tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36854458228219886272024-03-13T19:52:17.973-07:00Yeshanu's Fabulous Over FiftyRuth Cookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03601542517036599790noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685445822821988627.post-62630030968707855072013-08-07T07:30:00.001-07:002013-08-07T07:43:32.967-07:00The Introvert Family On VacationPretty much every year for the past thirty-seven years or so, my family has vacationed for at least a week in Algonquin Park. The last few years, I've had a place in the preaching roster at the park, and so have the use of a trailer at Lake of Two Rivers campground for a week. Lake of Two Rivers isn't our favourite campground by a long shot (in fact, it's our least favourite), but the trailer comes cheap, and it IS in the park, and so we go. Even our least favourite campground in the park is much, much better than spending the entire week at home.<br />
<br />
I could put up scenic shots from this year and years past to show you why we go, and maybe I'll give you a couple at the end. But I thought I'd let those extroverts out there have a glimpse into how introverts spend their time on vacation. First up, Allison.<br />
<br />
Allison likes to go hiking, and early Saturday morning she's off into the for the day:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5SFBos3nqOc/UgJZIMTWp-I/AAAAAAAAAGw/W81STZ4xJ1E/s1600/100_0146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5SFBos3nqOc/UgJZIMTWp-I/AAAAAAAAAGw/W81STZ4xJ1E/s320/100_0146.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Back at camp, she amuses herself by doing artsy things:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-To5dIv5w174/UgJZlYnqtaI/AAAAAAAAAG4/j2kNSYCrmO0/s1600/100_0153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-To5dIv5w174/UgJZlYnqtaI/AAAAAAAAAG4/j2kNSYCrmO0/s320/100_0153.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Or reading:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T6-94qfEdnI/UgJZ3jsO3EI/AAAAAAAAAHA/PZu1Xyo9Hds/s1600/Algonquin+July+2005+111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T6-94qfEdnI/UgJZ3jsO3EI/AAAAAAAAAHA/PZu1Xyo9Hds/s320/Algonquin+July+2005+111.jpg" /></a></div><br />
(This shot was from a few years back...)<br />
<br />
Bill likes to read, too:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9M9MvjIBr9o/UgJaon6khHI/AAAAAAAAAHI/rrOnrmdMrXk/s1600/100_0151.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9M9MvjIBr9o/UgJaon6khHI/AAAAAAAAAHI/rrOnrmdMrXk/s320/100_0151.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Christopher brought his notebook, but left the charger at home, so very soon after this picture he ran out of power and had to restort to reading real books:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B2z8Yg0TjrA/UgJbGXf7gdI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/DdiD-Dx2FC0/s1600/100_0152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B2z8Yg0TjrA/UgJbGXf7gdI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/DdiD-Dx2FC0/s320/100_0152.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Robin was either in the hammock or wandering around the campsite:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oOI2VzNolcc/UgJbhrA2K1I/AAAAAAAAAHY/e2HS2jWwDw4/s1600/100_0155.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oOI2VzNolcc/UgJbhrA2K1I/AAAAAAAAAHY/e2HS2jWwDw4/s320/100_0155.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Of course I did a lot of reading: two and a half books. Sometimes in the trailer, but as often as I could in the hammock. I spent a lot of time looking up:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6mlt1cc9ODA/UgJb-6T-U2I/AAAAAAAAAHg/snCTthlKSIo/s1600/100_0154.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6mlt1cc9ODA/UgJb-6T-U2I/AAAAAAAAAHg/snCTthlKSIo/s320/100_0154.JPG" /></a></div><br />
The perfect view, and snacks were close at hand:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f-_u9ohzmwk/UgJcPRSRadI/AAAAAAAAAHo/mGYG5zjrCqw/s1600/100_0149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f-_u9ohzmwk/UgJcPRSRadI/AAAAAAAAAHo/mGYG5zjrCqw/s320/100_0149.JPG" /></a></div><br />
On Monday morning, Bill and Robin went home and Allison took off into the bush for a three day, two night hike, leaving me alone with Christopher, who is self-sufficient in the entertainment department and who doesn't use the hammock. I spend TWO GLORIOUS HOURS swinging, not sleeping or reading, just daydreaming.<br />
<br />
A little bit of heaven!Ruth Cookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03601542517036599790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685445822821988627.post-29079326260979787962013-06-13T09:00:00.001-07:002013-06-13T09:00:42.883-07:00Look, Ma! No Box!I've done a few posts so far about food--I think this will be my third. I've told you how I cook for my ex on a regular basis, and how I'm experimenting with new recipes in an effort to both avoid boredom and save a bit of money. I first tried this Mac & Cheese recipe a number of months ago, and I've been tweaking it since then. And let me tell you: comparing the boxed crap to this recipe made with 13-year-old cheddar (which is what I used last night) is like comparing an algae cell to a 300 year old Seqoia. Technically, they're in the same kingdom, but in actual fact, there's simply no comparison. And yes, I'll admit that we need both single-celled algae and KD (and I do have KD as a pantry staple), but when you need to satisfy or impress, go for the Sequoia of Mac & Cheesedom!<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
<br />
2 cups elbow macaroni (before cooking)<br />
2 tablespoons of butter<br />
salt, pepper, and flour<br />
lots and lots of shredded cheese<br />
2 cups milk<br />
<br />
For butter crumb topping:<br />
<br />
1/4 cup soft butter<br />
bread crumbs<br />
<br />
Cook the macaroni according to package directions until al dente. Drain and put back in the pot. Add the butter and stir until it's mixed in.<br />
<br />
Pour about half of the buttered macaroni into an 8 x 8 inch baking dish. I use a glass one.<br />
<br />
Shake salt, pepper and flour over the layer. I use a flour shaker--if you don't have one, just sprinkle a light dusting over the layer.<br />
<br />
Put half the shredded cheese over the layer. I generally use about a cup per layer. I would strongly suggest you grate your own cheese with a box grater, available for really cheap at any thrift store near you! The already grated stuff in the store has some kind of anti-clumping agent added, and that's the kind of stuff I'm trying to avoid by making my own food. And you can't get 13-year-old cheddar that way anyhow.<br />
<br />
Pour the remaining macaroni on top of the layers, and repeat the salt, pepper, flour, cheese layers.<br />
<br />
Carefully pour the 2 cups of milk into the dish.<br />
<br />
To make the buttered crumbs:<br />
<br />
Put 1/4 cup of soft butter into a cereal bowl, and add bread crumbs. Mix with your fingers and keep adding bread crumbs until the mixture is coarse and crumbly. Sprinkle on top of the Mac & Cheese.<br />
<br />
Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.<br />
<br />
Serve and enjoy!<br />
<br />
Serves 1 (if it's my autistic 22-year-old son), 4 normal people as a main, or 8 as a side. I really reccomend that this be the main dish, with salad or cut up raw veggies as a side.Ruth Cookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03601542517036599790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685445822821988627.post-63174023617349552752013-03-25T08:14:00.000-07:002013-03-25T08:15:42.321-07:00Ruth's Adventures in WonderlandOne of the things on my "101 Things To Do List" (the <a href="http://dayzeroproject.com/user/Yeshanu">Day Zero Project</a>) is read 100 books, and as part of my "Year of Doing Big, Fun, Scary Things Together" (<a href="http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/the-year-of-doing-big-fun-scary-things-together">over at the NaNo forums</a>), I've resolved to read them all this year.<br />
<br />
Now, to be honest, reading one hundred books in a single year is neither a big goal nor a scary one for me. I probably have done that most years since I left school. (School really slowed down my reading speed, mostly by taking up the time I'd be reading with classes and actual socializing with people and stuff...) The big, scary part of the goal (it's definitely fun, though) is actually keeping track of the books I've read.<br />
<br />
So I thought today I'd put down a list of what I've read so far in 2013, and my thoughts on a few of the books.<br />
<br />
First off, the complete set of <i>"Little House"</i> books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. All nine of them. A couple of these were re-reads, but to be honest, I didn't even know the rest of them existed, so when I spied a <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Little-House-Laura-Ingalls-Wilder/dp/0064400409/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1364224046&sr=1-2">boxed set</a> in a used bookstore, I didn't hesitate, despite the fact that buying them blew my (non-existant) book budget for the year. I've noticed that I really enjoy books where the protagonists start out with nothing and build from the ground up. I enjoy computer games that have that feature, too. So much so that I get bored when my Sims or Civilizations or whatever I'm building become so advanced that life is easy and boring. Maybe that's why I'm still in the beginning stages of building my own wealth and comfort--I can't even contemplate being rich and comfortable!<br />
<br />
Along similar lines are the trio of books by Anne McCaffery:<i> Dragonsong, Dragonsinger, and Dragondrums</i>. Menolly is perhaps my favourite Anne McCaffery heorine, though Killashandra and Lessa are close runners-up. Also re-read <i>The White Dragon</i>, and have more of her books on the "to re-read" list.<br />
<br />
On a different theme, I absolutely love <a href="http://www.marybalogh.com/">Mary Balogh's</a> books, and have been delighted this year to read (so far) three of her novels that are new to me. <i>The Proposal</i> is a brand new book in a brand new series, written about a minor character who's appeared in a few of Balogh's past novels--one for whom I've felt great sympathy. I'm delighted that Gwen has finally gotten her "happily ever after." <i>A Matter of Class</i> is a novel that was apparently written to satisfy a contract, but for all that, it's quite a satisfying story. She could have left out the "Book Club Question" part at the end, but I have a feeling that this section was part of the contract. Finally, a reissue of two previous stories: <i>A Christmas Bride/Christmas Beau</i> (one book). <i>Christmas Beau</i> is one of her weaker stories--I don't quite find the "love at first sight" theme believable, in part because the man in the story was so young at the first meeting, and the "love of his life" jilted him for another man. That he's still so "in love" with her years later doesn't jive even remotely with what I know about people in general. However, the first story, <i>A Christmas Bride</i>, more than makes up for it. The heroine is a world-weary widow who is only briefly mentioned in a past novel, and she's the "wicked stepmother," at that. Wicked Stepmothers are so much more interesting than virginal heroines, and Helena is a complex and fascinating creature.<br />
<br />
I'm also in the midst of my annual re-read of <i>Lord of the Rings</i>. It's going slower as the years go by, mostly because I can now put it down and take up the story where I left off without forgetting where I started. But then, I'm on re-read number 35 or perhaps more. I spent some time considering whether or not I should count the books as one book, three books, or six, and settled for the traditional three, so I've finished <i>Fellowship</i> so far, and right now Sam and Frodo are crawling through the Dead Marshes. Why I re-read these books every year would take a post all it's own--coming soon to a blog near you!<br />
<br />
Finally, to round out the fiction, I read <i>Veiled Threat</i> by <a href="http://www.aliceloweecey.net/">Alice Loweecy</a>. I spend a weekend with some of the folks who frequent the Absolute Write Water Cooler a couple of years back, and meeting Alice was one of the highlights. I beta-read part of her second book (Veiled Threat is the third), and I couldn't wait to buy the books. Guila, the heorine, is an ex-nun who plays the flute, with a boss/suitor who plays the cello. The first book involved some crazed on-line gamers, a stalker who mis-quotes scripture, and a number of insane plot twists. Also featured is a vegetarian health food nut. Let's just say that I can relate to the characters and the plots of the novels, because they closeley echo who I am or who my friends are, and what we do in our lives. It's actually a bit freaky, and it makes it special that the books are written by someone I've met and like.<br />
<br />
Of course, fiction is not my only reading. On the non-fiction side, I read <i>Driven</i>, by Robert Herjavec, and <i>The Behavior Gap</i> by Carl Richards. I particularly enjoy books about why we behave the way we do and habit formation, and these books were right up my alley. Also read were <i>The 4-Hour Work Week</i> and <i>The 4-Hour Chef</i> by Timothy Ferriss. I tried <i>The 4-Hour Body</i>, but its philosophy is so diametrically opposed to what I believe about eating and health that I didn't finish it. <i>The 4-Hour Work Week</i> was okay, but it got to be overly complicated and technical, and his ethical framework leaves something to be desired (another whole post there, so I won't get into that). There are better books out there about starting up a business, one of which I'll talk about in the next paragraph. <i>The 4-Hour Chef</i> was the best of the three, and I do recommend it. It's a huge book that covers a lot of material, but it was a truly fun and interesting read. If you want to read my full review, it's in <a href="http://yeshanusfabulousoverfifty.blogspot.ca/2013/02/osso-buko-and-my-4-hour-chef-experiments.html">my last post</a>.<br />
<br />
Finally, I read <i>The $100 Startup</i> by Chris Guillebeau. It's along the same lines as The 4-Hour Work Week, but much more readable, and the path is much more clearly laid out. Highly recommended if you're considering starting up a business.<br />
<br />
So that makes 23 books so far in the first quarter of 2013, with just over a week to go in the quarter. Considering I didn't actually start recording before the end of January (which means I missed a few books on the list), you can see that indeed my reading pace is quite consistent with my goals. More reports to come!Ruth Cookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03601542517036599790noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685445822821988627.post-57455562298367498552013-02-27T06:45:00.001-08:002013-02-27T06:45:38.068-08:00Osso "Buko" and My 4-Hour Chef ExperimentsSo I've taken on a challenge to read 100 books this year, which is nothing really extraordinary for me, and to keep track of what I read, which is almost unheard of, because I generally consume books the way I consume potato chips--in unrecorded binges. Can't eat or read just one, and eat and/or read (the two activities not being mutually exclusive, you understand) so fast that I don't remember how much I've read or eaten. In one rather memorable all-day reading binge I read 8 romance novels. Not that I ate much that day, and I don't think I even got out of my pyjamas, but you get the point.<br />
<br />
Speed reading classes are something I've never felt I needed.<br />
<br />
After reading <i>The 4-Hour Work Week</i>, and trying to read <i>The 4-Hour Body</i>,both by Timothy Ferriss, I reserved <i>The 4-Hour Chef</i> from the library. It being a new book by a very popular author, it took nearly three months for my name to come up to the top of the list. It was worth the wait, if only to finally find a cookbook that understands that a beginning cook doesn't necessarily want a book that tells her to go out and buy thousands of dollars worth of top-of-the-line equipment (can't afford it, and wouldn't spend the money on it if I could), or that uses ingredients she's never heard of (I will try ONE new ingredient once in a blue moon). Especially if the new ingredients are expensive, which they almost always are.<br />
<br />
Some reviews on Amazon pan this book because author Timothy Ferriss put a whole section at the beginning discussing meta-learning. And he's undeniably self-centred and somewhat boastful about his many feats of said meta-learning. If you have a linear brain, and you only want to learn how to cook, do yourself a favour and just read the much smaller section on basic domestic cooking. But he says that at the beginning of the book, so no-one really has an excuse to pan the book because they have to wade through a lot of preliminary material before they get to the meat. Personally, my brain is (very) non-linear, and I found the material rather fun to read.<br />
<br />
The book has five sections: the aforementioned introduction to meta-learning and domestic cooking, a section called "Wild" on catching, cooking and killing wild foods which I found interesting and informative, although I doubt I'll ever eat crickets, a "Scientific" section, where he goes in to some of the science of food and the lessons are experiments, and a "Pro" section, which will take you from the level of good domestic cooking to the next level.<br />
<br />
I've read through the first section, glanced at the last three, and am going to work through the domestic cooking section, recipe by recipe. Monday we had Osso "Buko". The word "Buko" is in quotations and misspelled, I believe, because real Osso Buco is an Italian dish that uses veal shanks, not lamb. Which is fortunate for my family because my ex doesn't like veal, and my daughter won't eat meat unless it's pasture raised, which lamb is. So we had lamb shanks, and I had two willing tasters other than myself.<br />
<br />
The recipe calls for cooking in a dutch oven, which I don't have, so I put it in the slow cooker for 8 hours instead. It worked, but next time I make the recipe, I'll use less liquid. There was a lot of juice in the pot when done.<br />
<br />
The verdict? <br />
<br />
<b>Ease of prep</b>: Very<br />
<b>Cost of ingredients:</b> About $35 for six servings, but that's only because lamb isn't in season right now and I didn't have white cooking wine in my pantry (I do now)<br />
<b>Number of ingredients:</b> 4 + pantry staples<br />
<b>Taste:</b> "All right"<br />
<br />
It should be noted that two out of three testers weren't feeling particularly well tonight, so "all right" might actually be a ringing endorsement. That being said, the cost will prevent this from being served on a regular basis at my house, but I wouldn't hesitate to try the recipe again if I got a deal on lamb shanks. It's a good trick to have up my sleeve for a "formerly" hard to cook ingredient that I actually like to eat. Below is the recipe as I actually cooked it. If you want to see the original, you'll have to read the book. :)<br />
<br />
<b>Osso "Buko"</b><br />
<br />
6 lamb shanks (the book called for four, but the grocery store had packs of three...)<br />
3 large carrots<br />
2 cans of plum tomatoes (the book calls for a specific kind, which I couldn't get)<br />
white cooking wine<br />
garlic powder, EVOO, salt & pepper<br />
<br />
Scrub the carrots and cut off the tops and bottoms. Snap in half and put them in the bottom of the slow cooker. Put the lamb shanks on top. Add the cans of plum tomatoes (next time, I'm only going to add the juice from one can, though) and poke a finger into each tomato to release the juice. Add enough cooking wine to bring the liquid up so that it covers 1/3 of the shanks (I went for half, and as I said, it was too much). Sprinkle 1 or 2 three-fingered pinches of garlic powder over the food (I always go for more garlic than a recipe calls for, and I haven't been disappointed yet, unless it was because there wasn't enough garlic). Drizzle 1 "glug" (about two tablespoonfuls) of EVOO over the lamb, 2 three-fingered pinches of kosher salt, and one three-fingered pinch of pepper, or the equivalent in milled pepper. (I don't know where my pepper mill wandered off to...)<br />
<br />
Cover. Cook on low for 8 hours. Put on plates. Eat. Burp. Enjoy.<br />
Ruth Cookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03601542517036599790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685445822821988627.post-83963889029672791432013-02-23T10:39:00.001-08:002013-02-23T10:43:17.292-08:00Have You Eaten Yet?If I told you there was one simple habit that could help you maintain a normal weight, improve your relationships with your children and significant other, improve your kid's grades at school, decrease their chances of becoming alcoholics, drug addicts, or jailbirds, and that would save you money and possibly time to boot, would you want to adopt that habit?<br />
<br />
I'm sure you would. Especially since there is such a habit, and it's actually not a difficult one to put in place.<br />
<br />
And that habit is...<br />
<br />
Ta da!<br />
<br />
Eating family meals together. At home.<br />
<br />
Really. I've read research that makes all of the above claims about family meal times, and more.<br />
<br />
The "food is just fuel" idea is big in some circles, and it may be true, but meals are not just for fueling up. People aren't cars--we're social animals who need regular time to connect with those closest to us. And in pretty much every culture that's ever existed, that time to connect has been at meals.<br />
<br />
I lost that sense of connection for a while. In my teen years, the members of our family went every which way, and we no longer ate together as a unit. When my kids were young, we did eat meals together, because my husband cooked, but except for a few specialist meals (meat loaf and fried chicken, mostly) that I learned as a child, I couldn't cook. When I moved out on my own, over seventeen years ago, meals became things I gulped down out of takeout containers, or cooked up in the fry pan. Except for fried chicken, I very rarely made the effort to cook anything good.<br />
<br />
Then just over a year ago, I made a startling discovery. I had cooked something nice (I don't remember what it was) on a night that my ex came home late from work. (He's a teacher, and the drama club coach.) Feeling a bit sorry for him, and lonely to boot (I really don't enjoy cooking for one), I invited him for dinner.<br />
<br />
His normally grumpy self disappeared as soon as his stomach was full of food. We had time to talk about our days, and about the kids. He actually expressed appreciation for something I'd cooked.<br />
<br />
I decided that night that I'd cook regularly for him and me (the kids are in their twenties and old enough to fend for themselves now). And I've found that all of the above claims about family meal times are most likely true.<br />
<br />
My kids, of course, are long past the formative years--they're now functioning adults. But they did grow up eating family meals, and they did grow up without becoming alcoholic drug addict cons. In fact, the two oldest are university grads, and one is in seminary. My youngest, being severely disabled, is of course not of that level, but he is generally well behaved, which is not necessarily the case for all of his peers. Not that I can prove it was the family meals that did it, but they almost certainly were at least a small factor in their current success.<br />
<br />
But the more recent benefits are manifold: I have saved money, and I've decreased my eating out. I have lost over 20 pounds in the last year, and have maintained that weight loss. My ex and I have better communication, which means fewer misunderstandings about our family's insane scheduling needs. And he increased my spousal support to cover the cross of the groceries, without complaint!<br />
<br />
I've also increased not only the number of dishes I can cook well, but the number of flavours I enjoy eating. For example, I never really felt the need or desire to try Mexican food. Then I came across a recipe for chicken tacos done in the crock pot that met all of my criteria for "new recipes I'd like to try" (those criteria will come later), and I thought, "I'll try it!"<br />
<br />
And...<br />
<br />
Now it's a standard go-to recipe.<br />
<br />
I do have criteria for recipes:<br />
<br />
1) They should have a limited number of ingredients.<br />
2) Prep time must likewise be limited.<br />
3) Cooking time must be longer than 2 hours (because I'm usually out of the house between 3:30 and 5:00, and dinner is generally scheduled for 5:30, because that's when I'm ready to eat it...) or total prep + cook time must be less than 30 minutes.<br />
4) Ingredients should be known to me, and not terribly expensive.<br />
<br />
Chicken tacos in the crock pot met all of those requirements except the last--I'd actually grown up to be 51 years old without ever having sour cream on anything! I wasn't particularly fond of taco seasoning, but I had eaten tacos before, at Taco Bell, under pressure from my ex who DOES like Mexican (as do the kids.)<br />
<br />
That was the tipping point--even if I wasn't sure about the recipe, it would be something that would at least be appealing to him. We had it. I loved it, he liked it, and it was super, super easy. So I've made it again, and the ingredients are now staples in my pantry.<br />
<br />
So, here's the recipe:<br />
<br />
1) Layer 2 or more boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I prefer at least 4, for leftovers) in the bottom of your crock pot.<br />
<br />
2) Dump a jar of prepared salsa on top.<br />
<br />
3) Add a package of taco seasoning (I use reduced salt).<br />
<br />
4) Mix that stuff up, put on the lid, and turn the crock pot on low for 8 to 10 hours. <br />
<br />
At supper time:<br />
<br />
1) Chop up tomatoes, shred lettuce and cheese, and put out taco shells and sour cream. (You can heat the shells if you insist, instructions on the box).<br />
<br />
2) Transfer the meat to a bowl, and shred with two forks. Mix in the sauce from the pot.<br />
<br />
3) Call your family to the table, put the tacos together, and enjoy!<br />
<br />
The leftover meat keeps well in the fridge for a few days, and tastes even better the next day.<br />
<br />
I haven't tried it yet with boneless, skinless thighs, but I wouldn't hesitate to use them instead of breasts if they come on sale.<br />
<br />
<br />
What I've found out this past year is that meals are important, even for the single person. This coming year, my goal is to cook three times per week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday). That will give me leftovers for Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. My ex cooks for me on Sunday.<br />
<br />
I started off last night with another standard go-to meal: fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and mixed vegetables. It only took me longer than 30 minutes to make (I have the prep for this down to a science) because I added an apple pie to the mix. But knowing in advance what I was cooking, I was able to get the papers delivered earlier, and I put supper back to 6 o'clock, so I had the time to do it all in one go. Like many of the recipes I have tried, the apple pie recipe wasn't exactly up to my standards, but it's almost there, so I'll play with it a bit, then maybe post it. :)<br />
<br />
Oh, and how do I do fried chicken? I was going to say simple, simple, simple. Then I started to write out the instructions, and found out that it's simple mostly because I've been doing it since I was a kid, and that the instructions are more involved then I thought they'd be. I will post them, hopefully with pictures, in the near future because it's my most used recipe. The technique requires a bit of explanation, though because I don't always use a deep fryer, and I have a couple of tricks that ensure both safe cooking and enjoyable results every time. Plus, I want to do the pictures. (And it gives me a reason to have fried chicken again, not that I need one...)<br />
<br />
Ruth Cookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03601542517036599790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685445822821988627.post-31585033006327157982013-02-14T09:13:00.002-08:002013-02-14T09:13:47.234-08:00Five By FiveMy daughter started somthing a few months back that she calls "Five by Five." I don't know whether she thought it up herself, or whether she found it on some other blog on the internet. Basically, you choose five big goals and work towards them for the next five years. If you're interested, her goals are posted <a href="http://thefivebyfive.wordpress.com/2012/11/24/post-the-first/">here</a>.<br />
<br />
So I thought, that sounds like a good idea. I've been working (very slowly) towards my <a href="http://dayzeroproject.com/user/Yeshanu">Day Zero</a> goals, and I've got a bunch of other things on the fire, but five big goals in five years seems to me to actually be something I can acheive, and that will bring some order to my chaos, and keep me from going off in too many directions at once. So I sat down and thought about which five goals I wanted to acheive, and it was actually easy to choose. Readers of my blogs will hardly be surprised, in fact. I've been working towards these goals all along, and have made significant progress. But having the five down as my main focus for the next five years, and regularly reviewing my progress will, I believe, help me to acheive them.<br />
<br />
So, without further ado, I present my own Five by Five:<br />
<br />
<b>Goal Number One: Have An Awesome Living Space</b><br />
<br />
At some nebulous point in the future, I would love to own my own house or apartment or something, but right now I'm living in the same place where I've been living for the past sixteen years: in a two bedroom townhouse in a co-operative housing development. I like it here. The place I'm in is rent-geared-to-income, for which I'm profoundly grateful. We have a maintenance company to do the plowing and shovelling (a huge bonus this past week!), and I can, within limits, decorate and paint the way I want. Actually, I have almost no limits with regards to painting and suchlike, as long as I restore the unit to pastel colours before I move out, and pay for any paint that's not a pastel shade. But as I said, I've been here sixteen years, and I'm not likely to move out within the next five, so...<br />
<br />
I'm going to fix up the place. Actually, I have been. I've cleaned up a lot of the clutter, and I had my son paint some of the downstairs and the staircase going up, and then I asked for and got new carpetting on the stairs. I haven't had carpet on those stairs in about five years--it wasn't in great shape when I moved in, and the cats destroyed what was left, so I took it out.<br />
<br />
I got new flooring in the bathroom, too, and the toilet has been restored to working order.<br />
<br />
These minor things are big to me--I'm a lot happier in a place with working plumbing and nice floors!<br />
<br />
There's still more work to do, especially in the basement, but little by little, I'm reclaiming my space and making it beautiful.<br />
<br />
<b>Goal Number Two: Be A Bestselling Fantasy Author</b><br />
<br />
It's my dream. It's been my dream since I first started writing fantasy seriously, twenty-four years ago. And with the boom in self- and e-pubbing, it's a more realistic goal than every before. Yes, I know there's a lot of self-pubbed crap out there, but I've come to the conclusion that self-pubbing is perhaps the only way I will get my stuff published.<br />
<br />
Why?<br />
<br />
Well, I wrote this novel during this past year. I originally had no intentions of publishing it, but the darn thing started to grow on me, and by December 1 I realized that I had a viable story here, and that with a lot of revision, I might actually have something that I would be proud to show to other people. But...<br />
<br />
It's a fantasy romance, not in itself a hard sell, I think, but the main characters turned lesbian on me halfway through the month, and one of them happens to be Snow White. Yes, she of Disney fame.<br />
<br />
I could, I suppose, try to sell it to a publisher of queer literature, but the sexual orientation of the main characters isn't one of the themes any more than Snow White's vegetarianism is, it just is, and I'd like to try for a wider audience. And if I sell to a queer pub, what then of my main series (which I am determined WILL see the light of day!), in which the hero is unrelentingly hetero, and the heroine is bi, and is in love with (and ends up marrying) the hero?<br />
<br />
Besides, self-publishing seems like a challange that I'd like to take up. So I'm going to do it. This year.<br />
<br />
And I'm going to keep writing and publishing until I reach my goal of being a best-selling fantasy author, because that's what I want to be.<br />
<br />
<b>Goal Number Three: Fit & Fabulous, Baby!</b><br />
<br />
I'm fifty-two years old, and I'm likely into the latter half of my life. And I've come to realize that if I don't do something to regain at least some of the vigour of youth, that I'll be spending far more time in pain and poor health than I want to.<br />
<br />
I want to be fit so that I can walk trails I haven't walked in years (or at all), and so that I can travel. I want to be healthy so that I'll be able to keep up with my grandchildren and maybe even my great-grandchildren, when and if they arrive.<br />
<br />
In the last month, I've had allergy testing, an optometrist's appointment and new glasses, two dentist appointments, and a bladder check-up by a gynecologist. Still to come: minor surgery to repair a bladder problem. My blood pressure, cholesterol readings and other indicators are all normal, with the exception of my BMI, which I'm working on. :)<br />
<br />
And I want to be fabulous--well dressed and stylish, because I've spent most of my life as a frump and I'm tired of it!<br />
<br />
<b>Goal Number Four: Financial Freedom</b><br />
<br />
I'm in debt over my head. At this point, I'm carrying more than forty thousand dollars in student loans, a car loan, and minor credit card debt. I'm in arrears on my housing charge.<br />
<br />
I hate it!<br />
<br />
I've made big strides here in the last little while. My income is stabilized. It's not excessive--it's not even enough, many months. But it's stable, so I can budget.<br />
<br />
I've been keeping track of my expenses and income since the beginning of the year. I'm almost on top of my bills. I'm paying a little more than just the interest on my student loans, so at least they've stopped growing. My housing arrears will be paid off in September, my car loan in March of 2014.<br />
<br />
I even have a savings plan, modest though it is!<br />
<br />
<b>Goal Number Five: Cross Canada Road Trip</b><br />
<br />
This is the one that I had left to choose. All of the others were pretty much a given.<br />
<br />
I chose a cross-Canada road trip because it is my firm belief that it's important to see one's own country before one goes galavanting around the globe. <br />
And I do live in what I consider to be the most beautiful and diverse country in the world, though I do understand that others may disagree! Yes, I want to see London and Paris and Mexico and Cuba and Australia and New Zealand and parts of the United States and other places in the world, but I want to see as much of Canada as I can first.<br />
<br />
And if I'm going to do that I'm going to start by seeing places within driving distance that I've never seen before. I live within driving distance of thousands of tourist attractions, and I'm sure I've not seen even close to half of them!<br />
<br />
So there it is: my life plan for the next five years. On with it!Ruth Cookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03601542517036599790noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685445822821988627.post-22178329048790585752012-12-25T18:20:00.002-08:002012-12-25T18:20:58.739-08:00Back From Fighting DemonsSix months in between posts is probably a little excessive, I admit. I've once again been battling sub-clinical depression, and trying hard to keep my life on an even keel. Mostly I've succeeded, but the blog posts took a hit, especially since I wasn't certain why exactly I wanted to post.<br />
<br />
Plus, this is my fourth blog, and I ask myself why I stopped writing a perfectly good blog and started another (two of them were kind of single purpose blogs that I stopped writing for good reasons). I guess the answer comes down to my perfectionism -- the title of the blog didn't say exactly what I wanted it to say, and some of the posts were a little, well, preachy.<br />
<br />
Actually, scratch that. Some of them were in fact sermons, word for word as actually preached. So I'll keep that blog for my sermons or sermon-like musings and keep this one for musings about my life.<br />
<br />
There. That distinction feels good to me.<br />
<br />
So...<br />
<br />
An update.<br />
<br />
I once again completed NaNo, and part of my upswing in mood has to do with the fact that although the first draft, as is usual, is shit, it actually has the potential to be a publishable book. Not pubishable by a big house, mind you, but I'm going to edit the heck out of it and then put it up on a blog and Amazon, and see where it takes me.<br />
<br />
Part of my fear of writing in general and publishing my writing in particular comes from the complexity of the process that used to be. You had to write a book that was spectacular to even get noticed by an agent or publishing house. There are contracts and royalties and all kinds of stuff to get out of the way, and it takes years to get through the process with even one book.<br />
<br />
You can still do it that way if you want, but things have changed so much in the past few years with internet publishing, and if you don't have a spectacular book, but it's still good enough for someone other than your father to read, you can write it, edit it, and get it out to readers around the world in a matter of months or even weeks.<br />
<br />
It may catch on, or it may not. It may make money, or it may not. But at least it will get published in a format that's available to readers, as opposed to being published by a vanity outfit and never making it anywhere near a place where your readers can find it.<br />
<br />
In order to do it this way, though, I have to let go of the money aspect and just write, edit, and put it out there. My readers will take it from there.<br />
<br />
And I guess that's why I'm back. I've decided once again that the demons are not going to win. I'm going to write, I'm going to publish.<br />
<br />
Money? If it comes, that's good. But writing a full novel in a month (I've won NaNo twice before, but this is the first time I can honestly say I got the complete concept down on paper in that time) has been wonderfully good for me. I'm a bit more confident in my skills, and I've learned even more about the writing process. (You'd think after years and years of this that I'd be a pro by now, but I'm really still learning...)<br />
<br />
So I'm back, and I'm in the process of learning how to edit as I plough my way through <i>Shards</i>, my latest novel. Once the editing's done, I plan on putting it up on a "blook" and letting you, dear readers, have a look at it. I hope you'll like it, but if you don't, that's okay. Because I wrote it for me, and I like it.<br />
<br />
I need to finish by telling you what it was, after six months away, that finally brought me to post again.<br />
<br />
I was Stumbling around the net, as I often do, and I came across <a href="http://thoughtcatalog.com/2012/liveblog-of-my-christmas-eve-alone/">an article that was an almost minute-by-minute update of a man who spent Christmas Eve alone</a>. The article was both pitiful and boring, just as his Christmas Eve was, and it was truly sad for me to read, because I realized that he'd actually <i>chosen </i>to be bored and alone, and that he wasn't enjoying his choice.<br />
<br />
And I realized that I often make choices to be bored and alone, too, because they're easy. I don't have to put any effort into writing or editing or going for a walk or calling someone up and asking them over for tea. I just have to turn on my computer and Stumble around the internet or play CivIV or Sims. I think I was sad because even though I didn't spend my Christmas Eve alone (I went to church with the kids and enjoyed it immensely), I all to often spend other days and evenings in unproductive aloneness. In him, I saw myself.<br />
<br />
So I'm going to try and make different choices this coming year, better choices. I'm going to spend more time doing things that may take some work in the moment, but will ultimately make me proud of myself. I'm going to dare to dream of a different life. If things don't happen on their own, I'm going to make them happen.Ruth Cookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03601542517036599790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685445822821988627.post-77079777468647126842012-06-22T12:26:00.000-07:002012-06-22T12:26:14.345-07:00My So-Called Teenage Life Blog Hop<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3Xmf1CbQkHc/T-TGrWNkg9I/AAAAAAAAAEM/DSKeOMrtKJ8/s1600/IMG_1736.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="227" width="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3Xmf1CbQkHc/T-TGrWNkg9I/AAAAAAAAAEM/DSKeOMrtKJ8/s320/IMG_1736.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I found out about this blog hop from Kicked, Cornered, Bitten and Chased, and I was instantly intrigued. I wrote my first "book" at age six (a non-fiction story about the school burning down), and have been writing ever since. I have some great poetry from way back when.<br />
<br />
At least I thought it was great at the time...<br />
<br />
The subtitle for these blogs might be, There's Something To Be Said For Maturity.<br />
<br />
As you'll see, no angsty love poems for me--my primary theme was nature, with secondary themes of social justice and environmentalism. I haven't changed THAT much!<br />
<br />
<b>The Forest -- A Trilogy</b> (written at age 14)<br />
<br />
The bright sun shines<br />
Down on the forest,<br />
The waters are bubbling<br />
With laughter.<br />
As you walk down the pathway<br />
The squirrels scold at you,<br />
And the deer pause in a moment<br />
Of curiosity<br />
To see what goes on.<br />
The birds are singing merrily away,<br />
Bees buzz,<br />
Flowers bloom,<br />
All are gay.<br />
<br />
Then suddenly the sky darkens,<br />
Clouds scuttle,<br />
Birds scream.<br />
The forest is hiding,<br />
Putting itself away,<br />
Preparing for the torrent of<br />
Rain<br />
That will wash anything<br />
Not tacked down<br />
Away.<br />
Then the darkness is filled with light and<br />
Noise.<br />
The rain comes down<br />
In streams,<br />
Filling the cracks in the dry earth with<br />
Water,<br />
Precious water.<br />
The heat of the earth rises up<br />
As steam,<br />
And the whole forest if relieved<br />
Of a burden the heat brought --<br />
Thirst.<br />
<br />
Then the sun bursts through the clouds,<br />
Dazzling all with its brightness.<br />
Small animals are brave enough<br />
To peep their heads out<br />
And stare,<br />
Fir the freshness of the rain has<br />
Clothed the earth<br />
In a carpet of<br />
Flowers and green grass<br />
Delightful to the eye.<br />
The birds sing gaily as<br />
The river rushes over rocks,<br />
And all is<br />
Bright again.<br />
<br />
<br />
This is a big improvement over the drivel I wrote when I was twelve:<br />
<br />
<b>Nature's Morning<br />
</b><br />
Dawn wakes on the hillside,<br />
The woodland animals sleep,<br />
As you and I still slumber,<br />
The pink in the east is deep.<br />
<br />
Then, almost in midmorning,<br />
When the sun is in ths sky,<br />
The woodland starts awakening,<br />
And so do you and I.<br />
<br />
Oh! What a beautiful sight to see!<br />
Oh! It's a beautiful day for me!<br />
<br />
<b>Nature's Evening<br />
</b><br />
There's a rustling in the grass<br />
As the little creatures pass.<br />
<br />
The sun is setting on the hill,<br />
Making beuatiful the old mill.<br />
<br />
Then the dreams shake out of my head,<br />
It is time to go to bed.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<script src="http://www.linkytools.com/basic_linky_include.aspx?id=146711" type="text/javascript" ></script>Ruth Cookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03601542517036599790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685445822821988627.post-616234684152795852012-06-07T07:27:00.000-07:002012-06-07T07:27:46.342-07:00Lifting WeightsThe librarian smiled at me as he started checking out my books yesterday. "Doing a little light reading?" he asked.<br />
<br />
I stared at my pile of non-fiction hardcover books and smiled. "Nah. I didn't want to pay for a gym membership. I'm lifting weights."<br />
<br />
Heading towards my car, a man spreading fertilizer looked up at me. "Would you like a bag?" he asked.<br />
<br />
"No, I'm fine." And I was, as my car was within ten feet of us.<br />
<br />
But it strikes me that the pile of books, which to me seemed normal, were in fact quite unusual--must have been, if even the librarian commented on it.<br />
<br />
I was at the library in the first place because I'd been <a href="www.stumbleupon.com">Stumbling</a> around the net (and if you don't know how to Stumble, my firm belief is that it's something everyone should know how to do. Just leave out "humour" and "cats" unless you have lots of time to waste looking at cute pictures of funny kittens...)... Where was I? Oh, yes. Stumbling around the net, and I came across <a href="http://theskooloflife.com/wordpress/5-ways-to-give-yourself-an-education-that-kicks-the-crap-out-of-the-one-you-got-in-school/">this site</a> and read the phrase: "You just spent 150 grand on an education that you could have gotten for $1.50 in late fees at the public library." Said by Matt Damon in the movie <i>Good Will Hunting</i>, if the site is to be believed. Don't know, never watched the movie.<br />
<br />
But there's a kernel of truth in it. Apart from the fact that my late fees have been, over the last four years, considerably more than $1.50 (but I'm getting better!), the books I checked out yesterday and Monday are worth upwards of $400, and they're mostly newly published. Unless you're an English major, you can't get a complete education at the library, but it's a damn good start.<br />
<br />
Which brings me to the point of the post. When we baby boomers were growing up, education was something that was mostly the province of children. Oh, my mom took one correspondence course (which she never completed, as far as I know), and my dad taught night school, but generally, once you were finished high school (or university if you were really smart), your education was finished and your "real life" began. School was for the young.<br />
<br />
Not any more, and for a couple of reasons:<br />
<br />
1) Knowledge is increasing at such a fast pace that much of what you learned in high school is now obsolete, even if you only graduated yesterday. In fact, much of it is obsolete by the time it's taught, especially in the sciences.<br />
<br />
If you're not continually upgrading your knowledge, you're out of date. That might have been fine a hundred years ago, when the rate of increase in knowledge was smaller, and when you only lived into your sixties (if you were lucky).<br />
<br />
But at age 51, I've got half my life still to live, and I don't want to spend it being obsolete.<br />
<br />
2) Learning new stuff may actually help you live a longer, more lucid life. <a href=" http://www.ccl-cca.ca/pdfs/LessonsInLearning/Aug-22-06-Never-too-old-to-learn.pdf">Some brain research I've read</a> indicates that not only can learning new skills prevent loss of brain function and cognitive skills, but that it can increase brain volume in seniors. At an age where most seniors are losing brain mass, you may actually be able to increase yours by learning new skills!<br />
<br />
This makes sense to me, since I've studied the brain a little bit, and know something of habit formation. In the beginning, when we're learning something new, our brain has to work overtime to do what we will later do with ease. Once our brain knows what it's doing, it develops and autopilot. <br />
<br />
When I first learned to walk, I had to think about every step. When I first learned to drive, I experienced sensory overload. When I first learned to play a scale on my viola, my brain needed to determine where exactly each finger must be placed. I can now do all of these things without putting much thought into them (though my daughter will dispute the last, and, come to think of it, maybe even the first two)--my brain has formed efficient shortcuts so it doesn't have to work so hard.<br />
<br />
Learning a new skill, like sewing, will take that kind of effort from my brain until I learn to do it well. It's a "use it or lose it" situation, and sort of a Catch-22. Our brains, being lazy, don't want to work so hard. So they learn, and learn well, and become more efficient. As they become more efficient and stop working, the cells that aren't being used any more seem to just waste away. But the longer we live, the more we need those extra cells, so we have to keep learning, keep giving our brain a work out.<br />
<br />
It's apparent to me that the secret to living a long and healthy life isn't necessarily knowing stuff or being smart. I've known former university professors who developed Alzheimer's or dementia. And even sadder, I know younger seniors (in their sixties) who seem to be heading that way, simply because learning and school are something that kids do, and they've gotten the idea that adults can't learn.<br />
<br />
"You can't teach an old dog new tricks," in other words.<br />
<br />
The thing is, you can. Any "old dog" can learn new things as long as the following are taken into account:<br />
<br />
1) If you or your "old dog" has a pre-existing habit, it may take longer and require more patience to override than if you have no pre-existing habits in place. For example, it may actually take me longer than a noob to learn how to play a scale correctly if I've been doing it wrong for forty years.<br />
<br />
2) If you're learning something brand new (like sewing for me), remember that it's going to take time, and there will be inevitable failures. We allow kids to fall down, but adults seem to need to have something called "dignity," which means that we must never, ever make mistakes. Give yourself permission to make mistakes. Give yourself permission to do things less than perfectly. Forget "dignity." Most of the really sharp oldsters I know (in their late 80s or 90s) are a fun lot to be with, simply because they can laugh at themselves and carry on.<br />
<br />
So to return to my pile of books--I'd picked a couple of subjects I was interested in studying (psychology, sociology, social psychology), and found a few books, and I've started "lifting weights"--improving my knowledge of subjects that have always interested me, and in the process, getting my mind fit for the years to come.<br />
<br />
Though I may actually design a workout routine using library books, now that I think of it, as physical fitness has shown to be another effective way to reduce or reverse cognitive decline.<br />Ruth Cookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03601542517036599790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685445822821988627.post-77743655103308934362012-05-31T07:55:00.000-07:002012-05-31T07:55:17.720-07:00Take The Next Right StepMy apologies for disappearing--I've been spending a lot of time on the road lately. Posts with pictures to follow!<br />
<br />
I've been reading the book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/God-Never-Blinks-Lessons-Detours/dp/0446566829"><i>God Never Blinks: 50 Lessons for Life's Little Detours</i></a>, by Regina Brett. It's a thoughtful little book of lessons Regina has learned in her 50 years of life--a life spent dealing with alcoholism, single parenthood, college, marriage, cancer, and, well...<br />
<br />
Life. <br />
<br />
It's a book I could have written, I think. It's a book I should write, if not with ink and paper, then at least with my actions.<br />
<br />
In looking back on almost 52 years of living, and forward to at least another 52, I'm struck by the fact that while many folks my age seem to feel that life is almost over for them, I've got the sense that my life is just beginning, and I don't want to waste the next 52 years by doing what I've already done, and taking up space while I wait to meet my maker.<br />
<br />
I want to <i>live</i>.<br />
<br />
But how? That's the question.<br />
<br />
In this, I'm guided by Regina and her little book, and also by the <a href="http://flylady.net/">FLYLady</a>, whose site has helped me in so many ways over the past six months.<br />
<br />
FLYLady says: Take baby steps. You didn't get into this mess in a day, and you won't get out of it in a day.<br />
<br />
Regina says: Take the next right step. If you're driving to California, your headlights only illuminate the next 350 yards. But assuming that you live in continental North America, and that you're actually heading in the right direction, those 350 yards of illumination are all you really need.<br />
<br />
Take the next right step.<br />
<br />
In order to make sure the next step I take is right, I need a goal, or goals. Otherwise, my steps are random, and not in the right direction. I can waste (I have wasted!) a lot of energy going off in myriad directions because I didn't know where I wanted to end up, or because I had conflicting goals. If you want to go to California and Nova Scotia at the same time, you're going to end up doing circles around Ontario. (Which is what I was doing for the last two weekends, but that was intentional.) If you want to get somewhere, the first thing you have to know is approximately where you want to end up.<br />
<br />
So I've made a list of goals I want to achieve over the next few years:<br />
<br />
<b>Within the next year:</b> <br />
<br />
Declutter, organize and clean my house.<br />
Paint my townhouse and decorate.<br />
Complete and e-publish a novel.<br />
<br />
These goals are SMART goals, and the one year timeframe is reasonable. I've already started the first and third, and I have almost everything I need to complete the second. (Did you know paint can last for years if it's left sealed in the can? :) )<br />
<br />
<b>Within the next 2.5 years: <br />
</b><br />
Lose 57 pounds, bringing my weight down to 180 lbs.<br />
<br />
Again, I've really already started this, having lost 12 or so pounds in the last few months. I've given myself a reasonable time frame based on the amount I've already lost and how long it took me to lose it.<br />
<b><br />
Ten years:</b> <br />
<br />
Get out of debt.<br />
<br />
Again, already started. I have a budget (which I regularly exceed--gotta work on that!), I've got a plan to pay off my housing charge arrears, my car loan, and my humungous student debt. The next right step here is likely going to be getting together exact figures (I know approximately how much I owe to whom, and how long the repayment is for, but not exactly...) and put together a timetable.<br />
<br />
<b>Fifteen years:</b> <br />
<br />
Gather a down payment and buy my own house, or some property on which I can build my own house. <br />
<br />
Right now I'm living in a co-op. My housing is stable, with the housing charge geared to income, but it's not mine. I can never pay it off and be mortgage free, and I know that when the co-ops mortgage is paid off, there may well be no housing charge subsidy available. Add to that the fact that my backyard is too small to have a decently-sized garden, and I'm facing the fact that I will eventually need to move. Not to mention that I loathe general meetings, which are an important part of living in a co-operative housing arrangement. Needless to say, I'm NOT considering buying a condo.<br />
<br />
So there you have my "bucket list," so to speak. It hasn't really changed much in the last ten or more years. What has changed, and only within the last six months, is my belief that I can actually achieve these goals. And my beliefs have changed because my experience with FLYLady has taught me that all I need to do is take the next right step.<br />Ruth Cookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03601542517036599790noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685445822821988627.post-77273592603244263302012-05-18T17:23:00.001-07:002012-05-18T18:45:20.176-07:00Friday Finance I: The Cost of PetsMy daughter and I took a trip to the pet store yesterday, because she's applied to adopt two rats from a local rescue group, and she wanted to get food, litter, and toys for them. (She already has at least two suitable cages.)<br />
<br />
While we were there, I took a look at the kitties available for adoption from our local shelter, and found myself staring at a beautiful grey boy cat. Daughter said, "No, Mom. You gave away Phil (my last cat, I gave him to her father) because you couldn't afford him, and you still can't afford a cat.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bvPjFJdezNE/T7b5pFRyuAI/AAAAAAAAADk/0izlYgwUmEQ/s1600/Cat%2BUnder%2BBed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="239" width="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bvPjFJdezNE/T7b5pFRyuAI/AAAAAAAAADk/0izlYgwUmEQ/s320/Cat%2BUnder%2BBed.jpg" /></a></div><br />
(Phil, my former dust bunny. Have I mentioned the cost of allergy medication in this post yet?)<br />
<br />
It's true, unfortunately. Even if I could afford the $230 adoption fee (which covers spaying/neutering if needed, a check-up and all vaccinations, and includes a bag of food and a tub of litter), I still can't afford a regular vet check-up or even food. At this point, I'm barely staying ahead of my bills.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mint.com/blog/consumer-iq/the-lifetime-costs-of-pets-042012/">mintlife</a> has an informative article about the lifetime cost of pets, along with an infographic depicting the costs of various pets. The costs are grossly over-inflated, in my experience and opinion, but the graphic does show that pets cost more than many prospective owners think they do, and all too often, this leads to neglected or abandoned pets. Some of the highlights:<br />
<b><br />
Spaying or neutering:</b> Ogden Nash said it best: Cats have kittens, dogs have puppies, but guppies just have baby guppies. Lots of kittens and puppies and baby guppies. And unless you're into killing baby animals, each of those kittens and puppies and baby guppies will need to be fed and housed and cared for properly. Or you'll have to abandon them at a local shelter, where maybe someone will adopt them who's more responsible about spaying or neutering their animals. Except for guppies, which can't be spayed or neutered, which leads me to ask you all a question: Does anyone out there want a tank load of guppies. Cuz I haz them. :p<br />
<br />
<b>Food:</b> I found, when I did have a cat, that the cheapest food was usually not the cheapest, as it leads to overeating because the food is not nutritionally dense enough, and because it leads to health issues, and vets aren't cheap. If you think you're going to save on pet costs by buying the cheap stuff, think again. I get my fish food from the dollar store, but never again will I buy any cat food that does not list meat or fish as its first ingredient. It just isn't worth it.<br />
<br />
<b>Housing:</b> Sure, the cat or dog can live in the house (and cats SHOULD live in the house), but a cat will need something to scratch other than the furniture or carpeted stairs (look closely at the picture above, and you'll see Phil has had a go at the bottom of the box spring), and a dog (and sometimes a cat) may need their own bed. Fish need tanks, rats need cages, and so on. Be very diligent in researching the ultimat size of your pet--far too many goldfish die simply because they're kept in bowls that are too small for them. Goldfish, in fact, need tanks larger than most fish--my two goldfish are currently in a twenty gallon tank, and they would be happier in something a little bigger.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8hEiWz-GqqI/T7b7JTAekWI/AAAAAAAAAD8/wOx5SIucIpw/s1600/P1010307.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="239" width="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8hEiWz-GqqI/T7b7JTAekWI/AAAAAAAAAD8/wOx5SIucIpw/s320/P1010307.JPG" /></a></div><br />
(The sharks in their tank)<br />
<br />
<b><br />
Leashes, collars, and clothes:</b> Yes, sometimes clothes are necessary, even for dogs. I live in Canada, and it can get very cold in the winter. Short haired dogs may need coats, and some dogs may need booties or shoes, especially if there's a lot of salt used on the sidewalks where you're walking them.<br />
<b><br />
Poop and pee disposal:</b> Every animal does it, even human ones. And somehow, that poop and urine must be contained and removed from the house. Cats and other animals need litter, dog owners need to carry little bags on walks, even fish need filtration and frequent water changes. This is often an overlooked expense, especially when keeping fish (how many times have I forgotten that I need to buy filter media???).<br />
<b><br />
Toys, decorations, etc.:</b> While not strictly necessary, it's the little things in life that keep your pet amused and sometimes make life worth living. A caged animal, in particular, needs something other than just the bare cage to distract it and keep it from terminal boredom during its owners absences.<br />
<br />
<b>Vet fees:</b> For some animals (like my fish) these can be non-existent. However, for anything bigger than a rat, a yearly check-up is necessary to prevent health problems that will end up costing even bigger bucks down the line, and to keep your animal healthy and happy. If you can't afford a yearly vet check up, then you can't afford the dog or cat! I'm not going to waste ink waffling on this one--you made a committment to this animal by bringing it into your home. While I don't equate pets with children, they're still living creatures deserving of utmost respect.<br />
<b><br />
Socialization:</b> Some animals need more than just their owners to thrive. Fish need other fish--when one of my two goldfish died a year or so ago, the remaining fish seemed likely to follow suit. Then I got him a companion, and everything is fine again. Rats need to be in pairs or larger (same sex!) groups. Hamsters, however, should be kept in individual cages. Know your animal's needs, and it will save you money and grief in the long run.<br />
<br />
<b>Time:</b> All animals need time and attention to thrive in the artificial environment of a human dwelling. That time and attention will take you away from other pursuits. Some animals will require babysitting if you're away even for a few hours, some can be left alone for a day or two, and some as long as a week. (Which is why I have fish...) If you can't provide that time and attention, you'll have to hire someone to do it for you, or find a willing sucker (I mean friend or family member) to help you out for free.<br />
<br />
<b>Training:</b> I'm of the firm opinion that no-one should own a dog who isn't willing to put the time in to train it properly. A dog is more like a child than any other pet. You wouldn't let your child grow up with no schooling or rules (would you???), and you shouldn't do that to your dog, either. Not only is it bad for your reputation as a dog owner, it's bad for the dog. A dog that hasn't been taught proper behaviour around people and other animals is often a stressed dog. A dog not trained to obey voice commands may bolt when off-leash, possibly becoming lost or getting hit by a car. The saddest pet story I have is that of trying to catch a dog that had been hit by a car and was still running, after being spooked by fireworks while off-leash. I did catch it, but not before it was hit by a second car. The animal control folks were called in, and I learned the owner had already been located. But the whole incident could have been avoided by having the dog on leash and properly trained to stay with its owner.<br />
<br />
There are many, many benefits to having a pet. But even an animal as lowly as a guppy costs more than most folks think it does. There is no such thing as a "free" kitten or puppy or even guppy. The mintlife article says that 21% of animals surrendered to the Humane Society Silicon Valley during a 12-month period were given up for financial reasons. That's traumatic for both the animal and for you, the former human companion.<br />
<br />
Think before you buy is a good mantra to adopt for any purchase, but for pets, think two or three or four times, and not all within a ten-minute period of time. Pets should always be a planned addition to the family, and with eyes wide open as far as the financial aspects are concerned.<br />
<br />
And my daughter, the one who's getting the rats?<br />
<br />
She's twenty-four, has more income coming in that is going out, and is an experienced caretaker of rats. When her last rat (adopted by itself from the humane society) went to rat heaven after living a long and spoiled life, she delayed getting another because she was hoping to go to grad school in the States. After she learned she wasn't accepted and shed a few tears, her first action was to check the adoption site for the rat rescue. It's been a couple of months since then, and she only just put in the papers to adopt this week. Before she was even approved, she went out and bought what was needed, with her own money.<br />
<br />
She's ready for pet ownership. Are you?<br />
<br />Ruth Cookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03601542517036599790noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685445822821988627.post-10200426662937529252012-05-16T10:23:00.001-07:002012-05-16T10:23:20.559-07:00What's Really Important?A recent survey of Canadian homeowners between the ages of 30 and 59 with a household income of more than $50,000 revealed that almost nine out of ten believe that the most important factors in having a "successful" retirement were being debt free, and being healthy. These two factors were more important than living near family, keeping busy with a hobby or volunteer work, or having a broad group of friends.<br />
<br />
I work almost daily with seniors in a wide range of financial situations, and with a wide range of health issues. Many of them are in their late eighties and nineties, and some of them have been retired almost as long as they worked for pay. And I can tell you from my observations that the ones who have been happiest in retirement--and I will assume that the word "happy" can and should be substituted for "successful," since enjoying your golden years is what retirement is really all about--are those who have close ties with family and friends, and who have a variety of interests to keep themselves busy.<br />
<br />
It's not that being debt free and being healthy aren't important. They are. Very. My parents, aged 75 and 80, are enjoying retirement, but there is no doubt at all in my mind that they would enjoy it more if they weren't paying mortgage and car and credit card payments. And they'd certainly be able to do more and enjoy more if their health was better.<br />
<br />
But they ARE enjoying themselves, at least most of the time, which is all anyone can hope for, really.<br />
<br />
However, I have known some seniors who retired without having cultivated friendships with a broad base of people, or who moved away from family and friends to be in a place that was either less expensive or had a better climate. and they ultimately ended up being much less happy than those with family and friends to help them through the rough spots. My granparents, for example, moved to Victoria, BC because it was a beautiful city with a milder climate than Toronto. My father, their only child, could only visit occasionally because of the cost, and after they moved they never saw their grandchildren again. The friends they made in Victoria were all of similar age, and my grandmother outlived them all. She died alone.<br />
<br />
If that's your idea of a "successful" retirement, then you have my condolences. As for the rest of us, it's fine to be debt-free, and it's great to be healthy. But most of us are relational creatures, and if we fail to build healthy relationships now, when we're in our prime, by the time we hit retirement we may have lost those who should be our "nearest and dearest." New friends, as wonderful as they can be, cannot replace those to whom you were close while your children were growing, those who walked beside you during your darkest times, and who valued your support as they walked through theirs. And nothing can replace the support and companionship of your own children, if you have them.<br />
<br />
As for me, yes, I'm working (very slowly) towards a debt-free retirement--details to come in another post. And yes, I'm working towards improving my health--again, more details later. But more important than either of those is nurturing the web of friendships I've developed, especially the friendships I have with my children. Because at the end, when I'm 105 and my health is gone and inflation has eroded the value of whatever wealth I've managed to accumulate, it will be my family and my friends who either care for me themselves, or choose the care providers I'll need. And if my helpers don't like me, I'm really in for a rough ride!Ruth Cookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03601542517036599790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685445822821988627.post-46262523892027961072012-05-13T08:47:00.002-07:002012-05-13T08:50:50.996-07:00If I Were Mozart, I'd Be Dead By NowI'm sitting at a picnic table in the park, watching the kids, and I suddenly realize that if we don't go and totally fuck things up, most of the children I see playing in the playground today will still be alive eighty years from now. This is not an expectation my parents had when I was a member of the under-10 set, and yet it's true.<br />
<br />
When I was born, the expectation for a life well lived was five years of the unrestrained bliss of being an infant and toddler, followed by entry into kindergarten and between 12 and 15 years of public school. If you were rich and/or smart (I qualified as one of the latter), you chose what you would like to do for your life's work, and went to college or university, got a diploma or degree, got a job, got married, bought a house, had kids, paid off the mortgage while raising kids and working at the same job for forty years. The kids grew up, moved out, got married and had families and jobs of their own. Eventually, forty or so years later, you would be expected to retire with a gold watch, a decent company pension, a paid off house, and the expectancy that you'd have ten or so years to travel and enjoy "the good life" before you kicked the bucket.<br />
<br />
That was the expectation for a life well lived when I was born. Out of all of my friends, I only know of one couple who have actually lived that particular life pattern (or are living it, I should say, as they're not retired yet). The rest of us have gone through career changes, going back to school, children with disabilities, separation and divorce, being laid off and fired or even never being able to find a decent job at all. And through it all, constant education and re-education as the world tilted and changed around us.<br />
<br />
Life expectancy has blossomed. Mozart died aged 35 years, and that was not exceptional in his day and age. In fact, it wasn't exceptional in Austria as late as 1900, when the life expectancy for males was 37.8 years, and for females, 39.9 years. In other words, there was very little change in over 200 years.<br />
<br />
But the next fifty years saw the discovery of penicillin, and other advancements that saw the average life expectancy almost double, from about 38 years to 62 years for males and 67 years for females. In the United States, where the average lifespan had been 48 years for males and 51 years for females in 1900, the life expectancy of a male born in 1950 was 66 years, and a female could expect to live 71 years.<br />
<br />
And the sixty-two years since 1950 have seen the advent of things that were not even imagined in 1950, things that have increased our lifespan even more. Our cities are actually cleaner than they were a century ago, mostly due to improvements in technology over the last fifty years. We have many more diagnostic tools at our disposal, and many more ways of dealing with illness and disease when they do strike.<br />
<br />
I've just completed two on-line life expectancy calculators. I did so without trepidation, knowing the news would be good, but it could be better. After all, I don't smoke and never have, I drink very rarely, I walk for half- to three-quarters of an hour six days per week, my blood pressure and cholesterol and blood sugar number are within healthy ranges, and I'm working on improving my dietary habits and losing weight.<br />
<br />
At the age of fifty one, I've learned that I can expect to live another thirty-five to forty-five years more, most of it in good health, and if I lose about fifty pounds and raise my good cholesterol level a bit, I can add anywhere from half a year to ten years to that total. Indeed, one of the surveys boldly proclaimed, "You could live to be 105!"<br />
<br />
By the time he was my age, Mozart had been dead for sixteen years. Barring sudden catastrophe, I can expect as many more healthy years of life as he had total years of life. And the question becomes, "What am I going to do with myself?"<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YKJXvhjXRcQ/T6_XZ6nC8CI/AAAAAAAAADU/fQTJHbN55jE/s1600/creating-yourself.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="315" width="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YKJXvhjXRcQ/T6_XZ6nC8CI/AAAAAAAAADU/fQTJHbN55jE/s320/creating-yourself.jpg" /></a></div>Ruth Cookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03601542517036599790noreply@blogger.com1