What's on your Tuesday Menu?

Good Morning! Hmm, ok--my body just decided that sleep is optional this week, and I am rolling with it. I was up and out of bed before 2:30am, watched the news for awhile, and after I finish sipping this coffee, I am going to do all the things. Woot. I have a few jobs I am excited to apply for today, plus lots of cookie decorating, and a trip to Michael's planned. Other than that, I got nothing! But it will be nice to have a day in because we've been out and about for appointments a lot lately.

QOTD: Do the calories on menus at chain restaurants influence your ordering? I wish all restaurants included the calories because I think it's pretty eye opening to see how high some foods can be, even when they sound like a healthy option. I really am influenced to pick the lowest calorie option, but within the category I want. For example, if I want a burger, I'll generally have it--I will just find the one with the lowest calorie count. My meals out tend to last for 3 - 4 meals with leftovers, anyway, though!

• protein coffee
• more coffee
• keep the coffee flowing
• egg bites
• mini cucumbers, grapes and almonds
• leftover tacos

Good Mornin y'all. QJB, sleep has been very optional for me this week too. As much as I try I just can't drift back to sleep. Frustrating but it is what it is. I'm about to start working on a bracelet.

Good news in that they approved the trial injections for the ablation. It's something like three levels in the facet joints. I've heard the actual ablation is very painful at first so my mom offered to pay half for the optional sedation...well she offered to pay it all but I can cover half. Medicaid will not cover it. I understand for the trial but the actual procedure should have some kind of sedation. They pay for bloodwork but not the actual vein puncture. Cray cray. Praying the trials help!

We had horrible wind yesterday as predicted. Highest gust was 70mph last I heard here in Amarillo. We had blizzard conditions very near here and I-40 was shut down from here west into New Mexico. Zero visibility and lots of accidents because people think their giant vehicles can do anything. They just crash harder.

Not sure if anything is planned today. I'm hoping for a stay home day but that usually means my mom has something planned. My eating has been better...not the best but it's gradual. The insulin has caused some weight gain and I'm incredibly upset at my current weight. Time to buckle down buttercup. I've got to stop with the cheese, it's been my comfort food. I threw away what little chocolate/candy I had(chocolate espresso beans) spare peppermints that I have that my mom will use. I'm not going in thinking I'm going to change things all at once. I'll start with the candy and cheese(I'm looking at you smoked cheddar) and work on moving more,

QOTD: we eat out rarely. My mom gets the jr whopper at Burger King some and about 6 times a year we get Thai food. I was looking at subway's menu yesterday because I have an old gift card. It's insane that a veggie delight salad is upwards of 8 bucks there now...the way I wanted it was 230 calories but we ended up not going. The menu does play a factor for me and I too wish all places listed calories.

B: eggs, 1/4 cheese, cilantro lime sauce and coffee x2

L: salad with a light onion vinaigrette and lots of veggies

D: my mom is making meatloaf which I just don't care for(never has been a favorite). I might make some salmon I got yesterday!

Agreed - fast food prices are really wild right now. Grim just read an article about McDonald's prices in Massachusetts because apparently we have the most expensive prices in the country. A 20 piece McNugget is $22 here! A dollar a nugget? Insanity.

Holy crap on the chicken nuggets!

I think there is a website or app called McCheapest, that tracks prices at McDonald's around the country. The cheapest Big Mac is in Mississippi or Alabama, IIRC. It's $3.50. The most expensive is a rest area on the western part of the Massachusetts Turnpike, where the next nearest food is an hour away. I think their Big Mac is $8.59 or something.

I'm sure the biggest difference is in the minimum wage in both places. Ours is well over twice the hourly rate.

I think everyone should be paid a living wage. In most places they aren't. If that makes prices too high, I have a choice. But low paid workers shouldn't be subsidizing my meals.

Isn't there an entire economic theory including the prices of big macs over time around the world? The great equalizer specific to currency exchange.

Our minimum wage here is 7.25 an hour. The average income for a hospitality worker is around 25,000 a year or less. Texas is a beautiful place if you subtract the majority of the people. Politically it's a cesspool. They wonder why so many folks need food assistance programs and Medicaid. Of course some folks do abuse the system but more just need some help. I think abusers of the system are far less than some folks would like to admit or would ever admit to.

...they just crash harder ?---++

Glad your ablation was approved! And that sedation is an option.

I'll admit to eating half a Publix Philly cheese steak sub over the holidays. Sometimes, as Prue would say, the calories are worth it.

Yum! On the Philly cheesesteak!

Getting the approval is great news.