January 30 - 31, 2012 - CA
Tuesday, January 31. Today is one of our early days, it's 6:30 am and I'm having coffee, checking the news, updating the website, chatting with Tracey, making an update to the family tree - guess you could say that I'm multi-tasking. It's kind of funny because our early day means that we have to be at Ben's at 9 am. On the days that we start later, we have to be there by 10:30 - not bad hours. I just remember back to my working days (and it has been almost 10 years) when every workday started at 5:15.
Yesterday we worked on our shower project and managed to get all of the pieces of cove moulding cut to the right size. We wanted to get that part out of the way so we could return Kerry's miter saw. Now we are just waiting for some warmer weather (70's are promised for this weekend) so we can glue it in place and seal it up. We felt like a couple of dummies trying to get the angles figured out, but eventually got it. It was another case of how different we both approach these things. What Mike sees in his mind as clear cut and simple, confuses the hell out of me - and visa versa.
I saw signs of spring today; a row of Purple Leaf Plum trees on Ben's street are in full bloom - I'll try to get a photo, and while getting Charlotte up from her nap this afternoon, I heard birds chirping in the back yard - there was a flock of about 6 Robins perched in the tree. I didn't realize that robins were common in this area, but they may just be migrating through.
We had some real treats today for lunch; Jill's Chicken and Wild Rice soup and Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies and Ben's Buttermilk Cake - I have never had anything quite like it - it was made in a bread pan, a bit more dense than a pound cake, and it had a hint of lemon from bits of the rind - DELICIOUS!
So long to January.
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January 23 - 29, 2012 - CA
Monday, January 23. It's been a cooking day for me, starting with a trip to the grocery store to get what I needed. Then I chopped, browned, and cooked a big pot of Chain Gang Chili for tomorrow nights dinner with Ben and Jill. I gathered all of the ingredients for cornbread together to take along too.
Chain Gang Chili
1/4 cup bacon fat
2 large onions
8 medium garlic cloves
8 fresh jalapeno peppers -- minced
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 1/2 pounds beef chuck
2 teaspoons salt
5 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 can plum tomatoes, crushed and drained
4 cups beef broth
2 cans dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
Cook together first 4 ingredients
Brown meats.
Add remaining ingredients. Cook 1.5 hours. Taste. Refrigerate
overnight. Thicken with fat skimmed from the top and corn meal, if
necessary.
I then found some time to work on my latest craft project - a pair of knit socks. It's been so long since I've knit anything, I had to find an instructional video on You Tube to re-learn how to cast on the stitches. After a knitting a practice piece and to test the gauge, I got started and so far, so good. To complicate things a bit, they are knit with 4 needles in the round - nothing like a challenge to keep one's mind active.
And then I started to fix dinner - an easy baked chicken, sweet potato and beets.
Thursday, January 26. The managers were at our door this morning, delivering an electricity bill for $22. I was a bit afraid that it would also include a warning to nix the electric space heater but it was only a bill for usage above their allowed amount of $60. Their rules brochure states that space heaters are not allowed but we are overlooking that rule - our use is conservative and we are religious about unplugging it before going anywhere.
Our last 2 days with Charlotte were pretty uneventful other than her resisting her naps yesterday. I'm hoping that she slept through the night for Ben and Jill. Jill had a large gap in her schedule yesterday, so she picked up sandwiches for lunch and we were able to all go for a nice afternoon walk before she had to head back to work.
Saturday, January 28. It's hard to believe that January is winding down once again. The clock keeps on ticking and with all of the recent events that have happened with friends and family's health issues, I guess we have to appreciate and make the best of every day that we have. I'm led to say this because of a recent update regarding our friend Paul who had a stroke a couple of weeks ago. Progress is being made, but in very tiny increments and there is still no clue as to what his recovery might be. Our hopes and prayers go out to him and his family every day.
We spent the night at Ben and Jill's on Friday so they could have a night out with friends. All went well with Charlotte - I was expecting to have to soothe her back to sleep around 9:30 but she just slept right through until her usual 4:00 wakeup.
Ben made a great breakfast for us and then we headed home. Naturally, neither of us slept that well last night, so naps were in order for this afternoon - in fact, I don't think we made it until after noon.
Sunday, January 29. This morning, we got a text from Ben saying that Charlotte slept all the way through until 7 this morning - lucky for them. I'm hoping this is the start of a new sleep pattern and wondering how that will affect our days with her. It's so much fun to see these new developments - just like all of my friends that already have grandchildren have been telling us for years.
We got a few chores done and then took a walk over to Trader Joe's to pick up a couple of things for dinner and take advantage of the beautiful day. I found a recipe for roasted sweet potato and pineapple that sounded good and I thought it might be good with ham. Unfortunately, there was not a bit of ham to be had, so I got a couple of beef tenderloins instead.
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January 16 - 22, 2012 - CA
Monday, January 16. It is a chilly morning and the weather folks tell us it's going to get colder and the rain is on it's way. I actually managed to get in a 20-minute Walk Away The Pounds workout this morning - I've got to be better about that - it may help me to feel better. My body has been feeling pretty old lately and it could be because I'm not getting enough exercise other than my usual walking and stretching. I'm going to try to do better.
I went to San Rafael to the Goodwill store this morning and probably won't go back there again - nothing but clothes and not a very clean store. The Goodwill's in Mesa are clean and bright, the clothing is neatly arranged by size and color. From there I went to Molly Stone's for meat and produce and then to Trader Joe's for the rest of the stuff. I managed to spend less that $100 this week - we will see if I got enough to last the week.
Tuesday, January 17. Oh my, it is only 33 degrees this morning and our panel indicates our propane tank is empty. It's a good thing that I checked it yesterday and we have more than a quarter of a tank left. Since we only turn it on to take off the chill in the morning or when we get home in the evening, it should last us a few days. We will have to be conservative but during a cold spell is not a good time for that. Grrrr.
Thursday, January 19. Our Wednesday was a good day, starting and ending later than usual. Charlotte wasn't quite as cooperative with naps today, but she did get some short ones in. I made a pot of Sausage and Kale Soup - a first attempt at this one and I think it is a keeper:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
5 white potatoes (1 1/2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
3 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 bunch kale (12 ounces), stemmed and shredded
12 ounces smoked chicken sausage, cut into 1/2-inch half moons
(I used a spicy smoked Portuguese sausage)
In a large pot (6 to 8 quarts), heat oil over medium. Add onion and cook until soft, stirring, 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic and red-pepper flakes; cook unti fragrant, 1 minute. Add potatoes and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer until potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
In a blender, puree half the soup. Return to pot; add kale and sausage. Simmer until kale is wilted, 10 to 15 minutes.
This morning when I woke up, the rain had started so it was time to pull out the raincoat. Fortunately, Frisco doesn't care for the rain any more than I do, so he doesn't dawdle when it comes time to take care of his business. Since I didn't get a walk in, I pulled out the Walk Away The Pounds CD again - I think my body is appreciating the workout.
It seemed like a good day to put the ingredients for a beef stew in the slow cooker and it sure made the house smell good all day, and then it hit the spot when it came time to eat.
We went to Home Depot today to pick up the supplies that we need for re-caulking the base of the shower. The manager here has lots of experience with RV's and mobile homes and suggested that we put some plastic cove moulding between the floor and wall, then seal it up good with silicone - sounds like a good approach to us. The plan was to do the project this weekend, but rain is still in the forecast, so it won't be a good time, as we want to be able to keep the windows open for ventilation. Since we borrowed a miter saw from Ben's friend, I think we will try to get the pieces cut to the right length and then do the gluing another day when we can have the windows open.
Friday, January 20. Big News! Charlotte rolled over! We knew that it was coming because Jill saw her do it on Wednesday and again yesterday. Now she's a pro and she gets an expression on her face like she knows exactly what she's doing. We're happy!
Tonight, the motorhome is rocking and rolling, and its not because of any activities that Mike and I are doing. It's been raining all day again and it became really windy this afternoon. We're not used to driving in this stuff - it takes both of us to watch for pedestrians (seems like they all are wearing black), bicyclists, motorcycles, zip cars, and all that other stuff. What a busy place this is.
Our motorhome also shrunk by about 50 square feet when we realized that the wind was causing a leak on the ceiling of our slide-out, just above where Mike sits with his computer and he discovered a few drops of water falling on it. We think that the high winds were blowing the heavy rain under the awning that usually protects the slide-out. We pulled it in, reducing our living space but we also reduced the rocking and stopped the leaking. It was close to bedtime anyway.
Sunday, January 22. It's the end of another week - they are disappearing so fast these days.
I got all of the old caulk and silicone off from the base of the shower yesterday and it wasn't quite as yucky a job as I thought. The worst part was contorting my body so I could sit on the floor to work - bending over and reaching from outside the shower just wasn't going to do it. It was pouring out all day, so the windows couldn't be left open - Mike put a temporary sealant of duct tape on - now we really look like trailer trash - but it will work until we do the more permanent fix.
Mike also attempted to replace the rocker switch that lights when we turn on our water heater (it's on a panel with our other level indicators; black and gray tanks, propane, fresh water). Naturally, the replacement switch is a little different than the original and it didn't work - he decided to do some more research on it, so he put the old one back on - it didn't work. In fact, nothing on the indicator panel worked any more. We were both getting pretty upset when he realized that he had blown a fuse - as soon as he reset the breaker - the old switch and the panel worked again! Yeah, Mikey saved the day!
Ben and Jill invited us to come over to watch the Giants versus 49ers game this afternoon and to have dinner with them. Those two really are great cooks. They made fresh cinnamon rolls this morning and they had just come out of the oven shortly before we arrived - the apartment smelled soooo good. Just the thought of homemade cinnamon rolls brought back memories from my childhood of my Mom and my Aunt Eleanor's rolls. MMMMM! MMMMM! MMMMM! For dinner, Jill made a creamy spinach lasagna, Caesar salad, and sourdough bread - all very tasty. In between all of the cooking, we played with Charlotte and watched the game - the 49ers lost by a field goal in overtime. The super bowl game will be the same 2 teams that played last year - the New England Saints and the New York Giants - do I care? Nope - I was hoping it would be the Green Bay Packers and the San Francisco 49ers. Oh well.
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January 9 - 15, 2012 - CA
Monday, January 9. Today is Owen's 2nd birthday and it is still so sad thinking about that poor little guy who never made it past his 9 months in the womb and his poor parents that have to live with that memory every day. We should be celebrating today and he should be testing our patience, going into the terrible two's. Mike said it so well this morning, "we're reflecting on the past and looking forward to the future".
After having a nice breakfast and doing a few chores this morning, we headed out on a drive to explore nearby China Camp State Park. It was a beautiful along the shore of the San Pablo Bay. It's history is that of a thriving Chinese shrimp-fishing village in the 1880s. Nearly 500 people, originally from Canton, China, lived in the village. In its heyday, there were three general stores, a marine supply store and a barber shop. Today, only a few run down buildings and a shoddy looking wooden pier remain. For $5.00 you can park your car and walk around the village but dogs were not allowed, so we opted to snap a few photos from the car and drive on.
From there, we headed north on 101 for a short distance and drove a loop to the west on Lucas Valley and Nicasio Valley Roads. It was a perfect Miata drive with lots of hills and curves, through the picturesque California farmland and dark, mossy, Redwood forests. And then we headed back on Sir Francis Drake through the small towns of Fairfax, San Anselmo, Kentfield, and Ross. You just can't help but notice the difference between here and other cities - you just don't see strip malls full of big box stores along the main streets. Each these towns looks much like they probably did back in history with bustling downtowns full of small independent shops and restaurants, rather crowded and busy.
When we got back to town, we made a stop for dog food and then to the Honda dealer to get windshield wiper blades (much needed around here on those foggy days). Mike was really disappointed to learn that the blades that were on it were not Honda parts and he couldn't just replace the rubber blades but had to buy the whole units for $68. It was probably a wise investment and will help with our visibility.
Thursday, January 12. I opened my email this morning, only to find that a dear friend of ours, Paul, has been hospitalized in Phoenix because of a hemmorhage/stoke and was bleeding from the brain stem. It sure doesn't sound good - our thoughts and prayers are going out to Paul and Karen.
While walking Frisco, I made a call to my cousin, Jonnie, to see how things are going with Marty, and that was bleak news - the poor thing is just wasting away but is still clinging to life - damned Ovarian Cancer. Jonnie continues to care for her with the help of nurses from Hospice 24 hours a day.
The good part of the day has been its beautiful weather - so nice that when we went for a walk this afternoon, we had to take our hoodies off because it was so warm.
On Tuesday morning, I went to Sublime to get a haircut (feel's great to have a Jill haircut again) and Mike stayed with Charlotte. She woke up cranky, needed 2 diaper changes, and wasn't really happy with her bottle - poor Mike was a bit frazzled when I got back. She continued to be out of sorts and not feeling good most of the day - we are attributing this to the immunizations that she got on Monday. Yesterday was better, but she sure wasn't as happy or as active as she usually is.
Friday, January 13. I can't believe I paid the rent for our third month here this morning. The time is flying so quickly.
Today was a good day with Charlotte, although quite busy. It was house cleaning day, so we were all ready to leave when the crew arrived. Unfortunately, Charlotte wasn't interested in the bottle that I tried to give her just before their arrival - she toyed with it, chewed on it, jabbered, looked around, and was just not interested. We headed for Golden Gate Park, parked the car near a waterfall and a pond full of ducks. I offered her the bottle and she still refused it, so we set off on a walk. As we were heading back to the park bench near the car, she started to fuss, so I propped up the bottle so she could eat as we walked (probably not the best thing to do but it kept her from fussing). She finished eating (almost an hour off schedule) and was then quite content to watch the activities around the pond. She is definitely a girl that likes to be outdoors.
Saturday, January 14. I've been both dreading and hoping for this day to come. Our dear friend, Marty, passed away this morning after suffering from the effects of Ovarian Cancer for well over 2 years. I believe she suffered long before it was even diagnosed - and that is the trouble with that "hidden" cancer. And then several bouts of chemotherapy knocked her down for long periods. For the last couple of months her quality of life has been on the decline and because she had such a young, 55 year old heart, it kept her going.
Marty was such a strong-hearted gal who didn't get off to the greatest start in life, but she was one who made the best of it. She usually looked at the bright side of life, loved music, wolves, dogs, cats, and Nascar races. She found love and happiness and compatibility in her best friend and life partner, Jonnie for the last 25 years. And Jonnie stood by her and cared for her, never leaving her side right to the end. You will be sadly missed, Marty.
Sunday, January 15. It's been a pretty quiet, lazy day - kind of chilly outdoors although it's still sunny. I spent most of the day working on my latest crochet project - a hat and sweater for Charlotte. Hope it fits and looks as cute on as it does off.
The Packers just lost to the Giants 37-20 and they had home field advantage and really should have gotten this one. It's a sad day. We're headed to Ben and Jill's for pork sandwiches and his homemade banana bread - Yum!
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Sunday, January 1 - CA
Happy New Year Everyone! For us, 2011 wasn't a bad year as we were still able to traipse around the country visiting family and friends, spent some time at our home in Arizona, stayed pretty healthy, and welcomed our grandbaby Charlotte to the world. It was also a sad one, as we said goodbye to Jill's sweet brother Casey and many of our friends have suffered from ill health. So --- we look forward to whatever 2012 will bring our way.
None of us got a lot of sleep last night, but that's what happens when you are up late regardless. We sure didn't have any crazy, wild celebrations.
After Charlotte settled in for her morning nap, Jill and I took the dogs for a nice walk - its a beautiful sunny morning and the temps are supposed to rise to the upper 60s. When we got back home, Ben and Mike were making a delicious breakfast of eggs with spinach and feta cheese, bacon, and toast. MMMMMMM!
We left them shortly after so they could get on with their usual weekend chores and we went home to be our usual lazy selves - that is, after a short walk with Frisco in the warm sunshine.
Monday, January 2. What a great way to spend the day, meeting up with old friends. Jim and Diane drove in from Yuba City and we met at Fisherman's Wharf, moseyed along the wharf watching people, listening to music, checking out a few shops, and then having a very nice lunch at Scoma's on Pier 39. Since it is Dungeness Crab season, Mike had crab cakes, Diane and I had Shrimp and Crab Louie, and Jim, who is not a seafood lover, chose a BLT. We all agreed that we made excellent choices on food and had some wonderful conversation.
Wednesday, January 4. The last 2 days were spent with Charlotte and went quite well. It seems that we are settling in together and sticking pretty closely to a schedule so the days haven't been stressed too much. Not only that, she is so much more aware of her surroundings and able to spend a little more time in her bouncy chair. All is good with Charlotte.
Saturday, January 7. Happy Birthday (yesterday), brother Randy!
It's a beautiful day here in Marin County - sunny and about 63 degrees. After giving the house a good cleaning, we spent an hour or so just sitting outdoors in the sunshine - relaxing and reading books.
We just got back from a walk to Trader Joe's to pickup a couple of bottles of wine, just so we don't run out before the next grocery run. You know, a glass of red wine is very good for the old ticker - so they say.
Our Thursday off was uneventful. We did check out a couple of thrift stores in nearby Larkspur and Corte Madera, but they were both kind of junky, so really didn't find anything of interest. Friday with Charlotte was another good day.
Sunday, January 8. I got busy first thing this morning putting a pork tenderloin in the slow cooker for pulled pork sandwiches later this afternoon. Jill and Ben dropped Ruby off before they headed to the coast to spend some family time at Point Reyes, a special place to them.
I took Ruby and Frisco for a nice walk - it's another beautiful day. Then it was off to Trader Joe's to stock up on groceries again. I baked a chicken for use in a recipe that we could share with Ben and Jill later on this week. They stopped here on their way home and had some dinner with us, then scurried back to the city to get Charlotte to bed. Charlotte did well on the adventure with a long drive in the car, quite a bit of hiking and a stop at their favorite Oyster restaurant. She got her naps in and stuck pretty close to her normal schedule
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Created on 01/01/2012 07:35 PM by bridge
Updated on 02/17/2012 11:59 AM by bridge
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