Thanksgiving Time And Maybe Snow

And, OH, is it ever cold .  The leaves are still falling with the winds that continue to blow through .  I spent a couple hours outside trying to clean some of them up so it won't be such a mess with the rainfall and possible snow .

For many, many days I have spent a lot of time trying to install my security camera at the front of the garage .  Getting the Wi-Fi  connected with a strong signal was challenging me and I was almost at the point of yelling "I give up" .  But, you know those words are not in my usual vocabulary . The motion lights do not work correctly if the camera isn't working correctly.  I was so happy when it started working properly !

My new front porch light needed a little attention .  One of the wire nuts was not secured well . It is now fixed and all is well with the dusk to dawn light sensor.

I have new weather stripping to install on my three outdoor doors.  It amazes me with the amount of cold air that comes in without proper stripping .  My new small power drill/ driver should made that job go quickly .

This colder weather is not playing nice with my aging body and chronic pain .  But , I continue to push forward .

I recently tried a new recipe called Autumn Umami Chicken . Interestingly, one of the ingredients is PUMPKIN PUREE .  Before I go further , I was wondering what is UMAMI ?  The word was new to me .  Umami is Savory taste .  It is one of the five basic tastes) together with sweetness, sourness, bitterness and saltiness). You can taste UMAMI in foods that contain a high level of the amino acid glutamate, like Parmesan cheese, seaweed, miso and mushrooms. Along with pumpkin some of the ingredients included are chicken (duh), onion, garlic, mushrooms , rice, broth and seasoning like smokey paprika and soy sauce . Interesting ingredients !

These ingredients provide a taste that you might find in the common MSG .  It was in the late 1970's when this flavor was first introduced .

These photos are from when I was preparing this very different, earthy flavored chicken dinner entree . Would I make it again ? Yes . Recipe can be found here .

Also, I prepared a dessert called Pumpkin Dump Cake and it is sinfully GOOD.

And, so so easy! You can find the recipe and more photos here .

That's it for today .  Wishing you a Thanksgiving that meets your expectations and shows your appreciation for the life you have including the smallest of joys that you are experiencing.
 
I had to come back and add this entertaining photo that I saw on another blog.

Mary

An Unfinished Women- Not So Much

Through most of my life I felt that there was so much that I did not know, maybe call it stupid .  Another descriptive included the word ugly !  And, I felt LOST and ALONE most of my young life .  There was a very high expectation of perfectionism and suffocating parental control . I guess it could be said that this lady had a strong armor to protect against all harm but an interior of extreme fear .  As I try to cram my life, one of which was void of many common life experiences and one filled with many very heavy challenges into a small nut shell , I realize that I never felt like I had a soft spot when I would fall !!!

With so many vacancies in my life journey starting as a twin I must have felt early abandonment when our mother took very ill and not expected to live when we were about one and a half years old . This catastrophe was most likely caused by a brown recluse spider bite on my mother's face before antibiotics had been discovered .  Being a twin can have many inherent issues such as experiencing enough baby - mother time especially when there is another little creature similar to yourself  who is seeking the same love and attention along life's journey .  But, wait a minute ! There are also two little boys - one who is a robust little four year old and another one who is eight years old and who already has experienced major health issues in his short life .  And now, let us mix this all up with a little family that does not have any extended family to assist when times get rough because the mother and father migrated with a Model T Ford from the Midwest to the West Coast (took six weeks) when they married in 1928 and then started a family .   It had to be very difficult on many  occasions throughout their life, especially for my mother in that era .

I don't fully understand (sure wish I did) why my mother continued trying until her death to control and dominate me and especially her desperate need to convince me to duplicate her exact interpretation of her super conservative religious beliefs . That type of control can have far reaching psychological damage .  To this day I am so thankful for the many years I sought psychotherapy .  And, that is before it was considered by the public to be part of comprehensive Medical Care .  Without a doubt, psychotherapy saved my life !

I was present with my mother the last two weeks of her life . She was 88 years of age and her passing was a long slow process . Throughout my early lifetime I always heard from my mother that the end of the world was going to happen in HER LIFETIME .  Perhaps that may explain something about her very lengthy process of dying . Just a thought that came to me about a year ago .  If you think about it, that kind of dialogue for a child can be somewhat disturbing and pose questions about my very own life and how long my life might be !!!

Unabashedly , I will say that I was like A Bird Out Of A Cage when my Mother passed ! My father passed 20 years prior .  And, I do not recall a relationship of any significance with him .  My mind reference is one of power, no nonsense, law and very strict .

Being blessed with longevity (now 80 years old) has provided room for peace and acceptance of all the past issues of life lived before this moment that I do not understand .  There is comfort and confidence beyond my furthest imagination .  What a feeling of limitless JOY .  Unexpectedly, I feel rather joyous as I pursue the pathway (be it short - or long) before me .

Here I Come !

Mary

Today's Thought

Recently I viewed these words written by Stephen Downey and found them worthy of passing along .

Every minute someone leaves this world behind.

Age has nothing to do with it.
We are all in this the line without realizing it.
We never know how many people are before us. We can not move to the back of the line.
We can not step out of the line.
We can not avoid the line.

So while we wait in line -

Make moments count.

Make a difference.
Make the call.
Make priorities.
Make the time.
Make your gifts known.
Make a nobody feel like a somebody.
Make your voice heard.
Make the small things big.
Make someone smile.
Make the change.
Make yourself a priority.
Make love.

Make up.
Make peace.
Make sure to tell your people they are loved.
Make waves.
Make sure to have no regrets.
Make sure you are ready.
      by Stephen Downey

My days have been filled with need-be activities like lots of phone calls for various  reasons , frequently traveling about 30 miles each way on winding country roads to tend to medical appointments and shopping.  The weather has been beautiful and I have been enjoying the little trips . And, I have been eating either lunch or dinner at one of the many little restaurants that have been familiar to me for years .  Yesterday late day I stopped at Pinocchio's Italian restaurant, a favorite little (no more than about 12 booths) place and I enjoyed Lasagna Bianca which I had never eaten before. It was outstanding and reportedly made with "grandma's cream sauce" recipe , similar to an alfredo cheese sauce .  I accompanied this with a Italian Dinner Salad and some Boysenberry Spumoni . Dinner was outstanding !  Taking time to eat dinner placed me in the time frame of driving home in the dark which I have not done in a long time . All went well for me .  However , witnessed a five care accident which looked terrible prior to multiple sirened police cars arriving .

I have been given a clean bill of health from the Oncologist with a six month follow-up .  A questionable spot on my forehead has been evaluated by a Dermatologist and treated with Cryotherapy for what she diagnosed as Seborrheic Keratoses-non cancer ! Follow-up in one month. Saw the ENT Specialist for annual Ear Canal/wax removal because I have very small ear canals - - - I guess because I am a small lady ! I am still trying to find a doctor (Physiatrist) to prescribe some medication for my Seasonal Affective Disorder. Everytime, I get a new name , when  I call, the doctor is no longer available . Found one with 4 month wait ! Tenaciousness is with me !

And, I am caught up with shopping for house essentials that are not always available locally. It is always something !  Currently, one of the batteries in my home security system needs replacement .

I am so thankful that I did NOT loose power like nearby counties did this week.

So far, three month wait for generator installation .  Tenaciousness, needed again!

I think that is it for what feels like a lot has been accomplished .

Have A Great Day.

Mary

National Recognition Day For Tattoos

Of course there is a special day !

There is a DAY for everything, isn't there ?  In this current day and age Tattooing appears to be a lot more popular . Tattooing is one form of Body Modification which is deliberately altering one's physical appearance . Throughout time , different cultures have engaged in the practice through a vast number of procedures and for a vast number of reasons and for a vast number of visual results !  Of course we know there is a very long history of this type of self expression .  Even though this subject is only of little interest to me,  in my opinion it is Very Crazeeeeeeeeeeeey !    For me , one (maybe two) tattoos are enough self modification for this ol' gal !

The world is filled with different perspectives on what makes life meaningful . There is something for everyone .  And, "that something" is certainly visible on the Internet .  You can easily find "that something" when you aren't even looking for it !

Can you imagine having the moniker of  "Most Tattooed Female Senior Citizen".
Sounds Very Crazeeeeeeeeeeeey to me .

How do you go from this - - - - 1960 matrimonial ceremony - - -

To this - - - - marriage for 55 years to an engineer.  And , holder of a Guinness World Record. .

Most of the following script and photos have come from the Internet . Tattoo.com.

It wasn’t until Isobel Varley was 49 that she had gotten her first tattoos, one of a bird on her shoulder - - -  (Oh oh, I better be careful . But, think of how much it would cost - and hurt!) and the other was a tattoo of a small flower on her left thigh. After that day, Isobel knew she wanted to get many many more tattoos. Because of her new addiction, she had unintentionally created an image for herself to be known as “The Most Tattooed Female Senior Citizen”, which had been officially titled to her by the Guinness Book of World Records back in 1999 when she had only had 72% of her body covered.

Pursuing her addiction as she called it was initially limited to areas of her body that were not visible to the world because she worked as a silver service waitress and secretary.



When she retired  she dedicated her body to being covered in tattoos from head to toe , known as a bodysuit. Isobel’s tattoos were mostly animal and nature inspired, but in the later years she added some extreme tattoos and piercings that included eroticism . Isobel always said that her most favorite tattoo she had was of the family of tigers on her stomach.

As of 2009, it was recorded that Isobel had 93% of her body covered leaving only her face, ears, the soles of her feet and some area of her hands left untouched.

According to Tattoo.com , it is people like Isobel that give inspiration to others to be as crazy and unique as their hearts desire as long as it makes you happy. Much like many other people out there with tattoos, Isobel also stressed the importance of planning out the tattoos you want to get before putting them on your body. If you’re going to have one done, you’ve got to think about it carefully because it’s going to last a very long time so you’ve got to be sure it’s what you want.”

On May 14, 2015 at the age of 77 Isobel Yarley passed away after battling Alzheimer,s disease .   

" Being that she was a huge symbol in the tattoo world, it truly is a loss for us all. To celebrate the wonderful life this woman had lived, it is important for all of us to appreciate the joy she had brought into so many people as well as the passion and dedication Varley had put into the tattoos and other mods she had proudly worn on her body. Her upbeat attitude, charming laugh, and unique body modifications will forever be remembered by us all. "

Others have followed in her path continuing to achieve Guinness World Records.

Crazeeeeeeeeeeeey !

Until next time . Been busy with medical appointments and the garden .  Feeling good and adjusting to shorter days!

Mary

Now And Then I Think About Getting Another

TATTOO !

I say another .  Did you know that for my 70th Birthday I got a tattoo of a Bluebird of Happiness .

Life was feeling pretty good but not as good as it does now !

A Sweet Little Bluebird On My Shoulder . 

And, the color has remained vibrant.

This is something I posted some years past and you might find it of interest . Let me tell you a little about the "Bluebird of Happiness".  It has a long and varied history that goes back at least to 1909 when a play was written by Maurice Maeterlinck called "The Bluebird". It was about two children who go on a magic journey looking for the Bluebird of Happiness. They don't find it, and when they return home they discover it's been in their back yard all along.

Another story is that in 1948 Art Mooney and his Orchestra had a best-selling record about the Bluebird of Happiness. The words were written by Edward Heyman and Harry Parr Davies.

Here are the lyrics - - -

(verse)
The beggar man and his mighty king are only
different in name,
For they are treated just the same by fate.
Today a smile and tomorrow tears,
We're never sure what's in store,
So learn your lesson before to late, so

(refrain)
Be like I, hold your head up high,
Till you find a bluebird of happiness.
You will find a greater peace of mind
Knowing there's a bluebird of happiness.
And when he sings to you,
Though you're deep in blue,
You will see a ray of light creep through,
And so remember this, life is no abyss
Somewhere there's a bluebird of happiness.

Life is sweet, tender and complete
When you find the bluebird of happiness.
You will find perfect peace of mind
When you find the bluebird of happiness.
Two hearts that beat as one,
"Neath a new found sun,
We are in a world that's just begun,
And you must sing his song, as you go along,
When you find the bluebird of happiness.

YES, I HAVE FOUND MY BLUEBIRD OF HAPPINESS .

So - - - maybe , since 10 years have past and I am now 80 years old , perhaps  a sweet little tattoo that shows these loving creatures that symbolize for me the unconditional love that I have received from all of my pets throughout my life would be a good choice ?  Nothing to fancy but with a little color !

A long time ago when I saw this image there was and continues to be something that draws me toward it .  It says so much to me ! Maybe - showing Heart Love !

Did you know that there is a National Recognition Day for almost everything ? ? ?

Be sure to check back soon to see and learn something crazeeeeeeeeeeeey !  

Enjoy Your Weekend .

Mary

Who Is That In My Kitchen

Who is that in my kitchen cabinet ?  Oh, it's my precious Ivy checking out if I have the right saucepan to make some Broccoli Cheese Soup. Looks like I do.

Adding a goodly amount of Cheddar Cheese and a dash of Nutmeg finishing it off for a little tasting .

And, OH. is it ever good !  Creamy rich and flavorful . Wonderful on the first day of Daylight Saving change of clock when the evenings are cooler and earlier.

And, now Ivy is showing us what to do on a day when the Power is turned off .  Sure hope that does not happen again soon .

It looks pretty dark , warm and cozy in there !

I am happy to say that I am feeling like I am getting some of "my lost energy" back .  Don't know where it went but I found some .  It is nice to get some homemade food in the freezer again !

Happy New Week.

Mary

It's Been A Week

And, what a week it has been !!!  Not one that I would ever want to repeat !!!  But, now it is time to get caught up with all of you .  Periodically ,  I have started to post and then I would get distracted by my own thoughts or something external .  That's the way it has been going .  So I will include those snippets in this post that I was trying to send you .

TUESDAY - Power back ON About One Hour Ago At 2:30 PM and will go off again in one hour .  It has been a very rough time for me since the power was turned off  Saturday evening .  Other than trying to find something healthy to eat , the biggest challenge was trying to stay warm in a house that persisted on staying about 51 degrees .  I found myself putting on more and more clothes and periodically crawling under the covers with hopes of going to sleep for awhile in the middle of the day .

On Sunday morning I was awakened by thunderous noise of fiercely blowing winds that even caused the house to give a slight squeaking noise . The wind was blowing so vigorously ,  like I have never seen nor heard before and estimated to be 50 to 60 miles per hour ! And, the wind persisted throughout the day . Along with the wind came tree branches , leaves , leaves and more leaves and pine needles and the ground surfaces were covered with a blanket of mess !

The On and Off of power is such an unknown and a very fluid schedule .  Because a tree on the next street over fell and hit the nearby power pole we were without power a half a day longer .  It can be very exasperating when there is no way to find out what is going on other than the old fashioned "grape vine" !  But, you have to leave the house to get information in that way .  When they say the power is going to be turned Off , that means that every service we are accustomed to having other than water . But , that means only COLD water , no HOT water !

THURSDAY - yesterday was quite a remarkable day .  About 11:30 AM I decided that I needed to get out of the house and find a place to get a cup of hot coffee .  So, I was raking enough of the driveway so I could drive out .  And, while I was raking a lady was walking by and started talking to me . I mentioned that I was on my way to find some hot coffee . She said she was from the shop at the corner of main street that is a sporting goods shop that sells outdoor gear for outdoor adventures . I knew about the store , of course .  Anyway, she was telling me about a product that they have for making hot water/ coffee AND that she would bring me one tomorrow morning ! And, then I drove down to main street to find some hot coffee .  And , I heard that some places on main street had power and we did not because of the fallen tree nearby .  So I stopped at a restaurant that looked like it was open.  They had hot coffee and ALSO were serving a small menu .  The stores on either side of them did not have power .  I had the very best hamburger and hot coffee with cream !!  They treated me wonderfully and it was a great heart warming experience !!  I felt like two angels came into my somewhat overwhelming life and brought me joy, comfort and caring .   LIFE IS GOOD .

The generator will hopefully be installed soon . A neighbor offered to help me set it up as portable with outdoor cords, but I have not had the wherewithal to be a part of installing it .  The electrician is scheduled to come and provide an estimate .

My doctor appointment has to be rescheduled with the oncologist because the hospital did not have power except for urgent issues .

When we would be able to receive info from PG&E it would look similar to this - - - San Francisco, CA - - - Due to a widespread dry, offshore wind event on Tuesday, Oct. 29, through midday Wednesday, Oct. 30, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) confirmed today that it is in the process of implementing a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) to approximately 597,000 customers in Northern and Southern Sierra, North Bay, Bay Area, Santa Cruz mountains, North Coast and Kern County. As of 1 p.m., approximately 500,000 customers are without electric service as a result of PSPS.

TODAY - it is wonderful to have Power.  I haven't been able to keep track in my mind what days I have or have not had power!  There are still fires burning especially in Southern California but the weather conditions have improved statewide, however, that could change in an instant .

The Chrysanthemums in the front yard are blooming beautifully similar to this photo that I took last year .

I have started to clean up from the wind storms .  I have filled 20 trash barrels - yes 20 !

It is a beautiful day and I am very tired and hopeful that I will feel more rested in the near future .

Value each and every day as if it could be the last .

Mary