I just read Suzanne Graham’s blog about the cravings that are easily kicked off in O’s by eating wheat. It’s got me wondering how I’m going to do this afternoon at a bridal shower. The fact that it has a luncheon as part of it is bad enough, but I also know that almost everyone that will be in attendence other than myself is on the South Beach diet. I hope I can find something. I really DO NOT need another bout with the “sugar monster” either.

Because of my recent lack of time due to my temporary work schedule changes my husband has been taking me out recently. That gives us time to catch up with one another before he has to go to work (we are working opposite shifts now, too - grrrrr). There was a salad that I came across that was really nice and would be super easy to duplicate at home that I want to tell you about.

The base is a standard spinach salad (spinach, hard-boiled eggs, a bit of red onion, grated swiss cheese, lots of sliced mushrooms) plus a few cherry tomatoes. The difference was that instead of bacon (an avoid for everyone) or turkey bacon they used smoked salmon and sliced toasted almonds. Also, instead of the usual vinaigrette dressing they used a honey mustard one. The combination was really nice.

I have found a new show on TV that I have been taping so that I will have something to watch while on my Nordic Track when it starts raining again on a regular basis instead of just off ‘n’ on like it currently is. That is so good. I had been starting to really wonder if I was ever going to find anything new before October when Fall starts in ernest around here.

As Fall is fast approaching now, I have started thinking about pumpkin carving. No, I’m not talking about Halloween. I’m talking about carving pumpkins. A carved pumpkin means several things in addition to the arrival of fall. One - it’s just plain fun to carve ‘em. Two, easy one dish pumpkin skillet suppers and pumpkin pies. And, three, the aroma! My mom told me about this idea:

After you are done carving your pumpkin and are about to light it for the very first time turn the lid upside down (or in my case the whole thing since I cut out the base and sit the pumpkin on top of it so it’s easier to light) and sprinkle it with pumpkin pie spices. When they heat up from the burning candle the house smells like you just made a pie!

Well, I gotta end this blog now, I have a shower gift to go wrap and a VCR to program with taping instructions for the weekend since I’ve ended up having to work part of it.