What Have You Done This Year?

 We often focus on the negative, talk about how we've had to stay home for months, how we can't go out to plays, dinner, gatherings, etc., yet for some, the last 10 months have proved very productive.  

  Think about the positive, and all you have accomplished in this time.  I have rediscovered how to cook.  At one time I was an excellent cook, but over time I became bored and uninterested.  Now, I am making fancy cookies, desserts, breads, poke bowls, sushi  and homemade vodkas and brandys.   I bought a new mixer which is giving me great pleasure. 

My grandson Lennon decided he wanted to learn to play the piano, so he started taking on line lessons, and is doing very well.  My grandson Calvin learned to ride his bike, and is learning to read!  My son Phil has taken up drawing, again taking on line lessons and doing well.  My niece Alison is also doing a lot of art work.  She also found a job during this period which she really loves.  My daughter-in-law Tracy is enjoying puzzles, something I have taken to as well.

So many people have taken up playing a muscial instrument.  Everything is on line, with instruction and sheet music right there for you.  Violin, trumpet, guitar, you name it, there are lessons for you online. 

I have also learned to fix stuff.  Thank you UTube.  I can fix my toilet and a broken table!  I'm surprising even myself.

So instead of whining about what you can't do, think about what you CAN do and HAVE done over the past ten months.  Probably much more than you think you have.  Let's keep it going, just a few more months.  We're getting out of this soon, I think!

 

Pavlova Dessert

 I finally got my new mixer.  I got a royal blue Acuma mixer.  So far I can say it's just like the Kitchen Aid, only cheaper.  How it holds up over time remains to be seen.  So I wanted to use it to practice making Pavlova, the light and elegant meringue I blogged about awhile ago.  The first time I made it (with the broken beaters) I had to whip the egg whites and the whipping cream by hand.  What a pain, and the meringue did not come out as well as it should.  So now, with the proper equipment, I can make the perfect pavlova.  Here's the recipe if you want to try, or wait until Crystal is sailing again and order it as a special dessert.  They will make it for you, but you can easily make it just as well at home.

                                                        Pavlova Dessert

Meringue

4 egg whites

1 cup superfine granulated sugar  (you can use regular sugar but the meringue comes out a little bit grainy)

1tsp cream of tartar or corn starch (I used cream of tartar)

1/2 tsp white vinegar or lemon juice

pinch of salt

Beat egg whites about until frothy, then slowly add sugar and the rest of the ingredients.  Beat until egg whites form stiff peaks.  They should be stiff and glossy.

Place parchment paper on a baking sheet, and dollop out egg white mixture making each one round but room for filling in the middle.  You can also use a pastry bag to pipe the meringue.  Cook on a low oven, about 200 degrees, for one hour.  Then turn off the oven and let the meringues sit for another 30-60 minutes, until it is hard.  When you tap it should feel hard.  The idea is to get the moisture out of the meringue.

I used whipping cream, whipped stiff, to which I added about 2Tablespoons of lemon curd for the middle.  Put the mixture in the center of the meringue, then top with fruit.  I used sliced strawberries, but you can use whatever you like.  

If making for company, you can make the meringue the day before.  Make the whipping cream the next morning, and assemble an hour before serving.  Your guests will rave and you will too!

Thank You Anna Pavlova

 Anna Pavlova was one of the great Russian ballerinas from the early 20th century.  She went on world tours, and is often credited with eating a light, airy meringue dessert, topped with cream and fruit, which became known as pavlova.  Both the Australians and New Zealanders claim credit for creating the dessert and naming it after her (she loved it), but in reality it probably came from either Germany or Austria, where meringue tortes were created.  A meringue recipe was also written on the back of corn starch boxes years ago, which may have increased it's popularity at the time.  Wherever it came from, it is delicious. 

I was at the park one day when Rita told me she had been watching the British Baking Show, and they had made pavlova.  I wasn't quite sure what it was, so I looked it up, bought the ingredients, and made it.

I need to tell you a short story about making it, and all I can say is, think of an I Love Lucy episode.  The first part of the dessert is the making of the meringue, a mixture of egg whites, sugar and a little corn starch and lemon juice (or cream of tartar).  I got out my hand mixture and started working on the egg whites, which must get stiff and shiny.  A few minutes into beating the eggs, the mixer died.  It just stopped dead, and could not be started.  So, I got my trusty whisk out and started beating eggs by hand.  Have you ever done it?  OMG.  What a workout.  I was adding corn starch to the mixture and beating frantically, laughing all the time, and feeling like my arm would fall off.  I never got the eggs as stiff as they should have been, and I had a new found respect for the hard work home makers from years gone by faced.  

The meringue came out pretty well, but the next step was whipping the cream.  I had been told by a friend that whipping the cream would be much easier.  Not true.  Cream was all over the counter, on the floor, on my clothes, and of course on my face.  Powdered sugar was also everywhere.  

I think you get the picture.  The picture below is what a completed pavlova looks like, and it is well worth the work.  Next time I will have the proper equipment.  The one I made was filled with whipping cream to which I added lemon curd, then topped with strawberries.  If you really want to impress, this is the dessert to make.  Make this when you have friends over, whenever that is.

U Tube Is My New Best Friend

 Back in the day I would have to call a handyman, a computer expert, or a another type of expert, to help me solve simple problems.  Now we all have U Tube.  What have a learned from U Tube?  We here are a few recent things I have successfully fixed or completed thanks to U Tube.  I replaced the flusher in my toilet (saved at least $75), learned songs and chords on the ukelele, how to change my virtual background on zoom, reset my IPhone when it stopped working and most recently how to put bankers boxes together.  I couldn't believe that there were five separate u tube explanations of how to put a box together. 

My mom was looking for an album of childrens' songs in Spanish.  We couldn't find any, but we did find lots of individual songs in Spanish on U Tube.  It is truly amazing.  They will show you how to fix your car, your computer, your phone, teach you how to speak a foreign language, play the piano or guitar or just about anything else. 

Next time you have a small handyman project and you want to try to fix it yourself (I know you've got lots of time to do that now), go to U Tube and get instructions.  Sorry to all the handymen that will lose some of my business.  I am saving money and getting the satisfaction of doing something myself.  

Exploring San Diego

For years, as part of Newcomers of San Dieguito, Fran and I have been leading members on walking trips around San Diego.  Other members have now taken over that activity, and we now plan special events.  Before we take members on any trip, we preview the trip ourselves.  During the pandemic we cannot lead trips, but we certainly can plan them and have them ready when we can all be together again.  

On a summer day in January, Fran and I walked what is called The Seven Bridges Walk.  Several hours after we arrived at the rose garden in Balboa Park, we finished.  We had covered close to 6 miles and over 14,000 steps.  We crossed wooden bridges, concrete bridges and suspension bridges.  We walked through Balboa Park, through Hillcrest, University Heights, just to name a few.  Along the way we met some wonderful people, too.

As we walked, we noticed numerous people reading directions, looking at maps.  It turned out they were all doing the Seven Bridges Walk too!  I've lived in the San Diego area for almost 20 years, but I had never even heard of this walk until recently.

Because of Covid-19 we were unable to stop for a proper lunch.  As we walked along University Avenue we saw many restaurants open, for take out only.  We picked one with a nice bathroom, and got a slice of pizza and a soda for me, a slice of pizza and a beer for Fran.  Every drink a beer out of a plastic cup with a straw?  Fran did!  No tables were available for eating, so we sat on a bus stop bench and ate our meal, surrounded by numerous very interesting characters. 

All in all it was a wonderful day.  We completed the walk, discovered sights and neighborhoods in downtown San Diego that we never knew existed, and decided this will be a walk we will organize for our group as soon as it is safe.  It's flat but strenuous, so start training now!! 

Getting The Vaccine Is Harder Than You Think

If you live in California, getting the vaccine is harder than you think.  Once I heard that nursing home residents were getting vaccinated, I decided to start investigating when I would be called.  What a nightmare.  

Don't call your Scripps doctor.  They will tell you they know nothing, and someone will contact you when your time is coming.  Actually, they did send out an e-mail the other day saying that we would be contacted when vaccine time is upon us,  Right now, they don't even have the vaccine.

There has been so much misinformation flying around.  It's hard to know what to do.  I have been to all the government websites, federal and local, to try to get on a list.  No luck.  I have also tried to register with Ralphs, who apparently has the Moderna vaccine.  Many I knew have appointments.  We'll see what happens.  In Los Angeles, it has just been mandated that Ralphs only give the vaccine to those in Tier 1A.  

My friends in Phoenix received the vaccine last week.  No problem.  In Colorado it also appears easier to get vaccinated.  Every state, and for that matter, every county, seems to have a different method of distribution.  Of course it's a mess!  I am just hoping that come January 20 there will be some real leadership on how to distribute the vaccine to 300 million people.  At the rate we're going right now, it will take 10 years to vaccinate everyone.

I have been on Zoom calls with health directors, hospital administers and the like, and none of them have any sufficient answers.  My added challenge is to try to help my mom get vaccinated as soon as possible.  Her doctor will not be getting the vaccine and he has no idea how to help her.

So, this is the end of my rant.  I am just so disgusted with it all.  Our scientists worked tirelessly to get the vaccine developed in less than a year.  That's a great feat, but those in charge of distribution, who have had many months to plan for the rollout, haven't done theirs.  I hope things change after January 20. 

Is Perfection What We Should Be Striving For?

Most of us strive to be the best we can at whatever we do, but does that mean perfection?  No, it doesn't, and falling short when perfection is your goal often leads to disappointment and depression.

Many adults are looking for a mate, the perfect mate.  The perfect person probably doesn't exist, and in the process of waiting for Mr. Right, you may let many wonderful men slip away.  When you're looking for a job, often you want "the perfect job."  Does the perfect job even exist?  You may be unemployed for months looking for the perfect position.  Take that "not quite perfect" job and a better job will come your way.

In school, many students are looking for perfection.  A 4.0 isn't good enough.  They want a 4.5 to help them get into the best colleges.  Most do not achieve this kind of perfection, but for those that do, the rewards are great.  At what cost, though?  I think there needs to be a balance in life, and putting all your effort into being the best swimmer, or baseball player, or student means the person achieving greatness gives up a lot.  Friends, parties, vacations.  The discipline required to reach perfection is to be admired, but I find that people that have achieved the highest level in a sport or academics look back on the climb to the top with a great deal of regret.

Today, the are many people who seek perfection in the way they look.  They body, their face and their teeth are all scrutinized, mostly by themselves.  Many will do anything to achieve perfection, thus the fitness industry and plastic surgery industry flourish.  I can't fathom some of the things people will do to create perfection:  breast implants, dental implants, facelifts and body sculpting.

It would be nice if we could all accept the fact that perfection in anything is something we may strive for, but to be satisfied with just doing our best.  It might just lead to healthier individuals, both mentally and physically.  The stress that comes with seeking perfection can cause all kinds of problems.  We are all unique, wonderful, beautiful people.  Let's try to be happy with life as it is.  It is perfect!

I Got My Stimulus Check

After about a week of waiting for the stimulus check to appear in my bank account, I was getting worried.  I went to the government web site and filled in a little information, and found out that my money would be mailed to me on January 6.  That seemed odd, since the last stimulus check went into my checking account, and that is how everyone else I knew had gotten their check.  My money came in the form of a credit card on January 8.  

I don't know how the powers that be decided who gets the credit card and who gets direct deposit.  I was annoyed with getting my money  by credit card because of several reasons.  You have to go through a phone call with the bank to get the card up and working.  Then, if you lose the card, it is not replaceable.  It's just like cash.  Also, it is a complicated procedure to transfer the money to your bank account, and finally, if you choose just to use it as a credit card, there are some purchases that might have bank fees.  So they give you $600, then charge you fees to use the card!!!

It seems that the goal of issuing a credit card, is to get you to spend the money to stimulate the economy.  That is what most people will do anyway, at least the people that really need the money.  If wealthy people get the government money (or a portion of it), they will put it in the bank.  I just think that everyone should have received the money in the same way.  It is so much easier to lose a credit card after you've activated it, or to never receive it because of mail theft.  I hope everyone got their money, especially those that so desperately needed it.

Why Have Traffic Deaths Gone Up During Covid-19?

 I started thinking of some of the positives that have come out of the pandemic.  It was hard to think of much.  One positive was how clean the air was for several months in big cities like New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Denver, when the big cities locked down.  You could see stars at night and blue skies during the day.  I also thought that because there were less cars on the road, traffic and pedestrian fatalities would be down.  Was I wrong.

Empty streets and no gridlock would surely mean less fatalities, i thought,  but that was not the case.  The number of vehicle miles traveled in the first six months of 2020 fell by 16.6%.   In New York, it was even more pronounced according to NYU's Rudin Center for Transportation.  NYCity drivers were traveling 93% less in April, 2020, compared to January, 2020,  By June, traffic volume was back around 70-80% of normal.

The overall number of deaths was less, but the calculation of deaths per 100 million vehicle miles driven went up.  Why did this happen?  The type of driver who was out on the road when most people were staying at home were more risky drivers.  Empty streets led to fast, sometimes reckless driving,  The more conservative driver happened to be the driver who was staying home to avoid crowds.  Those that thought Covid-19 was a hoax, or thought everyone was making too much of it, were out driving, partying, and enjoying empty streets.  

We are now on course to have the deadliest record of fatalities since 2014.  Hopefully, distribution of the vaccine will be swift and efficient, and by summer we will have put much of this behind us.

Onion Relish Has Many Uses

 What do you do to pass the time this winter?  One of the things I am doing more of is watching food shows on TV and cooking.  Most everything they make looks delicious.  The problem is if I make it I eat it, and most of the items are not Weight Watchers approved.  Well, we've all got to do what we can to get through this disaster.  I will deal with some extra pounds later on.

Onion relish and tomato jam are two condiments that I love, have had at upscale restaurants in the past, but have never made.  I decided to make onion relish the other day.  The amounts of the ingredients are approximate.  If you like it sweet, add a little more brown sugar.  If you like it savory, add more red wine vinegar and red wine.

                                                             Onion Relish

2 onions diced or thin sliced (I diced them, but next time I will slice thin.  I think the final product will be better)

1T. brown sugar

1T. red wine vinegar

1T. balsamic vinegar

1/4 c. red wine

Slice onions, cook them for 5-10 minutes in a pan with a little olive oil until soft and mushy.  Add all the other ingredients, mix well and cook for an additional 10 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed.  That's it!  

I put it on a hamburger the other night and it was delicious!  You can use it as a condiment on any protein, put on a burger as I did, or put it on a sandwich.  A turkey sandwich with onion relish.  Yum.

Beach Racing in Dingle

 Ron and I did a lot of traveling during the 1980's and 1990's.  One of our favorite places to visit was England.  We loved the people, the sights, and the horseracing.  Over the years, we visited at least eight different race courses in England.

One track we never went to was Dingle.  It's near the Dingle Peninsula, wherever that is.  They have a short race meet, but also something I had never heard of.  They have one day a year, when the tide is low, of beach racing!  Yes, they set up a course on the wet sand at the beach.  I would love to see that.  One year the horses raced in six inches of water because the tides did not cooperate.  Another year a horse threw his jockey in the paddock and then swam out to see.  He was rescued and no one was harmed.

One of the most difficult parts of attending small British race courses is finding a place to park your car.  Most of the small tracks are in residential areas of small towns, so parking is usually in a grassy field.  You might have quite a hike to get the track itself.  I remember attending Wolverhampton race course and walking for at least 20 minutes to get to the track.  It was worth it, as we had a wonderful day watching racing, eating a lovely meal, and of course betting with the bookies that take your bets.  Such great memories.  Maybe one day I will get back there and have a chance to attend the beach racing at Dingle!

No Fuss Pickles

 I love Persian cucumbers, the smaller ones with a wonderful crunch.  The only problem is, whether you buy them at Sprouts or Trader Joe's or a traditional supermarket, they almost always come in a bag that is way too big to ever use up, before they go bad.  For some reason, they only last about a week at most, and for those of us living alone or with a small family, this is not enough time to eat them all.

My solution is simple.  Take a jar of pickles that you have in the refrigerator and add the Persian cucumbers to the pickle juice.  I cut the cucumbers in thick discs and throw them in the pickle juice.  In about a day, you have delicious, half done pickles, which is what I like.  It's a great way to use up excess cucumbers!

Bigfoot Natural Cafe is Big On Flavor

 About once a month I get together for coffee or lunch with Audrey.  She is a friend whom I met at the Encinitas Y many years ago.  We took aerobics and spin classes together for years, and when I moved to Oceanside and she decided not to rejoin the Y, we vowed to keep up our friendship.  We have been meeting once a month for years.

Audrey is a vegan, so I am happy to find a restaurant she likes for lunch.  In December we tried Bigfoot Natural Cafe in Carlsbad.  They've been open for two years, but this was our first visit, but not our last.

It's not anything fancy, and it's mostly take out, but their menu items are delicious.  I ordered chickpea tacos with a side salad of black beans and sweet potatoes, topped with a cilantro/lime dressing.  Audrey had jackfruit tacos.  I had never had jackfruit before, and I'm still not sure what it tastes like because there were lots of spices (not spicy) in the dish.  She loved it.

There are salads on the menu, vegetable stews, mac and cheese just to name a few of the varied choices.  I would recommend this for anyone shopping at Sprouts on North Santa Fe Rd in Carlsbad who wants to stop in for lunch.  Food is really great, and the owners are a nice young family that I like to support.