The balcony at City Grocery

By the time we left the streets were packed...

A view from the Square Bookstore on a
corner of the square....

I know you have seen this book of a Pomeranian
Boo, the World's Cutest Dog...
Chloe's now HOOKED...:)

The bookstore has 3 levels....it had more signed
copies of books than I've ever seen in a bookstore

When City Grocery tried to deliver CoCo a good lunch (and
it was delicious to me) she had to have some frozen yogurt
from Zaza's on the square...yep she had some gummy worms
to top it off...and yes she's related to this diabetic...I'm thankful
that research has shown that type 1 is insulin dependant which
means my pancreas doesn't work and type 2 is from lack of diet
and exercise....Chloe does have my innate sweet tooth...
that's for real....and that Tart Yogurt was delicious I will say!

Saturday, November 10, 2012

I googled City Grocery when Chloe and I got to talking about what they'd have on their children's menu for lunch.  I suggested that she could just get a Lunchable, which is a favorite at Memaw and Grandad's house, if there wasn't anything she'd like.  I assumed we could get that at a grocery/diner which I expected from its name.  You'd think that too right?  Well, City Grocery opened in 1992 in "a Reconstruction-era livery stable on the Courthouse Square, City Grocery began serving north Mississippi’s most innovative faire with Chef John Currence at the helm of his first restaurant venture."   Chloe and I were immediately bashed by our tour guide, AKA Jackie, who told us he wasn't taking us to a grocery store for lunch but "City Grocery".  It kinda reminded me of "this isn't just lunch, it's FRIDAY LUNCH AT GALATOIRE'S!" from last December when I didn't understand the importance of the restaurant.  If you haven't read my blog about Galatoire's, you should.  Chloe and I didn't take it personally because this was our first trip to the college town.  We were running a few minutes late for our 11:30 lunch reservation for an afternoon in the old college town and before the Vanderbilt vs. Ole Miss football game.  I tell Chloe all the time about the importance of college and getting mulitple degrees and told her that this could be a campus she might want to consider since two Wynne High School graduates are freshmen this year.  We'll see about that, I had my worries after seeing the fashion, the sunglasses and the garb in the Grove before the game.

Reservations are a must at City Grocery, the place was packed when we got there and even more so when we left.

We were promptly seated in the middle of the restaurant.  It was very, very bright with a huge glare from the sun in the front windows.  It needed to be tamed somewhat, I couldn't see the faces on anyone at the door or nearby.  I know the time had just changed but it was a little much and got no better during our lunch.  The menu was very interesting.  I loved that they "source all vegetables, proteins, fruits and other food products locally as often as we can".  And there's nothing better than a Mark Twain quote too on the menu as this one, "Go to heaven for the climate, hell for the company".

I totally enjoyed trying to decide between the Grilled Goat Cheese sandwich, yes Kara, there is such a thing and I'm going to have to try and make it at Birdeye, or the Adobo Rubbed Pork Belly Cuban.  I don't like to brag, but I can make a really good Cuban at home.  I usually try and pull this style sandwich out on Jackie when he's in a pork low.  Our waitress recommended the goat cheese as the pork belly would be "too fatty".  That deliciousness Goat cheese sandwich was served on homemade wheat bread with basil pesto and roasted tomatoes.  Yes, I did.  I licked the plate clean.  Not a scrap of bread was left to take to my chickens.  Hmmm...just thinking about it makes me wanna try and replicate it.  So I will try.

There is no children's menu at City Grocery but I knew that the kitchen, like most in the south, would be able to offer Chloe something in her department, even if it would be reminiscent of a Lunchable.  She ordered fried catfish with ketchup and homemade potato chips.  It was really good, well seasoned catfish and the chips were crispy and light.

Jackie ordered the Green Chili and Avocado soup, it's a cold soup but very creamy and had an underlying kick to it.  It must have been pablano chiles and maybe a little adobe paste in there too.  It was good and fit with his spicy Bloody Mary.  He ordered the obvious for a Jackster, the Eggplant and Oyster Gratin.  It was petite but "great" he said.  It looked good from my angle too.

Oh I forgot to mention the salad I ordered to share but I had no takers.  I got the Asparagus Ceviche with pickled asparagus, crab meat, cucumber, romaine, roasted red peppers, avocado and citrus vinaigrette.  It was really good, small and very light.  All three qualities I like in a lunch salad, or appetizer I expected from a ceviche, which is a Peruvian appetizer.

We enjoyed City Grocery Saturday among the restaurant full of Ole Miss students and Alumni.  I think we were the only Vanderbilt alums in the place.  Great service, great food and a ladies room in tip top shape gets a gold star from me even though our lunch bill was $96.95 before tip.

City Grocery,152 Courthouse Square, Oxford, MS 38655 (662) 232-8080.  Check out their website: http://citygroceryonline.com/

Dexcom G4 Sensor, Birdeye

Happy Veterans Day

The fall leaves are amazing

Update: November 30, 2012

I took that thing off and I'm saving the rest of the sensors for training for the Little Rock Half Marathon in March.  I'm pumped about getting the training on!! Fire up BBC peeps!  It's my 6th Little Rock race yippee!

Six different colors in the carport...

Look at those models' fingers....it does show the thin-ness
of the needle in the sensor but who has nails like this?

I cannot STAND this photo but for some reason I
think it shows what it is to wear this thing..Chloe
took 25 pictures tonight blurry, dark, blurry and then
finally she got this one...I hate my shirt showing like
this....

The tape is peeling as it's gettin close to 7 days...

Sunday, November 11, 2012

My new endocrinologist Dr. Lisa Myers went on and on about me getting this new sensor at my last visit.  I got the Minimed crappy sensor 3 years ago when I wanted Jackie to be off the hook on having my glucometer at the half way point of an upcoming race.  So after that long and expensive journey in 1998, I have only worn a sensor on the local triathlons, Big Dam Bridge 50 mile bike rides and the few half marathons I've attempted.  And it's worked fine by the way.  I've made it just fine with my A1C's ranging in the upper 6's or lower 7's and somehow have kept my weight in my BMI range.  Well, honestly, I'm on the edge of the scale and I cannot gain one pound because then I'd have to lose weight.  Luckily Dr. Myers loves that I work out like I do and so far so good, she hasn't slapped me around for my waist size, yet.

Here's the transmitter...see I've had it in the car while
preparing dinner, hence the lack of bleeps on it and
had some wok, which is eggplant and chicken with
rice and probably didn't bolus enough plus I had a cookie
from the cookie preparing I did for the arts council for
tomorrow night...cookies are always good if it's only ONE...:)

She talked me into gettin this thing and I've had it on now for almost a week.  It's a large son of a gun and you have to have the transmitter device in your pocket or in your purse so it can communicate with the sensor.  You can turn off the sound so it'll vibrate instead which is good.  You can wear the sensor for a week instead of 3 days like the crappy Minimed one.  Dr. Myers wants to see trends so that's one thing I think I can report to her at my January visit.  I think a trend will help overall blood sugar control just like the benefits from exercise.  I've always said exercise is free insulin and cheaper too...:)

As in most everything, I like a pro, con, pro approach....

Pro: it can be on vibrate
Con: They are still $75 per week per sensor
Pro: not sure yet
Con: The sensor is huge, it protrudes on my waist at least 1-1/2 inches, the crappy Minimed one was flush with my body
Pro: not sure yet

So the jury's still out on the new part of my routine.  Here's what I found on the web about the Dexcom G4 Platinum:

And for some reason, the models on their website and in the "how to" video are models, skinny and beautiful.  Whatever and luckily my blog has deleted them, just sayin!

Because You Rule.

A good product is only as good as its application.

At Dexcom, we believe that the best CGM is the one patients will use which is why the Dexcom G4 PLATINUM was designed with you in mind. Check it out:

Color

Life is colorful. Shouldn't you see your glucose in the same way?

For an added splash of color, our receivers now come in Classic black, Tickled Pink, and Ocean Blue - vibrant colors for the vibrant personality in you!

Discretion

Designed for today's modern lifestyle, the Dexcom G4 PLATINUM Receiver is sleak and small and slips easily into a coin pocket.

And at 2.4 ounces, it's the lightest CGM around.

Lifestyle Conveniences

Comfort
- simple to use, easy to wear!

Distance
- Transmission distance of up to 20 feet!

Tones/ Melodies
- Setting high or low ear-pleasing alerts!

©2012 Dexcom, Inc. All rights reserved. This product 

Andis covere

Ryman Auditorium, Nashville

We rode past this new building, we thought it was a new
country music museum but we forgot to stop and ask...

Saturday, October 27, 2012

I love the Ryman Auditorium...Jackie and I went in 2009 to see Sheryl Crow.  That was the year she was engaged to Lance Armstrong.  At the concert, Sheryl wore a white slip dress and had a beautiful diamond ring on and she made a comment that Lance was there and they were getting married that night.  I wasn't sure she was joking or not.  It was a great concert that promoted her Wildflower album that was dedicated to him.  Well, 3 days after that February concert, they split.  I was so sad for her!  And just months after that she was diagnosed with breast cancer.  We were able to see her again that same year at the Orpheum in Memphis after her lumpectomy and radiation.  Another excellent concert we had at yet another splendid venue near our home.  So the Ryman...what a lovely place to hear music, to be with history, to be, really.  And so on my second concert in the music city we brought our bikes and toured around before the concert then on Sunday morning before returning.

The Ryman housed the Grand Ole Opry and first opened as the Union Gospel Tabernacle.  It seats 2,362.  I would say Alanis had the place sold out.  It is a very intimate setting and I would guess the seats in the balcony, that come way over the floor seats (see my photo), are pretty good seats. Here's a wikipedia description of the Ryman:

The auditorium first opened as the Union Gospel Tabernacle in 1892. It was built by Thomas Ryman (1843–1904), a riverboatcaptain and Nashville businessman who owned several saloons. Ryman conceived of the auditorium as a tabernacle for the influential revivalist Samuel Porter Jones.^[3] After Ryman's death, the Tabernacle was renamed Ryman Auditorium in his honor. Architect Hugh Cathcart Thompson designed the structure.

It was used for Grand Ole Opry broadcasts from 1943 until 1974, when the Opry built a larger venue just outside Nashville at theOpryland USA theme park. (In an effort to maintain continuity with the Opry's storied past, a large circle was cut from the floor of the Ryman stage and inlaid into the center of the new Opry stage.) The Ryman then sat mostly vacant and fell into disrepair until 1992 when Emmylou Harris and her band, the Nash Ramblers, performed a series of concerts there (the results of which appeared on her album At the Ryman). The Harris concerts renewed interest in restoring the Ryman, and it was reopened as an intimate performance venue and museum in 1994. Audiences at the Ryman find themselves sitting in pews, the 1994 renovation notwithstanding. The seating is a reminder of the auditorium's origins as a house of worship, hence giving it the nickname "The Mother Church of Country Music".

The Ryman Auditorium was included in the National Register of Historic Places in 1971, and was further designated a National Historic Landmark in 2001.^[2][4] In 1980 parts of Coal Miner's Daughter were filmed there, including a part where Patsy Cline comes onstage after being absent following a car wreck and a part where Ernest Tubb asks Loretta Lynn to come out and play for the good folks.

The Ryman is such a wonderful venue for a concert and being in the building that has seen Vince Gill, K.D. Lang, Allison Krause, Beck, Erasure, Bob Dylan, Trisha Yearwood and the list goes on and on and on....
There are a ton of hotels near the Ryman as it sits right behind Broadway.  We didn't visit any of the neat spots like Tootsie's this trip.  We love Nashville and its history, food and music.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryman_Auditorium

The wonderful bike lanes from
downtown Nashville to Vanderbilt.
This is on music row

The Ryman was packed for the concert

This is her husband Mario Treadway, who rapped for an hour
while we waited for Alanis to come out....

This is a  bronze statue of Minnie Pearl and Roy Acuff
I thought it was a little much that this lady sat on Roy's lap...
just sayin....:)

Chloe surprised me with this self portrait....I love her grin!

The hall behind the auditorium is filled with
posters of the musicians that have played there.
Look at those mustard tights under short denim shorts....

A neat view of the hall

I love Sheryl Crow....

Jackie couldn't take it when I was taking photos during the
concert but it was allowed, tons of smart phones were lit
up all across the place.  All the flashes didn't seem to bother her

The lights on inbetween Mario and Alanis

I loved the concert!

Hurricane Sandy Relief, Birdeye

Here we are with supplies for 20 toiletry bags plus we
sent juices boxes, food and a donation...

Sunday, Nov. 4, 2012

I couldn't believe I had waited a week to check on my hometown youth minister from Oklahoma City who now works at several missions in New York City and has for 15 years.  Via an email from Ronnie:

Thanks for checking Keeli, our church started a drop in center to folks without power to come have a meal, sit and relax, charge phones, take some canned goods home.

As far as needs:

toiletry kits (travel size of soap, shampoos, shaving creme, plastic razor, wash cloth, comb, toothpaste and toothbrush) placed in a gallon size plastic bag

snack bags ( any healthy foods that are non perishable and non refrigerated, just ask that it have a least one juice box, etc.)

Winter Clothes

Donations would be great

So if you have a group at your church that might want to do something these would be good projects.

Metro Baptist Church

Hurricane Sandy relief

410 West 40th Street

New York, NY 10018-1204

Thanks for asking Keeli, hope you are well, the part of the city that I live in had flooding and many trees knocked down but thankfully both our buildings are on inclines and the power stayed on so that was good. Getting around has been tough with power outages, etc.

Take care Keeli,

Ronnie

Since our Presbyterian youth group is getting local donations for the Good Shepherd Center in Wynne, Chloe and I just took this little project on ourselves.  After we boxed it all up Sunday, Chloe asked if she could send them more things next week...I said, we'll check on them around Thanksgiving.  Ronnie also works in Hell's Kitchen with an AIDS group as well as mentoring high school kids.  We wish them well for sure.  And with a Nor'easter predicted this week, we hope our package arrives in time for the second storm...

It's beautiful...

Along the bay road....

Winnie Bob planted some beautiful trees...

I love fall...

I attached some beautiful photos from this weekend of the trees turning.  I love fall for it will bring cooler temperatures, beautiful color, Thanksgiving and Christmas, Chloe's favorite holiday besides Biscuit's birthday.  For us, it's a season of sharing with others and I hope this year we can continue to help locally and wherever we're needed...

Sopa Tlalpena, Birdeye

Ohh the stock...delicous....

The finished product...I'm telling you..Yummm it's awesome!
(and easy I will say!)

I was also doing some heavy scrap booking...
it's always a labor of love when doing the books....

Coco loves to nestle next to me
whenever there's a good book to read together or a storm.
Yes, she is precious....(moms...be sure to take photos with
your babies...it's so important no matter how large your thighs
are).  It's important to have these photos...

How fun are these photos...!!!  Here's Whit, August,
CoCo and Stella....Chloe loves her precious cousins.....

Those dogs love her....they can't get enough....

A great photo....

Sunday, Nov. 4, 2012

Last week I had the house to myself and couldn't finish scrap booking (I was done) and have admired this recipe FOREVER.  I took the time to make the chicken stock for the base of the soup and I'm telling you I'm sold on it.  It totally makes a difference.  I'm adding some photos for fun too.

I had to add what Sopa Tlalpena means and here is what I found from another blogger:   (Sopa means soup)  Incidentally, the name Tlalpeño denotes the soup's geographical origin of Tlapan, the largest borough of the Federal District of Mexico City. The word Tlapan comes from the Aztec tongue of Náhuatl and means "on the land". From http://delatierrablog.blogspot.com/2010/10/sopa-tlalpeno.html

So here's the recipe from Fresh, Lake Austin Spa, Terry Conlan

"This soup, a version of the classic Mexican Tortilla Soup, is a perennial favorite of our guests.  The whole chicken, coupled with the stock, gives an important dimension and depth to the broth.  You may omit the chipotle chiles, which are smoked jalapenos, for a milder version.  We like to pass the garnishes with the soup and let each person select their version, however, a squeeze of lime juice is considered mandatory."

The Stock (And the key!!)

1 small chicken, cut up (I didn't have one so used 2 thighs and 2 breasts)
12 cups stock (I made from Chicken Boulionne cubes)
1 t. adobo paste from canned chipotle chilies (save chilies for below)
1/2 C each carrot, celery, onion
1 bay leaf (used two)
6 black peppercorns (very important, not something to skip)
8 cilantro stems (also important and don't skip)
4 garlic cloves, minced

Combine chicken, stock and paste in large soup pot over medium heat.  Add everything else and bring to a simmer cooking for 1 hour, skimming as necessary.  Remove the chicken and shred, reserve the meat and discard the chicken bones.  Strain and RESERVE THE LIQUID.  (the best stock YOU'VE ever had...seriously I thought what a dumb person I am for not making this before, I've seen it done 100 times on Food Network and thought a what time waste but it's easier than making tamales I'm sayin...)

The Soup:

Stock from scratch, 10 cups
1/2 c. celery and carrot chopped
1 c. diced onion
1 t. cumin
1/2 t. oregano (I used 1 t)
1/2 c corn (I used frozen)
1/2 c. hominy, drained and rinsed (I used another 1/2 c. corn because I didn't have this)
10 canned chipotle chiles, rinsed and seeded (the key really is seeding these bad boys, they are very SPICY)

The Garnish:
Avacado (this is key and delicious)
Toasted tortilla strips (I didn't do this)
radish (I didn't have this)
Chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Shredded queso fresco (I used feta baby)
Lime

Combine the carrot, celery and onion in a nonstick cooking spray in a LARGE soup pot over medium heat and saute until soft.  Add the reserved stock, chicken and remaining ingredients except for chipotle chilies. Cook until heated through. Pass the garnish assortment of garnishments.

I love, love this recipe, it's so delicious and easy, easy to make!!!!

Nutrients per serving: Cal 44, Prot 4 gr, Carbs 8 gr, Fat 0 gr, Sod 1252 gr

Midsouth Kids Marathon, Wynne

Coach McDonald had each grade line up to get warmed up

Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012

I'm so excited about this year's kids marathon.  It was our 3rd one and the biggest for sign ups.  I was busy this week for the first year, with last minute sign ups.  Parents that had been logging miles and realized this last week that they hadn't signed up.  I had ordered 125 medals for the 125 that had signed up...thankfully Amy Hood, president of the PTA, suggested that I take a head count because we always have no shows and we did.  I give her the credit for thinking of this approach.  So we were able to have 133 sign up.

It was a fun day...parents and teachers all came out and ran the final mile of the marathon.  Kids logged at home the previous 25 miles before today.  I think it's a great way to get kids active and realizing too that they can set a goal, achieve it and enjoy it most importantly.  Chloe said recently that she wanted to be a long distance runner and wants to run track next year.  I'm excited to hear this.  It's so easy, just a pair of shoes is all you really need.  A GIANT SHOUT OUT and THANKS to the countless volunteers, teachers, coaches, parents and friends that helped support the kids marathon and made it a safe event for the kids.  We couldn't do an event like this without everyone's participation, a million thanks!

We're excited to also give both our school districts back their entry fee as I raised money from businesses to buy the medals, tshirts and bibs.  Thank you businesses:
Wynne Apothecary
Wynne Medical Clinic
Shaver and Smith
Cross County Veterinary Clinic
Crowley's Ridge Therapies
Puryear/Jackson Family Denistry
Circle N Exxon
Wynne Medical Pharmacy
Caldwell Discount Drug
Childers/Jackson Family Eye Care
Stricklin Plumbing
Farm Bureau

This was Chloe's last year to do the Kids Marathon, I'm sad about that!!  Happy Running! :)

They were all so cute and FIRED up for the 1.2 mile

Here's a photo of the Wynne Intermediate teachers and staff
That's Coach McDonald down front, he did a great job
getting it all organized and getting the kids pumped up!

2nd Grade went first and they were PUMPED!

3rd grade was fast too...

Here are Bailey Bigger, Chloe Smith, Canon Fisher,
Maggie Millerand Chloe Thornhill. They are GROWING UP!!!

I had my camera out on the course but didn't take any shots....

These two pick up where the leave off...so cute!

P90X2, Birdeye

This is one of the 9 discs that come with p90X2.  It's a great
workout on every disc.  One thing is that you have to have a
ton of equipment like that there stability ball, foam roller,
pull up assist/bar and push up bars

Yep...that's Tony Holder doing the swimmers press in a half
chair...it's hard but it's always worth it :)

They love to try and taunt people that do p90X2 with these
shots of ripped abs...it cracks me up every time!

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Well I thought I'd let ya'll know a little about p90x2...it's a great workout but you do need to be in some sort of shape when you start it.  I got p90x 2 years ago and have loved it, my fabulous sister-in-law Kara got me Insanity for Christmas last year and then I got this, this year.  I love all these workouts and attribute p90X to my legs getting stronger and finishing the Little Rock Half this past March with no knee pain.  Insanity is an excellent aerobic challenge that is not to be taken lightly.  It's TOUGH and I love it.  p90x2 takes it to the next level I tell ya...we've got reservations for the Little Rock Half Marathon already (that's the earliest I believe ever that we've done that)...Let the training begin!

For p90X2 people, you've gotta have weights (like the first p90X), a stability ball, foam roller, medicine balls (I use push up bars and the other low impact technique they'll show you), towels, a pull up bar (and I just got in the chin up assist and the little fella works like a dream), water and a HUGE pause button in case you need to take a breather.  Which is similar to Insanity, which will make the best athlete take a breather.

But I have to plug the FOAM ROLLER...what the heck is that foamy thang anyway?  Well it's a wonderful way to loosen up muscles that are stiff and it totally helps with mobility and recovery when out and about and doing daily chores.  And the recovery/mobility dvd in both p90X sets are excellent for re-cooping after any foot race or long agility trial or whatever you do to extend yourself.  I love both the Stretch and Recovery/Mobility DVD's.  They are worth it on that sore Monday morning after that first ever long race or whatever you do that puts you over the edge.

Well whatever the case, I love some p90X or p90X2 and Insanity.  All of them are good for me, even insulin dependent as I am, and have only done some half marathons and never a full marathon or a 100 mile bike ride.  I certainly hope at some point that I'll challenge this 5 foot, pudgy body to do it.  We'll see.  Sherry Rodgers in Wynne is considering a full 26 miles.  We'll see. I think I'll need to change my eating habits, I'm a horrible left over person and know I can cut calories by eating less.  But you all know I LOVE to cook!  And it is what is is! :)