It is officially crazy weather

After almost a month of cooler temperatures (upper 40s to mid-60s) during our winter season, it seems we are back on summer temps. The last two weeks, we are having upper 80s with 20% humidity level. Last Wednesday, it hit the lowest level, only 12%. Needless to say, our humidifier is working nonstop these days.

So, to help to ease the warm weather, I did this wonderful recipe of cold meat. It was SOOO GOOD and refreshing.

So, here is the recipe

Ingredients:

1 ½ lbs of flank steak (with all the visible fat removed)

2 bay leaves

¼ gallon of water

2 garlic cloves

Salt and pepper to taste

3 chopped tomatoes without seeds

1 chopped onion

Parsley and Spring Onions to taste

½ avocado

Juice of one lime

One dash of sweet paprika

2 freshly baked multigrain (organic) bread from a local bakery

Put an iron pan with a drizzle of olive oil on the heat, and when it is hot but not smoking, put the meat and brown both sides. Put all the seasoning, cover with water and let it cook until it is tender (about 70 minutes). Let the meat cool in the broth for about one hour.

Take the meat out of the pan and shed and/or cube the meat.

In a big bowl, add extra virgin olive oil, tomatoes, lime juice, onion, parsley, spring onion and sweet paprika. Mixed it all together, add the meat and mix a little more. And last add the avocado and gently steer it.

Serve the meat with the bread and with some green salad.

It is the perfect lunch/dinner for a warm day.

And there are still plenty of left over, so we will repeat the menu for dinner tonight ; )

I hope you are having a fabulous weekend ; )

It is all about my mom!

As I wrote on Monday, this week was my mom’s second chemo section out of 20 sections.
Let me put this way: she has a tough road ahead of her and she NEEDS to change a few things about her to get through this.
Do you remember when I went to stay with her after her surgery last June? Well, the doctors took out 25 lymph nodes (sp?). 24 were healthy and 01 had a pretty aggressive type of cancer.
After a lot of discussions, fights and prayers, she decided to go to treatment. She is a really strong willed person and she was convinced that she wouldn’t do the treatment. Her argument: I am almost 60 years old, I had a good life and I can’t stand being invalid (aka need people help). Needless to say, we had a few stressful weeks back in July. Now, she is finally convinced that she needs treatment and she is under treatment right now.
As far as nausea, fatigue and weakness, she is doing great. The only side effect until now is hair loss. My Mom has a HUGE amount of hair, even though she wears it short, it started to fall last week. I felt that it was a turning point for her and it is starting to sink in the fact that she actually has cancer and she can get better but she need to want to get better.

So, apart from all my heartbreak with my miscarriages, we are having a pretty though weeks around here .


Happy Wednesday!

Miscellany Monday

Another Monday has arrived, so it is time for another Miscellany Monday.

1. I am fully aware that my blog won’t survive on Miscellany Monday posts only. But I’ve been pretty tired and I can’t gather strength to write when I get home : (

2. Today is my Mom’s second chemo section.

3. I felt off the wagon with weight control and my exercise routine after the second miscarriage. I hope I can chase the wagon this week and jump on it again;

4. Hubby is back at work after the car crash on Aug 13^th;

5. We haven’t make up our minds where we are going on vacation. We will decide it soon : )

I hope you have a wonderful week.

A little word from who is in charge

I’ve been having a few cloudy days with my mom sickness and my miscarriages. Some days are just hard.
Last Wednesday, I was having breakfast and decided to check my personal email before I left for work. I got a comment from a new blog reader Christine, which just made my day. I quote: “You are still in my prayers! God has a plan for you! Will also pray for you on the job front. I added you to our Bible Study prayer list after the blog hop, we are all pulling for you."
This comment was literally the “shake” that I needed. It was like a sun shine broke through the cloudy skies. It was a little word from who is in charge (GOD). It gave me courage to admit: Paulo and I are a couple dealing with infertility and we need all the help we can get. After all, we are not Spring Chicken anymore.
Right after my second miscarriage, a co-worker and I had lunch with her uncle. He is one of the sweetest g*a*y man I know. We have lunch with him at least once a week. We were walking out of the restaurant and he pulled me aside (he was really uncomfortable with the subject) and told me about one of his co-workers who had three miscarriages. She and her husband had genetics incompatibility (sp?) and if I want he could get her doctor name and number. I said yes, much more because I didn’t want to be rude.
After the blog comment last Wednesday, I started to research about recurrent miscarriages and after a lot of reading; I called the doctor, who is specialized in genetics incompatibility between husband and wife. Last Thursday, I went to his office to get the list of tests that he asked to start the investigation. Since, we will both be on vacation in less than a month. We will have time to have all the tests done and maybe squeeze an appointment with him before we go back to work mid-October.

Have a blessed week,

Miscellany Monday

Welcome to another Miscellany Monday!!

1. Last week, I did my 300th post!
2. Hubby's car was hit by a truck on Friday evening. Thank God, the car was hit on the passenger's side and he was driving slow, and so was the truck. We don't know the extension of the damage yet, but as far as we can see, he will probably need two new doors.
3. I baked a perfect good apple cake. Unfortunately, there was not time for pictures. It ended to fast!
4. My niece can't remember my name, but she call me the one who is married to Uncle Paulo. Yes, she is my mini-me niece.
5. I am so ready to our vacation in September. I wish I could speed the time and get there faster!
6. I am foreseeing a damn busy week at work and I don't like the feeling.
7. This is the 3rd week in a row that I put red nail polish on my nails. This is NOT normal. I am a beige person. Something must be wrong ; )

Have a nice week!