Middle-Aged My Foot!

 I might not remember it years from now but I can tell you today the exact moment I became officially "old". 

I thought that moment was a while back when my back started hurting for no reason I could tell. Then I thought it was when I started to need a nap in the middle of the day - or after I did anything that required the smallest amount of energy. But no. Those weren't the moments.

The moment I became officially old was when I was sitting in a chair watching a Bible study video. It was about 6:03 PM when I sat down (I noticed the microwave clock on the way out of the kitchen with my bowl of popcorn). The video was one of a series I've been watching for a few weeks and I was really excited to get back to it.

I had my popcorn, some water, my notepad, and the Bible app pulled up on my phone. I was ready. The video started and I settled in to watch.

When I woke up, it was almost 10 o'clock. YouTube wanted to know if I was "still watching". I had a crick in my neck from the way I had slumped sideways. The notebook had slid off my lap onto the floor, Popcorn and water were stale. Best "nap ever."

Going to sleep like that wasn't the real sign of my age. It was the fact that I was still ready for more sleep. I could barely summon the energy to put the popcorn away. 

When I told my best friend (who is suffering from the early stages of dementia) about this, she wasn't surprised. She had the nerve to tell me that I am "middle-aged". Back in the days before her dementia, she would have soothed me with lies. The dementia is hard on both of us because my sister-girl has lost all will for editing her remarks.

But, really, I am not "middle-aged". If 60 is middle-aged, we'd be living until 120, right? 

Middle age for a woman today has got to be somewhere around 40. The life expectancy for the average woman in the States is 80-ish. Throw in my family health background and I was middle-aged around the time I turned 30.

If I add in factors like my family health, my own health issues, and all the medications I am on, I think I will be blessed to make it to 65 or 70. Because God is good. Realistically, I am almost on the first of my octogenarian legs right now.

So, I guess I am blessed to still be sitting upright. Pretty soon, I will have to get dentures, thanks to the medications and bone loss. The best thing I have going for my physical body right now is my hair. Somehow, the medications have not affected that. I think the prednisone I was on way back when boosted my hair growth.

But I am not as concerned with this mortal body as I am with the eternal one that is waiting.

"For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life." 2 Corinthians 5:4

I couldn't always say that. Thank God I can now because I.... ~z z z z z~

Peace

--Free

**REVIEW** Rocketbook Core (updated)

(Go to the bottom of the post for a couple of updates)

Five years ago when I got the Livescribe Echo, I was still writing short stories. In the past couple of years, I have been using it for Bible study notes, writing a family journal (as I add to the family tree), and keeping some notes on my health. The one problem is, the software that I used that snappy my writings to text has been discontinued. All my notes now are as I write them.

A while back, someone was teasing me because I go through so many sticky notes. I explained that I have to write everything down - if I talk to the internet company or call someone about my insurance, etc - I jot notes on a sticky. It's not really convenient to write in my Livescribe notebooks on the fly. I always end up with a wallet full of sticky notes. They litter the desk in my bedroom, the little table in the living room. and are stuck to the overs of books. 

Blah, blah, blah. Sorry, I will get to the point.

My niece was telling me about something called the Rocketbook. There are various versions but she thought the Core (formerly called Everlast) would be the best one for me. 

So what is a Rocketbook? As explained in this link, it is "a cloud-connected smart notebook, productivity, and app experience", or as I call it, my re-usable notebook.

It works with the Rocketbook app. I take my notes, scan them using the app on my phone and they are sent to whatever cloud destination I chose. Once the notes are "in the cloud", I can wipe the notebook pages clean with water so that they are ready to be re-used. Over and over and over and... Yeah.

Now, I am no pro at using a Rocketbook but for my purposes, the Core is really simple. And much more affordable than buying more Echo notebooks. The Rocketbook (executive-size) cost me $21.71 and comes with one erasable pen.  I paid $28.69 for a 4-pack of single-subject Livescribe notebooks when I got the pen back in 2016. I never did buy more; I just learned to write small and use every inch of paper!

(NOTE: I see just now that the price of the executive-size Rocketbook has gone up. The cheapest color choice -Midnight Blue - is $27.81 as I type this. I have a feeling the price will settle down after the holiday season. Do shop around or go to the official site. I see a lot of price variation between Amazon, Walmart, Target, etc.)

I wanted the letter-size Core because it has more page space but I got the executive-size because it fits in my purse - to take to appointments. I ranted about how much I love the one I got and my family for me the letter-size for home so that I could use it for Bible Study. 

The Rocketbook beats my Livescribe in more ways than one.

Rocketbook is a lot more user-friendly and easily available on the go than Echo. Once the Rocketbook notes are in the cloud, I can pull them up via email or 8 other cloud destinations. I tend to send my stuff to email, OneNote, and OneDrive. 

I especially love the OCR transcription feature - which turns my handwriting into text. This feature is gone for my Livescribe since the program I used has been discontinued. That was the entire point for me, to be honest. I have been looking around for other programs that work with the pen.

Bible study with & without Rocketbook

The Rocketbook works with erasable pens. The notebook comes with (and is recommended to be used with) a Pilot's Frixion erasable pen. The Pilot pens are cheaper to replace than the Livescribe notebooks.

that rubberized nib 
is for erasing the ink
from regular/non-Rocketbook paper

The Pilot feels and handles like "regular" pens. The Livescribe is fat because of the components inside. The one complaint I have about the Frixion is that I'm having trouble finding anything other than a fine or super-fine point.

It's also possible to use highlighters in the Rocketbook - special and erasable highlighter, of course. 

Then there is the whole waste and space issue. There is no paper waste with Rocketbook and very little use of space. Both notebooks are very slim at 16 pages (32 with front/back writing space).

With the Rocketbook, you can use a permanent marker to make your own templates for calendars, planners, etc. (I know there is a Panda version that is made to be a planner but I haven't looked into it.) 

The Panda 
which I don't need

Panda Planner
as shown on Amazon

There are, of course, accessories. I'm not in need of any. I would love to have a folio to hold the notebooks but I have no trouble sliding the small one into my purse and keeping the larger size with my other writing essentials on the desk.

As I said, there are various versions of the Rocketbook. The first one I ever saw was the Wave but I read that it has limited usage before it needs to be replaced. I went with the Core because it's supposed to be of "endless" use. Saving money is the point for me.

You can get an overview of the different versions of Rocketbook here. For people like me - who just need a simple way to keep track of notes - I think the Core is the best choice. For business people or those who need a variety of ways to organize might want to look at the Fusion. Students might want to check the Academic Planner. Personally, I think it might be cheaper to just make your own templates in the Core. That's just me though.  For the certified brainiacs out there, maybe take a look at the Matrix. Just go take a look at all of them and see which fits you best.

The one thing about Rocketbook is heat or water exposure (depending on your notebook version). Remember, these are meant to be erased with either heat or water... I'm pretty sure the high-summer heat of Arizona would scrub my Core clean as new! But I don't know. Go look that up.

If you are looking for a way to carry and protect the notebook, search on "covers", "folios", "capsules", or any of those things as "compatible with Rocketbook".

To finish, I want to point out that there are all kinds of Rocketbook items in addition to the different notebooks - index cards, whiteboards, and these "beacons" that you can attach to send stuff to the app.

Although my items came from Amazon, I suggest going through Rocketbook's site to make sure you get full product support.

Peace

-Free

UPDATES

• The little symbols at the bottom of the pages are really hard to see, especially in the wrong light. I can't memorize them because I can't memorize anything!

And, yes, that is how light they actually are!

• The front and back covers are too slick. They feel nice to hold but slide all over most surfaces. 
• You really do need to get one of the tiny spray bottles to keep on hand. I have been wetting the towel with water from my drinking bottle. Not cool.
• The "capsules" or jackets are almost necessary to hold the pen & cloth and notebooks. However, they cost as much or even more than the notebooks themselves.
• When I was taking a camera photo of the page to show the symbols, the QR on the page triggered a "note" field. That was interesting and I need to explore it.

That was weird...

• The pages material is so "flex-like" that it's easy to flip past one & skip blank pages. This happens so much that I wish the pages had tabs on them!
• I still love the Rocketbook but these are the minor annoyances I am noticing the more I use the books.

**RECIPES** Comfort Food (on the cheap!)

 Winter weather is finally starting to show up here where I live. The cold is not bone-chilling yet but I pulled out my bed blankets a couple weeks ago and last night I slept under one.

It's been a rough month. My fatigue ruled the last 3 weeks but I was able to get up and cook a couple days ago. When my energy gets shaky, I like to fix something that will last for several meals. Usually, that ends up being the bean stew and cornbread that my mother used to make.

This is such a cheap and easy meal. The most expensive part is the ground beef. If I need to, I can cut down on the meat and still bulk up the dish by adding tofu. Or, for folks who want, this can be made with just the beans.

There are 2 things you need to know about this recipe: 1) I use a cast-iron skillet for the cornbread. 2) I use an Instant Pot for the beans. If you don't have these, you can find recipes for the bread and beans online somewhere. 

Just like Mama, I'm not specific with measurements. Here are the recipes for both the bean stew and the cornbread. And, by the way, you will want to either soak your beans overnight or do a quick soak.

Bean Stew Sauce (with ground beef and/or firm tofu)

• Ground beef. I use up to a pound, depending. A half-pound of beef can be supplemented with a brick of firm tofu. This is for 2 - 4 cups of beans.
• Pinto beans (dry). A pound of beans is about 2 cups of beans. I've never made this with any other type of bean. I've never made it with canned beans. I'm sure it could be done.
• Pasta sauce - any kind. I will grab Ragu or Prego when it's on sale. I prefer using the "meat-flavored" or "mushroom-flavored" kind. I have used really off-brands in the can but find that they have a funky undertaste to them.
• Optional - tomato paste and canned tomatoes. I prefer using diced canned tomatoes but will get the whole stewed tomatoes and chop them up in the can with a sharp knife. I just personally don't like big chunks of tomatoes pieces in the finished dish. You might not mind that. Chopped up fresh tomatoes also work.
• Spices & seasonings for both the beans and for the meat. I always use lots of chopped-up & whole fresh garlic & garlic powder; salt, red pepper flakes, lots of diced fresh white or yellow onion (and onion powder is optional). I sometimes add Italian seasoning flakes. (For the fresh garlic and onion, I like a lot so I will use up to 4 little cloves of garlic - half chopped and half whole - and half a large onion.)
• Brown sugar. Yep. Light or dark will do but I prefer dark. If I don't have brown sugar, I will use blackstrap molasses. If you don't have either of those, you can use table sugar. Dark sugar is the best though. I don't think Mama has ever used table sugar for the dish and I certainly don't. The dark sugar adds flavor and texture to the "juice" of the dish and is really a big part of it.
• Optional Liquid Smoke. Trust me, if you have it, use it!

1. While your beans are cooking (recipe below), brown the ground beef halfway or almost done and drain the excess water and run-off into a dish (don't throw it out yet). Turn heat to a medium-low setting.
2. Add the chopped garlic and half of the chopped onion. Season the meat with everything except the sugar.
3. Add the pasta sauce and tomato products.
4. Add either water - enough to thin out the sauce. The sauce will be simmering for a while so you might need to add water 1/4 cup at a time to keep it from getting too thick. It should remain thin enough to simmer on low. 
5. (NOTE: If the runoff from the meat isn't too greasy, you can use it in place of some of the water you will be adding.)
6. Cover and leave the meat sauce to simmer over the lowest heat setting. Keep an eye on it that it doesn't get dry or start sticking to the pan.

**If you are using tofu, make sure to press it out and dry it well beforehand. Cube it into the smallest pieces you can and saute it in a small bit of oil. Drain the pieces well on paper before adding to the meat sauce.**

Pinto Bean (Instant Pot)

(NOTE: If you are cooking your beans on the stovetop, you can find recipes online. I haven't cooked beans on the stovetop for at least 3 years!)

• Soak your beans overnight or for at least 4 hours. If doing in 4 hours, use warm water and salt. The water should be at least 3 to 4 inches over the beans. The beans will expand as they soak up the water.

1. Put the beans directly into the Instant Pot. You don't need anything but the big metal pot that came with it. Beans are the only thing I ever cook directly in this pot so I was worried the first time I did so!
2. Add enough water to cover the beans and be about an inch over the top of them. (It's better to have too much rather than not enough. You can drain any excess but you don't want them to cook down to dry.)
3. Add a couple of teaspoons of oil. I use whatever I have on hand - usually olive oil or canola. This is supposed to cut down on foaming but I always add a little oil to my beans while cooking.
4. Add the rest of the chopped onion and the whole garlic.
5. Add the brown sugar. I generally use 1/4 cup for every pound of dry beans. You can add more or less but the sugar is a big part of the flavor.
6. Add about 3 teaspoons of salt to every pound of dried beans.
7. Add about 1/4 teaspoon of Liquid Smoke. 
8. Give the beans a good stir to mix in the sugar and seasonings.
9. Cook on High Pressure for 40 to 50 minutes and set for 10 minutes. (This seems like a much longer time than for most recipes but you want really tender beans for this stew.)

When your beans are done (check that they are very tender - they should "smush" under light pressure), make sure that the juice on them isn't too watery. You don't want the bean juice to water out your meat sauce too much.

You can drain some of the water off of the beans and set it aside, just in case. 

Add the meat sauce to the beans and stir. If you want a thinner stew, add some of the bean juice.

You can taste and add seasonings as you want.

Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread

• 9-inch skillet, a mixing bowl, and a large spoon. A spatula for scraping out is nice.
• 1 cup + 2 Tbls Cornmeal. I use either Quaker Oats or Albers brand, I have used a coarse-grind and it came out nice but the regular grind was what Mama always used.
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbls table sugar or honey. I use sugar but Mama would sometimes use honey.
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking SODA
• 2 tsp baking POWDER (this will go into the bowl last)
• 2 eggs lightly stirred (you can get away with 1 if that's all you have)
• 1 cup of buttermilk or milk. (To make buttermilk, add a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to a cup of milk, stir well, and let it set for 5 or 10 minutes)
• 1/4 cup of melted butter. that's 4 tablespoons. I use unsalted.
• About a tablespoon of oil or butter for the skillet. (I prefer oil because the butter will brown overheat.)

This is some bean stew with cornbread I made from a coarse grind that I found on Amazon. And it was a really coarsely ground cornmeal!

that's the bottom of the bread that you see

I made this with self-rising
mix a long while back

This is with regular
cornmeal

**NOTE: if you are using self-rising cornmeal, you won't need the ap flour and baking powder. Check the bag of cornmeal for specific instructions. I prefer using plain cornmeal so I don't know much about the self-rising kind.**

1. Preheat the oven to 400
2. Put the skillet on the stovetop with the tablespoon of oil or butter and set to medium-to-high heat **IMPORTANT** The skillet has to get really hot. I let mine get to almost smoking. You will have to keep your eye on it to keep it from burning anything.
3. Add the cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, and baking SODA to the bowl & give it a good stir. (If using honey, add it later with the wet.)
4. Add the milk, eggs, and melted butter. (And the honey, if that's what you are using.)
5. Stir the mixture well.
6. When your oven has reached 400 degrees and your skillet is really hot, add the baking POWDER and stir it in well.
7. Test the skillet with a tiny drop of batter. It should sizzle.
8. Add the batter to the skillet and bake for 20-25 minutes.

The trick to good cornbread is getting that oven preheated and having a really hot skillet.

I like my cornbread to get a slight crack across the top. That tells me that the bread is a good texture for eating with the stew. Some people think that a cracked top is a bad thing but I prefer it.

NOTES:

• You can't keep this stew out on the counter. It has to be refrigerated. Cooked beans can go bad on the counter.
• You can keep the cornbread in a baggie or other container for a couple of days. If you are going to store it for longer, put the baggie in the fridge. If your house is really warm or humid, put the bread in the fridge as soon as it cools.

The best thing about this recipe is that, while it takes a little bit of time to prepare, it can last for days and days in the fridge. Like most seasoned foods, it tastes better every time you heat it to eat it. Also, when you run out of cornbread, you can eat the stew with some cheese melted on top or with a little sour cream. I have eaten the stew with nacho chips or toast.

Of Pots and Pans:

By the way, cast iron skillets don't have to be crazy expensive. I just checked Amazon to see what kind of prices are on them. Found this 10 1/4-inch one for under 20 bucks. This is a great time to shop for them. I think I saw the Dutch ovens and lidded skillets for good prices last season - but you can check the Amazon Warehouse all year long for deals. This Dutch oven is under $30 and this one is the exact same as what I got a long while back. Cast iron cookware is awesome. Learn to take care of them and they last forever.

Peace

--Free