Sharing a seat 03-20-20

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Sometimes KoKo can't get close enough to me.  So, while I was working on my laptop he crawled behind me on my chair.    Obviously there is not room for the two of us and I had to make him get down.  

First I tried to take his picture over my shoulder, that is the back of the chair on the right side. 

Then I set the camera on selfie which worked a little better. 

I don't know why his eye is blue.  Maybe a reflection from my vest?  He is pushing his way through. 

Then I set the camera on selfie which worked a little better.  The chair back on the right and my blue vest on the left and KoKo sandwiched in the middle.  He is SOOO determined to do just what he wants to do.      

It has taken a half hour to post these two pictures!  Something is screwy with Blogger or my laptop or the picture program or something.  I might not be posting for a few days. Miss me, huh?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             #   #   #                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Thursday Thoughts 03-19-20

I haven't done "Thursday Thoughts" before.  Thursday Threads, but that isn't apropos of this subject.  I suppose that all the talk about downsizing, cleaning out, culling, etc., has made me think lately of the things in my life that I save and treasure.  I am a confirmed pack rat and hate to dispose of anything that I might someday use or that I just keep because I like it.  I know quilters who are always trying to use up their "stash" and I don't understand that.  My fabric library is a treasure and if I use it up, I won't have it anymore!!  Of course, I do use fabric from the library, but not with the thought that I will use it all up.  Horrors!

But some things I use almost every day are things that I have had for over fifty years.  I'll take some pictures now and then to share with you.  I won't show my ratty towels - why do people buy new towels every year?  Why to do they have to match the bathroom?   Some of mine are from the early 70s and they are perfectly okay to dry off my body.  Or KoKo's. Or my car.  

Here is a pot that was old when I acquired it.  I worked at the Los Angeles County Department of Communications in 1959 and moved from my grandmother's house to a furnished apartment in Pasadena.   I had become friends with my boss Alice Lieb who was the head of communications.  She was ANCIENT, probably in her late 40s, and she was newly divorced (rather shocking then) and moving.  She kindly gave me some pots and pans, they weren't supplied with the apartment.  One is a 2 quart Revereware copper bottom stainless steel pot.   While she owned it the handle had come off and someone welded it back on.  For all these years it has been my "primary" pot for just about everything.  I have larger and smaller pieces, but this one seems to be the one that is most versatile.  I couldn't live without it!!  It is something over 60 years old!  

  PICTURES  WON"T LOAD _ CHECK LATER  DEL

Wordless Wednesday 03-18-20

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Tomorrow, I'll start tomorrow! 03-17-20

Still trying to get going, but not accomplishing anything much.  KoKo and I walk about a half an hour loop in the morning sometime between 8 and 10am and again in the evening about 7pm.  It is nice to not be walking in the dark these days.  There are plenty of street lights and yard lights and porch lights, so it is safe to walk after dark, but one doesn't see much along the way.  This morning there were gardeners at about a third of the houses.  The last two Tuesdays were rainy, so the grass was very tall and the guys had a workout.  It was mostly sunny, with lots of clouds to the north,  but we had no rain today.  

Brian Street is the next street over and half of our "loop".  It has a bit of a curve and a few more houses than Warren Street.  The house on the right has lovely high desert landscaping.  The tall orangish plant that sticks up higher than the others is a pencil cactus (Euphorbia Tirucalli) which turns red in the brighter sunlight.  It isn't actually a cactus, but one of the euphorbias and it has many different common names:  Indian Tree Spurge, Naked Lady Plant, Aveloz, Milk Bush Plant, and Petroleum Plant.   It is native to Africa and India.  In this area it will grown maybe 30 feet tall with multiple "trunks".  Most of the plants I see are about two feet tall, so this one has been growing for quite a long time.  The white sap can be irritating and even poisonous.  

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Food, again 03-16-20

As some of you know, cooking for one can be a problem.  I like salads, but not every meal, or even every day.  So, I buy a head of lettuce, of cabbage, a couple carrots, some radishes, cucumbers, and other fresh veggies.  But by the time I come even close to using them up they are no longer edible.  Instead I buy a package of already chopped veggies in various "salad kits".  I can take out a handful or two of chopped things, add my own dressing and have a side salad with my meal.  Or, I can dump the packages into my large mixing bowl, stir them up, add some of my own ingredients (sliced olives, chopped dates, any kind of cooked beans like cannellini or garbanzos, leftover chicken, chunks of cheese, orange segments, canned pineapple, whatever is available).  Of course, I need to eat all of this within a couple days, but that isn't a problem for me, I can eat the same thing for several days.   Some of the "salad kits" can also augment a veggie soup, not those with leaf lettuce, romaine, or kale, but chopped cabbage, carrots, etc.  Right now there isn't much on the shelves at the market, but they will be back.  Just be sure to check the expiration date so that you can use the entire package before it expires.  

I have added black olive slices to this mix.  

It came with small slices of flatbread and vinaigrette dressing. 

This is the bag, bought at Ralph's.  But every store I have been in lately has walls full of many varieties. 

I liked this one from Trader Joe's.  Notice the expiration date in the upper right corner.  There are almost always packages on the shelves that are past their expiration dates.  CHECK.

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A bad case of isolationitis

Although I went out to dinner with friends this evening and greatly enjoyed the company, I am not dealing well with this isolation.   I understand why it is necessary and I will do my best to stick with it.  But the "black dog" is lurking very close. I was out this morning early for a few groceries to carry me over the next couple weeks.  And that was depressing with the empty shelves and forlorn looking shoppers.  My friend Mary was at her local neighborhood market when a lady, another shopper, told her she shouldn't be there and she should go home!  Needless to say Mary is still fuming.  How unbelievably rude!   I think I would have read her the riot act, but Mary controlled her anger.  On the other hand, my Next Door feed has people offering to help with child care, shopping, and other helpful acts.  I hope I don't need any help and do not get sick, but I know there are people who are willing to help.  And that is reassuring.  I hope this isn't too much of a downer for you, just consider the source!!  Suffering from isolationitis.   I'll try sewing tomorrow!

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KOKo and Froggy 03-14-20

Now that my calendar is blank for the next three weeks I suppose I should settle down and accomplish something.  I really want to just sit in a chair and stare at the wall, with KoKo in my lap, of course.  I am not dealing well mentally with this big blank spot in my life.  Today I did sit in my chair with KoKo on my lap, but Froggy was there also.  He is in such bad shape it is hard to find solid fabric to sew up the tears KoKo makes.   Today KoKo kept a good hold on Froggy while I was sewing up a foot and a few holes here and there.  He is very patient, he doesn't tug or pull, he just keeps a good hold on some portion of that Froggy body.  Maybe he recognizes that his little friend might not be with us much longer,  Which doesn't stop him from gnawing and chewing and sucking on Froggy.   I hope I can keep him repaired for a long time yet.  And KoKo hopes that also. 

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