Rhebeca had a talent show at her school in November of last year. I worked with her quite a bit with her song and was planning to play the piano for her. I was excited about it because I haven't done anything musical for so long. She was singing the song Carrie Underwood sang when she won American Idol 2005..."Inside Your Heaven". It was a difficult song and I thought she did pretty well. As my luck usually goes the talent show was scheduled for the day I was getting the morphine pump implanted and since the doctor worked me in his schedule as a special favor I couldn't change the date. I just found this picture today trying to organize my documents.

I took my blood pressure this morning...hoping it was down but it was 140/106 with the pulse being 106. So I called my doctor's office and he was booked today..of course. They took my message and his nurse called back and said he was calling in a third blood pressure medicine and I should continue on all three of them. I took my blood pressure tonight and it was still very high. I hope it just takes a few days to work.

I did have a little more energy today than normal. I hope it's a trend!!

I read American Idol news this morning and I think it took me about an hour. Here's a condensed version of what I found out. Paula Abdul has a new boyfriend and he's been hanging around backstage till she finishes and they take off together. Before Kevin Covais (chicken little) left for his Hollywood trip he and his girlfriend broke up because they thought he would do better on American Idol if the girls knew he was single...I've gotta say the kid has a lot of self confidence. He and his "former" girlfriend entered a talent competition at school and she beat him...she won and there were no other places. There was a letter published in a Florida paper written by Kellie Pickler's Dad who is serving 45 years in prison for battery of a police officer. He said he is proud of Kellie and doesn't take any credit for the good person she has become. He has had a change of heart since being in prison because he gave his heart over to God and he hopes he can show people that he is a changed person when he gets released from prison. The letter was very humble and he talked like any proud parent would talk about their child. Hopefully they can reconcile and work out what problems they've had in the past.

This morning I watched a cooking show and the food they made looked so good to me that I had to go out and buy the ingredients and make it tonight. I felt bad that I had to use 3 pans cause Wayne always does the dishes for me. By the time I'm done cooking my back is hurting and I need to rest. I appreciate his help.

I will post those recipes for anyone interested in a good meal:)

Teriyaki Chicken with Warm Ginger-Carrot Slaw
1 1/2 pounds chicken breast cutlets
1/3 cup teriyaki sauce
4 T vegetable oil
1 rounded teaspoon grill seasoning
1 small savoy cabbage
1 bunch scallions
1 cup snow peas
1/4 cup honey
3 T pickled ginger ( I couldn't find pickled and used crystallized ginger)
2 cups shredded/julienned carrots
Salt and Pepper

In a large plastic food storage bag, combine chicken cutlets with teriyaki sauce, 2 tablespoons oil and grill seasoning. Close bag and combine to coat evenly. Let stand 15 minutes.

Preheat an outdoor or indoor grill or grill pan to medium-high.
Cut cabbage into quarters and cut away core. Shred the cabbage and set aside. Cut clean, trimmed scallions into 3 inch lengths. Pile scallions lengthwise and julienne them into thin strips. Pull the threads from the ends of snow peas and julienne into thin strips, lengthwise, like the scallions.

Drizzle honey into a small bowl. Add vinegar and combine with a fork.
Place chicken cutlets on grill or into hot pan and cook 3 minutes on each side.

Heat a nonstick skillet over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil, 2 turns of the pan. Add pickled ginger and cut carrots and stir-fry 2 minutes. Add cabbage and stir-fry 2 minutes more. Fluff and toss veggies with tongs so they stay dry and crisp while cooking. Add scallions and snow peas and stir-fry another minute. Add honey and vinegar combination, pouring it all around the pan in a slow stream. Cook the liquids down 30 seconds more then turn off heat. Continue to toss the slaw and season it up with salt and pepper to your taste.

Slice the chicken meat thinly on an angle. Mound up 1/4 of the slaw on each plate and place the sliced chicken along side, edging its way up the slaw salad. Serve immediately.

To go along with this meal I grilled sliced fresh pineapple that were first covered lightly with fresh squeezed lime and then when they had grill marks and were done I drizzled honey and lime zest on them...mmm mmm delicious!!!