DECEMBER 2021
Wednesday 2021.12.29
End of Year Reflections
At the end of each year I like to reflect on the year that just passed and look forward a little at the year to come. The main event of 2021 was, of course, the COVID-19 pandemic. I received my Moderna vaccine shots in March and April. There was a lot of frustration at the time because people younger than me were getting vaccinated. One works for a hospital — okay — but she's an office worker who works from home. This past month I was given my booster.
One person I know here became sick with the virus, but she didn't get Covid here. She was in Colorado visiting family and recovered there. She was vaccinated and experienced relatively mild symptoms, but they were unpleasant — loss of appetite, inability to taste food, but mostly fatigue.
Otherwise, most of the year has been relatively uneventful, as regards my health. I stayed home most of the time. One woman here in the trailer park accused me of being a hermit. I'd rather be a living hermit than a dead socialite. There was a period of several months when the governor of California issued a mandate telling people to stay home unless it was necessary to go out, such as for shopping or other important errands. Now there is the Omicron caronavirus variant to think about.
Looking back, I can't think of any major purchases for the year, except at the end, unless someone counts the many bags of dry mortar mix I bought for my landscaping. I've blogged about my yard many times. Several years ago it was all lawn, which had to be mowed weekly. Partly because of the drought and partly because of my own laziness, I tore out all the grass and covered all my yard with slabs of sandstone. I planted drought-tolerant Dymondia ground cover to fill the gaps. Okay, that hardly qualifies as a project for a lazy man. It was a lot of work, but it greatly reduced the maintenance.
Then the gophers moved in, making a mess of my yard. So I dug up all the Dymondia, cleared the gaps and filled them with cement. Good-bye gophers. That's even less maintenance because I only need to clean up with a leaf blower, which takes minutes, and maybe give the stones a good cleaning with a pressure washer once or twice a year. The Dymondia had to be trimmed, less often than mowing the lawn, but it was still a lot of work because it was trimmed by hand.
There was a sort of good-bye this year, actually only a few weeks ago. It wasn't someone I knew personally, but it was someone I personally liked and appreciated — Brian Williams of MSNBC. His final broadcast of The 11th Hour was Thursday, December 9. I recorded it, lest I miss it. He was my favorite news anchor on the network. His delivery was gentle and friendly. I believed it was honest.
If I had to name the one most important event of 2021, it would have to be the insurrection at the nation's capital on January 6th. Several times I've said future history books will name Donald Trump as the worst president in U.S. history. The events of January 6th only tarnish his reputation further. The highlight of the year might be Trump's departure from the White House on January 20th.
Friendships
Friends come and go. No one passed away this year. I did lose one friend, but that is because he no longer likes me. I pissed him off. He emailed me one day telling me to pick him up at the hospital after a test scheduled later in the month. Two things: I didn't want to go near a hospital during a pandemic. I wouldn't need to be inside, but he would be in there for several hours and then in my car. I didn't know what he might carry. The second thing was that he didn't even ask: "Would you do me a favor and pick me up…" etc. No, just do it. He's like that. He gives orders and expects others to do as they're told. He burned me in the past; so I was keeping my distance anyway. That's a friendship I can do without.
There are no new friends, yet, but the trailer park is undergoing a few changes. It was sold to a new owner early this past year. There were several spaces that were rented out for campers, usually 90 days at a time with a break of a few days in between. Those spaces are being converted for mobile homes. One is nearly across the street; so I'll have some new neighbors soon.
Another friend might move away soon. He's the one who helped me get started doing cooking videos. He moved into his grandparent's basement in Santa Barbara to help take care of them. That was more than ten years ago. The grandfather passed away a few years ago. She is still living, but there has been a change in attitude, which I won't go into, that resulted in a decaying of relationships. So he plans to move back to Oregon soon. We'll keep in touch by phone or maybe a video conference web site.
I do that with another friend. At the beginning of 2021 he moved to Kentucky and married his girlfriend. I set up a page on a video web site, similar to Zoom, that allows us to meet each week to talk for an hour. I enjoy that. We talk about football when it's in season, or the news, or politics, just about anything. He's a big LEGO fan; so when the season of LEGO Masters is running on TV we talk about that too. We also both like episodes of Taskmaster. There is always plenty to talk about.
Looking into 2022
In previous blogs I mentioned buying two sets of 100% cotton bed sheets for tailoring shirts. It is my winter project and therefore I started the week of the winter solstice. I completed one shirt and I began working on another this past week.
These will be good projects to occupy some of my time while I wait for the latest coronavirus spike to pass.
I can also look forward to playing with some new toys. At the end of the year I bought myself two Christmas presents — a Breville Control Freak induction cooker and a set of All-Clad Copper Core pots and pans.
Almost none of my cookware was induction capable; therefore, new pans were a necessity — maybe not All-Clad, but why not? I always wanted to own a Nikon camera and more than a decade ago I bought one. All-Clad has been on my wish list for nearly as long.
Those items are part of a plan, if I carry it through, to re-energize my cooking videos. For many years I uploaded a new video every Sunday. As I approached 70 I slowed down. Lately, I haven't been uploading even one each month. But it's not just age. There is the dread of being old and of not being careful enough while trying to avoid this virus and its variants. Maybe the new toys will help me have a more positive attitude.
The induction cooker isn't necessary for doing videos. I have a stove. However, I was never able to face the camera when I cooked. I had to position the camera in front of the stove and then carefully work around it. Now I can place the cooker on the section of my kitchen counter behind which there is no wall. That's where I place the camera.
I still don't have a recipe plan for 2022. I'd like to do some really easy meals, such as with store-bought ingredients rather than make everything from scratch. Another way to simplify recipes is to substitute with ingredients that are easy to find. In my Le Cordon Bleu At Home cookbook there is a recipe for veal shanks. Where am I going to find veal shanks in this town? It's a simple recipe of veal, mushrooms and pearl onions in a gravy. Why not use chicken instead?
I'd also like to do some comparison videos — for example, comparing store-bought tortellini to those made by hand.
Much of 2022 is still unknown. The pandemic changed almost everything this past year. It ain't over yet. And there is no way to predict the next variant and its impact. All I can do is try my best to stay safe.
I wish you a Happy New Year and may you stay safe and healthy too.
Sunday 2021.12.26
Skillets
I always buy my non-stick skillets at Costco. First of all, I know how lethal and evil the coating is to me and this planet, but I'm 70 years old and I'm not dead yet. Second, despite the threatening doom, the price is good.
This week I decided it was time to replace my everyday skillets. I don't use them in cooking videos. They look too worn out. The problem with non-stick skillets is the coating. No matter how careful you are with nylon and wooden utensils, the coating eventually wears away and food sticks. (I think the worn away coating becomes permanently lodged in your body and can cause 14 different kinds of cancer, all in the same day — but I might be wrong about that.)
Add another dimension. Now that I have an induction cooker (see below), I know to look for pans that are induction compatible. One set of skillets at Costco was aluminum. Not good for induction. But lo, I found a set that said "Induction" on the box.
I wear a "Vaccinated" lapel pin when I go out. It's not really a pin. It attaches to my shirt with a magnet. That is the way to test a pan to see if it is truly induction ready. If a magnet sticks to the pan, it's made with the right metal.
And another thing: The pans were on sale, marked down twice — first $10 off and now $15 off. Regular price is $40 per set of two, one 10 inches (26cm) and the other 11½ inches (29cm). So, for $25 I got two skillets. With tax, figure about $13.50 each. Where are you going to find a deal like that? Costco, of course.
And yet another thing: They're triple ply. I don't mean a disc of metal clad to the bottom. They're triple clad edge to edge — stainless steel, aluminum, and magnetic stainless. These should work fine.
Saucepans
After two skillets went into recycling, I faced my large pots. They're like stock pots, but not as large. I had two of those and I don't remember ever using them, although they did indeed look worn. I've had these pans since my college days; so very likely they were used several times during the past 50 years. Those, with lids, went into recycling after I removed the plastic handles (and tossed those in the bin too).
Next came the saucepans. I had six of those, three each of two different brands. They are non-inductive stainless steel with aluminum bottoms. It was easy to get rid of the Faberware. The handles come loose too easily. Those went into the recycling bin with lids (again, with the handles removed). I kept two Revere Ware pans, at least temporarily. They're also not induction compatible, but maybe they're good enough for everyday use while I am learning to use the All-Clad Copper Core cookware I ordered (see below).
Roasting Pan
I have a really nice roasting pan with rack I bought many years ago. I considered donating it to a charity thrift store because it's in really good condition. I rarely use it. However, this past week I had a powerful craving for Chex Mix. That pan is the one I use occasionally during the Christmas season to make the snack; so it didn't go away. I kept it and made Chex Mix instead — a double batch. Yum. Delicious. I'm nibbling some right now. It keeps well in ziplock bags, but it doesn't last long. I can't leave it alone.
What Did I Keep?
Besides the roasting pan and two Revere Ware saucepans (at least temporarily) I kept my old pressure cooker pot. That was a cheap one that eventually failed, but the bottom is induction compatible. It's my pasta pot. I also kept the pressure cooker I bought to replace it, my Kuhn Rikon Duromatic (see below). That's an army tank of a pressure cooker. It will last a lifetime and it is induction ready. Now that I have an Instant Pot I don't use the Kuhn Rikon as much, but I do use it and with an induction cooker I may use it more often.
And for what it might be worth (not much) I checked the liner that fits inside my Instant Pot. It is not induction compatible.
All-Clad Copper Core
Costco shipped quickly. They usually do. The cookware was shipped from a city up near the Bay Area (San Francisco) and arrived on Thursday.
I thought of shooting an unboxing video, but there are already many of them on YouTube. Besides which, My Kitchen Vlog isn't a popular channel and it earns no revenue. Therefore, I unboxed the pans and lid — 14 pieces in all — and folded up the boxes to go into the recycling bin.
Rain!
Real rain! We finally got a storm that was good enough for me to check my yard and awning for drainage. Everything worked perfectly — well, almost perfectly. There is one area along the easement where the water overflows a little and spills into my neighbor's yard. However, with a little dab of mortar mix I should be able to stop that.
The city where I live received the second-highest amount of rain from this storm — nearly 4½ inches. The mountain pass, which always gets the most rain, reported more than 6 inches. The reservoirs are still way behind. The local lake is still below 50% capacity.
Two or three small fast-moving storms are supposed to pass through Southern California this week. One day of rain followed by a day of sunshine and then another day of rain, etc.
Surprise!
On Thursday the induction cooker arrived. I was shocked. It was coming from Florida and it wasn't suposed to be delivered until Tuesday of this week. It arrived five days early. I did an unboxing video.
Some Impressions:
It's huge! You've seen products that have "commercial grade" on the package, which is supposed to delude you into thinking you are buying a high-end product. The owner's manual or guarantee usually says something like, "Not for commercial use." This induction cooker really is a commercial product. I read recently the warranty said it was only guaranteed for use in a commercial kitchen. Because some people were buying them for home use, the word "home" was supposedly added.
As I expected, the cooling fans are noisy. I'll need to use voice-overs in my cooking videos, which is okay because I've been thinking of moving in that direction anyway.
There is another reason for voice-overs, which I remember hearing about in a review video I watched when I first started to research these appliances. The magnetism affects the lavalier microphone I use. When I did the unboxing video I lost a little of the audio, but I was able to work around it. I might shoot an intro and outro, but the bulk of each video might be done without wearing any mike at all.
Do I like the cooker? I like everything but the size. I was in a bit of a panic for a day, wondering where I might store this monster. It comes with a padded carrying case, which is even larger, naturally. Thankfully I did several days of decluttering a few weeks ago. There was plenty of empty space on a shelf in one closet. That inspires me to do more decluttering.
However, I heard from someone who bought an induction cooker, which he placed on his stove. He uses the cooker, not the stove. I moved mine onto the stove and I might leave it there. So far, it works for cooking. And there are two gas burners uncovered, in case I need to cook something in another pan.
Instant Pot:
The induction cooker makes my Kuhn Rikon pressure cooker an Instant Pot. I made another batch of Marinara pasta sauce yesterday. With the Control Freak you can cook by temperature rather than low-medium-high. I started with 300°F. When the Kuhn Rikon reached full pressure, I lowered the temperature to 250°F. After half an hour the pressure increased by a little; so I reduced to 245°F. I also set the Control Freak's timer to stop cooking after one hour. Like the Instant Pot, I can set it and walk away. It will take care of itself.
Christmas
I didn't make a Christmas dinner for myself — not even something like Pizza or Seafood Fettuccine, which are possible holiday treats for me. Instead, I played with my new toys.
And, Finally, Shirts
One done; maybe nine more to make.
Wednesday 2021.12.22
Happy Winter
Yesterday was the day of the Winter Solstice, the beginning of winter here in the Northern Hemisphere. It will be a better winter for me than the last one. I am not only vaccinated against Covid-19, I also got my booster shot this morning.
There is almost nothing to report, yet. It was a simple injection in my left arm, which is a little sore. From what I've heard, very few people experience any side-effects from the booster. If I have any reaction, it won't be until this evening. The most important effect is that I now feel safe again.
Masks are still required in public places here, even among the vaccinated. And even though I feel protected, I'll keep my public activities to a minimum. We still don't know enough about that omicron variant.
And I thought this was interesting: I saw in the news this morning the U.S. Army is about to announce they developed a vaccine against all variants of COVID and SARS.
Rain
Another storm is moving into Southern California today. It might not be a significant one. Like the last one, it is expected to drop one to three inches of rain on the coastal areas (where I live) and more up in the mountains.
This one has the advantage of moving more slowly than the last one; so there might be more increase in the reservoirs. It will be followed by a weaker system expected to drop less rain, but it will be colder. We might see some snow on the mountains.
The current forecast predicts rain for several days, from steady rain (80%) to showers (30%). On the positive side, I was able to drive to the pharmacy for the Covid booster shot without needing my windshield wipers. I don't like driving in the rain.
Shirts
As planned, I began my winter project this week. I am working on the first of what I hope will be ten shirts. So far:
Sunday: Cutting; assemble the back and yoke.
Monday: Assemble and attach the fronts, topstitch the yoke.
Yesterday: Assemble and attach the collar.
Today: Assemble and attach the sleeves.
I remain on schedule.
Tomorrow: Stitch sides and hem.
Friday: Assemble and attach cuffs. Stitch buttonholes.
Saturday: Attach buttons. Open buttonholes.
All modesty aside, I can assemble a shirt in a single day, maybe saving the buttons and buttonholes until the following day. I've tailored more than a hundred shirts in my time. But I like having a little project for each day, something to get me through the winter as I try to avoid this omicron variant.
Christmas Movies
Watched since Sunday:
White Christmas
It Happened on Fifth Avenue
A Christmas Carol, the 1984 version with George C. Scott
A Christmas Story
And, as planned, I started reading A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens this week.
Christmas Presents
In Sunday's blog I wrote about Christmas presents I thought of buying myself, but changed my mind. Well, I changed my mind again.
The induction cooker went on sale at $300 off. That was enough to make me order it. Almost none of my current cookware is induction ready. It's made of non-magnetic stainless steel and the bottoms are aluminum. So those will be replaced. They're old. I've had them since my college days. I might save a few pieces for everyday cooking and preserve any new pans for videos.
Harvest
My citrus trees have abundant ripening fruit hanging from their branches. I've been eating dwarf tangerines and oranges. The pomelo tree has fruit, which I don't use (it's too bitter), and even the Meyer lemon, which has been mostly in the shade, has ripe lemons on it.
They help me feel like it really is Christmas because my mom would usually assemble a fruit basket for the holiday. Along with apples, oranges and pears, there would be nuts, including chestnuts. I enjoy going outside and picking a few pieces of ripe fruit off the trees.
Happy Holidays
When I write my next blog entry it will be the day after Christmas. So I'll take this opportunity to wish you a Merry Christmas or a pleasant holiday, whichever one you might celebrate this time of year.
Sunday 2021.12.19
Moderna Booster
I finally got an appointment to receive my booster shot. The process wasn't as stressful as trying to get vaccinated in the spring. My friends in Kentucky got theirs easily. They simply walked into Walmart. No appointment was necessary. As I blogged about on the first of this month, CVS Pharmacy isn't as accommodating. They want a phone number to use for telemarketing calls and text message ads.
I used one of those internet sites that provide free temporary phone numbers. People use them to get the validation code they need when joining something. Monitor the phone number online, get the code, and validate what needs to be validated. Thankfully, CVS didn't require me to validate my appointment with a code. They got a bogus phone number to spam and I'll get me booster shot on Wednesday, December 22nd. And it will be free. I'll call it my Christmas present to myself.
Christmas Presents
I've been thinking of getting myself something special at the end of the year, but I keep changing my mind. So far:
Breville Control Freak induction cooker
Hex Clad pans to use with an induction cooker
All-Clad Copper Core pans (Costco has the best price)
Ooni Karu 16 pizza oven
Oculus AR head set
Nothing stuck. I did buy a set of Hex Clad skillets, but I returned those to Costco without even opening the box. And I did order the pizza oven, but I changed my mind and cancelled the order after a few days.
I heard from a few people who love, love, LOVE the Ooni, but they entertain. The few neighbors I might invite for pizza would mostly show up only to be fed. If they brought anything at all, it might be a few bottles of drinking water.
So I don't think Santa will be visiting me this year. There isn't anything I truly want or need. Maybe next year.
Winter Project
I mentioned it before. I bought two 300 thread count 100% cotton bed sheet sets at Costco for only $25 each. I'll use the fabric to tailor shirts for myself. I think I can get five shirts per set if I make good use of the pillow cases, which are actually fairly large.
Are you familiar with how to test fabric to see if it is cotton or polyester? Set fire to a thin sliver of the fabric and then blow out the flame. Let the last ember fade and then feel the burnt end. If it feels soft and the ash is soft, it's cotton. If it feels gritty, it's polyester.
The goal is to start tailoring this week. Winter begins on Tuesday, but I'll start the cutting later today. With that goal in mind, this past week I did the process of pre-shrinking the fabric, washing it in hot water first, then drying it in a hot dryer. I don't have a dryer; so I used a few quarters in the trailer park's laundry room.
My portable Haier HLP21N washing machine is a really useful appliance. I love being able to do my own laundry at home. I have a clothes line in my office that works fine for drying my laundry. However, the machine is small and the sheets are big — cal king size. Washing them required doing two loads.
After washing and drying, I measured the pillow cases, which are fairly large — 18 by 70 inches. Each pillow case has enough fabric to cut both fronts for a shirt, and there are four pillow cases. I can't help but wonder if I'll have enough fabric for six shirts from each set; or, if not, maybe the leftover pieces from the two sets will be large enough to tailor one remnant shirt.
One thing worth mentioning: To get the bottom sheets to lie flat for the pattern pieces, the elastic had to be removed. Simply cutting it off around the edges is good enough, but I prefer to recover the elastic. I use it in my face masks, which are still required in all indoor places here.
So, I feel ready to start my project. Like last winter, I'll do one shirt per week and I'll write about my progress in future blogs.
Christmas Movies
As planned, I continue to watch Christmas movies this month. Since Wednesday's blog I watched:
The Holly and the Ivy
Meet Me in St. Louis
The Bishop's Wife
The Man Who Came to Dinner
On Tuesday I'll begin reading A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. I read it every December, starting on the 21st because it is only five chapters and I'll read the last one on Christmas Day.
Rain?
There was one day of rain forecast late last week. I kept looking for it, but other than a little mist coming down there was nothing. A look at the county rainfall report confirmed it. The city where I live was the only area to receive no measurable rain from the storm. This week looks more hopeful. There are a couple of days of "rain likely" in the forecast for the latter half of this week.
Wednesday 2021.12.15
Stocking Up
Not stocking as in "The stockings were hung by the chimney with care," but rather food stuffs. For me, it won't be another pandemic winter like the last one. I'm vaccinated now, although I'm still trying to get my Moderna booster. However, when I can buy in bulk, I do. And it's not about the savings either; it's about trips to the store. The more I can stay out of Costco, the safer I feel.
This week it was flour. I'm out. So I bought another 25-pound sack of flour at Costco. The price went up a little. It's $7.99 now. That's about 32¢ per pound. The last time I bought flour it was 25¢ per pound. No complaints. A five-pound bag of flour at the grocery store would cost me a lot more than $1.60.
I have an impulse heat sealer and poly tubing. I used those to prepare the Minute Meals I would carry to work each day and heat in the microwave oven. I retired more than 10 years ago. I now use the sealer and tubing for food storage. I divide the flour into one-pound portions that I then heat seal into packets. That keeps the bugs out. And if there is a bug or two in there, they'll ruin only one packet, not the entire 25-pound bag.
That was my project on Monday. I put 25 packets in a box that I store on a closet shelf.
I also bought another Costco pepperoni pizza, which is still only $9.95. I portioned that too, putting the pieces in the freezer for later. One slice is enough for me, especially if I top it with a little extra mozzarella cheese and maybe some cooked Italian sausage. At most, I'll eat pizza only once a week; so a dozen slices will go a long way.
And, finally, bagels. I bought another dozen this week. Those must be frozen; otherwise, they go moldy quickly. Again, poly tubing and the impulse heat sealer. I sometimes enjoy one toasted and buttered before going to bed. I can't fall asleep if I'm hungry. And when I'm really thinking properly, I'll eat only half the bagel and wrap the other half for when I wake up at 3:00 AM and need a little something to help be fall asleep again.
Rain
There was the barest minimum of rain Monday evening. The forecast was 60% probability of rain after 10 AM. I suppose 6 PM is after 10 AM. I didn't see any rain until it was dark; therefore, I was unable to monitor any of the drainage. However, with the help of a stool I was able to reach up into the gutter of my awning to feel for any water backed up inside. There was none; so I assume it is draining properly.
Yesterday morning when I got out of bed there was no rain. I walked around my yard looking for areas of ponding. There was no standing water. I won't be completely satisfied until I can go outside with an umbrella during a period of heavy rain and watch the water drain away.
As usual, I awaited the Santa Barbara County Rainfall and Reservoir Summary yesterday morning (even though there was more rain to come that day). San Marcos Pass always gets the most rain. The sensor there reported 7½ inches. Where I live, 2½ inches of rain fell. The reservoirs are never encouraging. Cachuma is at 47.6% capacity. Upstream, Gibraltar is at 6%. That's correct, only 6%. The city has its own desalination facility.
Those were the one-day accumulations. The storm numbers look a little better this morning, but not by much. This was storm number 6 of the season. The encouraging news is that we're currently at 136% of our "Normal-to-Date" rainfall.
Of course, it will take more than one storm to solve SoCal's drought problem. The best storms for that are the slow moving ones. I've seen times here when it would rain constantly for six or seven days. The flooding isn't pleasant, but those storms work wonders for the reservoirs.
There is a 50% chance of rain tomorrow and possibly more rain at the beginning of next week.
How About a Little Music?
In the latest edition of Costco Connection magazine (December 2021) there is an article titled "Tune Up!" The author, Erik J. Martin, extolls the virtues of playing a musical instrument. I have a piano, but I stepped away from it for a while. This week I sat down at it again and started playing songs. Christmas carols are the easiest because I already know the melody. I've been hearing those songs every December for most of my life. Even though I know the tunes, however, I can't play them unless I'm looking at sheet music.
When I was a child in Mystic, Connecticut our home was across the street from the Mystic Seaport. On more than one cold occasion the neighborhood people were invited into the Seaport to sing Christmas carols. I remember those occasions well. One was at the steps of the Mallory Building. Another was at the bandstand in the Village Green.
Playing the music again has been fun. I really should leave this piano out where I can sit at it regularly and plink out a few tunes now and then.
Christmas Movies
Since Sunday I watched:
The Man Who Invented Christmas
A Christmas Carol, the 1938 version with Reginald Owen
Holiday Inn
Home Alone
The 1938 Christmas Carol mentioned above is the version I remember from my childhood. It was on TV every December until the 1951 version with Alastair Sim became more popular.
Sunday 2021.12.12
Repurposing Leftovers
I was reminded of an Italian expression this week. I believe it's svuotafrigo, which means "refrigerator emptier." Find a way to use leftovers, turning them into a new meal.
Someone told me about a method they use to repurpose leftover pizza. Invert one slice and arrange it on top of another. Then place them in a panini press to make a pizza sandwich. I thought of Calzones, which are stuffed pizzas. As you can see by that link, I have a recipe for them here on this web site.
I had two slices of Costco pepperoni pizza in the freezer. I had already removed the crust edges because I was feeling a little hungry last week and I wanted something simple and small to nibble on rather than two whole slices of pizza. What if I were to sprinkle a little extra mozzarella cheese (some was in the refrigerator) on one slice, top with a few slices of cooked Italian sausage (from the freezer), garnish with a little more cheese, and then invert the second slice onto the first? Wrap in plastic and warm in the microwave oven. What started as svuotafrigo came out as a simple and delicious calzone. And it was easy.
It was also filling. I couldn't eat the whole thing; so my leftovers became more leftovers. If you're familiar with Costco pizza, you know they're 18 inches (46cm) wide. Two pieces are a filling meal for me — with a little extra cheese and Italian sausage you can make enough calzone for two people.
I was pleasantly satisfied with my experiment. I will definitely be buying more Costco pizza again soon. They're only $10 and the store is only a few blocks away, within walking distance. The 12 slices make six meals. And as I typically eat pizza only once a week, if at all, one pizza will last a long time if the slices are wrapped and kept in the freezer.
Another Good-bye
Brian Williams did his last news broadcast for MSNBC on Thursday evening. I will miss him. His was the only show I genuinely liked. The others? Meh.
There are a few I dislike, but I won't mention any names here. Most of the others are okay. I often have the news on a TV I have in my office. I don't watch, but I listen. If something important is mentioned, I'll pay attention.
It was only Brian Williams, however, who made me believe I was getting honest news with the least bias. I hope to discover where he will pop up next. Meanwhile, I now watch CNN instead.
A Little Rain
We enjoyed a light sprinkle of rain on Thursday morning. It was barely enough to wet the ground; it was not enough to show me what I wanted to see.
There are two things I'm looking for: How well my yard drains without water streaming through my neighbor's yard and how well the rains drain from my deck awning.
I have nice neighbors where the bad neighbors once lived. They don't complain about the drainage (it hasn't rained enough for anyone to notice), but I want to do the responsible thing and keep my yard's runoff from flowing through their yard.
After the tree above my back awning was trimmed I cleaned out the gutter again, but I'm not certain the downspout is clear of backed up debris. A good rain will let me know. If the gutter overflows again, the downspout will need to be disassembled and cleaned out.
The window of opportunity for this past rain was 4 AM to 10 AM. By 9:30 only a sprinkle had fallen. Tomorrow and Tuesday should provide the opportunity I seek. The rain might be significant — there are no warnings of flash flooding — but there are predictions of as much as three inches of rain in some areas. One forecast said Southern California will received a month's worth of rain.
And maybe also worth mentioning: I put new windshield wiper blades on my car.
A Soup Time of Year
I knew I'd need chicken stock. I'm pleased I put away a lot in the freezer. It's winter — the soup time of year.
This week I cooked a batch of cannellini beans in my Instant Pot and started enjoying Pasta Fagioli again. Although my recipe calls for vegetable broth, I use chicken stock because I have so much of it. I eat a lot of chicken. The other ingredients vary a little, depending on what I have on hand, but the basic three are always there — beans, pasta and broth. It's comfort food.
If the next few days are rainy and cold, I'll be warming myself with pasta fagioli, and maybe some others soups as well. I have chicken meat. I can make my own pasta. And there is plenty of stock in the freezer. Chicken Noodle Soup seems like a possibility too, or Chicken and Rice Soup, which is also delicious.
Christmas Movies
Every December I try to watch as many Christmas movies as I can fit into my schedule. The previous week I watched:
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
Just Friends
A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas
Santa Clause the Movie
This week was:
A Christmas Carol (2009)
An American Christmas Carol
Elf
Bad Santa
Bad Santa 2
Scrooged
Arthur Christmas
Christmas in Connecticut
I try to watch them according to how they are rated on IMDb.com, from lowest rating to high.
Wednesday 2021.12.8
Turning the Corner
On Monday I knew I was turning the corner on this cold I'd been suffering through. I wasn't well, yet, but I felt better than I did the day before. So I knew I was on my way to a recovery. Today, two days later, I feel like I'm almost back to normal. That's what they say is the duration of a cold, isn't it — a week to ten days? Today is day eight and I feel fine.
A Change of Mind
Whether it was the head cold making me think differently in my head or I simply had more time to think about it, I changed my mind on that Ooni Karu 16 pizza oven. There were a few additional considerations.
I don't like cooking with wood. I tried oak in my Weber grill. It cooks well, but I don't like the flavor of smoke and soot on my food. I prefer a cleaner flavor. I understand that is one of the "perks" of a wood fired pizza oven — the taste of wood smoke in the pizza. Not for me.
So I considered purchasing the propane gas attachment. It's about $100 plus tax. Add the cost of a full propane tank ($65 plus tax) and the total price was more than $1,000. Okay, it's expensive, but not out of reach. And then I thought: If I am going to bake pizzas in a gas oven, why not use the oven in my kitchen stove? I make a pretty good Griddle Pizza that way.
And then there was the concern the Ooni would end up in my shed, unused and almost forgotten, like a few other items I have. So I cancelled the Ooni order.
Besides, I really like Costco's pepperoni pizza. Those are only $10 for an 18-inch pizza. I eat a few slices and freeze the others in pairs. I don't eat pizza everyday; so those will last for weeks.
That was Monday. Now that I've had more time to think about it, I feel really good about my decision. I did the right thing.
Something To Keep You Awake at Night
While watching the evening news an article in The Atlantic was mentioned — "Trump's Next Coup Has Already Begun." I found the article and captured it to a document. It's lengthy — 18 pages of single-spaced 12-point type. In that evening news program the anchor recommended not reading it before bedtime. "It will keep you awake." I read it the following day.
It isn't possible to summarize the entire article here. On TV it was said the GOP have two goals — to seize as much power as possible and hold onto it for as long as possible. They are studying the mistakes made by Trump and his associates when challenging the results of the 2020 presidential election and they are taking the necessary steps to either make certain those failures don't occur after the next election or to assure such steps won't even be necessary (by rigging the election in advance, such as by suppressing the votes of minorities that typically vote Democratic and empowering their own people to throw out votes they don't like). We've seen the news about redistricting and changes to voting laws.
I told one friend I might not vote at all in the next election. What would be the point? I live in California, which is such an overwhelmingly blue state a few lost votes here or there don't make any difference. The important votes are in the so-called "swing states" and if the GOP are rigging those states in their favor now, what good would my vote in California do?
It's not laziness on my part of any lack of sense of responsibility. I am a permanent vote-by-mail voter. Here in the trailer park there is a central location to send and receive mail. I one-minute walk is all that is necessary for me to drop my completed ballot in the mail. It's the sense of futility that discourages me. Here in California my vote really doesn't matter.
Where will it all lead? Pundits have been saying for years, maybe decades, that the USA is declining into an autocracy. Maybe I won't see it during the remainder of my lifetime, but I do believe this America will eventually be just another country on the face of the globe — another France, or Germany, or Canada, or Spain, etc. This nation will eventually lose its world influence and no longer be a super-power. China appears to be the next world power.
Maybe that's a good thing. They say power corrupts. It seems to be working here. Maybe with less power this nation will become less corrupt. That might seem pessimistic on my part, but I don't believe this issue is about pessimism or optimism; I think it's about taking an honest look at the reality.
Many will be quick to condemn my point of view. It would be futile to tell them to read the books and news articles about current trends in politics. "That's all fake news." So what would be the point? I won't even try.
Sunday 2021.12.5
A Little Health Concern
Wednesday evening I had a mild but persistent cough. It's strange how news about a new coronavirus variant causes paranoia. I took my temperature. It was a little high, 98.9°F. That's about 1 degree higher than usual for me. Later in the evening I checked it again. 99.3°.
I thought about where I went earlier that week — the credit union to do some banking, CVS Pharmacy to see if I could schedule an appointment for a booster shot without using the internet (no), Costco, and a garage to have my car smog inspected. Everyone was wearing a mask and interacting behind a clear plastic panel. I also met, twice, with a friend who tends to go out a lot. He might feel a little too confident about being vaccinated. Then again, he's not 70 years old. He was here for an hour or two each time, and not wearing a mask. Maybe he has the virus but is asymptomatic?
I've said it before: The vaccination is not a hazmat suit. We can still get the virus. We won't get very sick though because the shot(s) prepare the body to fight the virus.
The following day my temperature was back down to normal, 97.5. I tend to run about a degree low. However, I felt like I was coming down with a head cold and my temperature was fluctuating a little. 99.6 was the highest I recorded that day. I'm looking at my thermometer as I write this — 100.4. That's the highest yet. I don't usually have a temperature when I have a common cold, or maybe I never noticed.
Without testing, there isn't any way to know for sure what is making me feel ill. I believe I needed to be tested just in case I need to inform my friend he has been exposed. I'm not worried about him; he and his wife are young. But they live with his grandmother and she is elderly and infirm.
Try to get a test in this town. I spent a good part of the day Friday looking for testing appointments. Most were a week away. Finally, late in the afternoon I scored a same-day test. It was an easy one, just a swab barely inside my nostrils. Simple, and the job was done. They told me to expect the results in one to three days.
Meanwhile, I am miserable. If this is only a cold, it's a fairly bad one. I sit here with a runny nose, watery eyes, and a head feeling like it's stuffed with cotton balls.
The test result was available late in the afternoon yesterday. That was quick. It was negative. No Covid. Meanwhile, the cold continues to get worse. But it's only a cold. By this time next week I'll feel fine again.
Pizza Revisited
In Wednesday's blog I mentioned doing some number crunching for my YouTube videos. I gave some examples in the previous blog. Here are just a few:
Mascarpone Cheese 16¢ per thousand views
Griddle Pizza $14.70 per thousand views
Even though French Bread was my most popular video for a long time, it earns only 30¢ per thousand views. Looking at the numbers in this way — revenue per views — revealed something I had never realized. I don't earn a fixed rate "per view"; instead I get a share of YouTube's ad revenue. I don't know how advertisers choose which videos on which to place their ads, but the difference can be significant.
Looking only at my Pizza videos, very little stands out as important. However, in general, they do better than my most popular videos, Griddle Pizza being the clear winner.
And so, after talking with another friend about that pizza oven, I finally ordered the Ooni Karu 16. At $800 it will never pay for itself with YouTube videos. But it isn't an investment. It's something to enjoy because I like making — and eating — pizza. However, it won't ship for five to seven weeks; so there is plenty of time to cancel the order if I change my mind.
I've been watching YouTube videos about using the oven. Naturally, some are better than others. One conclusion I came to is not to use oak firewood. Although it provides better heat, it smokes too much. I don't like soot in my food. I'm thinking of eventually ordering the propane gas attachment.
And then a thought occurred to me. If I am going to make pizza in a small gas oven, why not use my kitchen range instead? And so, after a lot more thinking, I pretty much decided to cancel that order. With the propane attachment and tax, plus buying a propane tank, the bottom line price comes to about $1,000. I can think of better ways to spend a thousand dollars.
Wednesday 2021.12.1
And So We Enter December
This will soon be our first full calendar year of living under the threat of COVID-19. The new variant, named omicron, has me somewhat concerned. When the delta variant was first detected there was global worry it might be more lethal; however, although it did infect and kill many people, it wasn't as virulent as was originally feared, at least not among those who are fully vaccinated. Vaccinations still appear to be the best protection against the virus.
I can't help wondering if masking is the new normal, and for how long. I am 70 years old. Will I need to buy and wear masks in public places for the remainder of my life? Will I ever see a return to the old normal? I'm not a pessimist by nature, but at times it does appear we will live with a different reality for quite a while.
I did see a news article about medical research someday discovering a vaccine that would protect us against all viruses. That would be a welcome medical miracle. And, somehow, I suspect the vaccine won't be free. It will be very expensive and available only to the wealthy. Again, I'm not a pessimist, but there is a reality out there that cannot be denied.
Another news article, from Reuters, reported "South African doctor says patients with omicron variant have 'very mild' symptoms." So, maybe there is nothing to fear. Time will tell.
I'm still trying to get my booster. There is a CVS store not too far away that offers the Moderna booster. However, to make an appointment I must provide my phone number. The fine print at the bottom of the page says I give them and their affiliates permission to use my number for telemarketing purposes and text advertisements. No.
Thankfully, there are temporary phone numbers available on the internet, and they're free. They are for dealing with marketing schemes like CVS's. You provide the temporary number and then check it for voice mail or text messages to confirm something. In a week or two the number expires, but by then you got what you needed from it.
Why can't CVS use an email address? I have some of those that are for spam. I have two on Gmail. My Hotmail spam address has been active since the early days of Hotmail. There was a time when I used it as my main email address, but when it started to be flooded with spam I abandoned it.
Landscaping
For those who might be interested (if not, skip ahead to the next subheading), on Sunday I used the last bag, of eight, of mortar mix I recently purchased. The latest focus has been on the drainage area along the easement. Two areas remain to be done.
One is the front corner of my yard. There is a telephone connection thing there. It's a pipe coming up out of the ground with a metal hood on top. Remove the hood and all sorts of colored phone wires are revealed. I suspect it's an old piece of equipment, no longer in use. A newer one is on the easement and that one appears to be obsolete too. The newest one, a patch panel, is attached to the side of the laundry room building. I need to bare some wires and use a voltage meter to see if electrical current can be detected. It none, the fixture can probably be removed without anyone knowing or caring.
The other area that still needs to be worked is a thin strip between my driveway and my home. That could probably be completed quickly, but the easement drainage has a higher priority. I don't suspect we'll get much rain this winter — so far, there is none in the forecast — but there will be some rain eventually and I'd like to see the drainage working the way it was originally designed (before a mean-spirited neighbor, now living in another state, stopped me).
YouTube
Not surprising, my video of Mom's Italian Christmas Cookies has jumped to first place in popularity among my videos. It peaks every December. I should make those cookies again. It has been a while. And, as usual, my video for Copycat Bailey's Irish Cream is now in second place. That's another one that is very popular at Christmastime.
I still explore ideas for pizza by watching YouTube videos. There is an Ooni pizza oven I like, but it is not offered at a Black Friday price. So, no. I can live without it. My favorite is my Griddle Pizza, but I have to admit Costco's pepperoni pizza comes in a very close second.
A friend has been trying to talk me into buying that Ooni. It's so easy to spend other people's money. So far, I've resisted. Yes, it might be fun for making two or three videos. Would the videos ever earn enough revenue to pay for the oven? Maybe not. It costs $800. Of the 400 videos I've produced, only five have earned that kind of revenue.
I'm doing some number crunching today and learning something important — bread videos, although they get a lot of views, earn the least revenue. My French Bread video, which was my most popular for a long time, earned only 30¢ per 1,000 views. Hawaiian Sweet Bread did better, but only 60¢.
My all-time most popular video, Fish & Chips, is earning $3.62 per 1,000. Which video is the best earner? Griddle Pizza. Although the total views so far is low (it's a fairly new video), it's generating $14.70 per thousand views. Second place is currently held by Air Fryer Pizza at $6.80 per thousand. In third place is No-Oven Skillet Pizza at $5.25.
That Ooni is now looking like a possibility.