Ilene, It is so nice to see you back posting and I am relieved that your DD is now feeling a little better. I hope that she heals well from the surgery and is able to lose the weight she needs to lose for the sake of her health. It certainly sounds like the surgery was very complicated for the medical staff and very hard on her, and I am shocked that the hospital didn't have a pain medicine pump that allowed her to push the button to give herself more pain medication as needed. That's what I had when I had my cancer surgery in 1999. It was a morphine drip, and I could push the button every so often to get more as needed. There was some sort of regulator on it so you couldn't push too often and cause yourself to overdose. I wish your daughter had been given that option because I liked being able to have "more" pain medication as needed, or "none" if I was feeling OK without it. To me, it seems like the nursing staff was very cold and callous and not very understanding, and I would have reported their lack of compassion to the hospital management. Perhaps your DD was a difficult patient, but they still ought to be able to deal with a difficult patient in a caring and concerned manner. I've always had great nurses--for myself and for family memners and I am sorry she did not experience that same kind of nursing care. As for the pharmacy, well....God bless the person behind the counter who cared enough to make a difference for you. I imagine your daughter was exhausted by the time y'all got home. I felt pretty exhausted on her behalf just reading your account of what y'all went through to get her there. I understand that bariatric surgery certainly is not an "easy way out" because the people I know who've had it have had to deal with many issues, including digestion problems, getting sick if they eat more than an ounce or two at a time, etc. Sometimes it is hard to get enough vitamins and minerals too because your food intake is so limited. My sister considered bariatric bypass but ultimately chose lap-band surgery because the lap-band could be adjusted as needed. Did it work for her? Oh, yes, she lost a lot of weight--111 lbs. I think--and she looked terrific (healthy, but not a starved, skinny "stick"). Her main side effect was that her formerly lush, thick hair started falling out due to lowered protein intake. After she had lost the weight she wanted, her hair gradually did regrow to its former lush, thick state. I'd like to tell you that my sis maintained the weight loss, but she didn't. She worked for the physician who did the lap-band surgery, so as long as she worked for him, she maintained her lap band (it has to be refilled with saline periodically and adjusted as needed) and kept her weight stable. Once she had a major disagreement with him and stopped working for him, though, she wouldn't go back to him for lap band maintenance and now she's gained back quite a lot (but not all) of the weight she lost. So, in one sense, I think bariatric surgery is "better" than lap band because you can't "undo" it and revert back to your bad habits. I truly hope your DD loses the weight and improves her health because, as you point out, the consequences for her are serious and life-threatening if she does not. As for your weight loss plan, I am so happy you are going to lose the weight and improve your health. I wish you well in your efforts. I am always trying to lose 10-20 lbs. myself and, sometimes, I have great success with losing the weight, but keeping it off is harder. : ) So, I certainly sympathize with you and DD. I think we all could eat healthier and exercise more than we do. And, Ilene, just think of how much fun you'll have buying new clothes as you lose the weight! How's that for motivation? Hang in there and keep us updated on how it all goes. We're all gardeners here, but we're people too and we all know that life is (shock! gasp!) about much more than gardening. Dawn

Very beautiful Susan - makes me want to open our B&B again. I just loved creating the breakfast table. Before I came on board here and readong about DA recommendation of planting in threes, I could not see it happening here, but wow, it has certainly paid off in your beautiful garden. Thank you.

We are still on vacation and are in Tyler, Texas right now. On Tuesday evening we had dinner with Jaybird who lives in Waco and used to post here. Had a great time with her and her husband. Yesterday afternoon after we got here and got all set up Jen TX, who used to post here, stopped by and visited for a couple of hours. She brought a delicious cranberry apple cake. Today we had a get together at Vannie's house with Eva TX, Redfeather and I. The other gals in the area could not make it so will plan on seeing them after Thanksgiving 2013. The rest of this weekend we will be here in the Tyler area and will go see the oil museum in Kilgore. Will look around for other areas of interest also. We will be heading back out on the road on Monday morning. Hope you all have a very enjoyable weekend.

Pillog, that kugel sounds great! I will be saving this for another occasion... Anyhow, I'm still working up the food for the upcoming weekend, which is THIS coming weekend. Below, the food for Friday night, Saturday morning and lunch, and Sunday morning is set. In the following post I'll put what I have for apps and dinner but I still need help for dessert, and to decide between a couple vegetarian options: ****** FRIDAY PM (One lactose-free, one no-cooked seafood person, but fish sauce okay if it doesn’t overtly announce itself in the food… He LOVES raw fish, but won’t be doing that!) -- 5-6 people, the sixth if she makes it that night would be gluten-free. I am tree-nut free, excepting coconut. (I MISS pistachios and pine nuts… the rest I never cared about!) Appetizers: Veggie platter with choice of dips (chive cheese spread – from a local dairy; hummus, baba ganoush – from an excellent Lebanese grocery). Pick up items Thursday afternoon. Quality gluten-free chips (TJ’s) with peach salsa. Dinner: Hot and Sour Soup: Adapted from Russ Crandall’s “Paleo Takeout: Restaurant Favorites without the Junk.” Will use homemade poultry soup base (made a couple months ago), gluten free. Recipe uses arrowroot to thicken. However will add some tofu cubes, not Paleo. To make early Friday, add egg just prior to serving. Veggie & beef stir fry. Visit local Asian market Thursday for Asian-specific veggies (CHINESE broccoli instead of western…. Etc.) California sushi rice, in rice cooker. Dessert: Keeping simple. Thinking fresh strawberries with option of cream, coconut cream or a dash of sugar on top – or, nothing on top! Some dark chocolate nibbles for those who do have sweet tooths – nothing fancy. (Maybe chocolate dustings available for those berries!) SATURDAY BREAKFAST – same crowd as previous night: Omelets to order – plain, cheese, veggie. (A local guy sells eggs 2.50 per dozen, can’t beat that!) Home made pork sausages patties (local ground pork; I’ll form the patties Friday, cook in the morning). Available if wanted: Rolled oats for oatmeal; cold Kashi brand cinnamon oat cereal. Grapes and other fresh fruit. SATURDAY LUNCH – make your own sandwiches/lettuce wraps. A variety of cold cuts, lettuce suitable for making wraps, condiments (mustard, mayo that sort of thing), peanut butter. I’ll make a vegan potato salad Friday (roasted mixed potato, red onion, cabbage, apple, seasonings, no mayo). Bread from local bakery on way to house. Other people will trickle in during the afternoon. And will include at least one vegetarian – who does eat dairy and limited eggs. A no-legume, absolutely no seafood serious allergy person. No vegans. One no rice. HOUSE BLESSING: White wine or peach juice, GF oatmeal cookies made with banana. (make Friday) SATURDAY DINNER - see next post! SUNDAY BREAKFAST: Uttapam pancakes (these are savory vegan with lentils and rice, seasoned with onion, tomato, and curry leaves – pick up curry leaves Thursday pm!!! Will supply optional butter/ghee; or real maple syrup, for those who must have sweet…) Soak Friday, grind Saturday and make batter. Scrambled eggs, not to order. Available if wanted: Rolled oats for oatmeal; cold Kashi brand cinnamon oat cereal. Grapes and other fresh fruit. Supplying: coffee, tea, sugar & Splenda for coffee/tea, whole milk, coconut milk, (if I find it) Lactaid milk – my friend can use this in his coffee. SodaStream for seltzer. Wine, champagne, rum. A couple of juices as mixers or whatever.