.

There's some chicken under there.

For dinner, I had this barbacoa with a rice tortilla and Wholly guacamole. It's an all-shortcut dinner. But not bad. The barbacoa is really soupy. I might need rice for the leftovers.


Dinner

Garden Update--wilty, hot, and a well in progress.

It. Is. Hot. Welcome Home.

I think something attacked my bell peppers.

These are better but getting too much sun.

This type of eggplant starts out white. WHITE!

And hopefully turns purple.
I'm not sure what kind of basil I planted there (left.)

The drilling trucks are here. And giant.

Pampered Chef

My friend M had a Pampered Chef party recently. I love, love, love Pampered Chef but it is a lot of money (like Pringles, once you pop, you just can't stop!)

She had a very nice fruit tray so I would be able to snack with everyone. I had some gadgets on my wishlist going into the party and budgeted for a bigger item as well. As my larger item, I got this dish that can be used in the microwave to quickly cook chicken.

chicken

added to pasta with butternut squash fries

My favorite thing is the little plastic liquid measuring cup for less than 1/4 cup, like tablespoons. I hope this holds up better than the multiple "shot glass" versions I've had that the measurements washed off!