AUGUST 2025
Sunday 2025.8.31
Happy Labor Day
Tomorrow is a federal holiday here in the USA — Labor Day — a day to honor the contributions of the nation's workforce. If I might be allowed to get a little political: I'm almost certain Trump will make it about himself. "No one works harder than me."
Being a holiday, my Kentucky friends will be available for mini golf. We will probably play two courses, maybe three. There will be no reason to hurry. And then on Tuesday we'll enjoy our regular mini golf game. We'll play for only one hour because he will need to return to work.
More "Whaffles"
On Wednesday I cooked another batch of Whaffles. This batch was more fun to make because a generous fan of this website, Duke, gifted me a batter dispenser from my Amazon Gift List. Using it was simple. I prepared the batter as usual, but rather than using a spoon, I used the dispenser to release just the right amount of batter onto my waffle irons. I have two irons — one for squares and the other for rounds.
As usual, the rounds will be used for cheeseburgers and the squares for flautas or grilled cheese sandwiches.
No Ironing, No Steaming (almost)
The Bellairon shirt presser thing I mentioned in Wednesday's blog arrived this morning. Setup was relatively easy. I washed a load of four shirts. Arranging each shirt on the mannequin was not at all complicated. The package included some weights and clamps that help hold the garment in place while it dries mostly wrinkle-free, which takes about 10 minutes.
In YouTube videos the creators pronounce the name Bellairon as bell • air • on. However, the package says, "The Italian way of ironing." I know bella is Italian for beautiful. So, I think of the name as "bella iron," i.e. beautiful iron. And if spoken with an Italian accent ("Hey! Whatsamatterfahyou?), it sounds better.
It works. The finished shirts don't look as good as those professionally pressed at the dry cleaners; however, they look really good. I'm impressed. The process is so much better than ironing or steaming by hand. If a little touch up is needed with a steamer, that's okay.
Ants
The battle continues. Lately I've been adding boric acid powder to scrambled eggs. Too little powder and the ants consume it all, without any reduction of ants in my home. Too much powder and the ants will avoid it. My latest formula is 3/8 teaspoon to one egg. And I'm trying something different, again.
Formerly, I scrambled an egg and then mixed in the powder. But that didn't seem to work. I felt like I was feeding the ants, encouraging them to multiply. Were they selective? Did they know how to get the egg without taking any boric acid?
What would happen if I mixed the powder into the raw egg, dissolving it, and then scrambled the egg? I'll soon know. I have four bait packets located around my home. Within a couple hours one packet had already attracted a swarm of ants. So, they're not avoiding the food, which might mean the amount of powder is okay. Time will tell.
Something New
I've been seeing jars of beef tallow at Costco, but I wasn't sure I wanted to buy it. This week I saw a 7-lb tub of 100% pure tallow available on Vine. I ordered it.
I also saw that I can make tortillas with almond flour. I have what I need; so, that should be a fun experiment too. I'll let you know.
Meanwhile, the tub of tallow arrived yesterday, so I spent some time portioning it into 8-ounce packets, which I heat sealed and then put in the freezer. Yesterday's dinner was a cheeseburger, the beef patty fried in tallow. It was good. I don't know that the flavor would justify the expense of buying tallow, but for free on Vine it was okay.
And I Learned Something New
I always thought a carbon steel pan was not recommended for frying an egg. I thought wrong. I watched a YouTube video that explained it. I oiled my pan well with butter and tallow. When the butter stopped bubbling, I added the egg. Let it cook until nearly done, then flipped it. It actually slipped from the pan more freely than skillets with a nonstick coating.
So, I decided to leave my carbon steel skillet (also a gift from Duke) out, always on my induction cooker.
Weight
My efforts to lose weight were somewhat successful this week. My weekly average went down by only half a pound, but any progress is good progress. And maybe worth mentioning: I switched to a shorter belt. I was using the last notch on my longer belt.
Exercise was mostly neglected this week. I was tired from doing home projects. I really need to work more on my arms. I have a very heavy, all metal, Cuisinart food processor that I can barely lift up into the cabinet where I store it.
Wednesday 2025.8.27
Wasted
I didn't enjoy doing it, but it had to be done. In Sunday's blog I mentioned a really nice reverse osmosis (RO) water filter system that I got from Vine, but, as it turned out, I couldn't use it. I live in a trailer park. I doubt anyone I know here would have two outlets beneath their kitchen sink — one for the garbage disposal and another for an RO system.
And so, on Monday, I disassembled it and tossed all the metal and plastic parts into the recycling bin. A few items, such as tiny plastic clips too small to recycle, went into the trash. It's a shame, really, because the system retails for $350. What a waste! But that's how things go on Vine. Some of the products are designed and manufactured without being suitable for most people.
Chores
Something I did enjoy on Monday was laundry. For many people the chore might be drudgery. It used to be so for me when I had to carry my laundry to the local laundry room and pay to use the washers and dryers. And what if someone was already using the machines? Now I have a portable washing machine and a compact dryer. I bought the washer; the dryer was courtesy of Vine. I love the convenience.
PayPal
Soon I'll transfer some money into PayPal. My renewal for this website's hosting service will be due. It will cost me $166.40, unless the price went up (like everywhere else). I can afford it. When I think about that dentist who tried to sell me a $475 (my cost) crown I didn't need, my hosting service renewal seems like a bargain.
DIY Valet
I think of a valet as one of those free-standing things you can hang a shirt or coat on. I looked at some on Amazon. There is a tripod at the bottom, a vertical pole, and a coat hanger at the top. I have a tripod. I have hangers. What stops me from assembling one myself? All I needed was to clamp the hanger at the top.
I've been using it when steaming my cotton shirts. They come out of the dryer wrinkled. I needed something to hold the shirt firmly in place while I steam it. Thus the need for the valet. It works. And, DUH! Why didn't I think of this sooner? Which leads to …
Wrinkle-Free Shirts?
I've seen the inflating steamers the commercial dry cleaners use. The shirts look great. I have looked for something similar on Amazon, but only recently did I find what I think I want. It's a home version.
There is a fabric mannequin attached to the top of a motorized fan. Arrange a damp shirt (it needs to be damp, such as from the washer) on the mannequin and turn on the fan. The mannequin inflates, removing the wrinkles, and hot air dries the shirt. Supposedly, it takes about ten minutes.
The reviews were mostly good. From reading them, the few negative ones might have been written by people who didn't read the instructions. I ordered one. Now I need to clear a space to store it in my home. Old cookbooks will be the first to go. I haven't opened some of them in years and many, such as my pastry chef books, are for foods I can't eat.
Sunday 2025.8.24
Celebration
Yesterday was a day to remember. My awful neighbor with the three dogs (we are allowed only one) moved away on August 23rd, 2019. I put it on my calendar. Maybe those telescopic glasses I mentioned in Wednesday's blog post are my celebration gift to myself. Six years of peace and quiet. No barking dogs.
PHEW!
I feel like I dodged a bullet this morning. My other computer wouldn't boot. The circuit breaker popped yesterday when I was messing around with my air conditioners. That messed up the boot order of the hard disks. I built these computers myself; so, I know their internal workings well. And thankfully I have this other computer on which to research the problem. It only took a few minutes to fix the problem. Now both desktop computers are working properly again.
AC Time
Friday morning at 10:00 the temperature outside was already nearing 100°F (38°C). I turned on the office air conditioner. The weather forecast was for heat Friday and yesterday, with some cooling today. It's seasonal. August through October is the warmest time of year here.
We are also under a red flag fire warning in the mountains. That is where the high voltage lines are, bringing electricity into our part of the state. As I've mentioned several times before, a fire beneath the wires can knock out power for several hours, sometimes one or two days. I check the CalFire news often. I also watch the sky for signs of smoke.
I Needed Comfort Food
The issue with air conditioners is the circuit breakers. I have six circuits in my home. All are marked, like a map; however, there are a couple that are on the margins. Is that outlet on circuit 2 or 3? I have four portable air conditioners and I want each one on a separate circuit. Two on the same circuit might pop the breaker.
Working out all the details involved moving extension cords and power strips. That involved moving furniture and crawling around on my hands and knees to get everything in the best place, along with plenty of vacuuming behind and under things. I'm 25 pounds lighter, but all that exertion was still difficult for my 74 year old body. However, I managed, with a lot of sitting down between tasks, and no cussing. I considered the efforts of the day to be my exercise. I was tired.
And the work wasn't done yet. The power strip that used to be alongside my livingroom desk no longer worked. Does it need a new plug? A new cord? Or is something wrong inside? And then, after quite a while, DOH!
Of course it doesn't work. That outlet is switched. Turn the switch on and the power strip works fine. So, it was merely a matter of plugging it into a different outlet. I use that power strip. It's important because that is where I plug in my vacuum cleaner.
And so, at 9:45PM I could finally say everything was finished and the tools were put away. Done and dusted, and vacuumed too.
And that made me realize something else. Several months ago I requested a reverse osmosis water filtration system from Amazon Vine. It's a beauty. It retails for around $350. It doesn't rely on water pressure to filter water into a holding tank. Instead, water is filtered on demand. However, it requires electricity.
Why do we often see an electrical outlet under the kitchen sink? It powers the garbage disposal. Ergo, when the switch is off and the disposal isn't running, there is no electricity going to the filter system. So, it's useless. I'll find a way of getting it out of my home.
And so, my comfort food was Chicken Flautas, Serranito style. Which leads to …
More Tortillas
On Wednesday I blogged about some Mission brand "Keto Certified" Zero Net Carbs tortillas. When I went to Costco I looked at the tortillas. Another type, but the same brand, Mission Carb Balance Keto Certified was there. And it was a little odd.
The Zero Net Carbs tortillas are 80 calories each. The Carb Balance ones are 70 calories, even though they are made with some wheat flour. I bought them. The package says 19 grams total carbs and 17 grams fiber, for a total of 2 net grams of carbohydrate.
Here's the thing: I need to eat something before I go to bed; otherwise, I lie awake in bed thinking about food until I finally get up and eat something. One of my favorite foods is an egg and cheese burrito — one egg, scrambled, and some shredded cheese, wrapped in a tortilla. It's simple and the carbs are low. So, I think these tortillas will work well while also helping me to keep my weight down. Speaking of which…
Weight
Some excellent weight numbers this week. On Thursday I recorded my first 199. That was followed by a 198 on Friday. The average for the week finally broke through the 200 pound barrier.
My blood glucose continues to be in the "normal" range. I'd like to get my blood pressure down more. Losing weight doesn't seem to help right now. So, I still have some Losartan tablets remaining. I took one on Thursday and my blood pressure came down. I won't take it daily, but only as needed, until I get another primary care physician. I'm working on that.
The local hospital system recently set up a Primary Care facility. It is not as close as my former physician, who was within walking distance, but it's close enough to get there by bike. Or, drive my car if I also have some major shopping to do on the way home.
Wednesday 2025.8.20
Ants
I am still adjusting my ratio of boric acid powder to egg. Last month I used ¼ teaspoon. The ants swarmed to one packet, for days, until the egg inside was moldy and gray. They stopped going to another packet because it was completely empty. They took it all. I felt like I was feeding the ants, encouraging them to multiply.
This time I prepared another packet with slightly more boric acid powder. Again, the ants swarmed to it, but 24 hours later they were gone. So, my new formula is ½ teaspoon boric acid to one large scrambled egg.
Potluck
Sunday's potluck gathering of the neighbors was mostly enjoyable. I wish the host would lower the volume of his laughter. It's very loud, almost an assault on the ears. I think it's mostly an affectation. He likes to draw attention to himself.
My Macaroni Salad was good enough. I brought home an empty container, which is a good sign people liked the food.
I ate whatever I wanted. My diet has been going fairly well and my blood pressure and blood glucose numbers have been mostly good. So, I ate a couple hotdogs on buns, plenty of corn chips with guacamole, and two pieces of chocolate cake. I thought the cake might spike my blood sugar. Maybe it did, but my insulin must be working well because the following morning my glucose was 110 — a little elevated, but within the normal range. I'll have numbers to show on Sunday.
Something Old
Another UTI. I knew on Friday I was coming down with another bladder infection. I've had enough of them by now to recognize the onset. As the urologist explained, UTIs are common in people who practice self-catheterization.
This time, I didn't wait. The last time I had one of these, the doctor said to call. He'd fit me in between patients. I called on Monday. He saw me, and then he called in a prescription for an antibiotic. I started taking it yesterday. Which leads to…
Something New
Another bladder infection has me thinking, yet again: What am I doing wrong? I use an antibacterial soap before cathing. I wear a new rubber glove each time. I let nothing touch the catheter before I insert it. Where is the bacteria coming from? I might have a hint.
Just recently I started using tissue again, on which I add a few drops of the soap. A few months ago I ordered some dry wipes from Amazon Vine. They came in a plastic box with a lid, which I kept closed. During all the time I used them, with the soap, nothing went wrong. No infections. I ran out of those wipes and switched to tissue again. Bang, another UTI. Maybe the tissue, which is exposed to the bathroom air, is the culprit? It isn't sterile.
I ordered some single-use McKesson antibacterial moist wipes from Amazon. They come in little foil pouches and the towelettes, like the catheters, are sterile. The antibiotic medication the urologist prescribed must be taken for seven days. Then, when all is good again, I'll see how these antibacterial towelettes work. I'll see the urologist again in October. I'd like to report good news.
Something Else New
A local grocery store now sells Mission brand "keto certified" zero net carbs tortillas — high fiber and 0g sugars. They measure eight inches in diameter, which looked to be a perfect size for making Flautas, Serranitos Style. After starting with a healthy salad, I made my dinner of flautas. I had been using my Whaffles, which were okay. These, however, were much better. All the pleasure of enjoying a good flour tortilla without the carbs.
One ingredient concerned me — modified food starch. How would that affect my blood sugar? I looked through my ebook, Glucose Revolution, to see if the author says anything about it. I found nothing. My blood glucose was slightly lower the following day.
Nonetheless, I also did some research online to see if it is safe for diabetics. Yes, it is, but in moderation. I don't plan to eat flautas every day; so, I think I'll be okay.
I'm Tired of Squinting
I ordered something new this week. Maybe this would be my website anniversary present to myself.
I sit too far back from my computer monitors — nearly four feet. As monitors improve and the resolution becomes finer, text becomes smaller and therefore more difficult to read. Or maybe my eyes are getting too old. I had my eyes tested recently. The doctor said I could use the same glasses. So, maybe it's the distance. With that in mind, I ordered some binocular glasses.
I have enough customer loyalty credits to pay for them. I'll have more to say about them after they arrive.
The Tomato Chronicles
I usually devote part of my Wednesday blog posts to my tomato plants. This might be my last mention of them, at least for a while. There is very little growth. There are still some green tomatoes ripening, and I do see a few new flowers. But the season is winding down. Soon it will be time to turn my attention to attempts to root clippings with the hope of planting them outside during the spring.
Actually, frost is so rare in this part of SoCal (and even more rare with global warming), I might be able to plant them in winter. They might require only periodic watering and fertilizing until tomato season begins in earnest during the spring.
Sunday 2025.8.17
And That's What We Call Research
In Wednesday's blog I mentioned the potluck gathering I will be attending later today. It will be in a neighbor's side yard. He has a really nice setup with outdoor furniture, a fire pit, and plenty of room for a food table and his grill.
My plan was to bring a Macaroni Salad, but an issue concerned me. I mentioned it on Wednesday. The food sits out for two or three hours. It's not in direct sunlight, but it's warm. I did some research and found plenty of warnings about a mayonnaise-based salad dressing not being properly refrigerated. They say the maximum stand time should be no more than two hours. If possible, put the dish in a bowl of ice. That's not much of an option for me.
I thought a better idea would be a dressing made without mayonnaise. I knew I had a dry herb mix in my cupboard because I've been making my own Salad Dressing for years. However, one jar of mixed herbs didn't have a label on it. Is that my salad dressing dry mix? One way to find out: Make a bottle of dressing. I did and it surprised me. It's delicious. One ingredient I'll add before bringing it to the neighbor's yard is a good squeeze of lemon juice. That will brighten the flavor a little.
I'll have more to say about the potluck in Wednesday's blog.
Anniversary Gift?
This past week was the anniversary of my website. As I mentioned in a previous blog post, I've been adding recipes and blogging on this site for 15 years. I wanted to reward myself for all my hard work. However, I didn't get myself a fun gift. Another bladder infection changed my plans.
I try really hard to avoid an infection when I self-cath. I use a sanitizing soap. I wear rubber gloves. I never use any disposable item more than once. But I guess there is more I can do.
I ordered some McKesson sanitizing wipes from Amazon. These don't contain alcohol, which can irritate sensitive skin. 1,000 wipes should last a while. They cost me $42. If I need to see my urologist about an infection, that visit will cost me a $30 co-pay, plus the cost of a prescription. So, I guess the price of the wipes is sort of a bargain.
Walkabout Mini Golf
On Thursday the latest course was released. As mentioned earlier this week, the newest course is in the city of Tokyo, part of the Passport Series. My Kentucky friends and I played it. As usual, find at least ten lost balls (they were easy to find), on the easy course to unlock the difficult course. Then, complete the fox hunt puzzles to get a new putter designed from the course. We did all that.
One thing I really appreciate about the developers at Mighty Coconut (the makers of Walkabout) is that they are adding a lot more atmosphere to their courses. There are little alleys to explore, most of which don't contribute to game play, but they do make the game more enjoyable.
Weight
Although my week's average didn't drop a lot (like it did last week), I did lose some weight. I started seeing some 201s and even a couple high 200s. Any progress is good. I was a little lazy about exercise this week.
I switched to a different glucose meter. It is one I've had for a while. I wanted to use up the test strips before they expire. The strips require a little more blood. Whatever. Many of my numbers continue to be good, within the normal range, or elevated but safe, and thus I feel good about not taking my prescription medications.
Wednesday 2025.8.13
Anniversary
Tomorrow is a day to celebrate. It marks 15 years of this website. I wrote my first blog on August 14th, 2010. It is still in the Blog Archives.
I think I deserve a little something to reward myself for blogging twice a week, every week, for 15 years, without fail. I'm thinking of a toaster I've had on my gift list for a while. It might be useful for toasting my Whaffles (white bread waffles). I use them a lot. I have been making about a dozen each week since I finalized the recipe. The toaster I want has a setting for waffles.
And speaking of Whaffles, I'm getting pretty good at making them. I made another dozen on Monday. Which leads me to…
Batter Dispenser
I had a batter dispenser on my Amazon Gift List. Someone ordered it for me. Thank you, Duke. I wanted it because I think it would be very useful for dispensing batter onto my waffle makers. Two other items were included in the belated birthday present — glucose test strips for my meter and a tube of Loctite. I need both. The Loctite will be used on my e-bike because an adjusting screw for the brakes easily backs out of adjustment. Loctite should secure it. And, as a type 2 diabetic, I test my glucose every morning. Test strips must be disposed of after one use; so, I go through a lot of those.
Amazon Vine
I avoided a major temptation yesterday. A $400 mattress was available for free (even though it would increase my income tax by about $88). I considered it very seriously. Finally, after measuring my bed, a twin size, I tried to order the mattress. The only size available was full. No thank you. So, I feel I successfully dodged that bullet.
Amusing
Oddly, on the same day those glucose test strips arrived, my neighbor offered me a surplus meter he had. He's a type 1 diabetic and he regularly receives supplies, 100% paid for by his insurance. He used to send them to his girlfriend because her insurance didn't cover them. However, she passed away; so, now he needs another taker. I'll take them. I can use them. I don't test as often as he does, but I do use them.
Now I need a box to organize and store my diabetes supplies. I added one to my Amazon Gift List.
As for my blood glucose, it continues to be at a near-normal level, without taking any prescription medications. I don't need the meds, but I like having the supplies because I want to know I'm eating and exercising properly.
Potluck
Another gathering is planned for Sunday for the neighbors here in the trailer park. This is the warm time of year. However, if the weather forecast holds true, the day should be pleasant — sunny and not too warm.
I volunteered to bring Macaroni Salad. It's easy, inexpensive, and it doesn't need to be served hot. The host loves to grill, in any weather; so, he will be providing hotdogs. I am, however, concerned about mayonnaise at outside temperature for two or more hours. I bring the food at 2:00, but people might not start to eat until 5:00 or 6:00. I could leave the salad in my refrigerator until people are ready to eat. However, my plan is to dress the salad with a homemade Salad Dressing made without mayonnaise.
The weather is good for another reason. No hot dry weather is forecast. Those days increase the possibility of fires. So far, nothing is threatening the power lines that deliver electricity to this area. Nonetheless, on Sunday I lit two of my oil lamps. It was time to burn off the wax buildup on the wicks and thus prepare them for when they might be needed. The hot season doesn't come to an end until October; so, there is still plenty of time to be concerned. Then there will be the winter storms to think about.
Google Analytics
I have pretty much given up on Google Analytics. I was never able to get the one piece of data I really wanted — the number of times the Amazon gift list button is clicked. So, okay. I got some very useful data. My web site is visited hundreds of times each month, maybe more than a thousand, and the number of countries the visitors are from now amounts to more than 40. I don't know about you, but that impresses me, considering it's all done by one old guy living in a mobile home in a trailer park.
Advantage?
I might have found a small advantage in Walkabout Mini Golf. Forgive me for repeating myself. Every course offers a fox hunt challenge that can grant a new putter designed from that course. One putter has a plus sign (+) at the top of the handle. If I line up the cross bar with the hole when I putt, I can sometimes increase my aim a little. I'm practicing with it.
The Tomato Chronicles
Again, very little to report that's new. I am still seeing some flowers. And I am still making salads with tomatoes from my plants. The season hasn't come to an end yet. The insects, however, appear to be winning the battle.
Sunday 2025.8.10
No Time Like the Present
On Wednesday I read that Sickness Secretary RFK Jr pulled $500 million from mRNA vaccine research, which is where the Covid vaccines come from. I wasted no time. I got on my scooter and rode to Costco to get my latest booster. Afterward, my left arm was more sore than is usual with shots. This Pfizer vaccine must be a doozie.
A friend called me last week to say he was sick with Covid. His whole family got sick because his aunt visited from here in Santa Barbara. She said she was sick when she stepped onto the plane. How many people did she infect? And more concerning was that she got sick here, not up in Portland, OR. The virus is still circulating.
My friend used to call me every day. Then I didn't hear from him since he told me he was sick. It was eight days. He ended up in the hospital. I asked him if he was in a hospital bed or the intensive care unit (ICU). He said, "a hospital bed in the ICU." How would you interpret that?
I asked him if he was vaccinated. He said yes. I asked him if he was up to date on his boosters. He told me the whole vaccine thing was just a bunch of sensationalism cooked up by the pharmaceutical companies to boost profits. So, no boosters, other than one he got a few years ago. I took issue with his attitude about boosters. They can't prevent us from getting Covid, but they help prepare the body to fight the virus. Proper boosters probably would have kept him out of the hospital.
You remember the pandemic when Covid was running rampant in this country. People were dying in the hospitals, in intensive care units. Some died in hospital hallways and parking lots. A reader of this blog reminded me of the refrigerator trucks holding corpses because the morgues were full.
Since vaccines became available, far fewer people have been getting dangerously ill. Deaths are way down. When people do go into the hospital for Covid, they are usually asked if they were vaccinated and got their boosters. Most of them say no.
I just turned 74. Sensationalism or otherwise, I'm not taking any chances. I'll be due for my next booster in early December. I'll get my flu shot at the same time. It's on my calendar.
I Ain't Stupid Yet
A sliding closet door started to come apart this week. The head of one screw holding a piece of molding in place had sheared off. Getting the remainder of the screw out of the channel was a challenge. I used a Dremel to cut the screw in half lengthwise, and then I removed the pieces. Another screw, different but similar, replaced it. The entire repair, including putting the tools away, took about an hour. Done and dusted.
Gifford Fire
The fire continues to burn up near Santa Maria. I expected it to exceed 100,000 acres by this weekend. It has. According to the CalFire website, it is currently 114,621 acres and 21% contained. As I stated in earlier blog posts, it's too far away to cause any problems where I live. Sometimes there is smoke in the air and sometimes a small amount of ash is falling.
Oops
I thought I had Google Analytics set up to show me how many times visitors click the Amazon gift button. However, I believe it is only showing me the number of times the button is displayed. The number I am seeing lately is the same as the number of times a page is displayed. Every page has the button; so, they're the same. I have more work to do.
Weight
I did well this week. I lost nearly two pounds.
Can I count riding my scooter as a form of exercise? I found this on the internet:
Riding an electric scooter can be considered good exercise due to several health benefits:
- Cardiovascular Health: Riding an electric scooter increases heart rate and improves blood flow, contributing to better cardiovascular health.
- Low-Impact Exercise: It is a low-impact workout, making it suitable for individuals with joint problems or those recovering from injuries.
- Calorie Burning: Riding can burn calories, especially if done on varied terrains or for extended periods.
- Core Strength: Engaging in balance and steering requires effort, which helps develop core strength.
- Mental Well-being: Regular exercise can reduce stress and anxiety, promoting overall mental health.
Overall, while it may not replace traditional workouts, electric scooters can be a fun and effective way to incorporate exercise into your daily routine.
At my advanced age, my scooter seems to be a good way to get some enjoyable exercise. And, it's convenient for trips to the grocery store, as long as I buy only a few items that fit in my scooter's basket.
Wednesday 2025.8.6
One Mystery Solved
What will be the next Walkabout Mini Golf course? Sarah, a person associated with the developers, released some news on the next course. It is part of the Passport series, and therefore another city. It will be Tokyo. The release date is Thursday, August 14th. Which also happens to be the anniversary of this website. I wrote my first blog on August 14th, 2010, and I have been publishing this blog twice each week, without fail, since then.
To celebrate that anniversary, I'll buy myself a present from my Amazon gift list.
Whaffles Again
On Monday I experimented with Whaffles again. (I know they're "waffles," but I make the ones that are supposed to be like white bread, thus the "wh".) My Cuisinart waffle maker has four removable plates — two for waffles and two for pancakes. The upper pancake plate is smooth. I use the two pancake plates to cook round-shaped fried eggs for my cheeseburgers.
I wondered what would happen if I used the smooth plate with a waffle plate. I wanted waffles that would be better suited for sandwiches. They're a little pale on one side, but that might make them better for toasting.
I also have a second waffle maker that makes round waffles, two at a time. I used two round ones for a cheeseburger.
I am really pleased with these whaffles. They are a good replacement for bread, and that is beneficial for my weight and type 2 diabetes. I highly recommend them for people who are gluten intolerant.
Gifford Fire
The Gifford Fire up near Santa Maria is nearing 84,000 acres burned and it is less than 10% contained. The smoke sometimes drifts this way, which colors the sky and sunset. Monday morning there was a little ash on my trash and recycling bins. Otherwise, the fire doesn't affect us where I live. And it's too far away to be a danger to this area.
Our weather forecast is for mild temperatures through the next seven days. That's good news. Hot dry weather brings out the arsonists. A fire up in the foothills here can knock out electricity for hours.
The Tomato Plant Chronicles
There is almost nothing new to report this week. Very little vine growth, but plenty of tomatoes ripening on the vine. I use them in my daily salads. I'll miss those delicious tomatoes when the season ends next month.
The insects seem to be getting worse rather than better, even though I spray regularly with neem oil.
Sunday 2025.8.3
Fire
I woke up yesterday morning to overcast skies with a yellowish tinge to them. I knew it must be a fire. A visit to the CalFire web site confirmed it. This one is called the Gifford Fire. It's on the border of the previous fire up in the Santa Maria area. That fire was the Madre Fire and they must not have fully extinguished it. A hot spot might have ignited this latest one.
The Gifford fire has burned almost 40,000 acres and it is only 5% contained. Thankfully, it's a long distance from my home, maybe 50 miles; so, I'm safe. The yellow skies are a bit weird, but okay. They make colorful sunsets.
Stats
Since adding Google Analytics code to my website pages, I've been getting all kinds of data. I can see which countries the visitors are from. I can see which pages they are viewing. And, most important to me, I can see how many times they look at my Amazon gift list. There is an Events graph, and if I hover the pointer over a date, the numbers are displayed. The one piece of data I worked so hard to get is "click_gift_list_button" clicks. On the last day of July it was clicked 120 times.
The number of visitors to my website is higher than I expected. My site is not popular, I know, but it is getting far more traffic than I thought. Who knew? Not me. I used to joke, "You can count the number of visitors on one hand, and ignore your thumb." Evidently, that is not true.
Wednesday I was shocked! It was a really busy day. Lots of visitors (39) and lots of page views (113). The total countries, so far, is 22. The number of times the Amazon Gift List button was clicked that day is 144. No one bought me any pressies, but they're looking at my list. That little bit of data is important because I wasn't sure whether or not to add the button to my site. If people are taking an interest, it was worthwhile to add the button.
I can't help wondering what visitors expect to find when they click the Amazon button. Do they think it will lead to a shopping list related to this website? Cookware? Utensils? Groceries? Major appliances? I Googled "Does internet gifting work" and the answer was Yes.
Some of the statistics are a little confusing. Some are per the last 30 minutes, some are for the current day, and some are totals. I think the most informative data will be weekly and monthly totals.
The totals for July (actually only a partial month because I didn't add Google Analytics until near the end of the month) are: 177 visitors, 428 page views, and 293 clicks of the gift button. August will provide a lot more data.
Somewhat amusing was one notice on my analytics page. I was warned of an anomaly because there was a steep increase in the traffic. That wasn't an anomaly. It was because the previous day I added Google code to nearly 450 HTML pages. Prior to that, Google was seeing only six pages.
One Final Test
I enlisted a friend to help test that Amazon Gift List button. I put a very inexpensive item ($3.19) on my gift list, then asked him to go to my web site and click the button, then order it for me. He did it. I didn't get a notice in my email, but he saw that it was successfully ordered and it would arrive here on Saturday (yesterday). I checked my gift list; the item was no longer there.
All my hard work actually tested okay. I felt good. Now, all that remains to be done is to collect the data. I'm glad I worked though all the steps because, as I wrote above, I learned my website is more popular than I believed. Maybe I should spend more time working on it.
Virtual Reality
This week I added something new to my list of games to play on my VR headset — Mahjong. I used to enjoy playing it on my computer, but Microsoft ruined the game by adding a big advertisement panel, shrinking the game board. I stopped playing.
The game on my headset is better. It's a large screen. Very visible, and the headset tracks my hand movements. I don't need the controllers. I can click tiles with my fingers. The program is a little buggy, but that might be improved in future updates.
Meanwhile, Walkabout Mini Golf continues to be my favorite. My Kentucky friends and I still play every Tuesday, and some weeks we play an additional day too, usually Saturday or Sunday. Later this month another course will be released, part of the Passport Series. The first city in the series was Venice, Italy. The next city is a secret until it is released.
Meanwhile, while we're waiting for the new course to drop, I gave myself the challenge of playing all 34 courses, easy and hard versions, in the sequence in which they were release, and while using one of the golf balls and the putter associated with each of those courses.
Cooking
I stocked up on Whaffles this week, putting another ten in the refrigerator. I'll use the round ones for cheeseburgers. The squares will be for Flautas or grilled cheese sandwiches. And I am still starting each dinner with a healthy salad. I'm eating right. If only the weight would go down.
Weight
Nothing to brag about this week. There was a negligible loss. I've been eating right; so, it must be water weight again. Plateaus happen. I was back down to 203.6 again this morning.
Exercise was neglected as I focused nearly all my attention on updating my website pages with the Google Analytics codes. That took hours each day. However, on August 1st I increased my stair steps to 1,000.
My other numbers are okay. Blood glucose continues to fluctuate in the normal range. My blood pressure is elevated, but not dangerously so.