Hello from the hospital! I’m at a small hospital in South Charlotte – not the intense trauma center where I interned. It’s amazing how much calmer it is here. I’m enjoying the variety of music playing on a piano downstairs changing between The Beatles, Broadway and hymns! I was happy to find wi-fi ’cause of course I brought my computer to get some work done 
Karen is in surgery now. She was in good spirits all morning. I think I was more nervous than she was!! I hate medical things. She declined a blog photo though 
I’m all set up with lunch at a table after checking in with Karen in pre-op.
The ultimate packed lunch: a big ole sandwich.
Hummus, tempeh (raw, uncooked, yes I think it’s good!), carrots, lettuce on GH bread 
And the best blackberries ever!
I’m getting back to studying Foodservice for the RD exam. Many people dread learning all the formulas for food cost and menu analysis, but I actually find this stuff the easiest of the materials. Probably because most of the information is either:
1) Incredibly intuitive
2) Simple math word problems
I’m pretty lucky that I’m good at math and don’t really need to memorize any formulas because I can figure most of it out with common sense analysis. But I’m still going to study study study!
Later gators.
{ 55 comments… read them below or add one }
Another raw tempeh fan – love it!
Gotta say Kath – you look SO pretty in that first photo!
Aw thanks
I dig raw tempeh! Happy studying and wish Karen a speedy recovery for me.
you look beautiful! that sandwich sounds great, and you’re such a good daughter in law
I hope everything goes great for Karen! Those blackberries look so delicious! I believe you when you say that they were the best ever!
Nice productivity and bonus of a musical background. Good luck studying for your exam; like you mentioned, it sounds mainly formulaic, which probably comes easily to you because you are so organized. Best wishes to Karen!
Hope the surgery goes well and good luck with your studying!
Good luck studying and hope the surgery goes well! I don’t usually do tempeh, but I eat “raw” seitan which grosses my co-workers out. It’s like eating cooled cooked meat – same dif!
Ah I love math problems.
Then again, I did Major in Mathematics.
So I am a new ish reader from fabulous Charlottesville! I gather y’all are moving here to start a Great Harvest or some other business?
I saw in an older post that Bikram wasn’t your fave. Ashtange Yoga is pretty awesome and located above Mas and if you like to run the Ragged Mtn Running Shop( on “the corner”) has an amazing saturday group program. There is also a great pilates place- momentum pilates.
I used to live outside Charlotte when I worked at Winthrop University. Charlottesville might not have as many choices as Charlotte, but it is great nonetheless.
Thanks for the recs!
Did you know I went to Winthrop for my RD?
no- what a small world. I was only there for a year from 2002-03 and have been in cville since.
I love raw tempeh, too. It’s so good on sandwiches or tossed in salads. Those blackberries look divine!
Hope all goes well with Karen’s surgery!
The blackberries do look amazing!
Good luck on the studying! I hope all goes well with Karen. Hospitals on the waiting side are no fun!
You are such a good studier! I never learned how to study properly. Could have definitely used your example years ago…
Hope all is well with Karen!
I thought all the foodservice formulas were the easiest to study too. Mainly because its black and white.
Have a great day!
Your berries – are you buying them at 1) farmer’s market’s 2) grocery store 3) picking them somewhere? How much/many a week do you purchase?
They are great looking and you’ve had them awhile.
Thanks.
From the farmer’s market. Karen got them so I don’t know the cost.
Thanks – I was just curious about the volume purchased –
I’m usually a lurker, but the berries got me
Best wishes with the rest of the move, and thanks for sharing
Your sandwich looks amazing (as usual). I’m glad Karen was in good spirits and I hope the surgery goes well!
Good luck with your studies!
Hi Kath,
Looks like your week is off to a good start.
I hope Karen feels better soon!
Nice to see you smiling!
As already stated, you are a super daughter in law.
I just wanted to add that I made pumpkin oats for the first time and they were deelish.
And I am going to ask my sis for her fave yoga place in Cville for ya (which was mostly vinyasa, I think).
Happy studying!
Ilana
I am SO bad at math. Luckily I married a guy who is good at it.
those blackberries look good, had mine this am
Good luck with your studying lady! Is it weird that I’m sort of missing school/studying…especially the fun and interesting courses! :/
I just wanted to tell you that I think you’re the cutest little thing ever! You’re one of my biggest role models and your blog really made a difference in my life, thank you for being you!
Leah
Aw shucks
oh man, food service is my least favorite part. haha wanna take my food production & management exam for me?
I agree! The food cost RD stuff is not hard to learn at all. I am working as a dietary manager at a nursing home now and use that stuff everyday so now it is common sense to me.
Kath-
I was a Math Major so I def. get what your saying about your exam. Its amazing how people can find simple math equations incredibly difficult!
I too love Tempeh! Fantastic eats. Glad to hear all is well with your Mother in Law.
Hope Karen’s surgery went well! I hate math, but I feel like foodie math would be way more interesting!
I’m not looking forward to studying the food service portion of the exam! While I’m good at math, I’m not one for studying formulas. Hopefully I’ll find it as intuitive as you are!
Hope Karen’s surgery went smoothly and quickly!
I’ve never had tempeh period. bah. Food always tastes different in hospitals, I don’t know why. Your lunch looks tasty. I spent some time on youpick.org and was pretty bummed that I’d missed the blackberry season here in Texas. Major bummer.
That food looks so good! Hope Karen’s surgery went good.
love that there’s a piano there – are people just playing it or is there a hired pianist?
I hope Karen’s surgery went well! I gotta say, raw tempeh was not my cup of tea, but I loved the texture! It is really hard to describe, though.
Hope Karen is well
I love your sammie combos! And blackberries are one of my favorite summer foods. You are beautiful!! Hope you have a great day!
I loved the food service too…easiest part!
Raw tempeh is the best on sandwiches!
By how you describe it, I think the Foodservice portion of the exam would be my strong point / favorite part when I finally get there – I love math.
That sandwich looks so good. And those black berries.
Surgery makes me so nervous, and people who are just nonchalant about the whole thing really amaze me. Hope everything went well for Karen!
I hope everything goes well for Karen. You are such a productive person and seem to get stuff done at any opportunity rather than just waste time. I’m impressed!
Best wishes to Karen! Good luck with your studies. I have been looking into studying for RD too. Good to know there will be math involved.
Hope Karen’s doing well! You’re such a good friend to be there with her
Here’s hoping for a speedy, smooth recovery for Karen.
I tried a tempeh, jam and goat cheese sandwich today and it was amazing. I’d like to thank you for introducing me to that glorious combination!
Best wishes to Karen!!! Sending lots of speedy recovery vibes her way!
I hope the surgery goes well for Karen, and Kath you look very pretty today! Where do you keep getting those delicious looking blackberries!? I want some! Haha.
a perfect to go lunch! love tempeh, and the bread looks delish!
That’s nice that your there with Karen. Hope she does well.
Good luck with studying!!
Is raw tempeh safe to eat? I read once that you absolutely HAD to cook it for at least 20 minutes.
yes
Good luck with the studying! And happy recovery to Karen!
Happy studying
I felt the same way about the majority of the food service problems..most of them I could just figure out…and the trickier ones weren’t even on my exam. I’m pretty sure I had about two problems. Total. Good luck, I’m sure you’ll do great!
Great pic! Question: What is tempeh?