Bigger Not Better

Have been neglecting my blog this week as I have too many other writing projects.
Never thought standing up for my rights would involve so much writing. Endless letters, forms, memos, emails and reports. It's getting close to the dead line for management to make a decision,one way or the other.

A couple of news stories about drug company mergers this week. Have to go searching for the links as I have lost them. Merck-Schering and Roche-Genentech. To me this is not good news.I don't think bigger is better and the conspiracy theorist in me believes that these mergers are just a way to stifle competition and do nothing to promote better treatments. Look for layoffs too, as they cut costs to cover the debt needed to pay for these mergers.

I'm experimenting with energy boosting drinks to help me get through the work day.
In the early afternoon I drink one tin of a 100 calorie drink that contains 75mg of caffeine, guarine, and B vitamins. Now before you start to tut tut. I only drink this on work days and I always limit myself to one per day. I'm not a coffee drinker and I drink caffeine free tea in the evenings. To tell the truth, it works much better than the anti fatigue drugs I was taking and doesn't have the lousy side effects.Considering I use to drink 3 to 4 diet colas everyday that didn't work that great and contained that poison aspartame, this is not a big deal. I'm also not collapsing in the evening the way I use too. I'll update next week. Hoping this is a temporary measure.

Had grim news from the dentist. No matter what alternative he suggests to fix my teeth, they all involve unpleasantness and big wads of cash.

At least I did bake an excellent skillet apple pie. You peel and slice apples,I chose Empires, and mix them with some apple cider or apple juice. I used an organic juice only because it was the smallest container I could find at the supermarket. They only sell the regular stuff in humongous containers and I don't drink apple juice. You add a bit of lemon juice to stop the apples going brown. Next you saute the apples in some butter, keeping the juice aside and add then it to the pan after a couple of minutes. You then throw in some brown sugar and maple syrup . Let all that cook a couple more minutes, top it with an unbaked pie crust and bake it in the skillet till the crust is golden brown. Served warm you have this yummy sauce that you can spoon on to the crust when you serve it. A little whipped cream and that is one fantastic dessert. I justify eating it because I was told dieting in the winter leaves you more susceptible to colds and flu.

A man survives the Falls

Well, back to writing the work opus.

Half a Loaf

Busy tonight cooking. I decided I may as well take advantage of coming home early to get some food ready for the week. There should be enough to last till Friday, which I think will be a pizza or fish "n" chips night. Then I have a long weekend thanks to a civic holiday on Monday. I'll do another cooking marathon then. I hate coming home during the week when I'm tired , having no clue what to make for dinner. It's going to be a real hot humid week too . I'm sure to be a rag doll.
The meeting this morning went fine, better than I expected, and similar to what my horoscope said( see post below) . I'm getting a temporary accommodation until the Health Canada assessment is done. The expression "better half a loaf than none", is fitting to describe my feelings about it. It's a relief.
I was so tired from not sleeping last night that I left work after the meeting and came right home. Worry, stress ,and tingling feet , do not make for a good night's rest. Maybe that will improve now.

I get to start a bit later in the morning because my "trainer" won't be in till 8:30.She has to show me how to use a new data base. I could most likely figure it out on my own ,but she's trying to be nice, so I'll just go along with it.

That's it for tonight. Have to go check on my pasta sauce that is simmering away here.
I did get some good stamps from Pakistan, in the mail today, and a cool lightning post card from Oklahoma.
Can't wait for the Olympics and the U.S. elections to be over. I'm so sick of both stories highjacking the news.

A few cooking tips

Have to make it short tonight. I've been working on a website. Why I'm doing this when I can't even figure out how to do my blog properly, who knows.

Cooking tips: Don't bother to chop onions , garlic, parsley . The chopped frozen onions are very good as is the crushed garlic in the jar. You can buy packs of small frozen cubes of parsley too. Just pop them in what ever you're making. I can't tell any difference in the taste and I use to be a real fussy cook, always insisting on fresh Not anymore.

Frozen vegetables are as nutritious as fresh, partly due to new freezing methods and they are packed right from the field. Sure fresh is good but how far did that veg have to travel and how long has it been lying around ?

Like salad ? Buy the pre cleaned bagged lettuce . Get the kind that they make up at the store, not the national brands. That way you know it hasn't been handled too much. The bags of mini carrots are good too.

I know all this stuff costs more yet there is less waste. How many times I threw out a head of lettuce or carrots because I was too tired to prepare them and they went bad .

Buy a slow cooker. It's so easy to cook a pot roast or chicken. You don't have to do much. Just put it in the cooker , set it and a few hours later you have a nice main dish to go with the frozen veg and salad !

My mind has gone blank so I'll have to finish this tomorrow.