Wrong Number

I just had the most delightful experience with a wrong number.

When my cell phone rang, I thought it was a telemarketer and answered in my usual rude manner.  The caller wanted to know who I was and I countered with "who's calling".  She went on to explain that she had just gotten a call from my number and questioned whether I might have called her by mistake.  I told her that I had not even been near my phone all morning.

I apologized for the way I answered the phone and we just started talking.  She gave me her name, I told her mine.  She lives in Staten Island.  After a while, I tried talking her into leaving NY and coming to a 55+ community.

We had a very nice conversation and wished each other a Merry Christmas.

Sears

I've been thinking about this for some time now, ever since I started watching the stock price of Sears go down and down so far that it is now worth less than $1.00.  They are expected to file for bankruptcy any day now.

It's so sad, but they brought it on themselves.  Many blame Amazon with their online shopping business plan.  They forget that it was Sears that originated shopping from home.  When Sears started, there was no internet, but there was the Sears Catalog.  Many people looked forward to the "Big Book" that came out twice a year and of course, there was the special Christmas catalog.

I had so much fun turning down corners of things I wished I had, but never did get.  It was
"window shopping" from home and I always got a good idea of my sons' wishlist.

Many say that Amazon is very innovative.  I say all they did was move the catalog from paper to the internet.  You used to be able to buy anything from the Sears catalog and now you can buy anything from Amazon.

I like the speed of ordering from Amazon, but nothing beats flipping through the colorful pages of the Sears catalog, either the big book, or the specialized Christmas wish book.

The biggest mistake that Sears made was giving up the catalog and opening so many stores, that brought about their demise, not Amazon who just updated the original Sears model.

I really miss those catalogs.

Lesson Learned

Whenever I go food shopping and buy packs of individually wrapped servings, I always empty the package and put the pieces in the freezer.  Usually, this works very well, I can see what is in the package and cook accordingly.
 
The other day while rummaging through the freezer I found some frozen fish, without a label.  I knew it wasn't salmon since it was white, but I didn't know what it was, there was nothing on the label.  I guess they thought their customer was intelligent enough to know what kind of fish it is if they don't keep it in the original packaging..

I had a vague recollection of looking at halibut, so I decided that's what it is.  Now I had to find a recipe for halibut.  I went online and found one - Halibut with Balsamic Glaze.  I even had all the ingredients - halibut (I think), balsamic vinegar, honey (even though it's almost solid) and garlic.  It was so easy and quick. I tried it.  It was very good and I will definitely make it again.

AND the next time I empty a package of frozen fish, I will definitely make note of what it is if it's not salmon.

MIRACLE IN THAILAND

I don't have too much to add to that except that it truly is a miracle.  I didn't follow the story too much in the beginning, because as a mother I worried.  First I worried that they would never be found, then that they were given false hope along with the food.  Then I heard how difficult it was for the rescuers to enter the cave, then to leave the cave with the boys.  Today, the last boys and their coach were safely removed.

Thank you to the international community of navy seals for all their work and skills.  And, thank you God for giving them the skills to do this work.

Happy Independence Day.

I remember many Independence Day celebrations, but one that sticks out in my mind is July 4, 1976.  That was the bicentennial and my boys were 5 and almost 2.  Everyone had fireworks and when the sun went down, there was quite a show a few blocks away.

We might have had a block party that year, I'm not sure.  What I do remember is that one of our neighbors found a way to teach the children  the real meaning of the day.  When the sun went down, she brought out a birthday cake with sparklers and written on the cake was, "Happy Birthday America".  It really brought home the meaning for the celebration for the children and was a good reminder for us adults.  Thank you Maureen for reminding us what it's all about.

So, now I'll say it - Happy Birthday America!

Weight

For as long as I can remember, I've been concerned about my weight.  When I was younger, all I needed to lose was 10 pounds.  Sometimes I wish I weighed now what I weighed back then when I thought I was fat.  Since I retired, weight has really been an issue.

When I first moved into this community, I exercised every day for about an hour, but I never lost a pound.  I know, for me, exercise isn't the answer.  Portion control is.

Today though I found something good about being overweight.  I decided it was time to  break down all the boxes in the garage and tie them up for recycling.  Several of them did not break down into manageable sizes.  I discovered when I bent them in ways they weren't meant to bend that, if I stood on them, it was much easier to make manageable sizes.  My extra pounds  crushed the cardboard making it easier to tie them up.

I'm sure if I were at the proper weight for my height, that wouldn't have worked, but that should not be an excuse for filling my plate.  After all, how often do I have large boxes to tie up and recycle.

COOKING

People who know me, know that I really like to cook.  I also like to collect cookbooks.  It's almost embarrassing to admit that I have over 200 books in my collection.  I keep telling myself that's enough, stop buying.  But then, I hear about the latest by the Ina Garten or Martha Stewart or The Pioneer Woman and I'm off to the store for a new book.  I also buy a book when I travel.  After my first trip to France, I learned my lesson - make sure the book is written in English.

I'm also a bit of a nerd when it comes to my cookbooks.  I have made an Excel spreadsheet with an inventory of my books, when and how I got them and some of the recipes I tried and any comments.

I was checking my inventory this morning looking for a recipe for scallops that I had recently and really enjoyed.  Fortunately, I found it quickly, along with two other recipes that I hadn't remembered trying.  They too were very good, now I have a decision to make - which recipe for scallops should I make today.

I then checked through this inventory and found so many recipes that I had tried and enjoyed and didn't remember.  I had gotten into a rut with the same old meals day after day.  No wonder cookies and chips are looking so good to me.

Now that I've been reminded of the treasure trove of recipes, look out world, the cook is back!

Kindness and Old Friends

I just finished perusing my May issue of Woman's Day.  I like to just go through it on the first day, then go back and read the articles and recipes.

This month there was an article, Be Kind Every Day which made me think and sit down and read.  This article gave ideas for each day in May for us to be kind.  Among them were offering to drive a neighbor to an appointment, helping a non-tech savvy friend with their computer, taking a walk and picking up litter, etc.

This article made me think about ways that I can help brighten the day for someone.  It also made me think about a co-worker at AIG, Esther.  Esther would greet me everyday with not just "Good morning", but she also found something to compliment, such as 'Your hair looks great", or "That color looks good on you", etc.  It was always a pleasure to see Esther in the morning.

We kept in touch for a while after I retired, but with all the changes at AIG and my laziness, we lost touch.  I have many good memories of my days at AIG and the friends I made there and still see.  I think I'll try to find and get back in touch with Esther.

How Does Gibbs Do It?

Any long time fan of NCIS knows that Gibbs, aka Mark Harmon, builds boats in his basement.  Well, today I did the equivalent.

I recently purchased a new patio set - loveseat, coffee table, two chairs.  Of course, like almost everything you  buy these days, some assembly was required.  The weather here has been very unpredictable and I couldn't leave the boxes outside, so I had them put in the kitchen.  I now have two very big boxes sitting in the kitchen.

This morning I decided to put the chairs together.  Before I could do that, I had to open the box, that was a struggle.  I don't know what kind of glue they used, but it really held tight.  When I finally got to the pieces, I decided that I could do this.  After all I have put bookcases, bar stools and my desk chair together.  I didn't want to use my coffee table hold the pieces together since it has a glass top.  I decided it would be a very good idea to assemble the chair in my bedroom, using the bed as a table.  Nothing could get scratched or broken if I rested the arm of the chair on it while assembling the seat.

I moved everything into the bedroom and the assembly went smoothly, maybe too smoothly.  It was time to put it outside.

To my surprise, even though this house is designed for a senior citizen, the doorways are not unusually wide.  I couldn't get the chair through, no matter how I angled it.  I think, if there was not a wall there, it probably would have fit, but I'm not ready to knock down a wall.

Back to the bed to remove all the screws and bolts.  Even after I took one of the arms off, it still didn't fit.  Back to the bed to remove the other arm.  Finally, I was able to get it through the doorway with two pieces connected.

I gathered all the hardware and pieces and went out onto the patio.  I must add that I live on the corner and it gets windy and the temperature today was 41 degrees.

Fortunately, since this was the second time I was assembling the chair, I knew what to do.  It was a little hard since I had nowhere to sit, but I DID IT!  The chair is now fully assembled, but it's too cold to work on the other one.

So, now I still have two large boxes sitting in the kitchen waiting to be assembled.  I know I can do it, but I may get help with the loveseat since the box weighs about 70 lbs. and I don't know how I could maneuver the box to even open it.  But I will wait until it warms up a bit, I wouldn't ask anyone to work in the cold.

I guess when Gibbs wants to move the boat, he disassembles it and puts it together at water's edge.

Rightg to Try

I just heard that the Right to Try bill has passed the House and will go to the Senate soon.  Of course, it was opposed by many democrats.  For those of you who have not heard about this bill, here is a short explanation.  It allows a terminally ill patient who is near death to try experimental drugs which have been tested but not approved by the FDA and it absolves the drug companies of any liability if it fails to work.

I can't understand why there should be any argument against this bill.  After all, many lawmakers approve of assisted suicide.  If you can have medical personnel help you die, why can't you use an unapproved medication to ease your pain or give you a few days more of life.

If a woman has a right to control her body via abortion, why can't this same woman take unapproved medication to ease pain or get a few more days of life.  After all, this would not affect anyone else unlike abortion.

Personally, I believe this is a good idea.  If I were terminally ill, I would try anything to live longer, even if for one day.

Here's a Little Good News

Radio, TV and newspapers have been full of bad news lately, but now it's time for something a little lighter.

Recently I wrote about having to euthanize my cat, Burnie, of about 16 years.  He was one half of the team of Crash and Burn. My friends, some of whom took care of them whenever I travelled, have asked how Crash was doing.

I'm happy to report that she is doing well, maybe a bit too well.  I swear, if she could dance, she would be doing a "happy dance".  I have made a few changes to make her feel a little better.  I discovered that she does not like to eat alone, so I bring her dish into the living room so she has some company while she eats.  While I'm preparing her food, she runs laps around the island until I produce her food dish.

After she eats, she has me trained to refill her water dish.  She meows and I get up and give her fresh water.  She doesn't like to drink water that has been in her dish for more than one hour.

A few months ago, I discovered that she was not ignoring me, she couldn't hear me.  I could whisper that it was snack time, Burnie, as sick as he was, would pick up his ears and wander into the kitchen while she would just sit there until she saw the food.  Because she's deaf, if she can't find me, she will howl.  After she woke me up two nights, I now keep her in the bedroom with me, with the door closed so she will see me during the night and won't disturb my sleep.  That is something I can't tolerate.

When Burnie was alive, she would meow so I would let her into the spare bedroom and close the door.  She would stay there, sleeping, until she got hungry or had to use her litter box.  Now, she is spending more time with me, sleeping and resting her head on my leg.

So, yes, Crash is doing well.  About as well as a 17 year old, hyper-thyroid, deaf  cat can do.  And I'm glad.  She is a good companion and very good at training her (dare I say) owner.

Not Again

It's been a week since the horrible shooting in Florida.  There have been many suggestions on how to prevent another.  Yes, we should look ahead and look into ways to prevent another. 

But, we need to look back, what signs were missed and many factors are to blame.  First, part of the problem is the design of the school.  Many, many years ago when I went to school, schools did not sprawl out, they were built up.  We had heavy brass doors, there were no students on the first floor, an intruder would have trouble entering the school, if he did get in, he would have been stopped  before going any further.

We've all heard how the FBI and police failed to follow up on calls.  I hadn't realized that the weapon used could be purchased by an 18 year old, but that same child couldn't buy a handgun.  The right to purchase  a gun should not be on a sliding scale - one age for one type, another for another type and that age should be 21 for all.

There have been many suggestions made to ensure our children are safe - arm teachers, armed security guards, better background checks, etc.  Very few people have suggested metal detectors.  Of the suggestions, I think metal detectors are the best solution.  I know, it is sad to think that our children have to go through them just to get to class, I did too at one time.  Several years ago I was doing some volunteer work through my church in Queens with teenagers.  The topic of metal detectors came up and I said that I thought it was so sad.  All four of the boys in the group said that they were glad they were there, it made them feel safer.

Right now, everyone is angry.  No decision should be made in anger.  Maybe in the meantime, we should cool down and look at all the alternatives before any decisions are made.  Maybe we should emphasize and encourage more respect for life.

Lost and Found

Shortly  before Burn died, I ordered tons of cat food from Amazon.  I thought I'd give the cats a treat and ordered some new flavors.  Well it turns out that Crash doesn't like the new food and I'm wasting a lot of food by using the 6 oz cans.

Today, I went to Petco to buy some smaller cans and a lid for the larger can.  While I was there, I decided to see if Crash was willing to play.  I bought a laser light on a spider on a string attached to a stick.

I paid for everything and carried the bag of food and the toy to the car in the parking lot.  When I got home, the toy was nowhere to be found.  I checked the bag several times, checked the car.  It simply wasn't anywhere.  Reluctantly, I got back in the car and drove about four miles to Petco.  When I got out of the car, I even looked all over the parking lot.  I took a chance and went back into the store.  A young man was at the register and I explained my problem.  I barely got the words out before he picked it up and handed to me.  There was a note attached - "Customer paid for this, it was found in the parking lot."

Evidently someone found it and brought it into the store and they held it for me.  There really are some good people there.  I wish I knew who found it so that I could thank them.  All I can say is - Thank you to all those people who find something and try to return it to the owner.

Cooking

A few weeks ago when I was going through the recipes that I had cut from my magazines, I came across one for beer braised short ribs.  It sounded good so I bought a small package when I went to the supermarket.

Today I decided to make them.  I checked and rechecked the recipe and found that I didn't have all the necessary ingredients on hand.  Thanks to my experiences at Cooking By the Book, I have the confidence to make substitutions.

I only had 1 1/4 lbs of short ribs instead of the 3 lbs called for, but that's not unusual, I often halve a recipe.  If I didn't, I'd be eating the same meal for days and days.  Then I discovered that I didn't have any potatoes on hand.  Oh well, I'm not fond of potatoes anyway.  I started browning the short ribs and peeling the carrots.  Instead of the two carrots called for, I used five, after all I didn't have any potatoes.  I always have onions in the refrigerator, but since I was halving the recipe, I used one onion instead of the two called for.  Of course, I didn't have any stout beer on hand, so I used a can of light beer.

I put the browned meat and the carrots, onions, beer and 14 oz. of beef stock into the slow cooker on high for five hours.  After an hour, I decided that it looked a lot like soup, so I added 1/4 cup of barley.

At dinner time, I opened some wine.  My philosophy is that I must have a glass of a favorite wine whenever I'm trying a new recipe.  That way, if the recipe turns out badly (as some have in the past), I'll still have something enjoyable.

It turned out to be a good soup.  Since there wasn't much meat on the bones, I ate the whole thing for dinner and I really didn't need the wine, but I did drink it.  It was good too.

Burnie - 2002-2018

It’s almost 16 years since a frisky yet cute black and white kitten saw the open door of my home when my son was going out.  This kitten wanted a good home, so he simply walked in.  And stayed.  He stayed until my son died and I sold the house and took him and Crash to live with me.

We had some interesting times Crash and Burn and I.  Crash is a princess and Burn or Burnie was just Burnie.  If there was mischief to be found,  Burnie found it.  There were some things he could never seem to learn.  It is much easier to jump onto the seat of a chair than it is to claw your way up the back of the chair and jump into the seat from the top.  Ladders are for people, not cats.

One day shortly after I moved into this house., I expected a furniture delivery.  I made sure both cats were locked up before I opened the door.  I knew they were safe, but after the delivery, Burnie was nowhere to be found.  I looked all over for him, even walked around the block searching for him.  Hours later, I heard several faint “meows”.  I followed the sound and discovered that he had opened the door under the sink and probably went to sleep.  When he woke up, he couldn’t open the door and was calling for help.

His last few years were filled with doctor and hospital visits.  He was diagnosed with diabetes and a year or two later cured.  It seems that cats have an ability to reverse diabetes.  Then, a growth was discovered in his bladder.  It didn’t pose a problem for a while except that he stopped using the litter box, an annoying habit that I tried unsuccessfully to break.  The last few months he grew weaker as the cancer grew stronger.  This past month, he began having several bouts of bleeding.

Even though I knew that he would never get better, I kept postponing this day.  I am pro-life, I didn’t want to “pull the plug” on him.  This weekend I accepted the fact that his illness was taking over.  He moped around the house and yesterday didn’t eat.  After much back and forth with myself, I made the decision I kept putting off.

This morning I took him to the vet to be euthanized.  In true Burnie spirit, he went out kicking and screaming.  This cat who didn’t seem to mind twice a day shots of insulin objected loudly when the doctor tried to administer the medication.  He also protested when she gave him a sedative.  As the sedative was taking effect, he did his “about to throw up” howl and proceeded to return the little bit of food he had eaten today.  At that point, I decided to leave.  I’d rather remember his fighting spirit.

I’m so glad he walked into the house that day and I’m doubly glad that I decided to take him a few years after that.  We had some wonderful times, lots of laughs, especially when we would bury him in wrapping paper on Christmas morning, or when he would chase the sound of the geese when they flew over the house, or when he would be looking out the window waiting for me to return from an errand or trip.  He also liked to “help” me with the Christmas lights.  I rewarded his help by dressing him for Christmas.  

He gave me as much love as I gave him.  He had a better life than any stray cat could hope for.  He was a character.   He was a lovable cat.  I have had several cats over the last 50 years, but I never had such a lovable and curious cat. 

He will be missed. 

Snow Day

We had a little snow today, about 12 inches.  It really is very pretty and I think it will be around for a while.

The snow and the idea of being housebound for a few days brought out the cook in me.  The first thing I did was get a box of bread mix for my bread machine.  I always use a mix, yeast and I don't get along.  It never rises for me.

Then I got a pork chop out of the freezer.  I  bought a package of them from Costco about three months ago.  They are wonderful, so thick and juicy.  While there I saw a package of cubed butternut squash which I have been wanting to roast.

Then I got out my cookbook and found a recipe for a squash bake.  It looked easy enough and surprisingly I had all the necessary ingredients on hand.  I decided it would make a good side dish.

Whenever I try a new recipe, I have to have a glass of wine with my dinner.  This way, if the new dish is a disaster, at least I have something good with my dinner.  Tonight though, I didn't have my wine.  Leading up to Christmas I had lost 25 pounds and found one since Christmas.  I found that when I drink wine, my weight is up the next day and I'm trying to lose that one pound and several more.  Fortunately, my squash bake was delicious and I didn't need my wine.

It was a wonderful dinner.  Everything worked out well and I didn't even miss my wine.  The water was just fine.

I enjoyed my day.  I even sorted through the recipes I took from magazines in hopes of making them someday.  I made a list of planned dishes and a shopping list for the ingredients I don't have on hand.

I just love snowy days.