Slow Monday Start

I'm really slow getting to the blog today.  It's almost noon here and I really haven't accomplished much.  Nothing on the schedule for today as usual just the routine things I always do.  Managed to get out pretty early for our walk, Snickers and me.  It was pretty crisp, 42 and a wind that was more evident than when I started.  It was nice to get out and moving again.  The weather is supposed be nice here for the whole week so I am hoping to get back into the exercise routine.  

We uncovered our plants yesterday.  Ugh, what a mess.  I had forgotten my usual heat lights and there is a lot of damage to the potted plants and the variegated ginger.  I think the roots were undamaged just wasn't cold enough for that.  The pot plants may be another story.  Looks like we will spend some time at the local nurseries this year.  I had planned to add a few new things to add some color anyway plus getting the vegetable garden going again. 

The family and a couple friends came out to the house Saturday to celebrate Kaylee's 3rd birthday with a little party.  She has been talking about her party for a couple weeks.  As soon as she walked in the first thing out of her mouth, 'where's the party?' that cracked us all up of course.  Even her other Grandparents made a flight from Phoenix for her party.  She seemed to have a great time.  

I haven't wasted a second of my time watching any of the Olympics.  Other than not wanting to support anything regarding the chicoms, I have lost much interest in sports over the years for various reasons.  Most of it being the politics getting involved and all the woke crap that gets spewed.  I had been an avid Olympics watcher in years past but also noticed my interest waning over time.  They just aren't like they were in the years past with the video of the skiier crashing and the words 'agony of defeat' coming over the speaker.  Who was the main guy back then, Curt Gowdy?  Back in those days I watched nearly every second.  It may have something to do with how they are presented now.  Sorry, just musing to myself.

I have got bread to make, or English muffins.  I made some last week and they turned out pretty good and 'K' wants more.  So....

Happy Trails

Before the Arctic Blast

We have been hearing quite a bit about the cold front due to hit our area tonight.  It's not supposed to be above freezing all day tomorrow and into Friday.  This is not a common occurrence here since we are so far South but it does happen.  So I told 'K' if she wanted to go anywhere, today is her last chance for a couple days.  I had forgotten she just came back from visiting my Mom and helping her with some things.  But she said she was thinking about going to the grocery store for a few things. Not what I had in mind at all.  I told her if she was really going she needed to go within the next 30 minutes and hope for the best.  She went.  Surprisingly the shelves were full and about as busy as a normal day.  That means it was busier than usual since she went before 9AM.  She heard on the radio that one HEB was so crowded they had no baskets to use.  I'm sure that was probably yesterday and may well be like that later.  The hordes will descend on the groceries in the next 18 hours.  Not me, I would gladly just do without than deal with those crowds.  People just lose all their sense and have blinders on.  They are totally unconcerned about what they are doing and how they behave and it is even worse when it is this type situation.  'K' got home unscathed lol.

Fair warning, politics;

I am a grass roots conservative when it comes to my politics.  I have been pretty disgusted with our current Governor, Greg Abbott.  With this latest arctic blast that is coming, the power grid here in Texas is in the crosshairs.  Three months ago our RINO governor promised that the 'light would stay on' this winter and that the power grid was safe.  Yesterday he says, 'no one can promise' there would not be a 'load shed,' meaning rolling blackouts.  So he was lying when he said it three months ago.  He was gambling since statewide arctic weather is rare here.  Now he sees this one coming may bite him.  But he knows the voter memory is short or his is.  I know he is loved here in Texas, but most of those folks only listen to his sound bites.  They don't know that  he never follows through.  Well how do I know?  I subscribe to grassroots emails/newsletters.  If you want to keep up with a quick easy to read news of Texas politics, I recommend you sign up for a free news email (daily).  Go here:  Texas Scorecard.  You'll learn more about what's going on in Texas Gov't. than you ever have.  No I wasn't asked to do this, I just think this is a good source of info.  They have information on candidates running for office you would never know otherwise.  It is eye opening.  There are a couple others, if you want links to them hit me up in the comments.

Happy Trails

Monday

I guess we will be stuck in the house most of the week.  Wet weather all day today(Monday).  Wednesday there is a nasty cold front scheduled to arrive.  They are saying it will be the coldest one we have had this winter.  That should get everyone into the grocery stores and get the shelves even more bare.  Now the weather guessers are adding that it won't be anything like last years snowpocalpse and that you don't need to swarm HEB.  Hopefully folks learned their lesson and are already supplied with enough to get through a little bad weather for a couple days.  We are good to go.  

I have been pretty housebound this past month and my exercise/walking has suffered.  Snickers follows me around when I start getting dressed thinking we are heading out for our daily walk.  Today is the first day he didn't do that.  I guess he has figured out we are not heading out for his favorite thing when weather is bad.  Or most likely he has just given up.  I miss it and my bathroom scales miss it, I think I heard them groaning.  I seem to have gained about 4 lbs.  I usually keep steady so 4 lbs. is significant.  I am guessing that with better control of my diabetes with insulin than in the past had caused some of that.  I can tell you that as a Type 2 diabetic using insulin it is extremely hard to lose any weight.  If you cut out too much you run the risk of low blood sugar and that can be very dangerous.  I know trying a high protein diet was near impossible for me to sustain more than a couple days.  My blood sugar dropped like a rock.  

I am off to go cook some Picadillo tacos for 'K' since she requested it.  Y'all behave.

Happy Trails

Catching Up

Saturday we had some long time friends over for brisket and all the trimmings.  I like to show of my skills.  There, I said it lol.  I made the beans and fresh bread also.  We don't get to see them very often.  He is a very busy health professional so rarely has any free time.  They had to cancel once because of his work.  This time it worked out but he was on call.  I wish I could tell you more about this friend.  What a very interesting life he has led.  I wish he would write a book but he doesn't think his former employers would approve.  He would have to get their approval.  It's hard for me not to pick his brain about his adventures but I have learned to not ask.

The massive cold they were predicting for our area that had everyone scrambling at the stores and emptying shelves wasn't near as bad as they said.  Last winter's snowpocalypse had everyone on edge.  Little to no precipitation occurred.  That is what paralyzes this area when it is extremely cold.  We never got below 30 but we had way more wind than usual and it was extremely uncomfortable outside.  The dog is missing his daily walks, and so am I.  Hopefully we can get back to it next week.

One more doctor appointment to go this week.  My PCP visit was better than expected, even the doctor was impressed.  My diabetes numbers were better than ever with an A1C of 5.9.  I already have the bloodwork results for this weeks appointment and as I expected, still no sign of a return of my prostate cancer.  That makes a full 7 years now.  Once we get to 10, if I am so blessed, I think they release me from anymore checks.  I have one other appointment in early Feb with my dentist.  Then I will be through with docs for 6 months.  Oh, I forgot possible cataract surgery.  I will find out more Feb 23.  

So on the home front things are looking pretty good for now.  'K' and I have avoided the China flu and it's variants, which really surprises me.  I got a link to get 4 free home tests for COVID from the USPS.  So I ordered them, but I hear they are very inaccurate.  I don't know.  We go about our daily lives as if everything is normal and just deal with other folks requirements as they come up.  We don't mask, at all unless it is required by our doctors and it is.  We took my Mom out to eat last week and she said she was embarrassed to not be wearing a mask in the restaurant we were at, most people were and all the workers were.  She didn't wear one because we weren't.  We were at the same restaurant a couple weeks ago and she wasn't masked but had no issue.  She wasn't worried about getting sick, just that she wasn't doing what most others were.  SMH.  I told here there was nothing at all to be embarrassed about.  Anyway..

Happy Trails

Cataracts and Carne Guisada

Saturday was extremely windy here.  Red Flag warning were in effect and the Mountain Cedar was also off the charts.  It was pretty chilly also.  So I have stayed inside almost the entire time.  I would like to be outside more but when the winds are this high and persistent I avoid it.  

'K' decided she wanted some of my Carne Guisada with the colder weather.  So I obliged since it was one of my favorites.  Passed on Mexican rice this time and just went with straight white rice just for a change up.  We had gone back to the Mexican meat market and stocked up on hamburger, stew meat and pork chops.  The stew meat being what I use in the carne guisada.  We scored big with the hamburger.  4lbs for 6.99/lb, and it's 80/20 which is my preference.  We got 8 lbs but it looked more like 70/30.  The flavor is better than what we have been getting at Costco and HEB and they can't touch that price.  The stew meat was 4.99/lb.  The pork chops were 2.99lb which is a little higher but we both agree these have better flavor than the ones we usually get.  Passed on the ribeyes we got last time.  They were bone in and had been 9.99/b (it was a treat).  This time they were 12.99/lb.  Yikes!  No thank you.

I have multiple doctor appointments this month.  Ophthalmologist was this past Friday and everything was good and we talked about cataract surgery.  I have an evaluation late next month.  Due to my diabetes he doesn't recommend the multi distance lens which I had hoped for.  They will be just those that correct my distance vision, I would still need some readers for close up.  I'll take it, my vision has continued to get worse over the last 5 years.  He actually thought I could wait longer but due to my frustration with reading and seeing road signs he agreed.  My Dad had this surgery at an older age and it was pure hell for him.  His lenses had gotten so stiff and hard they had a lot of trouble removing them.  They had to shatter them to get them out and it was very painful.  I just thought getting it done sooner maybe I could avoid that.  

Next week is my diabetes check up and then the following week with my urologist to check my prostate cancer status.  I don't expect any surprises.  Now I'm off to eat my carne guisada.  If you don't know what that is, it is a basic beef stew with a Mexican flavor.  This is TexMex style, not true Mexican.  TexMex is a style that originated in San Antonio, arguably.  It's darker brown than this photo shows.

Happy Trails

I Am Losing My Mind

We went and picked up the youngest Granddaughter and also made a quick trip to the grocery store.  This is where I lost my mind, and my glasses.  The thing is, this is the second time in as many weeks.  I am usually very careful with where I put them, other than my face.  I have never had to replace them from being lost or broken in over 30 years of using glasses.  Yes I have mislaid them around the house but then found them again in short order.  One reason for this is they never leave my face except bed time and shower time.  I carry two pair, one being prescription sunglasses.  This time when we got home I was going to switch from sunglasses to my other pair.  No can find.  Same thing happened the previous time.  This time someone found them in the parking lot and turned them in.  No one had run over them thankfully.  The first time, I left them on the back of the basket in the parking lot.  They were still there when I went back.  Pretty sure I know what happened, big loose pockets on my jacket.  

I had had a conversation with a friend of mine I hadn't seen in a couple years this past Saturday and we were talking about how forgetful of names and faces we were.  He was more worried about it than I am.  He asked me about someone we both know and I told him I didn't know anyone by that name.  He couldn't remember her last name so just the first name was no help to me.  I finally figured it out, we both had a laugh but I could tell it bothered him more than me.  After today, maybe I should be.....nah.

I saw this friend at a Mexican wedding reception.  I was told it was a party for the couple that had gotten married a couple weeks ago.  Have you ever been to a Mexican wedding reception?  Was I ever underdressed, this was out of ignorance and faulty information.  Having lived here in this part of Texas where Hispanics are the majority this was my first.  They go all out on dressing up.  Sequins, Rhinestones, fancy dresses, the men not near as much.  The bride even wore a wedding dress.  And of course tons of food.  This one may have been a little subdued, there was no alcohol which was expected and not missed.  But there was no less fun.  From karaoke to throwing the groom in the air.  The weather was bad so we left early, after about 3 hours and drove home in rain/fog in the hills around New Braunfels.  It was a good night.

Happy Trails

Cedar Fever and Covid

The Cedar Fever has hit pretty hard the last few days.  'K' has it bad today.  My youngest Granddaughter was scheduled to come today and stay a couple nights like usual.  Her Dad is down with something.  Seems worse than his usual Cedar Fever.  He can't get in for a Covid test anywhere for at least 5 days.  The walk ups have lines several blocks long.  He is too sick to stay in line that long to find out what this is.  His wife was sick and the baby and the in-laws that were here visiting were coming down with something as they left.  So who knows  The lines are longer than when all this first started nearly two years ago when testing became available and I remember those  lines.  I am hearing it's like that everywhere.  I did see a conversation on the book of faces from some folks new to Texas.  They were wondering if there were any allergens that were making them sick as they had never experienced anything like this.  I do know that allergists make a very good living in this part of Texas.  I wonder how many of those getting tested are experiencing Cedar Fever or a cold and are too terrified of the Covid to consider the other possibilities.  Covid seems to not only make folks sick but robs them of their common sense too.  Err on the side of safety is a good thing.

The weather is spectacular.  Clear, cool, crisp at times.  Dog walking is a very pleasant task.  The big drawback, the cedar pollen kicks into overdrive.  We have another cold front coming Thursday evening and some possible rain Saturday.  Rain helps with the pollen.  

Not much else, I am baking bread today and will make a pot of navy bean soup tomorrow.  Right now I need to find something to put in my belly as it is just now lunch time.

Happy Trails