Simple Sunday

Posted in Blood test, budgeting, California, covid-19, Flylady, Political things, prepper pantry, Uncategorized by Chris N

What the fuck is wrong in America?

The awful murder of an innocent black man by 4 policemen.

The absolutely horrendous situation of the privileged white woman calling the police when a black man asked her to leash her dog( which was posted on a sign right behind her). Thankfully, this did not end violently and I’m glad she was fired from her job.

I’m glad there are protests going on. Something has to change in this country. Of course, with a pandemic also going on, it’s tricky. I’m just depressed by it all. We have a racist president who is invoking violence, plays to his base, is a narcissist, and cannot feel anything except his own shit.

Something has to change.

In other news on the home front, we had another Instacart Costco order that was expensive but worth it. I spent @$375 for food and then a tip. Lots of stuff was prepper pantry stuff like bleach, cleanser, and toilet paper. Some good food stuff like tuna, potatoes, avocados, bananas, and more. I looked at the receipt and then what I was charged by Instacart and most things were about $2.00 more that way. I ordered Sierra Pale ale for B and that was $4.00 more. So it definitely adds up but to not have to go into the store is worth it still. The young man said the store was very busy and the checkout lines long. So I think a good choice. I’ll reevaluate in June about the time I need coffee. Of course, it’s a privilege that we can do this right now. There have been times in our past when I had $10. 00 a week for food. And there have been times when I had zero money for food. So, for now, we can do this. Down the road, who knows. We’re living on a very limited income which will come in under $30,000 so… we shall see.

Our weather has been crazy with over 100 degrees one day and then hail and thunder the next. today is partly cloudy and cool. At least we’re not running the coolers all day.

I had my eye exam and everything seems stable with my macular pucker. Can’t do much about right now. I also decided to cancel my crown on Tuesday and wait a few more weeks. I’m nervous about the air filtration in the office and stuff drifting around. I’m not sure much will be different in 3 weeks but I’ll try.

Next week I have my labs so we’ll see what news I get there.

Barclay has another Bone Marrow Biopsy on Wednesday( such fun) so hopefully, he’s still fully engrafted. He started the Jakafi and I really hope this fixes the GVHD stuff.

Well, that’s all the news here at home. We did finish Ozark and it ends pretty violent and setting up for a 4th season. It’s good drama and Laura Linney is one of my favorite actors.

Flylady zone is the entryway this week if you’re following.

27May2020

Anything new?

Posted in California, cooking, covid-19, prepper pantry, Uncategorized by Chris N

No, not really. It’s just same ole same old.

On Monday we went down to Winco, which is @ a 25-minute drive. We went early like at 6:15 am. It was fairly empty and we got everything I was after for the prepper pantry. Extra pasta, salsas, instant potatoes, and lots of other stuff to put out in the barn where the prepper pantry lives. We have stainless steel restaurant shelves out there and I’m using bins to put things in. The bins are to keep things clean and to keep bugs or other things out. We haven’t had any problems out there in a while but better to err on the side of caution. Some things I don’t keep in bins like the canned goods. Plus we will need to be rotating stuff into the house so some stuff I want to be able to see. I have labeled most everything. There’s a little more to do but mostly it’s done.

In the house, I have my closet pantry and then in the kitchen, I have some wine crates dedicated to canned goods as well. Overall, I’m happy with what I’ve done. I think if I planned meals, I have at least 3 months worth at this point.

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I’m still spending ALOT on food but as it is prepper pantry stuff, I feel okay about it. I have a very bad feeling about what the second wave of Covid-19 will bring. People are going a little crazy going out and so many are not wearing masks. Go figure.

Tomorrow I will go to my eye doctor’s appt. I’m planning on wearing a mask. This is my annual eye exam and my macular pucker scan. I probably should do the surgery but honestly, I don’t want to deal with it. I can’t really see out of my right eye but my left compensates so I guess for the time being ( unless it’s worse) I live with it.

It’s really hot here for the next few days so the coolers are in the windows. By Saturday though the temperatures are expected to drop again. last year at this time I was driving to Sacramento every day and it was also a heatwave. By the time I was in the RV it was sweltering. So I guess its par for the course.

I made a chocolate cake last week.

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It was very chocolatey… I ended up freezing half as we weren’t eating it all.

Our daughter’s birthday is Friday. Wow, 35 years ago!!! We were so happy!! And had waited a long time for her. We’d been married 15 years so, a pretty long time to wait for a kiddo!!

22May2020

Friday Stuff

Posted in cancer, MDS, prepper pantry, reading, Uncategorized, Walking by Chris N

I’m not sure that Frugal Friday works anymore since groceries are much more pricey and I’m still buying to build up the prepper pantry.

I added some Bob’s Red Mill polenta to the pantry in the vacuum seal bags. Also in the Costco home delivery order got the 2 pack of Lemon Juice, Rosarita beans, and a case of their corn. I have a Costco Instacart order ready to go but will wait till next week. That way that will take me almost into June. Oh yeah, they had SAF instant yeast and I also got some really nice powdered cocoa for baking.

For the prepper pantry, I’m making a list of dinners that I could put together from what I have to see how many months/weeks I would have. I have some combinations of dinners we eat normally like beans, tortillas, salsa, pasta with sauce, rice-based meals. Mostly, I’m trying to have meals that we normally have so things aren’t weird like Spam for dinner:( From the freezer, I am adding some meals like chicken, or organic beef, but that would really be stockpiling unless I bought a 1/8 of a cow from a farmer. If I knew someone that did that I would consider it. Right now, I’m good with Costco’s organic ground beef and chicken.

In other news, Barclay is continuing to have GVHD with intestinal stuff and skin rashes. His doctor ordered a new drug call Jafaki. The drug is enormously expensive and the co-pay was coming in at $1500. a month. ahh, there is no way we can pay that now we are on a fixed income with no extras coming in. Our Medicare prescription plan had it for slightly less. So he talked with the financial coordinator and UCD Medcenter gave us a grant for $7000 that is JUST for the Jakafi. Let’s hope this does the trick. Tomorrow is his 1-year re-birthday and I would really like to have the GVHD be gone. Well, I guess we will see but at least we’re not going bankrupt from a drug cost.

Today we walked and it was refreshing. I have the pizza dough ready to go in the bowl. I also cut up a whole bag of Vidalia onions to freeze. Last week I made the mistake of trying to make a larger pizza and it was not good. It was too big for my pizza steel and was a mess. It tasted fine but it was falling into the oven because it was too big. You’d think I’d learn:( So this week it’s back to 2 pizzas.

I just finished reading Adam Savage’s ” Every Tool’s a hammer”. He’s the guy from Myth Busters. Quite interesting. Check it out.

19May2020

Thunder and lightning, oh my!

Posted in Blood test, cancer, Uncategorized by Chris N

We had a huge rain cell come thru yesterday in the afternoon. There was thunder( a lot) and lightning, hail, and torrents of rain. Quite the spring storm. There was snow in the Sierras which is not that unusual in normal times. Well, everything is soaking wet.

We just got back from a nice walk. I wanted to do another round but nature was calling or maybe it was my cup of coffee so we left. But it was really nice and fresh out. All the geese families are getting big.

Our chicks are getting big too and the others seemed okay with them but the 2 Auracana are being mean to the black one so we’ll need to see if we have to separate them more. It’s a pecking order but they can do harm to an outed chicken so we don’t want that.

Barclay has labs today and then a video conference. This time last year he was in UCD med centers Bone Marrow Transplant Unit getting chemo conditioning for the actual transplant. A whole year has gone by, wow. Except for ongoing GVsH intestinal stuff he’s doing well although still too thin.

Then tomorrow he has to go down to UCD med center for a urology appt with a new guy. My daughter has volunteered to drive him down. It shouldn’t be a long wait and I suggested she pop over to Corti Bros. We could use some Mikes Blend meat for chili or burgers. I made the burgers with the Crowd Cow burger meat and it was good. I’m not sure I’d say exceptional but I’ll wait to make a final evaluation after I make the chicken and the one steak I bought. It was delivered quickly and with dry ice, so that kept it all frozen.

We’ve been having game night on Wednesdays and here’s one of the games that is hysterical to play. 4839DF99-8862-4F19-A414-BF84DD9E2496

It is not for children so be aware.

This is one of the cards that I thought was beyond funny.

too funny:) You kinda need to be where we are to appreciate it.

We’re planning to do take out Mexican tonight. The first time in 3 months. Hope it’s good and safe:(

Oh, and our idiot president is taking Hydroxychloroquine. What a complete idiot. How can we even have a president that is so stupid? It is beyond me. Good grief, Charlie Brown. Vote Blue, no matter who so we can move on to some sense of normalcy. Or at least someone who isn’t a third-grader.

16May2020

Costco and Dr. Stangelove

Posted in budgets, home stuff, prepper pantry, Uncategorized by Chris N

Yay….., our Costco toilet paper order showed up yesterday. That means we’re set and won’t need to go into the store at least for a while yet. I have another home delivery of some prepper pantry stuff showing up. That includes brown sugar, regular sugar, and bakers yeast and chocolate. I was talking with B that the last time we were in Costco was March 3. so if we can get to June 3 that’s 3months. The home delivery, even though more expensive, has been a lifesaver. Time, gas, driving down to Roseville. So really a win-win. I think I’m still going to do one more Instacart, but I’ll wait on that for now.

We used more of the LLS gift card at our little market yesterday and bought things to get thru the week, like hot dog rolls, burger buns, tofu, milk, and cream.

I also am expecting a farm to table meat delivery of some chicken and a small amount of beef. It’s called Crowd Cow if anyone is interested. They are 2 guys from Seattle who wanted to support small farmers. I’ll do an update on how it is after it arrives. I kept the order small to check it out.

For anyone who drinks wine out there( we do) Darci Kent wineries have case sales going on. We have bought from them before and their wine and labels are quite lovely. I’m planning on buying the new case release( if it’s still available) of a rose, sauvignon blanc, and chardonnay. Maybe I better go check right now. Whew…. all good. I ordered it. Yeah, I love NOT having to go to the store to buy wine.

B has the gate ready to go up today so that will be one project down and lots more to go.

We watched Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove last night and wow, for a movie back in 1964?? it was great and so well done. Usually, I don’t really like Kubrick’s stuff but this was good and Peter Sellers was pretty phenomenal.

13May2020

a change in the weather

Posted in bread, cooking, Uncategorized by Chris N

It actually rained here the other night. We woke up to everything watered down. All the yellow pollen washed away. It’s cooler but actually nice. Today our high will be around 60 so okay.

Update on the Instacart order. It was great. I got almost everything I ordered and was really pleased. It is more expensive with a tip but I definitely thought it was worth it. I will probably do at least one more before venturing to Costco.

We did a very early trip into Home Depot since they wouldn’t do the curbside pickup for the gate post. We bought one farm gate for one driveway but needed the post. I don’t plan on keeping the gate close all the time but I want the option especially when we’re not here. Our driveway is weird as it splits and goes straight into where we park and then to the right back to the barn. No one can ever figure out which way to go. I think we will do the second gate in the fall.

We’re also planning to put up some privacy fencing. The neighbors behind the barn moved up here from the Sacramento area and have a lot of crap we can see. So we plan on putting up around a hundred feet of cedar fencing along that border. Then we want to do the same for where our elderly neighbor( Leo) lives since when they sell I fear who will move in will be rednecks with 6 kids. So I want a fence along the driveway to block seeing over there.

I’m also thinking of doing a bulk meat order from someplace like Butcher Box. It’s supposed to be small ranchers and grass-fed meat. Has anyone done that? Usually, I get organic from Costco but thought about doing something different.

I bought a food sealer thing on Amazon that vacuum seals food. I tried a few things yesterday and it looks like it would be great for rice, meat, cheese, etc. I tried bread and it squished it flat so that didn’t work. I then read the manual and it said to freeze the bread first and then vacuum seal and put back in the freezer. So I’m going to try that today too.

The chickies have quadrupled in size and are now out in the big girl’s pen. They are still separated but soon will mix with them. We’re going to have lots of eggs by next spring:)

We’ve been watching Ozark on Netflix and it’s a good show. Dark, but good. Sorta like Breaking Bad was. Oh, plus on Hulu the funniest, Stan versus Evil is hilarious. Definitely lots of laughs.

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another loaf of sourdough…

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this is what it looks like in the proofing basket.

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some chocolate chip oatmeal cookies.

8May2020

Frugal Friday

Posted in cooking, covid-19, Uncategorized by Chris N

We didn’t walk this morning. I just didn’t feel like getting up and going right out. Kinda weird. and definitely not me. Oh well, it’s good to mix it up some.

I had applied for the Covid-19 LLS grant of $250. I received the Visa card and used that for groceries so that was a huge saving.

I am getting my first Instacart order today. I’m supposed to keep my phone with me so I guess I’ll turn on the ringer so I can hear if the shopper calls me. I’ll update once I get the order and let you know how it is or was. It definitely was NOT frugal and there is a tip which I hope was enough. I’m guessing they get paid to shop and gas so the tip is on top?? Anybody have an idea about the tip? I did 10%which was hefty.

Our county( Placer) is opening up certain things soon. I’m against opening anything too soon and won’t be going out to stores. I canceled my gym membership as I can’t see myself going back before next year or whenever there is a vaccine. I’m not a shopper so except for Target, Home Depot, and the store I don’t really go into stores. So I’ll keep doing curbside pickup.

I made a yummy pasta salad for dinner last night with grilled chicken, bowtie pasta, artichoke hearts, olives, and a salad mixed in. It was good. I always leave the chicken on the side so B doesn’t get it in his. Tonight is supposed to be pizza night but I’m going to use stuff from the freezer. I have one frozen pizza and maybe do some bruschetta with tomato on the side. I’m trying a different No-Knead bread recipe today. It’s the NYT one. So far I’ve done the King Arthur one and the original Jim Leahey’s. They’re all basically the same but a little variation.

The Cecil Brunners are amazing this year. They always come out for Mother’s Day.

Beeswax candles in the morning sunlight1

Another view.

3May2020

simple Sunday

Posted in books, cooking, Flylady, home stuff, simple foods, simplicity, Uncategorized by Chris N

It’s much cooler today and some clouds rolling by.

We walked early and the only one there was dog walker. We name everyone who comes to the park. Oh, not to them, just between us. Some have been less than nice like clodhopper runner. but there’s Sprite who is a long-distance runner and seems very nice. We say hi as she goes by. There are now 5 sets of babies at the park. They are very protective so we stay out of their way.

I finished the kitchen zone.

Here’s part of my kitchen pantry and some of my vintage Pyrex. I washed them all today which is something I don’t do every time.

Here’s on the window sill. A vintage Ball jar. I love these and have quite a few. You used to be able to pick these up at Flea markets for about $1.00 , not anymore.

This is looking back at what really is the front of the house but because of how are driveway is no one ever comes to this door. When I used to do Feng Shui it would drive me nuts. Now not so much.

This is another shot and you can see the patio table where we eat most meals now that’s it nice out. To the far right is the laundry room we added on. You have to come out to get to it. Not sure how that will be when we’re older but heck for now it’s fine.

Here’s a comfrey plant. When I was doing herbs I would harvest this and make teas. Good for bones.

The rest of the day is open and I have brownies baking in the oven but other than that it’s open.

I may go look for an ebook since I feel like reading something mindless.

2May2020

Beltane, May 1st.

Posted in Blood test, California, cancer, cooking, covid-19, husband, meal planning, minimalism, Uncategorized by Chris N

We always try and have a Beltane fire on or near May 1st. In cross-quarter on the Celtic Calendar, it’s the beginning of summer. Burning away the old and planting for the new. It is between the Spring Equinix and the Summer Solciste. We had a fire the night before so that was good enough. We might have one tonight if we sit out.

This week I finished reading Jane Austin’s ‘Emma’. 500 pages of Jane Austin and it was astonishingly good. We have all the JA’s in Easton Press editions. I also reread a couple of e-books. I like the author Meg Wolfe. She used to have a great minimalist blog that I really enjoyed but I guess having written 5 books in this series took all her time. The first is the ‘Uncollected Death’. Charlotte Anthony is downsizing and is commissioned to write the memoir of a woman who then is murdered. There are 4 other books in the series which I’ve read but this one is my favorite.

I’ve moved most of my house plants( and there’s a lot), out to the sun porch. I’m going to see how they summer over out there. It does get hot out there so I’ll have to see whether this is a good option.Then I moved all the LP’s under the Heywood Wakefield so they are near the turntable. I’ll see how this works too. That freed up a wood crate I had so I may use that somewhere else. Mostly, I’m trying to reduce visual clutter in my office room/space. I have the one wall with Grateful Dead LP covers framed, and our Woodstock original Life magazines framed, B’s Bob Dylan poster and my favorite Star trek poster. It’s all colorful and pleasing to the eye but I wouldn’t want to add to it.

We’re doing really well food /pantry wise. I finally was able to get Costco to deliver toilet paper here although they are 14 days out for delivery. We have enough though. Plus the other big thing is coffee. We all drink coffee so we go thru a lot. So I ordered 2 Starbucks French roast as it is on sale. It’s still cheaper to go in to the store( Costco) to get it but that would mean going into the store. So it’s worth it for now to pay the extra $5.00.

I haven’t been too creative with cooking. Mostly just cooking to get by. We even didn’t do Friday night pizza because no one wanted pizza. So we had the frozen manacotti I did a week ago. It was good. I did try making a sourdough focaccia and it was ok. Not great but I think I will try a different recipe and see how that goes.

Speaking of Costco, I checked Instacart/Costco and it looks like I can get delivery here so I may try that when I need the next round of stuff. But for now we’re good.

This morning after our walk I went into the Holiday Market an got enough fresh stuff for the week and they had tofu so that was exciting.

Next week Barclay has to go down to UCD med center to see the doctor because he needs his port flushed and another IVG infusion. I’ll just sit in the car and read although this time I may go for a walk.Last time I didn’t but I think it should be ok.

I also had my Zoom video appt with my doctor and it was quick and easy. We’re in agreement that starting treatment while the pandemic is going on is not a good idea. But we did agree when my kappa light chains get to @ 500 then that will be a good place to start. It really depends on how quickly the cancer cells start to activate. This last time it only went up 18 points so that was quite a bit less than the time before. Really it’s just a waiting game. I’m not happy about but WTF. Not much you can do. So we shall see. it’s out there in the future somewhere.

A few pictures from around the yard

This time of year in May everything is nice and green and so pretty. My daughter does an amazing job as gardener!

Tahoe Girl

My journey with multiple myeloma and a simple life.

Monthly Archives: May 2020