Category Archives: Uncategorized

Friday Stuff

Posted in Blood test, cooking, Multiple myeloma, Uncategorized by

Our air quality is much better today. But Sacramento and even San Francisco are in hazardous air quality. Also, so many people still missing and I’m afraid they probably lost their lives in the fire. Very Sad. We are updating our emergency plans and have a bin with instructions ready to go. Honestly, you just don’t know if it could happen to you so better to be prepared.

My labs came back an myKappa light chains did go up 2 points 😦 to 16.1 and my Lambda down to 12.0 and the ratio went up to 1.34. All still in the normal range so I’m not going to sweat it but still there’s a tiny part of me that wants it stay lower.  But it’s ok. It’s still well below normal (kappa is 19.1 and Lambda is 26.1) so it’s all good.

Today was a gym day so I can get back to my regular schedule after being sick those 4 days. I like to go Sunday,Tuesday, Thursday.  So I will go Sunday and that puts me back on track.

I went to Safeway and got most of the rest of Thanksgiving stuff. I just need cottage cheese for the nut loaf and sour cream and probably some salad stuff next week.

Monday is my big day in court for my name change. I’m not worried about it. It’s only step one of the process to get the certified birth certificate from NY. I’ll start that paper work Thanksgiving weekend.

Tonight is a homemade pizza. I’m doing one with sausage and peppers and one with mushrooms and olives.

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I just love this pinecone image.

Thanksgiving planning

Posted in California, cooking, Uncategorized by

I have my menu planned and most of the food bought.

I decided on a turkey breast bone in. Then another main dish is the vegetarian nut loaf that has been our standard on Thanksgiving. It’s the recipe from Tassajara cooking and I’ve used it for the last 25 years, maybe more.

I’ll make our standard whipped mashed potatoes, vegetarian gravy, green beans, fresh cranberry sauce, and stuffing and some Hawaiin rolls. I keep the menu quite simple as it’s just too much to do all kinds of sides and salads.

It’s only the four of us as my brother generally goes to his buddies house on Thanksgiving.  I usually make cinnamon rolls for breakfast and then we eat our meal around 2pm. No football here. But we will go for a nice walk in the park. I’m not sure what the weather is doing next week so we’ll see.

I make the nut loaf usually on Tuesday and refrigerate. Then I make the mashed potatoes on Wednesday so they just need reheating on Thursday. I try and do all my prepping Wednesday like cutting vegetables ie: onions, celery etc for the stuffing.

I used to make pies but most of the time we don’t wouldn’t finish them so now I just buy a Costco pie and I freeze it then only serve a portion.

The key is just to keep it simple with foods you like. Over the years we have considered going out to eat or just having tacos but in the end, I like the tradition of Thanksgiving food.

I’m thinking tough of the fire victims who have lost everything. Thanksgiving will certainly be different for them and quite sad. All those houses are gone and the death toll keeps going up. I am grateful to our amazing firefighters for all the hard work they have done and are continuing to do. I read on the local Facebook page many evacuees are camped in parking lots all around Chico. Plus the air quality is so bad that Chico State and Sacramento State universities have canceled classes.

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On a separate note, here are a few pictures of after doing the bathroom zone. I’m totally into using these eucalyptus branches. When the shower is going I squeeze them and it smells like eucalyptus in the bathroom.

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Simple Sunday

Posted in Blood test, California, cooking, decluttering, Flylady, Uncategorized by

I am definitely feeling better today. This is day 4 of this head cold. I’ve had good energy all day and even did my walk this morning. I didn’t go to the gym though but will go tomorrow after I get my blood work done.

This is my 6-week labs and then I’ll do another in 6 weeks and then see my doctor in December.  With being sick there could be a variance due to fighting the infection or virus. But I’m hoping it’s just minimal.  So far, my labs remain in the normal range so that is truly a blessing.

Each morning the skies are bright blue but by 3pm the smoke comes over from the Camp Fire and the air quality goes way down. It’s been such a devasting fire. I hope the firefighters have made some headway.  I’m not sure I’ve ever mentioned that I was part of a Forest Service firefighting team when I was 26.  I spent one summer going to 2 or 3 fires and it is unbelievably hard work. I never went back. My husband had been on Helitack( first responders that jump from the helicopters) crews in Tucson before we moved to California and then after we moved here in 1975 continued being on ground fire crews.  Grueling work.

Well, today I did the bathroom zone first. I did a few extra things like washing the shower curtains and then hung in the sun to bleach. I use a shower curtain from Target that is not made with the bad stuff. It’s a waffle weave and works quite well as I don’t use a liner. We have a claw foot tub so we need 2 and it’s on one of those shower things made for a claw foot tub.

Then I started in on some cooking. I cut a sweet potato for dinner and baked that with olive oil and a little salt and pepper. Then I made millet and used that to make millet patties that I baked too.  Usually, I add an egg as a binder but didn’t this time so they are probably going to fall apart but that’s okay they still taste good. I also made a tahini gravy to go over the top. I’ll heat that up when I reheat everything.

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I also made a small macaroni and cheese as I needed to use up some sharp cheddar so I’ll pop that in the oven too.  That was kinda extra but I needed to use that cheese.

There’s a very good article over at Simplicity Voices, on Autumn decluttering.  I like this blogger and she writes very well. I’m always happy to glean a new idea or think about things differently.

Let’s hope the fires get put out soon although I’m sure life won’t go back to normal for thousands of people. 😦

 

 

 

Fire in Paradise:(

Posted in California, Uncategorized by

Paradise is pretty much gone. The fire has ravaged the entire town.

Paradise is somewhat isolated as it is up a canyon drive from Chico. Not an easy road to navigate. B used to have accounts there and I have been with him a few times. It’s hard to imagine all those houses and businesses gone. But more importantly is people and pets getting out to safety.

B helped coordinate with Chico Co-op and 2 others for donations for free food and water and other things. Briarpatch donated $2000 worth of stuff and so did Sacramento Co-op. I hope this helps the people in the next few days so at least they have food and essentials.

I cannot believe Trump having the nerve to say it’s because of forest mismanagement. He is such a F#@king asshole and doesn’t know squat about forest management. In all these forests around here, the Tahoe, Eldorado, Butte etc are managed extremely well. I see it every time I drive to Tahoe the work of crews cleaning and cutting brush and trees so there is less fire fuel.

It is climate change affecting the voracity of these fires and the wind elements.

I just hope Paradise can be rebuilt and emerge from the ashes.

My thoughts are with people, firefighters, animals, wild and domestic.  I hope there is some change for the better today. I ask you to hold them in your thoughts too, today.

BTW, are skies turned a weird yellow from the smoke. It was really eerie.

Five things Friday

Posted in Political things, simple foods, Uncategorized by
  1.  Political things:

The election is over and I’m happy with the results overall. At least Democrats got the house back and can put some pressure on Trump to be more accountable.

I was very upset when I saw the treatment of Jim Acosta. I happened to be watching that news conference on Youtube just when that happened. He did not touch her in any way inappropriately and even says’excuse me, ma’am’.  Why the lies form Sanders and Trump?? Whose the enemy of the people?? It’s a government that’s bent on Nationalism and populist views and actions. Not the press which is just trying to ask questions albeit ones Trump doesn’t want to hear.

2.  We had the Santa Fe fixed at the tune of $1600 as it was a computer item where the key is synched to the car and then they said his brakes were shot. It does have 90,000 miles so I guess that’s probably realistic.  We’re still not sure what we’ll do about cars and specifically a work car for B since the Santa Fe comes off the program in January.  That gives us at least 3 months to figure it out. I don’t think I’d do anything before February.

3. I caught a cold from my daughter. After her trip to Salt Lake City she came down with a cold and I got it yesterday. So my head is 3x bigger( that’s the way it feels) and my sinuses are plugged.  Hers went very quickly so I hope mine does too. I have my labs on Monday and when you’re sick your white blood count goes down fighting the infection. So I guess I’ll have to hope by Monday I’m back to normal.

4. I made a menu for Thanksgiving and it’s simple. Just the traditional stuff not a ton of sides.  So far I have

Turkey (either a Trader Joes kosher turkey breast or an organic turkey)

Nutloaf/gravy homemade using tamari

mashed potatoes/green beans

stuffing/ cranberry sauce homemade

rolls/butter/ olive tray

 

I learned a number of years ago to not go overboard as we just don’t eat it.  We tend to eat simply and never overeat.  I also haven’t decided to get a turkey breast or an organic turkey. I refuse to buy the commercial deals of turkeys for .47lb. How are those poor turkeys raised in miserable conditions? At least the organic ones have had a little better life. ( I hope).

5. I’m still doing the Minimalist game and have another bag of over 30 items to go to the thrift store. Some of it is just small junk but at least it’s out.

Well, I’m off to lay on the couch and try and breathe!!!

Minimalist game

Posted in decluttering, minimalism, Political things, Uncategorized by

I decided to do the minimalist game for November.  The idea is on day 1, you get rid of one thing, on day 2, two things and all the way up to 30.  Some people count a bunch of pens, let’s say as one. But I often count each one. But I did have a very full bag of Ball Jar lids, I counted as one as there were just too many to count individually.

Even though I do declutter regularly, I think having a goal makes the task more focused. For instance, We have a binder full of old appliance manuals. Well, many of those we don’t even have anymore and the ones we do, if we need something I’m sure it is on the internet. So off they ALL went and the old binder too! Just an example of going back thru stuff and going a little deeper.

If you’re trying to get rid of even miscellaneous stuff this is a great thing to do.

Right now I have two full bags to go to Goodwill. Probably I’ll wait till I get another bag before I drop off.

REMEMBER TODAY IS VOTE DAY!!!!

Vote the liars out. Vote the racists out. Vote those who think immigrants are all murderers just waiting to get you ,OUT!!!

Simple Sunday

Posted in cooking, Political things, Uncategorized by

I tried the 00 pizza flour and it made a very nice pizza crust. It seemed to have great consistency.  So, not sure I’d get it again too soon but I have plenty for at least 3 more pizza nights.

The Santa Fe is still in the shop and the computer part will be there Monday and installed. I hope this is covered by warranty but never the less it will need to be paid to have the car repaired. We’ve been talking about the whole car thing and we may look at getting B an Elantra again. That’s the first car he had from Hyundai. They are quite affordable and nice looking. We’d pay off the Santa Fe and then I would use that some of the time. But we need to keep it as it tows the tent trailer.

Today is daylight savings, so we turn the clocks back an hour. On the California ballot is a measure to stop daylight savings as it is unnecessary.  I hope it passes.

We just go by our body clocks so I was up at my normal 5:45 but it was now 4:45. We walked at 6:30 which now was 5:30am.  No difference in the light, just the time factor.

Today is a gym day. Then I need some cream and a few things for a recipe I’m making. Tofu Stroganoff from Tassajara Cookbook. I love stroganoff and this looks tasty.

I’m in the kitchen zone this week. It’ll be interesting how it goes with wiping the new open shelves.

I’ve done my mail -in vote so that’s done. Be sure to vote and tell EVERYONE to vote!!

This is a light week with no appts. Next week is busier as I have my Labs, dentist(again) and it seems one other thing.