Internet Cooking.

Awhile ago, someone had posted a cauliflower recipe on my facebook page that looked delicious. You coated it with a yogurt based coating and then baked - low fat, low calories, healthy. So I made it - the outside was as promised - the rest? Have you ever eaten hot, baked plain caulflower? I would not recommend it, it has the texture of a plastic bag and tastes about the same. Just because it's a recipe someone posted does not make it good and had I looked at it a bit more I probably would not have made it and wasted all that time and effort. The upside of recipes on the internet is well, they're free, you can type in what you have on hand and you don't have to buy a full cookbook for a  recipe or two. When I page through my old cookbooks I can tell which recipes were made time and time again - the pages are splattered with old food stains, often the book will fall open to the page. I have some of own old books with the same few pages stained with batter and what not from the things I loved to make. 

My biggest issue with recipes on the web are it seems like the people posting them feel like it needs a novella before they get to the ingredient list. I've often been sifting through a huge amount of nonsense such as the history, when they thought of it, the different things they tried, how much thier inlaws like it, what they were doing when they thought of it, on and on! The other new things is to make a list describing what is in, why, what it looks like, ......and this is followed by a ten minute video of them adding and stirring the ingredients because obviously no one knows how to do this but them. I wanted to make a sugar free low carb cake this week and found one I really liked. It took me a while to actually find it way down at the bottom of an endless well of drivel........

But I did finally find it. it turned out better than I thought it would and a slice only had 16 carbs so win win! It ended up being worth that endless scrolling. 

 

It Was A Fun Visit.

So I'm catching up - Friday was a mixed bag. Poppop had not made anything for dinner or picked up toys, I was beyond beat - 500 miles in two days after a full day of work. He ran up to the store and got a frozen pizza- the toy issue would be dealt with the next day.  The girls ate everything they could get thier hands on and in that area Poppop did not disappoint, he had bought enough snacks to support a sumo wrestling team. Bath time was a mad scramble, we have an olympic sized claw foot tub and they could not wait, I managed to find some passable things to play with, then off to bed with our two exhausted visitors. We have trundle beds  in the room next to ours so we would hear them and the bathroom was close by. Around 1 am Chloe woke up complaining of a tummy ache so she got in bed with me and David went upstairs as it was getting a bit crowded. She started to drift off and just as I fell asleep  she bolted upright and gave a giant barfy belch. It was a bit like a geyser but way not as fun. She panicked and tried to stand, fell in it and  then puked again, managed to get upright, back in it and more barfing. This woke Delilah up so the next 45 minutes was me putting Chloe in the tub as she was covered in vomit, stopping the other one from stripping since it was Bathtime!, changing the bed, starting the wash......C felt better and since they were both up they decided to play with the dog...... Poppop remained in hiding and they both bunked down with me.

That was Day One. 

Saturday Nana went up and bought a bag of toys from the Dollar General where you get a lot of bang for your buck. David loaded Rueben in the car for his vet appointment - I'd considered changing it but it took me 3 weeks to get this one and honestly with the weird cough I thought it was CHF, etc... 

It was not. 

The vet did the exam and she told me later she too thought it was an enlarged heart,CHF, etc - she did an xray though and found large masses by his lungs and heart, one is almost the size of his heart. In an odd way the girls being here was a good thing - you cannot go to pieces in front of two little kids. We did have some private crys but I was so glad to have them to focus on and it gave us time to calm down and think clearly. Our friend and neighbor down at the end of our road had invited us and the girls to visit his farm - yeah they were excited! Sam told us to bring a bucket for apple picking so the first half hour was spent doing that. Sam turned off the fence so they could get right up to it and then called the bull over to feed him apples. They were all about the cows til they got up close, then they were more than happy to let Sam feed him! He was so big - Sam said he weighs about  a thousand pounds. But then we headed to see the horses, the girls were so excited and had no fear of those giants - they fed the horses as many apples as they could hold and pet them. The horses were just wonderful, so gentle with them. It was a good afternoon for everyone

Sunday - Aunt Kim and Uncle Steve came over bringing these cute little navy dresses and the girl's friend Piggles the teeny dog. They're both very good with all animals even though you do have to tell them to be gentle - more from enthusiasm than anything else. We did brunch - the girls enjoyed it and just had a ball with all the people and pets around them. Kim looked at my livingroom and laughed - said she saw I had decided to change my style. The rest of the visit we just played and hung out at the house. With COVID still enforced playgrounds and everything else is still shut down. Monday afternoon we headed to the halfway mark to give them back. They both travel very well and were very happy to see thier mother. The video chatting does make everything easier though, when they wanted to talk to mom we just fired up Alexa and there she was! Looking suspiciously relaxed. Sometimes eating pizza for breakfast. She got most of her paperwork done - we dropped the girls off later so she could finish without them in tow. 

Then back to real life - I took the rest of the week off as I tend to take a day here and there, but not an extended period. My plan was to get things done but I spent most of my time crying over Rueben. I got to speak to the vet and she of course could not tell me what to do but from what she saw - in the event of aggressive treatment (maybe) six months to a year. So we're doing prednisone to slow the growth and keep him comfortable, he's tolerating it well but of course it makes him urinate a lot so we just run home alot. I plan on having another xray in a few weeks to see where we are but at this point - it's just waiting. 

 

The Elephant In The Room

I have not blogged since July 5th - close to 6 weeks which is a very long time for me. There are times when I don't feel like it or just get too busy - or there's simply nothing to say.  But unfortunately there is too much to say right now and I don't feel like saying it. Molly getting so sick and dying we never saw coming - this? This is a whole other can of worms. I don't think a whole of people read this, but to me it's an running account of everything that has happened in the past - believe or not - almost 20 years. That's how long I've been keeping this online journal, since 2004 I think. It feels weird not to be blogging at all. And I miss it, but how to get started again? Well, from the beginning of course. 

The original plan was for Brandi and the girls to come visit, but with all the paperwork she had going on she just couldn't do it. I've been there myself and I know you don't enjoy anything at that point - so I suggested she meet us halfway and we could take the girls for a few days. That way anything left to do could be done without having to haul them around too. So - we were going to meet Friday morning- and then they rejected her immunization and it needed to be done again. At this point it was Thursday, I left work a little early and drove - I couldn't book the ferry that late so through Tacoma, Seattle and Everett I went - I hit ALL the rush hours, fender benders, turning my 4 1/2 hour drive into almost a 7 hour one. I got to the house at almost 8 pm, rummaged around and had a cheese sandwich for lunch and dinner since I hadn't been able to stop anywhere and then just fell into bed. UGH. 

On the upside, I was able to book the ferry going back and we left around 9, I felt better since I'd at least slept. Everything got packed, everyone strapped in and off we went. Waiting for the ferry was fun, we explored the beach, petted every dog we could reach, ate a ton of snacks, fun! As soon as the car was on the ferry out we went again, the overhead "recommended" we all stay in the car - yeah..... no. We did all four floors 9 times, used the potty on the boat, ate more snacks and then off again. It took us about 6 hours all told but that included waiting for and riding the ferry, stopping for potty breaks and .......Nana's low tire light going on. Yup, of course it did. I did what I usually do which is call and yell at David like the ship is going down, does no good but tradition and all that. We pulled into the gas station and I attempted to check the tires which looked fine while everyone in the car unstrapped themselves since if Nana gets out EVERYONE gets out - and of course we had to continue The Tour of Potties. Two 4 year olds are bit daunting, I was explaining to one why she could NOT sit on the urinal (unisex bathroom) even if it did look fun while the kept trying to wash her hands with a full quart of soap. Fun times. In order to get out of there I bought them each a drink and a bag of M&Ms which turned out to be  family size. As we started down the highway I sang out "does everyone have thier seat belt on?" which Chloe sang out "No" - we argued about it for a minute and then I looked in the rearview......HOLYSHIT. Chloe was very rightous about the whole thing since it was Nana's fault and she pointed it out like 600 times. About 20 minutes later she was Oops and announced she had opened the rest of her chocolate milk which I told her not to and had spilled it? "Hmm. I asked if she had spilled a little. She thought about it and then said 

"No Nana, I spilled a LOT". 

The rest of the ride after I got her cleaned up was not awful - they are very good and well behaved,  ignored the tire light (turned out to false alarm). We arrived back to the house in pretty good time despite everything, they went flying out of the car because Poppop who is apparently a major celebrity  was on the front porch with Rueben The Dog waiting for them. A lot hugging Poppop and dog petting went on - Nana just wanted to sit. For a few hours. Or so. 

 

Was It The Fourth?

First of all, I'm not a big holiday person so the fourth of July ranks pretty low on my entertainment meter. With all the COVID 19 restrictions in place, well, that just made a big mess of things, didn't it? The stupidest thing they did was tell everyone that all fireworks, gatherings and celebrations were cancelled, ugh! You know the best way to ensure a large crowd? Tell them that the Government said no, especially in Oregon, Home Of The Irate You Can't Take My Rights Away Flag Wavers. I don't think I've ever seen so many tacky outfits in one place. They had cancelled an event in a small city here, David and I had some shopping to do, we drove by the park which had a large home made sign that said Don't Tread On Me, a woman walking up to the main gathering area carrying  a front yard sized flag and more leather jackets with These Colors Don't Run patches on them then you could shake a stick at. 

We kept driving. 

The neighbors of course were at thier almost built house, the kids were up and down the road with dirt bikes, mini bikes, etc.....they did have a small party with  fireworks but all in all Calamity Jane and her brood were not bad. I had actually expected much worse as this seemed to be her type of holiday but they were done by about midnight, not bad. There were some fireworks throughout the night but it was relatively quiet over all. The funny thing is I don't remember the fourth of July last year at all - but we had only been here for about 3 weeks and were working on the house from sun up to sundown, dropping into bed at night from sheer exhaustion. We didn't see Kim and Steve this weekend, they live in a resort town so they follow the old Hampton Bays Rules which is on all summer holidays you do your shopping during the week, then hunker down at home for the weekend. Kim said tourists were pouring in, you couldn't get up and down the road with all the snarled traffic. They were prepared and spent the weekend brewing beer in the back yard. 

We got out on Friday morning, I wanted to go to Astoria and walk around, David wanted to come so that changes the dynamic. He is not good if you don't have a firm plan, "just walking around til you see something" is not his idea of fun. We got there before the shops opened at which point he announced he had not eaten. Sigh. Astoria is not a breakfast place. So the next 45 minutes was me trying to enjoy myself while he worried about breakfast, was that a raindrop, he didn't bring his coat,... - we ended up leaving before the stores opened, the place that serves a sit down breakfast was packed (NO) and that was the end of Astoria. I had thought about going on the boardwalk but Starving Marvin was about to have a melt down. We went across the big ass bridge and drove back with David driving - a mistake.

Me: Look! A graveyard!

D: Did you want to stop - you have to tell me if you want to stop. There's someone behind us, do you want me to just jam on the brakes AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. Jesus christ FINE I'll turn around......

Me:................

We ended up having breakfast in Cathlemet which he enjoyed, no, he didn't want to walk around.......so we rode the ferry home - the ferry is pretty cute. It only holds about 10 cars and the ride is 10 minutes. It's also only 9 miles from the house so we were home in good time. And David is a good traveling companion if you have an itinerary, but I think the next time I will be going solo.

We've Made A Year!

Well, it's a bit over a year, June 12th was the official Move-a-versary but you know how life is, happens when you least expect it. So much has happened - some good, some bad, some tragic but we are still here in one piece. The house will be finished fully around August after the project house goes on the market, I'm already planning and some things I've started. I continue in my job as the Community Services Nurse for the Area on Aging and Disability, it's still interesting. When I was hired it was a pilot program, the first of it's kind so it's been a job that is constantly morphing - it still is. But I love the constant variety and I'm always learning new things, plus it's so nice to work so close to home, my car is grateful! David is considering going into subcontracting as he is getting older and flipping a house by yourself is not an easy task. Plus RE here is way more expensive than back in PA, what we paid for a foreclosure in Astoria would have had us living large back in WV!! He's hoping to get it on the market by the end of July but I'll tell you a little secret - we've already had interest in it - cross your fingers for a quick sale! Then he is going to take a well deserved break - he had started this house and that other one we had to jump on so David has not stopped moving all year. 

The Corona Virus really made a mess of things on some fronts, we had moved here to be able to see the girls and Brandi - in the middle of February that stopped. thank goodness for video chatting though so we were able to keep in touch and as you can see from the last entry we are back in business! We had such a great weekend with them and hopefully they can get up here in July. Work has been a bit strange as I went suddenly from a 40 hour a week office and on the road job to a work from home. Our office really struggled with that as everyone else's has, but we figured it out and the good thing is they are now going to allow us to work from home a couple of days a week! I think we're all going to see a lot of changes in that direction - we all have the capability to do so but it's just getting people in that mindset.  I've had jobs that were from home and always do well in them, I find it much less distracting since I don't have any children running about. 

And speaking of..... I never thought we would celebrate our first year here without my Molly. I'm better, it's been almost 3 weeks but still have occasional crying jags - sometimes you forget and automatically get two bowls out for dinner or go to call them ......but there's only one. I got her ashes earlier in the week, I pulled into spot 19 at the vets and called in. A young woman in a mask came out carrying a polished wooden box and handed it through my window, I'm so sorry for your loss. 

I cried all the way home. 

But then had to laugh - a little - the next day realizing I had recieved my dead dog's ashes via Curbside Service. Jeezy Pete.  And yes, we are going to get another dog, we already have spoken to one breeder that I would love to get a puppy from. Rather hilariously one of her dogs Sitka is Rueben's half-brother. Yes, it is a small world. We are going to wait until David is done with the project house but Rueben really needs a playmate, he goes to the windows every night staring out, looking so hard. He is still happy, but he is way too quiet. 

We are seeing Kim and Steve tomorrow - there is one of the greatest gifts. I cannot tell you the joy it gives me to be with my best friend after all these years of waiting. So there you have it, we made it. A full year in Oregon.

Change in Plans

Brandi and the girls were supposed to come up here but she had a change in work schedule and could not get the day off. No matter, I took a few days off from work since I'm a bit low on clients and David double timed it a bit. It was Brandi's birthday this weekend and weirdly while I was going through things last week I found a couple of my old baking pans from my decorating days. The girls are four now and at the age where they LOVE to participate in any arts and crafts projects so I asked Brandi what kind of cake she liked and informed her she would celebrating with her very own doll cake. Do you remember those? The skirt is the cake and you stick a half doll on a pick in it, a perfect little girl project. We have not seen them since the middle of February so we were more than ready! We brought Rueben along after going back and forth about it, he's very well behaved and it's a bit soon for him to go to the kennel so he packed his bags too. 

It went well, right before the ferry we stopped at the Bayview Restaurant that we like, David stuck his head in the door to ask about take out thinking we'd eat in the car but surprise! There's a small outside patio with a gate, dogs allowed, dinner was wonderful eating outside overlooking the bay. With limited opening we had the whole patio to ourselves - it was so nice. Rueben got walked on the beach after - the only thing is we had to use Dog Poo Bags the entire time but not as bad as I thought it would be. The girls screamed when we got there, big hugs and kisses - it's so good to see all three of them again! Friday Brandi had to work so we babysat for the day. The playgrounds remain closed on base but we found other things to do. Everyone enjoyed walking Rueben with Nana and Papa - I made hamburgers and mac and cheese which Chloe did not want

C: I don't like that

Me: It's what for dinner

C: Mommy said not to eat that

Me: she did not

C: you fight me?

I'm sure I could have taken her but I declined  and told her that  we were not going to fight on it. Fortunately Brandi came home and settled everything 

Saturday was Mommy's birthday so we sent her out to be alone and got started on the cake. They actually wanted to start the cake at 7 am - No. Twins are fun but they are also at the same stage so everything has to be equal. If one adds something, the other has to too, if one stirs the other must too. I put the cake in and 5 minutes later was excitedly told it was done! No. 10 minutes later It's Done! Nope. Rueben got walked again. I did the initial icing and then gave them each a tube of decorating icing and sprinkles of which they ingested about 50% of. Poppop supervised present wrapping, balloon inflation and distribution of the party hats. They both sang the Happy Birthday song everytime they heard the word Birthday. Then they wanted to unwrap the presents and we discussed it was not thier birthday but Mommy's. They sang again and announced they would be "helping" to unwrap the gifts, blow out the candles and make birthday wishes. Hmm. 

We ended up having the cake at 3 since no one could wait and Brandi had been sung to about 50 times by then. They ran out the presents first, let her see them and then proceeded to unwrap them for her. They plopped a birthday crown on her, showed the cake, sang again, hat on Rueben, more singing and everyone blew out the candles together, the whole business was very exciting. And it was - no one appreciates the hoopla more than four to ten crowd, especially the planning and cake making part.  Brandi enjoyed the alone time, since she's essentially raising them alone having time to just go do what she wants is far and few between. When we go to visit we always make sure she gets to go out on her own and do whatever. Sunday was quiet, we did a couple dog walks, played in the yard, Brandi took a couple of hours to go shopping, we ordered a pizza and watched a movie. It was nice to spend time with family. 

This morning we headed home, Rueben did so well over the weekend. He was a bit nervous at first and we had to keep reminding the girls to keep thier faces away from his - not that Rueben would ever do  anything but it's a good rule for them to learn for ALL dogs. And they were supervised with him  to make sure they were nice to him, after all they are only four - I HATE people that allow kids to do whatever and then get upset when the dog finally retaliates. Years ago David had a short lived friendship, this guy and his son came over to visit. I caught the son beating my dog with a plastic sword and took it away, the father made some comment on how the DOG should behave!! Guess who never came over my house again - jackass and jackass jr. Yep, still mad about it. But it was fun and Rueben is invited back anytime. And they were good with him, we had to occasionally limit the petting as they would both pet him to pieces but over all it was a mutual admiration society. So, we are back home, the wash is washing and the cat is glad to see me, it was a very good weekend. 

A Week and A Day

One of my favorite quotes is by Sir WilliaM Scott:

 “The misery of keeping a dog is his dying so soon. But, to be sure, if he lived for fifty years and then died, what would become of me.”

I think that sums it up pretty nicely - it is nowhere as bad as it was the first few days after Molly died, that kind of grief can only hold you so long. I still have my crying spells - at night when I'm giving Rueben the nightly biscuit because that was Molly's absolute favorite part of the day. She would make us laugh because they had to go out first, when they came back in then the biscuit was hers -  she became the master of the Fake Pee just doing a loop and back at the door for us to send her back again for a REAL pee. But when she got her biscuit she would dance it into the living room and treasure every bite of it, she never got over the joy of recieving a gift every night. But it is getting better - for me. Rueben not so much. Vizslas are very social creatures and do better with a friend, we have only once had one dog for a period of time because it makes them very needy. Rueben spent a few days looking for Molly, he always races around in the morning but the past week seems to have a frantic edge to it. He stares out the window so quietly it's heartbreaking. The other day  I  had a forgotten to turn the volume off on my phone and a video came up with Molly barking - Rueben raced in with his tail wagging - I felt horrible. We have started taking him with us to help ease the transition. He was out last night and David will take him a couple of days a week when he can to work with him.

We went for dinner to Kim and Steve's last night and Rueben was invited along too - David was a little worried but Steve put the cats in thier room(they actually don't care but we didn't want to overwhelm Rueben) - and it was fine. He got to visit with his tiny friend Piggles and Kim made him a huge plate full of baked chicken breasts. We walked the neighborhood and all in all, he seemed to cheer up a bit. And yes, I know you're wondering - we will eventually get another dog. David needs to finish the project house first since someone will have to be around and I think we also need to give it some more time. I don't have a problem admitting this whole thing has knocked me on my ass - never in a million years could we have seen this coming .