Tag Archives: gym

Simple Sunday

Posted in bread, California, camping, Flylady, travel, Uncategorized, Walking by

A quiet Sunday. We walked and it was lovely in the park. No one there but us and the Canada geese.

I did the bathroom zone and then spent more time(wasted) looking at reviews on meat slicers for bread and whether an electric knife would be better. I’m undecided. I baked another sourdough and this one was some whole wheat. I timed cutting the other boule with my Mercer bread knife, which came in at under 4 minutes. Most of the slices were even. I guess one advantage of the bread slicer is it’s doing the work for you and not your arm.:)

After that, I went to the Anytime fitness gym. It wasn’t too busy today. Today’s Superbowl so maybe lots of people were doing other things.

This is another just the normal stuff week. I always appreciate the ‘normal’ weeks. Next week we’ll be in Napa so that’s exciting. I think we’re going to drive up to St Helena maybe to a winery. It’s only two nights so I know I want to go to the Rancho Gordo bean store and also back to the Public marketplace we liked so much. And there’s the river trail that we only did part of.

This week I’ll do a recheck of our taxes and then get ready to pay the little we owe and send it off. I suppose I could wait but not sure I need to. I’d rather they be done and gone.

Well, that’s it for this week.

Frugal Friday and we survived the storm!

Posted in bread, California, cooking, Uncategorized by

We made it thru this storm with rain and wind. The wind gusts were pretty scary up on this hill. We have(still) too many very big (100+ ft) Ponderosas. These trees are probably near the end of their life cycle and even 27 yrs ago when we moved here they were smaller. We’ve spent 10’s of thousands removing trees( the last tree was almost 5K) I think it was 4500? That was for 1 tree. It’s the saturated ground now that could be a concern because trees will fall if the ground can’t hold them. Well, today we have a break so that’s good. The coast and Santa Cruz area( including our favorite Capitola) were hit VERY hard and there has been lots of damage.

On to frugal Friday stuff. So far the pantry challenge is going well and I am using stuff from the freezer and in the fridge. Last night I made a red potato soup with carrots, onion, and celery. Then added some sour cream at the end. I needed to use the potatoes up and it was delicious. I had made a loaf of bread( sandwich) in the Zojirushi bread maker and we had that with butter. I always bake my loaf in the oven and not finish in the breadmaker. There’s a bread challenge going around Instagram somebody is doing and each month is dedicated to perfecting the type of bread such as sandwich, baguette, etc. I’m not too interested in doing it but reading tips on bread-making is always helpful.

I returned the one bread slicer I ordered from amazon. I thought it was too expensive for what it was so I’m still looking for one that’s cheaper. Or I just may keep slicing by hand which isn’t a problem, it’s just nice to have even slices.

Today I’m driving to Roseville to go to the gym and I have 2 holds at the library. I still haven’t been over to Anytime Fitness to sign up under UHC medicare’s free program but hope to do that next week. It’ll be nice to have an option for the gym closer.

We’ve been watching a hilarious show on Hulu,” Only Murders in the Bldg” with Martin Short and Steve Martin. If you have Hulu check it out or do what my daughter does and sign up for the free trial and then cancel. Then we’re watching Poirot and these are the earlier ones so it’s fun. We finished jack Ryan and it was good. I’m not crazy about Clancy’s writing but the character is good.

Tonight is pizza night and I’ll make one from the dough I froze.

I’ve been having some trouble with my left ear again, the one in that I had some hearing loss in last fall. It’s kind of a pressure. Does anyone have that symptom and what did you do. I’m not sure if it’s the inner ear or what . I see my PCP in a few weeks for my annual wellness check up so I’ll ask him but I thought I’d see if anyone has had something similar.

Simple Sunday

Posted in cooking, Flylady, meal planning, simple foods, Uncategorized by

Our fall weather continues to be beautiful but changes are coming this week with rain Tuesday and Wednesday. Hurray for some rain! I guess we’re ready. We still need more firewood but have enough for the immediate future.

Yesterday, I made the pressure-canned enchilada sauce.

I ended up with 6 pints so I’m happy about that. I kept one out to use this week in a recipe and test it out. Last night we had one of the white bean ragouts I canned it was delicious. Overall, I am very pleased with trying pressure canning. This morning I prepped some onions, celery, and B peeled carrots and potatoes for a beef stew. I had two packages from Costco in the freezer that needed to get used up. So I got everything into my new All Clad stock pot and heated up. I had to wait to actually can it because I wanted to check out going to the gym on Sunday. So that’s what I’m doing now. The canning time is 90 minutes and you really don’t want to walk away from the canner( at least too far).

There wasn’t a lot of traffic on I 80 and the gym was basically deserted until 10:00am when I was leaving. So I might consider this more often. I’m all about going to the gym( or anywhere) when there are no people around. Introvert here! 🙂

We’re planning a Costco trip this week to get a bunch of things but mostly coffee. I think it’ll end up on the more expensive side as we need batteries, coffee, organic chicken, dairy, etc. Just the basics but everything is so expensive now. 😦 Increasing our food budget to $800 though has made a difference and I had both kids add some extra on their ‘rent’ to cover food costs( and everything else).

This week I have my annual mammogram and that’s it. Just my regular routines.

This week Flylady is in the Living room and then the entryways since it’s the beginning of the month. I need to tidy the patio anyway because there’s left over garden stuff all around. It’s time to get it all put away. I have some garlic to plant too. I read up on it and so you use your biggest bulbs that you had harvested and that’s what you plant. The ones I picked are so nice I hate to use them but I want garlic next year.

On a political rant, I read in the WP that Musk was contributing to the right -wing conspiracists that Pelosi’s husbands attack was all staged. I mean how sick is that. They even went so far to say he was drunk and this was his male prostitute. Such evil thinking. And to think now Musk owns and controls Twitter is down right scary. I have never used Twitter although I think I set up an account years ago. I probably should see about completely deleting that. It really makes me wonder where it will go or end. Misinformation is rampant about everything. Voting fraud, this attack on Pelosi, everything seems so out of control. Well, I voted and I’m very glad I live in California even if I do live in a very red county.

It’s almost July.

Posted in California, camping, cooking, seasonal things, simple foods, Uncategorized, Walking by

Wow, where did the time go?? Tomorrow is July 1st. It’s been a very nice summer so far even without going out in the RV. This time of year I’d rather stay home than deal with everyone out in campgrounds and on the road. Right now the weather is lovely again and our temperatures will be in the 80s for the next week at least. We even sat outside after dinner last night.

I didn’t walk this morning. I just felt I needed a break from getting up at 4:45. But I am going down to the sports center to do weights. I’m not there yet, but I think a few more weeks and my muscles will be much stronger and back to where I was when I was going to the gym in Auburn(pre-Covid). It is a commitment though, that’s for sure.

Here’s an updated pizza picture, after the Ooni disaster. This one was perfect. As one person commented, Ooni is overly optimistic about the time it takes to heat up the oven to 900 degrees.

This was using OO flour too which made the dough very pliable and easy to work with.

The garden is doing well, and here’s some of the garlic harvest.

These were planted last about 6 months ago. A few bulbs are a really nice size. That’s one onion out of a few I’ve already used. I’m not sure how many onions will get with this second planting but I hope enough for a few months.

I dried some mint in the dehydrator and plan to do more so we can have mint tea. I also have quite a bit more parsley I will start today. The tomatoes are looking very good and I hope I get a bumper crop. I’d like to can some salsa and of course, do my freezer sauce. I’ve been watching a Youtuber” The Happy Homestead”, and she does a lot of pressure cooking canning. I’m kind of freaked about using a pressure cooker canner so I’m not sure that’s for me. But she does lots of broths and meat things which do need that type of canning. Does anyone reading here use a pressure cooker canner? and how does it work?? is it easy?? BTW, her youtube channel is very refreshing as she is honest and open with her information and quite informative. I’ve unsubscribed from a bunch of YouTubers, even my favorite Benita Larsson in Stockholm. When someone starts putting money ahead of content and adding the Patreon thing at 3 levels, I just see they’re doing it for the money. The content of her videos has gone way down the rabbit hole of now the ” 10 things to ……( fill in the blank). I find that supremely annoying. Of course, in her defense, she does say this is her job now but still. 😦

Simple Sunday

Posted in cooking, Flylady, MDS, Myeloma, simple foods, Uncategorized by

Wowza, it is hot!

We’re hitting the 101 mark today and I have the coolers on already at 75.

I just finished the LR zone and am deciding whether to go to the gym. I don’t want to aggravate my rib pain. Plus, I’m trying to decide whether this merits an x-ray.  If it’s a pulled muscle then it’ll slowly get better. If it’s a rib fracture, the question would be why? So, I think I’ll wait and see how it is tomorrow. I told my husband, that I’m pretty sure this happened last year but can’t find any notes relating to it.

I’m making a new recipe tonight ‘Roman Chicken’ that’s from Food Network. Mostly it’s just chicken, peppers, capers, onions and tomatoes. Not sure what makes it “Roman” but I’ll try it.

I finished a good mystery by Baldacci; ” The Fix”. It was a good spy mystery. Now I don’t have any books left so I may need to go down to the pet bookstore and see if there’s anything there.

It’s now later, and I decided NOT to go to the gym. Sunday is my favorite day there as all the regulars aren’t there. Plus there are no jump around classes although there is a yoga class.

B has two appts this week. Getting his orthopedic boot on Monday and Tuesday is clinic. His counts all went down a little but I guess that’s to be expected.

 

Simple Sunday

Posted in decluttering, MDS, Uncategorized by

It’s supposed to be just beautiful today with a high near 70. Well, 67 at least. Then it’s downhill from there. Rain expected later in the week.

We will be going to Sacramento on Thursday to meet with the nurse coordinator and the social worker. It will be a long appointment as a lot has to be gone over about the transplant and the nurse coordinator will go over sending the donor match kits to the brothers. I think she mentioned they will also be looking at the donor bank but I wasn’t clear whether that was simultaneous to getting the brothers test or after. Also, they want to go over transplant requirements such as a caregiver etc.

I’m heading out to the gym and then B has to get platelets so I’ll just hang out after the gym. I do need to go into Safeway for some chicken I want to make for dinner. I wanted to go to Target and get an ironing board but I think I’ll postpone that.

I dropped off a load at Goodwill the other day that included a bunch of food stuff for the local food bank. I’m noticing that each time I go to Goodwill we really do have less and less to drop off. That is progress for sure. There are a few things I’m still considering giving away but not decided yet. One is the small table in the sunroom. Last year I had plants on it but this year I just put them in the greenhouse so the table top is clear. It’s a nice midcentury looking table I bought at Target a number of years ago so it’s not vintage or anything, so I’d be ok with it going. But if it’s useful(still to be determined) I’ll keep it.

Well, off then to lift weights:)

 

 

 

Simple Sunday on Monday???

Posted in cooking, Flylady, Gardening, simple foods, simplicity, Uncategorized by

Nah…. I just didn’t blog yesterday for some reason or another.

It was hot and I was uninspired. I went to the gym and that’s about all I did productively.

I did make a lovely fried potato dinner with potatoes from the garden. There were red ones, purple ones and, yellow ones. Quite nice. I added the Trader Joes soy Italian sausage, quite good by the way, and then grilled TJ’s chicken sausage also quite good. I sprinkled lots of herbs from the garden on top and then a sprinkling of goat cheese.

Here’s some lavender from the garden. I love french lavender and use it year round.

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Here is a sweet morning glory that just popped up on its own.

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Today is the kitchen zone and general home blessing day. I usually dust and do all the mirrors. We vacuumed yesterday so I don’t need to do that.

This week is mellow and I have a food bank drop off and a small thrift store load that’s mostly my son’s stuff.

Other than that, I’m going to add in an extra gym day and then I’m going to go check out the 24-hour fitness down in Roseville. I want to check their pool and see whether I think it’s worth driving 25 minutes 3x a week.  I’m also going to stop in the expensive gym as they do have 3 pools but I think the membership is probably too expensive.  It’s really a snobby gym so I’m not sure I’d like it but my love of swimming may overcome that. We don’t have a YMCA anywhere near here so….

It’s a non-pay week so nothing much to do there.

 

 

 

 

Saturday stuff

Posted in cooking, plants, Uncategorized by

Friday came and went too quickly.

I had a plant disaster, where a plant that was is too small a pot and had some long  growth on it, caught on my leg and fell not once but twice. It dumped dirt all over the floor but the second time was worst as it fell into my file crate.  It took 2 vacuum bags to clean up and really set my day off to a frustrating start.

It was my goal to do a “Five Things Friday” but somehow it just got away from me. After my morning walk and house chores, I went to the gym.  I got there right before 10am and that’s one of the busier times. There were people on all the machines and the classes were in full swing.   Somehow I was able to find an empty treadmill and did around 18 minutes while watching some of the nightly shows. After I finished, I did my normal weight routine. After my workout, I felt like this.

funny cat gif

 

After the gym, I went to the pharmacy, and my prescription wasn’t there. So then I had to call down to the Cancer Center to find out where it was sent. After talking to the nice receptionist, she said it was at my Auburn pharmacy. But since it wasn’t there yet, I said just send it to Optum RX as they will be the ones to refill it anyway. I was somewhat annoyed but just went with it. But I was going to go to Goodwill and Home Depot but I just gave up on doing anything else and came home.

The town seemed so busy so I just gave up on doing anything else.

I made a nice mushroom onion quiche for dinner.

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I worked out in the garden a while clipping lemon balm, catnip, and oregano. They just grow so big and all over.

BTW, yesterdays doctor appointment went well. For you myeloma people, he said the new non -live shingles vaccine is a go. Plus the new bone strengthener, XGEVA, is now available and is an injection not, an infusion.  So that’s all good news. Plus, I don’t need to see him again till August. Yay!!  I’ll still get my blood work every 7 weeks or so.  I’m too nervous a person to wait a full 10-12 weeks.

 

 

 

Midweek

Posted in simplicity, Uncategorized by

We went over to the pet bookstore this morning. I love that ALL the books are $1.00.

I picked up 3 new cookbooks to peruse and maybe get some ideas. One is a Classic French cooking book. For $1.00 if I don’t like it I can just give it back. Plus it supports the Foothills SPCA.

Then, my van wouldn’t start the other day which was weird as it always starts. So we thought it was the battery and B went dutifully to go buy one to the tune of $157. ( that includes the fees). Well, it wasn’t the battery but I’m sure we needed one anyway. So he called and had AAA tow it 1/8 of a mile away to the garage in town here.  So, today, I stopped in to check and the mechanic and owner said the grounding wire had deteriorated so he fixed it. All is well in van land. Not that I use it that much but I still love it. And we do use it to haul hay and Ikea (ha ha) stuff.

Tomorrow is gym day and then some errands I need to run. No one will be here, so I’ll be on pet duty for the day. The doggies expect lunch promptly!!:)

I may venture out to the barn to view what I need to do.  I went out there the other day and it looked pretty good. B’s work samples are on one side and he needs these for work so that’s where they live. The middle area is where I need to just kinda re -organize. Most things have been decluttered once, twice, three, four times but there’s always room for improvement.  Until the temperatures start hitting 70 which is now, it’s too cold out there plus it’s dark. I mean there are lights but it’s much better if the doors are wide open. My plan is to start with bring out a vinegar water solution and at least wipe the bins down and then look at a little better system of organization.  Last year, I must have given away 4 bins of magazines so I’m not sure there is more to get rid of right now. I’d still like to only have 2 bins of the best but that’s still aways off.

Dinner is a stir-fry with leftover chicken from last night.

 

A lovely day

Posted in cooking, Uncategorized by

I had a good gym workout and then headed into Safeway for a few things. Well, $90 later, I did get extra stuff. The usual, cat food, milk, some sliced turkey and on and on. It’s okay, I needed a few expensive things like mouthwash, and Polident for my Invisalign. Okay, I confess, I bought a little plant and some votive candles too.

The rain is coming in and it should be heavy at times. But we do need it. There’s also snow for the Sierras.

Tonight I’m making some sourdough pancakes and scrambled eggs. Usually, it’s Crockpot Thursday, but I’m just going wild here with pancakes.