First World Problem

 I have a husband who can't miss a meal. In fact, if a meal is late, it might be the end of him.

The most frustrating thing about him is that he can eat pure crap and it does not affect his A1C, his cholesterol or his weight.

There is no justice in this.

So today, we had to go into town. We got another load of stuff from the old house, to include the mirror to the marble topped dresser. 

It was about to rain, so we needed to get that load home, but it was a few minutes past noon, and Tim was on his death bed, so we went to McDonald's so that he could get a meal to go. 

I got my standard order which is one large unsweetened iced tea, extra ice, double lemon.

While I was not staring death in the eye, I was thirsty, and so when my drink came. I took a big swig and it was sweet tea. 

So I got out of the truck and went in and explained the situation. She apologized and I gave her the order again: large unsweetened tea with extra ice and double lemon. She repeated after me: one unsweetened iced tea with extra ice and lemonade. 

'No,' I said. 'No lemonade at all. Just one large unsweetened tea, lots of ice. Two slices of lemon.'

'No lemonade? Just lemon?'

'Yes,' I said. 

She was gone an awful long time for just getting a drink, but I waited. I mean, unlike Tim, I was not having a near death experience.

But eventually, she came out with a big smile...and handed me a 'large unsweetened iced tea, extra ice, lemonade.'

I said. 'I didn't want lemonade...' and she went wide eyed. 'Oh my gosh. I did it again.'

I waited once again. She returned with my cup. It had my lemons, but she forgot the ice of all things.

I wasn't dying, but I was thirsty, so I took it and left. By the time I got back to the truck, Tim was nearly finished with his meal.

Motorhead

 Tim got his 'new' old truck a few weeks back. My suggestion was to get a newer truck without mechanical problems but he really wanted this truck. He wanted it so badly that he did not bother to discuss it. He just hopped in his car and drove an hour and a half. 

He came back a few hours later and told me he bought the truck. He raved about how great of shape the body was in. The truck was from California. The underneath was solid. The fellow had put new fenders on it. The guy knew how to do bodywork the right way.

I was not fooled. I said, 'How does it run, though?' 

He gave the not too reassuring response: 'No way to know that until I drive it a while.'

The thoughts I thought are best left unshared.

And sure enough, driving the truck home he discovered 'a bug'. It gave a little jerk from time to time. He was pretty sure it was no big deal. the truck did not stall out or anything. He dragged his little code reader out of its little suitcase and got a read out that indicated oxygen sensors. 

So he sent off to Rock Auto and got all new oxygen sensors. While he was at it, he got a fuel pump for the 'last' old truck. 

When everything arrived, he replaced the oxygen sensors. 

The truck still jerked from time to time. So he got the idea to replace the fuel filter. Still there was that jerk. Not bad. It always started. In never stalled out. He decided to put the fuel pump that he'd gotten for the 'last' old truck on the new old truck (they are the same year.) 

After several hours of work, he started it up and honest to Pete, it sounded worse than ever. When he came into the house, I said, 'I am sorry...' but ever the optimist, he said, 'it is a lot easier to diagnose a problem if the vehicle does it all the time,' and back he went to the internet to study the situation some more.

So far he has replaced the cam sensor, the crankshaft sensor, the rotor something or another and the spark plugs. Probably not in that order. If I got something messed up, it is because I do a lot of 'nod and smile' when he explains. In 27 years of marriage, he has not noticed that I could not care less.

If Glen Moon was here, I am certain that the two of them would happily spend hours down in the garage. Bless their hearts. So Mary, if your husband has any ideas, pass them along. 

The good news is that he bought another fuel pump for the last old truck and got it installed while he was waiting for another shipment from Rock Auto. That truck runs perfectly at least. 

I will give the man credit: he has an awful lot of patience with his tinkering. I would have run the thing off a cliff by now.

Actually, that is not true. I would have spent the money to get a newer truck. Even though "it is all computerized and has to be taken in to be repaired because it is all a plot to move vehicle repairs from a home garage to dealerships."

Anyways. Steve Reed showed a picture of his flowering cactus. 

This is my great grandmother's cactus. Then my grandma got it. Then my mother got it. Then I got it. After 10 years in my care, it inexplicably began to die. I felt terrible about it. After reading and trying everything, I gave up. I just set the dead plant out in the unheated mudroom for the winter meaning to dump the dirt in the garden in the spring and save the pot for something that was willing to put more effort into living.

And in the spring, when I was pulling out all the dead growth, square in the middle of the pot was the tiniest bit of green. It was brought back inside and despite my tender care, it lived.

I finally moved it from the old house, where it has been sitting alone and neglected since July. Proving once again it doesn't need any help from me, thank you very much, it was covered in blossoms.

You know what doesn't thrive on neglect? Trucks. Just a thing I noticed.

Invisible People

 It was a windy day today, a cool and cloudy day, getting only to the mid fifties. Autumn. I had plenty to do inside, and so I spent the day doing it. 

We had company yesterday. Remember those scalloped potatoes? I was so sure they were not going to be any good, so, last minute, I threw together some instant mashed potatoes. But lo, they were good and the mashed potatoes were not touched. 

I was pondering supper, and decided on a cottage pie to use up that bowl of mashed potatoes. I  grabbed a package of chopped venison out of the freezer. I used my dehydrated vegetables again, and also chopped up some other vegetables that just needed to be gone. 

I invited my brother in law and sister over for supper even though it was late notice. It was such an awfully big casserole, the one I bake lasagna in. There was plenty. 

Luckily.

An old friend stopped in. I haven't seen him in a couple years and was shocked at his appearance. He is so gaunt and frail that it really pained me to see him. 

An extra plate was quickly set at the table. He ate very slowly but listened to the conversation around him with interest. He had a wheat roll with a helping of pumpkin butter. I was secretly happy to see him take a second. 

I was not the only one surprised at our friend's appearance. In private, my brother-in-law said he would have never known him. My sister said she didn't know who he was until he spoke. His voice is unchanged.

Afterwards, when it was just him and us, I asked him flat out what was going on,  that his gaunt  appearance was a bit of a shock.

He denied that he was sick, but did admit to just being tired. Everything takes him longer. He sometimes forgets to eat. Other times he is just too tired to figure out what to have for supper. Tim said "Give him the leftovers from supper." 

It was not a whole lot, but he could get a couple meals out of it. I went to the freezer and got a small loaf of whole grain bread. I took a container of apple sauce too. I brought it upstairs and cut a quarter of an apple pie.

I showed him how to make refrigerator oats. He actually pulled out a pen, and wrote the directions down. I told him that he could make up a weeks worth, and just add milk to one of them each evening, let it sit overnight in the fridge, nuke it for 30 seconds and then add milk and honey to taste, and there was breakfast. 

We both lectured him the kindest way we knew how, and sent him out the door with a standing invitation for supper. We did get a for-sure-and- certain promise that he would come next Wednesday. 

Tim and I are pretty rattled by this. He is an old friend. He used to come eat with us a couple times a week, but he got quite offended that we were not MAGA. He had tried his best to convert us. We finally had to tell him we did not want to discuss politics. He was angry, left the house and never came back.

He was always a talker. A hard worker, a machinist like Tim. A hunter. Cuts and hauls his own firewood to store for winter. A lifelong batchelor. he was all of those things, but now he is an invisible person, an elderly man alone, becoming increasingly unable to manage. I imagine there are many people like him. 

I am not sure why he decided to drop in tonight, but we are both sure glad he did.

Paychecks

 Steve Reed commented yesterday that the No King participants are supposedly paid by George Soros, according  to the GOP and MAGA.

Now this is the same spiel provided by the acquaintance who flatly stated that no Christian should participate in No King rallies because the were nothing but a device to divide Americans. (Um...hello? This is pot calling kettle...) Anyways, when I pointed out that many religious leaders felt it was their faith that called them to be there, her response was about the undercurrents of evil behind these sort of things and spoke at great length about George Soros.

I felt sad about it but i blocked her. Once someone falls down that conspiracy rabbit hole, there is no reasoning with them. 

Anyways, so I put it out to you all:  who got paid yesterday? Anybody? 

Nothing much to report, but I did want to say that I did try my scalloped potatoes today, my dehydrated potato slices and my 'instant' sauce mix. Interesting enough, the recipe for the sauce was good. However the amount of liquid that she added to the dehydrated potato slices was just not enough. The thing is, I knew it. I questioned it, but made the decision to go with the instructions as provided. I shouldn't have. I did go back and actually doubled the amount of liquid, added more sauce mix. The potatoes did soften up. The verdict was the flavor is perfect, and probably if they had baked an extra 20 minutes, it would have been perfect. 

So...I guess that product is fine. I just need to do some math, figure out the proper liquid to potato ratio.

It started raining this afternoon and hasn't stopped yet, which is okay, because the rain is sorely needed. As a matter of fact, we have rain in the forecast every day this week. It is supposed to be much colder too. 

No Kings

There were between 300-400 people today at the rally. For our little town, it was a pretty big deal. What amazed me the most was the cheering and honking from the cars. For the first time, I saw business semi trucks tooting their horns in solidarity. A lot of public support.

Local news picked it up. 

Erie News Now coverage of 10.18.25 NO KINGS RALLY in Warren!

file:///var/mobile/Library/SMS/Attachments/c8/08/3613D6CD-CBC5-4857-8CBE-A6B5223DAEF6/IMG_7253.MOV

So did the newspapers.

Nationwide, they are saying seven million people mobilized so far, making it the largest protest in the nation's history.

We are pleased to have been a part of it.

Can you pick Tim and I out?

Guilt

After months of eating the expensive catfood we got for a dollar a box at Happ's, the stuff is now gone. It is not something we would ever dream of buying at regular prices. The stuff runs between $14-18 for a box of 12 pouches, and those ferals were eating more than a box per day. We would be spending more to feed cats than we spend on food for ourselves!

We feed them a good dry catfood, but finding a replacement wet food has been difficult. I am sure finding out what they won't eat. 

They began coming to the door to mew pitifully.

I bought two more 12 packs of cat food last weekend, different brands, and hallelujah! One of them was something that they all ate. 

So, yesterday, while I was out, I bought a 40 can case of it.

You guessed it. Today they were not so fond of it. 

Tim says, 'They'll eat when they get hungry enough."

I feel so guilty.

Tomorrow is No King Day. Tim and I will be there.  I feel no guilt about that. 

A friend posted that no Christian should be at one of these protests. Surprised me that she was one of those. Not everyone agreed with her. I pointed out, choosing my words very carefully, that many religious leaders of a wide variety of faiths felt it was putting their faith into action. Talking the talk is fine but sometimes it is required to walk the walk. 

She responded that behind these protests there were corrupt and evil forces at work, citing her experience at the Standing Rock protests where she was arrested.

I wonder where that idealistic woman went? She had such a passion about social justice. She firmly believed in roght and wrong. I didn't bother to say anything more, but it seems kind of sad to me. 

These protests are on track to be the biggest protest in our nation's history. Chicago and Portland are doing a fine job of nonviolent resistance to ICE. We will certainly support them.

I made wheat bread today. It has been a while but it turned out very nicely. First yeast bread of the season. I always wonder if I lost my knack. Nope. I still got it.

This has nothing to do with anything but it made me laugh: 

The Experiment

 My new stove has a multipurpose oven, and one of the things it does is dehydrate. Now, I have never tried dehydration before but decided to give it a go. The one thing that I decided is that when I run the dehydrator, the oven will be full. So I use both racks and even put a smaller baking sheet on the bottom of the oven, and then I run the dehydrator over night. The oven keeps at a steady 150 degrees.

When I wake up, everything is done. The house is also warmed on these chilly mornings. Double duty, there!

This is my first experiment. 

This jar is about 1.5 quarts. Unbelievably, this jar contains 3 lbs of carrots, 3 lbs of celery, six large Vidalia onions, at least 4 trays of dehydrated tomatoes, zucchini, summer squash, corn, green beans. I just dehydrated whatever I found on sale, produce wise or whatever came from the garden. If I had part of a onion left over from whatever I was cooking, I just diced it up and put it on a parchment covered baking sheet. It was a great way to use up the last of the garden, when things were winding down, not enough to make a meal, but too much to waste.

It is my soup jar. I have tried this. I had made a little venison roast. I saved the broth from it. I chopped up the meat and dropped it back into the crock pot of broth. I added a half cup of dehydrated vegetables and enough water to cover it. I let the crock sit over night in the fridge and then popped it back into the crock pot on low the next morning. I added a handful of barley and let it go.

That evening, we had our bowl of venison-vegetable-barley soup. Tim said, 'This is good.' I said that I had used the dehydrated vegetables. He said, 'Really??? They don't taste any different from regular vegetables!'

He is a convert. He tells everyone.

I have been dehydrating potatoes too. We bought a 50 lb bag. 

This is a two quart container. You can see that it is about 2/3 full. This is 10 lbs of potatoes. I will do another 5 lbs tonight. My thoughts were to use them for scalloped potatoes. If they pass Betty Crocker's scrutiny, there is no reason it shouldn't work for me. 

I hunted online and discovered that there are quite a few people who swear by dehydrating.

I found an 'instant sauce mix' to use in making the scalloped potatoes. Dried milk, flour, cornstarch. Dried minced onion. Garlic powder, parsley, salt, pepper and ground mustard. 'Better than Betty's' they proclaim. 'No additives!' 

I wanted to also explain something else. You really can fall down quite a rabbit hole with this dehydrating stuff. Gz mentioned that she just braids her garlic and hangs it. We go through a lot of garlic in this house, either sautéed in olive oil and stored in the fridge or minced fresh.

This sauce recipe (and many other  dehydrating recipes) called for minced dried onion and garlic powder. I had a lot of fresh garlic and that bag of Vidalia onions. I wondered why you would buy that. If you were dehydrating, why couldn't you dehydrate those like everything else? So off I went to discover that for myself. I would call the experiment a success, but I will warn you that 3 trays of onions and one of garlic will bring you to tears! Luckily, we sleep with our bedroom door shut and windows open for the cool. By the time we got up the next morning, the tear makers were neutralized!

We will be putting these potatoes to the test on Sunday. We have company coming for barbecue. I will let you know.

This jar contains 40 ounces of fresh mushrooms. They were on sale at the grocery store, so I picked them up for dehydrating. They turned out great. I have used these already. I tossed a scoop of them into the tomato sauce I was making from the last of the tomatoes. Again,  they were (to us, anyway) indistinguishable from cooking with fresh mushrooms.

So...that is my experiment so far. I am pleased with the results. It is awfully nice to have the time to try my hand at new things.