My Mobile Home Gourmet Blog
Wednesday 2025.12.24
Merry Christmas!
Tomorrow will be Christmas day. I hope Santa will bring you something really nice. Children, and grown-ups, around the world will be opening their presents in the morning. I usually buy myself a gift each Christmas. Typically, it isn't something fancy, like a new TV or computer. I'm rather practical. My gift this year was a new vacuum sealer. I wanted one for a long time. The new one works great. I use it mostly to seal portions of meat to freeze for later use in my stir fry dinners.
Weather
I wasn't expecting to get a lot of sleep last night. Rain is okay, which we are getting this week. I like the rain. However, wind keeps me awake. We are under a high wind warning until tomorrow afternoon. The wind was forecast to be 30 to 50 mph, with gusts as high as 70, except for 80 up in the mountains and foothills.
The rain started yesterday, with periods of heavy rain forecast for last night and today. It's supposed to rain all week with sunny weather returning by the weekend. Actually, it's a nice Christmas gift. I always appreciate the rain, unless it causes devastating mud slides and debris flows. Those don't affect the area where I live. But high winds can damage some roofs.
I will be checking the daily rainfall summaries from the county. During the night we received 2.65 inches. San Marcos Pass got 5½ and the Gibraltar Reservoir nearly 6 inches. That reservoir is now nearly half full. When it overflows, it adds to our reservoir, which is currently about ¾ full. One storm doesn't fill the reservoirs. But, it helps.
Yesterday I looked around my home for any items that might be moved by the wind. I didn't see anything. I don't have a lot of junk around my home. My yard is mostly neat. My neighbors, on the other hand — well, I shouldn't be gossiping. And one neighbor has three sheds.
Tailoring
I took my cue from the weather. It seemed like a good reason to stay inside, dry and warm, and start tailoring another shirt. I did the cutting and started the assembly yesterday. The back and part of one front are done. I'll continue today.
AI Reviews
On Monday I submitted my first AI-assisted review of an Amazon Vine product (push pin hooks). I used ChatGPT. The review was more of a hybrid. Some of it was written by ChapGPT; some of it was written by me, based on personal experience. I like the AI program because it draws my attention to features I hadn't considered, such as how easily the push pin hooks press into the wall and how they blend into my office's decor.
Then, I received an email late yesterday from Amazon, thanking me for my review of the hooks. It was accepted. Maybe after a week or two, I'll know how the review was graded — poor, fair, good, or excellent.
I can't help wondering how many Vine members use ChatGPT to write their reviews. I read one that I'm sure was AI generated. It read like an advertising brochure.
The app certainly isn't perfect. I submitted several requests, each worded differently, for a review for biodegradable paper plates, but ChatGPT came up with nothing. However, the plates are so common, I was able to find several reviews of similar products from which to copy and paste text into my review.
Sunday 2025.12.21
Welcome to Winter
Today is the Winter Solstice, the beginning of winter. It's also the shortest day of the year. Although the days will start getting longer, they'll continue to get colder for a while because the nights will be longer than the days; so, more cooling than warming.
With the coming of winter, my mind goes toward soups again. Therefore, yesterday I cooked another small batch of black beans. Those are supposedly an excellent source of nutrition and fiber. They're also a good replacement for protein for those on a vegetarian diet. I made a small batch because they get moldy in the refrigerator too quickly. The recommended refrigeration time is 3 to 5 days.
I tried using beans in my stir fries, but I didn't like them. I prefer meat. However, the beans are especially good in soups. And I can use the same frozen mixed vegetables. With soups as my goal, I bought a big jar (40.5 oz/1.14kg) of Knorr Chicken Bouillon at Costco. It cost only $6.29; so, I thought it was a good bargain too because the smaller jar (32 ounces) at Smart & Final is $6.99.
For the soup, I used some of the bouillon, along with plenty of vegetables and some beans. I also cut up a few of the meatballs I bought (see below). And, I even added some heavy cream to the broth to make a Cream of Beef and Bean Vegetable Soup. It was delicious.
Speaking of Chicken (that's going to get me in trouble)
Did you watch President Trump's prime time speech on Wednesday evening? I couldn't help thinking it was an angry State of the Union Address. One commentator said he sounded desperate and defensive, as if someone had earlier told him his popularity numbers were the lowest of any president, even Biden's.
He might also be concerned about the mid-term elections coming in the fall. If the ACA (Affordable Care Act, AKA Obamacare) subsidies fail to be renewed, healthcare insurance costs could double, even triple, for millions of Americans who are also voters. There has been much talk about the Republicans losing control of both chambers of Congress. A few states have attempted to gerrymander their districts (some, successfully) to improve the voting for Republicans. California did it to counter the redistricting done in Texas.
Reading the headlines after the speech has been amusing. The Atlantic said, "This is what presidential panic looks like." CNN described it as, "Trump's dark Christmas story." Vanity Fair's headline was, "Trump's desperate economic address isn't even convincing his base." Daily Beast reported, "Trump spills real reason for manic address when cameras stop." The article added:
President Donald Trump was heard explaining why he gave his bizarre national address as soon as the cameras stopped rolling. In seemingly unguarded comments made in front of journalists after the address, the president admitted that it had not even been his choice — but that his chief of staff, Susie Wiles, had made him do it as she plays cleanup amid the fallout from her embarrassingly candid Vanity Fair article.
I can't help wondering how much longer Wiles will remain in her White House job. If the Democrats take control of Congress again, I wonder how many attempts will there be to impeach Trump again?
And Speaking of Vanity Fair
I read the full interview of the White House chief of staff, Susie Wiles, by Chris Whipple. The text fills 13 8½x11-inch pages, 12 point font. Much has already been said about it in the news. No doubt you heard she described Trump as having "an alcoholic’s personality."
I found some assurance when she confirmed Trump will not run for another term. However, she is fully confident the GOP will win the midterms. That seems doubtful.
I need to read the article again, maybe with a yellow highlighter in my hand.
A Little More About Amazon Vine
As mentioned in Wednesday's blog post, Amazon now ranks our reviews — poor, fair, good, and excellent. I got to wondering, can I use ChatGPT to help me write better reviews? In 2026 I am going to use the program to help me improve my writing. Most of my reviews are rated excellent, but I saw a couple of fairs.
On Friday, Amazon announced they would be considering review quality as part of the criteria to remain in the Gold Tier. I can't decide whether or not I care. With the Vine Voices program only a shadow of what it once was, the Gold isn't as attractive.
Cheating or Celebrating
You might remember from an earlier blog post (December 7th, see below) that I punched another hole in my belt. I was in Costco on Wednesday and again my trousers were a little too loose. Thankfully, I had that extra hole in my belt. I needed it. I decided I could splurge a little. I bought one of Costco's rotisserie racks of ribs.
I ate a few ribs, then I removed the meat from the bones and portioned it for freezing. I started using it in my stir fries. The meat is very tender (saving me from having to velvet it) and it is shredded, like pulled pork. The idea came to me as a way to recommend stir fries as a way to use up leftovers. Is a video possible?
I also came up with a simpler way to make my stir fry dinners. I bought a big bag of frozen Kirkland Signature Italian Style Beef Meatballs. There are 140 in the bag. Seven of them gives me the 4 to 5 ounces of meat I like in my dinner. Thaw in the microwave and cut into pieces while the frozen vegetables are cooking in the wok. Then combine everything with a sauce and enjoy. It's all about convenience.
Holidays
With the holidays less than a week away, I continue to watch movies with a Christmas theme, or at least something about Christmas. The format I like most is MKV H.264 (whatever that means). The files play on my computers and on my Blu-ray disc player. This morning, I found two that I've been wanting: Christmas in Connecticut and The Man Who Came to Dinner.
This is also the time of year when I start reading A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. It's only five chapters; so I'll read one every evening, finishing the book on Christmas day.
Weight
My average went up by another third of a pound. Given my celebating, it was not a surprise. It's a setback, but it gives me more determination to do better.
Wednesday 2025.12.17
The Straw That Broke the Camel's Back?
Yesterday I saw on Amazon Vine a "shipping container vent kit." Really? Yep. ASIN B0FMF6W7VH. You've seen those large steel shipping containers stacked at ports. If you need a vent kit for one, Amazon has them. I don't recall ever seeing one at K-Mart.
That was the final straw for me. In Sunday's blog post I complained about the lack of consumer goods on Vine. One web site says Vine members are frustrated with the number of replacement parts.
I did order two items yesterday — a package of disposable paper plates that I think will be useful for my stir fry dinners, and three condiment squeeze bottles for the oils I use with my wok.
And I saw something new this week. Amazon is now rating reviews — poor, fair, good, excellent. Mine are mostly excellent, but I did see a few recent ones rated "fair."
Starting in 2026, I'll fulfill my Vine quota with parts costing less than $10, regardless of any use I might have for them — motor brushes, filter gaskets, rubber seals, o-rings, drain gaskets — you get the idea. Thankfully, I am a good writer. I can easily review them. "These brushes fit my electric motor exactly as advertised. Five stars!" The trick is to read what the seller says about them. "These are superb quality motor brushes, better than all the others." Review accordingly, then, into the trash they'll go. Those reviews will probably be rated "poor."
I'd quit Vine, but every once in a while — and rarely now — they offer something I really want, such as that electronic digital calendar tablet ($129.99) I ordered back in October. I use it every day to remind me to do my chores (yesterday was laundry, today is vacuuming) and exercises (yesterday was arms, today is legs). I love it.
What Else?
Not much else is going on lately. I am still enjoying the stir fry dinners I make in my new wok. My Kentucky friends and I played our weekly game of miniature golf again yesterday. I finished building a LEGO-fake kit. It wasn't a Christmas kit; so, I added some minifigs to make it more festive. It's the Eagle 5 from the movies Spaceballs.
With winter arriving soon, I'm thinking of winter projects. I'll probably tailor one or two new shirts to use up some of the fabric I have stored.
And there is always more downsizing to do. I need to reduce the clutter in my shed. My home looks fine. It's the shed that needs some work.
Sunday 2025.12.14
Vine Voices Venting
I haven't bitched about the Amazon Vine Voices program in a while. (Or, maybe I have.) Anyway, there was a time when it was kind of fun getting free stuff. Now, almost none of the stuff is worth having.
I read somewhere that Amazon is no longer offering large bulky items on Vine. I am counting my blessings because I received more than one office chair, two electric scooters, an air conditioner, and a clothes dryer, all of which were quite bulky.
Maybe also worth mentioning: I rarely see expensive items anymore. In the Gold Tier, I can order items of any value. The air conditioner had a retail value of more than $350. One of the scooters was around $220, the other was $250. This year I picked up four items valued at more than $100 — drill bits ($130), electronic calendar tablet ($130), baby monitor camera ($150), and a corner rounder ($120).
There is a category in the menu for Appliances. When I last checked, the number of items available was 1,158. In the sub-category Parts & Accessories, the number was 1,146. In Refrigerators and Freezers, there were 7 (but only parts) and in Laundry Appliances there were 5 (also only parts).
I've mentioned this before: The vast majority of items in Vine now are replacement parts. I'm neither an auto mechanic nor an appliance repairman or handyman. I rarely see a retail consumer product. I've also mentioned I can order really cheap stuff to review and discard, like straw toppers, coasters, and bottle caps, to remain in the Gold Tier.
Furthermore, Amazon cancels some of my orders because the item is "out of stock." However, when I check the item page it is in stock. One item, B0FY5X1LS1, was cancelled, but the product page shows it is in stock, plus it says "800+ bought in past month." Maybe an item is selling so well, Amazon doesn't want to part with one for free?
I fired off an email to Amazon Vine-support. They responded quickly, asking for more information. I sent them my order number along with a screen capture of the product page that shows it is in stock. I'm still waiting for their response. This is the weekend; so, maybe tomorrow.
My current frame of mind is to order nothing unless I see something I really need or want. If I fail to satisfy my quota to remain in Gold, I'll complain about the lack of consumer products — not that my complaint would do any good. So far, I'm on target to reach my goal. I picked up two inexpensive items this week — some sort of goo that is supposed to remove the build-up on the bottom of skillets (I need that) and some pushpin hooks (I want those for my calendars).
The thing is: I am now buying more on Amazon than I am ordering through Vine. If I'm going to pay for things anyway, why do I need to be a member of Vine? My next membership review isn't until May 1st. I have plenty of time to think about it.
Weight
I am coming to the conclusion that the only effective way to lose weight is deprivation dieting. I've read books that tout tricks and hacks for shedding body fat without giving up the foods we love. Those gimmicks seemed to work at first, but there comes a point when the body fights back. 195 pounds appears to be my threshold. At that weight, my DNA kicks in and hammers me with insatiable hunger, trying to get my body's fat stores back up to pre-dieting levels. All I can do is try to tough it out and hope my brain will eventually adapt.
This past week my numbers were not good, but they weren't bad either. I started the week seeing 195s on the scale. Toward the end of the week my weight was back down to 193 again. My average for the week went up by only a tenth of a pound, which is nothing to feel shame about.
I am still eating mostly vegetables, enjoying a stir fry for my dinner. I fight not to snack during the evening. And my exercise has become consistent since I placed reminders on my electronic calendar tablet.
Here is one of my own tricks: When I feel a strong urge to snack, I open a little single-serving container of Kirkland Signature Chunky Guacamole and wash a couple of ribs of celery. Use the celery to scoop out a bit of guac and enjoy. Celery supposedly has minus-calories because the body expends more calories digesting the vegetable than it gets from the food. Each serving of the quac is 110 calories, with only 5g of carbohydrates. Also, celery is regarded as a green vegetable because it is nutrient dense.
Wednesday 2025.12.10
Calendar
I finally got around to printing my 2026 calendars — plural because I have one above each office computer and one on the wall in the kitchen. I won't bore you with the details, but I had to shift printers from one computer to the other to get what I wanted. I wasn't done until 1:30 in the afternoon. Thankfully, I only need to struggle once each year.
Potluck
Sunday's potluck went well enough. As planned, I made Mom's Italian Christmas Cookies, known as "knot cookies" in Italy because the bakers shape the dough into small knots. The cookies weren't phenomenal, but they fulfilled an obligation; so, good enough.
When I was a child, Mom would turn the cookie dough over to us and we could shape the dough any way we wanted, kind of like playing with modeling clay. It was fun, and it made the season more festive.
Also as planned, I made only 18. That's enough to share with four or five people. I knew I'd end up taking some of the other cookies home; so, I wanted as few sweets as possible in my house. The host, who likes to be the center of attention (narcissistic personality), baked enough cookies to feed an army. He likes to show off.
I ate more sweets than I should have; however, my numbers (blood glucose and blood pressure) were not affected in a negative way. The gathering was enjoyable enough. I'd like to attend fewer of them in the future. They're starting to feel like a burden.
It's a Law of Physics
I have a favorite law of physics. "Anything that falls to the floor or the ground will always come to rest where it is the most difficult to retrieve."
We talked about disappearing items in Sunday's potluck gathering. I mentioned the stainless steel ice cubes I was using in my soft drink, one of which fell to the floor several months ago and despite my efforts, I never found it. Someone said I need one of those scope things with a camera you can fish down a pipe or under furniture and appliances. I forgot I had one of those.
The following day I made a quick trip out to the shed. I knew where the scope was. I brought it inside and started looking under my kitchen appliances. Nothing but dust under the refrigerator. Then, under the stove, way in the back, against the wall, was the cube. I retrieved it and returned it to its little plastic box in the freezer. I now have the full set of eight again.
Sunday 2025.12.7
A Mystery Solved
An odd thing happened on Thursday. I received an email saying UPS would deliver a package the following day. I hadn't ordered anything that would ship by UPS, other than the vacuum sealer I mentioned in Wednesday's blog post, and I already received that item.
I won't go into all the details. They're tedious. However, I thought someone ordered me a vacuum sealer from my Amazon Wish List. My order and the gift order were on two different dates. The items were slightly different, cosmetically.
I did submit an order to Amazon for something else, but that was supposed to be delivered by US Mail. When the mystery item was delivered on Friday, it was my other order (a walker, see below). So, that solved the mystery. It was shipped UPS rather than by mail.
It still doesn't explain why there were two separate order dates for the same item, but I can leave that mystery unsolved. The point was: I really didn't want two vacuum sealers. I like having a spare, but I already have too much stuff in my shed. Which leads to:
Downsizing
I decided to start downsizing again. It would make a good New Year's Resolution, but I started a little early. I have too many pans in the shed. One is an oval sauté pan with glass lid that I bought many years ago for my videos. I used it one time. It would be good for a large fish filet, but when am I likely to do that again? So, the pan was discarded. It's a beginning. 2026 might be a good downsizing year, if I can keep it up for 12 months.
Stir Fries
How did I live so many years without making stir fries? I now make one for dinner almost every day*.
I am finally getting the hang of flavoring these meals. Less is more. Initially, I was adding too much flavoring, such as hoisin or oyster sauce. That was because I was following recipes that made enough to feed two to four people. I'm cooking for one.
I typed up a "Stir Fry Basics" formula and laminated it. It's a recipe that has worked for me during the past week. It has just the right amount of sauce and ingredients to make a nutritious and satisfying meal for my dinner. I love it.
*Something New
I learned something new this week. Is it "everyday" or "every day"? What's the difference?
"Everyday" is an adjective, such as in "Sunshine is an everyday occurrence here in summer." "Every day" is for events, such as in "The sun shines nearly every day here in SoCal."
Cookies
Later today is our neighborhood potluck, the theme of which (thank you very much) is "Christmas Cookie Exchange." Yesterday I made some of my Mom's Italian Christmas Cookies. However, I didn't make the usual six dozen. I can't have cookies in the house. I'll eat them and they won't do my weight and my blood sugar any good. So, I divided the ingredients by four and made 18.
Here's a little (if expensive) trick: If you don't have any anise extract, you can always use a little absinthe, which has a licorice flavor, like anise. I have a bottle, only because I saw it is legal again here in the USA (it was once feared as evil). It must be evil; it rotted the cork. I probably lost more by evaporation than by tasting. The 750ml bottle costs $75.
Weight
Could it be possible that I am gaining muscle mass as I am losing body fat? I was in Costco and my trousers kept slipping down — not enough to be a public embarrassment, but enough to be a concern. I was using the last notch in my belt.
Among my tools I have a leather punch. I added another hole to my belt and I started wearing trousers with a smaller waistband. As for weight loss this week, I lost some, but not much — less than a pound. However, as I like to say, any loss is a gain. As for exercise, I now do leg exercises every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; arms on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
And speaking of exercises: I'm not comfortable doing my legs on my stair stepper. I hold onto the back of a chair while working out, but it's an office chair that swivels easily. I'm always concerned I might lose my balance and fall. I dislocated a shoulder once. I don't want to go through that again.
I ordered a folding walker. This one does not have wheels. I wanted something as stationary as possible to hold onto while exercising. It arrived on Friday and I put it to the test. It's not quite as tall as I'd prefer, but it's good enough. I felt more secure doing my 1,000 stairs.
Wednesday 2025.12.3
Christmas Movies
It's December. This is the time of year when I watch Christmas movies. I have many of them. On Sunday evening I watched the 1966 animated version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas. On Monday I watched Ernest Saves Christmas and An American Christmas Carol. Yesterday was A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas, which is silly but fun. I sorted them in IMDB rating order, watching the lowest rated first.
And speaking of Christmas…
Vacuum Sealer
My Christmas present to myself, which I mentioned in Sunday's blog, arrived yesterday. It's a beauty. I'll use it to vacuum seal the meats I'll prep for my stir fries.
One amusing story: Monday night I dreamed the sealer was delivered. The box was terribly damaged and inside the box the sealer was broken, with several pieces loose in the box.
When the box arrived yesterday, it was in good shape and the sealer looked fine. However, it wasn't left near my front door and there was no parcel locker key in my mailbox. I walked around the park and looked for it. It was left on my neighbor's porch. Thankfully, he was home. I assured him I was not stealing something and he confirmed it was addressed to me, not him. It was only an idiot postal worker who doesn't know the difference between 17 and 15.
Now I wait for more meats to be advertised at a discount. I'll portion them into 4-ounce servings, vacuum seal them in pouches, and freeze them for use later in stir fries.
Mini Golf
Tomorrow another mini golf course will be released. This one is based on the illustrations in the Alice in Wonderland books. My Kentucky friends and I will play it during the noon hour. We usually allow extra time to play the easy course to find lost golf balls, which unlocks the difficult course, which we play to solve the fox hunt puzzles to get the special golf club putter designed from that course. The putters can be used in any course.
And maybe worth mentioning: With the release of each new course the programmers of the game add new challenges to the hallways hidden below the home base, which I like to call the caddy shack. There is one door that remains locked until we complete the intern training program. I'm making progress.
Something New
I learned something new this week. I was driving to the dentist's office with my cell phone in my pocket. Suddenly, my car said, "Eric is calling." There is phone button on my steering wheel. I pressed it and we could talk through the car without my taking my hands off the wheel.
And maybe worth mentioning: The car has only 225 miles on it, and I've owned it since February of this year. That might explain why I know so little about it. In fact, when I was driving to the dentist, I wished a neighbor was with me. She would know how to reset the clock.
Vine
Amazon admitted their Vine Voices program has been going through a "dry spell." One reason given was the tariffs. Most of the products on Vine are from China. Because of the tariffs, China is making fewer products available on Amazon.