Just Another Ordinary Day

TeaBiscuit

TeaBiscuit

Member
Location
Northern Ontario, Canada
The First Post
Rambling about the cold.

Good evening from my little corner of the Great White North, although to be fair, it is more rainy and chilly at the moment than snowy and frozen, but give it time! Our nine months of winter are surely due to begin any day now. Apparently, the squirrels think so, too. They are all over the place, busily gathering treats and stashing them away. I found a peanut on my front steps yesterday. LOL

Currently, it is 14°C and the forecast is calling for rain for most of next week. When I went upstairs to my bedroom earlier, I was surprised at how cold the room was and I closed the window for the first time since I opened it last spring. Now I am bundled in two layers and my bathrobe and dreaming of a huge mug of hot tea. Too bad for me that drinking anything after 6:00 PM is extremely iffy and greatly increases the chances that I will spend a large portion of the late-night hours traversing my rickety stairs in a dark stairwell as I go back and forth between my bedroom on the third floor and the bathroom on the second floor. It doesn't ensure a restful slumber and I doubt I will risk it. I've had a long week and I am tired and looking forward to several hours of uninterrupted sleep.

Maybe a better idea is getting into bed, burying myself under my duvet, and watching a movie. Sounds like a plan!
 
In The Kitchen
Gingerbread muffins and lentil soup.

Recently, a family member brought me a big bag of small assorted apples. I don't know where she got them or what she had originally planned to do with them, but by the time they ended up in my kitchen, they were in a pretty sad state. I made spiced applesauce in my slow cooker. I started with a little over a kilo of apples and after coring and peeling them, cutting away the bad bits, and cooking them down, the end result was about two cups of applesauce. Not much for the effort, but it was very good applesauce and the apples didn't go to waste, so I was happy.

With half of the applesauce, I made an apple cake with dates, raisins, and walnuts. Then I put the remainder in the refrigerator and waited for inspiration to strike. A few days passed and I started telling myself, Okay, just pick something quick and easy. Anything. You have to use up that applesauce. I vaguely remembered seeing a recipe for an apple gingerbread somewhere and I thought that might be something I'd like to try. Unfortunately, I have a million cookbooks and absolutely no idea which one contained that particular recipe. So this afternoon I decided to take a standard gingerbread recipe and substitute the applesauce for the butter. And instead of baking it as a cake or a loaf, I made muffins (because I'm a wild and crazy gal). The experiment was a success. The muffins are sweet and spicy, moist and sticky, and they go down a treat with a cup of coffee.

While I was in the kitchen, I put a pot of lentil soup on to simmer and had some for dinner over a baked potato. Soup is the perfect cozy food to eat on a rainy day. And soup over a baked potato is also my go-to meal when I don't know what I want to cook. This batch of lentil soup was flavoured with tomato, onion, garlic, and Italian seasonings, and I added a few spoonfuls of pot barley so it was very thick and hearty. I am thrilled that I have a bowl left over for my lunch tomorrow. I love leftovers!

It was so nice hanging out at home, not having to go anywhere. I am feeling very relaxed and peaceful. It was a good day.
 
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Old Friends, New Friends
A new home for Luther?

I love animals. For a long time, I always had pets: dogs, cats, a rat, hamsters, guinea pigs, gerbils, budgies, gold fish. I loved them all. They were family. Three years ago, my budgie, Bird, and my elderly dog, Buddy, passed away within a few months of each other, and there haven't been any animals in the house since. I had Buddy for the entirety of his life. We were together for 15 years and I missed him terribly when he left me. He was the best, most devoted friend I've ever had. Lately, I have begun to think about the possibility of another pet, but I've been waffling and that makes me wonder if I am ready. I don't really go out and get new animals. They all seem to just appear in my house and never leave, so I figure if I am meant to have a new friend, the Universe will make it happen. Until then, I am content to feed the birds and the squirrels that live in my neighbourhood.

I am fond of saying that the Universe is always listening and always knows what's going on inside my head, even when I don't say the words out loud. A cat has appeared suddenly in my life. Hmm ... just when I start thinking it might be nice to have a pet again. How coincidental. This cat is small and very thin and he has taken up residence on the sidewalk in front of an empty house a few doors down. I am pretty sure he is a stray, although I'm not entirely positive, but I have never seen him before and he is rather afraid of people. Also, there is a difference between 'healthy, active cat' thin and 'hungry cat' thin. He is definitely the latter. My daughter gave me a small container of dry cat food and I put some in the shelter of the bushes where he likes to hide. I go outside every day and talk to him. Usually, he hides in the bushes. I talk. He meows. I leave.

At this point, I am just keeping an eye on him and letting him get used to me. I've been referring to my new little friend as he, but I don't really know if he's a boy or a girl. I call him Luther. An unfortunate name if he turns out to be female. LOL
 
Luther Update
Disappearing food and considering options.

In my last post, I mentioned putting some food out for Luther. I was walking over to my daughter's house when I saw him for the first time in front of the empty house two doors down from mine. Luther was crouched in the grass between the sidewalk and the street and at first I thought he was our local squirrel. I stopped because I didn't want him running onto the road and then he meowed and I realized I was looking at a cat. Then he stood up and crossed the sidewalk to hide in the bushes and that is when I saw how thin he was. I mentioned it to my daughter and she gave me a container of her cat's food. I left it for Luther on my way home and figured it should be good for two or three meals at least.

That was a few days ago. I checked to see how much food was left and discovered that the container had been removed. It was hidden in the bushes where Luther hangs out and it was not visible from the street. I don't know who took the container away or how much of that food Luther actually got to eat. Of course, it is entirely possible that a dog or another cat got into it, but they would just eat the food. It is highly unlikely they would abscond with the empty container. Earlier today I put another little container of food, some cooked hamburger, on the step of the empty house where Luther often sits. He knew it was there. He almost came up to me when I showed it to him. That container disappeared almost immediately.

What the heck? Who is so bothered by the fact that I am showing this poor cat a bit of love? Who would be so miserable as to take food away from a homeless animal? This cat is starving. His hipbones are protruding. Do you realize how thin a cat has to be to have visible bones? I am trying to gain Luther's trust so that I can get him off the street. Why do people have to be awful?

My daughter suggested that I put the food behind the fir trees in front of my house, but Luther doesn't seem to leave the area by the empty house, so I don't think he'd ever know it was there. If I could get him to follow me down the sidewalk, then I could show him where it is, but he's still afraid of me. I feel so bad for him. I'm trying, Luther. I'm trying!

I might end up having to call the Humane Society. They would most likely know how to capture him and he would be given shelter and food. He would also get vet care and then I could adopt him. He definitely cannot live outside once the weather becomes cold. Poor little angel.
 
Daily Journal
A new course and a new recipe.

This week is off to a more leisurely start than last week and it's nice to putter around at home not doing anything in particular and being lazy. Tomorrow the pace will pick up again so I am enjoying my free time while I can.

This morning I began an online course on Buddhism for beginners. I wouldn't say that I am a complete beginner, but it's been a while so a refresher definitely wouldn't hurt. And there is always something new to learn if you approach your studies, or anything in life, with a beginner's mind. I also think it will pair very well with the book I am currently reading - Being Upright: Zen Meditation and the Bodhisattva Precepts by Tenshin Reb Anderson. The first module consisted of a meditation and a lecture by a Canadian Buddhist monk. It must be a sign! LOL The meditation was lovely. He was either outside when it was recorded, or by an open window, because I could hear birds chirping in the background, and his voice was so calm and soothing. I might revisit the meditation at bedtime. I found myself distracted as the morning progressed, so I am saving the talk for later.

This afternoon I tried a new recipe for biryani, a spiced Indian rice dish. I am a big fan of Indian food, something a younger me never thought I'd be saying! Until a few years ago, I always avoided Indian cuisine because I didn't like hot and spicy food or anything with curry powder in it. When I went vegan, I became much more adventurous and discovered that I actually did like hot and spicy food, but I still wasn't crazy about curry powder. I experimented with spice blends and making my own curry powder and it turns out that I don't like turmeric. So now I just omit it from recipes and I like Indian food just fine!

What else have I done today? Um ... I walked steps. I worked out. I talked to my daughter. I sat outside in the sun for a while hoping I might see Luther, but there was no sign of him. I guess he was busy with whatever it is that stray cats do to occupy themselves. It's been a fairly quiet day. I am happy.
 
A Sleepless Night
Meditating with a monk.

I could not fall asleep last night. Sometimes I have trouble sleeping and there doesn't seem to be any reason, but often I can't sleep if I know I am going out the next day, or if I will be doing something that breaks from my usual routine. I think it might be a symptom of low-key anxiety. I am a very reclusive person. I love my daily routines and I am happiest when I am at home by myself. I felt fine when I went to bed, but I knew that today there would be stuff happening that involved other people, and although it wasn't completely out of my comfort zone, it was enough to keep me awake into the wee hours.

Around 2:00 AM I was still wide awake and starting to feel anxious that I couldn't sleep. I decided to listen to the talk that I mentioned yesterday in the first module of the Buddhism 101 course. And I did a session of walking meditation (kinhin) at the same time. I didn't bother turning on the light. I just walked in slow measured steps around my bedroom and listened to the quiet voice of my Canadian Buddhist monk. It was very peaceful and I found myself relaxing almost immediately. I walked in the dark and let his soft voice wash over me. I confess I was only half listening because I'm not an absolute beginner and I am familiar with the basics, but then he mentioned insomnia as an example of suffering when talking about the Four Noble Truths, and that stopped me in my tracks. I laughed and laughed and laughed. Talk about great timing! The Universe sure does have a sense of humour. LOL

I think I finally fell asleep around 4:00 AM and I have been so tired all day. Ugh. Tomorrow I have to go out, so I'll take some melatonin when I go to bed and cross my fingers. Is it too soon to be looking forward to the weekend?
 
Daily Journal
Cooking, walking, saying goodbye to Luther.

Luther's owner has been found. He seems like a nice guy and Luther is definitely fond of him. When I expressed concern about the cat's emaciated condition, he told me that Luther has a medical condition (something with a long name that I doubt I could spell even if I could remember what it was). He can't get medication for it and that is how Luther always looks. So I guess this particular story ends here. I am very happy for Luther, of course, but I am kind of sad for me. Honestly, I am rather surprised at how sad and disappointed I am feeling right now. I was becoming attached to him. Animals are just so easy to love.

Afterward, I took a walk to my daughter's house to cheer myself up. The sun is shining but it is cool and very windy. The wind has been crazy all week. It is currently 10°C. Our high today is only supposed to be 13°C, dropping to 2°C overnight. Soon I will be back to my cold-weather routine of putting food out every day for the birds and the squirrel. Hello, autumn!

For dinner tonight, I am making a stew of pinto beans, brown rice, tomatoes, corn, onions, peppers, and Mexican spices. I love to cook but I am a bit of a lazy cook. Most of the time I like easy one-pot dishes. Bonus points if I can just mix everything together in a slow cooker or throw it in the oven and forget about it until it's done.

I slept in this morning and I didn't get out to take care of the chore I mentioned yesterday. I have other things to do later today, so I guess it will be a task for tomorrow. Confession: I am wondering if I can just put it off until Monday and treat myself to a long weekend. A very tempting thought and one that pleases my inner procrastinator very much! My dad, who was the greatest procrastinator ever, would be quite pleased. LOL
 
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Was It Really Over Twenty Years Ago?
Hanging out with Nigella.

I woke up this morning without a plan for the day. I probably should have taken care of the chore that has been nagging at me all week, but I decided last night that I would leave it until Monday. It isn't anything terribly urgent and there is no harm in putting it off for now. I am not sure how I went from an extremely quiet life in which I hardly ever left the house to suddenly having so many things to do. I found myself having to go out this afternoon as well. Gotta say, I was much happier, and more relaxed, not being on everyone's radar. I need to figure out how to go back to invisible mode. LOL

But for a little while, at least, I was happy at home, drinking coffee in my pyjamas, free to do whatever I pleased. And what pleased me today was watching Nigella Lawson cook yummy food on YouTube. I love Nigella and I own most of her cookbooks. I can still remember the very first time I saw her. It was the Suppertime episode of Nigella Bites on Food Network Canada, many years ago. My children were still young and living at home. (Note: Google tells me that Nigella Bites aired 1999-2001.) I didn't know who she was, but I was hooked straight away, and I've been a fan ever since. I can also remember my first Nigella recipe: My Mother-In-Law's Madeira Cake from How To Be A Domestic Goddess. I made a vegan version, of course, and was chuffed when it came out of the oven looking exactly like the photo in the book.

I think HTBADG was my first Nigella book, followed by How To Eat and then Nigella Bites. The rest came in order and I have all of them except for her two most recent books. My favourites are Feast and Kitchen. Once upon a time, I briefly considered cooking through HTBADG and seeing how many of the recipes I could successfully veganize. I still entertain the idea every so often, although I don't know if my midsection could handle such a project. While Nigella and I do share a love of good food, I am not blessed with her hourglass figure. When she gains weight, she looks voluptuous. When I gain weight, I look like I need to eat a salad and take up jogging. Maybe a better plan would be to stop watching Julie & Julia so much. No good can come from a steady stream of cakes and biscuits emerging from my oven. LOL
 
Saturday Miscellany
This and that, but mostly food.

I have admitted to often being a lazy cook. This is due in large part to the fact that I live in a place where vegan options for dining out and takeaway are very limited. As a result, I have to cook if I want to eat, and as I am the only cook here, I do all of the cooking all of the time. Usually, I don't mind too much. I tend to stick with easy dishes during the week, and I like my food, so I can't really complain. I do have a dream in which I eat my way across Europe and record all the vegan goodness on Instagram. Hey, it could happen (she says while counting her pennies at the grocery store).

It is at the weekend that I typically feel more enthusiastic about spending time in the kitchen, trying new recipes, cooking a big meal, or batching food for the freezer. I had such a plan for this weekend. I wanted to make an Italian 'beef' roast, a block of vegan parmesan, and a loaf of bread. It looks like a lot of work, but it's mostly just mixing ingredients together and letting them cook. The roast and the parmesan get portioned and stashed away in the freezer. The bread gets inhaled almost immediately. What can I say? I love bread! LOL

Well, it is Saturday night and I've not done any of it. I woke up with a migraine this morning and I have spent most of the day sitting around feeling very tired. I roused myself at dinnertime to make a spicy Chinese orange 'chicken' and broccoli dish that I cooked in the oven. It was very tasty and very spicy. I was rather heavy-handed with the hot sauce. I ate it with a mountain of brown rice because I seem to really crave carby things when I am migraining. I used to get migraines a lot when I was younger. I had them monthly for the entirety of my forties. They last about three days, but they aren't too bad now. I might still cook one of my weekend projects tomorrow. We'll see.
 
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TeaBiscuit said:
Our nine months of winter are surely due to begin any day now. Apparently, the squirrels think so, too. They are all over the place, busily gathering treats and stashing them away.
Click to expand...
I watched one, very near my window, recently, looking for the perfect spot, to dig up a hole, and stash a large peanut with shell, and tamp down the grass on top, and run! It amazes me that he wasn't too tempted to eat it, instead, and that he obviously counts on his ability to find it to retrieve it, months later.
 
TeaBiscuit said:
I put a pot of lentil soup on to simmer and had some for dinner over a baked potato. Soup is the perfect cozy food to eat on a rainy day. And soup over a baked potato is also my go-to meal when I don't know what I want to cook. This batch of lentil soup was flavoured with tomato, onion, garlic, and Italian seasonings, and I added a few spoonfuls of pot barley so it was very thick and hearty. I am thrilled that I have a bowl left over for my lunch tomorrow. I love leftovers!
Click to expand...
Lentil soup on baked potato sounds great to me, too!
 
TeaBiscuit said:
So I guess this particular story ends here. I am very happy for Luther, of course, but I am kind of sad for me. Honestly, I am rather surprised at how sad and disappointed I am feeling right now. I was becoming attached to him. Animals are just so easy to love.
Click to expand...

Sending a gentle hug regarding your feelings surrounding Luther.

TeaBiscuit said:
The sun is shining but it is cool and very windy. The wind has been crazy all week. It is currently 10°C. Our high today is only supposed to be 13°C, dropping to 2°C overnight. Soon I will be back to my cold-weather routine of putting food out every day for the birds and the squirrel. Hello, autumn!
Click to expand...

The wild birds there must appreciate your efforts! Are your winters long and cold?
And what type of foods do you put out for them?
Which types are your most frequent visitors?
And, don't answer these questions, if you have something else you'd rather write about. ☺️😀🤩
 
Kaila said:
The wild birds there must appreciate your efforts! Are your winters long and cold?
And what type of foods do you put out for them?
Which types are your most frequent visitors?
And, don't answer these questions, if you have something else you'd rather write about.
Click to expand...
Our winters are fairly long. We start seeing snow around mid-October; sometimes earlier, sometimes later. Our last frost date is the end of May, but usually the snow is gone by then. The colder weather is already making itself known. My wooden floors are freezing and the radiators have come on. I live in an area where the air is damp and it is windy much of the time, so you really feel the cold when it sets in.

I have three little chickadees who live close to my house and they are regular visitors during the winter. They are so friendly and trusting. I put food out on my front step and they appear before I even close the door. I also have a tree beside my front door and they like to hang out there and wait for me. The minute I step outside, they begin chattering to me. Last year, I was feeding the chickadees, a woodpecker, three black birds, and my squirrel. The chickadees like small black sunflower seeds, but I also put out millet, oats, raw unsalted nuts and seeds, and bits of fruits and vegetables. All-natural peanut butter with no salt or sugar is a big hit. They go nuts over it. I have also tried the commercial wild bird blends that you can buy in stores and none of the wild birds around my place like the stuff. So I just google healthy foods for wild birds and make up my own mixes.

My squirrel must be very spoiled because he's actually quite picky about what he chooses to eat, but I feel bad for the chickadees if they aren't paying attention and he gets to the peanut butter first. I've heard them scolding him from the safety of the tree while he gobbles it all down. LOL
 
Thank you for that very interesting post, TeaBiscuit. 🤩

We have chickadees, here in the northeast USA, as well! 😀
And titmice, and nuthatches often follow along with them.
Nut-hatches frequently walk up and down, the tree trunks. 😁
I too find the wild birds, to be very good company!

I agree that all of yours are quite spoiled!😊
 
Packerjohn said:
Welcome from "Friendly" Manitoba that used to be known as the "Land of 100,000 Lakes."
Click to expand...
I've been to Manitoba a few times when I was younger and used to travel and do interesting things and had fun stories to tell. After my dad retired, he loved to drive across Canada and would take a trip up north every summer in his old van. Once out of Ontario, we'd take the Yellowhead Hwy to BC, get on the Alaska Hwy, and go up to the Yukon. That particular stretch from northern BC up to the Yukon border is gorgeous, but my very favourite road trip will always be the Dempster Hwy from the Yukon Territory up to Inuvik in the Northwest Territories. I've done it twice and would love to go again someday. I think there is now a road beyond Inuvik that goes all the way to Tuktoyaktuk and the Arctic Ocean. (I wonder if Inuvik took down their 'Road Ends Here' sign. LOL) I would absolutely LOVE to stand on the shore and dip my toes in the Arctic Ocean! Dare to dream, girl! :love:
 
Down a Rabbit Hole
I am too easily distracted.

Day two of the migraine and another long, tired day in which I've done pretty much nothing, so this is going to be a very short post! Because what is there to write about?

After dinner - soup and whole wheat toast - I decided to finish up the module I've been working on in the Buddhist course. I think I referred to it as the first module in a previous post, but I noticed tonight that it is actually the second module. The first was just a welcome and a bit of info about the course. Anyway, I happened to see a link for How To Meditate in the suggested reading section. It was written by the monk who gave the talk and did the first meditation (which I've listened to a few times now), and because I like to be thorough, I thought it would be a good idea to read it. So I clicked the link.

This link didn't go to just an e-book. It went to another site entirely. A site devoted to meditation with courses, an audio library, videos, things to read, distractions galore! I love it!

I am a total nerd. :geek:
 
I Will Forever Be Technologically-Challenged
A missing remote, a new Fire stick, and a nighttime routine.

Last year my daughter gave me a television and a Roku for my bedroom. Every night I turn on whatever series I am currently watching and I walk steps. Walking is therapeutic exercise for my bad leg. I walk outside, but I also walk a dedicated number of steps inside every single day. The television is nice company and makes my walking routine more enjoyable. Sometimes I listen to music, and other times I will do meditative walking in silence.

A couple of weeks ago, the Internet went down for a few hours. That in itself wasn't a big deal, but it messed up my television and I was greeted with a 'no signal' message when I turned it on. Also, the remote for the Roku, which never leaves my bedside table, had mysteriously vanished. I have looked high and low for that thing and it is still missing to this day. Really strange! My daughter came over and reset the television. I eventually gave up on the Roku remote and treated myself to a new Amazon Fire stick. I am quite happy with it except for one thing. There is a little box on the upper left side of the screen. It has four things listed on it and kind of resembles a menu, but I can't click on it and I can't get rid of it. I went into the settings menu and looked around, but it wasn't helpful. The little box goes on and off. It disappears for a few minutes and then it reappears. This probably isn't the worst thing in the world, but it is rather annoying (especially as it seems to serve no purpose whatsoever). If anyone knows how to make it go away for good, I would be most appreciative!

On the bright side, I am very happy and very grateful to have entertainment again as I count steps around the bedroom. And Netflix informs me that season 18 of Grey's Anatomy will be coming my way October 6. So ... yay!
 
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