Sassy?

The Corona 19 pandemic has changed our lives in ways that may be here to stay long after the threat is gone, if indeed, it ever is. I’d certainly like to think so but at the rate we’re going, the odds are building against it.

Take grocery shopping for instance. I used to like to go grocery shopping, I looked forward to it each week. But since the pandemic I shop for groceries on line and either pick them up curbside or have them delivered. I rather like doing that now and probably won’t go back to the old way. A funny thing happened just before we started isolating a year and a half ago (wow, has it been that long?) I was in a grocery store, just minding my own business, when this elderly woman pushes her cart up close to mine. She looked me up and down and said, “well aren’t you the sassy one”, and then walked away. I had no clue what she was talking about but as I mulled it over and looked around the store I realized it must be senior shopping day. The store was filled with old ladies bent on getting their senior discounts, and without exception, they all wore black, gray or some variation of the same. And then there was me….decked out in my pink capris, pink striped shirt, and pink and aqua shoes, along with my gray hair. I guess I did look sassy!

In defense of myself however, I don’t see myself as elderly, I’m just the same old girl I’ve always been. Oh sure, by age I AM elderly, and my body knows I am, but on the inside I’m still young….at least young enough to enjoy beautiful vibrant colors. I’ve always loved color and the older I get, the more I love it. I’m not sure who dictated black and gray for old people, but color makes me happy and helps ward off depression, so I will continue to surround myself with it and drape myself with it regardless of what people say or think. Mind you I don’t have anything against black or gray, they both have their place. I just don’t choose to have them be the only colors I wear.

If I’m completely honest though, I will admit that little encounter in the grocery store made me somewhat self conscious about what I wear. I suppose that’s one reason I like ordering my groceries on line these days, no more snippy old biddies to call me out for not following the old people guidelines. My closet is full of color and I have no intention of updating it, unless it’s to add more color. Why, just because I’m old, should I remove color from my life? The way I see it, the older you get, the more color you need….and the more you need color.

If you are ever in my area and see an old gray haired lady wearing lime green or bright sunshine yellow, there’s a good chance that’s me so give me a wave…just keep it to yourself if you think I look sassy.

HOUSE SHARING

I’m not really into house sharing, at least with flying, jumping, creeping, crawling critters. Any of the above sets off a flight alarm inside me. I’d rather run than face the ‘big, bad monster’ invading my home. Getting rid of them was one of the blessings my dear husband gave to me and one that I sorely miss. In our many years together he saved me from bugs, birds, spiders, crickets and flying squirrels to mention a few of the uninvited guests he had to dispose of, sometimes in the middle of the night.

Last week as I was relaxing and reading a book I saw something run across my living room rug and disappear under my sofa. My flight instinct kicked in and I was almost to the door before I realized it was getting dark outside and I might be safer indoors than out. So I bravely decided to ignore whatever it was and pretend I hadn’t seen it. Oh if it had only been that easy!

Just as I’d almost made peace with myself, it poked it’s head out from under a side table and darted across the room where it sat in full view giving me a mocking stare. I could clearly see at that point that it was a six or seven inch blue lizard. Now some people (my grandson for instance) might have tried to catch it, but not yours truly! Oh no, not I. No one was home but myself so it was truly a defining moment in my life. Would I ignore it and perhaps wind up with it in my bed, or would I be master of my domain and oust the interloper?

Thinking of it wiggling into my bed gave me the courage to decide on the latter course. I gave it a ‘you’re on’ sort of look and got up to get my trusty broom (brooms can be handy for all sorts of things besides riding). It tried to run but kept slipping on the hardwood floor. It was so funny to see it slipping and sliding like in a cartoon that it actually calmed me. However, by the time I had retrieved my broom, it was hovering on the threshold to my bedroom. My worst fear was about to be realized and I could almost feel that lizard in my bed.

I’m not sure why it didn’t run on in there….maybe it was tired, maybe it didn’t like the feel of the carpet, maybe it knew it had lost the battle, maybe it was paralyzed with fear. But for whatever reason, it stayed there long enough for me to get my broom on it and I kept it there as I gleefully swept it outside. I proved to that lizard, but mainly to myself, that I AM master of my domain. I’d like to know how it got in; I suspect in trying to escape the outside heat it slipped into a door conveniently left open. Any other scenario I refuse to consider.

Anyway, the strange part is, as I was settling back down with my book after all the ruckus, I could have sworn I heard distant laughter. Do you think it possible my husband was having a good laugh from up above?

MY NEW BEST FRIEND

I’ve a new best friend and and I’ve come to appreciate her for the versatility and help I’ve received in the last few months since she joined my kitchen staff. She was a gift from one of my sons and I’m enjoying her more and more each day. I choose to use the term ‘she’ because she is so hard working and is so good at what she does in the kitchen…just like a few ladies I could mention. Not to discount the hardworking men out there who also do a fine job in the kitchen or on the grill. Several of my sons fit this category and on some things I can’t hold a candle to them. However I’m speaking of the all around cooking done each day, which never seems to end when one has a family.

In case you are wondering, I’m singing the praises of my air fryer. I never imagined how good and fast she could work or how delicious the results. Do you want baked potatoes, French fries, roasted vegetables? Are you hankering for steak, pork chops, shrimp, fried chicken (gluten free of course) or fried fish? Would a pan of chocolate chip cookies go down smoothly? Well this is only the start of what an air fryer can do and so much faster than the oven. No need to drag out that frying pan or deep fryer; forget about adding unhealthy amounts of oil to your diet for she doesn’t require anything but a spritz of oil to make a crispy, crunchy crust. I’m sold on her and frankly, I don’t know how I got along without her. I think this is only the start of a lovely friendship.

The only downside I can see is unless you have a larger air fryer, you might have to cook in batches if you are feeding several people. My son made fried chicken for the five of us and had to do it in two batches (he did make a lot however). But we all had enough to start our meal and by the time we were ready for more the next round was ready for us….so, no problem really.

And talk about reheating food! I thought my toaster oven was the best in this department, but my new friend does it quicker and better and food seems to magically be fresh again, not like leftovers at all. So what more can I say, we will be spending lots of time together while I learn more of her capabilities….and I’m not ashamed to say that I will selfishly be using them to my advantage.

WHO NEEDS GLUTEN ANYWAY?

Well friends, it’s nice to be blogging again after a three year hiatus. Life just got in the way and I was either too busy or too tired. I’m not a spring chicken anymore, or as my late husband would have said, “I’m old as dirt”. But I’m living proof that you can teach an old dog new tricks and I’ve been jumping through the hoop and rolling over regularly as of late…figuratively, not literally, of course.

I found out a couple of years ago that I’m gluten intolerant and I started the process of eliminating everything containing gluten from my home. By the time I got through with that my cupboard was bare and my refrigerator empty and I sincerely wondered what I was going to eat. Well since I do like to eat, I started learning a new way to eat. It hasn’t been exactly easy and I’ve had some epic failures, but all in all it has been a wonderful and successful learning experience and since I feel so much better, it has totally been worth it.

I can now make gluten free biscuits, breads, cakes and cookies to rival my old way of cooking. I have learned to make delicious gluten free pasta and sauces, including that southern comfort food, chocolate gravy. I mean what more could anyone want…biscuits and chocolate gravy, come on!

To add another layer of complexity, I’m diabetic and must make everything sugar free. Not to worry however, I have that strictly in hand. No one would ever know my food is sugar free. My son ate one of my rich, gooey chocolate chip cookies the other day and said it was unbelievable and quite sinful for it to be gluten free and sugar free…as well as carb free! I do try to limit carbs as much as possible so I actually use carb free alternatives whenever possible. Such as heart of palm pasta. Who woulda thought lasagna or spaghetti could be carb free…and still be delicious? Not I, said the cat.

Using almond flour, coconut flour and oat flour has become my norm now and I save regular gluten free flour for very special occasions. Oh, and my carb free pizza crust is the bomb!

So you see, I have been busy. And I have been learning that being gluten free is not the end of the world as I first imagined. It’s easier not having to think about using products containing gluten but it’s not necessarily better. I’m now in the swing of my new life and new way of eating And I now know, who needs gluten anyway?