Just Another Ordinary Day

Squirrels, Past And Present
Rambling about my little rodent friends.

I didn't do much today. I had trouble falling asleep last night and when I finally woke up this morning, it was almost noon. Sheesh. I had to go out a few hours later and didn't get home until after dinner. Since I've been home, I have done absolutely nothing. I am hoping that I won't have trouble sleeping tonight. Most of the time there doesn't seem to be a reason for it and it is so frustrating.

The weather has warmed up and the temperature has been hovering around 15°C during the day. I didn't bother with a jacket when I went out this afternoon, but I was a bit chilly walking home later. Monday, a few blocks from my house, I saw a squirrel crossing the road. I don't think it was my squirrel because it was too far away, but it might have been. I wonder if squirrels have a home range or if they just go wherever they want. I'll have to google.

I am always telling my squirrel to stay off the road. Pick a side and stay there, I say. Of course, he doesn't listen. I told the other squirrel the same thing and he ran away, but at least he ran away from the street into the safety of someone's yard, so at least one of them listens to me. LOL Seeing that squirrel made me think of when I was working across town and rode the bus back and forth. One day, after work, I was standing at the bus stop, and a squirrel started to run across the street. Just as he ran into the road, a car approached. The squirrel heard the car and froze. I cringed and shut my eyes, fearing the worst. But the driver saw the squirrel and stopped the car. The squirrel recovered and went on his merry way. And I breathed a sigh of relief and said a silent "thank you!" to the nice person in the car.

It makes me happy to see the squirrel population flourishing. I just want them all to be safe and enjoy long, happy lives.
 

I Am A Nosy Nellie
Goings on in the neighborhood.

It has been a very long day, most of which has been spent away from home. This morning, I had to go across town, and as I was walking to the bus station, I noticed a police car with the engine running parked in front of a house. I think there was someone in the driver's seat but I was in a hurry to catch my bus and I zipped by without taking a good look. Later, when I was returning home, I saw the same police car, engine still running, parked in front of the same house. Once again, I didn't see if anyone was in the car. A few hours had passed at this point. I am sure the police car must have left and it's just a coincidence that it had come back right before I was to walk by. That is the logical assumption because I'm pretty sure it wouldn't have been sat there idling the entire time. There was no one about as is often the case when the police show up at someone's door, but I admit to being very curious. I have no life of my own so I am always interested in what other people are doing. LOL

This evening when I was at my daughter's house, I let her dog out and the folks at the end of the street were having a screaming fight in their yard. She was throwing him out. She was also throwing out another guy but I can't tell you if he was a relative or merely her boyfriend's buddy. I didn't think it was polite to hang out on the steps listening (even though I kind of wanted to). LOL Once upon a time, there was a couple who lived across the street from my house. I never ever saw them during the day but when the weather was nice, they would emerge after dark to sit on their front porch and drink. They would often scream at each other too. I wonder if it's the same couple. LOL

I am having toast for dinner. I don't have the energy for anything else. I put peanut butter on my toast instead of the usual vegan butter. It feels a bit luxurious. I am living large, my friends! Good night!
 
Happy Friday To Me
A surprise gift from the Universe.

I awoke this morning to the news of some unexpected money, a very nice surprise I must say! I paid a bill and then I placed an order with my favourite vegan store for some staples that I can't get at my local supermarket. I had thought I was going to have to wait on that until I get paid for a job I am currently doing, so I was quite happy. It was a very good start to my long weekend.

I was home all day and I didn't do much. After being so busy yesterday, I was content to relax with Netflix, Prime, and my pumpkin spice coffee. I did make a chili cornbread casserole for dinner and ate most of it. I was rather surprised by how hungry I was, but I shouldn't have been seeing as the only thing I ate yesterday was toast. I know I've said this before, but I really need to plan better for the days when I am out of the house.

The nice weather of last week has come to an end and the rain has returned. It is supposed to rain through Monday. There is a rainfall warning in effect for tonight with heavy rain expected tomorrow, local amounts of 20 to 30 mm. I am happy that I don't have to go anywhere and can stay warm and dry at home. Maybe I will bake something to enjoy with Netflix, Prime, and my pumpkin spice coffee.
 
We had quite a hail storm Thursday but any rain is welcome. Tonight, there is the snowy crispness to air as the snow levels begin to drop, but not close to my 1,300' elevation. The mountains look so pretty dressed in white!
I forget to mention to you some time ago that my husband likes spicy food so when I made Nigella;s potato casserole I cooked my half of the milk potatoes. The second half I tossed a jalapeno pepper and then cooked as usual. Of course I had to bake them in two different pans, both with a lot of cheddar cheese, but my husband really enjoyed them. Too hot for me!
Stay warm and have a biscuit on me.
 
A New Soup Recipe
Brightening up a dark and dreary Saturday.

It is a wet and gloomy day. The first floor of my house is so dark that I've had the lights on since I got up and all I really want to do is go back to bed and wake up to a sunnier day, which won't be tomorrow or Monday if the forecast is correct. This is exactly the sort of weather that makes me long for the wood stove of my childhood. It is just so nice to sit by a fire with a book on a dreary afternoon.

I cheered myself up by trying a new recipe for Creamy White Bean Enchilada Soup: navy beans, a small can of green chilies, onion, garlic, corn, yellow bell pepper, vegan chicken broth, and Mexican spices. The recipe also called for a bit of yogurt and I stirred in the remainder of a tub of vegan yogurt that has been lurking in my fridge for a scary long time. The soup is spicy and very good. I am baking a potato to go with it. Soup over a baked potato is my signature dish. How fancy am I? LOL

I have picked the first recipe I want to make from my new Christmas cookbook, Advent - Poppy Seed Snails. If you are trying to picture them in your mind, they are like cinnamon rolls with a poppy seed filling. I need a spice grinder to grind the poppy seeds and I think I have one in a box of kitchen utensils in the basement. In fact, I am almost positive. Hopefully, my brain isn't failing me and I won't have to order a new one and then wait for it to arrive. Think good thoughts!
 
The Annoying Box, Part 2
My struggle with technology continues.

When I first started this blog thread, I wrote about the mysterious disappearance of the remote for my Roku and then buying a Fire stick as a replacement. Afterward, I wrote about an annoying box on the screen of my Fire tv that wouldn't go away. Well, eventually I asked for help on the Amazon support forum and I was told that a factory reset should fix the problem.

I was happy that there was an easy fix. I didn't do anything about it straight away because of the arrival of the houseguests. They were staying in my bedroom and I wasn't using the tv. Then I just kept putting it off because I'm not very good at getting things to connect to my Internet, and doing a reset meant that I'd have to reconnect the tv to my network. If I couldn't get it to work, I'd have to wait until my daughter could come over and do it for me, and then I wouldn't have my shows to keep me company while I walk my steps. When I say that I am technologically challenged, I'm not kidding. LOL

Today, I bit the bullet and did the reset. I even managed to reconnect the tv to the Internet and got some bonus exercise going up and down three flights of stairs to get the connection code off my computer (which I had to do twice because, apparently, I can't work a computer either). Now, this should be where I tell you that the reset was successful and all is well that ends well. Believe me, nothing would make me happier. But that darn box is still there. Ugh.

There is a bright side, though. I found the remote for the Roku! Because you always find things when you aren't looking for them. So if I never get rid of that box, I can always go back to the Roku. We will see what happens ...
 
TeaBiscuit said:
A New Soup Recipe
Brightening up a dark and dreary Saturday.

It is a wet and gloomy day. The first floor of my house is so dark that I've had the lights on since I got up and all I really want to do is go back to bed and wake up to a sunnier day, which won't be tomorrow or Monday if the forecast is correct. This is exactly the sort of weather that makes me long for the wood stove of my childhood. It is just so nice to sit by a fire with a book on a dreary afternoon.

I cheered myself up by trying a new recipe for Creamy White Bean Enchilada Soup: navy beans, a small can of green chilies, onion, garlic, corn, yellow bell pepper, vegan chicken broth, and Mexican spices. The recipe also called for a bit of yogurt and I stirred in the remainder of a tub of vegan yogurt that has been lurking in my fridge for a scary long time. The soup is spicy and very good. I am baking a potato to go with it. Soup over a baked potato is my signature dish. How fancy am I? LOL

I have picked the first recipe I want to make from my new Christmas cookbook, Advent - Poppy Seed Snails. If you are trying to picture them in your mind, they are like cinnamon rolls with a poppy seed filling. I need a spice grinder to grind the poppy seeds and I think I have one in a box of kitchen utensils in the basement. In fact, I am almost positive. Hopefully, my brain isn't failing me and I won't have to order a new one and then wait for it to arrive. Think good thoughts!
Click to expand...
We used to buy poppy seed rolls but I can't find them in my area. I looked into ordering them online from New York, but I'll have to win the lottery first. I have some poppy seeds in my cupboard and walnuts for nut rolls in the refrigerator so I might have to make them myself, but they aren't as good as the ones from NY. I am available to taste test your soup and Poppy Seed Snails!
Nice day here, blue skies with a nice crisp in the air and the leaves are changing colors. Snow level expected to drop by the weekend.
 
Happy Heart said:
We used to buy poppy seed rolls but I can't find them in my area.
Click to expand...

There is another recipe for a savoury dinner roll in Advent that uses whole poppy seeds kneaded directly into the dough with some grated cheese. I am thinking of making that one too. Actually, it might be the first recipe if I can't find my spice grinder. LOL

Our weather has cheered up a bit. The sun is out and the crazy wind that has been blowing nonstop has, I think, blown itself out (for the time being, at least!). The forecast is calling for rain and snow for the next few days. I have to go out a lot this week, so I am definitely not looking forward to that! Blech.
 
Down She Goes
The post in which I fall down a lot.

The exciting news yesterday, or maybe embarrassing is a more accurate term, is that I fell off the stairs at my daughter's house. You know how one occasionally misses a step and then when your foot hits the second step below, your teeth snap together and your heart skips a beat? Well, it was like that, except that I missed the last two steps at the bottom. The next thing I knew, my knees were hitting the floor, and I had this vague thought in my brain, oh, I must have missed a step. But it didn't really register. It was like there was some weird time lapse between descending the stairs and then finding myself on the floor. I was perfectly okay, but it felt so strange.

I have horrible balance, have had all my life. My eyesight is bad, which I think is a factor, and when I was in my forties, I suffered from migraine-induced vertigo. That certainly didn't help my balance either. LOL As a result, I am generally very careful because it is so very easy for me to fall down. Sometimes it will happen and I don't even know how I did it. One day I was standing outside on my front steps, just standing there not doing anything, and I fell over the side and landed on my back between the steps and the tree by my front door. Thank goodness, it was early morning and no one saw me. Again, I didn't hurt myself, but it was kind of embarrassing.

Maybe I should get an attentive manservant. I can lounge safely on my couch and live out my days as a lady of leisure, being waited on hand and foot. That does sound like a very nice plan!
 
Happy Heart said:
We used to buy poppy seed rolls but I can't find them in my area. I looked into ordering them online from New York, but I'll have to win the lottery first. I have some poppy seeds in my cupboard and walnuts for nut rolls in the refrigerator so I might have to make them myself, but they aren't as good as the ones from NY. I am available to taste test your soup and Poppy Seed Snails!
Nice day here, blue skies with a nice crisp in the air and the leaves are changing colors. Snow level expected to drop by the weekend.
Click to expand...
Poppy seeds have been found to have traces of opium in them. I read a story once of a pregnant woman who was tested in the hospital before giving birth and they found drugs in her system, although she didn't take anything. Found out it was the poppy seeds in her bagel.

Here's more information on poppy seeds:
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/opium-poppy-seeds_n_59709d98e4b0110cb3cc64ae
 
TeaBiscuit said:
Down She Goes
The post in which I fall down a lot.

The exciting news yesterday, or maybe embarrassing is a more accurate term, is that I fell off the stairs at my daughter's house. You know how one occasionally misses a step and then when your foot hits the second step below, your teeth snap together and your heart skips a beat? Well, it was like that, except that I missed the last two steps at the bottom. The next thing I knew, my knees were hitting the floor, and I had this vague thought in my brain, oh, I must have missed a step. But it didn't really register. It was like there was some weird time lapse between descending the stairs and then finding myself on the floor. I was perfectly okay, but it felt so strange.

I have horrible balance, have had all my life. My eyesight is bad, which I think is a factor, and when I was in my forties, I suffered from migraine-induced vertigo. That certainly didn't help my balance either. LOL As a result, I am generally very careful because it is so very easy for me to fall down. Sometimes it will happen and I don't even know how I did it. One day I was standing outside on my front steps, just standing there not doing anything, and I fell over the side and landed on my back between the steps and the tree by my front door. Thank goodness, it was early morning and no one saw me. Again, I didn't hurt myself, but it was kind of embarrassing.

Maybe I should get an attentive manservant. I can lounge safely on my couch and live out my days as a lady of leisure, being waited on hand and foot. That does sound like a very nice plan!
Click to expand...
Sorry you experienced falling down the stairs yesterday, @TeaBiscuit! That has happened to me. I have learned ever since to step down the stairs two feet at a time - one foot goes down, and the second one joins it, then keep going down the steps, repeating the same pattern, and I hold the rails. It is slow, but safe. So far, so good. Falls are the most troubling aspect of aging, and we need to be careful.
 
TeaBiscuit said:
Down She Goes
The post in which I fall down a lot.

The exciting news yesterday, or maybe embarrassing is a more accurate term, is that I fell off the stairs at my daughter's house. You know how one occasionally misses a step and then when your foot hits the second step below, your teeth snap together and your heart skips a beat? Well, it was like that, except that I missed the last two steps at the bottom. The next thing I knew, my knees were hitting the floor, and I had this vague thought in my brain, oh, I must have missed a step. But it didn't really register. It was like there was some weird time lapse between descending the stairs and then finding myself on the floor. I was perfectly okay, but it felt so strange.

I have horrible balance, have had all my life. My eyesight is bad, which I think is a factor, and when I was in my forties, I suffered from migraine-induced vertigo. That certainly didn't help my balance either. LOL As a result, I am generally very careful because it is so very easy for me to fall down. Sometimes it will happen and I don't even know how I did it. One day I was standing outside on my front steps, just standing there not doing anything, and I fell over the side and landed on my back between the steps and the tree by my front door. Thank goodness, it was early morning and no one saw me. Again, I didn't hurt myself, but it was kind of embarrassing.

Maybe I should get an attentive manservant. I can lounge safely on my couch and live out my days as a lady of leisure, being waited on hand and foot. That does sound like a very nice plan!
Click to expand...
Manservant? On this side of the border the women know that some are looking for a nurse and a purse. resulting in more work for her. LOL

I'm sorry to hear about your fall, they can be dangerous. I fell off a platform once and it was six months of recovery, without a manservant, just the husband. He is a good guy but still can't read my mind, which might be a good thing.
 
Thursday Miscellany
Coffee grinder, weather, and a new ebook.

I finally ventured down into the recesses of my dark, damp hole-in-the-ground basement, and after battling a curtain of sticky dusty cobwebs, located what turned out to be a coffee grinder. Why do I have a coffee grinder when I only drink instant coffee? I have no idea. It is just a little one and I think it should be okay for grinding seeds and spices. I will cross my fingers and give it a try. I have all the ingredients for the Poppy Seed Snails and I am planning to make them tomorrow. It will be a nice way to start the weekend.

The weather is up and down. Yesterday, I wore my winter coat for the first time this season and I was cold the entire time I was out. Today, the temperature is a mild 18°C. There is so much rain and it is very windy and grey and dreary. Extremely depressing weather. It is not the nicest autumn we've ever had. I do appreciate how mild it's been (low heating bills!), but that always makes me feel guilty because I know it isn't good for the planet. It's not supposed to be this warm here at this time of the year.

Last night I started reading a new Kindle book - Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots by Deborah Feldman. She writes about her life and growing up in an ultra-religious Jewish community in Brooklyn, New York. It is quite fascinating. I love all the Yiddish words and phrases. One of the new things I have been challenging myself with this year is attempting to learn Hebrew. I started in January and eleven months later I am still working on the alphabet. Well, I did want a challenge. LOL
 
A Lazy Friday
Thanksgiving food videos and chili for dinner.

It has been a very quiet day. I've spent much of it watching Thanksgiving cooking videos on YouTube. We've already had our Thanksgiving, but I signed up for a holiday dinner webinar at Forks Over Knives. I use their meal planner and the dinner featured in the webinar is in the planner. It was fun to watch the recipes being made. The dessert looked fabulous. It was an apple polenta cake with cherry sauce, definitely a dessert that I would enjoy eating. I love cherries. Yum. I watched the video on YouTube and noticed another Thanksgiving video in the sidebar, so I clicked that. Then there was another video. And then it was four o'clock and I was wondering where my day went.

For dinner, I am making one of my favourite meals - Cinncinati chili over spaghetti. I have a delicious vegan recipe that I've been making for years. It is quite spicy and so good. Even though it's been a while now, I am still amazed by how much my palate has changed since going vegan. I was never an adventurous eater. I grew up favouring familiar bland dishes and had little interest in trying anything new, especially if it was spicy. These days I'm throwing chilies in the pot and doubling the amount of cayenne pepper a recipe calls for, making my own hot curry blends, and trying all sorts of new dishes and different cuisines. Cooking is so much more fun and interesting. That was an unexpected and welcome bonus of veganism. I wonder if my diet would have changed in a similar manner had I remained a meat eater.
 
TeaBiscuit said:
Thursday Miscellany
Coffee grinder, weather, and a new ebook.

I finally ventured down into the recesses of my dark, damp hole-in-the-ground basement, and after battling a curtain of sticky dusty cobwebs, located what turned out to be a coffee grinder. Why do I have a coffee grinder when I only drink instant coffee? I have no idea. It is just a little one and I think it should be okay for grinding seeds and spices. I will cross my fingers and give it a try. I have all the ingredients for the Poppy Seed Snails and I am planning to make them tomorrow. It will be a nice way to start the weekend.

The weather is up and down. Yesterday, I wore my winter coat for the first time this season and I was cold the entire time I was out. Today, the temperature is a mild 18°C. There is so much rain and it is very windy and grey and dreary. Extremely depressing weather. It is not the nicest autumn we've ever had. I do appreciate how mild it's been (low heating bills!), but that always makes me feel guilty because I know it isn't good for the planet. It's not supposed to be this warm here at this time of the year.

Last night I started reading a new Kindle book - Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots by Deborah Feldman. She writes about her life and growing up in an ultra-religious Jewish community in Brooklyn, New York. It is quite fascinating. I love all the Yiddish words and phrases. One of the new things I have been challenging myself with this year is attempting to learn Hebrew. I started in January and eleven months later I am still working on the alphabet. Well, I did want a challenge. LOL
Click to expand...
At this time of year, vitamin D is helpful for some people.
Have a great weekend and don't forget to send me the snail samples....LOL
 
Poppy Seed Snails
The first recipe from one of my new Christmas cookbooks.

After talking about it for days, I have finally made the Poppy Seed Snails from Advent. The little coffee grinder worked perfectly for grinding the poppy seeds. I noticed after the fact that the author commented in the recipe that she uses a coffee grinder as well. The filling is simply ground poppy seeds, raisins (I used currants because I was out of raisins), a small amount of brown sugar, and a splash of milk (I used Silk unsweetened almond milk). I was a wee bit worried when making the rolls that the filling was too wet and that there was too much of it. They were very messy to slice and I was scooping the excess filling off the counter and drizzling it over the tops of the rolls so that it wouldn't be wasted. But it turned out to be fine and they look a lot like the photo in the book. Instead of the icing sugar glaze, I melted a tablespoon of vegan butter with a teaspoon of golden syrup and brushed that on top after baking. Less sweet, which I prefer. The recipe was supposed to make ten snails. I got a baker's dozen. I can't say I'm too unhappy about that! :)

Poppy Seed Snails 001.JPG
 
TeaBiscuit said:
Poppy Seed Snails
The first recipe from one of my new Christmas cookbooks.

After talking about it for days, I have finally made the Poppy Seed Snails from Advent. The little coffee grinder worked perfectly for grinding the poppy seeds. I noticed after the fact that the author commented in the recipe that she uses a coffee grinder as well. The filling is simply ground poppy seeds, raisins (I used currants because I was out of raisins), a small amount of brown sugar, and a splash of milk (I used Silk unsweetened almond milk). I was a wee bit worried when making the rolls that the filling was too wet and that there was too much of it. They were very messy to slice and I was scooping the excess filling off the counter and drizzling it over the tops of the rolls so that it wouldn't be wasted. But it turned out to be fine and they look a lot like the photo in the book. Instead of the icing sugar glaze, I melted a tablespoon of vegan butter with a teaspoon of golden syrup and brushed that on top after baking. Less sweet, which I prefer. The recipe was supposed to make ten snails. I got a baker's dozen. I can't say I'm too unhappy about that! :)

View attachment 249732
Click to expand...
They look wonderful!
 
A Surprise Visitor
Welcoming the return of an old friend.

For the past year or so, I have been buying my favourite instant coffee - Nescafe Rich Blend - from Amazon. I can get a pack of three jars for fifteen dollars. One jar from my nearest grocery store is almost ten dollars. One jar from Walmart is six dollars. Today I was expecting a coffee delivery. Sometimes the delivery person will put the box in the porch. Other times, the box will just be left on the step. So I look outside every once in a while to see if it has arrived. In a moment of complete serendipity, I opened the front door this afternoon just as my little squirrel friend appeared on the steps. I was so pleased to see him back, safe and sound, from his summer adventures. I immediately put out some peanuts for him (her?). Of course, the chickadee who has been anticipating the return of the cold-weather treats was right there. I guess it's time to start stocking up on snacks. They'll be out there every day now. I am always happy to see them. They are good company. ❤️
 
TeaBiscuit said:
A Surprise Visitor
Welcoming the return of an old friend.

For the past year or so, I have been buying my favourite instant coffee - Nescafe Rich Blend - from Amazon. I can get a pack of three jars for fifteen dollars. One jar from my nearest grocery store is almost ten dollars. One jar from Walmart is six dollars. Today I was expecting a coffee delivery. Sometimes the delivery person will put the box in the porch. Other times, the box will just be left on the step. So I look outside every once in a while to see if it has arrived. In a moment of complete serendipity, I opened the front door this afternoon just as my little squirrel friend appeared on the steps. I was so pleased to see him back, safe and sound, from his summer adventures. I immediately put out some peanuts for him (her?). Of course, the chickadee who has been anticipating the return of the cold-weather treats was right there. I guess it's time to start stocking up on snacks. They'll be out there every day now. I am always happy to see them. They are good company. ❤️
Click to expand...
I've been looking outside every once in a while to see if the Poppy Seed Snails have arrived. ;)
 
A Beloved Companion
The Buddy Dog ... we are best friends forever.

The Look of Love.jpg​

Today my Facebook memories showed me one of my favourite photos of my best friend in the whole wide world. I got Buddy as a six-week-old puppy and he was by my side until he passed away at the age of fifteen. He's been gone for three and a half years. His blanket still hangs over the stairwell railing in my bedroom and his bone sits on my bookshelf. Buddy was the most devoted companion anyone could ever wish for and I was his person. He was an unexpected blessing and I will love him forever. ❤️
 
TeaBiscuit said:
A Beloved Companion
The Buddy Dog ... we are best friends forever.


Today my Facebook memories showed me one of my favourite photos of my best friend in the whole wide world. I got Buddy as a six-week-old puppy and he was by my side until he passed away at the age of fifteen. He's been gone for three and a half years. His blanket still hangs over the stairwell railing in my bedroom and his bone sits on my bookshelf. Buddy was the most devoted companion anyone could ever wish for and I was his person. He was an unexpected blessing and I will love him forever. ❤️
Click to expand...
Buddy looks precious, and I know he was to you. I keep our last dogs photos, rawhide shoe treat, and collar with tags on a little table in the bedroom.
 
TeaBiscuit said:
A Beloved Companion
The Buddy Dog ... we are best friends forever.


Today my Facebook memories showed me one of my favourite photos of my best friend in the whole wide world. I got Buddy as a six-week-old puppy and he was by my side until he passed away at the age of fifteen. He's been gone for three and a half years. His blanket still hangs over the stairwell railing in my bedroom and his bone sits on my bookshelf. Buddy was the most devoted companion anyone could ever wish for and I was his person. He was an unexpected blessing and I will love him forever. on and left me here. I am so happy you had Buddy in your life and his eyes reflect his feelings for you. Keep your heart open for more love.
Click to expand...
 


Back
Top