Spring is in the Air!

 After entering my last post, Rosie and I joined Tippy for a beach walk at Dolphin Head. When we arrived, we were surprised that the parking lot – and the beach – were empty, especially on such a beautiful day. We made the most of it and were able to let Rosie off-leash a bit (against the rules, but no one around). She loved it and literally ran circles around us! It was a joy to behold. As we turned around and headed back, more people were arriving and Rosie was working her charm and greeting everyone. By the time we got to the car, the parking lot was full as people can out to enjoy the day. Tippy invited us for a glass of wine and we sat on their comfy front porch and ‘chewed the fat” as they say. I left Rosie off-lease, which was fine right up until she spotted a squirrel! She headed off at a trot but did respond when I called her back. I really want her to have time off-leash whenever possible, but there are a lot of considerations and I do have to keep an eye on her!

My term as newsletter editor for Liberal Ladies has ended and I was savoring the freedom. Then, Lowcountry Coalition Against Hate decided they wanted to use an email/contact management system. So now I am learning how to use MailChimp to format a newsletter and send it to all of our followers. I use Mailchimp to notify you that I’ve updated the blog but, as you know, it is a very simple template. So now I have to learn how to format a newsletter so that it can be sent to several hundred folks and not wind up in the spam folder. I’m not actually complaining because I VOLUNTEERED (silly me) to be secretary, something I have never done before; and, I do love learning new things on the computer…..but now I’m under pressure to figure it out. Local folks: if you’d like to be on our mailing list, let me know and I will add you.

I’ve also been asked to serve on a small committee for World Affairs Council to help evaluate various aspects of their member services – their website, new member services, etc. They were looking for someone who was not a member and Jean Vahey, a voice from the past, suggested me. It only meets once a month in the afternoon, and the chair keeps it to a one-hour meeting. I can handle that. World Affairs Councils are throughout the US but ours is the second-largest, which is surprising for a town our size.

More on Food: I’ve added a few more things to the recipe section. Pilar didn’t send me the Mushroom and Black Bean Tortilla Soup recipe but she did post it on Facebook. The minute I read it, I knew it was a keeper, especially being topped with cheese, avocado, and corn tortilla strips. It is really tasty and tangy. Thanks, Pilar. I also included Tian Provencal with Polenta that I pictured some time ago and plan to make tomorrow. I had to buy a deep dish for it, but it was worth it. As planned, I made Jan’s Walnut and Mushroom Bolognese and it, too, was scrumptious!  I also went to my “Favorites” folder and added 5 or 6 recipes that had not been included previously. There are quite a few vegetarians who follow this blog so don’t forget to send your favorites…I’d love to try them and include them in the recipe file. Non-vegetarians are welcome to check out the recipes and experiment.

Not all have been successful in the kitchen. I had a major fail when entertaining the Pan Pals. I made samosas, which I’d made before and found to be very tasty. In reading the comments for the recipe, someone mentioned using empanada pastry, which I did use originally and it turned out great. So, when having my pals over, I did what you are never supposed to do, I tried something different and used egg roll sheets. I checked Google and was led to believe I could make them early and keep them in the fridge before baking. WRONG! The minute I unwrapped them, I knew I was in trouble. The Pals were very gracious and the filling was tasty, but the pastry was tough and looked awful. Lesson learned!

 

George should definitely have gotten your attention!! I include this only because I'm in the process of getting my passport renewed and had to have the required photo taken. Everything will be mailed this coming week and Reyna said hers was processed quickly, not that it matters at this point.

It is a relief to be fully vaccinated. Things went as I have hoped. Many people received an email confirmation of their scheduled time. I didn’t and was wondering if the drive-thru event would be happening. Once I turned the corner and saw the set-up, I knew I was in good shape. Rosie doesn’t like to ride in cars and I thought this a good outing to expand her confidence level. She had a little shivery spell but once she realized we were not on the way to the vet that subsided. She did give me a few pointed side glances, but once we arrived, I let her window down a bit and she enticed a few national guard people to come over and pet her! On the way home, she almost fell asleep, so I consider that a success. I would love to get her comfortable with riding distances so we could do some road trips.

And yes, spring is in the air. The days are sunnier, warmer, and longer.- or flip-flop weather, as I call it. The grass is greening and things are beginning to bloom. Even the birds seem to be singing more! My hope is that spring will linger a while. Some years it seems that it lasts only two weeks and then one morning you wake up and it's 95 degrees. It's been a drab winter, a year of pandemic sheltering, and we're hoping for a spring of rebirth and rejuvenation!

A Whole Lotta Nothing!

Feb 16, 2021: 

There will be a fiery, bright ball in the sky for much of today. This is normal. It is the Sun, the star our planet orbits around at a distance of about 93 million miles. It will provide warmth and could enhance mood.

Warning: Do not stare directly at it.

Finally, a sunny, warmer (60s) day. Much of the neighborhood was out and about enjoying the wonderful change of pace. It was so nice that for her afternoon walk, I took Rosie to Frazier Park for something different. Now today (2/17), it's back to gray and cold.

A Cautionary Tale: You can see from the photo the condition of my nails. The thumbnails are splitting while all of my other nails are peeling off in layers. This is the result of having my nails dipped in the last three months of 2019. I should never have done it because it is not the type of thing I would maintain for very long; although, they looked great and held up well. I did ask beforehand and was assured that the process would not harm my nails, etc. Well, not so! Anyway, I have ordered some type of “wrap" that I hope to use on the tip of the nail to hold it together long enough for it to grow out. With that, I’m using some type of magic oil to nourish the nail and encourage growth. It is one of those situations where you don’t appreciate your nails until you don’t have them. I’m amazed at how they contribute to my dexterity, and with my thumbnails, every single day I do something to split them even more. I am hoping my new plan works! Lesson: Don’t have your nails dipped!! 

When the Pan Pals got together at Chris’s house on the 19^th, we were in search of human warmth since the sun was scarce again. Friday itself was rainy and cold but Lynn and Tom brightened our day by bringing sunflowers for us both. There was no way to really arrange them as they seemed to have a mind of their own, but they do brighten my spirits, rain or shine.

When things were so bleak here, I touched base with Ana, my friend, and former neighbor. She and Lou moved from here to San Antonio, and while I heard a lot about what was happening in Houston, and Dallas, nothing was said about SA. They seemed to have everything Houston had but not on such a severe scale. She mentioned being without heat, rolling brownouts, etc. It didn’t sound much fun!

(2/25) I feel like this is a running weather report but we’ve finally had a whole week of sunny, warm days. David came over on Monday for some Rosie time and we decided that it would be a good opportunity for Drinking Liberally to meet in person again. We gathered on our usual porch at Frazier Park on a lovely Wednesday afternoon. About 13-14 of the usual suspects attend and everyone was so happy to be able to meet up again! We may not be able to do so next time but we made the most of our nice weather while we have it.

After Mr. Welzant passed away, Reyna decided to go to Mexico for a short break. She got to the airport and discovered that her passport had expired! Since then, I have been meaning to check mine as I had no idea when it expired. Sure enough, it expires this April. There is no panic since I won’t be going anyplace soon, but had that not happened to Reyna, I never would have thought to check it. Needless to say, I’m in the process of renewing it.

I was consistent in adding recipes to the recipe page of the blog right up until I stopped, at which time I removed the page. However, I have added the page again along with three new recipes. My two additions were Spinach and Artichoke Enchiladas (with a red sauce) and Black Bean Sweet Potato Enchiladas (using salsa verde). Jan sent a recipe for Bolognese with Mushrooms and Walnuts. I haven’t tried it yet but it’s next on my list. It sounds delicious and I’ve added it, too. If you have any vegetarian favorites, send them along and I’ll be happy to include them, and I will make more of an effort to add. I'm always happy to try new things.

I hope everyone is safe, well, and vaccinated!!

I get my second shot on Saturday.

Excitement!

 

This winter has been colder and darker than usual and we have now added FOG to the repertoire!. We have had weeks of that and I find myself sleeping in later and later because the sun is not blasting through the blinds to awaken me. With the pandemic, there is also not much to get up and rush to, so I guess it doesn’t matter. Even when I sleep late and go to the kitchen for my coffee, I have to turn on the kitchen light. Too dark for me! I know I shouldn't complain as there has been snow in parts of the UK, even in Seattle....but, this is South Carolina!

Saturday, Feb. 6 – Today I got the Covid vaccine (Moderna). I wanted to take Rosie with me to get her more accustomed to riding greater distances, but I wasn’t sure of the setup. It turned out to be a drive-thru and I could have taken her. Anyway, it went very smoothly. The check-in was easy (with the printout I had) and the National Guard kept things moving. The nurse who administered my shot had been there since 7 AM and it was cold and drizzly. She put her hands to the heat vent of my car to warm up a bit before going to draw the injection for my shot, In the meantime, I ramped up the heat and had the car toasty warm when she came back to give me the vaccine.  I invited her to warm her hands for a bit before moving on to the next car. After that, we were observed for 15 minutes and instructed to blow our horns if we had negative reactions. During that time, we were scheduled for our second injection (3/6/2021). When I go for that, I’ll take Rosie along for the ride.

While I was being observed for 15 minutes, I called Herban Market and ordered and B (tempeh) LT wrap. The timing was perfect and I picked it up and parked with a nice view of the waterfront to have lunch. It was delicious. I can’t remember the last time I was in Beaufort so I just took the time to drive around the town for a while. It seemed like a treat! When things really open again, I will appreciate being able to come and go as I like….and explore old haunts.

The rest of the weekend was spent watching After Life with/by Ricky Gervais. I’d heard a lot about it and my only complaint was the language. Sometimes, once they’ve used the F-word (not Falafel!) within the first 10 minutes, things settle down. Not in this case, which I felt was a shame. It had delightfully quirky characters and some poignant moments. I think he discredits himself with the language and I hope he will move away from that….IMHO.

Monday, Feb. 8 – My excursion into Beaufort AND an upcoming special event motivated me to go shopping! You know that I’m not a shopper, and the pandemic adds to the reticence, but I needed something presentable for Saturday. I was looking for something to nicely cover the pounds I’ve put on. To justify that, I’d been through my winter clothes with a heavy hand and have 6 bags of clothing on the floor of my closet. My plan is to have noticeably fewer clothes but things that fit and feel comfortable. I went to Chico’s, Belk’s, and Aiden Lane. Chico’s had a top that I liked but not in my size. Belk’s is bankrupt and everything was on sale but I found only one thing that I liked. Then, Aiden Lane worked – there was no one else in the shop the entire time I was there, the young sales lady was wonderful, AND the dressing rooms were open (with no one around). I came away with four pieces that I really like, AND I enjoyed the experience, which isn’t often the case. So, I’m set through the rest of the pandemic!

The Excitement! On Saturday, February 13, after 24 years together, Tippy and Kieran got married. It all happened very suddenly. Several weeks ago, Tippy had an appointment in Bluffton and asked if she could stop by....she had some good news she wanted to share. I actually thought that they might be getting married. Needless to say, when she confirmed that I was delighted, as have been all of their friends. At that time, she didn’t mention a date and I didn’t think to ask. When I saw her about a week later, I did ask if they had set a date. Her response was, “Saturday!” It all happened that quickly. It was a lovely gathering. Due to Covid-19, it was held outside on their front porch with about 10-12 family and friends in attendance. Even though it was a very rainy day, the sky held until the ceremony was over and a champagne toast was made. They wrote their own vows which were both serious and humorous (you know Tippy!).  The house was full of flowers and the table was set beautifully. Before going inside, everyone masked up and filled their plates before finding a socially distanced spot to enjoy the food. I ate out on the porch with Annie and Ivan, Tippy’s friends from Asheville. It was all topped off by the cutting of the cake, which was as delicious as it looked. It really was a joyous occasion that brightened the year of the pandemic.

The Birthday Continued!

Monday, Jan. 25 - The birthday celebration goes on!  Tippy and I were to get together for lunch but she got an appointment for a Doppler scan at 1 PM. That definitely took priority, but she came by afterward. The scan showed no other clots!! She had also spoken with her nephew who is an ER nurse and got encouraging information. Together, that is all good news.  In addition to that good news, she gave me a beautifully illustrated book titled "The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse."  In addition to the charming animal characters, it is filled with wonderful messages. I am thankful for the book and Tippy’s good health information, and not necessarily in that order!

Shortly after Tippy left, I took Rosie for a walk. As we were nearing home, I saw this little van pass. I waved, as I always do, and lo and behold it turned into my driveway. Rosie, knowing that people get out of cars, picked up the pace so as to get some attention ASAP. Little did I expect that it would be flowers for me from Jim and Anthony! They are absolutely beautiful! Thank you so much for thinking of me. That made my day!

Also, after my birthday post, I received birthday wishes from Pam, whom I hadn’t heard from in ages. She does follow my blog (Thank you, Pam) and I’m so glad she got in touch. In her first email, she talked about seeing the video of our protest at the local republican gathering. With her permission, I’m sharing it with you. You have heard so much from me other the years and I think Pam’s reaction confirms how many of us are affected by all that has transpired over the last four years, as well as the craziness that continues. You can read it HERE.

Thursday, Feb. 4 – I’m happy to report that I just scheduled my vaccine injection for Saturday at noon in Beaufort. Over the last few days, I’ve applied at several websites and finally received a confirmation email from VAMS (Vaccine Application Management System, or something like that) which allowed me to register and select a date and time. The first few locations within 10 miles didn’t have anything until April. I searched further away (20 miles) and went down the list, finally finding a clinic in Burton (near Beaufort) for Saturday! I figured I couldn’t do much better than that. It will also allow me to pick up lunch at Herban Market, one of my favorite vegan restaurants. I’m happy to have this scheduled and I hope they will schedule my second one before I leave the clinic. Am hoping that all goes well!

Have you had your vaccine yet? I’d love to know how things are going in other areas. I think I read of FB that Jean (and Doug, I assume) in the UK had theirs some time ago. In any case, I hope everyone is safe and well and that we will all be through this soon. 

Guess What I Got for My Birthday!

 Well, you all know the answer – a much-needed, new President!  When I turned on the TV in the morning, they were waiting for the orange one to board Marine 1 for his departure. I would have been happy not to have seen him at all but it didn’t take long. When I could coax Rosie to walk, I used my ear pods to keep listening to the coverage. We’re minding our business when we see Bill and Festus (doggie) walking toward us as Greg passes on his bike. Greg yells, “Today’s the big day!” and I return, “Yes! Today’s the big day!” Bill yells, “Bullshit!”  And we’re off! Our conversation went something like this….

Him:  I’m not watching the Inauguration because it would make me puke.

Me: I am listening to it now to be sure trump leaves.

Him: I like trump and would fight for him (which I immediately pictured him among the insurgents who invaded the Capitol).

Me: I think he is morally bankrupt. I would not want him in my house and if I had children, I would not want him near them.

Him: But he’s done a lot of good things.

Me: Such as?

Him: The economy.

Me: Yeah, look at the economy!

Him: But you know why – the China virus!

Me: You mean Covid-19?

Him: No, the China virus. It came from China.

Me: It doesn’t matter where it came from, it’s everywhere now and he has done nothing about it. When is the last time you heard those words (Covid 19) come out of his mouth?

Him: But he got the vaccine!

Me: You mean the vaccine no one can get?

Him: It’s not his fault, It’s up to the states.

Me: Yeah, 50 different states doing 50 different things. A situation like this is when the Federal government needs to take charge and coordinate the approach.

Him: No, it’s up to the states!

Me: Pass on the responsibility to someone else. Blame others. He’s a master of that.

Him: Well, just wait until gas is $2+ a gallon and your taxes go up.

Me: Well, you know I don't mind paying taxes to help people in need, improve schools, update infrastructure.

Him: We’ll just have to agree to disagree.

Me: We will.

My knees were literally shaking but I was determined to not let him get away with that crap unchallenged. It will be interesting to see how he responds to me the next time we run into each other. He and his wife always seemed to like me and would often stop the car for a quick chat when Rosie and I are out.  I’m sure I’ll be labeled a “Radical Liberal” around the neighborhood, but I really could not care less. They have all known me as a nice lady and if this colors their behavior, then so be it.

So, that was how my birthday started off! I would have been happy to stay glued to the TV and savor every moment of the Inauguration, but my sweet friends had other ideas.  Lynn and Tom invited Rosie and me over for coffee in the morning, which started my birthday off perfectly. They are such good neighbors and friends, and sometimes Rosie invites herself over and they are always very gracious. It was nice of them to think of me on my birthday and I enjoyed seeing the swearing-in with them. 

I came home and plugged in until having to take Rosie out for a walk before going out again. I was home just long enough to get a phone message from Jan, a call from Cheryl and Rabbi Covitz, whom I would with at the synagogue long ago. After all these years, he still calls me on my birthday which is very sweet and means a lot. In the course of the day, I received lots of messages by email, text, and FB, as well as some real cards. It was great to hear from everyone. It really did make my day and it’s so nice we can be in touch instantly. Thank you all for your thoughtful messages, even the one who referred to me as an old broad!! LOL

Other Democratic neighbors, Debby and Dave stopped over one day on their walk and invited me over for a celebratory glass of wine on my birthday. That, too, was very sweet and totally unexpected. I joined their social bubble which included their neighbors across the street, who are RATs – Republicans Against Trump. They were totally delightful. Debby and Dave had champagne and we made our first toast to the new President and then discussed the events of the day. It was very nice.

From there I went to Reyna’s where her girls made vegetarian pizza for me. Reyna wanted to do her fabulous Chili Rellenos again for my buds, but I was concerned about bringing so many people from various groups together. Little did I know that she had invited her cousin and family, which made me a little uneasy, Covid-wise. The pizzas were delicious and we even ended the day with a cake, which I hadn’t expected. They were very sweet. Needless to say, this is the most social I have been in a year. Once home, I then watched the Inaugural concert and, for some reason, I was not the least bit sleepy. I stayed up until almost midnight!!  I think it was a combination of relief and excitement. It is so good to have competent, decent people at the helm, and I wish President Biden all the best. I do not envy his job but I think he has proven that he is the man for the moment.

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It was a great birthday and years from now, when I look back, I will remember the kindness of friends, and I hope I can say that it was the year our country moved in a decisively positive direction.

Speaking of Reyna, she has gone through a very difficult time over the last few months. Mr. Welzant, who lives with her and whom she looks after, has been in and out of the hospital over the last few months and he passed away on Monday (1/18). She has been very up and down, and I think part of it is that Alex (her son) is at Johns Hopkins and not here to help talk her through things. She really seemed to rely on him for so much. I have tried to be as supportive as I can and hope I have been a help to her.

I know that when one is given lemons, you make lemonade, but what do you do when you are given turnips? Even growing up in the South, I don't ever remember eating turnips! It must be that my mother didn't like them and never served them. In any case, I wanted to give them a fair chance so I began searching for recipes. I wound up making turnip and leek gratin with a blue cheese sauce. It really was nice but I'm not sure I would go to that effort again for turnips. I have one left and am going to make turnip and sweet potato fries. That's more my speed and I thought the flavors would be good together. 

There is some unsettling news to share. While I was out galavanting around on my birthday, my Resista Sista, a partner in crime, and dear friend Tippy was going from one doctor to another - literally. She had been having a sharp pain in her back. Her physical therapist wasn’t sure it was muscular and recommended she have a pulmonary exam, which she did. It turns out that she has a blood clot in each lung!! She went directly to a specialist and is on medication. She is scheduled for more tests to make sure there are no clots elsewhere. I am keeping her in my thoughts and sending healing vibes her way and I hope you will do the same. In any case, we did not touch bases on Wednesday and I didn’t find out until yesterday. (1/21). I felt terrible not to be there for her, but our friend David took care of her (Kieran was out of town). In her ever-optimistic outlook, she wanted me to tell you that she is now a member of the Clot Club! I'm going to have to find that girl some healthier clubs!! We plan to get together tomorrow and I'll learn more. 

To end on a more upbeat note, you know we had to pick up on the Bernie in mittens craze! This is actually from Chris's sister. The same sister that sent our RBG masks. I asked Chris to tell her that if she keeps this up, we are going to make her an honorary member of our (Democrats)Pandemic Pals! I think there is a Democrat in there screaming to get out!!

The Holidays Are Over!

 The holidays felt like a month of Sundays! It’s nice to get back to some routine that will help me remember what day of the week it is. The New Year has started with wonderfully mild weather, which I hope is a positive omen for the whole year. I could do with less drama! It has now turned cold though sunny and bright.

I have to give a shout out to my neighborhood again. Rosie and I just got back from our afternoon walk (01/04). We stopped and chatted with 4 neighbors along the way and two others stopped their cars for a brief chat – mostly to say hello to Rosie and wish me a Happy New Year. When we got home, someone else had left a bag of turnips and daikon radishes. Several weeks ago, another neighbor left a little bag of oranges from their tree. All of these are little things but, as I’ve said before, it is always nice to be remembered and all of those little interactions have kept me from feeling isolated.

The Insurrection (1/6/2021): Well, what can I say? Very early on, I said that before it (the trump admin) was over, we would be in the streets. Not even then did I think it would be people trying to overthrow the government! I thought it would be us defending it! You can imagine how disappointing, frightening, and downright sad it was to see the hoodlum hoard (with horns even!) barging into government buildings…and easily. It really was not a large crowd and when I first saw it, I felt no concern that anything like that would happen. I’m sure much more will be revealed over the coming weeks and months.

The morning after the attack on our Capitol, my wrist gadget told me that I got only 42 minutes of deep sleep that night. I don’t doubt that for a second. That is what the last 4 years have been like – almost daily, except on not as large a scale! Most of us who care about what is happening to our country are shelled shocked.

I awakened today (1/8) to a video of trump denouncing the insurrection and throwing his minions under the bus. Naturally, the network folks had also spliced it with his incitement video the day before! The man-child has no shame. So, like many mornings of the past 4 years, I spent some time contacting GOP officials encouraging them to impose the 25^th Amendment, even though I have no faith that they would do the right thing. Then I made stuffed peppers!!

Our Pandemic Pals had full attendance once again at Chris’s house. It was the first time we were all together in several weeks – and, boy, did we have a lot to discuss! It was great to see Chris again after her negative Covid test. As we were leaving, Chris gave us a gift sent to us by her sister, who is a trump supporter. It was an RBG mask!! It has one of her famous collars along the top and her initials on one side (which you can’t really see clearly). That was such a nice surprise and a very sweet gesture.

The past weekend (01/09) was chilly and good for staying inside and putting away Christmas decorations. It takes about two days to do it all and there was no reason to rush. We’ve been having late mornings, waiting for things to warm up enough for Rosie to tell me she’s ready for her walk.

Recently, I’ve had a burst of productivity and have gotten a few things done around the house. Listening to audiobooks via ear pods really helps as they keep me occupied and I can move around. Today I discovered that I can access C-Span on my phone and tablet (I don’t get it with streaming. It’s the only thing I missed about cable.). So, as we go from one crisis to another, I can stay on top of things. I’m pathetic, I know!!

Well, I thought I was close to getting the Covid vaccine; but, alas, South Carolina performed to its usual standard. We were told that those 70 and older could begin signing up for the vaccine on the 13^th. That sounds easy but it was difficult to find out where to sign up online and once I did, websites began to crash. Two days later, I was able to sign up. I should have received a follow-up email that would allow me to select my date and location to receive the shot. But, before that email arrived, I received an automated phone message that my application had been canceled due to a shortage of supply of vaccine! So, from the 13th – 15^th, the entire allotment had been allocated. I would love to know how much the state received, how much they thought they were getting, etc. And of course, the reserve the trump admin touted was non-existent!!  I guess it is just part of the trump/GOP smoke and mirrors to the very end. Only three more days of this nightmare!