Tag Archives: Cold weather

Thankful Thursday

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<img src="https://christina1952.files.wordpress.com/2023/02/image.png?w=870" alt="Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@srakotoarivelo7?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Sitraka</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/tJz4wJbaYLA?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Unsplash

Photo by Sitraka on Unsplash

I love rock cairns. I’ve always been a rock collector and love doing this in our yard. These are lovely granite rocks.

I am thankful our woodstove is keeping us warm since it’s freezing out!! This whole week is cold and there’s been a north wind which makes it colder.

We may NOT go to Napa because it’s supposed to rain on Tuesday and we’re supposed to have snow here at home on Wednesday( that’s the day we’re supposed to come back). I’m not one for camping in the rain even though technically we’re in an RV with heat but still. It’s not quite my thing. We’ll decide by tomorrow.

I’m thankful I finished the taxes and it’s done. I guess I could have just waited to pay in April but since it was a small amount, I went ahead and did it. So Done!!!

We just found out our one neighbor who has lived here since the 1970s( we think late 70s.) was evicted. We were kind of shocked as we just figured she owned the house. It’s in terrible shape and she’s a classic hoarder. Around 10 years ago, we tried to help her when she was addicted to oxycodone but it didn’t go anywhere. I went into her house to see how/if I could clean up for her but it was too far gone for me and I was quite traumatized but the piles of boxes everywhere. Stuff everywhere. One room was so piled up with boxes you couldn’t get into it. A number of years ago, her father died and left her some money and she did put a new roof on since she had it covered in tarps for years. She also must have blown thru the money if she’s now evicted. I hope she is somewhere safe at least. I guess you never really know.

Because of that, I’m grateful that even though we still have a mortgage we can pay it with our SS. When one of us goes and we only have the higher SS it will be a different story but for now, we can manage. As long as our kids chipped in we’d be fine( whoever is left, I mean).

I’m grateful to be able to swim (as always). I love the water and gliding thru. Of course, I’m a slow swimmer but still, I’m grateful I can do it. I imagine a time will come when I’m not going to feel like driving to Roseville to swim. But it is not now.

Simple Sunday

Posted in cooking, instant pot recipes, simple foods, Uncategorized by

We were up and out at 7:30 to get to the infusion center and then I came straight home to do my Sunday chores.

I did the bathroom zone, vacuumed, tidying the kitchen counters and did some emails.

Then I went back to town to go to the gym and Target. B has to have blood and platelets plus the Dacogen so it’ll be a long day for him. Either my son or daughter will go get him around 3 pm.

I don’t think I’ve mentioned that I did get an Instant Pot and have really liked it so far.  I’ve done rice a few times, a chicken salsa recipe, a whole chicken, and last night I did spaghetti. The spaghetti sounds weird but actually, it was quite good. Plus, I sauteed the ground beef in the instant pot then put the spaghetti is and then homemade sauce.  It was really quite delicious.

Today I’m going to do brown rice and I may try hardboiled eggs too.  The whole chicken was very moist but I think overall I’d prefer a roast chicken. The time factor though is pretty amazing. I think since it’s really a pressure cooker the flavors are locked into whatever you are cooking.  I wouldn’t say I absolutely love it yet, but I have enjoyed the things I’ve made. I haven’t tried beans yet and for me, that’s probably the deciding factor.

This coming week shouldn’t be too bad with appts. B has chemo tomorrow( the last of this cycle), then Wednesday I have the appt with the Medicare person, so that’s it overall except B’s labs.

The weather is supposed to be cold and rainy/snowy so I’m not looking forward to that.

Simple Sunday

Posted in Blood test, books, cooking, simple foods, Uncategorized by

We are in for some very cold weather and snow is even predicted for Thursday.

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This is a pretty picture of Tahoe though with snow.

Ugh!! I do not like cold weather. It was 41 degrees this morning walking but with a jacket( I have a North Face polar fleece I bought like 8 years ago), it was comfortable. But when it gets to 29 degrees like it is predicted, then that is cold.

So today is a gym day and then some light chores. The zone is the bedroom this week and closet, so I’ll work on the pantry/closet again. It’s just always a work in progress. Our bedroom only has a bed and Heywood dresser, so it’s pretty easy to just tidy and dust and wash the windows.

I downloaded a fun ebook by the author of ‘Decluttering at the speed of Life’

This one was her first one ” How to manage your home without losing your mind’

She is really hysterical to read and I gleaned a few good ideas.

Tomorrow I get my 6-week labs so we shall see. It’s sorta like Russian Roulette. Will they still be normal or will it have changed? Who knows , right??

Tonight I’m making another Skillet recipe from Cook’s Illustrated ‘The Best Skillet Recipes’. I’m making skillet lasagna.

 

It is COLD!!!

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On our walk this morning it was 37. Yesterday 36. It is very cold and frosty. Plus our day time temperatures are not even getting into the 60’s. It looks like it’s going to stay like this for a few weeks. usually we bounce back up into the 60’s so it isn’t quite as cold. But I  checked our PGE last year and it was cold enough that our bill was very high. This year I havent turned on the ENVI heaters and our bill was half of last years. So even though those heaters are convection and suppose to not use alot of electricity our electric bills for Nov, DEc, Jan and Feb, were pretty ginormous. For such a small house it doesnt make sense. So this year I’m not going to turn them on and go back to a small space hater and see what the bill is for Dec. Not exciting, but day to day stuff.

The budget is set for December and looks ok. I did book 3 camping times at NEw Brighton so I put those on a CC. I’ll need to budget in paying that off. We’ll probably cancel one as its close to the one really wanted with the ocean view. But I had booked the other before just in case.

I’m not doing alot on the Christmas front. Both trees are up and decorated. For Christmas dinner I think I’m doing enchiladas, beans ,salad  and some sort of desert. We’re not big desert eaters so I might get like cheese cake sampler from Safeway( 2 pieces). I’ve stuck with only buying a few gifts so that’ll be different. It’s good though ,all part of just minimising it all. I dont think I could do the no decorating or no gifts at all but who knows. If anything I’ve learned never say never. Because you just dont know what’s around the corner.

Today I’m just home tidying and catching up some laundry. Tomorrow I’m going to the gym and then drop off some thrift store stuff unless I get motivated to go today.

Dinner is Tortilla soup with chicken for us and just black beans for the veggie.

Saturday morning

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It’s chilly here but nothing like the rest of the country is experiencing. Still it was 39 when we started our walk. I’m off to the library and then I’m going to do a few errands in town. Almost all my Christmas shopping is done, but really we don’t have any family to buy for. I send my sister some homemade jams and a bottle of Downton abbey wine I found at World market. My brother I just give money to. And that’s it.no grandparents, or other family. Kinda sad in some ways but that’s the way our family tree is. My sister has a lot of family as each of her 5 children have lots of kids( the catholic thing).

Dinner is a fondue as it was a free item and it’s dated today, so I’m getting some vegies and that’ll be dinner. Tonight is back to 16 mg of dex so tomorrow won’t be as much fun as we’ve had. We will see how my numbers are back on dex.
But that’s not till mid December before I know that.

We’ve got some big expenses coming up, including property taxes,house insurance, my sons dental surgery. So December will be a financial hit for sure.