T stands for "Oh ya, it's *that* time of year!!

I was busy this evening (Monday) getting out some of my Christmas china and decided to stop and have a sweet coffee and an energy bite. Then I remembered it's time to link up with Elizabeth and the T-Gang for one last get together before Christmas.

My sweet coffee has sugar free chocolate and caramel syrup and a lot of unsweetened heavy whipping cream .........tastes like a virgin Bailey's Irish Cream and coffee.  I have since drank that, and a second one .....with the Irish cream.......needed more punch!!!  LOL!  For the past month I've been trying to stay away from white flour and white sugar ( Bailey's doesn't count at Christmas time...LOL), and I came across this recipe for these energy bites on Pinterest.........I LOVE THEM!! 

check out her blog HERE

 

It feels good to have both feet among the living again, although I still have a cough, but ever so much better now.  I went to the Dr. twice and he finally told me I now have asthma, and has me on two inhailers. I can no longer take penicillin since I broke out in hives the last time I took it.  So with the wheeezzzzing, bronchitis and a sinus infection ( guess being on the desert, with the wind blowing wasn't such a good idea at Thanksgiving), the coughing was horrendous, and not everything I ate would stay down. So these little energy bites really came in handy. not tooo much and not tooo heavy.  Good news is my stomach has shrunk and now I eat about half the amount I used too and I have lost 10 pounds!  I know NOT the best way to lose weight, at least not my favorite!! Things still don't sound good and often times don't taste good, but I do make myself eat two to three times a day and a small snack or two.

 

 

Now, food may not always sound good.....but wine?!!? oh yea, I can taste *THAT*.  Since DH and I ARE RKO Transport Company, we always have a "company dinner" out for the holidays.  This year we invited my friend Cathy and her husband Jim out for dinner at a local steak house.

 

There is always water on our table too.

After dinner, the four of us decided to go out to CALM (California Animal Living Museum) and see the lights.  This is their BIG fund raiser each year and all the lights and decorations are donated.  It was cold last Friday night, so the walk through the museum was great after a big meal.  They had added more lights and displays this year and it was well worth the trip and the cold walk around.

 

 

 

After celebrating on Friday night, Saturday night we get a call from the City of Shafter....

 

BAKERSFIELD, Calif.  The story is here is your interested

During routine testing, bacteria was found in Shafter's water supply and the city is advising residents to boil their water. 

 

The notice states water samples tested positive for total coliform, a bacteria which isn't hazardous on its own, but can indicate other types of contaminants.  

 

The memo states anyone who receives water service from the city should boil water before drinking it or using it to prepare food. 

 

Public health is in the process of contacting local restaurants, markets, food processing facilities and other businesses. 

 

Well now, aint that just grand? I'm having a house full of people here for Christmas dinner!!!  We are not supposed to drink it or even brush our teeth with it and only use it for cooking after boiling it first.  DH and I haven't really drank tap water in years, cause we don't like the taste of all the chemicals they dump into it......but I do use it for cooking and brushing my teeth.  SO, we NOW have large bottles of water, that we bought at Smart and Final ( a big box store here in the USA) and we can go refill them at our son's house in Bakersfield.   There are LARGE bottles of hand sanitizer sitting at every sink in the house too.  The news tonight, said it could be a couple more days before they can get it figured out, mean while all the restaurants and food making business have been closed since Saturday night......and  may stay this way until after Christmas.

 

I'm not worried about Christmas dinner, everything will be just fine......we'll just drink wine and beer and the kids can have a soda.......LOL!!

I'll make the T-gang rounds in the morning, right now I need to go help DH get his brine made for the turkey....it has to sit fir 48 hr, then the bird goes in for 24 hours.........then into the oven mmmmmmm!!!

 

 

Merry Christmas!!!!