Sunday, November 29, 2009

Sunday Salon: Diet time and a Shelf Discovery Rampage


Good morning Sunday Saloners! What a week it has been! The kids were home with me all week, so they demanded some entertainment (beyond house cleaning and Rock Band Beatles!). As a result, we saw New Moon (for my daughter and myself primarily...Taylor Lautner's pecs definitely put me firmly in Camp Jacob), 2012 (totally insane special effects, to the point where I laughed insanely throughout) and Fantastic Mr. Fox (a clever delight). Needless to say, I got little exercising done this week. Only 9 miles, thanks to my elliptical trainer, bringing me to a total of 120 miles. After my Thanksgiving feast, my rear end desperately needs to be back on the walking regimen. Speaking of feasts, here are some photos of the culprits of Sandy's big butt:











Cranberry relish, ala Dawn. This stuff is nearly sinful. Let's just say it will be served at Christmas as well.












Maple roasted turkey with sage butter, and just a few pieces of thick-sliced bacon on top.












Homemade macaroni and many cheeses. Ooey and gooey.











Three berry pie, converted to four berry pie because of some extra blackberries. Great with Haagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream.

One of the big highlights of the week was Friday. No, not because all of our favorite shopping establishments were open at 4am! Because I got three book packages in the mail. One from James (C.B. James), one from my secret santa of the Holiday Book Swap, and the recent release from Connie May Fowler from the goddess herself. See my ecstatic post here.

I'm happy to announce that to curtail stress and fighting in the Nawrot household, all Christmas cards have been completed and mailed the day after Thanksgiving. And the tree is up. Shopping, however, has yet to be completed. I refuse to get into fisticuffs to secure a parking spot. I will make my first attempt on Monday...

From a bookish perspective, I continue (very slowly) on Dennis LaHane's audio "The Given Day". I'll blame it on lack of personal space. BUT, we did finish "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire"! Now we are quickly moving onto "Catching Fire" on audio, which we have been patiently awaiting for months on the library reserve list. With regard to my printed books, I've been working my way through my list for the Shelf Discovery Challenge. I have officially proclaimed December to be my Shelf Discovery Challenge Rampage Month.



I will attempt to review all 10 books that I have listed for this challenge in the month of December. So far, I've read six, and just need to get to the last four before the end of the month. So far, this has been a total blast. I'm finding it fascinating to read my favorites from my middle and high school years, and comparing it to my impressions back then. So stay tuned, here they come!



Hope you all have a relaxing and unstressful Sunday...a tall order for this time of year. What are you all up to on this fine day?


22 comments:

caite said...

I have no shopping done...no cards sent...no tree up (but then too early for a real tree anyhoo) and soon the pressure will set in and my head will explode.

but I had a nice Thanksgiving!

Julie P. said...

You are too funny! I'm feeling the need to diet too. I am so happy that you are enjoying the Shelf Discovery Challenge!

bermudaonion said...

Oh my gosh, I think I gained weight just looking at your post! We won't decorate for a week or two and I've ordered our cards, but haven't picked them up - does that count?

Unknown said...

I can't believe you have everything ready for Christmas. Is it normal to send out Christmas cards so early in America? I won't be doing mine for another couple of weeks - same with the tree.

That turkey looks delicious! I feel like roasting one right now - shame I don't have one...I'll have to wait until Christmas.

Congratulations on being so organised!

Frances said...

Sandy, you are a machine! Well done. Looks like we also caught the same movies through the holiday, are both Camp Jacob (because let's face it, the other guy looks like a girl), and are both pondering the size of our butts. All is right with the world. Take a break, girlfriend, and read those new books!

Trisha said...

Whew, another post that reminds me how far behind I am on both Christmas shopping/card sending and dieting/exercising. :)

rhapsodyinbooks said...

I love your pictures - especially the pie! I did a cobbler for dessert and ended up having it be around 6 berries from dumping in various leftover berries. But of course, once you put vanilla ice cream on top, whose counting the berries anyway?!!!

Ti said...

My butt has grown in size since my last post. My walking was non-existent and the eating.. Oh my lord the eating! It all stops tomorrow after we have pizza for dinner tonight. LOL.

Iliana said...

Sandy, how do you get everything done?! :)

Glad to hear you guys had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Your meal looks delicious - especially that pie!

Melody said...

I haven't done all my shopping yet, though I've mailed out all the cards!! :P

Ooh, those food look yummy!
Can't wait to hear what you'll think of Catching Fire!

Sandy Nawrot said...

Caite - yes! The longer I sit and think about it, the more pressure I feel in my head! I go through this every year, rushing to get things done quickly so I'm not stressing out three days before Christmas!

Julie - oh, this is so much fun! I only have four more to read. The great thing is that these books aren't all that lengthy!

Kathy - I think that counts. As long as you've taken steps in that direction, its all good!

Jackie - No, I don't think its normal. It is just a tradition for me to be the first. Annoys the hell out of people.

Frances - you make me laugh! Edward does look like a girl. I'm over him. It does seem a little wrong that my almost 12 year old and me, a 43 year old, both swoon over the same guy.

Trisha - I think that is what the holidays are for. I may have my cards done, but I need to drop about 1,000 pounds!

Jill - the more berries, the better I say!

Ti - Yes, in addition to the gorging on Thanksgiving, we ate out twice this weekend. I've lost all control. Tomorrow begins the walking, praise Jesus.

Iliana - I ask myself the same thing. I had a freak out today when I realized I hadn't done my picture calendar for the grandparents yet. Gotta get moving on that one.

JoAnn said...

You're amazing, Sandy Here I am patting myself on the back for starting my shopping...but no tree, no cards, no decorations. I'll get there eventually!

Heidenkind said...

Your post made me hungry.

Good luck on finishing the Shelf Discovery Challenge in December! I think you'll be very happy when December is over... ;)

Carrie K. said...

You are my hero! I have no shopping done and no cards sent. :(

On the other hand - how cool that you finally get to listen to Catching Fire! I predict you won't be able to quit...

Alice said...

"Three berry pie, converted to four berry pie because of some extra blackberries." I can haz one pie? LOL! Oh boy, I love food posts. Thanks for "feeding" me, Sandy! LOL!

The Bumbles said...

You are a lunatic - cards out and tree up?! All I have in common with your wrap up here is that I too ate mac & cheese over the holdiay ;0)

Literary Feline said...

Sounds like you had a great week, Sandy. Well, it would be for me if I'd taken in all those movies. :-)

All that food is making my mouth water!

Two people on my Christmas list are getting The Given Day for Christmas. I've heard mixed reviews of it, but I think they'll enjoy it. Hopefully.

I have a couple of reviews to write--hopefully I'll get time tomorrow.

I hope you have a great week, Sandy.

Dawn @ sheIsTooFondOfBooks said...

I'm so glad the cranberry relish was a hit! My little guy ate the last of ours for breakfast this morning!

Your maple turkey looks and sounds divine; I can only imagine how it smells and tastes.

As for walking ... with #nano I clocked (are you ready for this) 9 miles in the entire month of November. OMG as my teen would say! I'm back on that treadmill as soon as I return from preK dropoff on Wednesday!

And, yes, the Shelf Discovery Challenge is a blast. Reading other people's posts about books I read and loved is as much fun as reading them for the first time.

Cathy said...

I'm back into my fat pants, three sizes bigger than what I was wearing just two years ago. I seriously need to buy a treadmill and get back into the exercise groove. And stop eating so darned much. But food tastes so good!

Matt said...

I'm feeling the need for diet as well, after birthday dinners and Turkey Day....don't think I'll indulge during Christmas. But I can always have some very yummy mac and cheese! How many different kinds of cheese do you use? :)

Jenners said...

Oh my ... your dinner menu is just making me hungry all over again.

Melissa said...

Your cranberry relish is a little different than the one I made last year. Mine had lime and cilantro and jalepenos in it. I served it with cream cheese and crackers and it was wonderful!