tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83893795109583073702024-03-18T08:38:31.743-07:00olderroseGerry Kruegerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443636394415186783noreply@blogger.comBlogger1942125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8389379510958307370.post-87566139722910069552024-03-16T08:50:00.000-07:002024-03-16T08:50:46.569-07:00if old, go bold<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgdZw_BdhH6Kdtq7CChi7qvGJCogzTuRveY0r9laZ04GjluFE0ASGvwSred04bxs-nzTpJus7F-DVdyzgDCXzRRBlcDAQ0Q5Ne8-x4BB56iLfwhaJG_fUHLvem-V7nUGLCpmGkGH4_XcUl5BuHIVQNWwoPHXbA1RuHsGF3O3ns9xeIpdeU4iw5cf8rQt3Gr" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2547" data-original-width="3005" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgdZw_BdhH6Kdtq7CChi7qvGJCogzTuRveY0r9laZ04GjluFE0ASGvwSred04bxs-nzTpJus7F-DVdyzgDCXzRRBlcDAQ0Q5Ne8-x4BB56iLfwhaJG_fUHLvem-V7nUGLCpmGkGH4_XcUl5BuHIVQNWwoPHXbA1RuHsGF3O3ns9xeIpdeU4iw5cf8rQt3Gr" width="283" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br />Yesterday my friend Kathy came over and she put the crimps
and clasps on the jewelry pieces I had just finished. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We spent the afternoon discussing our favorite
subjects, cooking and gardening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As
usual,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>she did not come empty handed
and brought a wonderful loaf of her homemade bread, a plate of cookies, and a packet
of squash seeds. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before she left, we
walked around the garden and admired the rhubarb poking up, a little <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>yellow crocus, and the brave chives that were
bursting from the ground.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I could not have attempted the jewelry project without
having her as a backup for what I can’t do. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one could describe these pieces as delicate
or demure. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My motto is, “If you're old, go
bold.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It's not that I need <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>new jewelry, but it's fun to have something
new to wear at the beginning of spring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><o:p></o:p></p>Gerry Kruegerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443636394415186783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8389379510958307370.post-81215178927874129692024-03-11T10:27:00.000-07:002024-03-11T10:27:26.624-07:00worth the extra money after all. <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Whenever I meet someone who has been diagnosed with macular
my advice is always the same: start now to master dictation and text readers. We all think we don't need them yet. But once you do need it, it is so much harder
to learn a new technology.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Learning to use dictation it's fairly easy and allows you to
reach out to people. But if you don't
master the text reader, no one can respond. You really need to know how to use
both.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">My new phone has a text reader feature which I am trying to
learn now. Unfortunately, all the instructions are in text that I can't read.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The dictation and the text reader on my old Word program were
abysmal because it was so old and outdated. I tried to buy a new Word program. Now you can't buy the program outright. You have to pay a yearly fee to use the newest version.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I figured it was a waste of money, but I was really wrong. Both dictation and the text reader on the new
word program worked beautifully and in sync. I couldn't be happier. I only wish the
narrator on Microsoft Windows 10 worked
as well. It’s so frustrating as well as
being complicated. The Word text reader
only works on Word and not on the internet. So I am still struggling for anything on the internet.
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Now<i> for the blog I use </i>Word dictation instead of
dictation on my phone. Then I listen to it with Word text reader, and then my husband does the final editing.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">This is all going more smoothly now. The only glitch is inserting pictures. Somehow
my picture file system is all messed up. I am now focusing on the picture problem. So in the end, getting the new Word program
was worth the extra money after all. </span></p>Gerry Kruegerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443636394415186783noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8389379510958307370.post-27772136785866193272024-03-03T09:56:00.000-08:002024-03-03T20:04:25.213-08:00old costume jewelry renewed<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis8hOgwyF6UchYueygWx7ByIAKsIHeO-SDuelk5caJGFFhrNbWi4yIoNSo8VIk0TTjP4odeTXtZU_hbSjwBjX517IFMzhIhMOIXXFQ1kUXLp95QPbOrpKIqg3-NxcZFsj9dS5fefQdSK12cCMGIBCEWy1CFuEclTSAvUiCQBSBQoMhY2hg4h1lMfWXjOtI/s4080/1000000640.heic" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3060" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis8hOgwyF6UchYueygWx7ByIAKsIHeO-SDuelk5caJGFFhrNbWi4yIoNSo8VIk0TTjP4odeTXtZU_hbSjwBjX517IFMzhIhMOIXXFQ1kUXLp95QPbOrpKIqg3-NxcZFsj9dS5fefQdSK12cCMGIBCEWy1CFuEclTSAvUiCQBSBQoMhY2hg4h1lMfWXjOtI/s320/1000000640.heic" width="240" /></a></span></span></div><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I did manage to
get a two-strand necklace from the beads I recently posted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to work out a few technical issues and
restring one of the strands. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am happy
with it and it is ready for my friend to finish the ends.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;">I had these plastic
beading trays with grooves, and </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;">they are working well for me.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I have the
beads settled in the grooves, so I don’t have to worry about them shifting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8GlBcR8zKesn4jF0sgLtrxhiNYn3wDnBfwhYW94JZs5EQqTrrLb6KUNzH7Dm37N9O25XgyUhePW9aldWmEnst5Go3ye7fSykv824OvatY7XrAH9hFA8LA8SXBXMFWFPnGGz7Wo0uALWq9s4Mc94tOmcl9JttqT55530fpzDCmQsD1m21Kv1_7T2Hn-Jwv/s4080/1000000641.heic" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="4080" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8GlBcR8zKesn4jF0sgLtrxhiNYn3wDnBfwhYW94JZs5EQqTrrLb6KUNzH7Dm37N9O25XgyUhePW9aldWmEnst5Go3ye7fSykv824OvatY7XrAH9hFA8LA8SXBXMFWFPnGGz7Wo0uALWq9s4Mc94tOmcl9JttqT55530fpzDCmQsD1m21Kv1_7T2Hn-Jwv/s320/1000000641.heic" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want
to make a couple of turquoise necklaces while I'm in the mood. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I gathered two necklaces, two bracelets, and
one money clip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will see what I can do with them. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;">My criterion was
finding beads with a hole </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;">large enough
that I can feel it.<br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;">We had rain,
snow, and hail this last week. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;">So this
project is just what I needed. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;">It’s not
that I need more jewelry, because I seldom go anywhere anymore. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;">But just playing with beads will help pass the
time until I </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;">can work in the garden.</span></span></p>Gerry Kruegerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443636394415186783noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8389379510958307370.post-35767964974010093372024-02-23T11:41:00.000-08:002024-02-23T11:41:20.491-08:00comment on old post<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> When I reached a point I couldn't see the computer screen, I
was completely dependent upon text reader and dictation features. I stopped blogging altogether for about a year.
I really missed this outside
connection to the world at large.</span><i><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">When I started again I figured my reader level would be zero.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And maybe <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>without
readers, the blog would be gone altogether. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But to my amazement it was not only there, but
the daily visitor levels were in the thousands due to old posts linked to sites
throughout the internet. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">It was really encouraging that I was still having readers
even when I wasn't putting <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>new material up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So at least the old material was still
relevant to someone. Yesterday I received a comment on a blog that I did over
15 years ago. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was like getting a
virtual hug. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It made me so happy that I
decided to blog again and made me even more resolved to keep tackling <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>obstacles that stand in my way.</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">It is now really a new blog in a way that the old blog was
about a strong woman tackling life head on. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The new blog is about a not-so-strong woman struggling
to make her way with new and now harder challenges.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">PS: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The blog post mentioned
was on recycling bedside tables</span></p><div aria-checked="false" class="RabdOe" data-checked-veid="33478" data-unchecked-veid="33479" jsaction="click:SDd0Wd" jslog="33479; track:click" jsname="YLEF4c" role="checkbox" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; border-radius: 50%; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); display: flex; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; height: 64px; position: relative; width: 64px;" tabindex="0"><div class="AhaX8 HYel3c yPHsk" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; border-radius: 50%; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 0px 1px 1px 2px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.54); font-size: 20px; height: 24px; left: 4px; margin: 16px; position: absolute; top: 4px; width: 24px; z-index: 10;"><span aria-hidden="true" class="DPvwYc gUSHwf q6mdaf" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; direction: ltr; display: inline-block; font-family: "Material Icons Extended"; font-feature-settings: "liga"; font-size: 24px; line-height: 1; margin: 0px 4px; overflow-wrap: normal; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"></span></div></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="opmHNc" style="-webkit-box-direction: normal; -webkit-box-flex: 1; -webkit-box-orient: vertical; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex: 1 1 0%; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; min-width: 0px; padding-left: 16px; width: calc(100% - 64px);"><div class="FyOlVb" style="-webkit-box-pack: justify; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; display: flex; justify-content: space-between; margin-top: 4px;"><div class="Zhgn8d" style="-webkit-box-flex: 1; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.54); flex: 1 1 auto; overflow: hidden;"><div aria-level="3" class="g0RVJ b8Iibe" jsname="Lptq4" role="heading" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; align-self: center; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.52); font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; text-wrap: nowrap;"><span class="XHbVAf" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; color: #00838f; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 20px;"><a aria-label="Link to comment writer Little Gramma" class="XHbVAf" href="https://www.blogger.com/profile/13370759308367314232" jslog="74117; track:click" jsname="N5bHoc" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; color: #00838f; line-height: 20px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="blank_">Little Gramma</a></span> commented on <a aria-label="Link to post <span>My work area is completely moveable...</span>" class="UNTnVe" href="https://olderrose.blogspot.com/2010/08/my-work-area-is-completely-moveable.html?showComment=1708506973264#c3840865031334578120" jslog="28421; track:click" jsname="d2wxvf" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; color: #00838f; letter-spacing: 0.4px; line-height: 20px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="blank_">"<span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent;">My work area is completely moveable...</span>"</a></div></div><div class="gzfju NY7gZe" jsname="J6lSsd" style="-webkit-box-flex: 0; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; color: #546e7a; flex: 0 0 auto; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.4px; line-height: 20px; margin-left: 68.6335px;">21 Feb 2024</div></div><div class="UHwcef OvxMU" jsname="CHw7Qb" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; color: #37474f; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.25px; line-height: 21px; margin-top: 8px;"><div class="Aknmsd ZtmlJb" jsaction="click:jmEtue;JIbuQc:jmEtue(hmLkdc);" jslog="33291; track:JIbuQc" jsname="euGutf" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; max-height: 210px; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden;"><div class="Opvl3b" jsname="i6tyqb" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent;" tabindex="-1">I have one of these bedside tables I purchased for my husband 10 years ago. The top eventually popped off as the screws were short and into pressboard.<br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent;" />It's been sitting around waiting to be repaired or donated as is, as I replaced it with a better hospital bed side-table for hubby from a thrift store.<br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent;" />I've got the best idea for it's used now. Next to the sewing machine for an extra table for trimming or pressing I can lower or raise for sitting or standing.<br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent;" />Thanks for the idea you shared on craftystorage blogspot after I had watched a Martelli youtube of their Omni Stand height adjustable table as then I searched for recycling a hospital bed side table in sewing room.<br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent;" />Thanks for sharing. Ann</div></div></div></div>Gerry Kruegerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443636394415186783noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8389379510958307370.post-73447551162469635182024-02-20T11:08:00.000-08:002024-02-20T11:08:25.531-08:00Remember brooches><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />When is the last time you wore a brooch? Can you even remember women used to wear a
brooch on their blouse or on the lapel of their jacket? Who has a lapel anyway? Ten years ago I would see all these discarded
vintage brooches and had to collect them, of course. Eventually I had a drawer full of them and
started trying ways to use them. I put
them on hair clips; I grouped them in necklaces; and I used them on needlework.
</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiR6CEVxgsP3K7GEfVGnJ-Fa_rx0_3qNT9e8VTSJ5dXKHGOkPey-AuOqXN_0zZGY645nwAJIgWOT843Odii_AHrfFMZP7NCqmBPpqMwTLo_XYRodV5ZHbZm9OwnPD6zZuF11fUFTaubNoJ_xGvHUcvv82H5ut3KcwKEzzOkG-P2dHXdCiHZ8YBqscmwlLh7" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="250" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiR6CEVxgsP3K7GEfVGnJ-Fa_rx0_3qNT9e8VTSJ5dXKHGOkPey-AuOqXN_0zZGY645nwAJIgWOT843Odii_AHrfFMZP7NCqmBPpqMwTLo_XYRodV5ZHbZm9OwnPD6zZuF11fUFTaubNoJ_xGvHUcvv82H5ut3KcwKEzzOkG-P2dHXdCiHZ8YBqscmwlLh7=w250-h400" width="250" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />The two black brooches on this necklace were very old. I
combined them with two necklaces, and now it is one of my favorite pieces of
jewelry. As I found pieces that might be
compatible, I slipped them into a Ziplock bag and set them aside. </span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Recently I
ran across a bag that had three necklaces, none of which I would wear by
themselves. But they seemed to be so
compatible, and it was about time that I did something with them.</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh4VjfRjxmsnZpJE7tdzYQcuq83aryUXDUFA1wjgL5fCH_Rj3CtLfYpryjyCkndmoBsNP1Kr_yxvjntcVgB70a0zzGv4PDLXauPcK3ipqlL0iZcyBgC7ZXgNKVBjVN_Mn4_C0sl0TttGMaskgmJ-lc08tcXfNISe2P0-ogM7zBUFNMZhfOMQoXHoQEGOL8/s3048/1000000633%20(1).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2856" data-original-width="3048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh4VjfRjxmsnZpJE7tdzYQcuq83aryUXDUFA1wjgL5fCH_Rj3CtLfYpryjyCkndmoBsNP1Kr_yxvjntcVgB70a0zzGv4PDLXauPcK3ipqlL0iZcyBgC7ZXgNKVBjVN_Mn4_C0sl0TttGMaskgmJ-lc08tcXfNISe2P0-ogM7zBUFNMZhfOMQoXHoQEGOL8/s320/1000000633%20(1).jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The beads were large enough and had distinct shapes that I
thought I would be able to string them using a beading wire. I couldn't finish the ends, but I had a friend I know
would help me. So I spent a few days trying to figure out how I could do this,
and I think I have the plan if it works. I have several other bags with groups
of vintage jewelry that I would love to do something with. Even if it doesn't work, it will be a pleasant
few days just trying, and certainly beats vacuuming or cleaning baseboards. </span></p>Gerry Kruegerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443636394415186783noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8389379510958307370.post-62718659907569020792024-02-15T11:28:00.000-08:002024-02-15T11:35:35.248-08:00I need a change in attitude<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">When I awoke this morning my first
thought was that the pears I bought last
week would be ripe enough to make a sour cream/pear/almond tart. My second
thought was that there were enough leftovers from last night to make corn
fritters and poached eggs for breakfast this morning. Maybe I would wear my favorite blue apron as it
looked like a cookery day. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I would be doing something creative, the
house would smell good, and my husband would be happy. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> find most days long and boring </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;">I will
probably not die from a heart attack or a stroke; I will die from boredom. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;">But that would be totally unlikely, because
with a slight change in attitude--well, maybe a major change in attitude--I
should be happy and busy </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;">all day, every
day.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">There is no reason why I can't clean house for
hours and like it just as much as
I do cooking or working in the garden. I
know there are women who luve to clean
house. I have a neighbor who, every time
she answers her door, has her rubber gloves on and is scrubbing away. I have another friend
who loves ironing and irons absolutely everything.
But she hates to work in the garden.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;">I could vacuum twice a day, first going north/south and
then east/west. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;">I could also </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;">wash the windows every day. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;">Going vertical and then horizontal. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;">I know it is hard for you to believe, but I've
lived in this house now for almost 4 years and have never scrubbed the base boards.
</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">My cleaning the other day included taking out a kitchen
drawer and washing everything in it and putting it back. And then I cleaned
and polished the handle on the refrigerator. What next? I know it’s hard to believe, but I
have been in this house four years and have never cleaned the baseboards.</span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Luckily it is mid-February and spring is just around
the corner, and I will soon be able to “keep yard,” which makes me happy. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;">I did get down on my knees and check the baseboards and,
sure enough, when I ran my finger along the top, they were dusty. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;">One positive thing about losing your sight is
you don't see the dirt.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;">Until spring does arrive, I will </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;">wear rubber gloves and hold a sponge when I
open the door and announce I was just going to scrub the baseboards.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></p>Gerry Kruegerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443636394415186783noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8389379510958307370.post-50081979260029193122024-02-10T19:09:00.000-08:002024-02-10T19:09:48.162-08:00A friend in deed is a friend indeed....<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; vertical-align: bottom;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Friends say, “Just call anytime and I will come.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; vertical-align: bottom;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Calling too often would be taking advantage of their kindness.
So I have given a lot of thought to help from friends.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: bottom;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: bottom;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">After a friend leaves, I invariably think of something I should have
asked them to do for me. I need to keep clipboards handy, with one for each friend. And also an ongoing
“quick” list of things that anyone
can help with. So if someone stops by, I can get something off the list quickly.
Things like thread a few needles, help
with filing something, or just look for something that I can't see. I
always have something lost.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: bottom;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">I want to keep in mind the the strengths
my friends have. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">One friend is very </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">computer savvy; another is a gardener and
needle worker; and another likes to shop at thrift stores. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">So I can pick something that a friend may
enjoy. as well as being a help to me.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: bottom;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">One of my friends who has the busiest
life has set aside one to two hours two days a </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">month on Wednesdays </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">just for me. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">I can plan on it and she helps with online
tasks such as mail orders, </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">banking, etc.
</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">We can whiz right through when she
comes.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: bottom;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Another friend goes to nurseries, Trader
Joe's, and the Asian market. She will call and invite me along. Since she's
going anyway, I feel I'm not imposing. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: bottom;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">When I lunch with my sister, I try to work in a stop at
a drugstore or a dollar store </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">to pick up the little things. I always seem to
need. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">She is also my go-to person for
reading cards. It's hard to have someone willing to stand there and read
a dozen cards aloud until you find the one that is just right.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; vertical-align: bottom;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">My daughter-in-law comes twice a year. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">I count on her to help me with things not so easy
for other people.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Last spring she helped
me shop for a recliner. This fall we shopped for my new mattress. Already
I know when she comes in the spring that we will be shopping for tiles for the
back splash in the kitchen, </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">and also
advertise some things I want to sell. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: bottom;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">The most precious help I get from my friends is lifting
my spirits. There is no antidepressant like
love, laughter, and lunch with a friend. </span><span style="border: 1pt solid rgb(116, 119, 117); color: #444746; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; padding: 0in;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p>Gerry Kruegerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443636394415186783noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8389379510958307370.post-75861830921254618312024-02-02T09:17:00.000-08:002024-02-02T09:36:21.296-08:00About to embrace the mixes<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbv0dziW-BZQ_cMhENQ6kB7InxEqepn19NfOTCPBjX0befeRL92C3UOXm4S_9VZgTNWVmpV1szsgy3Azot4wzxjjn1qpMEodx3CoQIGOkaFPJzg8rcHnZMCxcVC0oFQgNDhhE8Eex-ZYEDiLowD7omXmXwMTZYRWZUQcUemdZUU0Rqbn2CmLASO-ORNXU3/s690/received_1632642160486101%20(2).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="690" data-original-width="690" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbv0dziW-BZQ_cMhENQ6kB7InxEqepn19NfOTCPBjX0befeRL92C3UOXm4S_9VZgTNWVmpV1szsgy3Azot4wzxjjn1qpMEodx3CoQIGOkaFPJzg8rcHnZMCxcVC0oFQgNDhhE8Eex-ZYEDiLowD7omXmXwMTZYRWZUQcUemdZUU0Rqbn2CmLASO-ORNXU3/s320/received_1632642160486101%20(2).jpeg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div><span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br />When my older son was a preschooler,
his friend Mikey used to come over and bake with us. He went home one day and
told his mom that Steve's mother was so cool that she could make a cake without
a box. <o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;">I've always loved baking and it's a good way to pass the
time. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;">So using a cake mix to save time
really defeated the purpose. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;">I mostly bake
pie and yeast breads for my husband. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;">I
hardly need a recipe for these and they're pretty difficult to mess up. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;">I like a cookie or a piece of cake when I want
something sweet. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;">These require more
finesse in the preparation. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;">I try to
memorize as many recipes as I can or write them out in large letters. Sometimes
I keep a </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;">special magnifier at hand in
the kitchen and also have my husband measure things. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;">Even still I have many disasters and need to
do something different at this point.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;">I know that a large section </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;">of the baking aisle are mixes of all kinds. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;">I think they're probably just what I need at
this time.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;">Something with </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;">few
ingredients. So the next time I'm at the grocery store, I'm going to have
my husband read the labels and find out just what's offered.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I did have one cake mix that I used for quite a few
years. When my second son was about six, he went to a birthday party and
fell in love with the cake. I asked the
mom for the recipe and she told me it was a Betty Crocker cherry cake mix. She
used a can of cherry pie filling for between the layers. The can of pie filling had very few cherries
and was mostly thickener. She covered it
all with a can of pre-made frosting. The whole thing was neon pink and bursting
with artificial flavoring and coloring. But every year I bought that cake mix for
Scott's birthday. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;">When he was in his 30s, they stopped making</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> the</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> mix. I dreaded
telling him that it was unavailable after all those years. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> He said, “Don't worry, Mom. I really didn't like that cake mix anymore anyway.” </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;">ally didn't like that cake mix anymore anyway.” </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222;"> </span> <span style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></p>Gerry Kruegerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443636394415186783noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8389379510958307370.post-9209652625548773452024-01-28T21:26:00.000-08:002024-01-29T20:18:01.914-08:00Help from strangers<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;"> </span></span></div><p></p><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 0px;"><tbody><tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;"><td nowrap="" style="padding: 0in; width: 106.55pt;" valign="top" width="142"></td><td nowrap="" style="padding: 0in;" valign="top"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></td><td nowrap="" style="padding: 0in;" valign="top"></td><td nowrap="" rowspan="2" style="padding: 0in;" valign="top"></td></tr><tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"><td colspan="3" style="padding: 0in;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 571px;"><tbody><tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"><td nowrap="" style="padding: 0in;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 15.0pt; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><img height="1" src="file:///C:/Users/GERALD~1/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.gif" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_1" width="1" /><!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;">It used to be embarrassing to ask for help
from anyone </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;">as I want to do everything
myself. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial;">But in fact I know I not only
need help, I need lots of help and I need it often.</span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">At one point I realized that I'd
better give it some serious thought, especially on how to ask for and accept help
from strangers. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over and over I had to
explain “I have vision problems.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmYUvxCweKchJaBXwIcAo8TIKW-j5HpYJCS1gE0hBTQhiWBa9mLCQKMlZZ_CA1fHL9vFxoTUitidCNMhkRXh2Jxh5rdro3Ech4DQtakyucQScclycO-8_1z0ilm5S19ZpDaGX_ZIVNMudB9LP0u19gAOGSOK2Ia99KB_W0sanJKI1Uv5XhmQzg9GnJyqH2/s2154/20240129_133936.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2154" data-original-width="1919" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmYUvxCweKchJaBXwIcAo8TIKW-j5HpYJCS1gE0hBTQhiWBa9mLCQKMlZZ_CA1fHL9vFxoTUitidCNMhkRXh2Jxh5rdro3Ech4DQtakyucQScclycO-8_1z0ilm5S19ZpDaGX_ZIVNMudB9LP0u19gAOGSOK2Ia99KB_W0sanJKI1Uv5XhmQzg9GnJyqH2/s320/20240129_133936.jpg" width="285" /></a></span></span></div><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Often when I‘m in a crowded or strange
place, I get disoriented. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>need to stop and stand until I feel safe. But
I know when I do this, people think I am scary or demented. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">One deciding difference that I made is
wearing a button which says, “Vision <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Impaired.”
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It immediately does away with repeatedly
having to explain what is wrong with me. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This one small thing has made getting help
from strangers so much easier. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Now it does not bother me to ask
someone where I am or where I need to go. I even ask people to read my list to
see if I have everything in my basket at the store. And I have no
embarrassment <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>asking someone, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Can
you help me?” because they read the button and immediately understand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222;">I’ve shopped at the same store for
decades and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>know genearally where </span><span style="color: #222222;">most things are. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For instance, I know pumpkin is in the sixth
aisle on the bottom shelf on the right hand side. This is fine until they move
it. Then I have to ask someone. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I recently had <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to cross a street by myself in Seattle. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I asked <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a stranger if I could hang on to their elbow
to cross the street. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also need help
from strangers with elevators, as I have had several <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>problems with elevators since I can't see the
panel. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now I wait at the door for
someone to get on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or I grab someone who
is getting off and have them push the buttons for me. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I ask strangers to read price tags for
me, write down numbers for me, and tell me how many steps I have left to go
when descending stairs.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Asking for help from strangers now is
just second nature and not so embarrassing Wearing the button is instant communication
and has made all the difference. The
buttons are available several places on the internet. I bought a dozen and keep an extra in my purse.
</span></span><o:p></o:p></p>Gerry Kruegerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443636394415186783noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8389379510958307370.post-24644823304693289942024-01-22T14:49:00.000-08:002024-01-24T17:04:38.638-08:00A Miracle<p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">n the late 1960s I had a </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">collection of tiny gold nuggets added </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">to a </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">gold ring. I had worn it over 50 years</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> as a
keepsake on the 14 wonderful years I spent teaching in Alaska. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">It was not only special because of the Akaska
nuggets; it was special because I had my mother's diamond mounted on it after
she died.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: arial;">Just before the COVID vaccine was released, I contracted
COVID and was very ill for almost two weeks.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">During that time I lost quite a bit of weight and my ring
was loose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I recovered, I
discovered my ring was missing. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The odds
were it was someplace in the house, as the only other place I had been was to urgent
care. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">That was 2 1/2 years ago, and I have searched the entire
house over and over--to no avail. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every
time I vacuumed, I listened for a noise of something sucked up.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">When I got a new mattress last November and moved the
bedroom furniture, I again searched, in case <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>it was buried in the carpet. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: arial;">So 2 1/2 years have gone by and still no ring.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: arial;">The other day we bought groceries and I was putting some of
the frozen items </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">into the freezer which
is in the garage. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">I dropped a package of
bacon, and </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">when I picked it up, I felt
something </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">on the floor </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">at the base of the freezer. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Lo and
behold, it was my ring! </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">I had gone in and out of the freezer numerous
times and had never seen it.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: arial;">My Italian friend tells me that there is an old proverb, “The
house never loses anything--it just hides it.”</span><span style="font-family: arial;">
</span><span style="font-family: arial;">But the house hiding it in the garage just doesn't seem fair.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: arial;">I am so tickled to have the ring back on my hand I keep
touching it every few minutes to make sure it's still there.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: arial;">Now there is just one thing that is lost that would make </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">my
happiness complete if found.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">I had the one last </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">project
I was working on. It was combining gold work </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">with fancy fabrics.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">It was a culmination of years of </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">developing my needlework skills and was going
to be my last hurrah.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">It was the result
of several years’ work. It disappeared about a year </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">ago and
has never surfaced. I have searched and searched and I had a dear friend help
me search some more. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">I can only assume
that I discarded it by mistake Now that I have found the ring, maybe there is
hope for finding my precious needlework.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>Gerry Kruegerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443636394415186783noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8389379510958307370.post-13511078531216106492024-01-17T21:17:00.000-08:002024-01-17T21:17:56.498-08:00“Ole Buttermilk Sky.<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="color: #202124; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in;">
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="display: none; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-hide: all; mso-ligatures: none;">Top of Form<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="display: none; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-hide: all; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 1.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; padding: 0in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 1.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: right;"><span style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">2 of 274<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 21.0pt; mso-outline-level: 2; vertical-align: bottom;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA7cm9bNoVl9gbC6SV4q-PI4VohNY5_jC5gyaPr_ipI9nSLxP95GgFM0xb_2cMjmu_1_efq0aRw-AUVPuW9yNoEKBIM5CPKiJzAcpmQSfXeMpvk8jfKcANm9l-Km4UNHM4HIuLOrAAi8T-p8ikID7TNuM7aCMOSi8eC-nV6E7chrWf7LsMZXJoB-QUsgg6/s221/download.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="148" data-original-width="221" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA7cm9bNoVl9gbC6SV4q-PI4VohNY5_jC5gyaPr_ipI9nSLxP95GgFM0xb_2cMjmu_1_efq0aRw-AUVPuW9yNoEKBIM5CPKiJzAcpmQSfXeMpvk8jfKcANm9l-Km4UNHM4HIuLOrAAi8T-p8ikID7TNuM7aCMOSi8eC-nV6E7chrWf7LsMZXJoB-QUsgg6/w295-h198/download.jpg" width="295" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /> <span style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">In the
1940s, Hoagy Carmichael had a hit song entitled “Ole Buttermilk Sky.” Not only
is the sky over my house a buttermilk sky, everything in the house has
buttermilk in it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Christmas, I had seen <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>turkey
brined in buttermilk. We were just having turkey thighs, but I decided to try
the buttermilk brine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>DH bought 1/2 gallon of buttermilk, so I had
plenty of buttermilk left over. I started to look for ways to use it up.
We have had buttermilk waffles, buttermilk biscuits, buttermilk yeast rolls, </span><span style="color: #1f1f1f;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; vertical-align: bottom;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">buttermilk quiche, and <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>buttermilk ice cream. But I have pretty
much figured out that anything that uses heavy cream can be<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>substituted with buttermilk.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; vertical-align: bottom;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; vertical-align: bottom;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I have really liked everything that I've made with the
buttermilk except the brine for the turkey, which didn't <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>make
any difference in the turkey at all. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
buttermilk ice cream was OK, but I wouldn’t make it again.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; vertical-align: bottom;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; vertical-align: bottom;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Every once in a while I buy ricotta cheese when I want
to make lasagna. Then it's always a chore to think of ways to use the rest of
the rest of the carton. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I've been listening
to video recipes on the computer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had
made ricotta crepes, and they were delicious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But I needed a few more recipes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Lo and behold, if a recipe calls for cream, you can most likely
substitute ricotta. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found recipes for
ricotta cakes, ricotta chocolate mousse, ricotta pasta, ricotta spreads, etc. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; vertical-align: bottom;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; vertical-align: bottom;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">The recipe that I most want to try is for ricotta
gnocchi. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My dear I<i>talian </i>friend makes potato
gnocchi, which are like little clouds, whereas my potato gnocchi are like
clumps of paste. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She has even given me
hands-on lessons--to no avail. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can
hardly wait to try making them with ricotta cheese. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe it will be my gnocchi breakthrough.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;">
<tbody><tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="padding: 0in 12.0pt 0in 12.0pt; width: 33.0pt;" valign="top" width="44">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in; width: 428.65pt;" width="572"></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p>Gerry Kruegerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443636394415186783noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8389379510958307370.post-25608572619754896042024-01-09T12:17:00.000-08:002024-01-09T12:17:15.690-08:00wair a minute...I'm the Grand,ma<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The other day I was
checking what was in my refrig and found I had all the ingredients
to make cabbage rolls. It occurred to me that I had been making cabbage
rolls the same way for the last 60 years and I just needed to do
something different. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">First I looked on
Google and there were multiple cabbage-roll recipes "like your
grandmother used to make." </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">I am the
grandmother and I don't want cabbage rolls like I used to make--I wanted to
reinvent cabbage rolls. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">When I checked out
some online videos, I found a lot of Hungarian, German, Polish, etc.
recipes, which is just like I always make. </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">But I also found Vietnamese cabbage rolls,
Greek cabbage rolls with a white sauce, and Italian cabbage rolls.
So I started thinking about it and decided I was going to change almost
every ingredient in my recipe. </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">I would use a different meat, a different
cabbage, a different sauce, etc.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">In short, I was
going to reinvent my cabbage rolls. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To
begin with, I had always used ground beef and will substitute ground pork
mixed with some deli corned beef. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
the past, I have always used rice. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now I’d
like to use barley instead. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I don't
have any barley. I do have some chickpeas, which I will put in the
blender. I replaced regular cabbage with milder Napa cabbage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A tomato-cream soup can replace the
tomatoes, and, a Swiss cheese instead of the usual sour cream.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">These new
ingredients were reminding me of a Reuben sandwich. Anyway, I tried the
changes and it was different and delicious. I want to get
the ingredients for the Greek version and wlll use a lemon-wine sauce and
ground lamb.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">You can tell I'm
bored when I start reinventing recipes. </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Also, this week I'm going to do an old pastry
recipe--a poppy-seed roll. I will add jam to the
filling as well...why not? </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">When what do you
have any garbage noWhen<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p>Gerry Kruegerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443636394415186783noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8389379510958307370.post-20589958476958960752024-01-05T22:16:00.000-08:002024-01-05T22:16:32.748-08:00Read any good books lately?<p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><sup><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">Long ago I exhausted
the number of <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>audio books in our local library. Luckily the
Lilac Services for the Blind enrolled me in <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Washington
Talking Books program for the visually impaired. <o:p></o:p></span></sup></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><sup><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></sup><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;">This program is
affiliated with similar programs nationwide, and the book selection seems
endless. </span><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;">If your future contains declining
vision or you know someone with impaired vision, seek out this free resource. </span><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><sup><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">I can download audio
books onto my phone or on a special player I have on loan from Lilac Services
for the Blind. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The books <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>come seven at a time on a special cassette. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have three cassettes going at a time…one I’m
listening to, one in the mail going for refill, and one in the mail coming to
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am never without <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>audio books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></sup></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><sup><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"> I</span></o:p></sup><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;"> used to be able to
order them myself from the website .</span><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;">Now
</span><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;">I need help from my friends to keep
enough books ordered. </span><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><sup><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></sup><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;">Finding new books
and new authors with their continual challenge. </span><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;">I discovered that I can ask Google to find a
list of authors similar to the ones I like.</span><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;">
</span><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;">I had my daughter-in-law do this
for me. </span><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;">She made a master list </span><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;">of about 70 such authors.</span><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;">I can have a friend use this list to help me
order books. </span><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;">I try to keep about 50
books ordered ahead.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><sup><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></sup><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;">Sometimes I have to listen to a book twice. </span><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;">This is not bad if I really like the book. </span><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;">If I didn't, I can just fast forward to it to
the end.</span><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;">But if I really love the book
the first time, I find I love it reading again. </span><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;">It's like visiting an old </span><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;">friend.</span><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><sup><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></sup><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;">I'm going to start looking for new
authors by genre. </span><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;">I'll probably start
with books about dogs. </span><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;">You can never go
wrong with a dog story.</span><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; vertical-align: super;">If you have a
favorite author no--matter what the genre--I would love to hear about it.</span></p>Gerry Kruegerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443636394415186783noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8389379510958307370.post-75473346629878975232024-01-02T12:18:00.000-08:002024-01-02T12:18:10.816-08:00<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"></span></p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn5tCkyGRrdx1giXtUr4F1JUUyYiaIuN2y8he1354LAM7_YLOlpcnDb3FQ805nlKHi6kryQp_2iEs2-K4eRD5kPhcZb3xD3hLlAmE03Zc0JIh_kPsNtl0QEKSKvsbAZo5ABc2Tp7rgGuyvYcutsQEpcb2i8dXFSLVn6rWBHQbkES0qAVvVneizKbaP2yMN/s2847/20240102_113944.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2847" data-original-width="2508" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn5tCkyGRrdx1giXtUr4F1JUUyYiaIuN2y8he1354LAM7_YLOlpcnDb3FQ805nlKHi6kryQp_2iEs2-K4eRD5kPhcZb3xD3hLlAmE03Zc0JIh_kPsNtl0QEKSKvsbAZo5ABc2Tp7rgGuyvYcutsQEpcb2i8dXFSLVn6rWBHQbkES0qAVvVneizKbaP2yMN/s320/20240102_113944.jpg" width="282" /></a> </div><br />Some projects just
get buried and never seem to get done. This is one that is a miracle that it is
finally going to be framed. Somehow a piece of the very first needlework that I
did survived almost eighty years and countless moves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I found it years ago I wrapped it in
tissue and kept it with my most prescious keepsakes. Meaning always to frame
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="color: #222222;">Whenever it surfaced, I never had a frame. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And when I had a frame, I didn't know where
the needlework was.<span style="background: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">In the 1940s, my mother and her sister
each divorced their husband at the same time. They bought an old yellow
convertible and took off for California to celebrate their freedom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
were both still in their 20s, and there were many young servicemen returning
from the war and landing in California. The only damper was that my mother and
her sister each had young daughter tagging along.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was almost
8 at the time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;">To keep me bus and quiet, my mother
bought an embroidery kit.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;">It </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;">included </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;">seven stamped kitchen towels, an embroidery
hoop, thread, and even needles. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;">There
was a towel stamped for each day of the week. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;">As I look at the front and back of it now, I’m
quite proud of this first effort of a very young child.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;">As my mother hoped, it did indeed keep
me busy and quiet, and it was the first of many such embroidery kits.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;">I immediately loved it and it was the beginning
of a lifelong passion for anything using a needle.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;">And
she did indeed meet a handsome young serviceman, and they were married almost
50 years before he died. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;">He was the
best stepfather a young girl could get.</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7EQnkogRKOiRpRhcyZTfbngzdoVMa6HBMgM8PN9DeJpYkLLd9Wakle9X2fSAj9X8_KABUxer01OUAy54XQCam5beWwHyCAQPsVflpgxhZX4ABM5DUngDOp2WXtEO9cy_vxevBgxeEKFegtD79TjI21Rem5lSIMj-R6FGK6Z_XY7CDEE-P-OW4KB48n_zE/s2918/1000000617.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2918" data-original-width="2679" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7EQnkogRKOiRpRhcyZTfbngzdoVMa6HBMgM8PN9DeJpYkLLd9Wakle9X2fSAj9X8_KABUxer01OUAy54XQCam5beWwHyCAQPsVflpgxhZX4ABM5DUngDOp2WXtEO9cy_vxevBgxeEKFegtD79TjI21Rem5lSIMj-R6FGK6Z_XY7CDEE-P-OW4KB48n_zE/s320/1000000617.jpg" width="294" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></span><o:p></o:p></p>Gerry Kruegerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443636394415186783noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8389379510958307370.post-73707351074038807252023-12-28T18:45:00.000-08:002023-12-28T18:45:34.666-08:00When did he begin to shuffle<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN-moxSfu5PGh_422-ooeJcft5Aq0znuRCBOIfGX3oT2UtZxyPXV3odap0LaDiVF-K53giwFGKzQ0Z3WyhcbXIatdWe0ocOdC3vH6toD2aVWovO2AMrcvc62tuzgS9yvXS6YeacO7pCp1pHHEU_mebEF59OhKV5m6zmJhBW-QH3_zN8x_RKjjuU4Qr32CB/s2048/IMG_20231127_085113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1630" data-original-width="2048" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN-moxSfu5PGh_422-ooeJcft5Aq0znuRCBOIfGX3oT2UtZxyPXV3odap0LaDiVF-K53giwFGKzQ0Z3WyhcbXIatdWe0ocOdC3vH6toD2aVWovO2AMrcvc62tuzgS9yvXS6YeacO7pCp1pHHEU_mebEF59OhKV5m6zmJhBW-QH3_zN8x_RKjjuU4Qr32CB/s320/IMG_20231127_085113.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">When did he begin to shuffle and I began to creep?</span> When did we get old? <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While we lived at
the farm, my husband <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>walked <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>everyday to the mailbox 1/2 mile away.</span> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Every day I watched
him from the kitchen window as he started out with his long purposeful stride while
swinging his arms to some inner rhythm.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">One day I noticed he stopped swinging his arms and his
stride had turned into a shuffle.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="font-family: arial;">My daily walk was through an adjacent forest where I
maintained a mile-long trail. I enjoyed the smell of pine needles, the song of
birds, and the varied wildlife.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Ever fearful of falling, I have begun to creep along. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">And when my feet hurt, I hobble.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Most
of ny friends now discuss </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">such things as
which walkers move easily over rough ground (ones with larger wheels).</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">911 vehicles are a common sight in our senior
neighborhood</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Now I walk around and around he circle where we live. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">I can't get lost and there are people who will
notice </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">when I fall.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="font-family: arial;">As I walk, I listen to Lawrence Welk and remember the
forest. I remember </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">the day an owl flew right
by my head and landed just ahead of me.</span><span style="font-family: arial;">
</span><span style="font-family: arial;">We both stopped and stared at each other. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">I
remember the eagle in the tall pine snag, and the I remember the turkey that
frightened my dog. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">I'm so grateful to have all these mememories to
recall while I creep and hobble along.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>Gerry Kruegerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443636394415186783noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8389379510958307370.post-28623396319544206612023-12-27T12:59:00.000-08:002023-12-27T12:59:48.271-08:00<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm8M7v-e6IYL7y29GH8uLDmVBe_w3hEviSanYjPsP_fyZACk15XtIR97LGUIQUWaNcmRr2_-bLDJ7FuQnaVIKLdfyuGNU0PmpJf7k56uioKkR_M8qE_UDh80x87kDeymx-6i0p9WCF0daYdlIVGUj4IXbqGNWV5btIkSSfCjSFi4TcAr2tB-5ROiTHv8dx/s2781/20221004_102953_2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2294" data-original-width="2781" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm8M7v-e6IYL7y29GH8uLDmVBe_w3hEviSanYjPsP_fyZACk15XtIR97LGUIQUWaNcmRr2_-bLDJ7FuQnaVIKLdfyuGNU0PmpJf7k56uioKkR_M8qE_UDh80x87kDeymx-6i0p9WCF0daYdlIVGUj4IXbqGNWV5btIkSSfCjSFi4TcAr2tB-5ROiTHv8dx/s320/20221004_102953_2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> <i><span style="background: white; color: #222222;">I always enjoy the
quiet that comes after all the frenetic Christmas activity is over. The first
couple days I just want to snuggle up with
my dog. That only lasts a couple days, and then I'm bored. I want
to have a project besides cleaning closets or drawers. There are a few that are
coming to mind. The days are getting longer now AND just thinking about it lifts my spirits.</span></i></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="background: white; color: #222222;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></i><i><span style="background: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> I tried something new Christmas Day. I marinated
the turkey in buttermilk. But I can’t see
that it made any difference. Since I had extra buttermilk, I made some
delicious buttermilk yeast rolls, which was a new recipe. </span></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="background: white; color: #222222;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> T</span></o:p></span></i><i><span style="background: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">he only thing I
will do for a few days is rotate my amaryllis. Last year was the first time I bought amaryllis
that were encased in a plastic wax. You
don't have to pot them for water; they just grow. This year I specifically looked for the same
kind of amaryllis. I moved them from
spot to spot. They will last and bloom
until Valentine's Day. </span></span></i></p><p></p>Gerry Kruegerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443636394415186783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8389379510958307370.post-31235909701596719762023-12-20T19:55:00.000-08:002023-12-28T18:55:23.705-08:00A party to r remember<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Recently we received an invitation to a Christmas party. DH
has to read everything to me and get it on our calendar. He read me the date, the time, that we were
supposed to bring a food item, and--last but not least--we were to bring a
white elephant gift. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: arial;">Now, from my life experience, a white elephant gift is
something that is inexpensive, insubstantial, and part of a party game. So I made a salmon spread, dressed up in
my Christmas finery, and thought about a
whitrf elephant gift.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: arial;">I still had three lovely
Honeynut squashes from my ganden. Relunctantly I would be willing to share one of them with
someone. So I polished it all up and put
it in a fancy bag and we started off to the party.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: arial;">All went well until it was time to do the gift game. As people begin opening the white elephant
gifts, it was immediately evident that I was unaware of something very
important. All the gifts were neither insubstantial
nor inexpensive. I looked over at my husband and he said “Oops. I forgot to tell
you that the gift was supposed to be $20.”
As I watched gift after gift being
opened, I sank lower into my chair. Luckily, a friend opened my squash and expressed great joy. I immediately decided I was going to have to
make it up to her. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: arial;">I had the highest number and was the last person to pick a
gift. There was only only one gift left
and it was a small red gift bag. When
opened, it was an Amazon gift card for for $50. So, someone else had
misread their invitation. But it made me
doubly embarrassed. I not only brought the cheapest gift. I went home with the most expensive gift. But all’s well that
ends well, because when we entered the gift card code it said it was invalid
and had been already redeemed. It turns
out that my beautiful squash was the most prescious gift of all.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;">
<tbody><tr>
<td style="padding: 0in 12pt; width: 33pt;" valign="top" width="44">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"> <br /></span></p></td><td style="padding: 0in; width: 425.75pt;" width="568">
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p>Gerry Kruegerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443636394415186783noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8389379510958307370.post-14359455630258664602023-12-19T12:03:00.000-08:002023-12-19T12:53:31.579-08:00It's not that I mind winter.<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBLnBY4d8g2a9I93WYsFcoP239EbHVzUkRsrVemYAY-YF38-9pKNk099fL29_p1CITpNTNAJ-IGN13shfp-jBmPUPNY4IlQ44IFWwVk9r2kG2dzUql2S0ihePcTvpMoROH1Zb5lBB_4KetYugsUrXbiB6UvU2qvTcEBk9WXwdFhR3dGmRM5vAjzIrVmcnJ/s4080/20231214_072509.heic" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3060" data-original-width="4080" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBLnBY4d8g2a9I93WYsFcoP239EbHVzUkRsrVemYAY-YF38-9pKNk099fL29_p1CITpNTNAJ-IGN13shfp-jBmPUPNY4IlQ44IFWwVk9r2kG2dzUql2S0ihePcTvpMoROH1Zb5lBB_4KetYugsUrXbiB6UvU2qvTcEBk9WXwdFhR3dGmRM5vAjzIrVmcnJ/s320/20231214_072509.heic" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The first thing I
think of when I awaken is how many days until the days start getting longer. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is SO close now. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">It's not that I mind
winter. Actually, I like quite a few things about winter. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I really wouldn't want to live<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>where there was no winter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How boring to have the same climate year-round.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think that nature intends for <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>living
things to have a rest during some time of <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the year...but not too long.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I lived in Alaska
for many years, and the winters were much too long and too dark. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">By fall, I am tired
of digging and I ache in all my joints. It feels good to listen to food shows <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and try
new recipes. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All year we always wake up at 6:30 and eat
breakfast about 7. There is about a month in the winter where the sun comes up
just at the time we eat breakfast. Life is good when watching a spectacular sunrise
streaming through the kitchen windows. If I want to see a sunrise in the
summer, I have to get up at 4 o'clock. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">In the winter there
are also lovely foggy mornings that turn into glorious blue crisp skies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the winter I actually have fingernails and
there's no dirt under them. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Winter also has <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>advantages not often memtioned. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are no yellow jackets and pesky flies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And there is very little mud to track in the
house, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And finallly it is much easier <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to pick up dog poop in the snow. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p>Gerry Kruegerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443636394415186783noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8389379510958307370.post-54113492405496366882023-12-15T14:56:00.000-08:002023-12-19T12:50:17.352-08:00<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAnJgQiJrSgMYcSyG2hq6YkERabFsSt964xFBVZl-BiS24W61GbqSD5VM1KuZQrqosAWkl3pFudUMLbWkkuNe-eHfo8amJx4ukXL50j8hlzZ6qF01aBl4C43ni3cfjeyjmF3pHjJo9St3M11uGa0ED9CyHBZsIkNsH3nh0nMQfMev1nQkPeCNC4BPsux9b/s4032/IMG_1607%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAnJgQiJrSgMYcSyG2hq6YkERabFsSt964xFBVZl-BiS24W61GbqSD5VM1KuZQrqosAWkl3pFudUMLbWkkuNe-eHfo8amJx4ukXL50j8hlzZ6qF01aBl4C43ni3cfjeyjmF3pHjJo9St3M11uGa0ED9CyHBZsIkNsH3nh0nMQfMev1nQkPeCNC4BPsux9b/s320/IMG_1607%20(1).jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Gerry Kruegerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443636394415186783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8389379510958307370.post-33463583508730462852023-11-08T18:42:00.000-08:002023-11-08T18:42:20.660-08:00Talk to me<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I just love it when an inanimate object <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>talks to me.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I can remember as a child <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>listening
to the radio as I cut out paper dolls. Does anyone play with paper dolls
anymore? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I loved <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the mysteries like The Shadow, The Whistler, and
Inner Sanctum.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: initial; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: initial; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Then along came tape recorders, television,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">and answering machines. </span></span><span style="color: initial; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">And now a whole new array of talking machines with Alexa
being the most vocal. </span><span style="color: initial; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="color: initial; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">She helps me find
my phone several times a day. </span><span style="color: initial; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="color: initial; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Of course,
now even my computer talks. </span><span style="color: initial; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="color: initial; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">And the car patiently
tells us where to go.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">A couple years ago, Lilac City Services for the Blind gave
me a talking watch which I love. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
announces the time every hour on the hour. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I can ask it the date and year in case I
forget.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Now, a new member of my talking machines has joined the
household. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My benefits from my Health
Insurance provided me with a talking scale since I could not read the digital
scale anymore. Not only does it give me the weight, when I step off the scale,
it tells me “Goodbye.” What next ?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I'm behind on blog posts <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>right now and have a mental queue ready <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to be dictated. But I am trying to learn a new
way to do my blog post that will not be quite so conplicated. It involves
using the text reader in <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Word and not
depending so much on Narrator. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course it involves learning a new set of
keyboard commands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also a different way
of assembling the material as well. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I'm at a very awkward stage where I'm continually messing
up. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hopefully, I will get it
straightened out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wish that I had
learned how to do all of this while I could still see, as it would have been so
much easier. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p>Gerry Kruegerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443636394415186783noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8389379510958307370.post-41134928945155472622023-10-27T12:52:00.001-07:002023-10-27T13:32:05.573-07:00 "Ban Boring Breakfasts ."<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> <span style="color: #222222;">Thought I would share my progress with "Ban Boring Breakfasts ." I am doing pretty well. The first one was corn fritters with leftover corn on the cob. They were delicious, but next time I would add more peppers and top with sour cream. </span></span></p><div style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The second one was ricotta orange crepes. For the filling, I just added some orange marmalade and orange zest to ricotta cheese. After I used it to fill the crepes, I made a sauce of marmalade and orange juice to go over the crepes . This was my favorite. and it was yummy yummy. Next time I will fill them with ricotta and peaches mixed. </span></div><div style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Then on Sunday, we had salmon with hollandaise sauce and poached eggs. This morning I followed Flora's suggestion and made a breakfast sandwich using charred sweet bell peppers, scrambled eggs, and prosciutto on a ciabatta bun. But I think I'm going to pass on her husband's recipe for making an omelet. </span></div><div style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #222222;"><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Next, I have some lamb meatballs in the freezer that I'm going to do something with for a jazzed-up breakfast. Maybe on a baguette with olive tapenade and mozzarella.</span></span></div>Gerry Kruegerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443636394415186783noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8389379510958307370.post-63052343555763738502023-10-20T19:51:00.000-07:002023-10-20T19:51:43.778-07:00I had a plan...<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQn62CPYBszXvKWpdBZDGxvTCoAIX6bt9NbIp9zKivFiuSO3e3MA8AXYbw5bJ0jRGpOsQ6OwA7NL3uzQd9yR0mcraGH7wwzduHxziVj7L9dXqDeOZVZn-86u2gsIVYYHoTw-m7JTxefQ5PSN60K69TP217PvnYlV8toL6y-ekvCrRgtr7Es-q3nizW-SmY/s756/buns%20306.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="756" data-original-width="416" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQn62CPYBszXvKWpdBZDGxvTCoAIX6bt9NbIp9zKivFiuSO3e3MA8AXYbw5bJ0jRGpOsQ6OwA7NL3uzQd9yR0mcraGH7wwzduHxziVj7L9dXqDeOZVZn-86u2gsIVYYHoTw-m7JTxefQ5PSN60K69TP217PvnYlV8toL6y-ekvCrRgtr7Es-q3nizW-SmY/w176-h320/buns%20306.jpg" width="176" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> <br /><span>The other day I was looking forward to my favorite kind of day: a "cookery day." Before I even got out of bed, I had a plan. So when I got into the kitchen, </span>I fixed first beets, then rutabagas with olive oil and covered them with foil and put them in the oven to roast. Next I washed the figs and added a little cider and put them on simmer to make a compote for waffles. While the figs were simmering and the vegetables were roasting, I was going to make a custard to try my new ice cream machine that I recently got at the thrift store. I poured the custard into the machine and turned it on. I was instantly aware that I must have done something wrong by the loud noise and the custard that was flying around the kitchen. I had to stop the machine and get the custard out. In the process I spilled most of it on the kitchen counter. </span><p></p><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; width: 820.056px;"><div id="m_-6383217898648909577gmail-:11s" style="direction: ltr; margin: 8px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><div id="m_-6383217898648909577gmail-:11r" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.5; overflow: hidden;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">After I cleaned up the mess, I tasted the beets and they were okay. But the rutabagas were pithy and needed to be trashed. And when I tasted the fig compote, it was too seedy and needed to be sieved. As I surveyed the disaster zone, I knew I needed a new plan.</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">The original plan had included me making a batch of crepes and deboning some leftover duck for dinner. The new plan included soup out of the freezer for dinner, a book on tape, and a nap. It's great to be flexible.</span></div></div></div></div><div></div>Gerry Kruegerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443636394415186783noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8389379510958307370.post-20147446514496656332023-10-17T08:46:00.000-07:002023-10-17T08:46:46.482-07:00magical, awesome, marvelous, magnification machine <p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn3yt3iCsl16PzyqP0uihJTRn9_jYkzWwthk__oQ6h4PoiUrByVLubPrFGtN2-B2nzQmy0Lxy4_c0JpILsBtlv3KyikeSkei4jw5hNzlkwwSBQ1vw6WqgzfvEsslHe89sYwMNArufyFcm1zextoPPgLZNd7aXviTTJO2F57jdA1Q6wAzPRTAhQPQCbIoPa/s1131/thumbnail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1131" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn3yt3iCsl16PzyqP0uihJTRn9_jYkzWwthk__oQ6h4PoiUrByVLubPrFGtN2-B2nzQmy0Lxy4_c0JpILsBtlv3KyikeSkei4jw5hNzlkwwSBQ1vw6WqgzfvEsslHe89sYwMNArufyFcm1zextoPPgLZNd7aXviTTJO2F57jdA1Q6wAzPRTAhQPQCbIoPa/s320/thumbnail.jpg" width="306" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: large;">My magnificent, magical, awesome, marvel</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;">ous, magnification machine arrived yesterday. I</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> knew from early summer that I was in line to use it. I had been anxiously awaiting its arriv</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;">al. The mo</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;">del is Acrobat and</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;"> it's made by Enhanced Vision, which makes a large variety of aids for the vision impaired. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial;">It has a camera that projects on a screen. The screen has great magnification ability. I'm anxious to start trying to learn all it can do. </span></span><p></p><div style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I have it on loan from Lilac City Services for the Blind. I sing their praises often. I was curious what other clients used it for and was told that it was used mostly for reading. Most people give up trying to use it for handwork. </span></div><div style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">It's a specific skill to be able to work with your hands while looking at a screen. I figure I have an advantage because I worked with magnification for so many years when I was painting buttons. It has come at the perfect time. Work in the garden is winding down. and long dark days are looming ahead.</span></div><div style="color: #222222;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">When I meet someone who has been diagnosed with macular or has a friend or family member diagnosed with the disease, I urge them to contact Lilac City Services for the Blind. If they are not in this area, seek out the resources they do have available. Invariably the response is that the person in need is not quite ready to get help. Of course, the time to seek sources is before you need them. Everything is so much harder if you wait until you need help.</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I will be posting my progress with my lovely machine as I get used to it. I have high hopes that it's going to change my life.</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></div></div>Gerry Kruegerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443636394415186783noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8389379510958307370.post-72404304915773481422023-10-13T19:43:00.001-07:002023-10-13T19:43:36.387-07:00Silly solution to a silly problem<p><br /> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span>There are obvious things that you're not going to be able to do when you are losing your sight. Things like driving a car, threading a needle, reading a book., </span>an<span>d hammering a nail. </span></span></p><div class="gmail-ii gmail-gt" id="gmail-:1hc" style="direction: ltr; margin: 8px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><div class="gmail-a3s gmail-aiL" id="gmail-:1hd" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: 1.5; overflow: hidden;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><div dir="auto"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbzlHswOQgi0Av9Tj8A5FgiMLFk3DAJNtwB8IE9vYKEjKtUG5fePYhNVFFmkLqaQioXtPWyod33darMJvPUQYVJeKR5G5jXez5OWi25TE-QrXtij24zyZx50zMyQe2ZLHcvt4aH8M69bbvVexAdIaQhqRBUcaXonwkYmnU-RGEQhYTtG9vo2OddgBhgYv-/s1428/thumbnail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1428" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbzlHswOQgi0Av9Tj8A5FgiMLFk3DAJNtwB8IE9vYKEjKtUG5fePYhNVFFmkLqaQioXtPWyod33darMJvPUQYVJeKR5G5jXez5OWi25TE-QrXtij24zyZx50zMyQe2ZLHcvt4aH8M69bbvVexAdIaQhqRBUcaXonwkYmnU-RGEQhYTtG9vo2OddgBhgYv-/s320/thumbnail.jpg" width="242" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">But there are lots of little things that never even cross your mind. Little things that you will have to struggle with that seem so inconsequential that they seem silly. </span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">One such thing was was getting toothpaste on my toothbrush. I either got it to my mouth and there was no toothpaste on it--or there was a great big glob. If there was no toothpaste, it meant I'd dropped it on the counter or in the sink or down on my shoe. When I tried to clean the sink, there were great globs of toothpaste dried like cement.</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">I tried colored toothpaste--to no avail. I tried switching to a powder and put it in a spoon and dipped my brush in it. And it was also a mess. I finally gave up and went looking for my husband with my toothbrush in hand. He would adorn my toothbrush with the proper amount of paste.</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">But I but I always want to do things myself. So I kept looking for a <span class="gmail-il">solution</span>. because my husband wasn't always there every time. I want to brush my teeth. And I think I found the solution. Even though this seems like a silly problem, the solution is even sillier. I put the toothpaste on my tongue. I can feel how much I've got. Then I just pop my toothbrush over the toothpaste and I'm good to go. No misses ever. Very low tech but it works.</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">I was so eager to share this with Cheryl from the services for the blind. So on her next visit, I brought out the toothpaste and she immediately said, "Oh just put it on your tongue and brush." So it seems lots of other people struggled with this silly problem, and they all found a solution before me.</span></div></div></div></div>Gerry Kruegerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443636394415186783noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8389379510958307370.post-81847120653721909452023-10-02T20:50:00.001-07:002023-10-02T20:50:55.422-07:00Rise and Shine<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw0MtFqjLpstqCKSXvOcKABOazS8FkISJ4XIE9RFD7-qbiroqIw3S_nT88FYzDPMRz2DkHtumSJZDlbkkCjVGOPobrILohbyVVkwscKdDe-UdlbDZtckmTo4yXUVr01luyiZh9Dn0s6M9uO7mirlO6C_ZMz1a_smIiKrE3XVXi4fz8Hd37BGFAcpufgzHc/s612/istockphoto-919919376-612x612.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="452" data-original-width="612" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw0MtFqjLpstqCKSXvOcKABOazS8FkISJ4XIE9RFD7-qbiroqIw3S_nT88FYzDPMRz2DkHtumSJZDlbkkCjVGOPobrILohbyVVkwscKdDe-UdlbDZtckmTo4yXUVr01luyiZh9Dn0s6M9uO7mirlO6C_ZMz1a_smIiKrE3XVXi4fz8Hd37BGFAcpufgzHc/s320/istockphoto-919919376-612x612.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /> On most days for breakfast we have granola or sometimes oatmeal. I know it's time for something special when DH laments. " I'm going to get to get my granola going."This translates to me that DH needs attention.</span><p></p><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I have some standby breakfast menus on those days. They include Belgian waffles with pecans, avocado toast with prosciutto, a cheese omelet, and on a really special day, eggs Benedict. Nothing too exciting if you've been doing the same things for years and years. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><i>Lately, I've been listening to an Australian cooking show on TV, and they had a breakfast competition. I loved the ideas. <span style="color: #500050;">One was corn fritters with maple-glazed bacon-and-eggs. Another was salmon and poached eggs with hollandaise sauce. Another was lamb meatballs with scrambled eggs. My favorite was chicken livers and mushrooms on toast. And why do avocados always have to be on toast? One of their dishes had avocados and red peppers sliced on top of scrambled eggs. And sne</span><span style="color: #500050;"> shredded her potatoes and cooked them in a waffle iron. </span></i></span></div><div><span style="color: #500050;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #500050;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><i>I haven't made crepes for ages and I meant to try Bobby Flay's lemon ricotta pancakes. I'm going to try them all this winter and look for even more unique breakfast menus.</i></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><i>On days I've fixed a large breakfast, I don't have much interest in fixing a big dinner. We usually just have soup from the freezer.</i></span></div><div dir="auto"><div></div><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Gerry Kruegerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15443636394415186783noreply@blogger.com1