So there is one clear difference when Tony is not home and I am home by myself. Mind you, that doesn’t happen very often. Even with a household of two people, I think I can count on one hand how many times in recent months I’ve been home alone. You see, Tony LOVES t.v. He loves movies, sports, MMA – you name it. From the moment he wakes up until the moment he falls asleep, the t.v. is always on.
Me? I love music! So when Tony left for Mayo on Sunday, within minutes I found myself blaring my Pandora station and loving it. Our Nissan Rogue came with Sirius XM radio free for the first year. I loved it! No commercials, so many stations to choose from. I love all kinds of music: blue grass, gospel, Pop, 80’s, etc. I love it all. So when I got an email saying there was a Barbra Streisand station I nearly peed my pants. I LOVE Barbra Streisand. I’ve loved her since I heard her sing in A Star Is Born. My Mom and Aunt had a lot of her albums. But you want to know what my favorite Barbra Streisand movie is of all time? Yentl! When I heard her sing “Papa Can You Hear Me” I was hooked. The story line, the music. I love everything about it.
So when I was driving to my dr. appointment yesterday I was belting out all the songs in my car to this Yentl Medly!
But my absolute favorite song that Barbra Streisand did was a duet she did with Judy Garland. Totally aging myself here, but I don’t care. Their version of Happy Days Are Here Again always puts me in a good mood! Here’s the weird thing though. That was on the Judy Garland Show in 1963 – Barbra Streisand was 21 years old and Judy Garland was . . . 41!! So weird!
So back to the doctor appointment – I am skipping ahead because I know you guys are all waiting with baited breath to see what the hell is wrong with my knee. Well, it is not a torn meniscus!! Hallelujah! But it’s something called Plica Syndrome. I guess the plica are remnants of tissue from the fetal stage of development, and while during the second trimester they usually diminish, mine didn’t. I blame my twin sister. My one foot is 1.5 sizes smaller than the other. I blame her for sitting on the smaller foot. I have arthritis now, I have diabetes, and now I have knee tissue that didn’t develop normally while we were “womb-mates.” I think she got all the good nutrients from our Mom!
All kidding aside, it’s good news. No surgery. They ended up giving me a cortisone shot and I was back to work. He said within a couple days it would feel a lot better, and then in a couple days I can resume working out, although nothing too strenuous to start: i.e. no running, stair climbing or Insanity. But walking and swimming are just fine. Whew! Crisis averted!
And if my good news wasn’t good news enough, Tony’s check up at Mayo went great. His lab work looks good, and while tired after the quick two day turn around trip, it went well! Thanks for all your extra prayers and virtual hugs! 
I was a busy beaver getting everything ready for birthday breakfast treats. I made cinnamon chip scones, my homemade Nature Valley granola bars, and zucchini muffins. I also made a strawberry sauce and brought Chobani for people to make breakfast parfaits. Strawberries were ridiculously expensive last week – $4.99! So I skipped to the freezer section and bought an 8 ounce bag of strawberries for .99 cents. They were delicious! I just cooked them down with 1 teaspoon of sugar.
I’ll post the zucchini muffin recipe later this week – they turned out amazing – super moist. I added raisins and coconut – yum!
I posted the picture of my grilled chicken on Instagram yesterday morning. Not kidding, Sunny Anderson changed the way I cook chicken – I never thought to use scissors to cut out the back. I linked to her in my comment and was so excited she responded back! I love the hash tag #teamskin – (and hi Marie!)
I brought a couple pieces of pizza for lunch but for the life of me couldn’t find it. Turns out it was in between two grocery bags when I brought in the treats, and didn’t realize it until I was packing my stuff up at the end of the day. So I got Jimmy John’s – I ended up only eating half of it though – I forget how big the sandwiches are there. Um, I may have had a few cherry peppers!
Tony made it home from Mayo around 5:00. It was so nice kissing his face when I got home! I had leftover rotisserie chicken from when I made my Mexican pizza over the weekend. I decided to make a super simple chicken and dumpling dish for dinner. [amd-zlrecipe-recipe:89]
Super quick and easy weeknight dinner. Tony said it reminded him of the inside of a pot pie! All I know is I have leftovers for lunch today. #winning
Time to get this show on the road. I slept in this morning and now I have 15 minutes before I have to leave the house and I haven’t taken a shower yet – no worries! Make it a great day!
Woohooooooo all great news for the both of you. What a relief.
I’m so glad to hear Tony’s check up went well. And Plica Syndrome for you? Hmm never heard of it, but a relief that you don’t need surgery. I have to say I never pictured you a Barbara Streisand fan, but hey if you love it belt it out girl! Those zucchini muffins look so good and reminded me that I have a huge zucchini in my refrigerator. Have a great day Biz!!
For some reason i can just picturing you belting Barbra! Glad all is well. My husband is gone for long stretches of time. This time it is almost three weeks but that is nothing compared to 8 weeks, let me tell you! I like quiet, but sometimes I put the tv on, just so the do knows what other voices sound like!
Wow, those are long stretches of time! It’s funny, when Tony is not home I don’t even go into the living room which is in the front of the house. I stay in the kitchen and back family room – it’s smaller and more cozy. 😀
So delighted to hear good news for everyone. Be sure not to get “froggy” and feel like you are good as new. Cortisone shots can be very deceiving
Thanks for the heads up Kym! Yep, I am going to go slow to begin with – can’t risk it. I haven’t worked out for a month, so I can’t go full metal jacket for a while, it will be like starting all over. 🙁
I’m glad you both are doing well. I know you can’t ( maybe won’t ever) do squats again for a while but this changed my attitude towards squats. I can actually do them without hurting my knees.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgMhpDGHisc
Thanks for the video Dusty! I appreciate it! I actually prefer squats to lunges for some reason. 😀
YEAH for good news!!! No surgery! No Surgery!
Thanks Karli! 😀
The words “no surgery” makes me smile!!! YAY!!!!! and Jenn’s comment about being a “womb mate”? Ah, ha…..love you guys!!!
Yep, we were womb mates! My Mom said as soon as we could, we would climb into each others cribs and sleep together, even though she put us in separate cribs when she put us to bed! Happy birthday Roz!! Hope you and Dennis do something fun tonight!
Whew….glad to hear you and Tony had good results from your Doctors. Yeah….I would have the tv on all day too. But in the car I like to hear the political talk shows, if they are not on, and baseball has taken the air time I head for the music….but my most favorite music is Gospel, I like Jimmy Swaggart’s music….I know, I know I am weird!!! But it is all about Jesus.
Food pictures look great….glad I ate today, I think I could make that chicken and dumpling dish….bought a rotisserie chicken today at Sam’s club. JP might like that. Made the roasted vegies and turned it into Marinara sauce last night…..You have the greatest ideas, always look forward to seeing what is on your menu for the week.
Have a great week. Oh I used to love listening to Barbara….I think I heard she is coming out with a new CD….beautiful voice.
In the car, Tony definitely prefers talk radio over music – which is nice when we drive in my car because on XM Sirius there are comedy shows that we both like to listen too.
I got my chicken from Wal-mart – cheapest price cooked at $4.49. So far I’ve made Mexican pizza, taquitos, I have enough to make a chicken pesto panini for one of my lunches and I have the carcass left for soup – winning!
I have GOT to find a snowman with miss matched feet. [wait, do snowmen have feet? I will make it so!] giggle
I love your sister’s comment at the beginning. I am especially glad that you can still get a workout, as I know how important that is for you, and that surgery isnt in your future. YAY! ::skippyhappydance with full on, healthy meniscus:: 😛
I am glad Tony is home. Weird, isn’t it? The only time Steven and I are ever apart are his annual trip to Atlantic City for “Pool School” and if I am in the hospital. I can’t stand being away and neither of us sleeps well knowing the other one isn’t there.
OH! Here’s a baking/dumpling tip – stop buying Bisquick. It’s expensive and self rising flour is the EXACT same thing as Bisquick, Jiffy mix….etc. And if you don’t feel like your dumplings and or biscuits rise enough using self rising? Just add some baking soda/powder/salt – but I never have to do that. I haven’t bought the mix in years. Although Evelyn makes the most amazing pancakes with self rising and the addition of the baking soda and powder. They taste like IHOP.
And girl. . .do you NOT read my blog? Steven has been cutting chicken with scissors for years – do you not recall Emily’s 16th birthday [omg – that was 6 years ago, so you may not] BUT – he cut up 10 chickens for me to fry for her friends. Interesting day. We bought new kitchen scissors a week later. giggle
I love ya girlie. Glad you are okay. Hugs and love.
PS – and a few red cherry peppers? yeah right. you are a woman after my heart. YUM.
I didn’t even have to ask for extra cherry peppers either! Yep, I’ve known about the scissors since I saw it on Sunny Anderson’s show in 2008 – back then I was still coming out of my shell of cooking the same five things over and over.
Thanks for the tip about the biscuits, I had a coupon so I bought the smallest box so it only cost me .25 cents. 😀 Hugs!
You and your bargains. You amaze me woman. I, too, would buy Bisquick if it cost .25 cents.
Glad that y’all both got good reports!!!
You put on quite a birthday breakfast spread!!!
Thanks Kim! 😀
Good to know you’ve got a diagnosis – will you always have to reign it in when it comes to exercise (i.e. no Insanity) or is it just until it heals?
Your breakfast spread looks pretty tasty! Your coworkers are lucky to have you provide all the celebration meals for them. 🙂
The doctor said for the first couple weeks not to do anything too crazy – so I am starting back to the pool tomorrow and walk over the weekend and see how it goes. It’s about 80% better, so that’s good!
Yep, my co-workers are lucky to have me – ha! 😀
If it’s not one thing…it’s another! Glad you don’t have to have surgery!
I know, right Amanda?! I am glad too – I don’t do well sitting still!
That chicken and dumpling dish looks so good and so simple!
Do you guys have Big Lots in California? It’s like a nicer version of a Dollar General, but all their canned veggies are just 50 cents a can – I love making hash browns with the diced potatoes on the weekends – so easy!
Yay for good news! I have to say, my mom is a huge Streisand fan. She used to listen to the Yentl soundtrack allllll the time.
See, I blame my Mom too for my love of Barbra – do you like her??
I think she’s very talented, but don’t own any of her albums.
Hooray for no surgery!!
Thanks Lori! Loving the pictures of how your kitchen is turning out!
Great news for both of you – that’s excellent!
Ugh, Barbara Streisand??? Biz, you’re killing me…………………lol
Ha – we all have our guilty pleasures Heather! 😀
Good news for both you and Tony! Sorry, but I can’t share your enthusiasm for Barbra Streisand. I can’t even stand to look at her!!
Best,
Bonnie
Ha Bonnie, Tony feels the same way about Barbra Streisand, which is why I don’t mind blaring it in the car to and from work 😀
Good to hear about you and Tony!!!!!! My husband is the same way, the TV is always on. He likes it on to fall asleep also! I cannot wait to turn it off sometimes. But I love TV too. I was in the music industry for many years so when I came home from work, I never listened to music except for the weekends. Now I miss it so much, life is different when you are not employed. It stinks! That Chix and dumplings looks so good, great recipe! What is MMA?
MMA is Mixed Martial Arts – basically boxing, wrestling, muay thai (sp?) fighting all at once. It’s bloody and gross, but Tony loves it!
I’ve never even heard of Plica Syndrome! Wow. Glad to know that your cortisone shot should help take care of the problem! No surgery yay!
And I totally just pinned this quick weeknight meal idea – I want chicken pot pie and chicken with dumplings all the time now that the weather is cooling off!
I never heard of it either Erin, but I didn’t know how painful that shot was going to be – yowza!
I am so glad there is no surgery needed! And i am also glad Tony is ok!! Great news for the two of you!!
Going to try to make these dumplings and see if i can get the husband to eat!
Hope you have a wonderful week!
Let me know if the recipe works for your hubs Nicole! 😀
That’s wonderful news! So glad you don’t need surgery. And great to hear that Tony’s checkup went well. Hope you can have a nice relaxing fall now. 🙂
Thanks Christine – me too!
Interesting that Plica Syndrome is often confused with meniscal tears. So the pain must be quite similar! Glad you got your diagnosis and are on the mend.
Yep, in fact the doctor was shocked because I had all the “signs” of a tear. It feels about 80% better today. Going to swim tomorrow and see how it goes. 😀
Ha, the joys of having a twin; you can blame it all on her!
Exactly! 😀
Sorry I was such a bad womb mate!! LOL glad it is no surgery – you wouldn’t be able to sit still that long if you did.
That’s okay Jenn, I forgive you! 😛