My Mobile Home Gourmet Blog
Wednesday 2026.8.19
Meat
Last week I ate nearly the last of the foods in the freezer. Only some chicken pieces remained. I went shopping and stocked up on frozen mixed vegetables and some meats. A bag of pork shoulder weighed 13 pounds. I asked the internet: "What is a standard portion of pork?" The answer is three ounces cooked, four if weighed raw. After trimming off the fat, I ended up with 38 individually wrapped portions in the freezer. I used my vacuum sealer.
Cooking
On Sunday, I made a pot of Real Texas Chili and gave all of it away to neighbors who helped me recently. I would have kept some for myself, but I didn't have mild California chili powder. I substituted with chipotle chili powder and that was too spicy for me. Chipotle is dried smoked jalapño.
However, I did make a Salami Pie for myself. I didn't share that with anyone. I never put that recipe on this web site because it's too tricky to get right. The egg doesn't cook all the way through. This time, I went with "low and slow," baking the pie at 325°F for 60 minutes rather than 375°F for 50 minutes. The result was perfect. I tested the interior temperature with a digital thermometer and it registered above 170°F, more than high enough to cook the egg thoroughly.
The Downsizing Chronicles
Are you becoming bored with this yet?
The bins were emptied on Friday. More room for more discarded stuff.
I try not to enter the shed without leaving with something to discard. I found an accessory — a metal warming rack that came with my former Weber grill. I never used that rack; so, it went into recycling. I also brought a roll of shelf lining inside. I don't know why some of my shelves were never lined. I can only assume I ran out of liner at the time, bought more, but never finished the project. I lined four shelves on Friday.
I love books, but too much of a good thing leads to unnecessary clutter. Thankfully, all the books I now read are e-books. They take up almost no room on a computer, flash drive, or whatever. However, even e-books can take up too much space (especially when there is also an audiobook). I've been working toward doing a full backup of my books on a blank Blu-ray disc, which can hold almost 22.5GB of data. There are some books I know I'll never read. I'm discarding those. So far, I've reduced the size to 26.0GB.
I have been discarding bound books, but there are two problems. It's slow and they take up room in the trash. With the recycling bin empty, I've been accelerating the process. The paper pages are the best part for recycling. I use a box cutter to separate the bound pages from the cover. The cover is cardboard; so, it is recyclable too, but I discard it in the trash. It takes up very little space.
A neighbor showed me a local thrift store that accepts used items. I brought them the Denon receiver I've been storing for ten years. I replaced it with a newer receiver that uses HDMI connectors. The old system used RCA plugs. So, one big and heavy item is now out of my home.
Keeping
Some things are difficult to part with, even though I don't use them anymore. Many years ago, when I was a teenager, someone gave me a Koh-I-Noor Rapidograph drawing pen. Today, that pen is probably at least 60 years old. I don't know how old it was when it was given to me.
I've used it several times down through the years. I don't want to part with it. Although I cleaned it of ink a long time ago, I thought it could probably use a better cleaning. I did some research online. One method is to use an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner. Thankfully, I have one, courtesy of Amazon Vine.
I disassembled the nib and put the pieces, along with the pen reservoir, in the cleaner and ran it through two cycles. The water was only slightly gray. That's a good indicator the pen was almost clean.
It doesn't take up much space, and I have a two more that I purchased when I was in college (before the style changed to something less aesthetic). I like the original style that looks like an old-fashioned fountain pen. They're more difficult to maintain, but they feel much more natural in the hand.
Ants
I made four more ant bait packets this week. I wonder when, or if, the poison will do any good. At least the packets accomplish one thing. The bait attracts the ants and that keeps the ants out of my kitchen.
I've noticed one difference. There are fewer ants going to the packets.
Sunday 2026.8.16
PHEW!
Not the stinky kind of phew, the relief kind of phew.
Several weeks ago I received a notice of a penalty because the state tax board said I did not have the required medical insurance — a fine of $928. I do have insurance; however, I failed to check that box on my tax return. I scanned my insurance card and submitted that to the tax board. Last week I got another letter and another penalty, this time for $970.
I called the tax board and left a callback message. Two hours later someone called me. I made a point of being very polite and pleasant. I started off by admitting I made a mistake and asked if the penalty could be waived.
They didn't need the insurance card; they needed a copy of my Medicare card. Whatever. While I was on the phone with the very helpful and patient lady, I scanned my card to my computer. After several attempts to do things correctly on my end, the submission finally went through successfully. She saw my card and she said she'd cancel the penalty.
I asked if there was a way I could leave feedback. She forwarded me to the correct number and I left a glowing report of her efficiency and willingness to help.
Mini Golf
The new course, Gloop Lair, was released on Thursday. We usually play at noon because one friend has a job. However, he is visiting a relative in New York; so, the others don't need to wait until his lunch hour. We played the new course as soon as we all had it on our head sets.
I was very pleased. I had mixed feelings about it because the teaser trailer didn't look good. It isn't a pretty setting, like in Cherry Blossom. The site is an evil chemical plant. However, the play is fun. Together, we found enough lost balls to unlock the hard level. We solved the fox hunt together and got the new putter.
Amazon Vine
Vine continues to be mostly a site to get free schlock, or almost free. Occasionally, however, I find something I really want. Besides the ham radio I mentioned in a previous post, I found a weight scale that I like. It has a separate display that is connected by a spiral cord. I still weigh myself every day. The newer scale might be easier to read. It was not 100% free, but it only added about $10 to my taxes.
And speaking of scales…
Weight
My weight has been hovering around 200. I got as low as 188 before I went on that fun food binge. Yesterday I did my grocery shopping. No snacks. I stocked up on proteins — beef, chicken, and pork — and frozen mixed vegetables. I can return to my routine of stir fry dinners.
Wednesday 2026.8.12
The Downsizing Chronicles Continue
This week I focused on a bathroom cabinet. I needed to make space because some additional barber tools arrived from Amazon Vine. It's difficult to resist something I use (I cut my own hair) and that is also totally free (no tax value).
Nearly all my old catheter supplies went into the trash. Those were from the days before I did self-catheterization. Initially, a Foley catheter was inserted, which is permanent. However, they clog easily. Therefore, the urologist gave me equipment and supplies to flush the catheter periodically to prevent blockages.
There was one evening, before I had those supplies, when I used a rubber bulb syringe to literally suck liquid out of my bladder, a little at a time. The catheter was almost completely blocked; so, it took more than an hour, but I eventually drained my bladder and I was safe enough to fall asleep. I got the "irrigation" supplies the next day. When the doctor switched me to single-use disposable catheters, there was no need to deal with blockages anymore.)
I also discarded some Covid home test kits that were well beyond their expiration date.
Big Thing:
In the bathroom cabinet there was an old beach blanket, made from a piece of terrycloth fabric I bought at a fabric store when I was in college. It was nine feet long, more than enough to keep my toes out of the sand. I haven't gone to the beach since those college days. That fabric was taking up most of one shelf.
On an office chair I had a sheep skin I bought when I was in New Zealand back in, I think, 1989. I used it to protect the chair's fabric; however, the pelt was too old. It was falling apart, and therefore ready to be discarded. I got an idea: Create a slip cover for the back of the chair, using the beach blanket.
It's the kind of project I don't like. There is no pattern. I had to think about everything as I proceeded slowly.
Ultimately, I used a permanent marker to draw the cutting line directly on the fabric. I used some stored webbing to make laces. The cover ties into place (I was constantly adjusting the sheep skin), but it's easy to remove to be laundered. And, I made two covers. The second one fits the chair I use when I am playing mini gold. Even better, it was such an easy success, I kept going. Yesterday, I made a cover the back of my other office chair.
Little Things:
I've shown one of my light sculptures before. When I was in theater, I learned to appreciate the potential artistry of light.
Yes, it looks weird. It's a guy thing.
Initially, the sculpture used incandescent bulbs. I was careful not to exceed the wattage recommended for the electrical cord. As those bulbs burned out, I replaced them with LEDs, which use a lot less electricity, of course. So, I bought a few additional Y-splitters and bulbs, knowing my lamp would be okay.
This week, I used up the last of the bulbs (except one I stored as an extra), which reduced my clutter a little by eliminating a box and a plastic bag. The LED bulbs stay cool when lit; so, I can experiment with rearranging them.
Coffee
The TV news said the major earthquake in Colombia was centered in the coffee district. I thought, "Uh-oh. There goes the price of my favorite coffee," which is Colombian Supremo. I went onto the Costco website (the coffee isn't available in the store) and ordered two bags. And, there was a Costco discount. They arrived yesterday.
Costco put their Kirkland Signature brand Colombian Supremo in their stores. I tried it. The flavor is flatter and the beans are too oily, almost greasy. The beans stick in my coffee grinder. Also, the beans are roasted to medium-dark, which gives the coffee a slight burnt flavor.
I did a little research online. The coffee is not provided by Jose's, which is my favorite brand. It is medium roasted. According to the internet, it is produced by the Rogers Family Co. To me, it appears to be an inferior product. And that is why I order my Jose's coffee from the Costco website.
The Tomato Chronicles
The plants continue to survive; although, I wouldn't describe them as thriving. There has been some new leaf growth and several green tomatoes continue to develop, one of which is ripe enough for harvesting. The top of the Big Boy vine is well above my head. I don't think it will eventually reach the top rung of the tomato cage, but I'm satisfied.
Sunday 2026.8.9
The Downsizing Chronicles
The large dumpster arrived on Friday; so, I turned my attention to my driveway and my shed.
On Thursday, I disassembled my Weber grill. I bought it to use in cooking videos, and I did a few for my Mobile Home Gourmet channel on YouTube. The Weber is too large to use when cooking for one person. I never used it for myself. I have a small portable table top grill that folds up to the size of a briefcase and fits very nicely on a shelf in my shed. It uses a lot fewer briquettes too. I've used that little grill many times; it works great.
As I disassembled the Weber, I put the smaller parts in my recycling bin. The two large dome-shaped pieces went into the dumpster. It was a little difficult to part with the chromed grill. It was new, never used. I purchased it when I tried to give away the Wever. No one wanted it.
This week I also discarded (recycled) a small glass saucepan that was stored in the shed. It came in a package of two from Amazon Vine. I still have one, but I never use it. When I direct my attention to that cabinet, that saucepan will probably go into recycling too.
Also recycled: A large Nordic Ware wok I never use (Yosukata sent me a beautiful carbon steel wok, which I use several times each week), a Nordic Ware aluminum grill pan, the bottom part of a small plastic bin, a box of homemade grill starters I used for lighting charcoal briquettes (I use an electric starter now), and my supplies for making more starters.
I saved a small 7½-inch nonstick skillet that I can use for cooking egg for ant bait packets. I tested it with an egg and it really is nonstick. I also saved a small wok because I sometimes place it, inverted, on the little grill to hold heat and accelerate cooking.
Meanwhile, my recycling bin is almost full again. It will be emptied on Friday. If I need to discard anything bulky, it can go into the dumpster, which will be available for ten days.
The older trackball I mentioned in last Sunday's blog post was repackaged in the box that replaced it. The new box didn't have "Amazon Used" on it. So, the old trackball was returned in the new box for a full refund. FU to Amazon for selling me that older defective item.
Not Downsized
I want to bake something for some neighbors to thank them for their assistance (see below) — Salami Pie. My Italian (Naples) grandmother made it. I never got her recipe, but I figured it out. It's a food for which I am famous among those who know me.
I never put the recipe on this web site nor on YouTube because it's a bit tricky. It usually doesn't cook all the way through before the top crust starts breaking (my grandmother's pie was thin); therefore, I place the baked pie on a hot electric griddle and monitor the internal temperature with a digital thermometer. At 170-175°F the egg inside is fully cooked.
However, do I still have my pie plate? I worried I might have discarded it in my downsizing efforts. But, LO! It's still in the cabinet, even though I had discarded a lot of unused bakeware. I mush have anticipated I might want to make Salami Pie again someday.
Anti-Downsizing
I'm a sucker for electronics. I like toys. I've been watching the fourth season of Only Murders in the Building, in which ham radios play an important part in solving the murder. I saw a handheld ham radio on my Recommended for You page (how did they know?) and I couldn't resist. It wasn't 100% free; however, the tax value adds only $7.20 to my taxes. Not bad for a $60 radio.
Do I need it? No. Can I use it? Maybe. I'm thinking it might be useful when there is a fire up in the foothills. Also, it has the channel for NOAA weather, which might be useful during the winter storms. Big storms might be possible this year because a super El Niño is predicted for later this fall.
Like a Good Neighbor
With the arrival of the dumpster, I thought it would be a good time to remove the wire fencing erected by former evil neighbors. They had three dogs, even though we're allowed only one. The man's thought was that rules were meant to be broken. He prided himself on disobeying park rules. They caused so much trouble, they were at risk of a lawsuit; so, they packed up their dogs and moved away. Good riddance. That was August 23, 2019.
The fence was supposed to keep their dogs in the yard. The largest dog simply hopped the fence. Here it is seven years later. I decided it was time to remove that ugly fence. A pair of good neighbors saw me at work and came over to assist. They not only helped with the fence, they loaded it in the back of their truck, along with the Weber grill pieces, and brought it up to the dumpster. Done and dusted.
More Teasing
Mighty Coconut, the makers of Walkabout Mini Golf, announced a "Special Presentation" to be aired on YouTube tomorrow morning. I made a note on my calendar. There is, of course, no hint about the content. I'm hoping it will be another course upgrade. In the past, they upgraded the Cherry Blossom course with beautiful new graphics and lots of additional details, including croaking frogs in the stream. "Ribit." It's one of my favorite courses now. They also added an enhancement to the castle in the Original Gothic course, but it wasn't a major improvement.
Also expected tomorrow is the teaser trailer for the upcoming new course, Gloop Lair. The course will be released on Thursday.
Weight
There isn't much worth mentioning this week; although, I am using up the last of the fun foods I purchased when I thought I might have cancer (I don't) and my weight is trending downward again. With that food gone, I am returning to my routine of stir fry dinners of vegetables and a small amount of meat.
Wednesday 2026.8.5
Ants
The ant bait packets I placed around my home a week or so ago were almost devoid of ants on Monday. Only a few stragglers were hanging around. I wasn't sure whether the poison had successfully killed the nests, or if the bait was no longer edible. It was kind of moldy and most of it had been carried away.
Now that I know the formula — scrambled egg laced with boric acid powder and a little deliciously aromatic crispy prosciutto on top — I assembled four new packets and placed them in the same areas. By that evening, all four bait packs were covered with ants. The attraction works. I'm hoping the boric acid powder will work too.
Dumpster Days
Every six months the trailer park rents a large dumpster for the convenience of residents who need to remove accumulated junk from behind their mobile homes. I don't have any junk. In fact, with the disposal of the ceramic pots I formerly used for herbs, my space looks cleaner than it did six months ago.
I saw it as a possible opportunity to do some additional downsizing. I wanted to discard some books I no longer need. Most of the books are food encyclopedias. I've had some for nearly 20 years. They're really heavy. And, I never use them. When I have a food question, I go to the internet. Besides providing me with an answer, the internet offers something I can't get from a book — a YouTube video.
Besides which, I am no longer interested in gourmet cooking. I'm 75. I want easy meals now. A delicious vegetable and protein stir fry done in my wok is very satisfying, and nutritious.
I filled a box with nine books. The box was too heavy for me to lift. I weighed it — more than 51 pounds. That leaves only the weekly trash, and the recycling bin. One or two books at a time will get the job done eventually. As I've mentioned before, the local thrift stores are not accepting items anymore, unless I drive to the store down in the city. That's too far, and with the cost of gasoline these days (thank you Donald Trump), I think it's too expensive when I have a recycling bin right here next to my home.
As for the dumpster, I can't think of anything bulky I want to discard. Maybe my Weber grill, which I never use anymore. It's too large when cooking for only one person. I have a compact grill for that.
Gloop
A new Walkabout Mini Golf course was announced this week — Gloop Lair. It will be the fifth course in the Evil Lair series, which started with Laser Lair and was followed by Ice Lair, 8-bit Lair, and Crystal Lair. Gloop Lair will also be the 41st course in Walkabout.
Little is known about Gloop Liar, other than an image that shows there is lots of slime. Walkabout's typical pattern is to show a teaser image a week before the trailer, which will likely be available on YouTube on Monday. Then, a week from tomorrow, the new course will be released, usually at 9:00 in the morning.
I've explained the game before; so, forgive me for repeating myself. Each course has two versions — easy and difficult. Somewhere around each hole in the easy course there is a lost golf ball. Collect at least ten of them to unlock the difficult course. That version, besides being more challenging, includes a fox hunt with a series of clues. Complete the hunt to unlock a new putter designed specifically for that course; although, the putters can be used in any course.
One of my Kentucky friends will be in New York next week; so, his wife and her daughter will join me to play the new course. When he returns on Saturday, we'll play the course again as a full group either that day or on Sunday, depending on whether or not his flight is on time.
Sunday 2026.8.2
Will I Vote This Fall?
I'm trying to decide whether or not to vote in November. What would I vote for?
I saw in the news a report saying the Senate failed for the 13th time to rebuke Trump for his war in Iran. Instead of trying to make the other party look bad, why don't they govern? What are they doing to bring down the cost a gasoline and groceries? "Affordability" is becoming a popular concern; so, why doesn't Congress do something significant about it? Are they afraid of Trump? Or are they afraid to do something unpopular that might hurt their chances of winning the next election?
A CNN poll said both parties have low favorability ratings among voters. Seriously. I might not vote in November. It isn't because of either party. It isn't about the president. It's about government in general. We have a government that is afraid to govern.
Trackball
The trackball mouse I mentioned in Wednesday's blog post arrived on Friday. It works exactly as it should; ergo, The "Amazon Warehouse" item I received six years ago as a spare is indeed defective. So, as planned, I'll put the older trackball (they look identical) in the new box and return it to Amazon for a full refund.
Maybe Not Worth Mentioning
My newest supply of catheters arrived yesterday. It's always a good day when they're delivered. Even though I'm not supposed to order until my supply is down to ten days or less, I order every three months (even though I keep a three-month supply as backup).
Meanwhile, the three oldest boxes, dated 11/24/2025, 90 catheters, went into the trash. I don't want to hoard more than one three-month supply. How did I end up with so many extras? My doctor prescribes five per day; however, some days I use only four, such as when I sleep through the night without waking up to cath. So, over time, the extras build up. 450 extras are enough. If California should suffer a major earthquake or other disaster, disrupting supply lines, at least I'll have catheters.
Also Maybe Not Worth Mentioning
I had the ultrasound exam of my abdomen done on Friday. The results will be sent to my doctor and he'll discuss them with me. His initial diagnosis was hernia without obstruction. My first question will be: "Is surgery necessary?" I feel no pain. The neighbor across the street has a hernia and he isn't doing anything about it. He's had it for years, and he suffers some pain sometimes.
I wonder how much gravity has to do with it. When I get up in the morning, there is no bulge. I can't detect it at all. After I walk around for a while, I start noticing it. As I said earlier, there is no pain; so, I don't care. What's a little bulging? I can live with that. I never noticed it before, but that might be because I was fatter than I am now. Having lost about 40 pounds, maybe I notice it now.
More Downsizing Chronicles
A little more work in the shed, and another cupboard shelf.
Three desktop computer speakers were discarded this week, emptying another box (which went into recycling). Two new bookshelf speakers were a problem. I ordered them when I replaced my home theater system ten years ago. I thought they were shipped one per box. Nope. Two per box. So, I had an extra pair. The box was never opened.
I thought the speakers in my living room didn't sound as crisp as they once did; so, I replaced them with the pair that was in the shed. The old speakers didn't have much that is recyclable (the enclosures are wood). They went into the trash. I recycled the box.
I used to have a sun oven. I would place it in the sun and the heat inside would slowly cook food. I got it for doing videos. The best cookware to use was thin enameled pans. I no longer need those. They went into the recycling bin. (The oven was recycled a few years ago.)
On the top shelf of my hutch there were three aluminum food storage containers I never used anymore. They went into recycling. They were small containers I got from Vine, thinking they might be useful for keeping ants out of the butter. I stopped using them when I found some better containers.
The bin was emptied on Friday. I'm ready for more downsizing.
The Tomato Chronicles
The season hasn't come to an end yet, but growth has slowed. There are still half a dozen green tomatoes on the vine. One will be ripe soon. Otherwise, there isn't much to report.
Weight
There isn't much to report here also. I continue to use up the fun foods I bought when I decided I didn't want to try anymore. When those are gone, I'll return to my routine of mostly stir fries of meat and vegetables. It won't be about losing weight; it will be about feeling better. I always feel good when I eat a lot of vegetables.
Now that I think of it, this has been kind of a boring week for blogging.