AUGUST 2023

Wednesday 2023.8.30

Cooking with Beans

I like the way Italians use beans. Of course, beans came out of necessity. When people couldn't afford meat, they substituted with beans. It's amusing how some dishes that were once considered peasant foods are now gourmet.

When I was a small child my grandfather, Carmine, lived with us. He was from Italy. I loved my grandfather. Sadly, he passed away when I was in kindergarten. He was the one who introduced me to Pasta Fagioli, which we knew as Pasta Fazool. I don't make mine the same way. He would place a block of hard pork fat on a wooden chopping block and then use a cleaver to reduce it to the texture of corn meal. That all went into the pot along with the beans, pasta, tomatoes, and water, etc.

After my grandfather passed, my mother occasionally tried making Pasta Fagioli (without the pork fat), especially when she and my father would go away on vacation for a week or two. She put a large pot of it in the refrigerator for me to reheat later. I never told her I fed a little each day to the dog. He loved it.

This past weekend I was looking through a book of Italian recipes and found one for Tuscan Beans with Sausages (salsicce e fagioli). One of the ingredients is "1 pound very ripe fresh tomatoes." I have plenty of those. Another ingredient is cannellini beans. I have some out in the shed. They are dried beans, which I portioned and vacuum sealed in pouches for storage. And I have sausages in the freezer. In these days of modern conveniences, I soak the beans for 8 hours or overnight and then cook them in the pressure cooker (Instant Pot) for 15 to 20 minutes. I did that Sunday afternoon/evening.

Don't cook beans when you're hungry. After cooking them I had to taste them for tenderness. Perfect. Then I needed to taste more, then more. Cannellini beans are delicious with a little salt. I didn't eat much. I stopped myself; otherwise, I would have eaten a large bowl.

Monday morning I peeled a pound of tomatoes, the usual way — plunge them into boiling water for several seconds to loosen the skin, then peel and discard the skin. To seed or not to seed? The juice that surrounds the seeds has a lot of flavor. I don't like discarding it. But supposedly the seeds can add bitterness to a dish. I don't like bitter. So, I put the seeds into a sieve and used a spoon to push the juice into a bowl, then I discarded the seeds. Another task done.

The last few days have been too hot to cook. Today I plan to make the Beans and Sausage for a video for this web site and YouTube. And speaking of heat…

Haircut

Sunday afternoon was warm. The other computer (the one with the megahuge video card in it) started beeping at around 3:00. The temperature outside was nearly 93°F (34°C). I put on the AC in that room to make the computer, and to be honest, myself comfortable. To feel a little cooler, I also cut my hair. It was getting too long anyway.

And I changed both computers' dust filters. They were overdue.

Best Flautas Ever!

When I was a student at UC Santa Barbara a friend and I would occasionally eat at a Mexican restaurant in Isla Vista. They made the best Flautas. There was something special about the sauce, but I couldn't figure out how it was made. Sadly, the restaurant closed when the owner was shot and killed by his lover.

On Tuesday I finally figured out how the sauce was made. It was a blend of guacamole and heavy cream. Really simple, and delicious. I made chicken flautas on Tuesday by cooking sliced chicken thighs with taco seasoning. Toward the end I added some salsa verde and let that warm up in the skillet.

Meanwhile, I mixed some guacamole with heavy whipping cream, then poured about half of it into the skillet, mixing it with the cooked chicken to let it warm as well.

I divided the chicken between two flour tortillas, onto which I spread a Mexican mix of cheese. Then I rolled them and secured them with a toothpick.

Finally, I heated a couple tablespoons of oil in a large skillet and placed the flautas inside, cooking them to a light golden brown on each side. Then they were plated with the remainder of the creamed guacamole poured on top. Delicious!

Hooray!

I got a Hooray! from YouTube. This week is my Mobile Home Gourmet channel's birthday. My first video was Trout with Tomatoes. That was back in 2010. I've come a long way.

Sunday 2023.8.27

Sometimes It's the Little Things

On Thursday morning there was a dense trail of ants going into the trash. What better time to move out the old cardboard box I was using as a kitchen trash bin and move in the new stainless steel can I just bought? The trash, with the ants that were inside, went into the bin outside. The cardboard box went outside into the recycling bin. And the new trash can went into the kitchen. It looks good.

Sometimes It's the Big Things

I had another common dream this week. This time I was in a locker room at a gymnasium. I stepped up to the urinal, hopeful, and a steady stream of urine came out. I was elated I could pee normally again. Of course, it was only a dream. On the bright side, on Thursday morning I decided to use one of the new style of catheters I ordered. I had been using the old style, to use them up and clear up some storage space. The new style slipped in effortlessly. It was so easy! I'm happy enough, considering I still can't pee normally.

Kielbasa

As planned I made Kielbasa on Thursday. It turned out well, and thus it's this week's feature recipe and video. I really like the flavor. It does not at all remind me of the kielbasa my mother used to buy at the grocery store.

I did some research online, as I always do before settling on a recipe. Many of the photos I saw looked similar to Italian Sausages, with the meat inside a little on the chunky side rather than smooth like a hotdog.

As always, there is a little meat left in the sausage stuffer after all the casings are filled. I saved it. On Friday I did a little research on the internet for recipes for sausages and pasta. I saw several with cream sauces. I have heavy whipping cream in the refrigerator. So, I cooked the sausage meat and sauced it the same way I do when making Seafood Fettuccine. It was delicious.

Keeping Things Organized

One issue of embroidering patches for my aprons is the supply of thread on cones. Unlike a little spool of thread, which often has a groove to secure the end of the thread, the cones don't have that feature. What is the best way to keep the loose ends from tangling up with each other in the bag?

There is elastic netting available for just that purpose, and I added some to my wish list on Amazon. But who needs 40 yards (36M) of netting for four spools of thread?

It takes me a while, but my brain will eventually come up with an answer. When I buy a bed sheet set for making shirts, I take apart the fitted bottom sheet so that I can lay it flat for cutting. I usually save the elastic, if it is easily removed. I did just that a week or so ago.

Stitching a loop of elastic the right size to secure a cone of thread was easy. Using a little forethought, I made the elastic bands small enough to still hold the thread when the spools are nearly empty. And then I deleted that elastic webbing from my Amazon wish list.

Pop Tarts?

I saw a commercial for Pop Tarts on TV and that got me thinking. Why not make my own with the pastry dough I use so often for pies, like Custard Pie. If the dough is chilled properly, I might be able to use my pasta machine (maybe chill that too) to roll thin sheets. Filling? Maybe buy a jar of strawberry preserves, or maybe some other berry. I'll give it some thought.

Wednesday 2023.8.23

Storm

As expected, the weather earlier this week didn't amount to much where I live. We were at the western edge of the storm and therefore only about ¼ of an inch of rain fell here. However, it concluded an excellent water year, which technically ends on August 31st. We are finishing the year at 200% of our normal rainfall, double the amount we typically get in an average year. The local reservoir is currently at 93% capacity.

This next water year should be interesting. We are in an El Niño weather pattern, which is expected to continue into February. That usually means more rainfall in Southern California.

Earthquake

Besides the remnants of Hurricane Hilary on Sunday afternoon, there was a slight shaking of the earth where I live. A moderate 5.1 magnitude earthquake struck Ojai, California, which is about 35 miles east of here.

One of the strangest losses I ever heard of: In an Ojai liquor store a $900 bottle of tequila fell and broke.

Pretty

A fitting end to Sunday's rain: At sunset there was a huge bright rainbow, the largest I ever saw. It stretched from horizon to horizon.

When I was a child I believed in that pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. After one rain there was a rainbow that came to an end in a little wooded area about a block from our home. I ran over there to search for the pot of gold. Evidently, someone must have gotten there first.

Trash

After 25 years of using the same old cardboard box as a trash bin in my kitchen, I finally ordered a real one from Amazon. I read several reviews. The one I bought was on the expensive side, but reviewers said it was "built like a tank" — sturdy. If it lasts as long as that cardboard box did, it will serve my needs for the remainder of my life.

And surprise, surprise! According to the tracking number it was supposed to be delivered next week. It arrived yesterday. I couldn't ask for better. The 13-gallon (42.9L) trash bags I already have fit the inner liner perfectly, stretching just enough around the top to hold securely in place.

I'm still using an old cardboard box for the recycling bin, but I'll deal with that later.

Ants

I still battle ants from time to time. They'll never go away. The best I can hope for is to keep them under control. This week I tried to give them some exotic poison.

I had some smoked salmon that was well past its "best if used by" date. I bought it a few months ago to make Smoked Salmon Quiche, which I did. It was delicious. There was a little left over, which I planned to use to make Mini Quiches, but I never did. Having enjoyed two full-size quiches, my craving was satisfied.

Would the ants be attracted to smoked salmon? To find out, I mashed some and mixed it with boric acid powder and then portioned it into heat-sealed packets. I put those in the refrigerator; however, I put the paper plate and fork in the sink — and waited. By 1:00 in the afternoon the ants had discovered the plate. My ants evidently like smoked salmon too.

By the evening the little bit of salmon on the plate was dry; so I sprayed it with window cleaner (to keep ants out of the trash) and tossed it into the garbage. Then I put one of the bait packets where the ants were coming indoors.

And that explains the heat-sealed packets. They help keep the meat moist longer. Only a little hole needs to be cut at one end, large enough for ants to pass through. The contents should stay fresh long enough for the poison to eradicate the colony, which normally takes a day or two.

Kielbasa

A friend of this web site sent me a link to a recipe for homemade kielbasa, a Polish sausage my mother occasionally bought in large U-shaped lengths. It was pre-cooked and had the texture of a hotdog. Mom only had to heat it up, which (if I remember correctly) she did in boiling water along with sauerkraut. I never liked sauerkraut; so she usually made mashed potatoes as well.

This week I am going to try making my own kielbasa, which will differ significantly from the sausage my mother bought. The recipe I am going to follow will make a chunkier sausage, not too different from Italian Sausage. I'll video it. If all goes well, it might be Sunday's feature and YouTube upload.

The video won't be popular, I'm sure. But I don't hope for popularity anymore. I'm satisfied when I can add to my body of work on YouTube.

Sunday 2023.8.20

Hilary

And I don't mean Clinton.

A tropical storm / hurricane / major hurricane, Hilary, was developing off the western coast of Mexico. As early as Wednesday there was an advisory issued to monitor the storm, as it might affect Southern California. There have been predictions of "chance of showers" in the forecast. However, as the storm moved northward up the coast, it weakened, as expected.

Why is this such big news? Because California doesn't see hurricanes. They need warm ocean water. California's Pacific Ocean waters come from the north, from the Gulf of Alaska. It's cold water. Florida and the East Coast gets it's Atlantic waters from the south, from the Gulf of Mexico. That's warm water, heated by the tropics. And that's why Hurricane Hilary weakened so rapidly. It moved over colder ocean.

I've been watching the Weather Channel. If anything significant will happen, it will be tonight and tomorrow, with the possibility of showers and a thunderstorm. The wind, if there is any, is forecast to be around 10 to 15mph with possible gusts of 20mph — not enough to knock over my tomato plant. I've been wondering what I might do in the event of hurricane force winds. Not much. The planter is too heavy to move. And having secured the tomato cage with baling wire, I did the best I could.

As for preparation, I do what I usually do. I lit my two oil lamps to burn off any wax that might have built up in the wick. Clean, they'll light more easily if and when I need them. I'm not expecting much. I live in an area that will be just at the western edge of the storm. Total rainfall here is expected to be less than half an inch.

Tomato Plants Chronicles

On Thursday I trimmed away more yellowing and dying leaves. Water is not the problem. I test the soil daily. Most places were "Normal" and two were "Wet." It's too early to think about the end of the season, or maybe the plants know something I don't know. I'll keep caring for them as long as they produce tomatoes. There are still new yellow flowers near the top.

On Friday I noticed more white powdery mildew. Not much, but enough to make me spray the plants with neem oil again. I gave them a good healthy watering too.

And then yesterday I saw my first tomato worm as I pruned even more yellow leaves. It was a little one. I can't imagine the neem oil did it any good. I also harvested a bowl full of tomatoes. I do sense the season is nearing an end, either because the weather is starting to change, or because the plants are getting old.

When Things Go Right

It's pleasant when I need to do something complicated and it goes well. My web site's domain name registration was automatically renewed on Friday using money in my PayPal account. There was enough, but when I checked my balance it was down to about $20.

My bank was bought up by a big bank and I was issued a new ATM card. That all had to be updated on PayPal. Thankfully removing one bank and adding another one wasn't too tedious a task and it went well. I also added my ATM card and then transferred $100 from my bank into PayPal.

There is another reason to keep my PayPal account topped up. Amazon changed their minimum order for free shipping from $25 to $35. They tried that once before and the backlash was significant enough for the company to lower the minimum back down to $25. I don't know that it will happen again.

A good friend in Kentucky (we used to work together and for some reason we maintained a solid friendship) has Amazon Prime. Anything I want he'll order for me and have it shipped to my home. I can repay him from my PayPal account.

Shirt

I'm getting a little ahead of myself on this first shirt I'm assembling on the new sewing machine. Which leads to…

Why?

As I stitched the side and sleeve seams a dirty oil stain appeared. Where did that come from? I keep my work area clean and I don't eat at my machine. Thankfully I know a little about oil. If it's vegetable oil, such as olive oil, corn oil, etc., it can oxidize into a wax, which is difficult to remove. If it's machine oil, it won't oxidize and therefore is easily removed from fabric. The stain was machine oil.

I finished the shirt yesterday. I'll wear it when I go shopping at Costco later this morning. I want to buy a few things before the rain begins this afternoon.

Wednesday 2023.8.16

Number 4

Everyone knows by now that a fourth indictment of Donald Trump was handed down on Monday, this one from the state of Georgia. It didn't take long to find the PDF online. It's a lengthy one. Indictment 3 was 45 pages. This latest one is 98. There are 41 counts. The first one provides a chronological blow-by-blow list of the alleged crimes as Act 1, Act 2, etc., up to Act 161. It names 19 co‑conspirators. There are also some unnamed unindicted co‑conspirators.

I read part of the document Monday evening before going to bed and I read more of it yesterday. I'm about 2/3 of the way through. The text doesn't read as easily as the last one, but it spells it all out. The charges are serious.

The thing that surprised me most was the evidence. What deceptions or delusions led the co‑conspirators to believe they would get away with it? There were too any witnesses, too many text messages, e‑mails and phone calls. Not only were they bound to get caught, but there was more than enough evidence to convict them. I wouldn't be surprised to see a lot of plea deals follow this indictment when it goes to trial.

How the indictments will affect the election next year is unknown. Trump has his dedicated followers. They would vote for him even if he assassinated a world leader or was arrested for lewd behavior with Vladimir Putin on Kim Jong Un, even if he was being held in prison in a foreign country.

The current general belief among the pundits is that his base isn't large enough to win him the election. The number of his devotees has been dwindling. The Republican base alone is too small. He would need many independent voters, and fewer of them support him now. Many of them are getting tired of his antics and all the press coverage. It's time to move on — a sentiment shared by many in his own party (although they won't publicly admit it).

And speaking of pundits, if I might be allowed to make a prediction. When it finally becomes clear to Trump next year that he has a zero chance of winning the election, I believe he'll drop out of the race rather than lose, claiming the whole system is unfairly rigged against him. That will be good enough. He'll go away whining, and then declare he's running in 2028 and ask for donations. He'll probably spend the next few years asking for donations to help pay his legal fees.

And if I could arrange things my way, I'd suggest a plea deal to Trump. Withdraw from the race and agree never to participate in politics again and all charges will be dropped.

Winter Might be Interesting

The climate forecasters are predicting a possible strong El Niño weather pattern this winter. There is an El Niño condition building in the Pacific Ocean and it is expected to continue at least through February. According to current models, there is a 95% probability of a significant pattern this coming fall and winter. That could result in yet more rain in California.

Last year was a good rain year. Most, if not all, of the reservoirs in California were full. Many overflowed. Our local reservoir reached 100%, with some water released downstream in anticipation of more rain later in the season. As of this morning, the lake is at 96.7% capacity.

Shirts

The bed sheets arrived on Monday. The most tedious one to deal with is the bottom sheet. It needs to be made flat by removing all the elastic and stitching. I did that and then ironed it. That was enough for one day. Yesterday I pinned and cut the pattern. I do a little each day, like this:

1. Cutting; assemble back and yoke
2. Assemble and attach fronts; topstitch yoke
3. Assemble and attach collar
4. Assemble and attach sleeves
5. Stitch sides and hem
6. Assemble and attach cuffs, stitch buttonholes
7. Attach buttons, open buttonholes

First decision: Which side should be the outside of the garment. It's easy with broadcloth. Both sides are the same. With sateen, they're different. The decision doesn't matter much because with so much fabric and the possibility of so many shirts, I use different sides for different shirts.

Second decision: To stitch or not to stitch my little trailer graphic to the back of the shirt. I decided to try it on this first shirt. I did it before I incorporated the piece into the garment. It turned out well. I think it will look good when I wear it. Here's the thing: At the end of each cooking video I turn and walk away from the camera. That would reveal the graphic design on my back. And, by the comments, I'll know how many, if any, watch my videos to the end.

One negative: This fabric frays very easily. Thankfully I also have an overlock machine.

Sunday 2023.8.13

Web Site Anniversary

On August 10, 2010 I wrote my first blog. I concluded that blog entry with, "I probably won't be regular about my blog." That prediction proved false. I have posted my blog every Sunday and Wednesday for 13 years. The writing wasn't always interesting, but it was regular. There is always something to say.

I keep all the blogs. They're in the Blog Archives, not that anyone would ever read them. They're important to me because sometimes I need to search back for something I wrote, refreshing my memory about an incident or situation.

Slow Computer

On Tuesday evening I updated my Windows 10 operating system. On Wednesday my computer was really slow again. Every app took an abnormally long time to open. It didn't take a really long time, like 10 or 15 minutes, but I'm used to apps starting up almost immediately.

I built these computers. I know what's inside. The motherboards (AKA system boards) are maxed out with memory. Everything was purchased for speed. You get what you pay for. These two computers cost me $3,000, each. Yep. That much. So I do not have much patience for software loading slowly.

Wednesday another update was available. Did Microsoft discover the problem? Evidently so. After completing the update my apps started up instantly again.

What did Microsoft get wrong? On Thursday there was yet another update, the third one in as many days. Thankfully, that computer appears to be working well again, for now.

Unusual Weather

Around 5:00 Thursday morning the sound of rain on the roof woke me up. Rain is rare here in July. As I remained in bed listening to the rain, there was one bright flash followed by a very loud clap of thunder. It scared me. Knowing I "could no more go to sleep than go to Heaven" (that's a line from Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol), I got up and sat at this computer to write about it.

However, there was no more rain, no more thunder. The storm, if I can call it that, was very brief, but it was pleasant. I like the rain when I'm warm and dry indoors.

The Tomato Plants Chronicles

I think I might have solved the problem with the yellowing leaves. The plants weren't getting enough water. Since removing those dying leaves I've been checking and watering the plants more regularly. No leaves have turned yellow since.

The plants continue to produce flowers and fruit. Some of the little green tomatoes are on branches that tower well above my head. The ripe fruit is toward the bottom where the flowers were two months ago.

More Shirts

More shirts are on their way, as if I need any more. In one closet where I keep the ones I call my "show shirts" (to wear in my videos) I have 42. In another closet where I keep my "everyday" shirts there are another 40. Plus there are a few "grubbies" that I wear around the house when I'm doing projects like potting plants, cooking, or anything that might ruin a shirt if I get paint or glue on it.

More fabric will arrive tomorrow. As I've often said in this blog, I buy 100% cotton bed sheets for garment fabrics. It's cheaper by the yard and the quality is often better than the cloth sold in fabric stores. I live in Southern California. Most of the year it's warm here. I don't need shirts made with broadcloth. Try to buy a light-weight fabric, like pima cotton, an extra-long staple (ELS) cotton made with long fibers.

Pima cotton is high quality, and therefore expensive when bought in a fabric store. However, ELS cotton is also a favorite for making quality bed sheets. Ergo, buy bed sheets, especially on sale, and get the fabric at a very reasonable price.

The down side, as you can imagine, is that one set of sheets has enough fabric to make four or five shirts, especially when using king size sheets. I don't care about duplicates in my closet. I wear only one at a time and if I should accidentally ruin one, oh well. There are others.

One experiment I wanted to try was to embroider my camper logo on a shirt. My Janome allows me to resize a graphic from 80% to 120% of the original size. I wanted to explore sewing a large logo, thinking it might look good on the back of a shirt. So I tried it yesterday morning on a piece of scrap fabric.

The graphic looks excellent. Certainly, I'll need to embroider this only on very light colored shirts, such as ivory. The image would look awful on a gray or navy blue shirt. For dark shirts, there is always the option of attaching an embroidered patch, like I do on my aprons.

Wednesday 2023.8.9

The Tomato Plants Chronicles

I might have solved the problem with the leaves turning yellow. At 9:30AM on Saturday I watered the plants. At 7:30PM the same day I checked the soil with a moisture meter. Everywhere I stuck the probe the meter said Dry. I watered again. Do the plants now need to be watered twice each day?

Or is two gallons not enough? Normally, I like to see some water dripping out of the bottom, an indication the planter was throughly watered. Maybe I should dump more water into the pot if I don't see dripping. Time will tell.

What about the meter? Is it accurate? I put the probe in a glass of water. It reported Wet+. At the very least, I'll check the soil twice each day.

I also couldn't resist. I cut away all the yellow and brown branches. It does two things, maybe three. The plants look healthier. It also opens up the vines so that it is easier to see ripe tomatoes hidden inside. But it also leaves open spots where disease can enter.

Finally, I harvested more ripe tomatoes. Maybe it's time to make something I call Tomato Salad — just ripe tomatoes cut up in a bowl with salad dressing or just extra virgin olive oil with salt and pepper. I've done it before. It's good.

Weight Never Occurred to Me

When I positioned the first tomato cage, there wasn't much soil in the planter and I was concerned it might fall over. I used some nylon cord to secure it on four sides. It looked good. However, as the upper branches began to bear fruit, especially when I attached a second tomato cage to the top, the whole rig started to become top heavy. On Monday I noticed one of the nylon cords broke. It wasn't heavy-duty cord; so I wasn't surprised.

Thankfully I have some baling wire out in the shed. It ain't fancy, but it's strong. I secured the cage again, replacing the cord that broke. The others were still holding, but I replaced those anyway. A windy day could knock the plant over if any of those snapped. And, as an advantage, it will be a more permanent fix. I might be able to use the setup next year, just replace the soil with fresh potting mix.

Another Idea

There are plenty of tomatoes, with green ones ripening everyday. I don't want to waste any. What can I make? I already made marinara. I used a few in the chili I made (see below). I make sandwiches. It seems too early in the season to make soup. What about tomato juice? I used to love it when I was a kid.

On Monday I went onto YouTube to do some research. Some of the methods seemed a little complicated and/or laborious. Then I saw a lady use a juicer. Duh! I have one of those. I bought it back when I was creating videos for my SmoothieTube channel, which I abandoned because no one seemed interested. The appliance rarely gets used now.

The best part of using a juicer is there is no need to peel and seed the tomatoes. Just drop them into the hopper and let the juicer separate the liquid from the solids. It works great. I then simmered the juice for ten minutes to cook it well, seasoned it with a little salt, and poured it into a mug. Then I let it chill in the refrigerator for a couple hours.

It was delicious. I drank it during the evening when I was watching the last two episodes of the second season of Only Murders in the Building. The new season premiered yesterday. I watched the first two episodes. In fact, I watched each episode twice.

Real Texas Chili

I made a double batch of Real Texas Chili this week, made a little less "real" because I skinned and seeded a few tomatoes to add to the pot. I have so many tomatoes, I need to find ways to use them.

It was a little expensive. Costco doesn't always have the best prices. The beef chuck roast cost $46. However, I was able to portion the chili into 16 servings, at a price of $2.88 each. That's much more economical that ordering it in a restaurant, and much better than buying the cans of Dennison's at the store (which is mostly beans). Real Texas Chili, from what I've been able to learn down through the years, is never made with beans. It's made with beef, preferably beef chuck.

I ate some. It was delicious, but it wasn't quite a good as the one time I made it with beef tri-tip that was on sale at a ridiculously low price, less per pound than chuck. The chuck I bought at Costco was $6.99 per pound, which, according to a friend who buys a lot of beef, is an average price.

Shrimp and Pasta

I've been watching the performance of my latest video, Shrimp and Pasta, on YouTube. No surprise, it isn't doing well. This is summer, a time of year I like to call the Summer Doldrums, which is not a good time for my videos to be popular.

I've been creating videos since August, 2010. I have 13 years of history in a spread sheet on my computer. I can see at a glance that summer is not the best time to upload videos. November and December are the best.

I Learned Something New This Week

I experimented with re-sizing my little camper logo design. I can reduce it to 80% on my machine. It wasn't a good idea. The needle punctures were so close together they cut the fabric. I won't do that again. 100% always works well.

Meanwhile, I created and printed a step-by-step procedure to guide me through the process. There too many little details, some of which are easily missed. I like to feel organized.

And also meanwhile, I ordered a cone thread holder from Amazon. Four of the six colored threads I use for the embroidery are on cones. Spools would be way too expensive. The Janome isn't equipped to handle cones. A separate cone holder set to the side of the machine should work well. It will arrive later today.

Sunday 2023.8.6

Shrimp with Pasta

On Thursday I attempted to make the Shrimp and Pasta dish I planned. It was edible, but not delicious. That's the issue with a new original recipe. I need to test it and, if necessary, make it again (and maybe again) to get it right. During the evening I edited the recipe to adjust some of what I thought might have weakened the flavor. The food wasn't awful, but it wasn't good either.

On Friday I tried again. One good thing about having tomato plants right outside my front door is that I have plenty of tomatoes. Actually, I had enough of all the ingredients to make the dish again without doing any shopping.

On the down side, it has been warm here. The forecast was for 80°F (27°C), but my outdoor thermometer recorded a high of 90°F (32°C) on Thursday. I started cooking early on Friday, trying to avoid the warmest part of the day, with plans to run my office air conditioner during the afternoon, if necessary. Thankfully, it wasn't necessary.

Friday's effort was a success. Having achieved my goal, I edited the video and uploaded it to YouTube. I also put the recipe in the Archive on this web site. And there were enough leftovers to enjoy two more meals.

Thank You to a Friend

I might have mentioned in one of last month's blogs the new season of Only Murders in the Building. It is scheduled to premiere on Tuesday of this week on Hulu. It's among my favorite shows.

I used to have access to Hulu. Another friend and his wife allowed me to use their login and password. I only wanted it to watch the first season. I was able to download all the second season's episodes in 1080p from the newsgroups, a different part of the internet. Those are even better because they have no commercials. (The first season was never made available.)

However, those two broke up their marriage and the password was changed.

Hulu allows two simultaneous logins. The friend who gave me the heads up about the third season also set up an account for me on their membership so that I can watch the new episodes.

He is the friend who is into LEGO. I ordered a Star Wars kit for him, first making sure he didn't already have it. I asked him, telling him I was thinking of sending it at the end of the year. His birthday is January 2nd. Instead, I'll send it tomorrow, along with another kit and a few more items I think he might enjoy.

The Tomato Plants Chronicles

The plants are not doing well. I'm not sure what the problem might be. More and more leaves are turning yellow and dying. I saw one YouTube video in which the gardener said not to prune them off. Let them turn brown. Fine if they fall off. They won't hurt the plant any more than it already is.

I put more gypsum powder into the pot, hoping it was just a lack of calcium. That didn't help. And I'm trying to make sure it gets enough water without drowning it. Maybe three plants are too many for this one pot?

I know it isn't the white powdery mildew that killed my tomato plant two years ago. It's evidently something else. But I'm not going to worry about it. The plant has been enjoying a good run. The upper leaves are still green and there are plenty of yellow flowers and new green fruit.

If the plants die, oh well. I already harvested plenty of ripe tomatoes and it was fun to document its growth.

I changed my mind again. If I do tomatoes again next year, I think I'll put only one plant in the pot. If the current plants stay alive long enough, I'll harvest a few branches and root them. The healthiest one will be next year's plant, and the Chronicles will begin again — not that the current Chronicles have ended yet.

Shirts

I have yet to assemble a shirt on my new Janome sewing machine. I went to the local Costco store, looking for the cotton sheets that are on sale $20 off. It turned out they're only available at costco.com. That's okay. I ordered a set. The cost per shirt will be about $17, if I estimated correctly. I checked the Target web site. Shirts there range around $25 to $30, more or less. Mine will be better made. And I might experiment with embroidering my little camper logo on the front of one shirt, or maybe on the back. I'll think about it.

Wednesday 2023.8.2

A Third Indictment

Of course, the story all over the news is the indictment of ex-president Donald Trump for conspiracies and actions in connection with the events surrounding January 6th in Washington, DC. You probably already know, or maybe you've already heard it a dozen times (it will be the headline in the news for weeks to come), the four counts in the indictment are:

1. Conspiracy to defraud the United States
2. Conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding
3. Obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding
4. Conspiracy against (voters') rights

The first count is probably the most dangerous for Trump. There is overwhelming evidence against him. Former Vice President Mike Pence might be subpoenaed to testify in court, especially if he withdraws from the race, which he is expected to eventually do.

More and more I can't help thinking these indictments, and those to come, will cost Trump the election in November, 2024. I could be wrong. I was wrong in my assumptions leading up to the 2016 election. However, I would be more than shocked if he won a second term in the White House.

Trump has his loyal followers; however, that base has been dwindling during the past few years. He needs the votes of independents. In a recent poll, at least half of them believe the indictments are honest and justified.

Personally, doubt has lingered in my mind for months. I asked more than one friend, and more than once of each, "Does Donald Trump really believe he won the election?" Yesterday I printed and read the entire 45-page indictment. Only a few pages into the reading, all doubt was erased from my mind. He knew he lost.

Why the desperation to stay in the White House? Was it pride? Did he not want other world leaders to see him as a loser? Was it about money? Or did he want to be protected from indictments because of investigations that either were in progress or would shortly begin? I think the last one. Had he stayed in office another four years he might have hoped to pardon himself.

August is Here

College football starts this month. I'll need to wait until the 23rd, but I've been waiting several months. A few weeks won't be difficult. Actually, I record several games. Many games. On some Saturdays there can be as many as nine or ten games on TV. I can probably watch three of them if I don't mind sitting in front of the TV all day. I record the others and during the off-season I watch them. I then delete them. My cable box is ready for more recordings.

The Tomato Plant Chronicles

The tomato plants are now almost up to the last rung of the second tomato cage. That top rung is six feet (1.8m) above the rim of the planter, which is two feet (0.6m) above my driveway. I expect the plants to grow another two feet before the season comes to an end.

On Sunday I tied up a few more branches. Standing on my driveway, I can't reach the topmost branches. I needed to use my stepladder. As the plants get taller I can secure branches to the upper legs of the inverted cage. Beyond that, they'll be free to grow outward, which some of the lower branches are doing already.

Early this week I picked several tomatoes, more than a dozen this time, counting the one I used in a salad. I already made a pot of Marinara this past weekend. As I continue to harvest tomatoes they will be peeled and seeded, then placed in a plastic bag and frozen. I hope to eventually have enough for a large pot of Tomato Basil Soup.

I check the soil with a moisture meter daily. The plants get water almost everyday. I skip a day when the meter says "Normal" in the late afternoon, but by the following morning the soil will be "Dry" again. Many of the lower leaves turned yellow. I pruned them. It hasn't been for lack of water. I added more gypsum powder to put some additional calcium in the soil. Those bottom leaves might be too old now. Removing them is good because it allows better air circulation at the base where there had been an accumulation of insects in the past.

The plants still produce yellow flowers, even at the top. As those become pollinated more tomatoes will develop. I understand. Tomato plants are vines. Genetically, they are designed to grow along the ground, even putting down new roots where the stems touch moist soil. We tie them up to keep the fruit off the ground where it might be infected with mold or be attacked by insects. And this makes me wonder. Are we inhibiting growth by preventing the stems from touching the ground? Maybe, but I still have plenty of tomatoes.

I'm getting used to having several ripe tomatoes on my kitchen counter. This past weekend I had some lettuce I needed to use up. I put some in a bowl with a chopped tomato to start a simple salad. Meanwhile, I cooked a chicken thigh in the microwave. Then I chopped that and added it to the salad. Finally, I poured a little homemade Salad Dressing on top. It was simple, but it was delicious, perfect for a warm summer day.

I Learned Something New This Week

I am writing a recipe to adapt my Trout with Mushrooms and Tomatoes for shrimp. The plan is to prepare it in a video. I'll also make some Homemade Pasta, which I might cut into pappardelle with a fluted cutter.

One concern is the acidity of the tomatoes. I'll be adding heavy cream (whipping cream). The acid might break the cream, resulting in small curds in my sauce. An easy way to neutralize the acidity is add a pinch of baking soda. Just a pinch is enough. Too much can destroy the flavor of the sauce.

Researching Crackers

I like snack crackers. Cheez-Its are among my favorites. But crackers are too expensive, especially the gourmet varieties. I checked a few Cheez-Its prices among local grocery stores. The price varied between 31¢ and 38¢ per ounce. How much does an ounce of flour cost?

I'll experiment. If I'm successful, I'll do a video.

More Shirts?

I have that new Janome sewing machine and I haven't made a shirt on it yet. I really don't need any. However, starting today, Costco is selling their "Hotel Signature 800 Thread Count Cotton 6-Piece Sheet Set" at $20 off. I like to use cotton sheets for shirts. The cost per yard is less than the price for cloth at a fabric store. And the quality of cotton is often better.

I need to do a shopping errand to Costco anyway. This past weekend I ate the last of my Texas Beef Chili. It's delicious over rice. When I'm in the store later today, checking the beef prices, I'll look for the sheets.

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