at least I think it’s lurve…wait, maybe it’s smoke!
*Note: bold and italic picture captions are links
Catch up…
As I write this, we are already on the 5th day of February, and my squirrels are still hibernating. I surmise that by the time you receive this snow will still be falling. And, yes, I know I have a body to bury.
Haiku for you…
Ground’s frozen;
gonna need a bigger shovel
to bury the body.
But first let me catch you up on what has been happening in these last few weeks. I have just attended my 3rd year of PBR (professional bull riding)
here in Spokane with my squeeze; I finished up a wonderful four-part meditation series on The Wild Woman with Tara at Anam Cara Studio. (I attended all sessions virtually! Loving me some tech and meditation!)
Looking forward to the Happy-Hour-Dinner-Club’s February gathering which will be during Restaurant Week at the end of February; the location options are massive and always pose a real challenge to narrow it down.
So far 2025 has found me accomplishing a few things, mourning the loss of a few friends, and continuing the process of recovery, regrouping, putting fires out, as one does. More on those fires a little farther down but for now I hope you had the opportunity to enjoy some excellent soups as January was National Soup Month.
Thank you to Karl W. for sharing his wonderful corn chowder with me; delicious! Check out my favorite chowder by clicking the pretty fish below:
Unlike me, many of you are in tune (not tuna) with both your body and life cycles that impact you. I continue to flounder in this spiritual realm of my life.
The new moon was January 29th, and my daughter celebrated Moon Circle with like minded friends. She keeps moving up her spiritual ladder and experiencing the universe in new and beautiful ways. I try to do the same…try to see into my soul. Haven’t made much progress up the ladder. So, in my efforts to see more clearly, I decided to get my annual eye exam. Dr. Jansen is very good at explaining what is and isn’t going on behind my eyeball lenses. Fortunately nothing big or bad is going on, but from our discussion, I must say I am looking forward, (providing that I live that long) to having cataracts worthy of surgery. The surgery is so low key these days and corrects so much more than just the cataract issue; the procedure now involves replacing the lens of the eye – and is a permanent correction. Prior to my visit I was required to complete a health status survey to review what is happening in my world of vision. I reported as honestly as possible…
I stated that I do not need distance correction but that I use OTC readers 80% of my waking hours in order to see what I’m writing and see my lousy poker hand. When I’m not using my readers I store them on top of my head. Consequently, every time I reach up to grab them the temples hinges yank out more of my already thinning gray hair. I will be bald by the time I no longer “need” glasses. This wouldn’t happen if I wore a wig (sidebar…I never wear a wig) but if I did, I am sure I would have to yank harder and that that would result in launching the furry piece across the room. This in turn would terrify the cats who would assume it was a flying squirrel. And that, my friends, is just one of the reasons I don’t wear a wig.
Speaking of age related maladies…I just wanna say this…there is no such thing as a four hour egg. And that I may have a “smart” stove, but it could be smarter.
I put six eggs in my little soup pan (copper bottomed Revere Ware because it heats up faster) and covered them with water, placed the pan on the burner and set it to medium high; I set the timer to 15 minutes – couple minutes to reach boiling, the rest of the time to cook the eggs. I puttered a bit, then read the text from Kathy saying she was ready for a visit. I sat down, put my shoes on, leashed Oscar, grabbed my purse and keys, locked the front door and left. That was at 9:30 am. Lovely visit with Kathy and Holly, then off to Habitat where I scored big time! Found 2 muffin tins and a loaf pan for a total of $2.37. On the way out to my car something in my brain clicked, or maybe I smelled the smoke, there was something I was supposed to do…what was it…timer…eggs, pot on stove…Oh lordeeee.
I made it home in record time all the while searching the sky line for smoke and flames. I pulled into my driveway at 1:50, and upon opening my car door I was instantly aware of the acrid smell. There were no flames, and my fur babies were not dead…yet.
I turned the burner off and removed the pan from the stove to the back porch, opened front and back doors and set up the box fan. Then I took a moment to reflect. I felt it was the right thing to do.
I bought my new stove last year. It’s a Samsung Smart Stove. Well, that’s how they advertise it. If it is so smart why doesn’t it anticipate me leaving the house with the burner on under a pot of eggs? Yes, I had set the timer, and that would have been all fine and good if I had not been distracted moments later. This so called smart stove messaged my phone that the correct oven temperature had been reached when I was in Madison, Wisconsin. Apparently my house sitter, aforementioned Karl of Corn Chowder fame, was going to bake something. The appliance can reach across thousands of miles to tell me the oven is ready but can’t be bothered to let me know eggs are exploding and smoke is billowing. Seems like that feature might be more helpful, even life saving in some instances. Anyway, back to the eggs. a few facts and cooking tips for you to get you through till Easter pops up like a Johnny Jump Up.
Quick note: I must confess this isn’t the first time I have committed egg abuse. The first occurrence was on my “stupid” stove, so there’s that… I’m still finding bits of egg on the ceiling. I kind of hate that I am beginning to follow a pattern that could prove dangerous.
Eggs!
If your tempted to try those four-hour eggs, remember to have your phone’s speed dial set to 9-1-1 and your extinguisher nearby cuz you’re likely gonna be burning down the house. To avoid needing firemen, or visiting urgent care, you may want to check out Wisdom and Tips from experts…
Wisdom and Tips from the experts…
How to identify a raw egg from a boiled egg (won’t bore you with the obvious scrambled or fried differences) Gently spin the egg on a flat surface. A cooked egg will spin smoothly and quickly, then stop immediately when you try to stop it; a raw egg will wobble and continue spinning due to the liquid inside moving around.
Or just crack it open, I guess.
How to Cook:
- Fill a saucepan halfway with cold water
- Gently lower the eggs into the water
- Place the pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer
- Start the timer
- Cook for the desired amount of time
- Transfer the eggs to a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process
How long to cook an egg? Depends on how you like your yolks…
- 4 minutes: Runny yolks
- 5 minutes: Almost-set white and soft, sticky yolk
- 6 minutes: Softly set and “jammy”
- 7 minutes: Cooked all the way through
Tips
- For more consistent results, use large eggs straight from the fridge
- To prevent cracking, you can lower the heat slightly so the water is at a gentle boil
- You can gently stir the eggs in a clockwise direction to help center the yolks
- Over-boiling an egg even a few minutes will draw out the iron and sulfur, turning the yolk into a nasty gray color with a green ring.
How long do boiled eggs last in fridge?
The FDA recommends consuming hard-boiled eggs within a week. Since spoiled hard-boiled eggs can make you sick, it’s best to be safe. Toss out any leftover hard-boiled eggs that have been in the fridge for more than one week – eggs you boil in February will NOT last till Easter…
One yummy thing to do with all those eggs before they pass their expiration date…
Devil them! In the 19th century, the adjective “deviled” came to be used for spicy or zesty food, including eggs which were prepared mixing the hard boiled yolks with mustard, pepper, and other ingredients then stuffed in the yolk cavity.
And for all you lovers out there…
I have included a couple of my favorite love songs from my song lyric writing days. The words were written by me, and music and vocals by late husband, Dan, along with back up singers from a Nashville studio, and from Dolly Parton, a reminder that I will always love you.
Original Version of Hearts in the Sand
And remember…
Cheers! from GCC…
Never at a loss for words... 