What it was, was football

During a sleepless spell, in an effort to get to sleep, I watched some old Andy Griffith episodes.  Opie was not quite 14, to give you an idea of the time frame!

It didn’t put me to sleep; but it did make me think of a story Andy used to tell .. way before Mayberry.  He was telling about an experience he’d had: the gist of it was there were two bunches of guys, in really tight pants, playing in a cow pasture.  They were each trying to take a squashed pumpkin away from each other, and run from one end of the cow pasture to the other without getting caught, and without stepping in anything.

Yep, that sounds about right.

OK, I admit, I’m not a big football fan.  I watched plenty of games when my son played in high school; and I learned enough to somewhat keep up with what’s going on.  I just never learned to *like* it!

I don’t know what I seem to be “odd man out” in my family … everyone else seems to be sports fans, particularly football.  My mom was really crazy about it.

My husband doesn’t like any sports except hunting and fishing.  For many years we only had one TV, and generally watched what he chose.  The only exception was I got to watch Olympics (particularly ice skating).  Now that we have multiple TVs, I still don’t watch sports. 

Every year about this time the talk all turns to Super Bowl.  While I’ve never watched one, I am usually curious about all the hoopla about the commercials. , and the half time show.  But I usually either forget or lose interest.

This year I’m hearing talk about a big game (I think it’s today or tomorrow).  I don’t even know where the teams are from, but I recognize some of the players.  Their names are not only in the news, they’re frequently mentioned on shows like ET; not to mention commercials.  Manning and Brady.  And I wonder which Mama would have been rooting for. 

I *think* that which ever one of them wins will be playing in the Super Bowl.  I don’t know who else.  I guess I don’t really care. 

But every once in awhile I’m a bit jealous of people who have Super Bowl parties.  They have friends over and have fun food!  We never do that.

Maybe this year I’ll try again to watch the Super Bowl.

Maybe this year I’ll try to fix something special and try again to watch.  But maybe I’ll just throw some chicken bites in the oven and watch HGTV.

Better yet maybe I’ll just get some Pringles and Cherry 7-Up, and listen to a book! J  Yep, that sounds like a good plan.

(nearly) blind cooking

I blog about my husband’s on-going health issues and my feelings about that.  I blog about my Christmas prep (or, as 2013, my lack thereof).  I send a weekly newsletter to around 100 people with a summary of our weekly doings and potential plans for the upcoming week.

I have this blog just sitting here mostly gathering dust.  I have recently osted about goals for the new year, and an updated bucket list.  But otherwise I rarely post here, and I am asking myself why.  I spend way too much time alone (or with DH who has dementia – he sleeps most of the time, and it’s rare that we can carry on a “normal” conversation when he’s awake).  So .. why not just sit here and write?

Write what one might ask?  Well, anything I darn well feel like would be my answer! LOL!

Today was long, tiring, and stressful.  But for all that, I had one loving bright shining experience.  I got to hodl a new baby!!!  He’s only 1 day and a half old, and weighs less than 5 pounds.  Ohhhh so sweet!!!!!  I got very little of the rocking-the-baby experience with my grands.  My son has 2 kids, who are my only blood-related grands.  They were born on the west coast; and while we did see them occasionally as babies, we lived too far away for much of that experience.  The youngest was still a toddler when they moved east, but niehter of the kids were particularly “close” to us (we have grown closer as they get older, and I treasure every moment with them!).  The oldest grandson is my step-son’s step son, but has been “our” grandson since I think around 4.  The younger son is  DH’s blood-related grandson, and he was the only one we had much time with as a baby.  I do remember walking the floor a lot of nights with him (colicky).

My stepson now has a live-in girlfriend with 4 sons, who we have accepted as “bonus grands”.

All of that to say I’ve had very limited chances to rock babies.  The girlfriend’s sister just had twins.  I am looking forward to many more chances to hold one of those babies!

I have always had very poor vision, but wore corrective lenses most of my life.   About 6 yeaers ago I was diagnosed with glaucoma; and in the past year my vision has begun to fail.  A lot!

I’m old.  I do not change easily! LOL!  So learning how to cope with ever fading vision is a major life challenge.  Therefore, when I come across something that works .. and would work just as well for someone with perfect vision .. I feel compelled to share my success!

I heard a recipe on a TV cooking show.  It sounded good, so I thought I could manage it; and put my own spin on it as well.

Start with chicken pieces.  I used wings and thighs, because that’s what we like.  You can use what ever parts you prefer.

I lined baking pans with foil and sprayed with cooking spray.

I set up 3 bowls.  In the first I put flour.  In the second I mixed a few spoonfuls of mayonnaise (didn’t make enough at first) with a slightly less amount of sour cream.  I added salt and pepper (just shook a bunch in, no measuring) and stirred it together.  In thethird bowl I crushed up cheddar potato chips.  Next time I make this, I will use twice as many chips (2 large bags), and I will crush by putting in a baggie and using a rolling pin (I just squashed with my hands .. down side of that is they stick to my hands!).

Roll each piece of chicken in flour, then in the mayo, then in the chips. It’s very messy!

Bake in an oven set at around 350.  I have to guess at that part, but it was hot anyway.  I left it in the oven for an hour, and it was falling off the bone (well, except the boneless pieces!) done.  Larger ieces could take longer I think, but not much.

The chicken came out yummy, nice and crunchy on the outside and very well done but still moist on the inside.

The original recipe had some sort of hot spices in the mayo mixture, but we don’t care for hot.  It also used plain chips.  I thought the cheddar flavor sounded good.  I was right.

This was messy and slow.  I kept “losing” pieces of chicken once they were coated in flour.  I probably won’t make it often; but I think it will be a good go-to recipe for company!

Updated Bucket List

A few days ago I posted about goals for 2014.  A “bucket list” is not the same, as it is more “open ended”.  Between my husband’s failing health and my (more rapidly) failing vision, setting any kind of timeline is not practical or wise.  I find I have to revise my list of things I’d like to do in my lifetime.  Not only does my situation change, but my feelings change.  My original list had a lot of quilts on it.  The truth is, what quilting I do is not really that good, and it takes me a very long time.  I rarely can or will sit for hours at a time at the sewing machine.  It’s time to admit – to myself – that I’m highly unlikely to get even a fraction of the sewing done I would have liked.  I would still love to play with pattern and design .. but I don’t have any serious hopes of finding someone who woul want to sew up quilt tos according to my imagination; and I have even less hope of finding someone to do the actual quilting affordably.

What I do find is that “rides” become more and more important.  Even with limited vision (and even if I eventually lose it altogether) riding is still fun.

I’m not a particularly “brave” person, but there are some rides I’d love to try.  I hate riding on a busy road with someone who’s got a lead foot on the gas pedal .. but riding really fast in a boat is great!

I want to ride an elephant.  I don’t know why, but I do.  I like elephants.  I’d also like to ride in a hot air balloon.  I’ve been “up” in one – way up over tree tops – but it was tethered.  Apparently I just like being “high”.  Must be the cat in me! LOL!

I used to like traveling by airplane.  I don’t know if I would enjoy that as much now, since I couldn’t see the view.

I also would like some more “mundane” rides.  I would love to take a long ride in a fancy stretch limo.  Ideally, around Christmas to see lights (and drink champagne, of course).  If that doesn’t happen before my vision gets a lot worse, it might have to come off the list.  But I’d still like to ride in the limo, just to see what luxury feels like.

I’d like to travel, even though I do know that’s not likely to happen either.  But I leave trips on the bucket list because – well, because if if I don’t think they will happen, it doesn’t mean I don’t still want them!  I’d especially like to take a cruise.  I’m greedy – if I ever get one, I hope it’s at least a week and not one of those skimpy 3 or 4 day ones.  But I’d take whatever I got the chance at!  I’d even (make that *also*!) love to take a dinner cruise at the coast.

I’d also love to take a long train trip. Despite several accidents involving trains in the news recently, I believe train travel is safe.  It’s just a nice way to travel.  I guess sight-seeing is not so much a part .. although I won’t rule out places with more spectacular sights I could still see somewhat (Grand Canyon?  Niagra Falls?).

I used to want to travel overseas, particularly the British Isles.  I don’t think I’m brave enough to want that any more.  But it would be fun to someday tell my great-grandchildren “I’ve been to see the queen” or “I’ve been in Paris in the spring”.

I’m now in my “upper” 60s.  I figure, based on my health and family history, I have a good 20 to 30 years left.  It would be nice to think I could “make a difference”.  But I’m not good at anything. I have no talent, I’m not “outgoing”, and I can’t drive.   I don’t think there’s much call for setting a pretty table! LOL!   I keep being told how well blind people function .. but that’s not the point at all.  I can find ways to “make do”.  I just don’t know any way to make my life have any point.

Short term bucket list item:  a rest.  Just a few days without any responsibilities.