SOUP, RAIN, WESTWORLD

If you are a frequent reader, you know that two days ago I made a delicious Black Bean soup with avocado, orange and cucumber.  Today I made another soup Wild Rice, Butternut Squash and Cannellini Stew. 

It has been raining, I mean storming, on the left coast.  Flooding, mud slides, trees falling, electricity going out, no internet and more.  I thought it would be a good time to make soup.  Lots of soup.  The Black Bean is a bit spicy to clear out a stuffed up head.  The Stew is hearty with all the ingredients above and some chard.

So far my home is holding up.  There is some water leakage but considering what others are going through, I feel lucky.  So many people are being evacuated due to flooding, even if they don't live near a river.  Others have had trees fall on their cars and houses.  I just feel incredibly lucky that nothing major has happened so far.  Just an inconvenience of no internet for the weekend but that ended up being a good thing.  I got some other things completed.  Like binge watching that weird HBO series Westworld.

Okay, Westworld.  Maybe I needed some sort of subtitles.  Or a running monologue.  I thought I was getting it in Episode 7 but then I got lost again by the season finale.  Is it just me?  Are there others out there that do not get Westworld (or WW)?  Okay, I get the premise Adult Disneyland where anything goes.  But the rest I don't get.  Maybe I am thinking too much into it.  I don't know.

Until tomorrow... 

PET ISSUES

I don't think I mentioned that my fish Clam (of Clam & Chowder) passed away.  He died really fast and I don't know what happened. 

Two days ago Chowder looked sick.  I rushed to the pet store and they told me to put salt in the water.  I did that for two days and this morning I woke up and she was covered in salty looking things.  I rushed back to the pet store and they tested the water.  It was a little low on Ph but they said it sounded like ick.  Now we are on a regiment of ick medicine, salt, and changing water.  Hopefully Chowder will live through this.  She has been through so much. 

This afternoon I took Happi to see her orthopedist.  I have had concerns that the brace on her wrist has been causing her stress.  One day her wrist was swollen after wearing it.  Three times she laid down during the walk and got a bit woozy.  I had to carry her home.  I wanted to get her checked out. 

The problem we always have is is it her back, her hips or her wrist?  I wish she could talk and tell us.  When I take her in to the vet she is so hyped up they can't tell anything.  She seems fine.   The final analysis is that I need to walk her more often but only for 10 minutes.  Then after about 3 weeks increase to 12 minutes.  Also I am to keep the brace off unless I feel it will help.  I should use the pain killers as needed.  Checking in in three weeks.  Happi has gained weight and she needs to work it off.  The doctor and I had a disagreement about Happi's weight.  I have always measured her food since she can't really gain weight.  I rarely give treats instead I give her her kibble for treats.  I tried to explain to the doctor that Happi's lack of exercise is the problem, not the amount of food.  She is getting the same amount of food she has always had.  If I give her less food, she will sit in the kitchen and cry.  Happi just needs to walk.  All her muscle mass is gone after 6 months of laying around.

Overall it was a good visit with the doctor.  

Until tomorrow...

THE STORM OF THE YEAR IS HERE

We survived the storm of the year!  There is no damage to the house but one little branch came down in the backyard.  I was without the internet almost all day due to power outages around town.  It was a tough day with no wifi except on my phone.

I finally braved the rain to go to the supermarket to buy ingredients to make soup.  I wanted soup so badly.  I made some black bean soup that was so good.  It is a bit spicy and cleared out my stuffy nose.

I had to time letting the dogs out when the rain subsided.  The dogs hate going out when it is raining and they get wet.

It is supposed to rain for at least two more days.  Ugh.

Until tomorrow...

STORM OF THE YEAR

We are preparing for the storm of the year.  For two days that is all everyone is talking about.  There is a storm scale 1-5.  The storm tonight and tomorrow is supposed to be a 4.  Everyone is buying bread and milk.  They actually sent out an alert  reminding everyone to charge their cellphones.  I plugged in my iPad, kindle and computer as well to charge them up.  If I am going to be without electricity for hours I need something to do in the dark.

It is now 10:20 pm.  The storm was supposed to arrive at 9 pm.  It is currently not raining at all.

Earlier today I filled four sandbags and put them in front of my garage just in case.  I also put some sand (left over from filling the pond) on my slate in the backyard where the moss slime is getting slippery.  Happi slipped last night on the slime.

I think we are ready to be stuck inside tomorrow.  I have food and water.  I have extra batteries.

Cross your fingers we don't float away.

Until tomorrow...

HELPING A FRIEND WITH HIS CD COLLECTION

I helped my friend T pack up some of his stuff tonight.  First we went to dinner and caught up.  Then I helped him by taking CDs out of the cases and put them in a CD book.  It is more time consuming then you think.  I had to take the CD cover out, pop out the CD and then take the back cover out and put all the pieces in the CD book sleeve.  Part of me thought this was a good idea.  It certainly took up less space.

I also spent some time taking down my own Christmas decorations.  We are expecting a huge storm this weekend and I wanted to get as many decorations down as I could.  Unfortunately my out door lights will have to wait.  I don't have a ladder and a second person to help me get them down.

Until tomorrow...

FREE OF JURY DUTY

Still no jury duty.  I have been lucky so far.  I have to call each day to see if I have to appear the next day.  Today I called at 4:30 and, Yay!, I don't have to appear tomorrow.  I am free.  I went the whole week without having to appear for jury duty.

Until tomorrow...

EAR PROBLEM

I have a problem with my ear.  Inside my ear.  It has been about a week.  At first I just thought I scratched the inside of my ear and it hurt.  But it has not gotten better and now it seems to hurt worse.  Last night it really hurt when I laid on that side.  It hurts when I touch it.

I called my doctor and he is home sick.  I told him to get the flu shot.  Every year I give him hell for not getting the flu shot and this year he is home sick for a week.  Maybe next year he will listen to me.

Anyway he thinks I have an infection in my ear. Not an ear infection.  Like I scratched the inside of my ear and it got infected.  Or I ruptured my ear drum.  Either way I am back on antibiotics.  I have to see if that helps in a few days and if it doesn't I will need to call a ENT doctor to get my ear checked out.  Fingers crossed.

It is funny.  I had a talk with someone recently who was so sad that I had RA.  I said that I appreciate that but for me the RA is a pain (no pun intended)  but the infections and other things I get from having RA are more challenging for me.  So far nothing I can't manage.

Until tomorrow...

STOOD UP TO CLIENT

I am in a good mood today.  I had a work thing today and I stood up to a tough client.  I wanted to run away last week but I stood tall and today I did.  I am so happy.

Then I bought Chinese take out to celebrate!

Until tomorrow...

DAY OFF AFTER THE NEW YEAR

I decided that on this day off I would go to the movies.  I went to see LaLaLand.  I think I am the only person that didn't really like it.

My review of LaLaLand. Some people call it a romance. Others call it a musical.  I called it annoying.  I am not a fan of heavy romance movies.  Movies where the lead actors are all about how much they love each other are not my thing.  I don't mind movies that musicals but this movie bothered me because there were inconsistencies.  It bothered me.

So, I didn't like LaLaLand.  Not my type of movie.  I am sure it will win all sorts of awards.

Until tomorrow...

NEW YEARS DAY

Happy New Years Day!

I had a great time at the party.  I ended up going later since I was not feeling well.  A few friends and neighbors were there so I did some catching up.  Not much dancing this year.  The music was intermittently okay.  At least there was no live Kumbaya music.  I took my resolutions and burned them in the fire to make the wish.

Today I pretty much binge watched the rest of The Crown.

Until tomorrow...