Tag Archives: cooking

Saturday Happenings

Posted in California, cooking by

Another absolutely awful night of sleep, or rather, not sleeping. I guess it was Dex, and I should have taken an Ativan, but by the time I thought about it, it was too late (3am ). Saturday is always a walk day for me, but not this morning.UGH….and I still haven’t gotten my GOD Damned shoes as the delivery was delayed by the weather back east.

I did have a productive day yesterday, and just as I was tucking into a glass of wine, I got a call from my neighbor( Leo’s Son, who is remodeling the house), saying he was in the ER and thinks he had a heart attack. (It’s still not confirmed.) But he asked if I could come down to Auburn and get Marvin the dog and bring him home. Fortunately, my daughter had gotten home from work, so she could come too and drive his car home. It was stressful going into the ER, with security stuff, and bad memories. But I got his keys, and we got the dog home safely. It was absolutely a nightmare out driving at that time of night,5pm. I was very frazzled by it all.

This morning I have my annual mammogram, so I need to get going, and then I’m coming home and going to sleep, even if I have to take an Ativan. I was planning on going to Target for some blue twinkly lights, but I may have to pass on that. I guess I’ll see how the coffee works on me.

Yesterday, I made a turkey sauce to make a polenta lasagna, but that got sidetracked with the ER visit. So I plan on making that tonight. I have some salad stuff too.

Other than that, I’ll have to see what I can get done.

Here’s a picture of the ugly ornament tree. Every year, we would each buy an ugly ornament and decide who had the ugliest one. Mostly, Barclay won!! Perhaps I can do that this year if I speak with the kids soon enough.

Simple Sunday

Posted in budgeting, budgets, California, cooking, husband, meal planning, swimming, Uncategorized by

Our weather has been cold but not rainy. The highs are at 58, and the lows are at 42. It looks to be the same for the next week at least. I’ve been using the space heaters some and the wood stove is used daily.

I had a nice swim this week and also went to the gym and library. Overall, a good week exercise-wise. My replacement Merrills are on the way, but it’s still about a week out. I’ve been wearing my Hokas in the house, and that helps some with my foot. My foot, at least, hasn’t gotten worse and is somewhat better.

We had a very nice Thanksgiving. The dinner turned out well, and it was nice. Of course, without Barclay here, it was different and sad but we all raised a glass of champagne to him:)

I’ve been writing out small lists of things to do each day, only 2 or 3 things, and it’s helped me stay on task. Nothing major, but things like wiping down the shelves, dusting the Easton Press books. Just little things. What I don’t get to, I put on a list for the next day. So far, it’s been good for me.

I made a turkey wild rice soup from leftovers yesterday. It was very good, and I put some servings in the Souper cubes to freeze. I need to do a menu for the week sometime today.

I plan on going to the Auburn gym this morning, and then I need a few things from Safeway. Mostly, salad stuff and fruit.

My son texted me yesterday with a picture of one of the truck’s tires, and Whoa!!! It looked like it had hit a pot hole or something and had a big gash in it. He’s taking it in for tires today. I’ll give him some $ for most of it from my EF, which will leave it quite low, but that’s what it’s there for.

This coming week is my Velcade shot and then Dex. I see Dr. L next week, so I’ll have new labs by then, I hope.

Simple Sunday on Monday

Posted in California, cooking, Walking by

I started this but got sidetracked so here’s an updated version.

The week ahead looks sunny but not very warm. I think the highs are only around 60 degrees. Still, it’s such a pretty time of year. Barclay loved this time around Thanksgiving when all our oak trees turn golden and the light is filtered. I miss sharing it with him. I suppose that’s one of the hard things that he’s not here to share little tidbits with. 😦

The day was so pretty out. I went into the Auburn gym and did my usual 30 minutes. I also went to the park and walked, although more slowly, and my foot did ok. I only walked 15 minutes and wasn’t limping, so that was good. I did ice it later in the day just for safe measures. Hopefully, my Merrills will show up tomorrow. My foot is a little sore this morning, but not terribly. Maybe a 3 on a pain scale.

I then popped into Safeway for a few random items: celery, carrots, whipped cream, and? I checked out their turkeys, figuring if the deal was good, I’d get one for the freezer. But I didn’t see any sales, or at least where I was looking. The prices seemed pretty high to me.

Today, my daughter and I are going down to Costco, which is probably crazy, but I need her to get 2 cases of water. I can’t lift their cases, so that’s the reason. Plus, I figured, while I’m there, get a wreath for the door.

Menu Plan for the week:

Last night we had hot dogs, sauerkraut, beans, and macaroni salad.

Monday- I might try the nut loaf piece I made to see how it cooks up ,with some instant mashed potatoes.

Tuesday- beans in the crock pot,tortillas,

Wednesday- Maybe breakfast for dinner, pancakes, scrambled eggs.

Thursday- we’ll eat dinner @ 1pm. Organic Diestel Turkey breast, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, stuffing, green beans, plus the nut loaf and gravy. I usually do an olive plate, but I think I’ll skip that. No one really eats it except me:) or B .

Friday- Leftovers or eat what you want.

Saturday- chicken of some sort and baked potatoes.

Do you have a traditional Thanksgiving or something unusual? I’d love to try, next year, something totally different. B and I always thought we’d go away at Thanksgiving, but then I’d feel bad for the kids. But they have their own stuff now, so?

Menu Monday

Posted in Blood test, bread, budgeting, budgets, California, cancer, cooking, meal planning, Uncategorized by

We did very good with meals last week. I did cook the tilapia, and followed through on some of the other meals. We didn’t do a pizza or the baked potatoes. The night my daughter works late, I had broccoli cheddar soup for dinner. We also had turkey burgers one night because I finally found them in the freezer:(

Last night I made a beef stew with things I had on hand and wanted to use: carrots, potatoes, and a piece of steak. So there’s a little leftover that I put in the Souper cubes to freeze. I also had made the night before a turkey and wild rice soup because I had stuff in the freezer to use: 3 containers of turkey broth that each had turkey chunks in them. I added some cream to make it creamy and it was very good. I froze some of that too although rice doesnt always freeze well so that might be a wash.

So this week:

I have a Costco rotisserie chicken to slice up, and I’ll do some potatoes or stuffing and a salad.

Tuesday- Still planning on burritos or tacos, maybe with leftover chicken. Maybe I’ll put together chicken enchiladas.

Wednesday- Something from the freezer to use, maybe spaghetti and sauce.

Thursday- Again, a freezer meal, maybe enchiladas or soup.

Friday- try again for a pizza

Saturday- TBD, it depends on what I have to use up.

Today, I was planning on the pool but decided to come home after labs and do stuff around here. I feel a little stretched thin, so it’s better I do home stuff to regroup. Monday used to be my home blessing day of tidying up areas that I didn’t get to during the week, so I think that’s what I’ll do. I also started a loaf of sourdough to bake this morning.

I’m glad the appeals court ruled against the orange, evil, cruel man. Time to help people, not hurt them. Honestly, what evil person takes food away from children?

Simple Sunday

Posted in budgeting, California, cooking, decluttering, home stuff by

Sunrise is 6:38 am, so I walked at 6:15, and it was just getting light, but I still turned on the flashlight, although I didn’t really need it. No one was there, which these days is pretty rare. Anyway, our beautiful fall weather starts today and goes on for at least the next 10 days or so. I’m hoping we can get more yard stuff done since it’s cooler.

Today, I’m not going to the gym but plan on going through each zone and tidying up and dusting, etc. I’m going to start in the sunroom and work from there. I also need to get out to the trailer and see what needs bringing in. Plus, do a wipe down of counters, etc, and fluff up the bed. My son is planning on spending the night and go to work from here so that’s a good motivator.

Sachi and I continue to watch Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. It is so good. The actors really have the mannerisms of the original down, so that is fun to watch. I finished Professor T, I think. It was on Prime and just as I was trying to figure out what at the end of Season 4 I had watched they took it off. So now I have to figure out where it is and see if I want to pay for it. Such a pain when Prime does that.

I made a roast chicken the other night, so for leftovers, I made some asian wraps for dinner, and we had those as we watched the show. I have a lot left leftover chicken, so I think I’ll make a soup and end up freezing some. I have a pan of lasagna in the freezer, and I think I’ll pull that out as it’s been there a few months.

Tomorrow is my dentist appointment for a cleaning. It’s early, but still not enough time to get to the pool to swim. I just plan on coming home unless there’s something in Auburn I need to do.

I have a good-sized load to take to the thrift store, so I’ll do that after one of my appointments this week. I added the dehydrator since I don’t plan on doing any herbs this year or ever, actually. I enjoyed all that in the past, but now it just feels like too much effort for just a little payoff. Oh well, everything changes. Nothing stays the same that’s for sure.

Simple Sunday

Posted in California, cancer, cooking, decluttering, home stuff, Pantry, simple foods, Uncategorized by

I didn’t sleep well last night. I’m not sure if it was the heat or what. So, I decided not to walk at 6am and will go to the gym to use the treadmill. Some days are just like that. Today is the last really hot day. Then it looks pretty nice after Tuesday.

Things are quiet around here, and I’m glad. After all the chainsawing last week and giant machinery, it’s welcome. This coming week looks OK. I’ll go pick up the sleep test in Roseville. I’ll need to Google it as I’m not sure where the location is. Then I return it a few days later. It would all be a lot easier if they just looked at my Apple Watch data, which says sleep apnea. sigh:( I’ll proceed with what the Dr. says, but I don’t even see him again till late October. The world of doctors and medical appointments really does suck.

I’ve done a little more decluttering, mostly paper stuff, but some odds and ends too. I have quite a few books to donate to either the library friends or the pet bookstore, whichever comes first.

Last night I cooked a crockpot meal, and it was good. I had 2 bags of cooked chicken, although it wasn’t a lot in each bag, and I had a bag of chopped peppers from who knows when. So I chopped up an onion, added a can of cream of mushroom soup that I had in the pantry and wanted to use, and a random pouch of onion soup. I added some taqereia sauce to add a little spice. I just cooked on low for a few hours because the chicken was already cooked. Then I boiled some egg noodles and added them. I liked it. It’s probably not my daughter’s favorite, but I use up a bunch of random things. So win-win.

This is my son’s chair he had in the barn, so I’m using that a my place to sit in B’s office. It’s very comfortable, although you wouldn’t guess that. I’m debating moving my Heywood desk in there. I guess I could try it, and if I don’t like it, move it back out. The Heywood is very heavy, though.

Simple Sunday on Monday

Posted in Blood test, books, California, cancer, Death, Myeloma, reading, Uncategorized by

This heat wave we’re having is doing me in. 96 yesterday and the same for today. Ugh. I think a bit of a cooling trend starts on Tuesday, but it’s not huge. I read all my library books, so I picked from my shelf some old Hillerman and looked through some decluttering books. You know I’m desperate when that starts happening. I do plan on going to the library tomorrow so I can get my hold and a few others as well. I was planning on going on Thursday after my Velcade shot, but my hold expires by then, so I need to get it before that.

Menu planning is still hit or miss these days. I still have the basic menu plan going of using things from the freezer and fridge, but I’m not super motivated. It’s probably a combination of the heat and just finding a new ‘normal’ balance. My daughter bought an air fryer on Prime Day, so she’s been experimenting with that. So far, she’s made sweet potato fries and wild cod in panko. Both excellent.

Sunday- used up a bag of Trader Joe’s chicken chow mein with added chicken.

Monday- Tofu something as I have 2 containers to use up. I also have some broccoli to use.

Tuesday- I’ve been feeling like crock pot pintos, so I think I’ll do that with tortillas and avocado if they’re ripe. I bought the bag(6) from Costco. It takes a while for them to ripen, but as soon as they start to ripen, I put them all in the fridge and they will last weeks in there.

Wednesday- I think we’ll do spaghetti with marinara and maybe some meatballs.

Thursday- Freezer meal of some sort. I need to go out to the chest freezer( that’s in our outside laundry room) and check.

Friday- I’ll make a pizza if it’s not too hot.

Saturday- ?? TBD

Today I’m going to meet my library friends for a coffee. They have been very supportive, and the one gal is the one whose husband died of Myeloma a few years back. His Myeloma came on very fast, he was in his 80s, and Sutter really didn’t address his issues or treatment till it was too late. It was very sad.

All in all, things are ok. I’m still cleaning out B’s desk of odds and ends, like pens and notebooks. Nothing major, just a little at a time.

I have my Velcade shot this week and then Dex days. Actually, the dex isn’t too awful when I do it between 2 days. It’s still Dex no matter what, but it’s less intense. Then I’ll go get my labs next week.

Menu Monday

Posted in cancer, cooking, meal planning, Political things by

Last night we had corn on the cob and baked potatoes with lots of toppings and a small salad on the side.

Monday- I might do corn again, but on the grill, chicken sausages on the grill too. Boca burger for the veggie.

Tuesday- I defrosted some carne asada, and I’ll have that with a tortilla and toppings. I have beans too, so I’ll make up a bean burrito for B.

Wednesday- I have lots of eggs, so I think I’ll do brinner. Scrambled eggs, and I’ll do some potatoes on the side.

Thursday- I’ve been wanting to make some minestrone, and I got all the ingredients so I might do that.

Friday- Regular pizza night

Saturday- I think I’ll do another BBQ with steak and veggies. Tofu for B.

The week ahead looks good. We’ll know his blood counts by late afternoon, which will really determine the week. I have my appointment on Thursday, so I can’t do that day or Friday, but my daughter could do Friday if necessary. It’s wait and see again.

I’ve just finished my house reset and still need to sweep the kitchen floor.

Just a comment about Biden being diagnosed with cancer. He summed it up well, ‘that we all are affected by cancer’, one way or another. I just wish the orange man in the white house would give up his bashing of Biden. Biden did the best he could and took us out of tRump’s first disastrous term, especially dealing with the aftermath of COVID-19. Was he mentally competent? I’m sure he was until maybe this last year when the decline was evident. But look at tRump, he’s definitely not all there with his ramblings and impulses. Plus, Biden cherishes democracy, and tRump wants to destroy it in the name of righteousness. What a joke, a dangerous joke though.

Simple Sunday on Monday

Posted in California, cancer, cooking, home stuff, husband by

Yesterday was just an off day.

I went to the Auburn gym to do weights and then headed down to Costco. I had the motive to keep driving the Santa Fe to see if anything happened again. It didn’t. I plan on calling one garage today, though to see if they can run a diagnostic. I’m not sure if they will be able to do that this week, but I’ll try.

At Costco, I got coffee( the main reason), B needed Tylenol, and then I picked up eggs, bananas, and some other stuff.

It was a beautiful sunny day with temperatures close to 70 degrees. Sitting in the sun, it felt much warmer. Today, it’s raining, and it’s certainly fickle weather. Spring, I guess.

We are at T-6 days and counting down to Stanford. B will find out Friday what time to be at the hospital Monday. I’m guessing very early, as this can be a long surgery. He’s had his pre-op video appointments, and they all went well. Today, he has to get labs to check his hemoglobin and, if necessary, get a transfusion. I hope not, but we’ll do what’s necessary.

I plan on being home today and doing a house reset and some baking. I have a loaf of sourdough to make. I’ll put my starter back in the fridge after this as I won’t be making bread for a while after this. I’m also going to make a new recipe of Chicken adobo.

Tomorrow, I plan on going to Mahany gym and the library. I have a couple of holds at the library. Then I plan on swimming on Wednesday.

I’m thrilled at the huge turnouts for protests against the administration. It’s exciting that so many people came out to do that. I’m an optimist, so I think it will matter in the long run. What this administration is doing is trying to rewrite history and destroy democracy. It’s scary what is going on.

Menu for the week:

Chicken adobo with basmati rice. I have some tofu for B; plus, he’s not eating very much, which is worrisome.

Beans in the crockpot. My Ranch Gordo order showed up so I may make a new bean to me. Eye of the goat. I’ll check Steve Sando’s The Bean Book for a recipe.

Pasta of some sort. I have a TJ’s pasta alfredo in the freezer, so I may pull that out.

Brinner

Pizza

TBD, and then we leave Sunday morning.

My daughter will be coming with us to help out with driving and navigating the hospital. My son is planning to stay here and take care of the cats. He still has to work most of that week but will stay here at night. The cats really like their routines so this will be somewhat upsetting to them. But it’s the best we can do right now.

Menu for the week

Posted in Blood test, California, cancer, home stuff, meal planning, Walking by

I actually write out a menu for the month. But usually, it is somewhat generic, like Taco Tuesday. So that may end up as burritos or enchiladas. It’s more of a guideline ( remember that funny line in Pirates of the Caribbean)!!

Anyway, we had the home-canned chicken tortilla soup and the vegetable barley the other night. Last night, I made spaghetti sauce and we had spaghetti with that, and B had some ravioli. The tomatoes were the last bag I found in the freezer from last summer, so I wanted to use that up, but I didn’t want to get out the canner, so I froze a few pints.

Tonight, I plan on chicken enchiladas from the freezer with home made refried beans. I’ll make B a few bean/cheese quesadillas.

Wednesday- I think I’ll do some sort of burger with fries.

Thursday- grilled chicken and a Boca burger for B.

Friday- pizza, and this week I will use the coupon I have for a free pizza.

Saturday-??TBD

It’s raining again this morning, so no walking. Plus, it’s quite cold, and a Sierra storm is hitting Tahoe pretty hard. I was going to go down to the Roseville gym, but I think I’ll skip that today. Tomorrow the sun is back and I’ll go to the pool.

Thursday, I have my doctor appt, and on the way back I’ll either go to the gym or Costco. I’m leaving it open, as you never know how long the doctor’s appointment is.

I ordered my Rancho Gordo beans last week, and they should be arriving soon. If you haven’t tried RG beans and you eat beans, you should try them. These are all heirloom beans and the flavor is unsurpassed. I always cook my beans in the crockpot, no soaking first. I put it on high for 6 hours or so.

I’ve been good about not ordering from Amazon although I did order a bamboo blind for the sunroom. That’s the kind of thing I’m not going to go search for. Back in the day(Ha Ha), you could go to an import-type store and find these, but I wouldn’t even know where to start today.

B has labs today, so we’ll see how the hemoglobin is. He still seems tired all the time, but I think that’s the cancer. Tomorrow, hopefully, when he talks to the UCD doctor, we’ll know more. What a shit show. Anyway, I’m just going on the assumption that everything is on schedule till we hear otherwise.