Ramblings of a Retiree

Tech Me

I love technology.  In the old days I was delighted to transition from my enormous Day Planner to a PDA.  Cell phones came next. No longer was I stuck in an office setting up appointments. In like manner, the smartphone came on the scene replacing PDA and cell phones.

Yep, technology is a wonderous thing.  As long as it works.  That’s the ugly.  In my house I am the tech whiz.  I don’t mind.  The Man keeps the cars running.  He chops wood.  He is stumped by tech.

When a tech misfire begins in the morning it will often fill the day.  From tech support to forums to trial and error.  By the evening I’ve ignored every Fitbit reminder to move. My head is spinning and my joints have frozen in place. But the issue ultimately is resolved. And life goes back to normal.

Run, Karen, Run

Technology comes in handy for something else I love.  Running. I don’t really “run”.  I move quickly on two feet.  My preferred area to run would be a winding trail through a wood.  I can listen to music or work on a story I’m writing.  It is my sanctuary.  Weather permitting.

That brings me to winter.  I am a cold weather wimp.  To run in the cold means I have to wear more clothes.  Lots of clothes.  Cold weather makes my nose run; faster than my feet.  I load my pockets with tissues.  In cold weather there is no joy in running and I often don’t do it. 

By Spring I am ready to retrain myself to move quickly again on two feet.

Easing Into It

My favorite method for starting over is to run a half mile then walk a half mile.  Thanks to my Fitbit, I can get half mile cues through my earbuds.  I gradually lengthen my run time and shorten my walk time. I do this until I can run 30-60 minutes in one shot.

It is a beautiful thing.  At least until my Fitbit fails.

Rambling On

Several months ago I agreed to be part of a Well At Home program provided by my insurance carrier.  I received a box in the mail with an in-home blood test for Hep C.  This surprised me. How is that related to Well At Home? I decided to follow through with the detailed instructions.

Instructions and More

“Best to perform test in the morning”  Wondered if I should caffeinate first. 

“Take the test tube out of the box.  Stand it on a solid surface.”  Test tube?  It’s the size of a pencil stub. 

“Remove lancets from pack. Choose your finger.  Run that hand under warm water.  Wipe fingertip with provided alcohol wipe.”  Definitely should have caffeinated. 

“Twist top off of lancet.  Hold fingertip up”.  Should use middle finger and add a selfie to the package.  

“Press Lancet firmly on fingertip until it clicks.”  I didn’t hear the click over my screams. 

“Wipe first drop of blood with provided gauze.”  What gauze? 

“Hold fingertip over test tube.”  It’s ¼ inch in diameter! 

“Squeeze finger”.  Blood on counter. 

“Massage finger and squeeze more.”  Blood all over both hands. 

“Fill tube to line marked on test tube.”  There are two lines.  I chose the lowest.  Scraped blood into tube from hands and finger.  

“Follow packing instructions and mail.”  Time to opt out of this program.

In closing, I look forward to the day my Fitbit will read my blood profile through my skin.

Until next month, Au revoir!

Note: This blog is sponsored by me, Karen J Adams. Any recommendations or suggestions are purely my own opinion without the exchange of money.

 © Karen J Adams March 18, 2021

Keeping it Together – Me and King Cake

Last year was a doozy.  Did I spell that right? The dictionary agrees I did, but maybe it’s not the right word for last year.  I think “doozy” is too positive a word.  Last year was frustrating – a bust. 

Me

I did a few things that were productive during my isolation.  I have been consistent with my exercise program.  I’ve done a lot of reading and some writing.  Not so productive things like tearing my calf on a bike ride, getting a bout of Vertigo and then a bunch of ridiculous ear issues.  Who knew earwax could accumulate to such a degree to cause pain? 

Enough of 2020.  We survived it!  Now we are making plans.  Plan A and Plan B.  AND we have finally registered for a vaccine!  I suppose I shouldn’t get my hopes up; the wait will surely be long.

That brings me to King Cakes.  Recently I found a Bernie Meme with a little Bernie poking out of a slice of King Cake.  I found it hilarious!  However, my friends and neighbors didn’t because they didn’t know about King Cakes.  The following is my interpretation.

According to several Christian religions, 12 days after Christmas is the Epiphany.  This is the time that the Wise Men brought gifts to the baby Jesus and the beginning of Carnival.  New Orleans, by the way, is not the only city that celebrates this.  They just do an excellent job. 

King Cake

During the 6 weeks of Carnival people feast and have parties and parades.  At these parties they serve King Cake.

A King Cake is made of a sweet dough and braided into a circle somewhat like the crown of a king.  The outside is covered in icing and/or sugar that is colored green, purple and gold.  The three colors honor each of the Three Wise Men who brought gifts to the baby Jesus.  Inside the King Cake is a tiny baby doll.  I think you can guess the meaning of that.  Tradition has it that whoever receives the slice of cake containing the baby will host next years party. 

Does this make you want to join in the celebration?  Word has it that Randazzo’s Bakery has the best King Cake in New Orleans.  But there are tons of recipes for those who love to bake; this one is good

So, is it funny now?

BernieMeme
Thank you, Bernie for lightening things up and being good natured about it.

Note: This blog is sponsored by me, Karen J Adams. Any recommendations or suggestions are purely my own opinion without the exchange of money.

 © Karen J Adams February 5, 2021

2020 – Itching to Hit the Road

3,801 miles, 19 Campgrounds and 53 Days in The Good Ole USA

With quarantines, face masks and political uproars we decided (on August 24th) to take our leave and visit the Northeastern US.  With that in mind, we packed the Winnebago for a long haul. 

Our first destination was Marietta, OH.  An itch Marty needed to scratch after reading some historic novels that were based there. 

We Took Our Time

After 6 days of traveling through Georgia and North Carolina we arrived at the Starlight RV Park in Marietta, OH.

A lot of history can be found in Marietta; one of the earliest settlements in the country. Sitting along the confluence of the Ohio and Muskingum Rivers Marietta was an ideal location for receiving and transporting goods.  Founded in 1788, it was hoped to become the nation’s capital. Apparently, the locomotive dissolved those plans.

And there were Shanty Boats that carried whole families along the banks. Whole communities lived on the rivers up into the 1930’s.

Shanty Boat
Replication of the inside of a Shanty Boat
Shanty Boat Exterior
Shanty Boat Exterior

We spent several days to explore the area.  One gem we ran across is Hocking Hills State Park which is located about 80 miles west of Marietta in a town called Logan, OH.  The park offers multiple trails, waterfalls and spectacular rock formations. 

Hocking Hills
Hocking Hills State Park

Our next itch to scratch would be Acadia National Park in Maine.  This would take 17 days of sight-seeing in Pennsylvania, New York and New Hampshire. 

Pennsylvania

Oil City, PA was once headquarters for Pennzoil and Quaker State motor oil companies. Located along the Allegheny River in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains makes it a nice spot for exploration.

Oil City, PA
Grove Hill Cemetery in Oil City, PA where Karen’s mother is buried.

Barker, Mexico, Clayton and Plattsburgh were towns where we spent time on our way to Maine.

From our camp in Barker, NY we visited a Light House at Fort Niagara followed by a stop at Niagara Falls

Lighthouse at Fort Niagara
Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls – Looking at Toronto

In Mexico, NY we discovered the Erie Canalway Trail and biked along 10 miles of its 360 miles (the trail runs between Buffalo and Albany).  

Erie Canal
Biking along the Erie Canalway Trail

In Clayton and Plattsburgh, NY we discovered campgrounds in the middle of farm country with corn stalks as far as the eye can see.  I spoke with a farmer there who encouraged me to pick all the corn I wanted from his plot.  It was delicious! 

Farm Country
A local farm spread
Amish
Amish Country

From Plattsburgh we drove our heavy RV onto a ferry that took us to Vermont.  We then drove across Vermont to Shelbourne, NH. The views were magnificent and the hikes rocky.  We went to the Market Basket grocery store where they sell freshly steamed lobster and other NH delicacies.

NH Trail
Rocky Trail in NH
Fall Colors
Biking amidst Fall Colors

Bar Harbor Campground in Bar Harbor Maine offers first come, first serve sites.  Located close to Acadia National Park, we drove to the top of Cadillac Mountain and took in the views.  Guess what else we found in Maine? Lobster! Steamed in outdoor pots at local Lobster Pounds.

Cadillac Mountain
Top of Cadillac Mountain

Heading south toward home, our next campsite was in Kingston, NH at a campground just 5 miles from a Market Basket.  You know what we did. The possibilities were endless. We filled our tiny RV freezer with them.

Next we headed for Prospect Mountain Campground in Granville, MA.  It was a nice, wooded site – unusual for an independent campground.  It’s located close to Springfield and Wilbraham; childhood homes for Marty.  We visited each and hiked on more rocky trails. 

Wilbraham, MA
Marty and his family cleared this land in the late 1940’s and built the house.

Cherry Ridge Campground was our next destination in Honesdale, PA.   We found a few trails and some old architecture along the Delaware River.

Delaware River House
House facing the Delaware River on the NY side.
Delaware River
Delaware River bordering PA and NY

Hesston, PA was the next stay where we found a great Army Corps Campground called Seven Points.  For instance, the campground has miles of hiking and biking trails.  As well as a rubberized path made from recycled materials that weaves all through the camp and around Raystown Lake.  We’ll go back there.

Raystown Lake
Raystown Lake and Recreation Area
Recycled Path
Caterpillar crossing the recycled path.

Next stop, Virginia and the Shenandoah Mountains. The weather was cold, wet and windy but the scenes were serene.

Shenandoah Mountain
Shenandoah Mountain Trail

We wound our way back home staying in NC, SC and GA taking about 5 more days.

It was a great trip that soothed a few itches.  Now, home in Tallahassee, we’re brewing up some new itches to scratch.

Tallahassee
Home Sweet Home

Merry Christmas to all and Happy New Year!

The Goldfinch, a novel by Donna Tartt

My Review

Several years ago, I found a hard-bound copy of The Goldfinch (published in 2013) on an airplane where I was working.  It won the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for fiction but, after reading a chapter or so, I found its 700+ pages too much bulk for me to drag around in airports and hotels.  I passed it on to another Flight Attendant.  Then, recently, the audio version became available at my local library; 32+ hours of listening. 

The story centers around a 13-year-old boy, Theo Decker, who lives in New York City with his divorced mother; his father having deserted them a few years earlier.  Theo narrates the story that begins with the day his mother died. 

Mother and son were on their way to a meeting with Theo’s principal and found they were early.  Theo’s mother wanted to see an exhibit in the Metropolitan Museum.  He’d rather have something to eat than go to the museum but doesn’t mention it because he feels nervous and guilty about the meeting with the principal.  In the museum, he is distracted by a red-headed girl, about his age, who is looking at the Goldfinch painting.  An elderly man, who is with the girl, is explaining the story behind the painting.  Theo’s mother leaves him there so she can look at an exhibit in another salon. The two teens make eye contact.  Then a bomb explodes.

Finding himself covered in rubble, Theo stumbles around in search of his mother.  He finds the elderly man who had been with the girl.  The man is bad shape but he points to the Goldfinch painting in the rubble.  He insists Theo collect it and wrap it up, which Theo does as well as putting it in a shopping bag.  The man insists that Theo take a ring from his finger and tells Theo where to deliver it.  Theo stays with the man until he appears to fall asleep.  He then takes the painting and goes in search of help and to find his mother.  He finds neither and is, instead, pushed around and ignored in the chaos of the explosion.    

That was the beginning of Theo’s path to self-loathing, guilt and self-destruction.  He cannot get over the guilt of getting in trouble at school (the reason for the meeting with the principal).  He can only think of all the “what if’s” associated with that day.  All his conclusions point to him being the cause.  He cannot get over the guilt of keeping the painting, wrapped and hidden away, a thing that has somehow replaced his mother. 

Theo delivers the ring, as instructed, to an antique shop.  He is greeted by another elderly man, Hobie, who was the business partner of the man from the museum.  They bond and Theo discovers that the red-headed girl, Pippa, is alive and infirmed there.  Pippa and Hobie become sources of hope for Theo.  But his life is ever changing.  He goes from living with the wealthy family of a school friend in Manhattan to his estranged father in Las Vegas.  There he meets a Ukranian boy, Boris, from school who introduces Theo to shop lifting, drugs and alcohol.  Two years later Theo’s father dies in a car crash.  He leaves Las Vegas and heads back to New York City where Hobie takes him in and teaches him about the antique business. 

This should have been a happy time for Theo but the self-loathing won out.

As you might imagine, the story is sad.  There is a fascinating story behind the Goldfinch painting, which is real.  There are a lot of insights into the antique business.  The self-talk of Theo from his teen years to young adult are true to the times.  I thoroughly enjoyed the dialogue between Theo and Boris.  I believe the 700+ pages are well worth anyone’s time.

The HBO miniseries, however, would be difficult to follow if you have not read the book. 

Masks and Gloves and Six Feet Apart

Wow!  It’s been a crazy first quarter.  In January I was planning for my yearly 10K race in New Orleans (the Crescent City Classic).  I’ve been there over the past 10 years and often a friend or family member joined me.  There were a few times that I ran the race solo but I always enjoyed it because my family lives there.  I remember when I first started I would stay with my Mom.  She’d drive me to the Algiers Ferry and I’d float over with a ton of other people.  I’d take one of the designated buses back to the ferry and give Momma a call to pick me up.  Good times. 

Momma eventually had to stop driving, at least while I was paying attention.  I got rides with other people that were either going or volunteered to drop me off.  It quickly became a tradition where my three siblings, their families, Momma and me would be together. 

Momma passed away two years ago on March 23rd and my brother arranged for the memorial to happen on the evening of the race.  I ran in that race, too, and I think it was the hardest one to get through.  I had just retired and drove to New Orleans. 

Last year I stayed with my younger sister in Gretna, drove again because it’s just easier.  One friend joined me; it would be her third time running the race.  It was fun and it was good to be with my siblings and their families. 

I signed up for the 2020 race after I finished the 2019 because I was aiming, now, for 20 consecutive years.  As it got closer to the race I recruited a retired friend to join me and then learned that my daughter and her husband would also come.  I was beyond excited about the trip. 

When the virus was mostly in other countries I began to worry about my daughter flying; airplanes can be germy.  In early March, things were getting worse so my husband and I stopped going to the gym and only went to the store early, when they first opened.  He’s 78 and I have asthma.  Every day things changed.  The race was cancelled; but they are offering a Virtual Race.  My friend decided not to go.  My daughter also backed out and is trying to get a flight credit or refund. 

New Orleans is being slammed with the virus; I fear for my family.  They are, so far, safe. 

I plan to run the Virtual Crescent City Classic on the scheduled date.  They’ll send my t-shirt and medal in the mail.  I’ll sign up for 2021.  I can’t help but wonder about how things will be this time next year. 

Note: I forgot to publish this post in late March.  Too much time on my hands, I guess.  ?

Substitution Order by Martin Clark

My Review

Kevin Moore was once a highly regarded Virginia attorney.  He was happily married to his best friend.  He had everything he dreamed of.  Then he got stupid.   He allowed Cocaine into his life.  Now, paroled, disbarred and separated from his wife, he manages a Subway knockoff sandwich shop called Substitution.  The shop is in a small Virginia town where most folks don’t know him or his history.  The owner of the shop, a previous client, has the staff turn the ovens on twice daily (with cooked rolls inside) to emit the smell of freshly baked bread.  From respectable attorney to a paroled sandwich artist, Kevin believes he has hit rock bottom.    

That is until an odd looking stranger walks into the sandwich shop with a proposal for Kevin.  His name is Caleb Opportunity (right) and he is there to offer Kevin a percentage of an insurance scam.  Mr. Opportunity claims that it’s an easy $5 million as long as Kevin doesn’t mind a malpractice suit regarding a former client.  Insurance will pay off the lawsuit and everyone is a winner.  But Kevin wants his career back and is willing to work hard and stay clean.  He refuses the deal. 

From that point on Kevin’s world goes into a tailspin.  He’s forced to go into the city to a different Parole Officer for a drug test. No one seems to know why.  This PO finds Crack and a gun in Kevin’s car and drugs in his urine.  Kevin is charged with violating parole, among other things.  The charges are bogus so Kevin reaches out for help but none of his old friends believe his story.  He knows that Caleb Opportunity is at the root of this but he can’t prove it.  Caleb, turns out, was wearing a disguise.  The video recording system at the sandwich shop mysteriously went down during Caleb’s visit so there is no evidence that the conversation ever happened.  His coworker, a technological genius, saw the man but didn’t hear the conversation.  When Kevin thinks it can’t get any worse, he has a stroke. 

During his recovery, Kevin does the only thing he can.  He plots and plans a way out of this mess that will also stick it to Mr. Opportunity and his shifty backers.  The plan is brilliant and even though the reader knows there will be revenge; it’s doesn’t come together until the end. 

The story is fast paced, humorous and perfectly believable.  The prose is a narrative from the main character and well written. 

Martin Clark is a retired Virginia Circuit court judge and knows how to weave a great legal thriller.   I look forward to reading his next novel.

New Year, New Goals

The holidays passed like greased lightening.  I was transformed into a Master Chef with an opportunity to use all my pent up cooking curiosities. The results were mostly positive but more than anything, it was fun.  Cooking with children and grandchildren is a joy I can never get enough of.

In the bread baking department I have conquered my fears and produced perfect loaves, rounds and pull-apart buns. It helps to have a good sourdough starter. I have aptly named mine “The Rock Star”.

The Rock Star

My Thanksgiving meal was mostly homemade (I bought a can of french fried onions). For the turkey, I used a garlicky, lemon, butter rub and pushed it under the breast skin and on the outside of the other parts. The result was juicy meat and a fabulous gravy (courtesy of my son, the pro chef). We had 2 whole days of chattering young adults and happy children running about. It was wonderful.

My preps for Christmas usually start after the Thanksgiving rush is over.  I stay away from the malls and instead “create” gifts for my family.  There have been breads, cookies, cookbooks, calendars, travel picture books and so on.  This year I made baby barn quilts choosing designs that I thought would fit each person.  Along with the quilt was a report of the history of barn quilts.

Our Christmas week was spent in the mountains of North Carolina with our California grandkids and their mother.  We had a pizza assembly line one night, which was fun and yummy.  Baked Ziti, Chicken and rice stew, chili, roasted veggies with pasta, extreme nachos and a spinach frittata – all were gobbled up.  And I was, once more, in chef’s heaven.  We also had a barn quilt factory going, one for each guest. 

Californians in the Smokeys

Now we’re home and the dust has settled.  It’s time to get back to my 2020 resolution of getting something published.  Wish me luck!

Happy New Year!

My Obsessions

Before I retired I had visions of myself sitting at my desk writing the next great novel.  I do a lot of sitting at my desk but mostly researching things other than writing.  Okay, I do some of that, too.  Last Spring my obsession was Barn Quilts.  In case you don’t know what that is and to save you from Googling it: A barn quilt is a large, hand painted wooden block displayed on the side of a barn; the painting usually depicts a quilt pattern.  Standard size is 8 x 8 but mine are 1 x 1 so they can be displayed on a wooden fence, shed or indoors. 

First I wanted to know how people came up with the patterns; I studied that.  Then I created my own pattern.  The process was fun and engaged my long, lost math skills.  Since I loved it so much I decided that I should buy small cans of outdoor paint in the primary colors – red, blue, yellow, white and black.  That cost a pretty penny but I could mix my own shades.  And mixing colors is fun!

My First Barn Quilt

Painting them was the easiest part but time consuming because first the block needed 3 coats of white primer.  Then the colors needed at least 3 coats as well.  So, generally, while waiting for colors to dry I was prepping the next one with primer and drawing the pattern.  This kept me very busy until travel season came.  I put it away. 

While visiting family and friends in California my second obsession was seeded into my brain but I had to wait until I got home.  Sourdough Bread!  Oh, how I fretted over that starter.  As soon as I created it the weather changed from hot to very cold.  One week passed then two.  On the third week after daily feedings and tons of research my starter responded.  Now it is a rock star, reacting to feedings within an hour or two.  My third loaf was pretty good and we brought it over to some friends for a dinner they were preparing.  It was a hit.

Sourdough Starter

My sixth loaf is the best, to date.  I’m still tweaking the crust; I want it to be a little softer.  All my sourdough bread research boiled down to one thing – pay attention to the texture and pliability of the dough.  I also needed to watch it while it cooks to get the right crust.  I made some delicious pull-apart buns for Thanksgiving using my sourdough starter instead of yeast.  Last night we had sourdough pizza that was very good.  No more buying Publix pizza dough or their sourdough loaves; I’ve got that covered. 

My Best Loaf

I need to get back to writing; I have several unfinished short stories.  But first I think I’ll research homemade Calzone!

The Things You Find in Rockpools by Gregg Dunnett

My Review

Billy is an 11-year-old whiz kid, who doesn’t have much time for other people.  He lives alone with his Dad who is an avid surfer and also the caretaker of vacation cottages on Lornea.  Lornea is an island off the coast of Massachusetts.  Billy plans to become an oceanographer and is already working on a project regarding the fiddler crabs in the rockpools near his home.  The island is all abuzz regarding the 16-year-old daughter of a vacationing family who disappeared during the summer.  Winter is approaching and there have been no clues or leads.

Emily, the local café waitress suggests that Billy could do a better job of finding out what happened to the girl than the local police.  That was all Billy needed to inspire him and to turn his and his Dad’s life upside down.

This novel was offered as an Amazon Kindle deal and the synopsis interested me so I took a chance.  I thoroughly enjoyed it.  The story starts out with a good grab for the reader then it calms a little for a short time.  Gradually the suspense grows until it is difficult to put down. 

Kudos to Gregg Dunnett, an independent author. 

The Dog Stars by Peter Heller

My Review

Hig is a pilot who lives in a small Colorado airport hanger.  He has a dog, Jasper, and a neighbor, Bangley.  Jasper is old and Bangley is a heavily armed cynic.  The three are the only living beings in a radius of about 10 miles.  This is due to a flu epidemic followed by a blood disease.  The few people that do approach the well-guarded hanger are shot to be safe because most of the humans that Hig and Bangley have encountered were not very nice.  The two men depend on each other for survival even though they have very different world views.  The world is changed, though, now that most people are dead. 

Hig is the narrator of the story and he spends much of his time talking about the past.  He is lonely and doesn’t really know how to feel about Bangley, who has saved his life many times.  There is a compound of Mennonites who suffer from the blood disease about 10 miles from the hanger.  Hig flies patrols to watch for any trouble over a 30 mile radius.  It is on these runs that he occasionally visits the compound to bring supplies.  Bangley doesn’t trust the Mennonites. 

On one of Higs’ runs he received a radio transmission that inspired hope.  Three years later he is motivated to investigate even if it means he won’t make it back to the hanger.

One of the things that I like about this book is that the writing is concise; there are no wasted words.  That makes it move quickly.  I also enjoy the viewpoint of Hig; he is more of a soft touch than Bangley. 

An excerpt:

“Bangley a long time ago gave me a bulletproof, one of the vests in his arsenal.  He has all kinds of shit.  He said it’ll stop any handgun, an arrow, but with a rifle it depends, I better be lucky.  I thought about that .  We’re supposed to be the only two living souls but the families in at least hundreds of square miles, the only survivors, I better be lucky.”

But the pair are good for each other’s survival.  And Hig, later, learns the value of their friendship. 

The author, Peter Heller, has a long resume of adventure travel stories and contributions to Outdoor Magazine.  He has written a handful of books.  Constantin Films (of Resident Evil fame) has acquired the film rights.  You can find a YouTube trailer here. Don’t get too excited about the all-star cast; it was using film clips from several other movies. So far, there is no info yet regarding the movie. 

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