TRY SHOPPING WITH A TALL PERSON

 Don't get me wrong, Monte doesn't ever mind helping people with pretty much anything.  Right now he is playing taxi to half of Port.  This really is a most dysfunctional town. I understand that when you make fifteen bucks an hour, or if you are on disability (which half this town is, whether they qualify or not)...speaking of which, I interrupt myself here. 

 All you have to do to get on to disability is come to Port.  Set up a really cheap living spot...nasty motel room, someone's dirt floor basement, tent in the bush, and have a 'panic attack' and tell the doctor you suffer from anxiety.  Boing boing you are qualified for disability.  The toughest part of it all is all the paper work, but just give Pat a call.  He will tell you exactly how to do it.  And next thing you know you get 1400 bucks a month delivered to your bank account.

Anyway, as you can imagine when you make that amount of money, and at least 700 goes to rent, 400 goes to pot, 200 to food, the left over 100 does not leave enough to run a vehicle.  And that is where Monte comes in.

Back when his van wasn't running and he was driving my truck, only Pat had the cojones to phone him for rides.  But now that he is back in his own vehicle he is open game.  Plus two of his friends, the ones that work and drive are N drivers and both have lost their licenses for some time for silly driving.  So not one of his friends and/or acquaintances drives.

  At least he now charges them for gas.  There was a time when he didn't.  I do believe that coincided with when I was buying the gas.  But now that he pays for his own gas he collects from everyone.  I do help out with gas at times though as he does all my running around for me.

Anyway, back to the shopping with a tallun'.  Every time we go into a store, someone always asks him to lift something from way up high or really heavy for them.  I remember we were in the very back of Walmart recently.  This old lady, who didn't have the smarts to bring a shopping cart with her, called him over and had him lift a fifty pound bag of dog food and carry it all the way up to the check out!  She was in the middle of asking him to wait with her and carry it out to her car when the clerk, overhearing this, told her she would get an employee to do that for her.   It is amazing what people won't hesitate to ask. He never says no.

Middle aged women love him.  Every time we are out, they kind of flirtatiously simper up to him, cock their heads to the side and coquettishly (puke)  ask, does he mind them asking....how tall are you?  Men.  Well you can guess what they ask most.  Is your wiggly bit big too?  This he gets ticked off with and tells them to get lost.

On another note, No Frills is getting us our V8 again.  It stopped during covid, god knows why, but they messaged me the other day and asked if I was still interested.  Yes!  And yesterday Monte picked up three cases of V8 for us!  OMG!!!  I am so addicted to that stuff.  But only if it is so cold it gives you brain freeze.  But now due to it still being pretty hot out I can't put it on the deck.  And all the stuff in the spare room is going to a basement that has no storage space.   Sucks having a house with no storage.  Back in the old days when this place was built they didn't have 'stuff'.  It wasn't a problem. I should just stack them under my red wagon coffee table.  They're red.  They'll match.

Monte and I were talking the other day about how we need to stop living like it's a waiting game and embrace covid as just part of life and start up again, with a few sensible changes.  Masks, distancing etc will probably be a part of the rest of my life if not the kids. So the first thing we decided was to make a big plan to look forward to.  Cruising is out of the question, at least until they have figured out how to treat covid.  

We decided that the sensible thing to do would be to plan a loooooong road trip.  We have already started a sizeable travel fund.  First thing, I ordered three Lonely Planet Canada road trip books and some maps.  Old school paper, hard to fold maps.  We will plan sightseeing stuff in each province, starting with BC and ending on the tip of Labrador.  I want to stick my foot in the Atlantic Ocean and eat lobster. 

 I had planned to go on a trip to New York, even put a sizeable deposit on it, but after a visit to my doctor and got the realistic downlow on my hip and lower back deformities, I had to withdraw.  New York is a walking city and I just couldn't bear the thought of being 'that' person, lagging behind, possibly holding people up.  No amount of walking will improve this much she said so it is better to travel by car and pick and choose spots to go to.  We are pretty excited about it!  And I shall blog along the way and post pics.  We plan to go as soon as there is no chance of winter smacking us.  His van does NOT have 4x4.

We can't take the truck.  Believe it or not it's too small for Monte.  When he sits up properly in the driver's seat, the visor and roof cover a bit of the top of the windshield. He has to scrunch down to see everything.  And his knee crunches into the bottom of the dashboard.  Even going to Nanaimo hurts, so no long hauls for us in the jeep if he is going to do any driving.  Plus, his van is a dodge caravan, 2015. And dodge grand caravans are the most comfortable vehicles in the world.  I mean really comfortable.  Plus, contrary to what Gail thinks is safe, we will be sleeping in it on occasion.  Monte is getting what he needs for his cpap and I would sleep in that van seat any night.  We will get a foamy to lay out in the back for Monte.  We will take one rubbermaid with camp stuff, my privacy tent and necessary bucket just in case.  Man! I can't wait!

Anywhoo!  Time to get at my day.  It's almost half over and all I have done is wash my hair.  Stay safe and TTYL

I really like these next two challenges:

53.  Take yourself on a date.  Movie, dinner out, wee shopping trip, museum, art gallery...whatever floats your boat!

54.  Cook a three course meal for somebody!  I love this one.  Now that we can start socializing again, before they might lock it down again, get cooking!

Two quotes this week:

"At the end of the day, your feet should be dirty, your hair messy and your eyes sparkling."  Shanti

"Travel far enough, you meet yourself." David Mitchell

AND OFF WE WILL GO!!!!!!  LABRADOR OR BUST!!!!!!

Silk Road, VACCINES, CURRY

 I am reading a most interesting book, only one of about ten at the moment.  It is a true story about a sixty one year old retiree from Normandy, who decides to walk the three thousand mile Silk Road, from Istanbul to X'ian, China.

This book caught my attention for two reasons.  One, I have a fixation on books written in the first person about their treks on long long trails, like the Pacific Coast one, and the Appalation one.  And two, I read the book The Journeyer, by Gary Jennings.  This story was written about Marco Polo's journey to China, and the Silk Road figured greatly in it.  Plus, Bill and I have actually been on parts of the Silk Road.

Anyway, he talks about his age in the book.  He refers to his age, sixty one, as an in-between age.  That got me thinking.  In-between what and what?

I think it is this.  When you are in your fifties you are still young.  If you read about someone dying in their fifties, you go, "Oh my, tsk tsk, so young!"  If someone dies in their seventies, you go, "Oh well, I am sure he/she had a good life."  Fifties you are still young, seventies you are old.  Sixties is just confusing.... in-between.

A wee note here: for Cari.  I remember you reading the Journeyer.  I have a feeling you would love this book I am reading right now.  I am not that far into it yet but in a very short time it has totally captivated me.  He is a wonderful author.  His name is Bernard Olivier.  His book's name is Out of Istanbul: A Journey of Discovery along the Silk Road.  Soooo good! 

 I don't usually recommend books unless asked as I don't presume to know what people are going to want to read.  But I have a feeling this one just might be up Cari's alley!!!  But knowing the exciting life she leads and all her travels, she probably has already read it and Bernard is an honoured friend of theirs!  Wouldn't that be a hoot, but not totally out of the realm of possibility!!!!!

I just got off the phone with Kevin.  What an interesting hour long convo that was!!!  He is against the vaccine, for right now.  He does want to wait until Pfizer finishes the next batch of  studies on it.  Even they admitted that there were problems with it as it is now and how it messes with the auto immune system.  That is why kids under 12 and pregnant women are exempt at the moment from getting it.  When the testing is finished he will decide.  And I can totally understand and agree with that.

But the conversation somewhat centred around this latest bully tactic the government has inflicted on us.  Talk about Brave New World. One must be vaccinated to obtain a 'vaccinated passport' to enter certain places.  They are messing with our freedoms.  Can't go places, commonly used places like restaurants, nightclubs, gyms, sporting events etc.  Gotta show your papers everywhere you go.  I am feeling that this is wrong.  And I am shocked.  Our little province and country that always, ALWAYS, lowers every decision and law to the lowest common denominator...the homeless soul living behind a dumpster, has made a law that sure doesn't apply to the lowest common denominator this time.  And that passport is a first step on a very slippery slope.

My personal opinion is that a passport wasn't necessary for anything other than foreign travel to get into countries that demand it.  If the goal was to protect the unvaccinated, we should have done it organically...lock downs and masking and distancing and limiting large indoor gatherings.  But if the goal was forcing people to get a vaccine against their will, which is no doubt what they were after, then this is exactly what the bullies did.  

And I do believe that the lockdown route wasn't chosen for two reasons.  One, other bullies...restauranteurs, gym owners, nightclub owners, movie theatres....all would have had a fit, which would not make the government look too great. The economy!  The economy!!  And two, it wouldn't force people into getting vaccinated, the ultimate goals.  Which looks better?...a fully vaccinated province or a population having loud complaining fits about having to shut down.  Either way we will reach herd immunity and soon.  The more unvaccinated people that get covid the faster we reach that magic number.  This covid will just be another flu to vaccinate against every year.  And of course who are the great winners in all of this?  Big Pharma of course.

Anyway it is going to be a very interesting few weeks.  I think there is a large group of people of a certain age that are not used to having their goodies taken away.  We will see what happens!

I made the best curry last night.  I really do think it is the best I have ever made.  Monte is doing the Paleo as I mentioned.  I am trying to make a dish he can eat each night. The other day Pat gave us a smallish corned brisket.  I popped it into the crockpot along with six whole onions and a whack of small carrots.  About four hours later I added a third of a chicken broth litre and a half a can of tomato paste and Patak curry paste.  To finish it off after another hour of cooking, I added some Greek yoghurt.  Holy moly!!!  It was amazing!!!  The spices used to corn a beef is your basic pickling spice mixture.  And that is what is often used to grind up and use as masala in curries.  So the flavour of the meat totally blended with the curry.  And that is more than you ever wanted to know about my curried brisket!

Monte is off at the moment visiting a friend.  He will be home soon to pick me up.  We are going to go to QF next door and pick up a roasted chicken and a salad then head down to the Quay or marina and listen to music and have a picnic.  We love sitting down there.  Right now the fish are returning and jumping like crazy.  And a plethora of seals have showed up to chase them and eat!  Giant eagles are swooping down and flapping off with big salmon in their talons, heading home to their baby filled nests.  The world is really one big restaurant, as Woody Allen says.

I will put challenges on next post.  Stay safe and TTYL!

"If you go get a passport, it might encourage you to at least consider the world around you."  Chuck D

NAUSEA WITH A CAPITAL N

If I were younger I would think I was pregnant!  But anyone that is on metformin will understand.  It's a great drug...for type 2 diabetes.   Not great for the digestive system.  

I just put chicken adobo in my crock pot.  There are a million recipes for adobo.  This one called for soy, (I use coconut aminos), water and apple cider vinegar....equal amounts.  Then you add a whack of pickling spice.  And into that six garlic cloves and a bunch of chicken parts, I used thighs.

Now I already can't stomach chicken of any sort anymore.  But Monte is doing so well on his Paleo way of eating.  I thought I will make him some chicken he can eat.  Into the pot went.

About one hour into it the smell of the chicken and spices and marinade wafted STRONGLY through the house.  Within a short space of smelling time I had to forcibly keep myself from gagging.  OMG!!!  I am not sure if I will even be able to eat pickled beets now.  (same spice mix). I had to turn it off.  It looks like the chicken is cooked.  I have opened every door and window possible in this house to get the smell out.  I have always had a certain amount of trouble with my digestive system but it is getting to a ridiculous level lately. (shovel list)

I had a somewhat strange experience yesterday.  April came over to the Island yesterday with another friend to visit Eithne.  Eithne lives an hour away.  And yesterday they went to Coombs, twenty minutes away. I have seen April about four times in the last year and half.  And to have her twenty minutes away and not see her seemed .....  well just weird.  I could have gone to meet them but really they were having a really fun girls' week end and moms just didn't need to be there.

One awesome thing happened this last week.  As I mentioned earlier I went in for my lab work.  I didn't wait for the Dr. to call, I phoned and made the inevitable appointment. I also picked up my second shingrix vaccine.

So in I went, expecting the worst.  I never ever feel like I am doing enough for my health.  As soon as my raising kids right guilt dissipated, it was replaced by unhealthy living guilt. I don't eat right.  I don't exercise right.  I don't walk enough.  I don't drink enough water for my kidneys.  I don't use lotion for my poor dry flaking skin, a diabetics curse.  Fuckadoodle, its endless.

The first thing she told me as soon as I shut the door was how my A1C is coming down!!!  In fact it is at a level that is acceptable in Europe, 

8.  They want 5 here.  She then took my blood pressure and it was a healthy 121 over 70!!!  And, best of all, my kidney function was even better than the last time, and that is rare apparently!   And I could just feel my guilt grow wings and flap away!!!  Now I just need to get a mammogram.  Gotta make an appointment for that tomorrow.

  I also have an appointment with a TD financial planner to get my chunks of currently unworking money into short term GIC's.  Gotta get that interest I earn in my savings account up, from .5% up to 1%.  From what I see is that I have to declare that fifty dollars I might make, on my income tax.  More work than it's worth for heaven's sake.

Yesterday the power went off.  That is catastrophic in this house, or any house that has Telus tv.  Every time that happens it will absolutely involve a phone call to Telus, either the tv or the wifi won't come on again.

Yesterday it was the wifi.  And that means unplugging, plugging back in, awkward impossible to reach cords from the back of modems, or pvr's or tv's.  And if it's wifi then there will be endless typing of passwords and attempts, usually fruitless.

And that is exactly the way it went.  Eventually we got the wifi going.  Forty five minutes to get to a service person, another forty five minutes to get it working, and I still lost my 200 recorded shows and the tv works, wifi works and the pvr doesn't.  I am going to freaking have to phone them again.  Meanwhile my fave shows like Vera, Lewis, Midsomer Murders, Endeavor, Nurses, Chopped, Judge Judy (don't judge me), and more, will not get taped.  Grrrrrrrr....I really dislike Telus.  If it weren't such a kerfuffle I would switch back to cable, Shaw.

Take care folks.  I hope this makes sense, my silly little laptop is totally misbehaving!  Stay safe and TTYL.

"I am no cook.  When I want lemon on my chicken, I spray it with Pledge."   Joan Rivers

I AM SO JELLY!!!

 I really am jealous, envious, green...all the things Harlequin romances taught us not to be.  I just got off the phone with Cookie.  She is working her way back from Merritt to Surrey.  She is in Princeton now, stopped completely, waiting to inch forward to get to the highway to the lower mainland.  All the other routes are closed.

I asked her why she didn't just stay in Merritt with her family there until roads opened again.  She said she had to get home.  It's two of her grandson's birthdays and she is making the cake for the party.  Then she is off camping with one of her kids and rellies out to Chilliwack.  I think it was Chilliwack.  By the time she got to that part I was turning green with jealousy and not really hearing right.

I see Kathy sent a couple of pictures of Kamloops, and how it has cleared up enough for her to go outside.  And I would bet my last dollar she has her grandkids and will be doing outdoor fun stuff with them.  She so often is doing that.

Anne is off to Cranbrook to see her family.  They have a big house and two teenage grandchildren and a backyard pool.  She has a lot of fun down there.

Sigh.  I def have gone wrong somewhere.  Mind you I didn't know covid was going to happen.  I am pretty happy with my own company, thank goodness, but I do not have one friend in this town.  Well, I do have a couple but they aren't exactly the 'go to the local coffee shop and have coffee' types.  And Monte has made a whack of friends and just simply isn't home anymore. Which is super good for him.  He is just so happy.

So I am sitting here, taking a moment, to royally feel sorry for myself.  But I can't totally enjoy the feeling.  In the back of my head I know that feeling sorry for oneself is BAD!  So I think I will give myself a shake, knock it off and......do laundry.  Clean clothes means choices of what to wear and that makes me happy!

Monte is back on the Paleo train.  This is good.  No more going out.  Eating totally healthy is the only option and when he makes his mind up, he truly makes his mind up.  He will totally stick to it.  I just sincerely hope his meds will let him lose weight.  I worry about his heart and his poor knees.

Well we finally got the deck done.  We couldn't finish the power washing because of water restrictions (I don't know why, there is freaking water everywhere).  It looks so good out there.  Big. It is the biggest deck!!

I think I am going to sign off here.  I am just having a down day today I think.  Normally sitting in my own company for months and months on end would not get to me, but right now it is.  I think I will go to the museum.  It's a fantastic museum and I wouldn't mind seeing it again.  Better than sitting here moping, that's for sure.  Take care folks, stay safe and TTYL

Challenge:

51. Buy or find a terra cotta plant pot and paint it.  Be wild!  Then plant cacti in it!

52.  Buy some food from a food truck or street vendor.  Be adventuresome and try something new!

"It's alright to sit on your pity pot every now and again.  Just be sure to flush when you are finished."  Debbie Macomber, Mrs. Miracle

EGADS!!!! STAY OUT OF HOSPITALS!!!

 Well, that was a tad traumatic! I was up early this morning, into the shower, dressed and ready for an eight thirty appointment at the lab.

I decided to bypass Lifelabs and go to the one up at the hospital.  I have heard good and bad about that lab, but I have experienced long long long waits at Lifelabs.  And ever since they nabbed half the phlebotomists from there to work the vaccine site, they have cut the hours they are open waaaay back and you can't make appointments.

Both Kathy and Monte talked to me about hospital labs so I decided to look them up.  They make appointments!!!  I hopped onto their site and licketty split I had an appointment for the very next morning, this morning, first thing!!!  Easy peasy!!!!!  I still can't quite believe it!

Last night, due to mandatory fasting, I had my last drink of water at midnight, a really big one because my veins disappear when I don't have enough water in me.  I woke up ten times in the night with my mouth, right down to my gullet, dryer than a camel's you know what.  But I persevered and did not drink.

  I had taken two immodium so I didn't have to worry about that.  When I got up I had to p**s like a racehorse, as Spod used to say, but I held off.  I have failed in the little bottle test too many times.  I always end up having to take that little jar home and bring it back later.  I was determined that wouldn't happen this time.  (sorry about the personal info).  Off I went, desperately needing the loo and desperately needing coffee.

We have a really lovely lobby in the hospital.  As soon as I walked in, put on one of their masks, the aroma of that truly magical sublime drool worthy black elixir, coffee, floated over me.  I had forgotten that there was a wee coffee shop in that lobby.  And I don't know what it is about hospital lobby coffee shops but they have the most magnificent coffee ever.  And the aroma?  Pure torture when it isn't in your hand and isn't going to be any time soon.  

And wouldn't you know there was a women's bathroom right across from the coffee shop.  Holy jeepers!  A twofer!

As I purposefully beelined to the lab across the other side of the lobby I was brought to a screeching sudden halt by an unearthly ear splitting scream.  I mean it was panicked and loud.  And through that scream I heard a somewhat familiar sickening sound.  That is the sound of human flesh hitting the ground.

I pivoted around to see a massive amount of human flesh splayed out on the floor.  And I am talking huge!!!!  The screaming heaving mass was wearing a humungous dress, I presume it was a dress, it looked like an enormous flowered tarp.  From this I deduced this was a woman.  But the dress had flown up over her head and what was exposed was something I can't ever unsee no matter how old I grow.  I won't go into detail.  You poor folks have already had too much info and I am not done yet.

I know from past experience that there was absolutely no point in my trying to help her up.  I have been in the odd experience with fallen gargantuan people before and I know you can't get a grip on them anywhere.  Your hand just keeps sinking in.  But I could pull her dress down for her as she flailed and panicked.  Suddenly the troops arrived en masse.  They were very kind with her.  Probably afraid of being sued, after all she did fall off a four inch raised floor.  Pat did that once, hurt his ankle in the same way and same place and demanded five hundred bucks.  And got it.

Anyway they got a bunch of men together, and with a lot of heft and grunt and effort they got her into the sitting position.  But then that cow did the most crazy thing.  She started to yell and unload a verbal  barrage on the very people that were trying to help her!  She started hooping about how they were hurting her, not listening to her (like how could anyone NOT hear her), screeching every time they touched her.  She had to be nuts somehow.  I got the helly belly out of there.  I watch 600 pound life on occasion and I have noticed that those massive people not only have huge victim mentalities but entitled ones too!  How does that work?  Absolutely not one grateful bone in their bodies. Probably obliterated by a sense of failure and humiliation.

Now thankfully I entered the lab.  It is tiny.  There was hardly any room to move and there were only two tiny rooms for them to remove our blood.  And wouldn't you know it, there was a kid there.  Well actually he was more like tween, accompanied by a hover mother.  And the kid was NOT happy.  Trust me.

I was calmly handing over my stuff to the MO sitting behind six feet of safety glass, when I hear another blood curdling scream.  What the hell????  I turn toward the noise and this kid was in a full blown panicked tantrum.  I mean uncontrolled!  Jesus H that kid needed to be clocked a good one upside his head.  Holy shit!!!!!  He was kicking and biting and hitting the poor nurse person and throwing himself around in the chair.  I thought he was going to break it!  The nurse started to yell for help.  And before you could say Bob's your Uncle, half the men from the fat lady incident came busting through the door and subdued (nailed) that kid.  Meanwhile milque toast mom is saying soothing comforting gentle words to the kid in a semi whisper.  In the end they gave mom a choice.  Pin the kid down, drug him or LEAVE.  She left....with a titch of encouragement from the staff. Kid got what he wanted.

Meanwhile I still desperately needed the loo.  And a coffee.  They took me in to where the kid had been and very quickly and painlessly took three vials.  And she told me that I hadn't needed to fast!!!!  And DIDN'T NEED A URINE SAMPLE.  After all that!!!!  As soon as I left the lab I dashed to the loo and then the coffee shop.  I got a coffee and exited into my jeep and then sat there for a wee while in total silence, sipping that delicious amazing coffee.

Now I wait.  I will be getting a phone call from the doctor.  My A1C will be way too high, my kidneys will be in trouble, and my weight is too high as well.  Oh well.  (freaking shovel list)

Stay safe people, mask up and encourage peeps to get vaccinated.  TTYL

Okay I have two quotes today and I apologize in advance for both of them.

"I like fat people more than I like thin people, things are always a lot more funnier when they happen to fat people."    Lloyd Kaufman

"The second day of a diet is always easier than the first.  By the second day you are off it."  Jackie Gleason

 

 

WAS SCARED FOR A MOMENT

 I was happily passing my morning as per my usual routine, coffee, emails, facebook, news feeds....when my phone rang.  It was my colonoscopy doctor's MO calling to say the doctor wanted me to come in to talk to him.  What????  I was told he would call to confirm that there was no cancer in the polyp(s) he removed.  Why do I have to go in?

Of course I immediately panic. Just tell me over the phone for heaven's sake.  There can only be one reason I have to go in.  The results of the biopsies must not be good.  It's so damned scary.  And the last time four years ago it was def cancer, even though no one told me at the time.

  The dr. I had went on holiday immediately following my operation and I didn't hear from him until long after my stint in the hospital with an infected abscess from the operation.  Even then he downplayed it so much I didn't catch on until a year later when he called to say because of the cancer I needed another colonoscopy and an ultra sound to see if it had spread in spite of the operation.  Jeez!  And no, there was no sign of cancer at all.

Now I find out apparently there was.  I should have caught on, they took so much out of me.  And this morning my mind went to all sorts of dark places and my stomach got sick and well you know...all those scary places.

My appointment was for 1:30.  I heard Monte come upstairs and I told him and do you know what he did? He offered to go with me...or at least drive me there and wait.  I instantly felt better!  And that is what he did.

This doctor is amazing.  He came here about five years ago I think, from Fort St. John.  I went in,  trepidatiously I must say.  And he didn't keep me waiting.  He had the video of my scope on the computer screen and went through it inch by inch, explaining it all as he went.  Six pre cancerous polyps, many diverticulitis divots, and no sign of cancer at all anywhere.  I will need to get colonoscopies every year until it's all cleared up.

 The relief was palpable I tell ya.  I have been going around with an unwipe offable grin on my face.  Good thing I am still wearing a mask!  Well enough of my medical freakout.  I am just happy.

Yesterday morning I got a wonderful message from my niece Jeni from Calgary, my bro's daughter.  She was here visiting her friend Heather and her friend had to work so she was at a loose end, with four kids!  I met with her down at the quay for a couple of awesome visity kidlet hours!  What a fantastic time we had!  I think Jeni and I could talk for infinite hours!  And her kids (10 and 13) and Heather's awesome little two, twin ten year olds, were just fantastic.  They tore around and played and bugged Jeni for water, money, their own money she was holding, etc...and she was unequivocally firmly saying no, it was so delightfully funny and refreshing.  I miss kids.  Really miss them.

Then again last night Monte was in quite some distress, dizzy and light headed.  So at 9:30 pm we were off to the hospital again.  Jeez!  Four hours later, I listened to serius radio again, he was released.  It has been determined that he can't take metformin.  So home around one thirty.  So once the unknown and the fear are taken out of it he can now wait til Thursday to see his own doc.  At least it wasn't 35 degrees out this time!

Levi is coming up!!!  Levi is Austin's brother.  I have mentioned Austin a number of times.  Levi is an artist and a fave person of Monte's.  I am really looking forward to his visit.  It is going to be brutally hot again while he is here so I do believe I shall put him downstairs.  Peter will gladly share his room, seeing as how he isn't here presently and it is so nicely cold down there.  The boys will probably go swimming.

A couple of weeks ago I bought an apple peeler thingy.  I hate peeling apples.  HATE it! (hear that mom?  Hate hate hate.  Dislike just doesn't cut it). I am going to make an apple pie.  I used to make them all the time but then Bill and I got fat.

  Getting fat puts a full stop to quite a few things...apple pie being just one of them.  April told me that Myles's dad made the best apple pie she ever had.  Huh!!!!!  What???? I am compelled to make an equally good apple pie!  I heard of other things that that fabulous cook makes too...like apple sauce, chilli (I think), curried stuff....but I am going to start with the apple pie for now!  So with that in mind I bought a mixture of apples, ambrosia and Granny Smith, found the perfect recipe and I shall set to it for when Levis is here.  We will see who makes the best apple pie!!!!  (I have a feeling I am going to have to make quite a few to get equal to Gary!)

Well it's off to the lab tomorrow.  I am pretty sure my A1C, blood sugar average is going to be ridonkulously high.  Doesn't seem to matter what I do or don't eat, weight lost, the numbers just stay high.  So annoying.  I am tired of maintaining this stupid body.  I just want to get up in the morning, do my walking, eat right and all be well.

Okay enough for today.  I shall take a look at the next two challenges.  Take care peeps and don't be afraid to get vaxxed if you aren't yet.  It shall give you peace of mind.  Covid is infinitely worse than any side effect or future effect.  TTYL

Challenges:

49.  Buy (she must be rich) a weighted blanket.  Clearly she is not aware of the heat wave that is happening right now.

50.  Buy (again with the buying) a potted plant from a local nursery.  My suggestion is to get a prayer plant.  They are so amazing!  Cookie has an amazing one!  Or a spider plant.  They are hard to kill.

"The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don't want, drink what you don't like and do what you would rather not." Mark Twain

A NEW DOG!!!!

HAH!!!  I bet you thought we got another dog!!!  Hahahaha!!!!!  We did NOT!!!!  We have decided to be dog sitters for friends instead of owners.  Like I did with Emma.  But unless some dog unintentionally, on our part, wanders into our lives there will be no new dogs living here.

Nope, I am talking about hot dogs, only in this case my new dog is not a wiener.  I now use cucumbers.  We have a fantastic cucumber farm here in Port.  It is called Rage's...you may see them in your local stores.  They grow the Japanese style delicious amazing cucumbers!

I had some hot dog buns in the freezer.  We are slowly but surely using up stuff in the freezer.  But alas! I had no wieners. I then had the brilliant idea of using one of the cucumbers!  They were the right shape and size!

I slathered on a whack of mayonnaise (it's low carb), salt (lots) and pepper (made it black) and popped in a cucumber.  It was delicious!!!!  Better than a wiener!!!  Mmmmmm....next new try is going to be bbq'ed carrot.  I will steam it first then bbq it.  I shall add mustard and relish and onion to that one.  I shall let you know how that turns out.  I have to actually buy carrots first though.

On our last jaunt out we ended up in Parksville.  It was lunch time and we ended up at a Ramen place for a bowl of amazing Ramen.  Jeez that stuff is delicious.  Afterwards we were just toodling around and ended up at French Creek, a really huge mid Island marina/store/seafood purveyor.  I had read all about the seafood they sell, both fresh and frozen.  So in we went.

Well 75 bucks later, with a bag of cod two ways, fresh salmon for smoking, stuffed sole for dinner and a pretty good idea of what will be on our list next visit, we had to skedaddle home to get the frozen stuff into the freezer. (that is exactly why we need to use all the stuff that is already crowding out any space in there). Monte made up the most interesting brine, very spicy and gingery, and threw in the salmon.  He then fried up the fresh rock cod for our dinner.  I did some wee potatoes in the air fryer and cooked up some beets and asparagus.  Lovely dinner!

Yesterday he got the smoker going and popped in his very brined salmon filets.  I cooked up the stuffed sole, wild rice, dill sauce and made a greek salad.  Yet another stellar dinner!

Okay enough about food.  This is not and never will be a food blog.  I swear!  LOL!!

I had a visit from Pat right around supper time last night.  Poor Pat.  He has been in the hospital with congestive heart failure.  But he won't stay in there!  He sneaks out and goes home.  They have a fit because he has an eight thousand dollar monitor on him.  He smokes pretty heavily and can't go too long without a smoke. He gets panic attacks if he can't smoke.

Anyway, last night he asked a favour that I just couldn't fulfill and I feel like crap about that.  Pat has been a huge help to me over the years with Monte.  If it hadn't been for him that year Monte was awol, I would maybe have become an unrecoverable basket case.  I will eternally be grateful to him.

He needs an electric scooter.  He is on disability but that doesn't run to covering the rent on hugely expensive equipment.  And to rent them you need a credit card for the just in case scenarios of it going missing or getting damaged.  And of course he doesn't have a card, and he asked if I would rent it using my card for him.  And I just can't do that.  If the scooter got stolen or damaged, there is no way would he financially be able to replace it and the cost would end up on my card.  I just can't even take the chance of that.  And I feel so bad I can't help him.  He was desperate and was almost not even coherent and having trouble breathing.  Ahhhh ugly all the way around. I just feel bad.  

I just got off the phone with him.  He has managed to borrow one from a friend of a friend.  Thank goodness.  He phoned me to not only tell me that, but to thank me for saying no yesterday, it ended up saving him a lot of money and he didn't want me to feel bad about it for even one moment.  What a guy! He cares way more about others than he does for himself. He is also Port's harm reduction officer.

Well enough for today.  No challenges today and no mention of the c word.  Take care and try a cuke dog...they are pretty amazing!  Take care TTYL

'Nobelist of all dogs is the hot dog; it feeds the hand that bites it.'  Dr. Laurence Johnston Peter

MMMMMM.....PEPPER MAYO CUKE DOG

YOUR REGULAR DOG

FOOD OF THE GOD'S FOR SURE

 

SOUPITY SOUP SOUP SOUP

 Well my cabbage 'diet' soup is back on.  I haven't made any for a while now and my craving for it has not diminished one bit.  I wake up in the morning and crave that sharp spicy stuff.  As a result I was off to No Frills to get cabbage, broth, lemons and sombal olek and Napa cabbage. Which of course they didn't have.  Apparently you can't get Napa cabbage in Port.  Surprise surprise.  Sometimes I get tired of dumbing down my cooking to accommodate the lack of stuff in this town.  There is just so much I can't get my hands on here.  (shovel list)

Gads!  As I am typing away here, Hoarders is on the tv.  Now if that isn't motivation to clean out my junk I don't know what is.  And the episodes that have bugs and cats and poop and disgusting rotten stuff kind of sticks in my mind.

As I was leaving the house the other morning there was a very distinct smell coming up from the basement.  Not a good one.  It was familiar but I couldn't place it.  It was really strong and really bad.

Later when Monte got up he said, 'jeez it smells like cat urine downstairs, bad."  BINGO!!  It's been a long time since I smelled that smell and that is exactly what it was!  But how?  That smell is exactly why I do not and never will have a cat.

Then Monte remembered that Peter told him he had not shut the windows in his area downstairs. Of course Monte promptly forgot.

  There is a bush outside his window, just the kind stupid cats like to spray on to mark their territory...which I would like to point out ISN'T their territory! On a side note here it really pisses me off (no pun intended) that cat owners don't control their damned cats like people with dogs do with their dogs.  I think there should be fines for lazy cat owners like there are for careless dog people.  Clearly the ginger cat in this neighbourhood marked MY territory right outside an open window.  Monte shut the window and bit by bit the odour is disappearing. Jeez!  what an awful smell that is.

Is it bad to be watching Hoarders and while they are showing the hoard, you see stuff you want?

While we are on the subject of animals, we have more deer in this town than people.  Which is okay.  I don't like people.  Hmmm...I don't really like deer either.

I watch them roam through the neighbourhood like a bunch of gangsters, eating all the foliage that counts, avoiding the weeds completely, little buggers.  If we all could shoot two deer per household we would have enough meat to survive on and there would still be deer left over.

My brother and his wife came for lunch Saturday.  And after all that chit chat on my last post about the food I was going to prepare, we didn't do even one of it.

Monte swanned off to the bakery and store and bought a fantastic selection of sammiches and an almond pie. We also had peaches, plums, watermelon, green melon, plums, nectarines, strawberries, oranges and blueberries.  They arrived late morning hauling the cutest trailer you ever saw!  And....the cutest dog!  I don't remember the breed and there is no way I will ever remember the name they gave her.  But she is a true cutie!!  In they came and we had the most wonderful conversation and lunch.  So enjoyable.

And Antonia, bless her, asked to hear a couple of songs from Monte's album he is releasing on Aug 13.  This album is by far his best.  He is so creative and his lyrics are amazing.  I really appreciated them listening to the music.  And Stan paid him the highest of high compliments.  He said that he enjoyed Monte's music more than any music he has heard since the '70's.  You have no idea what this meant to Monte.  Music is not like visual accomplishments.  You have to stop and take time and in our world today that just doesn't happen.

So....challenges.  Two more.

47.  Buy a gift card for a local store in your neighbourhood.  No need for me to be a Captain Obvious here.

48.  Play a board game.  She mentioned Code Names...only the most awesome game I have played this century.  It truly is a thinker! and great with a group of four or more.  Just be safe and make sure everyone is double vaxxed.  Send the unvaxxed home!

Stay safe, noodle, oldster and TTYL

"Music is indeed the mediator between the spiritual and the sensual life."  Beethoven

OUR LAST JAUNT OUT

CAT TAILS

LOON LAKE

LILY PADS IN A WEE POND...HARD TO SEE