Cloudy

Good dreary Tuesday morning. We may get rain, which we need. I went to PT yesterday and have a primary appointment later in the week. I like the physical therapist, she is conversational, making the whole thing rather pleasant. I also can tell I'm incrementally improving. All improvement is welcomed. 

My Frieda is doing her best to calm and relax me. It's a sacrifice for her, no doubt, but she is devoted to the cause. 

Has anyone had Chilean sea bass? I had not until a couple of days ago. Aldi had it in their special finds. It was expensive but not really when I looked it up online and saw it was less than half the normal cost. So I bought it. There is a completely different texture to any fish I've had, sort of creamy. Buttery? I liked it but will probably never have it again. Not at the going price. As things are right now, I wouldn't buy it again at the price I paid.

I'm going to have the Wellbutrin dosage increased when I see my primary this week. I'm on the lowest dose, which has been working well with the other med, but I'm starting to slip into the blackhole and I don't want to go there. Clinical depression is no joke. It steals your life. As many people know. This, lack of balance and some difficulty finding words seem to be the only lasting damage from the brain injury, which I am grateful for. It was worse. There is one more thing remaining, I show emotion much more than I did before TBI.

Well, 'nuff of that. One day at a time, right? 

Mortification

I have a heavy heart this morning. There is nothing positive to come out of my fingers onto this keyboard, so I will leave it to a photo of sheet pan lasagna for today. If only life were as uncomplicated as this.

Curses and Blessings

Another day, another headache. I am getting better, but it is slow. My mother cursed me with arthritic hands and messed up sinuses. We all have something, don't we. That's it for moaning about myself. For now, anyway.

We have a lovely, sunny morning. It's unseasonably warm, it feels like spring. Spring does not happen here this early, but here we are. For now anyway. 

I'm going to have company in March. In 2008, on blogger, I met an American who lived in Denmark. She was from South Dakota, long story short, she met a Dane while in the Baltics on a Fulbright. They married and her life started again in another country. In 2010 she, with her husband and eight year old daughter, came to visit on their way to visit family in SD. Another blogger from Northern MN also came with her family for the day. After this very enjoyable group meeting my friend stopped here on her way to see family on a semi-regular basis. Life changed, no family to visit anymore and daughter went to college in Arizona. 

She will be flying into the Twin Cities and will spend a day here before traveling on for a meetup with a sister and cousins to visit a remaining aunt. I think the last visit was 2019, so this is a welcome surprise. She is smart, funny and worldly. This is one of the marvels of the internet.

We've had pasta in varying forms for most of a week since I'm not feeling well. It's so quick and easy, it's my go-to. Tonight I plan to make Giada's sheet pan lasagna. It's really good and it is simple. That's the plan anyway.

 

Good Morning

Groceries were bought. Bags were inspected. A good time was had.

Frieda is consistant. Even in repose she has a grumpy face. One of our commonalities.

We've had beautiful sunshine for several days, so we were due for dreary. And we got it. I haven't felt well, both physically and emotionally, for several days. My chronic sinus problem decided to flareup and my damaged brain retreated to its comfort place, not deeply, though. Just enough to lose motivation and not feeling well didn't help. Weird that it's a cloudy day and yet I am feeling better. I am like Frieda, I guess!

I did make bread and I decided after making an eggless chocolate cake, thank you, Boud, that I would make a flourless chocolate cake. That type of cake I've made often, the eggless was new to me. 

I had a nice talk with my friend who moved to the far-flung wilds of very northwestern Minnesota to work at a college. She will be returning to the Twin Cities when the term is finished in May. The job did not work for her. It will be good to have a person I see once-in-a-while around again. She's 27 years younger than I am but is still a person who prefers talking to texting. We can both talk a lot.

There's my news. I'm off to read some blogs after I refill my coffee cup.

Step away from the remote.

Did you not understand Frieda?

Possy heard the dinner bell.

Then we heard the dinner bell. 

All I have today is a bit of whimsey. 

Resist

My activist friend, Boud, asked us to repost this since it gets very little, if any, play from the media. So, I did. Anyone who does not understand this is a constitutional crisis needs to turn the scenario around. What if Harris had won and did the exact same thing. What would you think of that? We have laws, institutions and procedures. We may not always agree with how these systems work, but overall, they do. If we want change, do it the legal way. Not doing it that way is a coup, no matter who is doing it.

*Edited to say this is the ad The Washington Post pulled the plug on.

My hometown, St Paul. Keep in mind we had double digit below zero for most of the day.

 

Cold and Cake

Hi!

Yesterday was busy for me. I didn't get the chance to visit many of you but it's back to a regular day on this cold Tuesday. -16F/ -26.7C. Brrr is the word. Boud brought up eggless chocolate cake, something I had not heard of. I've made plenty of flourless cakes but this was new to me. Yesterday I decided to give it a try. There was a recipe for chocolate sauce, which I used. My cake pan was too large so it is on the thin side, but still good. It's got a brownie-like texture. I don't know if I'll make it again, because I rarely make cakes, but I would call it a success. Thanks for the idea, Boud.

I had PT yesterday. She worked on my stubborn spine for quite awhile and gave me two new exercises. She said I may want to break them up throughout the day. I am already doing that. Today the nerves in my back are wide awake! Ouch.

I plan to make soup with a couple of smoked pork hocks this morning. We are definitely having soup weather. I'll probably take some pain medication and actually try to get something done. Dust is settling everywhere despite my four air purifiers. Where is a self-cleaning house when I need one?

Quiet Times

How to spend a cold winter night.

We got a couple of inches of snow. It's so much nicer to see the white ground instead of the dreary brown. We had a visit with Neighbor Bill yesterday. He comes here to talk about the state of our Union. As I have said, we live in a very RED community, leaving very few options for the other-minded. Anger is brewing. 

The stray orange kitty is still here. I saw him go through the small opening I had cut into the hayloft door years ago for cats. The cat is fed and sheltered. I hoped he was living in there and it seems he is. Gatto and Frieda stare at him through the glass kitchen door as he eats, entranced. 

It's about time for me to get moving. I'll see what mischief I can get into. 

Enjoy your Saturday.

Take Comfort Where You Find It.

It's cold. It will remain so through next week, double digit  subzero overnight temperatures most days. I made chicken and dumpling soup yesterday. I'd made the blueberry galette the day before and it is our after lunch treat. This is definitely comfort food weather.

 

Frieda had her own coup, taking over my chair in the kitchen. I had to move to a different spot at the table, as Frieda normally gets what Frieda wants. They are coddled, why not? They cannot think of a reason why they should not be and either can I. 

I wanted to make a quick appearance before I settle into my day. I'm feeling out of sorts. Many of us are. 

Brrrrr

 

Good Morning! It's a balmy -12F/-24 C this bright sunny day. That will get your blood flowing. Or is it freezing? I saw the physical therapist yesterday. She really worked the muscles along my spine, they had gone into full throttle protective mode after my couple of over-done days. She did point out that there was something positive about it. I felt good enough to overdo. She was right. So now, behave myself, that's the prescription.

Not Gatto. Crabby Tabby, getting some respite from the cold on Mark's lap. Is this the lap of luxury? He thinks so. I haven't any plans for the day. I would like to have some productive time, I just need to decide what this will be. I have blueberries I need to use. I thought there was a sheet of puff pastry in the freezer, but there isn't. Perhaps a simple galette. Simple is my word these days. 

Chicken, couscous and roasted asparagus. Staying in the simple zone.

Stay warm and eat something good. We deserve it.