In Which I Try Not To Be Discouraged

2010 is off to a rocky start. Perhaps it doesn't realize that I can trade it in at any time. Hear that, 2010?! You don't straighten up and I'll trade you in a heartbeat. 2008 never gave me this crap.

I made new recipe #1 last night. It was a new baked apple recipe, and I don't like it. It has nutmeg, cinnamon, milk, flour, sliced almonds, Splenda, raisins, and apples. I used Splenda and sliced almonds instead of sugar and pecans, left out cloves, and used whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose. None of those changes should have been a problem. The recipe just wasn't good. I'm guessing there was too much nutmeg perhaps. I have a very tenuous relationship with nutmeg.

I was disappointed, didn't eat more than a couple bites, and have no idea what to do with a 2 qt. casserole dish full of these. It's not that they were bad; they just weren't good.

While new recipe #1 was baking, I got on the elliptical machine. Please note that it has been over three weeks since I worked out. Immediately my legs hurt. It was so immediate that I'm convinced it couldn't actually have been muscular pain. I think my body just realized that I was going to exercise and was trying to stop me. I did half an hour, which is two measley miles and earned me only 2 WW points, and I thought I was going to die.

After dinner, I decided I needed to reseason my cast iron dutch oven, which I love dearly... even though our soup tasted like metal last night. (Another kick in the head.) I carefully read and followed the directions in one of my new cookbooks. Now my entire house smells like smoky oil. Perhaps it worked; I have no idea, but I do know that my house stinks.

This brings me to my point: If you do something good and positive, then only goodness and positive consequences should result. You should feel great after exercising. Your cast iron pots should gleam in the kitchen light without making your house smell. Your new recipes should taste delicious because you made the effort to create them. It's difficult enough to do the things you're supposed to do without having the universe crap on you.

I do attempt to come up with something positive to say, and I've been working on it.

Reseasoning the pot is a good idea, and now it's done.
I did well with my eating plan yesterday.
Working out is good for me, and I am successfully back after my break.
The apples... aren't bad.
I know that I'm cranky and blowing things out of proportion because I'm getting a cold, and since colds are a temporary affliction, I just have to ride it out.

Being positive isn't working very well. Mamma said there'd be days like this.

As a gesture of appreciation for reading my cranky post, here is a picture from when Andrew and I went to a state park last January.



There is beauty in winter. There is beauty in winter. There is beauty in winter.