FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Dec 22 - 09:56 AM

Pepper gets her bandage off today and I'll have them give her the Cone of Shame after all - the incision is too long and the t-shirt doesn't cover the lower end. I can't keep her from licking, so she gets the unpleasant cone. The couple of attempts have ended up in the laundry because anything that drags or dangles when it comes loose gets peed on in the yard.

We're hitting the deep freeze later this week so I have a couple of days to prepare. Break pipes deep freeze. Today I will start deliveries of gift bags to friends and neighbors, and hope to wrap it up by Wednesday.

The kitchen table is piled with the wrapping materials, they'll go away mostly today. I spent last night re-doing the strings of lights on the crape myrtle branch in a pot I described. I am realizing that I was so consumed by the work on the house this fall I didn't do my usual early shopping for the stocking-stuffer kind of items and think I'll have to do that today or tomorrow also. Practical things, often consumables, that someone might not have bought for themselves.

I'll be getting out that pair of flannel lined LLBean jeans this week. I hope they fit comfortably!

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Dec 22 - 10:41 AM

Excellent news!

I will begin packing and distributing my holiday goodie bags today, and I must corral the wrapping paper and other materials spread out on the kitchen table. Holiday letters go in the mail late but postmarked well before xmas. Two more boxes need to be closed up and put in the mail (Priority boxes) tomorrow.

It is time to swap out the strings of lights on the ornamental branch I have standing in a large terracotta pot full of gravel. It is a crapemyrtle limb I was going to cut up and put in the trash (a dozen years ago or more it fell over the back fence when next door pruned their plants) but I stopped and realized it was actually a lovely shaped limb. I have strings of lights on it and it stands by the back door and I turn it on every morning as a light source in the house, turning it off at bedtime. I'm sure people new to the house must wonder about it, but I like it. One of the strings has quite a few bulbs burned out over the years so it's time to redo the LED lights. I also have a string of the little incandescent bulbs to put on because those have enough power to run the little motors that turn and you can do three motors per string. Hang an ornament on each motor and they turn slowly in place in a mesmerising way. Of course those were purchased for use on xmas trees, but I haven't had a tree in quite a few years now, so I put ornaments and other decorations on this limb. It looks festive, if odd.

We're still working out what day the family will gather for a meal and gift exchange but it will be Saturday or Sunday. I have a five-day cat sitting gig coming up over the weekend, but for this holiday (unlike Thanksgiving) the main dish of the meal is often made by my ex and our daughter (it's a Puerto Rican rice and peas dish his mother made). So they can cook while I make a cat run and come home to dinner and hope they don't burn the bottom of a good pan (again). We manage to illustrate why the adage of "too many cooks" is based upon real-life conditions.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Charmion
Date: 18 Dec 22 - 10:00 AM

I just tested negative! So I'm out of house arrest.

Smell and taste are still wonky, but there's hope: I caught a genuine whiff of coffee this morning. And no signs of bronchitis, which is a major win.

When I have eaten the last orange, I'll be off to the supermarket.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Charmion
Date: 17 Dec 22 - 02:36 PM

I’ve always been a cat lady, Keb. Quite sane, of course.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: keberoxu
Date: 17 Dec 22 - 12:43 PM

Stilly, it's the family thing, not Social Security.
The consequence is not having to move, so soon,
from the program I'm in and the residence where I sleep.
It gives me more breathing room while I figure out what's next.

Poor Pepper. I recall you saying that she "snaps" at the vet's,
and to add insult to injury, she gets her snappers cleaned.
Hope that mass turns out to be benign.

Charmion, I noticed you saying that the cats are pleased to have
more time in your lap. You're turning into a cat lady . . .

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Charmion
Date: 17 Dec 22 - 11:46 AM

Thanks for asking, Stilly, but I remain confined to barracks. I'm not deathly ill any more, but I'm still coughing, sneezing and dripping at the nose, still not tasting food properly, and still testing positive. People keep telling me that rapid-reaction tests are not 100-percent reliable, and I have to keep reminding them that, whatever I've got, it's most likely COVID and still highly contagious (see cough, sneeze and drip, above).

What will I do when finally released from durance actually quite comfortable? Buy my own damn groceries. The delivery service is great, but I miss being able to spot the deal of the day (not on the website!) and choose oranges for myself. This week's delivery featured a buckshee package of chocolate chip cookies (I never buy chocolate chip cookies) and a nice note instead of the Bosc pears I ordered, which left me with mixed feelings -- both pitifully grateful and absurdly irritated.

I'm living on eggs, cocoa, oranges, flatbread, frozen veg and tinned fish -- sardines and sprats bought on special some months ago and now come into their own. I can't really taste oranges or chocolate, but sprats come through loud and clear. The freezer also features nigh onto a dozen chicken cutlets, but those have less appeal because they require real cookery.

I had planned to drive a carful of friends to London today for a concert, but that's obviously impossible; I would be a one-woman super-spreader event. (Four people in a VW Golf to London and back to Stratford, plus dinner and the concert -- ya think?) The church choir is soldiering through Advent without me, and I'm not at all sure I'll be fit for prime time, or at least not a hazard to public safety, by Christmas Eve. And then I'm supposed to go to Windsor -- three hours of Highway 401 each way -- for Christmas dinner ... Aw, crap.

On the other hand, I'm not intubated or dead. Gotta look on the bright side.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Dec 22 - 11:16 AM

Charmion, how are you feeling? Are you able to get out of the house yet? Have you made any resolutions about what you'll do once you're back in circulation? Shopping, dining, or are you going to stay distant from every social environment for a while?

Keberoxu, I read your news about attorney success pending re: cash on one of your threads. (Is that a battle with Social Security disability or with the family, or both?) Anyway, good news! Will that change anything about where or how you're living these days?

Pepper returned from the vet last evening feeling surly and disoriented, I only got bit once trying to get her out of the SUV. A step stool beside the car finally helped and I lured her to eat with some fresh fried rice picked up on the way home. She had surgery (removing a mass between muscles and skin at her abdomen) and her teeth cleaned. Either one could upset a pooch, and the rice was to give her mouth a rest. She's much more her old self this morning.

Though the tornadoes that hit Fort Worth this week didn't touch down here, the house has the look of a whirlwind passing through. I shipped a box yesterday and have a couple more to go on Monday. Part of the mess is cookie-press paraphernalia after I finished the baking. I now have to fill and distribute gift bags. No surprise I've put on a couple of pounds so need to have a day or two dining on fruit and vegetables and take it off. I'm determined to stay put at this weight - I enjoy it too much to let pounds creep back on again.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Dec 22 - 09:41 AM

Dorothy, you remind me that I have mugs to ship to the kids, they liked a pattern my sister gave them and I have more - these come from a potter in Seattle my father collected. Your discontinued potting and returning the Mill to another use doesn't surprise me, but I also won't be surprised if in warm weather you return to some of the pitting work again in your other locations.

All dog water picked up this morning (I forgot the back porch source, I hope Pepper did also). I'll feed the other two when I get back home in a few minutes. Dropoff for dental cleaning and mass removal this morning.

More baking last night and a batch of cookie dough ready for this morning. Lots needs to go in the mail and I still have to print my holiday letters. I didn't have any real compelling photos this year and that seems to have slowed me some since they're incorporated into the letter.

I was at the gym in the morning on Monday and that seems to be when the most women my age are there. I'm not a morning person, but it is something to consider shifting to get more out of the gym membership. Silver Sneakers pays for it, but I'd like to get a social aspect from the visits in addition to exercise and get more for their money.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Dec 22 - 05:09 PM

Another thread was started this afternoon to share the news that Alice Flynn died last Saturday of a heart attack. She didn't participate much at Mudcat lately, she'd had a lot of health issues after falling and hitting her head, then cancer was diagnosed in the process of recovering from the first injury.

She was only 71.

This day just got several degrees chillier. :-(

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 15 Dec 22 - 05:05 PM

Dupont:

Good to find out what I was doing a month ago--- Seems like a month but it really only was 15 days. Same old, same old. Realizing I am no longer enthusiastic about potting. Those I threw 6 weeks ago went to Beaver with us and came back again, still untrimmed. Not going to take them again - next week we are going for The holidays. I did re-wrap them to re-moisturize.... Informed Robin I will not be using the studio at the mill; we need to clear it out; he may have another use for the space. I can advertise the wheels and kilns for sale if I get down there and make note of the particulars. I will keep one each just in case. I just don't seem to care anymore; prefer to read books and connect with people on FB. We no longer watch TV at all.

All the pottery is in the Carriage House and getting sold piece by piece. I had a surprise phone call during our last trip back to QC; I entertained everyone in Tim Hortons's in Tweed,ON - I was so surprised I forgot to take it outside! My big bowl customers (the husband) had found my card in the bottom of a drawer and did I have more bowls?? If he had phoned before we left Beaver... So I will pick up a selection this trip and bring them to QC so they can choose more. "We like your bowls!" Maybe I could will them whatever remains when I am no longer. Maybe I need to make more so they can have more... This is an 8 year relationship - their kids are now 6 and 7. And we have only conversed a very few sentences a year. The phone call was amazing! Somehow they missed my booth at the CVAA event in August. I had been looking forward to seeing them there.

My musician friend did manage to get the lovely old pump organ and is thrilled to have it. The piano was too heavy.

Waiting for the snow! I bought an evergreen wreath and decorated it with blue and yellow fabric, some little white doves, a little red bird, and fabric sunflowers. I bought a wreath of lights for it but no outdoor outlet works, and no place to hang it out of the weather so I need to bring it in when the snow starts. That and six strands of very tiny white lights draped over the 4 foot Ficus in the front window, are my salute to the winter solstice, other folks can think what they will. The returning light, lengthening days is clearly the most important day of the year.

I dug a sweet potato plant in the late fall. It did not look great but I potted it and now it is looking good so I will repot it in a larger pot when the bucket of soil thaws. It will live in the upstairs south window 'til spring pops over the windowsill. And so on...

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Dec 22 - 12:19 PM

Sealed and refrigerated they aren't close to the age of some of the Grecian urns of olives pulled from the bottom of the Adriatic. Are they something you would ordinarily use (if they weren't buried in some dark corner of the fridge)? I have olives in my fridge that only get tossed when the brine seems a little off, but otherwise were used and no harm done, and I'm sure they were well-past the sell-by date.

The general answer is that olives are cheap. Probably best to toss them.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Dec 22 - 11:31 AM

Well, damn! I just searched FB to see you posted COVID test results last week - it doesn't show me posts from everyone, so this didn't scroll through my radar. Sorry for the belated Get Well Soon wishes! These days with RSV and Flu it's easy to imagine that there is something else going on. Did you get a dose of the antiviral medications? I hope you've had good company and therapy from the cats. Food delivered and people running errands for you?

Sinuses have been tender for over a week due to allergies (and it isn't just me, it's the rest of the local family with all of this rain and the resulting mold and fungus from the moist world). Or more likely, cedar fever (pollen from Central Texas drifting this direction).

Today is the "OMG everything has to go in the mail" realization day. But it's also the day before Pepper goes in for rather urgent surgery; a fatty mass on her tummy, first noticed last spring, has suddenly enlarged and become painful. I managed to get her in to the vet yesterday when I realized what had happened, and he agrees this can't wait until a regular dental cleaning procedure I had scheduled for next month. There's nothing like a huge vet bill at Xmas. (She's not eating as much but she is her old self in other ways; she just announced that the postal carrier is in the neighborhood.) She's on pain meds and antibiotics now and I had to convince Cookie that roughhousing isn't a good idea. They were in the back yard with me in the brisk air and Cookie took on that play posture ready to start dashing around with Pepper. We don't need a play injury.

I have a couple of the dog t-shirts (handed down from the kids and me) in the laundry; rather than wear the "Elizabethan collar" (listed on the estimate) I put a t-shirt over their head and front legs and tie a knot at the waist. It's much better for the dog and they seem to know to leave the wound alone. The cone of shame is a last resort. My favorite photo of a dog in a t-shirt is of my old pitbull Cinnamon in an "I Love NY" shirt.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Charmion
Date: 15 Dec 22 - 11:16 AM

I have another question about stability of preserved foods. Manzanilla olives stuffed with pimento, to be precise.

I found a jar of olives in the refrigerator. It seems to be still vacuum-sealed. The best-before date on the lid is ... May 2016.

We must have brought it with us from Ottawa in 2017. I think it has been in the fridge since the visit of my martini-loving sister-in-law in 2018. Deb is the only martini-fancier among the people for whom I make cocktails, and if it's still sealed she must have chosen another tipple.

Opinions, please. Should I pitch the olives, or might they be safely eaten? When I have regained my olfactory sense, of course.

Or maybe I should eat them now, while everything tastes of nothing?

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: keberoxu
Date: 15 Dec 22 - 11:00 AM

Aw, Charmion, what rotten luck.
I'm so sorry you are ill with the coronavirus.
Take good care of yourself now.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Charmion
Date: 15 Dec 22 - 10:00 AM

It’s been two weeks! How are we all?

It’s sleeting in Stratford, and I’m recovering from COVID.

And … go!

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Charmion
Date: 30 Nov 22 - 03:29 PM

Reading about julekake reminded me of Jansson's Temptation, a supper dish of potatoes, onions, pickled herring and onions baked in cream. It's what you have if you're Norwegian and you're just back from the midnight service on Christmas Eve. You can't sleep anyway, with every church bell in town banging away, so you may as well eat!

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 30 Nov 22 - 02:32 PM

Dupont:

Mayo: bet it depends on the brand and the amount of preservative, and whether or not any already soiled implement was introduced at any time. I hate the stuff but R loves it and I solved problem of soiled implement (a concept beyond his ken) by purchasing the sort that is kept upside down and is squeezed out through the lid - easier if stored appropriately - upside down is right side up so the stuff sinks to the neck for evacuation!

We dashed away to Beaver on Thursday to give R a break from business. Found our little home in good shape, quickly started a good fire in our wonderful wood stove and had left overs from QC for supper. Reading and wandering about; R did all the thrift shops - more books! Open mike Cafe Friday night - terrific squash soup! I shall have to make some. Wandering/reading on Saturday, a large shopping at Harvest Moon, bulk food store where I have shopped since 1981; supper at The Curry House - so good we went back for lunch on Sunday and Monday!

Drove out Monday -way out! to a church that had been sold to check out what was still on offer, then drove a new back road, circumnavigating the vicinity of a large lake with lots of residences - for a very nowhere area. Emailed a nearby musician friend in case he might be interested in the beautiful, in good condition pump organ for his music room. (Just got an email that he is looking at it Thursday; "music plus exercise!")

Coming back on Tuesday we did a back road and found an interesting area with functioning waterpowered mill, a place to revisit in summer. R tended to business, visiting a business to which he had sold a machine and, yes, they would like another one! On this road we rarely travel, came across the factory of the cheese I like and I was able to by a large block and a couple small ones, and a bag of cheddar curds to nibble en route - all without calcium chloride!

Then we continued to the highway (401) and went on it until we saw a notice of a nine minute delay. We got off, found a better gas bar than usual and had mini pirogies, stopped at a thrift shop and then headed east on side roads to avoid the "delay". Two hours later, having toured a marvellous old mill town and wandered north instead of east, we finally returned to the 401; there was no longer a "delay"! And, at the next rest stop, I took over the driving so we would arrive home the same day!

Which we did. Car is unloaded house is mostly back in order, BF was routine, we brought in much needed stove wood to dry and I drove R to the office to get back into the morass. And came home to recover and catch up, with good fire in stove and lots of rain outside! The break did help R some.

Thawing chicken for a nice supper with lots of brussel sprouts, some zukes. onion, green pepper and spaghetti sauce - with rice.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: pattyClink
Date: 30 Nov 22 - 11:10 AM

Nix on using that mayo! I use the stuff so rarely, my small bottle had gone just a few months out of date. Seemed fine. Messed up my tummy for days, and wasted all the perfectly good food I had mixed it with.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Nov 22 - 11:00 AM

I have to go buy a bag of frozen peas because I'm making a batch of turkey pot pie filling for lunch today (and turkey or chicken pot pie must have peas or it isn't the perfect recipe). That store has a good bulk section so I'll see if they have any of the candied fruit to purchase in really small amounts to add to my julekaka.

I have boiled potatoes that were leftover and not mashed at our Thanksgiving dinner so those will be diced and added at the last minute (otherwise they would cook to mush) to the pot pie. And I'll use our good wheat crackers for crumbling on top, not making another pie crust (of which there would be leftovers that I'd just end up eating later by myself.) A side batch of blueberry muffins will travel well, though, so they can take them along.

In addition to a comfort-food lunch, today is the day to pack boxes to ship, so I'll have the tape roller and a number of flat boxes for them to choose from. It's better to mail them from here and have them arrive easily in a few days than to fool with a checked bag at the airport. What I find amazing is that my two travellers arrived with one carryon bag apiece and didn't ask to have any laundry washed while they were here. I did offer.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Nov 22 - 10:36 PM

I've located my Julkaka recipe (in a cookbook - pages from a letter held near the front with a paperclip, just not in a logical place in the right category) and though the ingredients are a bit different than the bag of dried fruit I picked up, I'll use this and see how it works out. In the past I've bought small containers of citron and such and used a small amount and the rest got tossed after it was older than Charmion's mayonnaise. (I scanned the recipe to be sure I have a copy now.)

I have cranberry bars in the freezer; I'll make the julkaka in small pans, and then deliver a plate with some bars and a small loaf to the folks I usually share holiday treats with.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Nov 22 - 08:14 PM

Your fruitcake sounds wonderful!

The lights in my yard are a pop of light in one corner of the yard, I don't put them on the house or windows, etc. I have a wreath on the front door. I grew up in a house that looked like a gingerbread house with a steamed-shingle roof meant to look like a thick thatch, so we always put lights along the roofline to fit the look. That was plenty of holiday lighting for a lifetime (my brother and I took turns up the ladder to install the lights.)

I had to look at the age of the mayo in my fridge to give you an educated guess—my jar sell-by date was during the summer 2022, and I'll keep using it until it's gone. If you're not sure, toss it, mayonnaise won't break the bank if you buy a new jar.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Charmion
Date: 29 Nov 22 - 03:32 PM

Question for the group: How long does an opened jar of Hellman's mayonnaise remain trustworthy? It lives in the back corner of the refrigerator, whence it has hardly moved since Edmund died.

The use-by date is ... um ... 10 November 2020. Oh, dear.

However, it shows no sign of degradation: it smells as it should, it's still fully emulsified, and I saw nothing untoward in the jar once I had identified certain dark flecks as thyme leaves, consistent with my only use for mayonnaise, in chicken salad.

As for Christmas lights: phooey. This year I decline to play along; my neighbours have already filled their yards with enough illuminated gimcrackery to drain half the turbine output from Niagara Falls. My house stands out as a black hole in the evening streetscape.

But I'm not a total Scrooge: I've made two batches (three loaves each) of fruitcake and will probably crank out a third -- the oven ran a bit hot for the first batch and it came out a bit dark. Liberal application of rum solves most of that problem, but it's still not what I'd call prezzie quality. I'll eat it myself, slice by slice over months and months. Nothing like fruiitcake with a large cup of tea.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Nov 22 - 11:21 AM

Today is a fasting day, to start counteracting the four pounds of Thanksgiving weight. Under normal circumstances it would be easier, but with family in town there is less opportunity to visit the gym, so I've had to watch for opportunities. I'm waiting for confirmation that they're headed to museums today before I head out to do my museum volunteering then to the gym.

Yesterday was a trip through various places we shop, so they have an idea of what is available for motivation to see if there are any shops like these near them. We went to the high-end nuts and candy shop, we went to Town Talk (lots of unusual cans of kombucha, yogurt products, restaurant sizes of iced tea bags, etc. for them to consume now or ship home.) The produce warehouse was open and they saw both of us make a bee-line to see what goodies were there; I didn't need much and still have stuff in the freezer, but there were several things that will be on the menu at their dad's house this week. I really need to learn how to use the tropical fruits, they had some beautiful papaya there. The Halal market was also of interest, and when we went to dinner later at a Lebanese restaurant and they were considering the spice levels on their lamb and chicken, I pointed out that the packages of spices I'd been showing them were what were used on the meat or in the rice. An ah ha! moment occurred. While in that market they mostly shopped the for boxes of loose tea. Of course, since they bought their own this year that takes that option off of my gift-giving list for them. :)

I'm going to put up some holiday lights this week and I notice they aren't up yet next door; I'll ask if they need help. He usually puts the same "Merry Christmas, Y'all!" light display up on his fence the day after Thanksgiving.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Charmion
Date: 28 Nov 22 - 11:44 AM

A tiny, perfect editorial job landed yesterday, with a tight deadline that will keep my procrastination tendencies in check.

The money will be nice, too. The rehabbed wing-back chair is almost ready at the upholsterer’s shop and it will, indeed, not be cheap.

Other than that, nothing is new in this corner of Gloccamorra.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Nov 22 - 10:54 AM

Nice, Senoufou! We should all send you books to contribute to the village collection. Happily, after this visit I have a stack of books my son pulled out of his dad's garage and the shelves here that I'll be mailing to him after they return home. I'll also mail a box of the Sam Scott mugs and a couple of his fancy bowls that my father collected. My sister also had some of this wonderful pottery and gave these two a pair they really like. I showed them some of what I have here and they picked the ones they want, allowing me to finally do what I planned, share them in the family. I ended up with most of them from administering the estate and having to pack up everything to clear the house.

It is no surprise that this week has seen me put on a couple of pounds so I'll do a few days of alternate day fasting to keep myself in my five pound range. Easy enough today since the kids are over at their dad's overnight, trading off between houses. (And while he's there, my son has to reset his dad's router because the password was lost. . . it begins.) They'll be back for open face turkey sandwiches, so the fasting will probably have to begin on Thursday, after they leave. I also love those sandwiches. The rest of the day I'll keep it to the fruit and vegetables around here.

In December I can resume my volunteer activities that were largely ignored in the preparation for the heat pump installation (almost finished) and this visit. The heat pump still needs a cosmetic addition, a metal case over the lines running up the wall, and a new heat pump thermostat. My nextdoor neighbor has solved that shopping problem by offering a briefly used thermostat she has on her hands. They had a unit installed that failed after a couple of years and was replaced last year. The thermostat they bought for the first unit was replaced by one that came with the newer unit, and she didn't want to toss it because she paid several hundred for it. She wants to see it used so will send it over here. I will add another panel of my fence between our yards into the "paid" column because she won't let me buy the thermostat. I have about five panels left, two of them I was planning to put up by the end of the year, now I'll finance the third myself above the cat-sitting cash, and put it up also. It has been slow, putting up this fence, but it beats the alternative of never doing it because the total cash output was more than I wanted to afford at once. Once I have all of the lumber and screws here it takes a couple of hours to put up a panel.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Senoufou
Date: 28 Nov 22 - 02:28 AM

Our Village Hall has just started a book-lending service, and are asking for donations of unwanted books. I'm so pleased about this, and today I'll have a bit of a sort-out of unwanted books from my large bookcase. I can stroll down to the hall this morning carrying a big bin-bag of them, and enjoy the space it will create in my sitting room.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Nov 22 - 10:21 PM

The very short version: everything else was ready for dinner before the turkey was out, and if I'd turned it around once it would have been ready on time. One side was more done than the other. But the food was good, we had an amazing number of tall adults fit into the kitchen simultaneously, making various dishes.

Dishwasher is running and the whole carcass is in the fridge cooling. Tomorrow is soon enough to slice the meat off; I didn't want it out any longer.

It was great to be putting stuff away and listening to the kids at the table talking and laughing. It's what you hope for - kids who are great adults who all like each other.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Nov 22 - 10:55 AM

I have a jar of a non-name-brand Nutella knockoff that is so good - and addictive. Must do more laps to account to burn off those calories - a spoon and the jar are a dangerous combination.

Today's cooking will be with the intent of making enough but not extra of several things. The turkey is what it is, but I don't need to make so many potatoes (mashed or sweet) that I have leftovers. I prefer to have extra roasted vegetables, and they're what usually disappear quickly. I don't want to have all of these high-calorie things here at the house to eat my way through (though I hope to send some home with people) for the next week. I would like to have extra gravy because I love open face hot turkey sandwiches. The dinner rolls always disappear quickly and they're not the right size or contour for the gravy-covered sandwiches. My son adores those sandwiches so tomorrow I'll make a loaf of bread and we can use it for the sandwiches for the next couple of days until they head home.

We finally have sunshine today. What a relief. I was feeling the SAD effect from the heavy cloud cover all last week. (I wonder how WYSIWYG is doing? Susan used to suffer from SAD and had lights around her house as a remedy.)

A decluttering note: While here, my son is being asked by both parents about things in closets and the garage, etc., that he wants to keep or not. I have some things (from my dad - ceramic mugs) to mail to them; my sister gave them a couple and they'd like more and I ended up with the rest from the estate. Good. Meanwhile, some of his own stuff from living here will also be shipped - books, games, etc.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Nov 22 - 10:10 PM

In the 1990s when I was on the park board (for six years) we fought to keep pools open, especially in the underserved neighborhoods. Today all but one of those pools aren't just closed, they're bulldozed away. Heartbreaking.

I have to look into what classes will be offered. To start, I'll just swim a few laps.

Waiting on the return of my son and his partner from a wedding reception they came down for (a bit of a reunion with high school friends also). I'm headed to bed once the turkey is in the brine, and expect a full day of activity tomorrow. The ex came over today and we made pie crust for the two pies he'll bake tomorrow morning to bring over for our dinner. I made the first one, showing how, then he made the second one, getting his hands on the dough to see how it feels just as it comes together. He took home two waxed paper parcels to roll out.

Cat sitting is finished for now, it was nice to earn the cash. I am usually pretty good at making any particular trip out add up to several stops to make the gas used go farther, but not always this week with coming home to do stuff with family. I was last to the gym on Tuesday. I need to do my exercises at home for now, in the mornings once I'm up and before I'm busy or too tired later on.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Charmion
Date: 26 Nov 22 - 12:37 PM

In Ontario, patty, the most reliable way to find a well-maintained swimming pool is to look for a branch of the YW/YMCA. The Y is non-profit and family-oriented, so the facilities tend to be more durable than luxurious, but every Y I’ve ever been in was/is inclusive, welcoming, and all about fitness for everyone, at every age and ability level. Also, comparatively inexpensive, especially for seniors.

I’m an awkward swimmer, although I won’t drown unless hit on the head before immersion, so I prefer water aerobics (aquafit) to swimming lengths. It’s a great way to put all my limbs through their full range of motion with light to moderate resistance, and I usually get out of the pool with my wonky body parts feeling better than they did when I went in.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: pattyClink
Date: 26 Nov 22 - 11:53 AM

Noted both of you (Charmion & Stilly) indomitable do-it-all ladies mention using a pool for exercise. Maybe it is more of a fountain of youth/health than people realize.

I love to be in the water, and have a 90-minute full-body routine, both swimming and working every joint in every direction I can. It makes me feel like a million bucks, and be much more active than most my age.

It has been quite an adventure finding public pools around the country. Many towns just aren't big enough to have one, fair enough. Other towns/cities are run by pool-haters, who personally don't use them and so spend all the rec dollars on grasscutting dozens of ballfields.

Lately parents have been demanding 'something for kids to do in summer', so the fashion is to build an 'aquatic center' which consists of a splash pad water park open for 6 weeks (I am NOT exaggerating) of the year, max water depth 2', ideally with blasting radio on a P.A.

But, real pools are out there, and it is fun to track them down.

So, another thing to be grateful for, having access to a pool!

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Nov 22 - 11:04 AM

Sodden day and muddy footprints across my clean floor. I'll keep a bucket and the mop handy later and get the worst of it.

Cooking today and tomorrow. For an excellent cause, and with some help, I hope.

The counters and kitchen table have been pretty clear but I'll remove even more stuff today to make a work station at the tall table in the middle of the kitchen (versus the eating table on the other side of the peninsula.)

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Nov 22 - 01:29 AM

Much of this week has been heavily overcast and drizzle interspersed with thunderstorms. Sunday is supposed to be sunny and the yard will dry out.

My gym has closed the pool for a few weeks to redo some of the wet area; I hope when it reopens to get in there to swim laps. It's more than time to add that activity.

Tomorrow is the big push to prepare for our Sunday dinner, and I plan to have the table completely set (within reason - I'll put the silverware on last so I have enough to use until the big dinner.) It's a good thing it should be a nice day because the dogs will be restricted to just the yard during meal preparation and consumption.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Charmion
Date: 25 Nov 22 - 03:10 PM

It’s grey, chilly and depressing today in Stratford, and I am camped in the comfy chair with no desire to go anywhere or do anything more challenging than the New York Times crossword puzzle.

I’ve been to pool class, so I punched the exercise ticket, and I ate the last of the roast chicken that I’ve been working on this week, so I’ve taken aboard the day’s protein requirement. A small editorial job is wending its way toward me, but it hasn’t landed yet. I’m off several hooks, at least for today.

Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to do! So I’m free to read.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Nov 22 - 10:57 AM

Senoufou, you two ought to hold a house meeting at that point when he moves in (or the day before, in case it becomes raucous!) and each state things you'd like the other to do. Letting the bad habits return when they can be fixed is asking for trouble.

We have a couple of days of rain ahead then the rest of the family visit will be in nice weather. It seems they brought the Puget Sound weather with them.

As the holidays approach and the baking commences I'm trying to pace myself with the calorie intake, and to keep everything comfortable, am having my bran and flax cereal every day or two. Poor Mrrzy, with the post-surgery complications they are going through, has to avoid this powerful tool (because of a keto diet). There is also a lot of fruit around here, including a pineapple I have to cut up today. Meanwhile, I'm drawing down the resources in the freezer for meals in the next few days, working to maintain the delicate balance of "enough" for a meal but not generating leftovers, because I need room on Sunday for when I will contend with all of the turkey dinner leftovers.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Nov 22 - 12:52 AM

My son and his partner arrived today and after three years (Damn COVID!) it was wonderful to just visit and putter and eat on and off most of the afternoon and evening.

The cat sitting I'm doing for a friend is probably actually a very good thing, because it forces me to organize the day around something than needs to be tended to. Tomorrow I'll go feed breakfast before my guests are even awake, and I think they're going to go do stuff later with friends so I can feed the second cat meal then head to the gym for an hour on the recumbent bike. They are here to go to a wedding on Saturday (and I finish cat sitting midday Saturday) then we do our family thing on Sunday (Thanksgiving dinner), and next week is wandering around the county visiting interesting shops before they fly home.

The big news here is the new heat pump - everyone is impressed with how the garden bed on that side of the house looks with the new shiny outside unit. The shortcomings of the house are minimal - it's pretty tidy and I have the dining table cleared for the holiday meal. The dogs are a great distraction from any housekeeping issues - they want attention regardless of how the house looks, and our guests are happy to oblige. The dogs are happy also.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Senoufou
Date: 24 Nov 22 - 02:41 AM

I shall be very happy when husband moves back here (probably January) but I'm also slightly dreading his typically 'male' habits - whooshing and squooshing water all over the bathroom, up the walls (why do men do this eh?) like a resident walrus, and 'missing' the loo a bit (why do men not sit down to wee?). Also, when he cooks, the hob is covered in grease (I only eat from the fridge, I don't cook anything nowadays). He even forgets to wipe his bloomin' feet at the front door, but marches indoors onto the carpet with mud/wet on his shoes. To think he was a school cleaner! (He's now a bus-driver).I'm afraid I'm a bit obsessive about tidiness and cleanliness in the house.Ah well, I'll have to 'grin and bear it' :)

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 23 Nov 22 - 09:18 PM

Dupont:

NOT doing another Thanksgiving. One is sufficient. Definitely not doing "black Friday - that insidious USA - Spend!!! ploy.

Have had a few better days and a couple "feeling like me" days. Yesterday I foolishly decided my dust allergy could manage clearing up the area around the wood stove - it couldn't; I went to bed with headache about 7:30 worried that I might have caught covid at the Celebration of the Life event on Sunday but woke up this am feeling very good, almost got to those pots but only got them into better shape; they are damp enough/dry enough and I recovered them. Ran out of energy. Oh well.

Trying to decide whether or not to try a trip to Beaver - but only with Robin. phoned him to see how he felt about leaving tomorrow, back on Tuesday, and left it to be considered until morning. He is on a trek with Eph.

Talked with son Troy today about visit possibilities - theirs (he and Julie)to here - May would be good; mine to Whidbey to see their new house - hoping to move in at Christmas! Sixty-One years after we moved into the beautiful home we designed (my dad and I) and built (Dad, bro, self and then-husband) in PA that I would have loved to live in "forever". ME -going to Whidbey is daunting (to me) but important to Troy. All the troubles with air travel these days... If Robin could go with me... He sent me a short film (1:47) of the house in process - start to finish! With music - not his- classical - finale is the Ride of the Valkyries!

Anyway, this house is fairly clean, lots of food in frig, and wood for the wood stove... And no headache! Had sweet potatoes and applesauce - mixed - for lunch. Very yummy!

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Nov 22 - 12:08 PM

Turkey is in the small fridge this morning starting the defrost. There are four loaves of banana bread, studded with walnuts, ready to start using as holiday gifts. My son and his partner fly in tomorrow; my daughter and her wife will be here for the big family dinner on Sunday. They live in the next county north in a large house with a half-dozen people total and usually do a holiday party, complete with turkey, on Friday after the official holiday. I'm hoping everyone stays healthy so no pandemic visits at our house on Sunday. Anyway, I'll send a loaf of banana bread home with her to use for that event when we are meet lunch today.

Then the mad dash to finish a lot of things I've started. The guest room is completely ready, now it comes to setting the dining table (the leaves are coming out of storage) and finishing mopping floors (it continues to drizzle, so I continue to tackle muddy dog footprints), and some self-stick tile squares will hopefully make the bathroom look better. I've been tackling that old adhesive all week. Today is the last big push. Tomorrow I'll be clearing counter tops so several people can work at once is the final chore (and one I'll have to stay on top of because stuff accumulates so quickly.)

I'm at 150 pounds this morning. No telling how the next week will go but I'm hoping to not blow my weight loss progress out of the water too badly. That said, I'll make note of what I eat that needs to be entered on MyFitnessPal, but probably won't count things like desserts that don't help with the calcium and fibre counts. :)

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Charmion
Date: 22 Nov 22 - 05:35 PM

A mask helps, but not enough.

In really cold weather — -15°C and below — I wrap a big muffler around my face, I’m outside just long enough to dash from car to door, or door to car, and I’m generally okay. But at the beginning of winter, it doesn’t matter what I do; the attack eventually hits, I go back on the inhalers, and the coughing levels out by Christmas if I stay upwind of all the respiratory viruses.

Four doses down, I feel more or less normal again. Better living through biochemistry.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Nov 22 - 10:25 AM

I remember reading in past years about your cold season asthma. I've noticed that I tend to forget my cloth face mask in place when I walk out of stores in cold weather, that it keeps my face warm and air in my nose moist until I get to the car. Would something like that be helpful?

Dorothy, are you doing a US Thanksgiving dinner, or did you do the Canadian one last month?

Comings and goings yesterday resulted in several small cuts on my hands that now need a soak, antibiotic ointment, and bandaids, or they'll linger longer than necessary. Just when I need my hands in good shape for so many projects here. The job yesterday went quickly because every time they asked for something like "the nearest hardware store" I was able to find the wood screws they needed (in my shelves in the garage). Same with stabilizing the larger concrete/styrofoam footer (pea gravel in two bags for the front patio - I can buy more). So no delays for equipment runs. But digging around in the lumber, etc., is probably how I dinged up my hands.

I picked up a scrub brush on a broom handle for working on the den floor (dog footprints on tile) and the bathroom floor cleanup after I finish scraping the old dried adhesive. This allows for less getting up and down on the post surgery knee or bending and stooping for prolonged periods. Laundry to wash the towels that have hung for months in the hall bathroom and could use a freshinging. Finding bedding that also could be freshened by a trip through the dryer.

And - most importantly - time to make The List. What am I going to bake, to boil, to make in advance, and what needs a long prep time? I have to start thawing the turkey in time to brine it over Saturday night. I do a combination of water and fridge, so I think tomorrow is when I'll put the bird in water for much of the day, then into the fridge for the rest of the thaw. Do I have all of the ingredients?

The fan over the stove top needs a good cleaning. Filters soaked and fan parts cleaned. If it were going to make a noisy protest about needing cleaning it would choose when family is here, so I'll try to fit in time to clean before everyone arrives.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Charmion
Date: 22 Nov 22 - 09:14 AM

An asthma attack hit me yesterday, and finally caused me to split from choir practice half an hour before quitting time. I still feel a bit crappy this morning, but less white-knuckly.

It’s interesting how easily humans learn to tolerate bodily limitations. As I sat on the edge of the bed with my inhaler in my hand, I honestly wondered whether that was really the pain of developing bronchospasm in my chest or did I just want an excuse to duck choir practice and stay home with the cats and my current audiobook. Then I coughed up another hockey puck and went to choir practice anyway. Two hours later, breathing razor blades, I had to bust out of the alto section and leg it for the open spaces.

My body does not enjoy the onset of winter. The first blast of real cold always lays me low until my twitchy airway adapts to the horrid new reality — which, so far, it always has. It’s just not a fun transition.

Meanwhile, I have fruitcake to bake today, and the Ottawa-bound Christmas parcels to start on — boxes, wrapping paper and packing material to round up. It also occurs to me that I should call my lawyer and tell him to add nephew Logan’s college residence costs to the clause in my will that covers his sister’s university tuition fees.

Oh, yeah — and change the furnace filter, and rake the cat hair out from under the dining-room table, and …

It never ends!

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Nov 22 - 06:47 PM

The heat pump removal and installation work went well, only about six hours. After all of that, the old thermostat controls the new unit for now but we tried the emergency heat and it isn't turning on (one position on the switch that controls a separate heat coil inside - the heat pump compressor does the normal heating and cooling work outside). Since it works for everything else and since they have to come back to finish one other cosmetic thing outside, I'll research and buy a basic thermostat that he can install on that visit.

I don't need a phone app or Alexa controlling the heat or cooling. It turns out the AC tech and I both have family arriving this week for the holiday and are both content to delay the work until early December.

I paid by check today and was dismayed to find that I can barely remember how to write the amount on the cursive line. It dawned on me later that I needed the "and 02/100" instead of just hitting the end and writing 2 cents. As long as the numeral entry is correct that's what they use.

There is a case of peel and stick floor tiles here now and I'll see if I can get those down in the hall bathroom tomorrow. They're temporary after I finish scraping off old adhesive that (ironically) nothing will now stick to. I'll put up one of the new showerheads and it will have a fresh look.

It was difficult to get into my office this afternoon so I spent time in the sewing studio ironing fabric for some holiday masks. It's a pretty green plaid that can work beyond the holidays and I'll have some ready soon for friends and family.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Nov 22 - 09:29 AM

I'm as ready as I'll ever be for the work to start this morning. The dogs are in the back yard (it rained last night and I've been washing the den floor. When they come back in I'll have to mop up behind them.) I've moved objects in the way and need to possibly move some more pots outside, but I'm not going to until it becomes clear that it's necessary.

This week I'm feeding a friend's cats and one of them does a vanishing act - and if he closes his eyes that little black cat is pretty much invisible. No such issues around feeding my dogs. :) I raced up to feed them this morning and parked out front so I can go give them more proper attention at the midday meal (when meds are given, otherwise lunch for cats isn't necessary.)

I hear a truck outside.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 20 Nov 22 - 11:30 AM

I'm with you about that price of butter; I bought some at Costco in a 4 brick package (not sticks, there were none to be had), it is rarely for sale at my gourmet warehouse place any more.

At least a case-worth of canned goods left the house yesterday with friends, who kindly brought their own boxes for jar transport. I try to keep the boxes new Mason jars came in to hold filled jars and catch jars as they are emptied, and today I've been moving empty jars into the back of the hall closet that is part-one of my two-part pantry system. I've rediscovered plastic storage containers and ceramics in there that will actually be handy over the holidays (lots of thick ceramic footed trivets and elegant serving bowls, for example). I should thin out the storage containers.

Scrubbing the tile in the den today, a few squares at a time while my ex is using my carpet cleaner on his living room carpet. Here we are scrambling to clean the houses that the kids did such a good job of messing up when they were young.

I'll finish trimming around the front and back yards today, the last time for the season. I need to clean out the SUV (I have an explosion of cloth shopping bags in the back seat - they can live in the garage for a while) and be prepared to open up the third row of seats. This is a balance of the esthetic of a tidy yard and the practicality of a tidy vehicle.

New heat pump tomorrow, and I'll spend the day working on removing the last of the adhesive from the hall bathroom floor. Dogs will spend the day in the yard.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Charmion
Date: 19 Nov 22 - 11:30 AM

Tomorrow is the last Sunday before Advent, or "Stir-Up Sunday", when the Anglosphere starts its Christmas baking. So today is hunting and gathering day, when I spend a ridiculous amount of money on dried fruit and ransack the supermarket for butter that doesn't cost the Earth, except it does. Somewhere deep down in the heart of me I remain convinced that the right price for butter is $1.98 a pound.

Snow continues to fall across southwestern Ontario. It's not particularly cold, just below freezing, so driving conditions get treacherous as the wet snow quickly packs down into ice. Each intersection is an intelligence test: Which driver will remember to take her foot off the accelerator in time to avoid skidding around the corner, and who still hasn't made the switch to winter tires?

This matters to me today, for I am going to Kitchener in search of Valencia oranges. (Because fruitcake.) If there's a Valencia orange anywhere in Stratford, it's in the Witness Protection Program.

The rest of the weekend program is mostly about laundry and house dust. It's time to get out the feather duvet and wrestle it into its cover, so I might as well wash the bed linen and towels, and scramble under the bed to banish the colony of dust bunnies breeding down there. I must also wash the floor in the kitchen and front hall, where the tracks of the furnace technician are as clear as pugmarks in fresh mud, but that thrill can wait for tomorrow.

The first signs of this winter's eczema appeared on my left hand this morning. Not fair.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Charmion
Date: 19 Nov 22 - 09:39 AM

I would have happily coughed up the $87, even in US funds. I’m still getting acupuncture treatments for the back spasm set off by my last braver-than-brainy physical adventure.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Nov 22 - 11:56 PM

The otherwise-interesting contents of long-expired jars of gourmet sauces and dips have been emptied into a bucket to pour into the compost before I head to bed. Canned foods also, that are years past the date they were processed. In the process I've uncovered a lot of good stuff that I forgot about to put to use (and send some home with friends this weekend - with the promise they'll eventually return the canning jars). This allows me to stabilize the remaining contents on the wire pantry shelves and I'll move that out of the way of workmen on Monday.

I spent an hour at my ex's house helping him move the most incredibly heavy (but still excellent condition) latex queen-size mattress. We concluded that none of the thrift stores would accept anything so heavy, and sadly dropped it off in a bin at the recycle and dump station. We dragged it from the guest room, crammed the folded mattress into the back of my SUV for transport, and as we struggled, understood that it would be incredibly difficult for anyone else to take this home from a thrift store, hence the dump. This lets him work on the guest room at his house, while I work on the guest room here.

We also looked at stuff in his garage that is going to Goodwill and I brought home a half dozen tan cotton mats (a heavy-duty chenille type) that I'm going to put down in stacks of two or three for the dogs in a couple of places around the house where they tend to sleep. Outside my bedroom door, for one (no room for a dog bed, but the mats will be ok). For some reason he also had some nice unused shower heads (the kinds on hoses) so I'll look through those and maybe swap out the elderly shower head/hoses here. I've been meaning to add more Teflon tape to my shower hoses because they dribble a lot. These things were all nice to bring home, but considering how heavy (it was a huge struggle even for the two of us) that mattress, I think he probably figures he came out the winner in this transaction. (I found one place that would pick up mattresses for a fee - their charge to remove it from his house was $87.)

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Nov 22 - 12:13 PM

Jon, I have dusk-to-dawn motion detector lights outside all of the doors here, with the one in back being on and dim, only turning bright if one of the dogs or I go outside. The others are off unless there is movement. They save electricity and because I live near the woods it leaves it a nice dark little wilderness down here at our end of the street. I also have some electric plug covers that have small LED lights on the bottom that come on in the dark. These are great to help avoid tripping over a dog sleeping in the hall at night.

Busy end of the week as I move eBay stuff into the front room to clear out the rest of the house in preparation for company. I needed to do this anyway, it was stacked around in an untidy way. I'll be rearranging pantry items, probably culling some stuff, and I'll use a few jars of canned tomatoes from the bottom shelf to make tomato soup for guests tomorrow. I researched several recipes for making it from scratch, letting me use up more of the backlog from last year. I didn't can any ripe tomatoes this year, just the relish. And the relish is so amazingly addictive - I think there must be a umami effect from the ingredient combination - I slather it on sausage link sandwiches about a 1/4 cup at a time and they simply taste better than any other way I could eat them. I may make one more batch tomorrow afternoon, but I need more green peppers and onions first, that I'll pick up today. (There is a rich history of sausage in Texas - lots of influence from Czech and German immigrants and then there is the Mexican tradition). I buy links from a restaurant supply place near me - they carry a variety that has lots of cracked pepper in the recipe.)

I've also rearranged furniture in the den and moved the dog kennel, as well as putting the ugly covers back on the newly-repaired dog beds. They all slept on them last night, so I was correct that it's cool enough now that they prefer the cuddle of the high-sided beds.

Subject: RE: FITNESS & Declutter 2022 - Pandemic redux
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 18 Nov 22 - 09:15 AM

We are getting by, SRS. No plans for any projects but are keeping up OK with what's needed to keep things ticking over.

I've done one electrical job since last in this thread. The front outdoor floods (also triggered by outdoor sensors) used a timer push button inside and I've changed that for a z-wave module. Carers put dad to bed each night and when we know we are having a visit, like to have outdoor lights on in advance for them rather than them open the gate, walk a few steps until a sensor triggers. With the clocks changing back, lazy me got fed up with going to the porch to turn them on each night.