Or none at all. I'll have to see how it goes.
Friday the circus starts with a pre-op checkup. Monday is the cataract surgery on my right eye, followed by two post-op checkups. Two weeks later we do it all over again for my left eye. I'm not looking forward to the actual surgeries nor am I happy about all the running back and forth to doctor's offices. But I am looking forward to the possibility of being able to see clearly for the first time in 60 years.
I am extremely nearsighted. Without my glasses, the largest line on an eye chart is a gray blur. I have always lived with the little nagging fear that I would break my glasses when out somewhere and not be able to see well enough to find my way. I am thankful that this worry will be eliminated.
My children, bless their hearts, are organizing getting me to and from all the appointments. I have a list. My job is to be ready at the right time on the right day. They are taking care of everything else, including holding Mom's hand because although she talks like she is brave, she really isn't.
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Saturday, July 25, 2015
Quick Canning Update
Yesterday Son came home with nine pounds of bacon ends and pieces. This morning I diced the meat, lightly browned it, packed it into half pint jars and ran it through my pressure canner. Tomorrow I will wash and label the jars and put them on the shelf. I got 17 half pints. I find that both Son and I like these home canned bacon bits. They have so many uses. We eat them mixed with scrambled eggs or in omelets. They are good in a green salad. They add flavor to nearly any type of potato casserole type dish. I may have to do a couple more batches because we use them often.
A little while ago I did a post about canning cheese sauce. This past week I used a jar of it to make a small side dish of mac and cheese and it turned out really good. I like broccoli with cheese sauce and I'm sure there are other uses for it. The cheese sauce maintained the right consistency and flavor through the canning process. I can get #10 cans of it at my local grocery, so I will likely can more in the small jars.
It has been hot and humid here this past week. Early this morning (Friday) one of those fast moving storms rolled through. A lightning strike close enough to bring me completely awake from a sound sleep (takes a lot to accomplish that) knocked our power out for an hour or two. We have had few storms this summer so far, but the ones we have had have been fast and violent. I would like to see a day of just gentle rain that would cool things down a bit. I am really looking forward to fall.
A little while ago I did a post about canning cheese sauce. This past week I used a jar of it to make a small side dish of mac and cheese and it turned out really good. I like broccoli with cheese sauce and I'm sure there are other uses for it. The cheese sauce maintained the right consistency and flavor through the canning process. I can get #10 cans of it at my local grocery, so I will likely can more in the small jars.
It has been hot and humid here this past week. Early this morning (Friday) one of those fast moving storms rolled through. A lightning strike close enough to bring me completely awake from a sound sleep (takes a lot to accomplish that) knocked our power out for an hour or two. We have had few storms this summer so far, but the ones we have had have been fast and violent. I would like to see a day of just gentle rain that would cool things down a bit. I am really looking forward to fall.
Thursday, July 23, 2015
Sometimes It Is Overwhelming
Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would be reading about the sale of body parts from babies in America.
Never did I think that sanctuary would be given to those who are killing our citizens.
Never did I believe that our president would put his own warped agenda ahead of the people he should be protecting by refusing to close our borders and refusing to uphold the laws of our land.
Never did I think that God would be banished from our land in favor of a prophet.
Never did I believe that our president would deal favorably with lunatics who want only the death of America.
And never in a million years did I believe we would just sit here and take it.
Never did I think that sanctuary would be given to those who are killing our citizens.
Never did I believe that our president would put his own warped agenda ahead of the people he should be protecting by refusing to close our borders and refusing to uphold the laws of our land.
Never did I think that God would be banished from our land in favor of a prophet.
Never did I believe that our president would deal favorably with lunatics who want only the death of America.
And never in a million years did I believe we would just sit here and take it.
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
I Wondered How Long It Would Take...
before the gun grabbers would come after me. Didn't take as long as I thought it would.
I have been reading about the plan to have the Social Security Administration share information with the government so they know who to allow to own a gun and who to ban from owning a gun. I am not going to take the time to cite references. Google "Social Security gun grab."
Before going any further, let me make one thing crystal clear. There are those who consider Social Security an entitlement. I do not. Every paycheck I received from age 15 on had money for Social Security deducted from it. My generation was told of the benefits of these deductions. We were told that at the end of our working life we would have this money available for our retirement...to keep us from starving in our old age. To help keep us off of the welfare rolls. You might ask why some of us didn't save for retirement. That is a fair question. Many of us were unable to save. Many of us could not afford the education for higher paying jobs. Many of us needed every dime of our take home pay just to survive. We needed it to feed our families. We needed it for the ever increasing cost of living that always seemed to outrun pay raises. We needed it to take care of ourselves and our children without relying on welfare, for my generation considered it shameful to beg for a handout. There just plain was no money left at the end of the month to put into savings. We believed what our government told us about Social Security.
That being said, I now find that Social Security has the potential to be used against me. This, really, is nothing new. Every now and then some politicians use the threat of cutting Social Security in order to get what they want in Congress. I have heard presidential speeches, particularly the last six years or so, in which statements are made to the effect that it would be a shame to have to make cuts to Senior Citizen's Social Security checks, but unless our resident tyrant gets his way, that may very well happen. I doubt that Congress would allow that to happen, but this president is sneaky. He has that phone and that pen and he isn't afraid to use them.
So now instead of threatening the Gray Hair Brigade, he is trying to use Social Security to disarm us. The plan is for the Social Security Administration to report which of us need help with our finances. There is a laundry list of other things the government wants to know, but this particular criteria is the one that could affect me.
I have, as have many like me, added one of my children to my bank account. There are two reasons for this. The first is to insure that even if I am ill or housebound as I was over the past winter and spring, there is a trusted family member who can physically go to the bank for me should the need arise, and take care of whatever business needs to be transacted. The second is that I am on the downward slope of life. When I die I want my children to have access to whatever is in my bank account to divide between them and to pay any outstanding bills.
So now I find that this act of convenience for me and my children has the probability of being used as proof that I am incapable of managing my own finances. That I need help to do so, when nothing could be further from the truth. I keep track of my own money. I balance my own checkbook. I spend or save my money as I please. And now this decision of convenience can be used to make sure that I am left with no way to defend myself or my property.
I fully understand that putting a loaded gun in the hands of an elderly person with dementia is not a good thing. And I understand that there are other circumstances where gun ownership by Seniors would pose a danger not only to others, but to themselves as well. But for those of us who are still fully functioning citizens of a certain age, the notion that we should be deprived of our Second Amendment rights is ludicrous.
Our government officials seem to have forgotten one thing though. And I call upon all geezers who are still upright, taking nourishment and still have their senses about them to remember, as my Daddy used to say:
"There's more than one way to skin a cat."
I have been reading about the plan to have the Social Security Administration share information with the government so they know who to allow to own a gun and who to ban from owning a gun. I am not going to take the time to cite references. Google "Social Security gun grab."
Before going any further, let me make one thing crystal clear. There are those who consider Social Security an entitlement. I do not. Every paycheck I received from age 15 on had money for Social Security deducted from it. My generation was told of the benefits of these deductions. We were told that at the end of our working life we would have this money available for our retirement...to keep us from starving in our old age. To help keep us off of the welfare rolls. You might ask why some of us didn't save for retirement. That is a fair question. Many of us were unable to save. Many of us could not afford the education for higher paying jobs. Many of us needed every dime of our take home pay just to survive. We needed it to feed our families. We needed it for the ever increasing cost of living that always seemed to outrun pay raises. We needed it to take care of ourselves and our children without relying on welfare, for my generation considered it shameful to beg for a handout. There just plain was no money left at the end of the month to put into savings. We believed what our government told us about Social Security.
That being said, I now find that Social Security has the potential to be used against me. This, really, is nothing new. Every now and then some politicians use the threat of cutting Social Security in order to get what they want in Congress. I have heard presidential speeches, particularly the last six years or so, in which statements are made to the effect that it would be a shame to have to make cuts to Senior Citizen's Social Security checks, but unless our resident tyrant gets his way, that may very well happen. I doubt that Congress would allow that to happen, but this president is sneaky. He has that phone and that pen and he isn't afraid to use them.
So now instead of threatening the Gray Hair Brigade, he is trying to use Social Security to disarm us. The plan is for the Social Security Administration to report which of us need help with our finances. There is a laundry list of other things the government wants to know, but this particular criteria is the one that could affect me.
I have, as have many like me, added one of my children to my bank account. There are two reasons for this. The first is to insure that even if I am ill or housebound as I was over the past winter and spring, there is a trusted family member who can physically go to the bank for me should the need arise, and take care of whatever business needs to be transacted. The second is that I am on the downward slope of life. When I die I want my children to have access to whatever is in my bank account to divide between them and to pay any outstanding bills.
So now I find that this act of convenience for me and my children has the probability of being used as proof that I am incapable of managing my own finances. That I need help to do so, when nothing could be further from the truth. I keep track of my own money. I balance my own checkbook. I spend or save my money as I please. And now this decision of convenience can be used to make sure that I am left with no way to defend myself or my property.
I fully understand that putting a loaded gun in the hands of an elderly person with dementia is not a good thing. And I understand that there are other circumstances where gun ownership by Seniors would pose a danger not only to others, but to themselves as well. But for those of us who are still fully functioning citizens of a certain age, the notion that we should be deprived of our Second Amendment rights is ludicrous.
Our government officials seem to have forgotten one thing though. And I call upon all geezers who are still upright, taking nourishment and still have their senses about them to remember, as my Daddy used to say:
"There's more than one way to skin a cat."
Monday, July 20, 2015
Yesterday
I was pottering about in the kitchen this evening when Son joins me and says, "You aren't gonna believe this."
He had been listening to the police scanner for a county north of us. Some fool of a woman had called the police. The reason? Two kids were playing outside. She could hear their voices. One of the kids said, "Don't push me." The other said, "Ouch."
That was it. Don't push me and ouch. Really? That warranted a call to the police? Amazing. I remember times when, if I hadn't known better, I would have sworn that my kids were all murdering one another. Of course, there were the threats of mayhem if they didn't Stop. That. Fighting. Right. Now.
That got Son and I to talking about things that happened when he and his siblings were kids. Like the time when he was about 12 years old and was trail riding his mini motorcycle with his Dad, who was on a full size dirt bike. The front tire blew. Son went off into the brush. Got banged up a bit.
Then: He climbed out of the brush, dusted himself off and wheeled his bike back to the cabin. Washed off the scratches, applied a couple of bandaids and went back out to play.
Now: If there were witnesses to the accident, the police and Social Services would be called. Along with an ambulance. Charges for child endangerment would be filed. In the coming months lawyers, judges and a lot of money would be involved. Son would be hospitalized for observation. And both bikes would likely be hauled off to the impound lot, never to be seen again.
And there are those who wonder why we long for yesterday.
He had been listening to the police scanner for a county north of us. Some fool of a woman had called the police. The reason? Two kids were playing outside. She could hear their voices. One of the kids said, "Don't push me." The other said, "Ouch."
That was it. Don't push me and ouch. Really? That warranted a call to the police? Amazing. I remember times when, if I hadn't known better, I would have sworn that my kids were all murdering one another. Of course, there were the threats of mayhem if they didn't Stop. That. Fighting. Right. Now.
That got Son and I to talking about things that happened when he and his siblings were kids. Like the time when he was about 12 years old and was trail riding his mini motorcycle with his Dad, who was on a full size dirt bike. The front tire blew. Son went off into the brush. Got banged up a bit.
Then: He climbed out of the brush, dusted himself off and wheeled his bike back to the cabin. Washed off the scratches, applied a couple of bandaids and went back out to play.
Now: If there were witnesses to the accident, the police and Social Services would be called. Along with an ambulance. Charges for child endangerment would be filed. In the coming months lawyers, judges and a lot of money would be involved. Son would be hospitalized for observation. And both bikes would likely be hauled off to the impound lot, never to be seen again.
And there are those who wonder why we long for yesterday.
Friday, July 17, 2015
White Coats and Appointments
So I had an appointment a week or so ago with my family physician. They make you come in every three months. They don't like to refill prescriptions unless you do. So I did.
My children take me to these appointments. They do so because I don't own a car. And because they don't trust me to follow doctor's orders. They know about the dislike I have for doctor visits. Comes from my parents, I think. Mother was ill nearly all of her life and spent countless hours and days in doctor's offices and hospitals. Dad developed an attitude of thinking doctors were gods. After Mother's death and in his later years, he became obsessed with seeing a doctor for every little ache and pain. A perfect example was this:
Got a call from my brother who lived near Dad at the time. Dad was living in the small nursing home in his home town, where he was well cared for. His physical condition was such that he could no longer live at home, but his mental capacities were as sharp as ever. Anyway, brother called to tell me that Dad was on his way to the hospital. Seems he was having some pain in his shoulder and because of his history of heart problems, he had convinced the nursing home staff that he was probably having a heart attack. I told brother to let me know what was happening and that I could be there in a few hours if needed. The call came a couple of hours later. I asked brother what was wrong with Dad. He said the doctors told him that he had a sore shoulder and sent him home. But Dad was happy. He got to ride in an ambulance the 25 miles to the hospital. He got to see a couple of doctors. And he got to flirt a bit with the nurses. All at 90 + years of age! I really miss that sneaky old man.
Anyway, I kept my appointment. Which resulted in two more appointments - one with a podiatrist yesterday (foot care is apparently important to diabetics) and one this morning with an eye specialist (it seems that diabetics also can have major eye problems). Daughter set up both appointments, knowing that I probably wouldn't.
Youngest Son took me to the podiatrist appointment yesterday. My feet are ugly, but healthy. But now I am told I need special shoes designed for diabetics. So Youngest Son took me directly to the office of the shoe people and proceeded to make an appointment to be measured for shoes. He was taking no chances on my backing out of that. Couldn't do anything about it. His truck - he kept the keys - had to go along with it. I was too far away to walk home.
So this morning I am thinking I will see the eye doctor, get a new prescription for glasses and that would be the end of it. Been doing this since I first wore glasses at 8 years of age. No problem. Wouldn't have to see anyone wearing a white coat for a while. Silly me.
Cataract surgery on my left eye is scheduled for August third, followed by surgery on the right eye two weeks later.
I suppose most of this is my own fault. I haven't kept up with these things like I should have. But I had the feeling that my life was out of control. The one thing I really dislike - the doctor's visits and all - was happening and I didn't like it. Until my daughter broke through my anger and told me I did have a choice. I could have the surgery and be able to see without glasses for the first time in over 60 years, with the exception of over the counter reading glasses for close work, or I could choose not to have the surgery and be able to see less and less clearly. She was right. I stuffed my anger and stubbornness into my back pocket and made the appointments.
But when this is all done with, I don't want to see a white coat wearing medical person for a long time. :)
My children take me to these appointments. They do so because I don't own a car. And because they don't trust me to follow doctor's orders. They know about the dislike I have for doctor visits. Comes from my parents, I think. Mother was ill nearly all of her life and spent countless hours and days in doctor's offices and hospitals. Dad developed an attitude of thinking doctors were gods. After Mother's death and in his later years, he became obsessed with seeing a doctor for every little ache and pain. A perfect example was this:
Got a call from my brother who lived near Dad at the time. Dad was living in the small nursing home in his home town, where he was well cared for. His physical condition was such that he could no longer live at home, but his mental capacities were as sharp as ever. Anyway, brother called to tell me that Dad was on his way to the hospital. Seems he was having some pain in his shoulder and because of his history of heart problems, he had convinced the nursing home staff that he was probably having a heart attack. I told brother to let me know what was happening and that I could be there in a few hours if needed. The call came a couple of hours later. I asked brother what was wrong with Dad. He said the doctors told him that he had a sore shoulder and sent him home. But Dad was happy. He got to ride in an ambulance the 25 miles to the hospital. He got to see a couple of doctors. And he got to flirt a bit with the nurses. All at 90 + years of age! I really miss that sneaky old man.
Anyway, I kept my appointment. Which resulted in two more appointments - one with a podiatrist yesterday (foot care is apparently important to diabetics) and one this morning with an eye specialist (it seems that diabetics also can have major eye problems). Daughter set up both appointments, knowing that I probably wouldn't.
Youngest Son took me to the podiatrist appointment yesterday. My feet are ugly, but healthy. But now I am told I need special shoes designed for diabetics. So Youngest Son took me directly to the office of the shoe people and proceeded to make an appointment to be measured for shoes. He was taking no chances on my backing out of that. Couldn't do anything about it. His truck - he kept the keys - had to go along with it. I was too far away to walk home.
So this morning I am thinking I will see the eye doctor, get a new prescription for glasses and that would be the end of it. Been doing this since I first wore glasses at 8 years of age. No problem. Wouldn't have to see anyone wearing a white coat for a while. Silly me.
Cataract surgery on my left eye is scheduled for August third, followed by surgery on the right eye two weeks later.
I suppose most of this is my own fault. I haven't kept up with these things like I should have. But I had the feeling that my life was out of control. The one thing I really dislike - the doctor's visits and all - was happening and I didn't like it. Until my daughter broke through my anger and told me I did have a choice. I could have the surgery and be able to see without glasses for the first time in over 60 years, with the exception of over the counter reading glasses for close work, or I could choose not to have the surgery and be able to see less and less clearly. She was right. I stuffed my anger and stubbornness into my back pocket and made the appointments.
But when this is all done with, I don't want to see a white coat wearing medical person for a long time. :)
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
Canning Cheese Sauce
A couple of days ago Son came home with one of those packages containing two large bags of cheese sauce. What he thought he had was the flavored cheese for nachos. What he got was plain cheddar cheese sauce, which he discovered with the first bite. We can't eat up one of those bags full, so I decided to can them. It is something I have been wanting to try and this was a good opportunity.
So early this morning I dumped the cheese into a kettle and heated it until it was hot all the way through. Then I ladled it into half pint jars, wiped the rims with a vinegar soaked paper towel to remove any residue and oils and added the lids and rings. It was processed for 60 minutes in a water bath canner. All 12 jars sealed. One day next week I will make some mac and cheese for lunch to test how it turned out. If I like it, I may can more.
As long as the kitchen was already warm, I decided I might just as well keep going, rather than heat it up a second day. I had 10 bags of frozen peas and 9 bags of frozen corn languishing in my freezer, taking up space. I spread the corn on dehydrator trays and set them to drying. Corn is a vegetable that will rehydrate right back to where you can't tell it was ever dried. And ground, it makes wonderful cornbread.
I dumped the peas into a stock pot, covered them with water and set them to heating on the stove. I didn't want to cook them - just thaw them out and heat them through. That done I ladled them into half pint jars, covering them with the water I heated them in and got 24 of them going in the pressure canner. I have another 18 half pints to go in the next load.
Most of the companies that process frozen vegetables have not raised their sale prices. I got these for $1 a bag. What they have done is put 14.5 oz. in each bag rather than the 16 oz. each bag contained previously. Sneaky buggers.
So why bother to can frozen vegetables, you ask? I'll tell you. At present there are only two people in this household. After a time there will be only one. A half pint of any vegetable is enough for a meal, even with two people. Vegetables keep longer canned in jars. If water is at a premium, there is enough liquid in each jar to use when heating for a meal. I have a small chest freezer. I have no room for a larger or a second freezer and I would rather use the freezer space for meat or things other than vegetables.
And yes, I know all about the scary GMO foods. But I have no way to grow my own, much as I would prefer to obtain vegetables that way. So I do the best I can within my budget. And if a person is really, really hungry, I sort of doubt whether they would turn down peas or corn that wasn't grown organically from heritage seeds. In times of famine, people have eaten worse.
I don't know about the rest of you, but I think I had better keep at it and get as much done in as short a time possible. There is a feeling in the air similar to waiting for the other shoe to drop. The world around us seems to have lost its collective mind and I want to make sure I am as ready as I can be for whatever is waiting for us just over the next hill. Whatever it is, it ain't gonna be good.
So early this morning I dumped the cheese into a kettle and heated it until it was hot all the way through. Then I ladled it into half pint jars, wiped the rims with a vinegar soaked paper towel to remove any residue and oils and added the lids and rings. It was processed for 60 minutes in a water bath canner. All 12 jars sealed. One day next week I will make some mac and cheese for lunch to test how it turned out. If I like it, I may can more.
As long as the kitchen was already warm, I decided I might just as well keep going, rather than heat it up a second day. I had 10 bags of frozen peas and 9 bags of frozen corn languishing in my freezer, taking up space. I spread the corn on dehydrator trays and set them to drying. Corn is a vegetable that will rehydrate right back to where you can't tell it was ever dried. And ground, it makes wonderful cornbread.
I dumped the peas into a stock pot, covered them with water and set them to heating on the stove. I didn't want to cook them - just thaw them out and heat them through. That done I ladled them into half pint jars, covering them with the water I heated them in and got 24 of them going in the pressure canner. I have another 18 half pints to go in the next load.
Most of the companies that process frozen vegetables have not raised their sale prices. I got these for $1 a bag. What they have done is put 14.5 oz. in each bag rather than the 16 oz. each bag contained previously. Sneaky buggers.
So why bother to can frozen vegetables, you ask? I'll tell you. At present there are only two people in this household. After a time there will be only one. A half pint of any vegetable is enough for a meal, even with two people. Vegetables keep longer canned in jars. If water is at a premium, there is enough liquid in each jar to use when heating for a meal. I have a small chest freezer. I have no room for a larger or a second freezer and I would rather use the freezer space for meat or things other than vegetables.
And yes, I know all about the scary GMO foods. But I have no way to grow my own, much as I would prefer to obtain vegetables that way. So I do the best I can within my budget. And if a person is really, really hungry, I sort of doubt whether they would turn down peas or corn that wasn't grown organically from heritage seeds. In times of famine, people have eaten worse.
I don't know about the rest of you, but I think I had better keep at it and get as much done in as short a time possible. There is a feeling in the air similar to waiting for the other shoe to drop. The world around us seems to have lost its collective mind and I want to make sure I am as ready as I can be for whatever is waiting for us just over the next hill. Whatever it is, it ain't gonna be good.
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