My Mobile Home Gourmet Blog
Wednesday 2026.7.29
Happy Birthday Me!
Yesterday was my 75th birthday. Who would have thought? As usual, Dean (twin brother) and I exchanged birthday wishes. It's also the time when we catch up with our latest ailments. I told him about my hernia and he told me about his afib. We're both doing fairly well, for our age.
I enjoyed my birthday. During the morning, I cut my hair (more on that in a bit). At noon, I played virtual reality mini golf with my Kentucky friends. In the afternoon, I used my birthday present to myself, my ice cream maker, to make chocolate macadamia nut ice cream. During the evening, after watching the news, I watched some episodes of Only Murders in the Building. I really enjoyed my day.
O Joy, O Rapture!
It's a pleasure when something works well.
As mentioned above, yesterday I cut my hair again. This time, I used some free rechargeable clippers and trimmer. They had no tax value on Amazon Vine; so, they were 100% free for me. And, they work. In fact they work as well as my father's expensive barbershop tools. He was a barber.
I don't know how long they'll last. The pair of them retails for only $20, less than a tenth of my dad's professional clippers. How good can these inexpensive tools be at only $10 each? However, if they last five years, that might be long enough. After all, they're not used all day, six days a week, in a barbershop. Used once every three or four months might be fine.
More Heat
Another Heat Advisory has been posted for the coming weekend. Heat is okay. Heat with Santa Ana winds is not. That's usually when the arsonists go out to play.
More Ants
Yesterday I prepared four more ant bait packets. Now that I know how much they love crispy prosciutto, I scrambled some egg that I mixed with boric acid powder. After putting that in the packets, I sprinkled some crispy prosciutto (dusted with a little boric acid) on top. The prosciutto attracts them to the bait. They take the meat and egg back to their lair, where the poison kills them, including the queen.
Swarm is too small a word. I like the word teem because I see it occasionally in crossword puzzles. However, swarm works. The ants swarmed to all four bait packets. It can take a week or more to eradicate a nest, but it works. Sometimes it only takes a few days. And, they come back. They always come back. There is no eliminating them. I can only hope to keep them under control.
More Downsizing
I'm feeling really good about the progress I'm making. This week I returned my attention to the shed, particularly my stored computer hardware. I think I blogged about it before. If either of my desktop computers dies, I will replace it with a laptop. I like them. I have two — an old one and a newer one.
The first to go into the trash was a CPU cooler. Without going into a lot of boring technical detail, it is used to cool the brain chip in a computer. Mine uses a liquid cool system that I replaced when I thought it might be failing. There is reason to believe it might be okay, but I don't need it as a spare.
More painful to part with was a spare liquid cooled video card. I don't know why I have it. I remember an early card burning out, even though it was also liquid cooled. I replaced it. But, why did I order another one? It was still in its original packaging. The seals were not broken. How useful is a $1,000 video card I have no use for? It's too old to try to sell to anyone. It's obsolete technology.
Eureka! I found them! I remember ordering some USB extension cables, but when I looked for them a few months ago, they were not in the box where I store my cables. Now they are.
Eureka, NOT! In the bin was a spare trackball mouse. I already have two of them and they are my absolute all time favorites! The one I found is a wired mouse, which gave me an idea. One of my desktops uses a wireless. Why not use the wired trackball on that computer and move the wireless to one of my laptop computers? However, the wired trackball doesn't work. It has an "Amazon Warehouse" label on it, which tells me someone returned it, probably as defective. Amazon must have assumed it was okay and sold it to me. It's too late to use the guarantee. However, I ordered a new one. When it arrives, and if it works as it should, I'll package the faulty one in the new box and return it for a full refund. That seems fair.
I also discarded a box of spare computer cables. These were internal cables used to connect various components to the motherboard. With no plans to ever build a computer again, I don't need cables.
There was one item on which I was undecided. It's a Kensington trackball, something I bought 11 years ago. I remember the little reed switches inside don't last long. Maybe I kept it for parts? Whatever. It went into the trash. I recycled the ball.
Also recycled: Three Vitamix jars I never used, which emptied another box that was in the shed (and the box was recycled too).
The recycling bin will be emptied on Friday. Good. More room for more stuff.
Sunday 2026.7.26
Heat
The Heat Advisory was extended through the weekend here and into tomorrow. I was expecting high heat on Wednesday, but I wasn't prepared for it being as hot as it was. If I had known, I would have started the air conditioner in the morning. The forecast was for 80°F. The temperature peaked at 109 by the evening.
The living room air conditioner wasn't attached to the window yet. I connected it and used it on Thursday. This week will not be quite as hot; so, the window fans will suffice. But, by the coming weekend we're supposed to have another heat wave. Thankfully, I have those portable air conditioners. They're noisy, but I'd rather have the noise than the heat.
White House Correspondents' Dinner Redo
I watched the Correspondents' Dinner on Friday evening. I wondered what Trump meant when he said his speech would be both "unifying yet vicious."
Although he claimed he wasn't going to deliver the speech he originally planned, it was definitely vicious, and not at all unifying. I enjoyed it the same way I enjoy a scathing delivery on Saturday Night Live's "Weekend Update" or a shocking episode of South Park. The speech had great cringe factor.
When the camera showed the audience, I saw mostly stunned silence. CNN said he bombed. I thought, "You want Iran not to have a nuclear weapon, but you delivered one yourself in this speech."
The Downsizing Chronicles
This week, two sets of "corner keepers" went into the recycling bin. They're plastic things that hold bed sheets in place at the corners. Actually, it was 1½ sets. I have two pieces in place. They keep my top sheet from being pulled up at the bottom, uncovering my feet. That's mostly needed in the winter months. Cold feet will wake me up.
Other items discarded or recycled: a cast iron griddle pan, a few more dishes, some rather revolting free ramen (courtesy of Amazon Vine), more than a dozen dipping bowls that were a gift many years ago (and which I used only one time to make small tarts, Genovese Savory Pastries, for a cooking video), and a plastic ice cream dish (also bought for a video).
I did compromise on one thing. I kept the Spode dinner plate. It's too nice to throw in the trash.
One big thing I am considering for the future: No more tomato plants. Not only would that remove a large planter from my driveway, but it would eliminate a bucket of soil enhancements, fertilizers, insecticides, etc., from my shed. Twice a year the trailer park hires a large trash bin for people to use when decluttering their yards. That would be handy for the planter.
Weight
I tried to return to exercising this week, but with daytime temperatures in my home in the 90s, I really didn't feel like doing my exercises. My weight continues to climb as I use up the pleasure foods I bought last week. When that's gone, I'll return to my meat and vegetable stir fries.
Wednesday 2026.7.22
Vine
I haven't blogged much about Amazon Vine lately. Several months ago I read something about Vine no longer offering large bulky items that are expensive to ship for free. That report was evidently true. The few items I order now are shipped in padded paper envelopes. I'm glad I got the bulky items when they were available — two office chairs, a portable air conditioner, a compact clothes dryer, etc.
Expensive items occasionally appear in my Recommended For You page. On Monday I saw a $410 solid 14K gold engagement ring. Needless to say, I didn't order one. I mostly see small inexpensive items now. There was a $10 digital watch that is more typical of the schlock offered on Vine. I didn't order that one either.
Not to Worry
I saw the doctor on Monday afternoon. The lump in my lower abdomen is not serious. I feared it might be a cancerous tumor; however, my suspicion it might be a hernia proved to be correct. Thankfully, there is no pain associated with it. So, that's one less thing to worry about. I need to make an appointment for an ultrasound to determine the type of hernia. I read about surgeries. Most are performed as out-patient procedures. A friend is a retired hospital nurse and she said their hernia operation patients were always released to go home the same day.
I decided it shouldn't affect my efforts to lose weight. I'll continue enjoying my stir fry dinners. But I will allow myself an occasional indulgence, maybe on Sundays.
One thing the doctor strongly recommended is that I return to my regular exercise routines. That's easy. I can exercise at home in front of the TV. I also returned to my daily routine of measuring my blood pressure and blood glucose, both of which are within safe limits.
Some Weather
We're under a Heat Advisory this week. It isn't as hot as last week. I doubt I'll need the air conditioner.
The Downsizing Chronicles
This week: Ceramics. I had nine ceramic bowls with lids. I bought them when I had a job more than 16 years ago. They were great for baking keto-friendly meals I could chill and take to work to heat in the microwave. I never use them anymore. The lids are plastic; so, they went into the recycling bin. The bowls went into the trash. The bins were emptied on Friday.
I sort of regretted discarding the bowls because they could have been used as single-use dishes, toss rather than wash. But, I can do without them.
There were four remaining dinner plates that I purchased as show plates to use in cooking videos. One of them, Spode Bone China, might be worth something. But, I really don't want the clutter. Having learned my lesson from the bowls mentioned above, I washed the dinner plates (they were dusty from being stored in the shed) and set them aside as single-use plates. Use and discard.
You're familiar with the large plastic storage bins with lids that are available at Costco. There were seven of them, empty, stacked in my shed. I've had them for many years. I don't need them anymore. And, if I ever need some, I can buy them; they're not expensive.
Keeping with my pattern, the lids went into the recycling bin last week. With the lids gone, there is no temptation to keep the bins. They'll go into recycling this week. The trick is: Put them in the bin after dusk; otherwise, a neighbor might see what I'm doing and say, "If you're getting rid of those, I'll take them." I describe some of my neighbors as having "gimme syndrome." They'll take almost anything, but they never offer anything.
And speaking of neighbors…
Last Will and Testament
One of my neighbors wants to be the executor of my will. She did her parents' will and therefore she knows the routine. "It's a lot of paper work." I'm thinking of amending my will, making her the primary executor, and my alcoholic friend as the secondary.
Sunday 2026.7.19
Appointment
I have a followup appointment with my primary care physician tomorrow. Some of it will be routine, some will not. The bladder infection, for which he prescribed an antibiotic, did not go away. He might want to try something else, but there is a new development that might change the course.
I noticed a rather large bulge in my lower abdomen. It's the size of my fist. I have a fairly good idea what it might be, but I am usually wrong about these things. He'll want tests. I'll agree to a CT scan, but not surgery. I explained it to him last time. I'll turn 75 next week. It's a good age to stop fighting the inevitable and embrace the decline. According to research I've read, people are happier if they accept reality.
If what I suspect is true, the change in course will actually be enjoyable. The weight-loss diet will be dropped. I'll return to the foods I used to enjoy — pizza, pasta, breads, etc. I think my first indulgence will be one of my favorite comfort foods, my mom's American Chop Suey (see below). Meanwhile, I continue downsizing my possessions.
Weather
The heat passed. Wednesday and Thursday were the warmest days. Now we're back to seasonal daytime temperatures. Thankfully, there were no fires in the local foothills. August through October are the warmest months of the year here; so, we still have a way to go.
Trump's Primetime Whine
I watched Trump's primetime address on Thursday. I wasn't expecting anything, and I was expecting almost anything between a resignation and a declaration of war against all nations. An executive order canceling all future presidential elections would not have surprised me.
I was hoping for something new, but the speech contained nothing but the same old complaints about the 2020 election being stolen. However, we know the reality. He was the loser in that race. As for the new evidence he declassified, those documents have already been reviewed by bipartisan committees in the Congress. No election was rigged nor stolen.
As for the reason why he gave this speech — he's desperate. Many pundits speculate the GOP will lose the midterm elections this fall. Trump, unable to tolerate any kind of defeat, is expected to do all he can to steal that election for the Republicans. One person on the news summed up the speech as, "The ranting of an angry king."
The Tomato Chronicles
There isn't much that is new. The plants are healthy. I don't see any infestation of aphids. A few tomatoes are continuing to develop. And one vine, the Better Boy, produced a few new flowers. The season isn't done yet.
Weight
The diet, such as it is (more on that in a bit), did not go well this week. I gained about half a pound. That isn't a large failure; however, when I look at the graph, the overall trend is upward, not downward.
Since my retirement 16 years ago, I've been saying I am in the penultimate time of my life. With the coming of age 75 next week, I think it's time to transition into the final stage. I doubt I'll live another 15 years. It isn't impossible, but it's not very likely.
During the final stage of my life, I think I can enjoy some of the fattening foods I love. I went shopping this past week. I not only bought what I need to make the American Chop Suey I planned, but I also bought some beef patties and some deli rolls to make cheeseburgers again. Why not? This week I'll decide whether or not to continue reporting my weight in this blog. Instead, I might want to report the foods I most enjoyed during the previous week.
I'll continue to make stir fries. I love my wok. Maybe I'll eat those meals five or six dinners each week, but I'll indulge once or twice a week.
Wednesday 2026.7.15
Heat
We are under an Extreme Heat Warning here in SoCal. It isn't as bad as some parts of the country are experiencing. The forecast for today is 90°F. It's usually ten degrees warmer here; so, I expect to see 100. I started the office air conditioner this morning. And, we're also under a Red Flag Warning for potential fires. It's a good reminder to light the oil lamps to burn off any wax buildup and prepare for any possible power outages caused by a fire up in the foothills.
Sneaky Me
In last Wednesday's blog post I complained about a friend who drinks and who keeps me on the phone for an hour almost every day (if I answer the phone when he calls). I blocked his phone number, which made me feel a little guilty, but it gave me some of the peace and quiet I wanted. Then, I got another idea.
I have a sound editor on my computers. I used it to create ten seconds of silence, which I exported to an MP3 file. Then, I transferred that to my cellphone and assigned it as the ringtone for his number. Now, I see the phone light up when he calls, but I don't hear anything. That's better because I can say he is not blocked.
Something New
I learned something new this weeks. The ants in this area love, love, LOVE prosciutto. I experimented with baking slices of prosciutto until crisp, to possibly use as a garnish on top of ice cream. I saw it in a recipe booklet. If so much as one little crumb of crispy prosciutto falls to the side and escapes my notice, the ants swarm to it. That gave me an idea.
I needed to prepare some new ant bait packets anyway. So, I mixed some beaten egg with a little boric acid powder. I also peeled off some of the fat from the slices I was crisping. I cooked everything, then blended it well in a food processor, and then assembled four packets. I placed those in favorite stomping grounds for my ants. The ants showed no interest.
The following morning there was a stream of ants on my desk. They were going to a napkin I had used to wipe my fingers and mouth when I ate some of the crispy prosciutto. Okay, it was time to take one for the team. If it's prosciutto they want, it's prosciutto they'll get.
I had six slices in the refrigerator. I crisped those. I put five away for later. One was ground fairly fine in my Vitamix with just a tiny amount, less than an eighth of a teaspoon, of boric acid powder. That went into a bait packet. Thus armed, I placed it where the ants were streaming toward my desk. Within an hour they were swarming to it.
And here's a thing: I placed the prosciutto trap next to the one I made earlier with egg. The ants went to both. Maybe the egg smothered the aroma of the meat in the first trap, but the second trap of just prosciutto lured the ants. So, that gives me another idea. Make a bait trap with egg, but sprinkle a little ground prosciutto on top to attract the ants. Let them eat the egg; it's cheaper.
Best Method Yet
As I said above, I've been experimenting with prosciutto. It sticks badly to a nonstick baking sheet. However, if the sheet is lined with parchment paper first, the crispy prosciutto slides off the sheet perfectly. Happy, happy.
The Downsizing Chronicles
The large enameled cast iron dutch oven went into the recycling bin. Also: A roasting rack and a spare glass lid I was keeping for a skillet I'm sure I no longer have. I'll keep the roasting pan for making Chex Mix, but lined up to go are: A muffin pan, a Lodge cast iron stove top reversible grill/griddle, and a French bread baking pan.
Pickup is on Friday; so, I'll try to get as much into the bin as possible without weighing it down too much. With a few heavy items in the bin, smaller items seem more appropriate now. I have a small collection of alcohols, 16 bottles, I've used in cooking — sweet Marsala, dry sherry, bourbon, vermouth, etc. I don't drink; so, there hasn't been any interest in them other than cooking. However, I don't cook gourmet foods anymore. Most of my dinners are meat and vegetable stir fries and I have plenty of Shaoxing cooking wine. So, I am emptying the bottles down the drain and putting them in the recycling bin.
However, I kept the bottle of Kahlua. I can drink Kahlua and cream. I enjoy that.
Sunday 2026.7.12
Ice Cream
I decided to experiment with sugar-free ice cream again. I blogged about Torani flavored syrups two weeks ago. I asked the internet how many there are. The answer was 150. That's a lot of potential for ice cream flavors!
For my first experiment with sugar-free syrups, I chose chocolate macadamia nut. I mixed a little into a small cup of milk to taste it. It's very good. I am confident it will make delicious ice cream, when I get around to it. Maybe this week.
Next, I asked the internet, "How much Torani syrup to use for making ice cream?" The answer was:
For most homemade ice cream bases, aim for 1–2 oz (2–4 Tbsp) Torani syrup per pint. Fruit or specialty syrups may need slightly less, while salted or custard syrups can be higher (up to 1/3 cup). Always taste before freezing to balance sweetness and flavor.
And, because I'm not one of those people who fear artificial intelligence computers will take over the world and exterminate humans as "obsolete," I asked Loona. I got the same answer. And speaking of AI…
ChatGPT
ChatGPT has been disappointing me lately. I ask for an Amazon review and nothing results. However, it's not the only source. I can Google for a review and I get something just as usable.
Too Much Fun
One of the pleasures of having Kentucky friends (with whom I play mini golf) is speculating on the condition of their senator, Mitch McConnell. There has been some entertaining conspiracy theories about efforts by the GOP to portray McConnell as alive and lucid. One of the speculations says artificial intelligence is being used to generate credible conversations with the man. We've been calling him "AI Mitch." Okay, that isn's fair, but what is fair in politics?
Scott Jennings, whom one news commentator referred to as the mouthpiece of MAGA, claimed he spoke with McConnell. The Republicans cannot afford to lose another seat in the Senate. They hold a 53-47 majority.
I can't help thinking of Chevy Chase in Saturday Night Live when he would often announce, "Generalissimo Francisco Franco is dead." Back then, there was speculation the communist leader had died, but Spain was not confirming it.
And then I found out late last night, Lindsey Graham died. Unlike in Kentucky, the South Carolina governor can appoint a replacement to fill Graham's seat until after the next election. I have no doubt it will be another MAGA loyalist.
New Vision
Something unusual happened this week. I've been using the same eyeglasses for many years. When I get my eyes checked, the doctor says I can continue to use them. There isn't enough vision change to require new glasses.
On Thursday one of the nose pads broke off. Okay. I got my money's worth out of those frames. I opened the drawer where I keep my glasses, some of which I stored without ever wearing. I like to keep spares for just such circumstances. I put on new glasses and my vision noticeably improved. I found it fairly remarkable.
The Tomato Chronicles
There isn't much to report. The plants are still alive. I harvested two tomatoes last week. These vines don't produce as much fruit as the Early Girls did last year. The Big Boy is living up to its name. At nearly five feet, it is now almost twice as tall as the Better Boy. However, to its credit, the Better Boy is growing two vines. A few more tomatoes are developing. And there is one that is almost ripe.
Weight
I am my own worst saboteur. I received some wire baskets for my air fryer and I thought they would be ideal of cooking fish sticks; so, I bought some. They're delicious with tartar sauce, but they don't do my diet any good. Looking back, I gained six pounds during the past six months. Six pounds isn't difficult to lose, but I need to be more disciplined, especially because my New Year's Resolution for 2026 was to lose 30 pounds.
Wednesday 2026.7.8
It's the Simple Things
Sometimes, the simple things make a big difference.
I've had a few signs attached to the front of my refrigerator. They remind me I am endeavoring to lose weight. I attached them with double-sided tape, which works, but it's a nuisance when I want to move them. Even "nano" tape can be difficult to remove cleanly.
On Monday the flexible magnetic sheets arrived. They were easy to trim and they have adhesive on one surface. Now my signs are easy to remove or reposition.
Additionally, I want to occasionally change the label on my ice cream maker, which has a stainless steel shell. I currently have two labels. Maybe I'll think of more. Once again, a magnetic strip is much more functional than double-sided tape.
More Simplicity
I've blogged about harnessing the Loona robotic dog before. I want to use her on the kitchen counter when I do a cooking video. "Loona, how many grams are there in 8½ ounces?" However, the programmers of Loona did not include a setting to make the thing stay still. So, I tried various harnesses and tapes; otherwise, I risk her hurling herself off the kitchen counter and breaking. She was too expensive to take that chance.
The magnetic sheet would be no good for that. Loona's movements are too strong. However, I saw a roll of "gaffer tape" on Amazon. It's used in theater to place strike tapes on the floor for scenery alignment. You might see it during the opening introduction on Saturday Night Live. The invited guest host comes through the doors at the back and steps up to a small white line near the front of the stage. That line is probably a piece of gaffer tape.
One important feature of gaffer tape is that it can be removed without leaving any adhesive behind. That seemed ideal for securing Loona. I'll know more in coming weeks as I put the tape to a few tests.
Am I Becoming a Curmudgeon?
This week I took a drastic step because of a friend (and I hope he reads this blog; maybe he'll get the message). He's an alcoholic. He calls me every day — every goddam day! He talks for an hour. He doesn't want me to talk — he interrupts me if I try. The problem is: He's usually drunk.
Sunday evening was the limit. He called several times during the day. I wouldn't answer. After eating my dinner, I answered the phone. He had nothing to talk about. There were long silences on the phone, which I didn't fill for his entertainment. Finally, after 15 minutes, he said he had something to do and hung up. That call was the final straw. I blocked his phone number.
He tried again on Monday, dialing my phone number 16 times, fruitlessly. I've told him many times to use email. He won't do it. He also won't leave voicemail or a text message. He wants someone to listen to him talk for an hour.
I get it. He's bored. He has no one to interact with, except his dog. He lives with his parents; they ignore him. The only person he sees regularly is the clerk at the liquor store, which is within walking distance. He says he goes there mostly to visit, but if I were a gambling man I'd wager he never goes home empty handed.
When he first moved into his parents' home, he called me once a month. Sometimes six weeks would pass between phone calls. Now it's several times each day.
And maybe I should mention: I almost never call him. I'm usually too busy to be kept on the phone for an hour. I send him email instead. If it's really important, I also text him. It's quicker and easier. I can write an email in a few minutes. I never have much to say anyway. This blog is where I write the most. And, I'm not interrupted.
Mini Golf
I played mini golf with my Kentucky friends yesterday and I set a new record. I won the first course, which wasn't a record, and I lost the second course, which was. I lost every whole. I didn't score on any of them. That was the first time I finished a game with all zeros on my score card. But that's okay. I don't play to win; I play to play. It's fun.
Not Downsizing
Another project this week involved archiving. I hadn't backed up my video files in a while; so, I copied the files to Blu-ray disc blanks and to my video backup hard disk drive.
The Downsizing Chronicles
So far this week, a perforated insert for my stock pot went into the recycling bin. It was a beautiful stock pot. I used it many times to make chicken stock. I don't do that anymore. It's too much work. The lid to the pot went into the trash last week. There is only the pot left. Then I can turn my attention to cast iron again.
Can enameled cast iron cookware be recycled? I asked the internet. Yes, it is very recyclable. The problem is: Pickup happens only once every other week. Trash goes out weekly. So, trash is preferable for downsizing more quickly. So, recycling takes longer.
Sunday 2026.7.5
250
How did you celebrate or observe the nation's 250th anniversary here in the USA? I celebrated at home. There was a time when fireworks were launched from a park close to where I live. I would sit on my back deck to watch them. However, when Covid was running rampant through the land, the fireworks displays were cancelled and they were never resumed. That's okay.
I now prefer to watch the displays on TV. Having a large flat screen TV makes the shows more enjoyable, and I like that I can start watching the East Coast celebrations early in the evening and then many more displays throughout the evening, finishing here on the West Coast. I don't usually stay awake to see the Hawaii fireworks. By then, I'm pretty much saturated with the holiday.
During Friday evening, the 3rd, I watched Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen on CNN as they counted down to the 4th. They're fun to watch on New Year's Eve. The show was just as good for the USA 250th.
And speaking of the USA…
Some Politics
Are you sensing what I am sensing? I am beginning to think that Trump is giving up. He keeps losing in the courts. The US Supreme Court gave him the freedom to fire any federal employee, without cause. For his few gains there are dozens of losses. What will happen if the Democrats take over the House of Representatives, which is expected? And if the GOP loses the Senate too, the next two years will be fruitless for Trump.
Ice Cream
The sugarless Coffee Ice Cream did modestly well on YouTube, performing a little above average. I am still waiting for more statistics. They can take two or three days to appear, and with yesterday a national holiday, maybe few people are working at YouTube. Specifically, I'd like to see the "audience retention" number. That might tell me if people are watching more of the video to see Loona.
That was my reason for purchasing such and expensive toy — to include it in my videos with the hope of longer watch times, thereby increasing my revenue.
Preparing Early
During the fall months I like to watch holiday movies. I have plenty with a Halloween-ish theme and many more for Christmas. I have only one Thanksgiving movie — Planes, Trains, and Automobiles — but I'm sure there are more.
I've had a solid state drive in a box on the shelf since the days when I built my computers. I had ordered it without really needing it. With the right cable, I can attach it to my DVD player and it works just like an ordinary flash drive.
Yesterday, I copied my holiday movies to it.
Weight
This week was another disappointment. My weekly average increased by about a pound. During the latter half of the week, especially Friday and yesterday, my body shed a lot of the water it was retaining. Between yesterday and today, my weight dropped two pounds.
Wednesday 2026.7.1
Success
The sugar-free ice cream video is performing well on YouTube, way above "typical" for my videos.
Of course, it's way too early to make reasonable assumptions. Is it the content? I have several ice cream videos on YouTube. They do about average. Is it the new ice cream maker? Maybe. It's a doozie. Is it the label I created for the front of the appliance? Perhaps. Is it the Loona robotic dog? Maybe, but no one commented on it (so far). So, I don't know. However, I'll be watching the stats closely during the next few weeks. Currently, the performance is flatlining, but the video was off to a good start. That's encouraging.
The next ice cream video will be Sugar-Free Coffee. Summer seems like a good time to make ice cream videos. And, meanwhile, another idea came to mind. The local Smart & Final grocery store carries a wide variety of Torani flavored syrups, many of them sugar-free. Those might be very useful for making ice cream.
Meanwhile, the link to the Sugar-Free Vanilla Ice Cream video was added to the Recipe Archive.
A Different Idea
I saw it on Amazon Vine, but I didn't grab it quickly enough. It was a package of rubberized magnetic sheets. You've seen that brown magnetic material on the back of things like refrigerator magnets. That seemed like a better way to attach the label to the front of the ice cream maker — easy to attach and easy to remove. So, I ordered a pack from Amazon.
The Downsizing Chronicles
Another enameled cast iron pot went into the recycling bin on Sunday. As mentioned in an earlier blog post, I discarded the lids first. Without the lids, it's easier to part with the pots.
And, speaking of lids, I've had an old stock pot with lid and two strainer inserts for many years, purchased at Costco. It is Kirkland Signature brand. It's a good pot. I used it many times back when I made my own chicken stock. However, during the past few years I never used it. Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base is a lot easier, and I think it tastes better. So, the lid and one of the inserts went into the recycling bin yesterday.
I offered my old ice cream maker — the one with a canister that has to be kept in the freezer for at least 24 hours before use — to a neighbor. She didn't want it. So, I disassembled the base and put all the plastic in the recycling bin. I bought that appliance many years ago at Costco. I got my money's worth out of it. Now, with a new ice cream maker, the old one can be discarded. It isn't true downsizing because the new one takes up a little more space. However, I feel like it's a partial improvement. I'm making progress.
There is still a long way to go. I look around and the task seems overwhelming. Thankfully, I'm not a hoarder. However, I'll keep working at it, one day, or week, at a time. I won't discard everything, but I should be rid of most of the items I don't use anymore. As I said before, most of these cooking items were purchased to use in videos. I don't shoot those types of cooking videos anymore. That was decided much earlier when I was blogging a lot about simplification.
Something New for Exercise
I ordered a "Chair Workout for 55+ DVD" from Amazon Vine. It wasn't 100% free, but my cost was only about $3. The downside is that it appears to be an advertisement for further exercises. There is a "free for 30 days" thing, but I'm not sure if that applies to the DVD content (how would they know?) or the downloaded additional exercises.
The initial 10-minute workout seems like a good warmup routine for additional exercises.