A good week overall. Sachi’s birthday was nice. I made a yellow cake with chocolate icing.
For a box mix, it was tasty.
I’m thankful for my daughter and all her talents. A published author, gardener extraordinaire, research librarian, and cat lover.
I’m very thankful the plumbing got fixed. Z helped his Dad and made the job much easier. Now the sill wood and beam need to be replaced because of the water damage but that will have to wait till we’re back from Tahoe.
I’m thankful that we live in California and not some horrible right-wing state like Florida. We live in a Red county but then you drive down to Roseville and Davis etc and it’s Blue!!!
I’m thankful that I have lived to be 70 and even though Myeloma is hanging over me, I’m hopeful my next course of treatment is successful. Despite having lived with cancer for almost 20 years, I’m fairly healthy.
I’m always thankful for the Roseville pool and even though it’s closed for 3 months, I can go over to the other pool. It’s an Olympic pool outside so I’m not sure how the temperature will be. It is heated though from what the lifeguards said. Most of the people I talked to like it a lot.
Our daughter was born on this day. I think it was a Wednesday and it was raining. Grandpa( B’s father) was here for the Dixie Land Jazz Festival in Sacramento. For many years he never missed one. So it was a nice surprise he was here. Being a mom was pretty great for me and I loved it. Of course, I was almost 33 so that might be part of it and we used a fertility drug called Clomid to stimulate ovulation. It worked like a charm and after 2 cycles, we were pregnant. So, I really wanted this baby.
Memorial Day, remembering Philip E Ruminski, killed in Viet Nam, Jan. 7, 1968. My mother never really recovered from the shock and it was a downhill slide till she died 10 years later. Remembering all who gave their lives in all wars for freedom, and democracy.
It’s too bad people like tRump don’t really understand those sacrifices. He had how many deferments?? And being a New Yorker, people like my brother, who couldn’t get a deferment, took his place. Sadly, Philip was only 21 and quite a talented artist.
Well, today is a celebration day for Sachi. I made breakfast of hash browns, eggs, toast with homemade jam, some sausage and, cinnamon rolls. I’m not sure what we’ll do for dinner but tomorrow or Wednesday she and are going to go to the nursery and then out to lunch.
A nice Sunday walk to wake up the old body!!!!. We get up fairly early 5am or so usually 5:15 and have coffee. Then we go to the park and do 2-4 rounds. Today it was just us and that is always a treat. The Canada Goose families were there too!! The babies are all growing.
Supposedly the kitchen pipe is getting fixed today so that’s a good thing. The next issue is the wood on the foundation is pretty rotted and will need to be replaced. That could be a bigger job than just the pipe. So maybe it’s a good thing the pipe was leaking as we would never have pulled off that siding.
After tidying up I went to the Auburn gym and did weights and treadmill. I was going to go to Safeway as they have corn on sale again but I didn’t feel like it after the gym. Maybe tomorrow. After getting home, I put a chicken in the oven to roast for dinner. I made some coleslaw too.
The yogurt was put in a colander and drained off the whey. So what were 2 quarts of yogurt after draining the whey was one full quart. This method is pretty great and I feel I’ll keep making yogurt this way once a week. I figured out the cost factor to be @ $2.00 for an organic probiotic yogurt quart. The Nancy’s probiotic yogurt I’m using as the starter was $6. So a significant savings.
I moved a few house plants around for summer and probably will need to move some out of the sun room as it gets too hot for them. But since it’s still cooler out, for now their fine.
I’m glad something is happening with the debt ceiling crap but who knows? I’d like to see any of them deal with having to rely on SS to live and then see how fast they do something to change the system. Every Senator and Congress person should be required to live for one month(or more) with $$ xx for one month and see what it’s like. And it should be what the average senior gets which I can’t remember but I think it’s only $1500 or less.
The plumber called back and was going to come the next day but in the meanwhile B figured out that by taking off the outside paneling he could do it himself as the pipes are right there. I was unhappy about this as I thought the plumber was a plumber for a reason, but I just acquiesced. Humm. I guess we’ll see.
I had a great swim yesterday and the pool was quite nice. I only had to share the lane for the last 10 minutes of my swim.
Today is just a do stuff around the house day and then go to town to drop off the Fiesta ware at the hospice thrift store. they only take donations on Wednesday so I’ve missed quite a few. I made a loaf of sourdough rye(24-hour slow rise in the fridge, I made homemade yogurt using a new-to-me method, and I vacuumed, and washed the kitchen floor. I also need to drop off an Amazon return for my daughter and go to the bank.
Tonight for dinner I have some ground precooked turkey so I thought I make a turkey chili mac. I have all the ingredients so that’s what’s for dinner.
I ordered some peaches from a farm in the valley. I bought two boxes so that should be enough for jam and a couple of pies. It wasn’t cheap but I hope they are delicious.
Tomorrow I plan to go to the gym and drop books at the library.
Another view of the ocean at New Brighton. The stuff you see at the top of the picture is what is left of the concrete ship and pier that used to be out there before the huge storms. To the left of that is where Seacliff was and that is all closed too.
I am thankful we had a safe drive home from Capitola and traffic was not too bad at all. We made it home in 4 hours with a stop for gas and something to eat.
2. I am grateful that B does the driving and set up and take down of Rubi.
3. I am thankful the weather was beautiful and we had some lovely days in our camp spot. With the influx of kids, bikes, and loud people, we left a day early and I’m grateful we have the sense to do that and not just say” Oh, we paid for the night, we should stay”. We do not enjoy it when kids are throwing balls in front of the trailer, riding bikes, etc, while their parents are loud with partying.
4. I am very grateful to my daughter for taking care of the house and yard. With the chickens and cats, it can be a lot.
5. I am so incredibly grateful that LLS opened funding for Myeloma and I got my application in. It’s pending, waiting for my doctor to fax his form.
FRUGAL FRIDAY
We spent very little this past week while camping. We didn’t eat out except for Gayles and that was just coffee and a danish. We ate the rest of our meals in camp. We went to the grocery store for a few things and that was it.
If you figure a week almost in Capitola, and we had just the cost of gas and some food, it’s a low budget getaway.
Overall, the budget has been good this month. But some things have caused some alarm. I’ll describe that in Saturday Sum up.
All the monthly bills are done. I’m working on keeping a zero balance in the bank account and it’s right where I want it for now.
It’s a huge savings for me to have my LLS grant since it covers all my insurance costs. I’ll be able to have a look back of 90 days so for reimbursement.
SATURDAY SUM UP
Well, that was the frugal stuff.
The night before we left my son notice some water(moisture) on part of the kitchen foundation. Of course, I freaked out and had B use the giant flashlight to look under there. There was a slow drip from the kitchen water pipe that will need to be fixed. Now part of the problem is our house foundation is not that great and as you go from the back to the kitchen area it gets very small to access. When we had this work done the person had to use a very long something to put those pipes in place. So now we’re facing a difficult challenge of getting a plumber to go under there. B is going to suit up and go in to try and clear some old pilings of dirt. But he isn’t a plumber that can weld the copper pipes. We put a call in to someone while we were in camp and we will try and set up an appt for next week to have him check it out. I tremble to think of this added expense.
The good news is the truck will go in next week to fix the AC and it’s covered by the extended warranty we bought. That expires in August so right in the nick of time.
Today, I’m going to pick up a Walmart order that has some camping stuff( toilet paper, and small propane bottles for the Weber). Plus I need to dust as the pine yellow pollen is coating everything in the house.
While we were gone a red fox chased and almost caught Ciri the cat. It was caught on Arlo and it’s scary to watch. It actually jumped the gate and chased her into the laundry rooms. We’re guessing it has a litter of kits nearby and that’s why it was so aggressive.
Today we have to go pick up the truck because we leave Sunday for Capitola. The AC isn’t fixed but we will just have to deal with it. It’ll probably be the following Monday after we’re back that we’ll bring it back to the dealer. After the warranty is done (in August) we’ll just take somewhere local as we’ll be paying out of pocket on any repairs.
After that, I’ll go over to the Rec center as that’s just across the freeway, and do a workout. I have books at the library to pick up so I have to wait till 10 am to get them. I put about 12 books on hold. Mostly Louise Penny and Margolin. There may have another random book as well.
Then it’s back home. Most of my weekly chores are done and I need to just get a few things organized in Rubi for camping. New Brighton has Gayles Bakery and a Nob Hill plus Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, etc, so we can go get stuff once we’re there. But I like to have some basics like cream for our coffee and bread to make sandwiches when we get there Sunday afternoon.
B is going to head up to Home Depot to get some posts for more fencing behind the barn. He also needs to go the bank to get a statement that LLS needs that shows the insurance paid. I’m still waiting for funding to open up. It’s been 2 months and no Myeloma funding yet. Last time it was right about the 2 month mark when it reopened. But I’ll need these statements when it does. It’s a big hit when we’re not getting that reimbursed. So hopefully soon. I’m sure plenty of others are waiting too.
Spinach quiche and potatoes from this week’s menu.
We had a nice Sunday walk in the park. Quiet with only the Canada Geese families around. I think we counted 6 families.
I went to the Auburn gym for a bit and then when I got home sliced up the jalapenos for refrigerator jalapenos. It’s an easy recipe of 1 cup white vinegar 1 cup water, tsp of pickling salt, and 1 Tsp of sugar. Boil that and then pour over the jalapenos in the jars. Cool and then refrigerate.
I labeled the Chicken Chili Verde pressure canned jars and put them in the pantry. I plan on trying a few other of the Ball meal-in-a-jar recipes. There’s a chipotle taco meat one that sounded good. There’s also a chickpea stew one that’s vegetarian I want to try as well.
B cleaned out the inside of the fridge and freezer while I was gone so that chore is done. I plan on doing the kitchen zone tomorrow. Monday is usually my home reset day. I do the little things that need doing and the zone cleaning.
I made a quiche crust to make a spinach quiche for tonight. ( not anything to do with the coronation, just part of my meal rotation.) I had preordered the new Magnolia cookbook and will look thru that today too. I like her recipes and find them to be very good most of the time.
This is a quiet week with only one appt. I have an appt to get my booster. Other than that, just normal stuff. Next week we’re in New Brighton for the week. Hopefully, the AC charge they did works. I still think there’s probably a leak but at least for now, it’s working.
Since we were gone last week till Saturday, we didn’t spend much. We had the one lunch out at Fishetarian and that was $50, I think.
So except for gas, we had a very low spending week.
I went to Trader Joe’s on Monday after the gym and spent $140 on groceries. I got quite a bit of groceries and snacks so I think we’re set. This morning we took the truck to AutoNation Honda( where we bought it) for them to fix the AC. After that, I went over to the gym and Barclay walked the trail behind the Rec center. Then we had a coffee date at Nugget and then it was off to Winco to get the stuff I need to pressure can Chicken Chili Verde. Mostly that was the green salsa verde. I picked up a bunch of jalapenos to make pickled jalapenos. I plan on doing the pressure canning either tomorrow or Sunday. Winco ended up $60 but that included $15 for birdseed and then $20 for wine. So groceries were about $35.
I don’t need anything next week so hopefully it’ll be a low spend week too.
After getting home, I shucked the corn we had gotten on sale 3 for $1. I ended up with 3 bags to freeze. I checked on pressure canning it but most canners said freezing was better for corn.
In unfortunate lab news, my Kappa went up 14 points to 56.4 mg/L… so not good. But since I’m asymptomatic, I’ll take it. I’m still hoping to get to September without treatment. Not much I can do but be ok with it. 😦 sigh….
I am so glad we left Wright’s and got home early. The drive must have wiped me out because it took two days to just get back into the swing of things.
I went to the gym yesterday and the library. It felt good to do the weights and some treadmill. After that, I stopped at Trader Joe’s and bought groceries that should get us through a week or so. I also picked up a small orchid as a treat.
Then this morning it was back to the pool and swimming. It felt great to be back in the water. I am so grateful I can swim at Mike Shelito Pool.
Then when I got home and put the sourdough boule in the oven. I just cut apiece and it’s quite yummy.
I opened an Etsy store to sell our old Indian jewelry that was Barclay’s dads’ from the ’70s. If it doesn’t sell eventually I’ll just donate to the hospice store but I thought I’d try this first. There’s nothing stupendous about them but they are nice silver pieces.
Today, I plan on making a Rancho Gordo recipe of beans that was on his website.
BAY GRAPE’S MARCELLA BEANS WITH LEEKS, GREEN GARLIC & PARSLEY PISTOU
We left Tuesday morning. Stopped in Sonoma for gas which is a little more than halfway. Traffic was fairly easy and towing went well. We love our truck for its towing capacity. Unfortunately on the way home, we discovered the AC wasn’t working again. When we bought the truck 2 years ago, the AC wasn’t working and they replaced the compressor. So the question is why would it not be working now??? Anyway, I checked our paperwork and we had paid for 24 months of unlimited service so we should be able to get it fixed at no cost. I certainly hope so as I won’t drive in a vehicle w without AC when it’s 95 degrees out. Still, it’s a PITA to deal with.
We rolled into Wrights at about 12:30. So the timing was perfect. The campground was not very full at that point so that was nice plus it was mostly retired people like us so it was quiet.
We set up quickly and had sandwiches for lunch. Then we strolled out to the beach and walked. It was sunny and the temperatures quite nice.
The next morning we used the griddle that attaches to the RV for the first time. It was fun. We made pancakes, eggs, and bacon (for me).
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The rest of the day we walked the beach, sat in camp and read and I knitted.
This part of the cliff trail that goes along the bluffs.
Lots of spring flowers and eucalyptus blooms.
Dinner one night: cheesy potatoes and grilled tofu and chicken.
We went to our favorite local spot , Fishetarian. Delicious.
The weather in Bodega that day was sunny and beautiful.
We also did a Lodge one night of stuffed peppers with home canned tomato sauce. It’s one of the best lodge dinners as the flavors really meld together. There were 2 in the pan not just one.
We did lots of walking and I finished 2 books. One was Michelle Obama’s new book. Very detailed and hopeful.
The second was an older Louise Penny , the Brutal Telling. She is an amazing writer and I plan on putting some of her newer stuff on hold. This was an older one.
After much discussion and so many people coming in on Friday, we decided to leave Saturday instead of Sunday. It was a good decision since the wind was also coming in and at 20mph, it’s tough to be outside. Plus, now there were lots of kids and families which is fine, it’s just we prefer it quieter.
So we took out time and left 10:30am. Then we went over to Bodega Dunes to use the dump station. It’s very weird that the State park system can’t afford to have someone in the kiosks. At both places, no one was in the kiosk most of the time.
We were both super tired after driving 4 hours and so it was nice to have the next day to just do a few things. B did most of the trailer clean up and I dealt with the left over food etc.
So today is Monday, and it’s just a chill day with some house chores. Tomorrow I have my labs and then I’ll go down to the gym. I’d rather swim but my labs are 8:30 and so I can’t get to the pool and swim by the time they close lap swimming at 9:25.
When we got home everything was in bloom and absolutely stunning.
Wisteria.
Apple tree.
This is our cherry tree. I’ve never seen it have so many blossoms.
My daughter had everything tidy in the house too. My son took a few days off work and worked out in the barn.
Now our weather shows cool and even possible rain. Go figure.
I've been married for nearly 15 years to a wonderful husband and I'm a mom to three great kids ages 12, 11 and 9. Oh, and I just happen to have cancer. Multiple Myeloma is a cancer of the blood that is currently incurable but IS considered highly treatable! My goal is to make people laugh, cry or feel a little less alone whether you are a mom, cancer patient or BOTH!
Tahoe Girl 