AKathy's "What's For Dinner?" 3/19

Good afternoon everyone
scrapmaven - I hope all goes well with your doctor

Today has been getting all the final things done for my trip and packing. I was really surprised that I was able to get all the presents I bought as well as all my clothes into one decent sized (to be checked) suitcase, one carry on suitcase and my tote bag. Last minute things (laundry that is still drying, meds and electronics etc) will be added in the morning. I had a nail appointment, so they are nice and sparkly and neat. I just need to cast on a new knitting project (a pair of socks - perfect for travel as it’s small and I don’t need a pattern) and I’ll be set.

Dinner tonight is vegetarian curry. I have potatoes, eggplants and chickpeas and a tikka masala sauce ready to go.

We are in the lead up to retirement - both of us will be 63 this year and DH will probably work until 67, which is German retirement age, at which point we’ll return to Australia. I really don’t know what DH will do. He doesn’t have a lot of hobbies apart from reading, cooking and travel and gets bored easily. Maybe he’ll surprise me and find an interest in something completely off the wall!

Well, I have been semi-retired for almost two months ... it doesn't feel much different because I was on multiple leaves of absence before I retired   

What will be weird is actually going back to work some days!   

I don't bore very easily so just hanging out at home is my idea of a good time ... my laptop, phone and TV are my entertainment ... I hope to start reading again too    

Oh, and surfing my dating apps is always entertaining!    

I am hoping we can retire at 63. Which is 14 years away so I don't know what will happen in that time. Our plan is to buy a big fifth wheel and spend our winter months camping down south.



I hope he finds something like cadoodlebug husband.



I'm glad he tried it. He's very talented. And what a creative way to spend his time.

I'm making a broccoli pasta tonight. Vegan.

I still have not had the call from the quilt shop. If I don't hear anything by tomorrow, I will call them.

I was not thinking. sueg and karenlou enjoy your vacation travels. I hope both of you have a really good time. And scrapmaven safe travels to you too. I know you'll feel better after your tune-up.

Safe travels and a good tune up scrapmaven


if you are retired or if your DH/SO is retired, was it a easy or hard adjustment?
I am hopeful I will be able to retire!  I have plenty of hobbies to keep me busy, SO on the other hand doesn't really have any.  He enjoys wood working and carpentry (that is what he started his work life as many moons ago).  I think he would just drive me nuts and I would stay working just to avoid that! 

Not sure for dinner tonight, I have chicken in the fridge from the grocery pick up, did freeze pack that yet.  So maybe something chicken-y.

Another frosty one here today but no more snow, thankfully.

Tonight is my monthly supper with my former coworkers and we are on the letter O. We are ordering pizza from Oven 360 and going to one of the girls apartments to eat. We are also having a small baby shower for one of the participants who just became a grandma.

DH is at an appt with a nutritionist for his cardiac rehab.

Safe travels for those who are travelling for pleasure or for health reasons.

DH and I retired at age 55. It wasn’t a hard adjustment and we both love our leisure life. Thankfully we have a huge garage where DH spends lots of time tinkering. I love to read so I can plop myself anywhere.

Good day!

I am working on a project at work today. I might bug out early and go to Costco. It's about an hour from here. I want to look at the diapers. My dil and were talking about them the other day and I told her that I would get some the next time I go. She wants to stockpile diapers before the baby gets here.

I have been alone since Friday, and I am feeling weird about it. I guess I am lonely. Usually, I love and need alone time, I am not sure why this is happening. 

I might make taco salad for dinner or take out.

scrapmaven hoping the tune-up is just what you need!!

karenlou and sueg enjoy your vacations!! Have so much fun!

lucyg the 15yo got me thinking about how long we have all been on this board. Kait was just a baby when I joined the original 2peas. She is now 24! A lot of life has happened and great friendships have formed.

Yeah, I think I joined when Chloe was 4 and now she's almost 24 too. I think it's pretty awesome how long and well we've all known each other.

Dinner tonight will be rechauffe corned beef, cabbage, mashed potatoes, and more … unless I lose my mind and get pizza instead.

The Birdhouse Lady and jeremysgirl, yes, 2peas is now firmly part of my life after all these years. I have real-life friends I met here originally. I have not-real-life friends I met here that sometimes I forget I don’t know them in real life, we’ve known each other so long. It’s hard to explain this community to an outsider.

Safe travels to scrapmaven, sueg, karenlou, and anyone else who’s taking off for someplace fun or necessary.

Well, I didn't end up going to Costco so no diapers!! leannec, I will tell her what you said. I think she is just trying to be as prepared as possible.

My son called me after I posted earlier today. He asked me if I was available to go to lunch today!! I was so happy to get out of the house and office!!  We had a nice lunch (he paid!) and great conversation. He's such a good kid (30yrs) but, he's still my kid!! 

Dh's step-dad is going to come home on hospice on Thursday. Please pray for a quick peaceful end for him

littlemama we were posting at the same time..... I hope that your FIL's passing is peaceful and pain free. I am really sorry. 

Dinner was Hungarian dill chicken. We've made this many times before, but this was our first time making it with <drum roll...> gluten-free flour. We used King Arthur GF flour (rice-based) - the texture will take some getting used to but it tasted good! Cooking and dining are going to be a brand new (to us) experience, as DH was just diagnosed with Celiac's and we met with a registered dietician last night. Luckily we live in an area with tons of GF options in a wide variety of grocery stores, plus lots of our favorite restaurants have GF menu options. But it will be a whole new learning experience to be completely GF, especially for me as I do the majority of the cooking. (DS does a lot of cooking now while he's living with us, but that will end sometime in the next six months or so.)

I'm trying to not let it be overwhelming and ramp up my anxiety, but it's a lot to think about! Luckily DH has a really good attitude about it and many of the things he eats already are GF. We just have to work on a new dinner repertoire, and subbing out ingredients to get a good combo of taste & texture with the available GF options.

As for retirement, we both have a lot of hobbies and we love to travel, so I don't think either of us will be bored in retirement. It's a few years (<3) away for me, then a few more years after that for DH. But we are making plans and decisions for that time.

I have decided to pack a mixture of things - I will leave here in cool weather clothes as it's only going to be about 10°C when we head to the airport, so at least I have that. Also, at least half of my main suitcase is presents, so if the worst happens, I can always go shopping. I am in need of more cold weather shirts anyway.

littlemama - my prayers for you FiL and for you and your DH. I hope these next few days are not too difficult for you.