My Mobile Home Gourmet Blog
Wednesday 2026.10.21
Rain, and Wow!
This morning I woke up to the sound of rain. And then, at 7:20AM a loud and long peal of thunder shook my home. I immediately went to the computer and looked at the weather radar. A deep red storm cell was moving through the area. I've been wanting rain. We got it in spades!
The rain will continue through tomorrow. I'll check the rainfall totals on Friday.
No Bun Cheeseburger
I don't want to eat only stir fries and frittatas; so, I'm going back to some meals I used to enjoy without a lot of carbohydrates. One of them is a No Bun Cheeseburger. I cook a beef patty (seasoned with a little onion powder and garlic powder), top it with a slice of cheese, then fry one egg and place that on top with another slice a cheese. It's satisfying without a load of carbs.
When I do another Costco shopping errand, I'll buy what I need to make No Crust Pizza again.
Wallace & Gromit
An odd thing happened. On Monday evening I downloaded the instruction booklets as PDFs and started looking through them. It felt strange to see the man and his dogs as mechanical beings, like they're robots rather than characters. I prefer the PDF to the paper pages because sometimes there is a small detail I need to look at more closely. Rather than using a magnifying glass, I can simply enlarge the image on my computer, which I keep beside me while I'm building.
I built Gromit and the sidecar yesterday. And something amusing was included. There is an evil penguin in the Wallace & Gromit movies, Feathers McGraw. He is hidden inside the front of the sidecar.
Mini Golf
Yesterday I played mini golf with my Kentucky friends again. We decided to stay with a Halloween theme. Last week we played the Widow's Walkabout course, which is spooky with ghosts and spiders. Yesterday we played Original Gothic, which is a castle in which there are plenty of skeletons. Next week we'll play the difficult course of Forgotten Fairyland, which is more spooky than the easy course. It has cawing ravens adding to the atmosphere.
After the first course there is usually some time to play another one. We usually play the "closest putt" option. Everyone gets one shot. The ball that ends up closest to the cup wins the hole.
And speaking of Halloween…
Movies
I continue to watch my seasonal movies for October. This week, so far, I watched: Saturday the 14th and ParaNorman. Yesterday evening I watched The Fearless Vampire Killers. Tonight I'll watch The Little Shop of Horrors, which is a weird one. Well, to be honest, all these movies are weird, which is why I like watching them around Halloween.
Sunday 2026.10.18
New England Clam Cakes
On Wednesday afternoon I felt I earned a little treat. Why I thought I deserved it, I don't know. But, I made them anyway. New England Clam Cakes. They were delicious, and by the end of the day, I had eaten them all.
Breathing New Life Into My YouTube Channel
With my increasing age and my decreasing voice, new cooking videos are seeming less and less likely. Someone left a comment on my Italian Pesto Lamb video, saying it should have a million views. I agree. But, maybe it's too long? I decided to try re-editing some of my older videos, making them really short by showing only the basics. With the holidays coming soon, now would be a good time to test the idea.
I started with an older version of Italian Pesto Lamb. "Older" because I did a remake several years later. The original video was 15:20 (minutes:seconds). The re-edit was 3:30. I uploaded it to YouTube on Thursday. As of this morning, it's still doing well. People are watching it.
Thankfully, I kept a database of my videos, with data items like length of time and date published. I looked at my shortest videos on YouTube. There were only a dozen under six minutes and none of them did exceptionally well.
Out of curiosity, I Googled: "What are the most popular videos on YouTube?" The answer was not surprising. They are videos from the most famous cooks and web sites.
Looking at my database, I have 45 videos in the 27 to 30 minutes range. Most of those were done for a local TV station that wanted programs 28 to 30 minutes in length.
The Downsizing Chronicles
This week I turned my attention to the closet where I keep vests, jackets, and coats. On Friday I discarded some winter coats and medium-weight jackets I haven't worn in years. I bought those at Costco and I used them when I bicycled to work in winter. I retired in 2011. There were folded paper towels in the pockets. I used those because my eyes would water a lot in the morning while I was biking to work.
These days, I'm more comfortable wearing a light-weight zip-up hoodie or my high-visibility jacket when I'm riding my bike. However, I also kept one vest, two heavy-weight winter coats (one with a UC Santa Barbara logo on it), a rain jacket, a light-weight jacket, and a dressy trench coat. That's probably too much, but it's okay for now.
I probably should have donated the coats to a charity thrift store, but I don't like people wearing clothes I once wore.
Meanwhile, I'm working on a LEGO-fake kit I bought a couple years ago. I blogged about it in the past. It's a model of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France, that I ordered from Amazon Vine two years ago. I built it once, took it apart, and stored it in the shed. This time, I'm assembling it with glue. After I enjoy looking at it. I'll discard it. All that is to make room for…
Wallace & Gromit
My Kentucky friends gifted me a genuine LEGO kit to build.
I've blogged about playing mini golf with those friends. One of the courses is the house and yard of Wallace and Gromit. The motor cycle and sidecar are in the garage.
More Halloween Movies
In the past few days I watched The Comedy of Terrors, The Addams Family Values, the 1991 version of The Addams Family, and Paul.
Weather
Summer isn't done with us yet. The temperature yesterday peaked at over 108°F again. And, as I've said before, this is the time of year when the National Weather Service teases us with predictions of rain. As of Friday, here were some forecasts for this week:
Tuesday: A chance of showers.
Tuesday Night: A chance of showers with thunderstorms possible.
Wednesday: Showers likely.
Wednesday Night: A chance of showers.
Thursday: A chance of showers.
As of this morning, the forecast is for an 80% probability of showers on Wednesday.
DOH!
One of my window fans has been developing a problem. It's supposed to be temperature controlled, but even a little warmth sets it spinning. I took it apart, hoping to fix it, but I only made it worse. Then I got the right idea. Use an extension cord with a switch in it. Simply click the switch to OFF when I don't want the fan running. Easy. Problem solved.
I put a line switch on my Amazon gift list. When I eventually order it (to bring a total up to $35 for free shipping), I'll cut the fan's electrical cord and install the switch.
Wednesday 2026.10.14
A Better Frittata
My first frittata was delicious, but it sure was ugly. I decided to make another one, but this time I was more careful about keeping the vegetables away from the edges. It looked a lot better.
I also didn't invert the pan onto a plate; I simply slid the frittata out. Again, it looked a lot better. Some of the flavor of food is from how appetizing it looks on a plate. I never did master the skill of artful plating, but I can do a little better.
Tofu works well too. It adds a little more protein and it hides well among the vegetables. I'm not a big fan of tofu, but I recognize its nutritional value; so, I'll use it if I have it. A fan of this web site gifted me several packages of tofu a while ago. I put them in the freezer. Besides my stir fries, the tofu works well in frittatas.
And maybe worth mentioning: I'm thinking of doing another cooking video, making one of these vegetable frittatas. I should do it while I still have a voice (my voice is fading as I get older).
Weather
The National Weather Service did it again. This is the time of year when I like to say they tease us with predictions of rain. As the day approaches, 80% probability is lowered to 40%, then chance of showers, and then slight chance of showers. We were supposed to get rain on Monday, mostly before 11:00AM, but no rain fell. As I said in Sunday's blog post, I usually don't expect any significant rain until after the Thanksgiving holiday. With the predictions of a Super El Niño this winter, we might get a lot of rain.
What we are getting this week is a little warmth again. The next three days are supposed to be in the 80s. And therefore, the National Weather Service issued a Heat Advisory for the latter half of this week. However, I doubt I'll need to turn on an air conditioner.
Mini Golf
This being Halloween month, I suggested we play the spooky courses in Walkabout Mini Golf. Yesterday we played Window's Walkabout. Next week we'll do Original Gothic, and then during the week of Halloween we'll do the difficult course of Forgotten Fairyland, which is the spooky course.
And speaking of Halloween…
Movies
I'm keeping up with my October movies. This week I watched Casper, The Hollywood Knights (which isn't spooky but it takes place on Halloween), Monster House, and Halloweentown (which, like Hocus Pocus 2, is more for adolescent girls). Yesterday evening I watched The Raven.
I have only a few movies with a Thanksgiving theme; so, I plan to watch all the Harry Potter movies during November, and maybe the Lord of the Rings films too.
Sunday 2026.10.11
The Downsizing Chronicles
That coffee maker I blogged about recently finally went into the trash/recycling. I thought about saving the carafe, but, seriously, what would I do with it? It went into the recycling bin, along with other parts. I don't regret ordering it. I got it from Amazon Vine; so, I only wasted about $30 — the cost of a lesson learned. I continue to use my simple one cup, one button drip coffee maker. It works fine.
Mini Golf
As expected, the newest course of Walkabout Mini Golf was released on Thursday — Escape From Planet Xylodon. And, as usual, there was an easy course to complete, which unlocks the hard course. We played both courses, found all the lost golf balls, and solved the fox hunt puzzles to we awarded a new putter designed specifically from that course.
It was fun. There was so much eye candy, it was easy to be distracted to stop and admire the scenery. The challenges were fun, with a few new tricks added. That is something I really like about the game. Each course isn't simply a reshape of the 18 holes. New traps are added so that each course is unique.
I lost both games, but that's okay. I don't play to win; I play to play.
My First Frittata
I've known about them, but I never made one. A friend has been suggesting I try. So, I did.
It came out kind of messy, but not bad for a first try. In my wok, I cooked some of the frozen mixed vegetables I always have in the freezer. Then I transferred them to a skillet and added eggs and cheese. The underside browned a little too much, but it didn't burn. Next time, I'll reduce the heat beneath the skillet. Bottom line: It was delicious.
I will definitely be making these again. They're a convenient way of getting my daily vegetables, and the wok is easier to clean because I don't use any sauces. They're also a good way to stretch my supply of frozen meats. I wonder how they'd be with some tofu. There is always room to experiment.
Some Movies
This being October, I have a list of Halloween movies to watch. Some are not specifically Halloween, but they're spooky. Last night I watched Arsenic and Old Lace. Earlier in the week I watched Cockneys vs. Zombies.
Some Weather
It looks like we might get some rain early this year. I typically don't expect any significant rainfall until after Thanksgiving; however, the remnants of hurricane Rachel are moving across the southernmost part of California and the outer bands of rain will drop some precipitation in this area. The amount of rain won't be enough to cause local flooding, but it will be nice to enjoy some rain after a long dry spell.
Then, more heat is forecast for the end of the week. Temperatures are forecast to be in the 80s again. I didn't disconnect the air conditioners yet.
Some Vine
This morning I couldn't resist ordering a wallet I saw on my Recommended For You page. The retail is $200. I've been looking for a better wallet. The one I have works okay, but it's kind of clumsy to use. This new one will add about $24 to my taxes for the year. It's a bargain.
Otherwise, I'm ordering almost nothing from Vine this month. As I've already blogged about, my current evaluation period ends at the end of this month. My goal is for my few remaining orders to clear shipping and be reviewed by the end of this period.
Wednesday 2026.10.7
A Hot Week
Sunday set a record here: 115°F. Maybe worth mentioning: The temperature probe is on the north side of my home, not in direct sunlight. However, in a mobile home park the coaches are a little close to each other. Therefore, the hot air might get trapped if there is not a good breeze to clear it away.
Although Monday was supposed to be warmer than Sunday, it didn't show up on my thermometer. The temperature peaked a little above 100. Yesterday was about the same. Today is forecast to be a little warmer, then a decline into the weekend when we will return to the 70s again. Many of us are hoping this will be the last heat wave this year. But, with climate change and El Niño, who knows?
There is also a slight chance of showers next week. I'll believe it when I see it.
A Little Earthquake
A magnitude 2.7 shook us at 8:40 on Monday morning. I thought I felt a little jolt, and heard a little noise, as if a little gust of wind shook the house. I checked the USGS web site to get the details. The epicenter was a little off the coast, between Isla Vista and Santa Barbara,7 km (4.3 miles) from my home. I had been thinking lately that we were overdue for a quake. Hopefully, that little tremor isn't a foretaste of a significant event to come.
Expired
What is a good way to use up expired eggs whites? I mixed some with boric acid powder, cooked it, and assembled ant bait packets. I works. The ants swarmed to it.
Mini Golf
Tomorrow is another big day — the release of the newest Walkabout mini golf course: Escape From Planet Xylodon. My Kentucky friends and I will be playing it, as usual.
The Tomato Chronicles
They ain't quitting yet. I'm seeing new growth with flowers lower on the vines. There is even a new tomato. I did a little more pruning, a little more fertilizing, and added a few more support straps.
A Little Trump
The Donald was criticized this week for saying Iran could nuke Los Angeles and San Diego. I have a theory about that. In the past, Trump's outrageous comments would earn him popularity with the voters. (Remember when he asked Russia to find Hillary Clinton's missing e-mails?) He is becoming more insulting, maybe hoping to capture some of that magic he enjoyed in previous years.
The voters liked a president who would unflinchingly speak his mind. He wasn't boring, like Biden. However, the people no longer want bombastic statements; they want prices to come down and the war with Iran to end. The voters want Trump to deliver on his promises. Therefore, I agree with the pundits that say the Republicans will suffer an embarrassing shellacking in the midterm elections next month.
Sunday 2026.10.4
October, At Last
This is the final month of my current six-month evaluation period on Amazon Vine. I gave myself a new goal — no orders this month (unless I see something I really can't resist). I want the few outstanding orders to clear shipping so that I can review them. That will fulfill my obligations.
On November 1st I will begin another evaluation period. As I did during this period, I will only look for items with a $0.00 tax value. When I see an item that is tempting (the expensive coffee maker I blogged about last month), I'll ask myself: Do I really need it or will it be more clutter? The coffee maker is currently clutter.
As one example: I really want another power strip for my bedroom. I put one on my Amazon wish list and gift list. It's a heavy-duty one because the air conditioner will be plugged into it. I'll watch Vine, but if nothing usable shows up, I'll order one.
But here's a thing:
With the AC unit in front of one bedroom bureau, I was concerned I couldn't get a drawer open. Was there anything important inside? Surprise! I had stored some extra sweat pants in the top drawer. I was thinking of buying more. Now, I don't need to. I have plenty. I like to wear those around the house.
And here's another thing:
I have an antique school desk in my living room. It's something a teacher would use, not a student desk. In one drawer I keep several remote controls, mostly because I use two universal remotes. I looked and found the remote for the AC unit I keep in the bedroom. I installed batteries and, sure enough, it still works. Happy, happy.
And yet another thing:
October is the month to watch movies with a Halloween theme, culminating with The Rocky Horror Picture Show on the 31st. Last night I watched Pixels. It isn't a Halloween movie, but it has monsters; so, it's marginally appropriate. I don't know why that movie has such a low rating on IMDb. I really enjoy it.
Heat
On Wednesday, the National Weather Service posted an Extreme Heat Watch for this area — October 2nd through October 8th. Then, on Thursday, they upgraded it to a Warning.
So far, no predictions of 100°F or higher. However, as I've said before, the temperature here is usually ten degrees higher than the forecast. Before noon on Wednesday, my outdoor thermometer was reporting 87°F. The forecast was for 77° that day. Maybe worth mentioning, the weather monitors are at the airport, which is next to the ocean. I ran two air conditioners that day, with plans to run a third one as we neared the weekend.
During the heat wave, I didn't want to cook. I made sandwiches. Most notable were the tomatoes. I bought Romas because they usually have better flavor. They were okay, but they tasted nothing like the vine-ripened tomatoes I enjoyed all summer.
My Home Passed a Test
Yesterday was a hot day under this latest Extreme Heat Warning.
There was a brief period when I had four portable air conditioners running at the same time. Nothing blew up. In the evening, when the outside air temperature started to go down, I ran only the bedroom AC so that my room would be cool when I went to bed.
According to the latest news, this heat will remain with us all this week. That's okay. I have AC. One advantage to playing mini golf on a virtual reality headset is that I don't need to go anywhere to play with my friends. I can play at home.
Maybe worth mentioning: I've been seeing news reports in which there are requests to use less electricity during this heat wave. I told one friend I am 75. I deserve a little air conditioning. She made a good point. "Let the young'uns go sit in the ocean. That's what it's there for."
More Heat
On Sunday I recorded the highest heat I ever saw outside my home: 115°F. The sensor is on the north side of my home, not in direct sunlight.
It was taxing for my air conditioners. Even with both desktop computers and the home theater system turned off, one circuit breaker popped once.