Cleaning Frenzy Before Surgery

It's just about 10 days before my surgery, and I seem to be on a bit of a cleaning frenzy.  This is VERY unlike me.  Housework is my least favorite activity, as I don't do it well or get much enjoyment from it.  However, in the past week or so I have started cleaning the house in nooks and crannies that haven't been touched in months.  Is this normal behavior?

I researched this a little, and found that cleaning is a stress reliever for many people.  Others I have talked to have felt the need to clean before they go in for surgery.  Expectant moms often find themselves cleaning their houses more than usual.  Also, people getting ready to go on a trip will get everything in order before they leave.  My conclusion is that cleaning to relieve stress is normal.

I started polishing all the silver trophies we have displayed in the house, from our horse racing days.  I HATE polishing silver, but feel compelled to do it (once I did the first one), and will finish that task today.  I also plan to dust my paperweight collection and crystal animals that have been gathering dust for way too long. The house should be spotless by the time Marcos and his wife, my occasional cleaning crew come on Thursday.  They will clean showers, floors and all the tasks I really hate.

So, if you come over to see me after my surgery, you'll be coming into a nice, clean house.  The carpets are clean, the house if spotless, and even Pepper has had a bath.  How long will it stay that way?  Not long, but at least it's kept me occupied for the two weeks before surgery.  I've got to keep busy!

Do You Remember Bullocks?

Where was I not long ago, that we who had grown up in California, commented on how we missed Bullock's Department Store? Just thinking about Bullock's brings so many childhood memories back to me. It got me thinking about the department store and my childhood. Here's a little bit of history about Bullock's and then, some of my favorite memories of it's place in my childhood.

I grew up in Bullock's Westwood. It was a short walk from my house, and years before I was driving, my friends and I would walk to Westwood and shop at Bullock's. There were no other department stores in Westwood. Bullock's had it all. Whatever I needed, I could find it there. My fondest memories of Bullock's are my visits to the lunchroom for lunch and a fashion show with mom. Oh, how I loved these afternoons. We would go up to the third floor (restaurant and beauty shop were on the third floor), take our seat, order lunch, and wait for the fashion show to start. Bullock's had about 5 models that would model clothes, and do two or three changes, so we got to see a lot outfits. Bullock's was smart. They had mature models, young models, thin models and heavier models. There was one particular model that worked there for many years. She had grey hair, and must have been about 70. She was so attractive and elegant in the outfits they chose for her, I still remember her 55 years later. Anyway, lunch at Bullock's and a fashion show is one of my fondest childhood memories.

I almost forgot to tell you about the tea room at Bullock's Wilshire. That store was quite far from where I lived, so we only went there on special occasions, like when my Grandma came to town. They served a "Coffee Crunch Cake" that I can taste to this day. It was so fantastic, in fact I have seen the recipe reprinted in magazines from time to time. (too much trouble to make). Another great childhood memory that will not be forgotten. Whoops...The coffee crunch cake was not at Bullock's Wilshire, but Blum's on Wilshire Blvd in Beverly Hills.  Thanks, Laurie, for reminding me.  Blum's was another great restaurant from the past, with lots of memories, but we'll save that for another time.

Getting Ready For Surgery 2

The date of my surgery, July 9, is fast approaching. This coming week I have a lot of pre-op things to take care of, some surgery related and some personal. First, I have my pre-op appointments with doctors, nurses and support staff, which is scheduled over a period of four hours. A meeting with the surgical nurse and assistant surgeon will be an opportunity for me to ask all my questions. I have a list, so I don't forget anything. Then I have blood work and an EKG, in addition to financial information arrangements. They won't do any surgery on you until they're sure they're getting paid.

Another morning will be spent going to the joint replacement class. Here an orthopedic nurse will explain the entire procedure to us, with another chance to ask questions. I'll probably find out more than I want to know.

Next, I've got to collect all the things I will need after surgery: walker, cane, toilet booster, shower chair and ice packs. Thanks to Charlene, I have most of the items I need. She's got an Abbey Rents store in her garage!

Finally, although I have nurse Ron to help with ice packs, walking and general care, I felt I needed more. I was lucky to find a woman who I feel will be perfect. She is personal trainer, lives in my neighborhood, and has a very flexible schedule. She will come for several hours each day to help with my exercises, straighten up the house and do laundry, and take Pepper for a walk. I'm excited to have her available, and it will give Ron a chance to get out of the house for a few hours. Oh, the planning that goes into surgery.

I'm excited and a bit anxious, which I think is normal. My concern is how long my recovery will take. I've never been one to spend days at home, so this will be new to me. I've got lots of books to read and I've got my IPad to play with. I can play bridge on that, which should help pass the time. I'll get back to you on my blog as soon after surgery as I feel like writing.

The Truth About Kale

Several years ago kale began popping up in health magazines, then on menus, and now in every market. It was the new "queen of greens," and was called one of the healthiest vegetables on the planet. It's a borecole, a leafy green vegetable, that comes curly, ornamental or dinosaur varieties. It's in the same family as cabbage, collards, broccoli and Brussel sprouts. Recently, however, there have been articles saying it's not all it was originally cracked up to be. Here's some nutritional information to help you decide for yourself.

One cupof chopped kale contains 33 calories, 9% of the daily value of calcium, 206%of vitamin A, 134%of vitamin C, and 684%of vitamin K. It is also a good source of copper, potassium, iron manganese and phosphorus. It has a high concentration of antioxidant vitamins A,C and K, and sulphur-containing phytonutrients. Additionally the carotenoids and flavonoids in kale are associated with many of the anti-cancer health benefits.

On the negative side, too much vitamin K may be detrimental to anyone taking anticoagulants such as Warfarin. Kale may interfere with the drug. Kale also contains oxalates, that can interfere with the absorption of calcium. Finally, it may create hypothyroidism, if taken in large doses.

It looks to me like eating kale as part of a balanced diet is a good thing. Overdoing it is probably not a good idea. Also, whenever adding more fiber to your diet, do it slowly, to avoid, well, you know the consequences of too much fiber. As my mother always says, "Everything in moderation."

A Brief History of Ice Cream

The origins of ice cream can be traced back to the 4th century B.C. Emperor Nero ordered ice to be brought from the mountains and combined with fruit toppings, and King Tan of Shang, China had a method of creating ice and milk concoctions. Ice cream was likely brought from China to Europe, then America. George Washington and Thomas Jefferson both served it to their guests.

The first ice cream parlor in America opened in New York City in 1776. American colonists were the first to use the term "ice cream." We don't know who actually invented the method of mixing ice with salt to lower and control the temperature of ice cream ingredients, but it was a major breakthrough in ice cream technology. In 1846, Nancy Johnson patented a hand-cranked freezer that established the basic method of making ice cream which is still used today. In 1926, Clarence Vogt invented the first commercially successful continuous process freezer for ice cream and after this, ice cream parlors and soda fountains be icons of American culture.

Here are a few other "firsts" in the history of ice cream.

1. The edible cone made its American debut at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair.

2. Soft ice cream was discovered by British chemists. They discovered a method of doubling the amount of air in ice cream.

3. The Good Humor bar was invented in 1923 by Harry Burt. They were sold in white trucks, with bells, by uniformed drivers.

4. Eskimo Pie originated in 1934, by Douglas Ressenden. It was originally called "I Scream Bar."

Lemon Pudding Cake

My neighbor has a lemon tree, and when it's loaded with fruit, she is kind enough to share it with the neighborhood. She regularly puts 10-20 lemons on the her lawn, inviting us to take what we need. How thoughtful she is, how much we all appreciate her sharing. So what should I do with all the lemons I've got? Make my favorite lemon dessert, of course. I don't make a lot of desserts, but this one is so good and so easy, you can whip it up in literally 5 minutes. It's a combination soufflé, cake and lemon pudding. I like it best warm, but it's good any way you eat it.

Lemon Pudding Cake

1/2 cup flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 T. butter, room temperature

4 large eggs, separated, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup lemon juice

zest of one lemon

1 1/2 cups milk (I use low fat milk)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a small bowl, combine flour and salt. In a larger bowl, beat together butter, egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice and zest. Combine thoroughly. Add the dry ingredients and wet ingredients slowly, until well combined.

In a separate bowl, beat egg white until stiff. Fold the whites into the other mixture until just combined. Do not overmix or you will deflate the egg whites. Pur the batter into an 8 inch greased baking dish. Place baking dish in a pan of hot water, and transfer to the oven. Cook for 40-45 minutes, turning half way through for even browning. Allow to rest for half an hour before serving.

Serve in bowls, as the inside of the cake is runny. It's a soufflé on top, cake in the middle, and pudding on the bottom. Some people like to serve it with a dollop of whip cream on top, but I like it just the way it is. It's a lemon lovers delight!

Camel Riding In Ramona

Once a month the Oasis Camel Dairy in Ramona has tours of the farm and camel rides. Of course when my friend Linda told me about this I just had to go. Fran, Barb, Fran, and I went on a Sunday in February, and had quite a time. We met Fran's granddaughter and daughter in law and Judy and friend from Upland. Unfortunately, the day we chose to visit the farm was the busiest day they'd ever had. There was a piece on the camels on the news, and everyone decided to check it out. The chairs they had set up for visitors weren't enough, so they had a tractor bring in bales of hay for others to sit on. It was pretty funny.

The tour of the farm was not really a tour. The owners gave us a talk about camels, how they got started, then a bird show. Yes, a bird show. The wife has a bird show that she takes to the county fair, and she gave us a sample of what her birds can do. It was cute, but not what we came for.

In all, there are 22 camels on the farm. They are raised with love and lots of attention, so they are not the nasty biting, spitting camels that we generally think of. We learned a lot about camels, and finally got to ride one. Fortunately they had a set of steps for us to climb to board the camel, so getting on was a piece of cake. It was a fun couple of hours, but nothing I would go to again.

We were starving by the time we finished camel riding, so we stopped at a cute little Mexican restaurant on the main drag of Ramona, La Cocina. It's a few doors down from Subway. The food was delicious and authentic. I ordered rolled taquitos, smothered in guacamole and cheese for $4.99. Barb ordered the enchiladas, which she enjoyed. Fran ordered tacos, and an order of guacamole and chips, which we polished off in no time. If you find yourself in Ramona and hungry, try La Cocina. You probably won't be out that way unless you're going to the Wild Animal Park or Julian. I doubt too many of you are going to make the trip to the camel farm. It was fun, but maybe not worth the drive.

Getting Ready For Surgery

Elective surgery is a big decision. Sometimes I think the more you know about the surgery, the less likely you are to have it. After suffering with a torn meniscus and arthritis in my left knee for over five years, and eventually finding out that I have no cartilage left in that knee, I have made the decision to get a new knee.

My pain began about five years ago. It kept me from doing many of the activities I had done before, or doing my favorite things, like walking, yoga and boogie boarding, at a less intense level. I turned over in bed one night, and it seemed that my knee went one way, and the rest of my leg went the other way. I've never been the same since. I have had two arthroscopic repairs to this knee to clean up the meniscus and arthritis, but over the past six months, my knee has deteriorated.

I have been to six orthopedic surgeons over the past five years. I decided last December I was going to have my knee replaced, so I started in earnest to find a doctor with whom I felt comfortable. I met with several and am finally scheduled for surgery with Dr. Bugbee at Scripps Green on July 9.

Next, I began asking everyone I knew who had had this surgery in the past few years about their experience. The more you ask, the more you learn, and you even get some information that you'd rather not have, like the fact that you need to take Coumadin for a month after surgery to prevent blood clots. I did not know that. Infection is also a possibility, so getting out of the hospital as soon as possible is recommended. Constipation! I never thought about that problem until it was brought to my attention. You must take Vicadin for the pain, and that can cause serious constipation, or even blockage, in some cases.

These are just a few of the things I have discovered in my quest to be ready for surgery and to have a quick recovery. Getting my house ready, and having some help are other issues that I have researched, and will write about at another time. Oh! And calling Blue Cross to understand my benefits before the surgery was very important. All that next week. Until then, I'm counting the days until July 9, and hope that shortly thereafter I will be pain free.

A Symphony In The Trees

Living in an urban environment, we miss a lot. The sounds of the country, like frogs croaking, crickets chirping, and birds tweeting are something most of us rarely hear. However, here I am living in the suburbs of San Diego, and I hear all these sounds everyday.

I walk Pepper every evening just after dusk, and I can't help but notice the racket the crickets and frogs are making down at Batiquitos Lagoon. It's hard to miss when you're in a neighborhood with little traffic, but when trucks roll by the sounds of the lagoon get lost.

Recently I noticed that the tree outside my front door was covered with birds when I went outside at 7am each morning. There must be 200 brown sparrows with light yellow bellies tweeting away in the trees. They're so happy, and I'm so happy listening to them. This is the third year we've lived here, but the first year I've noticed the birds. Did they just start coming, or did I just not notice them for the past few years? They sit there and sing for about two hours, then they're gone. Where they go I do not know, but they're always back the next morning.

Bird behavior has always been a mystery to me. Where do these little songbirds go during the day? Where do they sleep? Where do they go to die? For all the millions of birds in the world, I hardly ever see a dead bird. The little sparrows with their sweet song are so much more fun to watch than the big black crows that also hang around. I hate those birds. They scare me. Many years ago we had a big black and white Akita mix dog. She had a heavy coat, and apparently the crows thought her hair would make good nest material. They would swoop down in tandem and pull hair from her back, then fly away. This mighty dog was afraid of the crows, and as a consequence, I am too. I hope my little sparrows continue to hang out in our front yard. It's such a beautiful sound with which to start the day.

Unique Clown Therapy

Clowns from all over the world are heading to Israel for a unique clown convention. Clowns and the therapy they provide has been known for years, but an Israeli program called Dream Doctors has blazed the trail for "professionalizing" clown therapy. Doctors now know that clown therapy is a research-backed healthcare discipline. These scientifically proven theories will be shared at an international congress of medical clowning associations.

Dr. Arthur Eidelman from the pediatric department at Shaare Zedek Medical Center has a vision that the same way hospitals hire any therapist, they'll hire medical clowns. Research has found that putting trained clowns on the medical team leads to measurable benefits in pain relief, stress reduction and boosting immunity. Pre-surgical and post-surgical patients treated by medical clowns need less anesthesia before and less pain after the operation.

Dream Doctors work in 18 Israeli hospitals, making a unique contribution to treatment, recovery and rehabilitation. The Magi Foundation foots the bill initially, but as the years go by the hospital's share of the funding increases (until the hospital is paying the clown's entire salary), and the clown therapist isn't an outsider, but a regular staff member. Most of the clowns have a degree from Haifa University, and many have a master's as well. The most important requirement is to have a great heart. Sometimes the best medicine for a sick adult or child, is a good laugh.

Dutch Cheese Soup

Having had such wonderful food on my cruise to the Baltic in August, I wondered what other great things were being cooked up on other cruise lines. I found a web site that lists 20 or more food items from various cruise lines, the best of the best, www.cruiserecipes.net. The recipe I am sharing with you today is from Viking River Cruises. I have not tasted the soup myself, but have heard from several passengers that this soup is outstanding. Here it is. It's not hard to make, so you be the judge. What's better on a cold winter day than a piping hot bowl of soup? (this recipe is taken directly from www.viking rivercruise.com.

Dutch Cheese Soup From Viking River Cruises . Viking has cruises on rivers throughout Europe, including Holland. The Dutch are great soup eaters, often featuring soup as a meal’s main dish. This hearty soup is perfect for a fall or winter evening served piping hot with thick slices of a dark bread. 1/4 cup vegetable oil 2 tablespoons butter 1/2 cup diced onions One cup diced cauliflower 2 potatoes cut into half-inch cubes 1/2 cup carrots cut into one half-inch cubes 4 cups chicken stock 4 ounces Canadian bacon diced 5 ounces Gouda cheese thinly sliced 8 slices sourdough baguette Salt & pepper to taste

Heat oil on medium-high heat in a 1.5-quart saucepan. Add onion and sauté until softened. Add cauliflower, carrots and potato; sauté for 5 minutes. Stir in chicken stock and bring to a boil. In a small skillet, heat the butter. Add the Canadian bacon and sauté until lightly browned. Add bacon to soup. Reduce heat to low and cover, simmering until vegetables are tender (about 15 minutes). Pour soup into four individual flameproof crocks or bowls. Top each portion with two bread slices and one-quarter of the cheese. Place under the broiler until cheese is bubbly. Serve immediately.

Yields 4

Kitesurfing: Adventure on the High Seas

On a cool and very windy Saturday, Fran and I walked from Cardiff to Solana Beach and back. Our regular walk was rerouted due to the street fair in Encinitas. It was extremely windy, and there was lots of white water in a small area of Cardiff. The waves were challenging, and with the high winds, the surf was just right for kite surfing.

What is kite surfing you may ask? It looks like a cross between snowboarding (the board looks like a snowboard)and surfing, with the addition of a kite to propel you. A precursor to this sport was parachute skiing. Many of the early forms of surfing with the help of a kite were designed by engineers in America, Germany and New Zealand. It wasn't until 1997 that the Legaignoux brothers of France developed and sold the breakthrough "Wipika" kite design which used inflatable tubes. The above picture is of a surfer inflating his kite. Legaignoux continues to improve the kite design to this day.

It was a perfect day for kite surfing, yet we saw only about a dozen brave souls in the water. I think it is a very difficult sport, one that requires a lot of strength, balance and agility. Extraordinary speed can be attained too, with the record being 93 km per hour. I saw guys doing snowboard like tricks in the surf. They were amazing. I think I'm past the age to even trying an extreme sport like this. I'll just stick to boogie boarding. It suits me just fine.

My Personal Journal

Friday, May 23, was one of our happiest days in the last decade. Around 4pm Ron received a phone call from his probation officer. She was calling to tell him that since he had been a model citizen and had been compliant in every way for the past 2 1/2 years, he was for all intents and purposes, finished with probation. Ron was stunned. He had heard of people being released early from probation, but never when there was a monetary restitution due. He is officially still on probation until October 8, but he no longer has to do lengthy monthly reports, itemizing his wages and explaining how he spends his money. He no longer has to request permission to travel. He can go anywhere in the U.S. whenever he wants, for up to a month at a time. Foreign travel will have to wait until after October 8, but that's ok. Just to be free to go to LA to see David umpire a college game, visit our grandchildren, my mother, or a client, without having to report to someone, is a big deal. Also on our agenda is a trip to Colorado to see Phil, Deborah, Lennon and Elsa. Ron hasn't been there in years, and summer is the perfect time for us to visit.

In the mean time I have scheduled knee replacement surgery for July 9. We will have to work around that date, as I won't be able to travel for several weeks after surgery. More about me at another time. This is a time for celebration. None of us can ever really know how Ron feels tonight. Not having to look over your head, wait for a phone call from probation asking you to pay more money, being told that you should move to a cheaper area because you are paying too much rent, are all things that will not happen anymore. A big weight has been lifted from Ron's shoulders, and mine as well. All I can say is that tonight Ron is all smiles. He's the happiest I've seen him in a long time, and for good reason. Knowing him, he's busy planning for the future. That's just the way he is.