DECEMBER
Wednesday 2026.1.28
I Learned Something New This Week
I have been making stir fries for a while and I always try to get a creamy sauce mixed into the dish. I watched one video in which an Oriental chef poured her sauce mixture into the wok and then thickened it until there was no more liquid pooled in the bottom of the pan. The goal was to coat the meat and vegetables in a glaze rather than in a sauce. I tried it and I really liked it.
ICE
I feel like I should weigh in on ICE conduct in Minnesota. I don't mind the nation securing its borders. Many voters would probably be okay with that. Nations want secure borders. But breaking into cars and homes to pull people out to send to a distant prison is going too far. If there isn't a credible arrest warrant for those people, leave them alone. They're probably not hurting anyone. A bunch of poorly trained yahoos running around with guns isn't a good way to "secure peace." I believe ICE's actions will be reflected in the midterm elections this fall. The GOP will have no one to blame but themselves. They should have reigned in Trump sooner. And that's my 2¢.
Winter Storm Fern
Sunday was an enjoyable day for me. I live in sunny SoCal; so, I wasn't affected by the snow and the cold. I watched the day's events using the Mystic live cam I blogged about on Sunday (see below). I also watched the Weather Channel a lot.
As I mentioned on Sunday, I lived in Connecticut. I could hardly wait to move to the West Coast, mostly because of the weather. I have lived here for more than 50 years, in the same town, and I don't have any regrets.
Got Electricity?
I'm not referring to the millions of Americans who lost power during the latest storm. In Sunday's blog I mentioned an electrical installation project. After doing the wiring, the switch didn't work as planned. However, on Monday I enjoyed a bit of an epiphany. I already have the setup I want in the bathroom. Duh!
So, after turning off the power again, I opened the bathroom box and noted how it is wired. Then, I duplicated that setup in the bedroom. I had to do a bit of translations (because the outlet is on the opposite side), and I had to draw my wiring diagram twice. However, after a couple of hours of trying to figure out a very simple wiring setup, I finally did it right. Both the switch and the outlet now work exactly as I want them to.
Got Calculators?
I've been looking for a calculator on Amazon Vine. It wasn't important, but I knew where I could use one. Last week I saw a "bulk pack" of five calculators, with a retail value of $15.99. How good is a $3 calculator? I ordered them. With five, even if three fail, I'll have one and a spare. And speaking of Amazon Vine...
Vine Comes Through
I've been complaining about Vine for a while — so much so, I sometimes wonder if I'm driving away the few people who enjoy reading this blog. Vine has been going through a dry spell, but this morning I saw an irresistible item on my Recommended for You page.
I've blogged about me electronic calendar. I love it. Each morning it tells me to wash my dishes, if there are any in the sink (usually there are none, but I enjoy the reminder). It prods me to do my daily exercises. It also tells me to do my daily chores (Wednesday is "Clean the Living Room" day).
This morning I saw another electronic calendar. It's even better. It hangs on the wall; my current one is desktop only. The one I have is 10.1 inches. This new one is 15.6 inches. It's like an 11. My present one listed at $129.99. The new one is $239.99. Even though it will add around $70 to my income taxes for 2026, I ordered it anyway. I can easily justify it. How much money did I save by wiring that electrical outlet myself, rather than paying an electrician? So, it's also a reward to myself.
Where I'll put it, I don't know. It needs to be near an outlet. I'll have about a week to think about it.
Sunday 2026.1.25
Let It Snow
I have been watching the weather forecast all week — not for SoCal, but for Connecticut.
I grew up in Mystic, a small town on the coast of Connecticut. You might have seen the movie Mystic Pizza, which was actually filmed in the Borough of Stonington. Two scenes were shot in Mystic.
I left Connecticut in 1975 to go to the University of California Santa Barbara. As a teenager, I longed to live in sunny Southern California. I didn't like the winter in New England.
The news this week repeatedly reported on the storm building across the eastern half of the USA, with snow, ice, and freezing temperatures from Texas through New England. Several inches of snow is supposed to fall on Mystic this weekend. I find it serenely relaxing to watch it snow there. How? There is a live camera. If you're interested, here is the link:
I emailed my friends in Kentucky. They are in the path of the snow and arctic air. For them, the storm arrived yesterday.
Stir Fry
I saw a video that intrigued me. The chef made a stir fry of Beef and Onions with Oyster Sauce. Duke, a fan of this website and my YouTube channel, gifted me a bottle of oyster sauce. Thank you, Duke. With all that in mind, I went to the store to buy a sweet onion (I already had the beef in my freezer).
I don't like the flavor of undercooked onion. It stays with me for a while. However, I love the flavor of caramelized onion. So, that was the plan. First partially cook the beef and set it aside. Then cook the coarsely chopped onion until caramelized. Add the beef and some seasoning, plus some oyster sauce. And, video the process.
I did all that on Thursday. The meal was good. I ate it and I enjoyed it. However, I wasn't sure I wanted to put the video on YouTube. To help me make up my mind, I'll edit the video later today.
Curious
For years I've been curious about a light switch in my bedroom. The box and cover plate are twice as wide as a standard single switch.
I've known what I wanted to do — use the extra space to add an electrical outlet. Finally, I decided it was time to get it done. I ordered what I needed from Amazon. My order arrived yesterday. I completed the project in about two hours, longer than I expected because I encountered a few difficulties along the way.
Of course, I made sure to turn off the electricity to that box before doing anything. That meant turning off the power to my officer where my computers are. And that messes up my computers. However, I know how to fix those problems.
The outlet didn't turn out exactly the way I wanted it to. It works when the switch is off, but not when it's on. I don't know what went wrong, but I'll open things up later today and figure it out. Why can't it just work the right way first? I'm disappointed with myself.
Weight
My weight was a disappointment this week. I did well until Friday morning's measurement. I had gained two pounds during the preceding 24 hours. Water weight. I was thirsty during the day. However, if there is a tiny gleam of positivity, my average for the week didn't increase. Instead, I lost a tenth of a pound. My other numbers, blood glucose and blood pressure, were mixed — elevated, but not dangerously high.
I might be stuck on another plateau, this time at 194 pounds. The previous plateau, which lasted several weeks, was 195. I'd like to see some 193s and 192s in my daily weights, but so far those numbers continue to be elusive. My biggest combatant is hunger. I'm working on that.
And maybe a glimmer of hope: This morning my weight was 192.3. If only I could stay at that weight all week.
My exercise continues to remain consistent — legs three days each week and arms three days each week. Sunday is a rest day.
Wednesday 2026.1.21
One Down, Three to Go
You probably know what that means.
New Skillet
I think it was Gordon Ramsay who said the skillet is the most important pan in the kitchen. It's certainly the most versatile. My wok is my most important pan. I use it almost every day.
My new hybrid skillet, similar to HexClad (and many other knockoffs), arrived from Amazon Vine yesterday. The easiest first test is to fry an egg. After giving the pan a good wash and a thin coating of oil, I did the egg test. The result was less than phenomenal. The video showed a fried egg sliding out of the pan as if the surface was as slippery as mercury. That's advertising for you.
However, there was only a little sticking. I've seen worse. The pan cleaned up really easily with just a paper towel. I can see the possibilities of this skillet, especially when using acidic foods I would never cook in my wok.
And speaking of HexClad. A few years ago I saw their road show booth at Costco. I remember the representative because her name was Denise, the feminine form of my name. I told her about my web site and YouTube channel. She said she'd talk to her company's promotions department to see if they would send me a free set of pans to use in my videos. To show my good faith, I bought a small set of skillets. When HexClad didn't come through with freebies, I returned the skillets to Costco for a full refund. Actually, I never even opened the box.
The new skillet is hanging in my kitchen. To make room, I tossed an old skillet in the recycling bin. Speaking of which…
Downsizing
I have two stacks of differently decorated ceramic dishes in the shed. I bought them when I was doing cooking videos every week. They looked good in a video, but now they are taking up space. So, this week I started boxing them up to deliver to a thrift store, if they want them. I'll keep some because they might hold a stir fry well. However, dessert plates are useless. They're the first to go.
Latest Amazon Vine
This is turning into another chronicle. Vine inventory reached another new low this morning, dropping below 12,600 items for the first time, and still falling. The number is down from more than 125,000 since before Trump imposed tariffs. It's not an immediate problem. I'm on track to eventually satisfy my goal for this evaluation period. However, it means there are fewer quality items to choose from. I'll need to order more inexpensive discardable things.
And I saw something new this week. Amazon is using AI too. I reviewed a small glass espresso cup. It was one of those cheap items, less than $10, that I received, reviewed, then tossed in the trash. As I entered my review, quality assessment words appeared at the bottom — use, durability, measurement accuracy, quality, appearance — indicating that I had addressed these issues in my review.
Sunday 2026.1.18
Walkabout Mini Golf
Thursday was a big day. The new course, Tiki a Coco, was released. We played both the easy course and the difficult one. With each new release, the courses look better and better. Lots of animated details. Lots of fun holes.
And, with the release came some new tasks to complete in the employee hallways beneath the caddy shack. This time, after I finished all the tasks, the restricted doorway was unlocked and I could go inside. It's a colorful office setting, coconuts working at typewriters, a conference room, and more doors that don't lead anywhere yet.
I Learned Something New This Week
I use a lot of disposable nitrile gloves doing my personal medical maintenance. I needed more gloves. Amazon Vine was once my sole source for gloves, but the program's inventory is way down. On Wednesday I finally saw some available; so, I ordered them. At Vine's heavily discounted price (the retail value is taxable income), I determined the gloves cost me about 5¢ each. Then I did a little math.
Costco sells nitrile gloves. The price, $18.99, plus sales tax, for 400, is actually about the same, 5¢ per glove. The Vine cost isn't more economical. And, I don't need to wait for delivery. The Costco store is within walking and biking distance. I can simply go shopping. And, even better, the Costco product is fully refundable at the local store. Vine items cannot be returned for a refund. Therefore, I rode my bike to Costco and bought a package.
And, speaking of Vine, my ChatGPT reviews are being rated as "excellent." They're not 100% AI generated; I often include text from other reviews. But they're keeping me in good standing with Amazon. And, they're easy. I used to take my reviews seriously. But seriously, since Amazon Vine started going downhill, I don't care as much anymore. Fulfilling my obligations matters. Integrity — oh well.
A Rare Find
It doesn't happen often anymore, but occasionally Amazon Vine does offer something I can't resist. This morning I saw a 10-inch hybrid stainless steel skillet, similar to those made by HexClad. It retails for $129. I ordered it. And, I looked at the collection of skillets hanging in my kitchen, deciding which one would go into the recycling bin to make room for the new one. I refuse to put any of them out in the shed, which I am trying to declutter.
Real Texas ... err ... Italian Chili
I tried something new this week. I bought some Kirkland Signature Italian Style Meatballs at Costco. I wondered if I could use them to make a quick chili dish. I used mostly the same sauce ingredients, in smaller portions (enough for one bowl) and I cut up a few meatballs for the beef. I also thickened the liquid with some Maseca corn flour.
It wasn't as delicious as my Real Texas Chili (which takes a couple hours to make — less time in a pressure cooker), but it was delicious nonetheless. I really enjoyed it. Stir fries are still my favorites, but a quick bowl of chili, especially on a cold day, will be an easy and welcome treat during the winter months.
Cooking Video
I shot another stir fry cooking video this week. This one was in response to someone who said Asian cooking sauces are not available where they live. This stir fry uses a simple sauce that doesn't require any Asian sauces. You can watch the video: CLICK HERE.
Tailoring
I finally finished the shirt I began a few weeks ago. I looked at my supply of cotton shirt fabrics. I really have too many. Light blue is next.
Weight
I've been working on my weight for more than a year. I'm used to ups and downs, and the occasional extreme. This week really surprised me. My weight went way up during the early part of the week, more than a pound each day. Then, on Wednesday, the dam broke. My body starting shedding a lot of water weight, rapidly. My weight dropped 3½ pounds that day.
The numbers for the week weren't good; however, getting back down to under 194 put me back on track to finish the week without too much damage to my average, which increased by about ¾ pound.
Diet and exercise are mostly consistent. I try to limit myself to one big meal per day — usually a stir fry with a modest portion of meat and lots of vegetables for dinner, plus a snack before going to bed — often an egg and cheese omelet (because I can't fall asleep when I'm hungry).
Wednesday 2026.1.14
Pressies
A bottle of Premium Shaoxing Chinese Cooking Wine arrived Sunday afternoon. There was no note inside, saying who ordered it, but I suspected it was Duke. He has been generous before.
He emailed me later in the day to say it was from him. Thanks Duke. It really makes me feel good — it gives me the warm fuzzies inside — when someone shows some appreciation for this web site and my YouTube channels.
Downsizing
As part of my plan for 2026, I spent a little time in the shed Monday morning, reducing a little of the clutter. There is more to do, but I made a good start.
One less clock, too. I tossed a clock into the recycling bin because the alarm kept going off at 7:00 every morning. I'd change the setting, but that didn't help. Oh well. I have plenty of clocks.
Amazon Vine Voices
Vine continues to decline. I make note of the number of items available. The inventory reached its lowest level yet this week.
I asked the internet if Amazon is failing. No, not yet. However, the value of the company's stock has declined and some analysts lowered their valuation for investors. Some analysts worry Amazon might have stretched their investments too far, such as in AI tech. I don't own any stocks; so, I can't really address the issue. I do, however, see a daily decline in the Vine Voices program.
I'm thankful for the many goodies I acquired during the program's heyday. I got some really good stuff, some of which I kept and still use. The bulk of the stuff on Vine, as I've mentioned too many times, is replacement parts, mostly for automobiles.
This week I submitted reviews for three items — one of which I tossed in the trash, one I put in my car, and one I stored on a shelf. I also tossed another item into recycling because I know I'll ever use it.
Walkabout Mini Golf
Tomorrow is a big day. The newest course, Tiki a Coco, is being released. As the name might suggest, it is set on a South Pacific tropical island, with palm trees and volcanoes. I watched a preview. The course looks beautiful and it will likely be a lot of fun to play.
With the release of each new course, the Mighty Coconut people (creators of Walkabout) add more puzzles and challenges to the hallways beneath the home island caddy shack. There is usually a locked door that connects to a hidden door somewhere on a course. Looking through the window of the locked door usually reveals some hints as to the course. Then, it's just a matter of searching through that course to find the hidden door. So far, the door can only be opened on the difficult night course. When opened, it connects back to the hallway, and that unlocks the door.
Each new course is typically released around 9:00 in the morning. I hover at my computer, waiting for the release. As I've mentioned before, on each course there are lost balls to find, one somewhere around each whole. Collecting enough of those unlocks the difficult course and the fox hunt. Completing the fox hunt presents the player with a new putter designed specifically from that course.
It's all fun. And, making it even more fun, I can play with my Kentucky friends. I hear their voices as if they were right here in the room with me.
Sunday 2026.1.11
A Little More Simplification
On Wednesday I made another break with the past. I used to swear by homemade chicken stock. I had several pounds of chicken trim stored in the bottom of my freezer. I decided I no longer wanted to go through the work of converting that trim into stock. So, I bagged everything up and tossed it in the trash. Maybe it was wasteful, but it was the parts of chicken most people discard anyway, the bones and the skin, unless they save it for stock.
Curses, SoCal!
I love living in Southern California. I grew up in New England and dreamed of living someday on the sunny and warm West Coast. In 1975 I moved West to attend college (University of California Santa Barbara) and never looked back.
Yesterday Amazon Vine offered a $300 men's parka. I wanted it, but I already have four winter coats, two vests, jackets, hoodies, and a dressy trench coat, most of which I hardly ever wear because it's too warm here. I did order a package of seven lip balm sticks ($9.99), in keeping with my goal of requesting only items costing less than $10. Speaking of which...
O-rings ($4.95) for my roofing gun nailer arrived yesterday. Roofing gun nailer? Yeah, I don't have one. But they cost less than $10 and the order kept me on track to satisfy my quota. I couldn't get Chat-GPT to write a usable review, but I read a few others and used copy-and-paste to cobble together something that should be approved. As for the o-rings, they went into the trash without even opening the package.
Also arrived yesterday: A pair of car hooks ($8.99) that fit through the supports for the front seat headrests and dangle two rather decent looking hooks into the back seat area for passengers to hang their purses or bags on. They're kind of dumb, but they were cheap, and I didn't throw them in the trash. They're in my car, and those got another copy-and-paste review.
Weight
With the arrival of a new year, I'm starting anew (somewhat) on my goal to lose weight. With that in mind, I put my New Year's Resolution at the top of my 2026 weight database. Thirty pounds in 52 weeks shouldn't be difficult.
My biggest challenge is trying not to snack in the evening. A big meal of meat and vegetables should provide enough nutrition to keep me satisfied. However, I remain hungry all evening. I don't have an answer for that yet, but it seems all I can do is resist the temptation and hope my habits change.
I did fairly well this week, losing nearly a pound. My other numbers — blood glucose and blood pressure — concern me a little. I used to see more recordings in the green, closer to normal. However, one doctor told me my numbers are elevated, but not dangerously high. He did not recommend prescription medications, but left it to me to lower the numbers with diet and exercise. And speaking of exercise...
My exercise routine is consistent now. And that reminds me of something a little amusing: When I got my flu and COVID-19 shots, the nurse massaged my deltoid (shoulder) muscle a little, trying to get it to relax. It was relaxed; however, it felt a little stiff and dense because of my arm exercises.
I added another exercise. I've been doing military press, arm curls, and sitting bench press. Now I am also doing rowing, which is good for my upper back muscles (lats). I'll never look like Rocky (Peter Hinwood) in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, but as an older gentleman, exercise is important for my health and feelings of well-being.
And a little more about exercise: With college football season coming to an end, I need something new to watch on TV when I exercise. However, daytime TV is almost unbearable, and the news isn't much better. I've been watching the latest season (five) of Only Murders in the Building. I love it. With the next season not coming until fall, I might go back to watching all the earlier seasons while I exercise. Absolutely Fabulous is also a possibility.
Wednesday 2026.1.7
Year Five
It was five years ago yesterday that Trump attempted a bloody coup to take over Congress and prevent Biden from being certified as President of the United States. And yet, Trump was elected again and he continues to fashion his authoritarian rulership after other dictators like Putin.
I'm not a historian and I am certainly not a pundit, but I suspect four possible difficulties resulting from this latest attempt to expand USA power in Venezuela.
- A military coup in the country. There is wealth to be had, and if a military general in Venezuela has the troops behind him, he might attempt a takeover of the government.
- A drug cartel resistance. Again, there is wealth to be had and I doubt the drug cartel in the country will sit idly by and let their wealth be taken away from them.
- Rioting in the streets. The Venezuelan people might not want the USA in their country and they might start a resistance movement to get the Americans out.
- China. I read that China is the largest purchaser of Venezuelan oil. The Chinese government might not want their access to oil taken away from them.
I am already starting to hear hints about some of the above happening.
One commentator on TV said Trump can't run this country. How is he going to run Venezuela? Trump did achieve one objective, whether it was intentional or not: He took some of the media attention off the Epstein files, at least temporarily.
The consensus among the TV commentators seems to be about the oil. One person asked: How many of Trump's MAGA friends bought oil company stocks during the weeks leading up to the Venezuela action?
And now the TV news is talking a lot about Greenland. Where will this end? Will Trump really attempt to annex Greenland? Who would stop him? Putin?
Rain
The numbers couldn't be better. This was storm number 8 and we gained a lot from it. All three reservoirs are above 100% capacity. For the year, we received 105% of our annual rainfall. On Saturday a flood warning alert was issued for the area in which I live. The rain was indeed heavy for a while. I live on high ground; so, no flooding was seen here, other than a lot of water streaming down the street.
We received 2.9 inches of rain during the day. The only area to receive more was San Marcos Pass, at 4.32 inches. The sun is shining again.
Cooking
Sunday, while it was cold outside and raining, I felt like making Real Texas Chili. I bought the beef earlier in the week when it wasn't raining. I bought a "beef loin tri tip roast" at Costco. It was expensive, $63.25 ($9.99/lb), but worth it. It makes excellent chili.
The remaining beef — there was a lot of it — was chopped and sliced for stir fries. Beef and broccoli is a favorite. Between the beef, pork, and chicken I now have in the freezer, I have enough meat for stir fries all winter.
I'm planning another cooking video, another stir fry. It will be in response to someone who said they did not have access to the Asian sauces I can get easily. There is an Asian market within walking distance of my home. I saw a video of a chicken and vegetables stir fry made with "white sauce." The sauce did not contain any soy sauce, hoisin, oyster sauce, etc. It was simply some chicken bouillon and water, thickened with some cornstarch. I tried it, and it was easy and delicious.
Sunday 2026.1.4
Happy New Year! My New Year's Resolution: I will lose 30 pounds this year.
O Joy, O Rapture!
I mentioned this in Wednesday's blog post: I have difficulty falling asleep when my feet are cold. My bed eventually warms up, but that takes a while. I ordered an electric bed warming pad from Amazon. It arrived on Wednesday and I arranged it on my bed, under the bottom sheet. Now, before I go to bed, I turn it on. It warms my bed while I'm brushing and flossing my teeth, etc., the usual stuff you do before you retire for the night. When I climb into bed, it's warm, which does make it easier to fall asleep.
Dream
I had a fun little dream about Amazon Vine. They were offering one of those really expensive ($900) oil pressure cookers used for making fried chicken like KFC. In the dream I ordered it.
Rain
It is raining again. We don't need it. The reservoirs are full. Thankfully, the rain has been light to moderate, and steady. The ground is saturated already; so, most of the water drains into the ocean. The mountains will look beautiful in the spring. Meanwhile, it feels good to be warm and dry in my home rather than going to work each day while it is raining.
Vaccines
On Friday I got my shots — flu vaccine and COVID-19 booster. I've been reading in the news how influenza had been spreading rapidly here in the USA. I feel safer.
I did have an unusual side effect. If I turned my head to one side, especially if I was lying down, the room would spin. I'm fine now.
Now, as promised...
Plans for 2026
Further simplification of my website.
I might remove the Donate and Amazon buttons from the top of the left column. They seem useless now. YouTube generates far more revenue for me. And other than the remaining SmoothieTube files, there are no recipes on this web site. According to Google Analytics, traffic to this web site is less than half what it once was. Now, the traffic is going to YouTube.
I also gave myself another downsizing project to work on during 2026. I want to remove more unused items from my home and shed. I started in December.
Amazon Vine Voices
I will continue my membership in Vine Voices, although the program has been going downhill. Fewer and fewer quality items become available each month. Most of the items are automotive parts. I'm not a mechanic. Another large inventory is replacement parts for household appliances. I'm not a handyman. I look for fully-assembled retail products, and I find very few.
This past year I did well. I have a compact clothes dryer. I also have a portable air conditioner, an electric scooter, some exercise equipment, tools, some electronics, and lots of rechargeable batteries. I also threw many items into the trash.
In 2026 I'll continue to look for items I want, but mostly I'll order cheap replacement parts (less than $10) that I can pretend to use and review. "This brake lever fits my wife's motorcycle perfectly. Installation was easy." Or: "This joystick cover fits my wife's wheelchair perfectly. Installation was easy." You get the idea. On December 19th I ordered my first car part — a Mercedes-Benz oil filter, taxable value: $2.47. "This filter fit my wife's Merc perfectly. Installation was easy." It won't take up much room in the trash.
In Wednesday's blog post I wrote about ChapGPT. A friend told me about it. I tried it for writing Amazon Vine reviews. It works. I need to figure out the best way to request a review. However, I submitted a few AI generated reviews so far, and they were accepted.
Vine is doing something new, which I mentioned in a blog post last month. They are rating the quality of reviews — poor, fair, good, and excellent. I don't care about quality. I only need to satisfy the quota to remain in the Gold Tier — 80 orders, 90% of them reviewed, completed during each 6-month evaluation period. If Amazon adds another requirement, such as minimum number of good quality reviews, I'll be more conscientious. For now, I only care about the numbers.
Weight
I extended my goal date for my ideal weight. I started a new database for the year. This is week 0; so, there isn't much data to work with. I set my start weight as 196 pounds. My goal remains 165 pounds. However, exercise might skew my numbers.
My exercise routine will remain the same. I exercise my legs each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Arms are Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. I am beginning to see some increase in muscle mass and density. Therefore, I might be adding muscle weight as I lose fat weight. I'll know more as I continue my routine this year.
I know how genetics plays havoc with weight loss. The body wants to maintain a minimum storage of body fat to get itself through a famine. However, my DNA doesn't know there are three grocery stores within walking distance of my home. As the fat melts away, the brain fights back by increasing hunger. Therefore, I need to fight harder.
The answer is supposedly endurance. If we can fight against the hunger, the brain will eventually adapt. However, it's a very difficult struggle. And that is why most people who lose weight eventually gain it back. Hunger is a cruel adversary when it comes to dieting.
Cooking
As I've mentioned too many times already: Stir fries are now the love of my life. I prepare one almost every evening for my dinner. I use frozen mixed vegetables I buy at Costco. They are already chopped and blanched. I can literally get a plate of food onto the table in about 10 minutes, if I don't marinate the meat for half an hour. The meals are nutritious and delicious.
I also cook some black beans occasionally. I don't like them in stir fries, but they go very well in my vegetable soups. Those meals are also easy, and delicious. I love soups in winter.
Tailoring
With the coming of winter, I turned my attention again to tailoring shirts for myself. I don't need them. I have many dozens. But, I have the 100% cotton bed sheets I got from Amazon Vine when good items were available. I want to use up those sheets to get them out of storage.