Week 48 Monday (12/8/14)

Recipe Review

Today’s Recipe and Location:           Fried Quail        

Found in: The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays

                  Pages:   344 - 345    Copyright:  2013  Harper Collins

        

         I must say that I was pretty ignorant about the quail. Yes, I knew it was a bird. Yes, I knew it was one that people ate. Yes, I knew it was little and people hunted it like pheasant and turkey.

         What I learned it that they are small. According to many sources that I read, there are around 35 species of this little wild bird. I did know that quail like to live in the brush and eat fruits and seeds of other plants. I was surprised that people eat their eggs, but why is that shocking, since we eat chicken and duck eggs. Oh well, live and learn.

         I looked through various pictures of the quail and I must say that they are a boring looking little bird. This is probably because they need to blend in to the area where they live.

Dad

Today is a day of remembrance for my family. This is the day my amazing Dad passed away. He was loved and admired by everyone he met. We love and miss you Dad.

A Korean war veteran

A fabulous golfer and basketball coach
 who laughed and enjoyed life

A husband, father, grandfather, uncle, and
friend who is missed by all

Random Reflections - Bucket List

       I am so thankful that my friends Denise Hobbs and Donna Dowd encouraged me to teach at Aurora University. I have loved teaching courses for them for more than 10 years.

         I first learned of AU when I attended the school to earn a Type 75 administrative degree. After I graduated, the graduate school administer called me and asked me to be an adjunct professor for them. At the time, I was not interested in teaching at night and in the summer. After a few years and suggestions from my friends, I accepted their offer.

         Since then, I have taught School-Community Relations, Classroom Environment, and The Brain and Learning. The new course I will teach next summer is called The Collaborative Classroom. I love that I have taught so many courses, so that there may be a need for my services after I retire. Even though I know I am already scheduled to teach it next summer, I am adding it to my list.

Prepare to teach a new course at Aurora University

Visit Brookfield Zoo and photograph the animals

Have absolutely no debt

Set up a schedule for next summer to visit area cities

Organize and purge the basement

I am going to learn as much as I can about large animals

Make repairs in each and every room of my home to prepare to sell

Research Hadrian’s Wall for visit to Scotland

Enter a quilt in a local fair

Write a book about school for parents

Host a game party

Purchase a truck

I would like to learn more about fostering animals

Visit the narrowed list of Kentucky towns each for a weekend

Have a B.M.I. of 24.9 or lower

Return to Florida/Alabama and see old friends

Play tennis again

Learn to play bridge

Have an in-ground pool

Finish writing a book on the Scent Family

Save up enough money for a down payment on my Kentucky house

Research every town in Kentucky in hopes of relocating

Work on learning calligraphy and bettering daily penmanship

Begin making my own clothing using a mannequin

Volunteer at an animal rescue

Visit all 50 states

Photography courses

Complete all of Mom’s and my scrapbooks

Go skiing again in Colorado

Meet the Duggar family

Watch every nominee and winner for the Academy Awards to date

Remodel my kitchen

Take piano lessons

Write 2 books for my great-nephews

Travel to Wales

Travel to Scotland

Alaskan cruise

Why Weight?

I decided to try to have another free week. I even had lunch at Harners on my way home from shopping,  because I was just craving a burger. I finally get that when I begin thinking about eating something specific, I need to eat it and then adjust the rest of the day. This is harder because I had so many bad habits, and I am fearful of falling back into binging eating. I think I need to just go one day at a time.

         Another thing on my mind is that I had a hard time in January and February last year. I overdid it over the holidays and got off track every other week. I need to reach my 100 pound weight loss goal by June first, so I need to be really focused from now on. I should be under the 50 pound mark and I am not, so we are on the home stretch. FOCUS BECKY FOCUS!

Wants and Wishes

         Yesterday morning, I was watching Joel Osteen’s message from Lakewood Church in Texas. I love listening to his message, because he has a gift of being able to make his sermon’s relate to my life. His sermon was about letting go of what we can’t control. Too many times I waste my time thinking about the uncontrollable, instead of focusing on my goals and aspirations and leaving the rest in God’s hands. When I work hard and don’t achieve my goal, I have to remember that it is ultimately up to the Lord. Garth Brooks had it right when he talked about “Unanswered Prayers.”