**RECIPE** Chicken Pot Pie (for Dummies like Me)

Okay, folks, this is a recipe that I modified (slightly) from the one found here. I have never, ever made a chicken pot pie - not unless you're counting the ones I get on sale in the Frozen aisle at Walmart, bring home and toss in the microwave...

I really wanted to make a homemade chicken pot pie and I was, for some reason, terrified. When I cook, I usually stick to what I know. I didn't know pot pie.

Now the recipe that I linked to is super easy, but I did make a couple of modifications. Also, I wanted to make suggestions that I think first-timers could use.

INGREDIENTS (Pay attention to the variations!)

• I used a GLASS 8" square pan but you can use a 9" round also
• 1 bowls for the pot pie mixture & another if you're going to use a biscuit mix for the topping 

• 1 can of condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1/2 cup of milk to be used with soup (I used whole fat milk)
• 1/2 cup milk to be used in biscuit mix. (I used 1 box of Jiffy Buttermilk Biscuit mix)
• 1 package thawed frozen mixed veggies (I used an 8 oz pack and added 4 oz thawed spinach)
• 1 cup  chicken or turkey (I chopped up the meat of some leftover chicken breasts I'd cooked the night before)
• 1 egg (this is ONLY if you are going to use a biscuit mix for the topping & not a pie crust)
• 1 cup biscuit baking mix OR 2 pie crusts

NOTE: For those who want, here is recipe for biscuit mix that lets you adjust recipe to different serving sizes.

STEPS: (Read through these BEFORE you start!)

If you are using pie crusts for the bottom, make sure to brown them for a few minutes before adding the filling!

• Heat oven to 400 degrees
• In a medium/large bowl, mix 1/2 cup of milk with the condensed soup and add the veggies and meat. (I also added some turmeric, salt, and pepper to taste).
• If using a biscuit mix, IN A SEPARATE BOWL, add to the dry mix the egg and 1/2 cup of milk. 
• Pour the meat/veggie mix into the pie pan.
• Cover the meat/veggie mix with the biscuit batter or the pie crust.
• If using a biscuit batter topping, make sure to cover the edges and middle of pie. I added a bit more liquid to my batter because it was too thick to spread.
• If using a pie crust topping, dab the top with some melted butter for better browning. Don't forget to knife or fork in a few holes into the pie crust.
• Bake for about 20 minutes or until browned. (Mine took only 17 minutes)

Super easy, right? The one thing that annoyed me when I first read the original recipe is the part about using the biscuit mix and the soup. Your instinct might be to go by the instructions on the labels of those items. DON'T. Just pretend the instructions don't even exist. (And, yes, I was cheap and used store branded soup!)

Keep in mind that this will make enough for at least 4 people. I had so much left over that I ended up sending it home with my brother and his family. Next time, I will try reducing the entire recipe so that I can make a smaller pie. Maybe I can pre-make the filling and make mini-pies throughout the week. 

I love that this recipe was so cheap, easy and quick. Also, clean-up was simple, and the pie...

Oh my goodness! It turned out so tasty. Of course, I couldn't eat it all. I put some away for later and called my brother to come get the rest for his wife and kids. This was about a 9 inch pie and it was perfect for their dinner. After a few bites, I was stuffed. I need to find a way to do smaller servings but I'm not sure how well they will keep for more than a few hours.

Next time, I'm going to do leftover boneless pork. I will probably try adding kale instead of spinach. One thing I noticed is that most of the spinach rose to the tip of the pie!

Some other cooks on the site where I got this recipe said that they added things like shallots and potatoes. For me, I think potatoes would be great if feeding a family, but a bit too much for a single.

One last thing: the next pie I make, I won't be adding a crust to the bottom. Even though it turned out well, it wasn't necessary, in my opinion.

Hope your pie turns out great. Happy noshing!

Peace
--Free

*REVIEW Revisit** DIM (Di-indolyl Methane)

Back in May, when I was still prepping for moving, I started taking this amazing supplement. It's for balancing estrogen levels, but I like to think of it as my "Fatigue Fighter":

Now, usually when I review a product, I'm done and move on. Sometimes, I will go and do a little bit of an in-post update. Rarely, do I return to do an update in a separate post. This time, I just had to.

I was pretty happy with DIM when I first started using it. Like, from the very first day. It's one of the few supplements that I was faithful about taking. I hate pills and tablets and I already have to take enough of them. It's not like I want to add something else to the mix. In this case though, I really feel that these tablets help. DIM gives me added energy (I can always use more of that!) in addition to helping with my depression.

Free of GMOs, gluten, soy & dairy

If you really want to know if a supplement works for you, try running out of it. That's what happened to me.

In the midst of moving from my temporary digs at my brother's place and into my new apartment, I ran out of DIM. I took the last tablet and kept the bottle to remind myself to order more when I could budget for it. To be honest, I didn't think about it again after a few days. I was too busy getting to doctors' appointments, getting utilities set up, and just stocking up on basic household necessities. Like food.

After my last infusion, I felt worse than I ever have after a treatment. Then, when I took my weekly shot at home, I got so sick that I almost wanted to die. Getting slightly sick and extra fatigued is normal after my shot - for a couple of days. This time, I was so nauseous that I got dehydrated. A couple of times, I literally crawled part of the way to the bathroom. It went on for three and half days!

Once the med-sick wore down a bit, I was wiped totally out. Getting to the kitchen to heat up soup in the microwave made me want to nap for a couple of hours. At least the nausea had passed though, I was so happy about that, the fatigue didn't matter as much.

When I got back to "normal", I skipped my next shot. I had so much left to unpack and put away. I managed that, but I was dragging butt the whole time. I'd spend half and hour getting stuff done, then have to rest for an hour.

My nephews were bringing the last of my belongings from their place and when I opened up a bag, the empty DIM bottle rolled out.

To cut to the chase, I had the extra bucks to order another bottle of DIM so I did. With a quickness. I mean, I cut back on some of my grocery spending so that I could afford the DIM. That's how seriously I wanted it because I remembered what it had done for me before.

I am back using the supplement as of today. I didn't get the immediate boost of energy that I did the first time. That was disappointing until I realized that I'm way, way more run down than I have been for a while. Regular fatigue is bad enough, but after moving and still getting settled in (and don't forget what I think of as Hell Week after that infusion), I guess this super fatigue is to be expected. The DIM might take a couple of days to give me a bit of an  energy boost. However, I can tell you that my mood was better today than it has been for a couple of weeks.

Of course, you need to check with your healthcare team to see if this is something you can or should use. I think too many of us who are battling with an illness tend to jump on every supplement band wagon that comes along. We want so desperately to feel better, but we have to be careful we aren't making things worse. Amen?

This, this, THIS!!

This is, I suppose, my report about at least one supplement that not only works for me but that feels necessary. And, yes,
I am going to let my new doctors know about my experience with it - not just because I have to inform them of anything I take anyway, but because it might be something they can look into for other people to use.

Peace
--Free

Do Unto Others...

Someone close to me confided that they dislike another person who is close to me. I've had other friends in my life say this same thing about other people. Here is what I would like to say to anyone having trouble coping with someone in their life:

You don't have to like anyone. No one has to like you. For me, I don't like or love people because they are perfect. I hope that I choose to like and love people (and dislike them), based on their intentions.

If there is someone in my life who wants to be a bad person - or an unkind person - then that's a person I don't like. But if there is someone in my life who has flaws, I learn to like or love that person in spite of their flaws.

I love you because I think that you have a good heart. If I based my feelings about you on how you behave or the things you say, I probably wouldn't like you any more than you like the person you mentioned.

Like I said, I like you. I choose to like or love the people in my life, including you.

I don't like you because we agree on everything - because, of course, we don't. I don't like you because you're perfect - because you are not. There are things about you that I really don't like at all. One of those things is that you can be extremely negative and cranky a lot of the time. But, guess what, I don't think that you act that way just to hurt me or anyone else in your life. That's just part of your personality. You might change over time or you might not. I accept you for who you are right now.

There are other people in my life who have flaws that bother me. I choose to continue liking/loving them anyway. I know that some people have problems that I don't have. I know that some people are dealing with issues that I'm not dealing with. So I choose to accept that and not dislike them for those things.

I put up with some people just because they put up with me.

Someone I used to know had a saying: "I love you, but I don't like you right now." Haven't we all felt that way about someone?

You are right, though, it is hard to like/love some people. What I have learned is that some of the same people who annoy me are the ones who would risk their life to save mine.

Peace
--Free

**RECIPE** Soothing Hot Cocoa

Anyone who reads my blog regularly know that I have a condition that requires me to take certain medicines. One of those medications is a weekly injection that happens to make me dog-sick for about 30 hours. (Yeah, I have actually counted and done an average!)

 A couple of weeks ago, after I got especially med-sick, I decided to put some of my talk about natural products into action. To get my energy up and keep the nausea at bay, I made a cocoa just full of healthy stuff.

Here are the ingredients - along with why I chose them. I have to tell you that I am in love with this cocoa. I have been drinking it the last couple of days just because. I will drink it during the day (instead of coffee), or at nighttime if I feel cold.

I make about a 9 ounce cup of whole fat milk for the beverage  but I will let you come up with your own measurements. It all depends on how bitter or sweet you want your finished product. I like mine on the bitter side so I use about 1.5 Tablespoons of cocoa powder. Every other ingredient amount depends on what mood I am in. Also, I only make my beverage on the stove top. I use a small pan and a whisk on low-to-medium heat. It takes a while and I guess you could heat your milk in the microwave then add the other ingredients, but I like the old-fashioned way.

First, measure out your milk into whatever cup you will drink from. This way you won't make too little or too much. If you don't have a whisk, use a large fork so you don't get clumps of cocoa and cinnamon. Add the dry ingredients to the milk in your pan a little at a time - especially if you are working without a whisk. Whether you use a fork or a whisk, you want to keep stirring while the mixture is on the heat so you don't get that "skin" film right away.

Organic Cocoa Powder 

Cocoa powder has lots of health benefits, but the one I am interested in is that it fights fatigue. Here is just one article discussing the pros. Also, I wanted to include something from WebMD that discusses more benefits and even warnings.

Ceylon Cinnamon

The taste of this is not as "sharp" as regular cinnamon. It's a lot softer so you can use more than you might think.  This explains Ceylon cinnamon basics.

The cinnamon is mostly for the benefits to my mental health. There are other pros to cinnamon, but you have to be watchful. The thing is that there is "good" cinnamon vs the kind with an ingredient that can be damaging. Once I learned that over-indulging in certain types of cinnamon can damage the liver, I started using only Ceylon cinnamon. This is the brand I like and happen to be using.

Blackstrap Molasses

I use this as the sweetener in the cocoa beverage. Sometimes, I use more molasses (just over a half tablespoon)  and don't add any other sugars; sometimes, I add less (around a teaspoon) and include some raw granulated sugar. Depends on my mood.

'Strap is high in iron and calcium. I use the unsulphured molasses and there is a difference between this and the sulphured variety. You will see why I prefer unsulphured. There are tons of benefits, in my opinion, and good nutritional value. One I focus on is that it's a "bone booster".

As much as I raved about this, I stopped using it on a regular basis some months ago. I was getting ready to move and could have used the energy boost but needed more ways to incorporate the molasses into my daily intake. This cocoa is a great way. Also, now that I have a full kitchen to use again, I cook more and like to  sweeten hot cereals and other dishes with the molasses.

(A little mention that, even for people who don't like the taste of molasses straight from the bottle, it's got a really good taste when added to milk and stirred well. That's how I take it when I just want to get a quick dose.)

Organic vanilla extract

I only add a drop or two of this. I don't add it when heating the cocoa, but just drop it in when I'm about to drink up.

Everyone I know loves the flavor of vanilla in some form. Not many people use the actual and real extract or even understand the benefits.

Vanilla extract has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. Those are the two important ones I care about. There are other good reasons to add the extract to this cocoa.

NOTE: Try to rinse out your pan immediately. Milk and cocoa are tough to clean later. I also just add some water to the dirty pan and put it on the still warm stove top until I'm ready to wash it out.

 Peace
--Free

The Beautiful Mattie Powell

When I am heartbroken, my instinct is to write. Today my heart is in pieces.

My mother's best friend (and the woman I claimed as my Godmother) passed away on this past Friday.

Mrs. Mattie Powell ("Miss Mattie" to me) was one of the sweetest and most beautiful women I ever knew. I'm talking beautiful inside and out. My siblings and I always called her "pretty Miss Mattie". You read in fiction about women who only getting more beautiful as they age, but Miss Mattie was the real thing.

Miss Mattie and my mother went through a lot together. I'm not privy to a lot of what they talked about, but I know that my mother (who was a very private woman and who didn't easily use the term "friend") trusted Miss Mattie more than anyone else I knew.

Miss Mattie's husband passed years ago. He had taken such good and loving care of her that, although she worked outside the home, she had never had to drive a car. She didn't like to drive, but she finally had to learn at a later age, it was my brother Chubby who taught her how. She never did like driving but she had the cutest little black and silver PT Cruiser that was perfect for her. The colors matched her hair and I always thought she should have personalized her plates to read "Silver Fox"!

My sister, Mike, adored Miss Mattie, as did we all. After Mama died, Miss Mattie was the one friend of Mama's that Mike held close to. Miss Mattie never called my sister by her nickname "Mike". She had her own nickname for her of "Mikey".

When Mike passed away, Miss Mattie was fighting her own health battles but she came to the service and she spoke. I was in such a daze of grief then, whether people could see it or not, that I barely heard much of what Miss Mattie said. I do remember that she shared how whenever she came to our house to visit, my mother tried to make her eat. If Miss Mattie wasn't hungry right then, Mama would still insist that my sister send her home with something for later. Miss Powell remembered this as my mother always instructing, "Mikey, make Mattie a plate."

Now that my mother, Chubby, "Mikey", and Miss Mattie are gone I can rejoice that they are all in Heaven together. At rest and with no more pain or tears or suffering. That is the only joy I can get out of losing the people I love. Like I said, right now, my heart is in pieces but those broken pieces are in Heaven.

I am praying for her family and know that they will be okay because they had a queen for a mother, as her daughter said, and their mother is with the King of kings now.


Peace
--Free

Online Groceries Shopping: Walmart vs Amazon Pantry

Ever since I even planned to move here to the Lower 48, I thought about doing most of my grocery shopping online. Now that I am here and mostly settled in the new place, I had a chance to try out the online grocery shopping experiment.

For my meats and dairy items, I can walk the block and a half to the little city market. The nearest large grocery store is too far away for me to get there on foot. Even if I could, getting the groceries back would be a hassle. The nearest Walmart is just over 7 miles away in the neighboring town.

I have a Prime account and an online Walmart account. I decided to see which would be most affordable for buying basic household supplies. I'm talking about pantry items (soups and some cooking staples) and things for cleaning and storage. Here is what I ended up listing:

• Paper towels
• Toilet tissue
• Sanitary/feminine hygiene items
• Soup
• Beverages (I like Pellegrino in particular)
• Trash bags and food storage baggies
• Dish soap
• Coffee

Since I wanted to know which online store would be best, I opened carts in both Walmart and Amazon's Prime Pantry and loaded them with almost identical items (brand, size, count, etc), then I compared costs.

Walmart ended up being the most affordable. The item prices were not only cheaper, so was the shipping. With Walmart, I get free shipping on orders of $35 or more. With Amazon's Pantry, things are more complicated. 

Okay. For Prime Pantry, the free shipping is contingent on ordering a certain amount of "qualifying" items. If you don't have 5 or more of the "qualifying" items, the shipping cost is $5.99 per box.

NOTE: straight from Amazon, here is the definition of a Pantry box:

Prime Pantry boxes vary in size and can hold up to 45 pounds. Your order will be packaged in an appropriate-sized box, based on the dimensions and weight of the items. This box could be anything from the size of a shoe box to as large as a suitcase.

That sounds simple enough, and I actually thought it would be easy enough to get at least 5 qualifying items. Uh... Nope. 

As I was filling my cart, there was a little meter showing me my "fill rate". I realized that it is a bit harder to fill a box with qualifying items. Unless I wanted to shop based solely on qualifying items, I was going to be paying that shipping fee.

Let's zoom in on some of that:

Of course, Walmart tends to be cheaper than almost any other retailer. Throw in the free shipping when I order over a certain dollar amount of goods and... Walmart is the winner.

There was another benefit to using Walmart: most of the items ship faster. Maybe because of the location of where they ship from? Also, there is the option of putting together an order for Store Pickup.

Here is my first Walmart order. Total cost for at least a month and a half supply of everything on my list: $70 + tax.

At any rate, I will probably continue to use Walmart for my every-other-month shopping of basics household stuff. I will reserve Amazon for the other Prime items I use. 

Hope this helps anyone who has been thinking of using Amazon or Walmart for basic household shopping needs.

Peace

--Free

**ALERT** Audio & Digital Resources at Local Libraries

Question 1: How many plastic cards are in your purse or wallet?
Question 2: What kind of freebies do those cards offer you?
Question 3:What would you do with a FREE card, no interest rate, and very few limitations?

I'll let you answer the questions later. First, this:

I've posted before about how much I love local libraries and the free resources they offer. I have been listening to audiobooks via my library and Overdrive Media. Thanks to that, I was able to get rid of my Audible membership to give my budget some breathing room. What I didn't know myself until I got here to Iowa is just how much libraries have to offer.

If you have a membership at your local library, please go to their online site and look for the following streaming and digital resources you may have been missing out on:

• Hoopla Digital
• Free music (I've seen Freegal and RB Digital as 2 resources. Your library might have something different.)
• Tumble eBooks for kids
• Digital learning tutorials
• Zinio and/or RB Digital
• One Click Digital

**Those links are for reference only. You should use your free library access if you sign up for any of them.**

I discovered Hoopla and almost lost my mind. For someone who hasn't owned a television for several years, I was so happy to find that I could watch TV shows and movies via a library resource. Listen, I'm not talking stodgy old faded black and white shows from from back when TVs had rabbit ears and theaters featured newsreels. The first movie I watched on Hoopla was Odd Thomas and Freakonomics. So far, I have bookmarked/favorited a few TV shows and some Agatha Christie movies and series.

When I saw this during a Hoopla search, I almost wept:

My beloved Zora! 

So, in spite of all the worst that the internet supplies is balanced out by the access to so much that is beautiful.

If you have not been using your library - maybe because you're not a "book perrson", or you don't have time... - I suggest you start. 

Peace

--Free

**REVIEW** Honeywell Quietset 8-Speed Whole-Room Tower Fan

Don't get me wrong - I love my new state (Iowa), but it is hot and humid!

Thank goodness for a small apartment and affordable electricity. The first week here, I ran the AC constantly. I was doing a first-month test of running the AC on around 75-80 degrees to see just how horrendous the bill would be. When I got nervous about that, I ordered this Honeywell fan to help with the cool-down:

 The fan also comes in white, but the black color works better with the rest of my stuff.

I am SO glad that I got this fan. First of all, it was a great price. Second, I've never had a Honeywell appliance that let me down as far as quality. Third - and most important - this baby works like a dream! I am able to turn my AC to around 90 and use the fan to do the rest of the work.

There is a ceiling fan in the bedroom that works really well. I never turn that bad boy off! The Honeywell travels with me from living room to bedroom. I can set it just outside the kitchen when I am cooking and it cools the whole front area of the apartment. At night, I turn it to the lowest 2 settings and it keeps me comfy while I'm sleeping. I love this fan..

What I like most is that it looks nice. I had to decorate my place on a really tight budget and I didn't want a big old ugly fan sitting out anywhere. This is sleek-looking and very unobtrusive. When I place it in the living room, it doesn't stand out like an eyesore. In the bedroom, it's more noticeable but ~shrug~ it's not ugly so who cares?

Next best thing is that it runs so quietly. There are 8 speeds, running lowest to highest in this order:

• Sleep
• Whisper
• Calm
• White Noise
• Relax
• Refresh
• Cool
• Power Cool

The settings light up in hues of blue when the fan is running. There is a little light switch button that allows you to dim that light. 

There is also a sleep-timer function. You can set the fan to run for 1, 2, 4, or 8 hours. On nights when I go to bed early, I will set the timer for 2 hours because I know the outside temps will start to cool off where I won't need the fan all night.





The fan comes with a remote that will control the Power, Speed, and Oscillation. Because I am a neat freak, I like that the remote tucks away in the back of the fan when not in use.

So, yep, I'm pretty happy with this fan. Like I said, it's helping me cut back on my use of the AC. That's going to save some bucks, I don't care how reasonable the electricity rates are.

Peace
--Free

**Tip** Data Usage Numbers (finding them)

Just a tip for anyone trying to find/track their data usage so they don't go over on their internet plan. Sadly, I only know how to do this in Windows 10, but I'm sure the method is similar for other systems. I got curious about this when I signed up for a 400GB plan at an affordable rate. I have no idea how to visualize what 400GB means for usage. I was wondering if I'd have to give up binge-watching shows on Amazon Prime in order to still be able to surf the net for research and writing. Apparently, a lot of people wonder the same about internet usage and data limits. Last night, I did a little digging around and came up with a way to check on my usage.

The easiest way is to go to the Search Bar and type in "data"or "usage".

The circle is for "Search"

Then you can get to this screen:

Notice you can "View usage details". For me, this is what that page looks like:

By the way, I haven't made much a dent in my usage and I've been sick in bed and binge-watching tons of Youtube and Prime videos. My numbers, if accurate, really surprised me.

Before moving, I shared internet with family or I was with a familiar company local to Anchorage. Coming here and setting up internet limited me to 2 choices. One of those places was going to be a pain to use because of the way the apartment building is wired. I think I got a way better rate by going with Mediacom. (Not thrilled with their customer service, but...).

Of course, I can also sign into my Mediacom account and check usage, but it sure is nice to have backup numbers to compare with. If I start seeing huge discrepancies, then I will know to ask questions.

So, that's it. If any of you know how to check for different systems, be nice and share it with the rest of us.

Peace
--Free

Writing Status & Killing Time

The title of the post should actually be - Writing Status: Holding and Waiting, Not Procrastinating. By the way, excuse any rambling. I'm dealing with some brain fog today. However, to make up for it, I am including links at the bottom of the post. Have fun.


When I posted about getting settled in the apartment, a casual online friend asked if I was now back to working on the book(s).

Well, let's see...

This is my chair and desk.

All. Those. Pieces. Yikes!

As you can see, the chair is assembled - because it was a "Look Ma, no tools required" kind of thing. That desk... I broke down in tears of frustration just trying to identify all the parts and pieces.

Yeah, so, this is my current writing station:

Makeshift desk & my busted computer

At least I put on part of the un-assembled desk to good use.

When I said that I had gotten things in the apartment put together. I meant that I had managed to get myself to put things together enough so that I have somewhere to sit and sleep. For now, I am concentrating on recovering from the move. My energy was at rock-bottom levels for the past couple of weeks. I'm hoping that I'll be feeling better now that I've finally had my (overdue) infusion.
This
Not only do I still need the desk assembled, I have to hunt around for an affordable bedroom dresser. And there are still my unpacked boxes to deal with...

While I'm waiting for my energy to power back up, I have been checking out some great websites.

"Wrote a song about it. Like t'hear it? Here it goes."
In Living Color (David Alan Grier)

• Lifehacker is just fun. It's a nice resource (sometimes) for writers
• WonderHowTo is for when you wonder how to. See what I did there?
• This video/GIF just because it nausates and fascinates me. 
• Unsplash for free photos. I actually just like looking at them, but you are free to use them.
• This is for when I need to let my brain just breathe. Good for when you feel overwhelmed and hyper.
• AlternativeTo is for when you are either broke or cheap and need an alternative to paid apps/programs. Maybe, like me you are both broke and cheap!
• Text Faces is just that. (ᵔᴥᵔ) See?
• Lifewire has the name that makes me think of Motley Crue, but a motto I like: Tech Untangled. 
• CamelCamelCamel is for Amazon addicts (me!) who like to price track (me!)
• WhichBook helps you choose a book to read.
• Have not checked out Instaread yet. Not sure if it will make me happy or sad...
• So, GeoCron is an interactive history atlas.

So, I'm not back working on the writing projects yet. There is no procrastination involved though. Trust me, I can't wait to get back into my writing. When I do, you will hear my whoops of joy!

Peace
--Free

Fatigue & Relief

So I have mostly finished getting set up here in my new town. The apartment is awesome, the neighbors are great, and I only wish I had more energy to get back to the book.

I have had my appointment with my new rheumatologist here. While he does not seem very familiar with sarcoidosis, he is a kind and attentive doctor who seems like he will be watching things carefully. The second time I saw him, I forgot to take my BP meds pre-appointment and ended up spending a few hours in the ER. (See, my other docs knew me well enough. If I forgot my meds, they made sure I took them right away and everything would settle down.) I guess I should be thankful that my new doc refuses to take chances. And I bet I won't ever, EVER forget to take my meds pre-appointment, no matter how early I have to be there.

This weekend is not the best. it would be awesome if I felt better, There is live music at the park that I can hear from my open window; the weather has cooled down to the right side of enjoyable; and I don't have my writing desk set up to do anything yet. I should be strolling down to the green to enjoy the music. Instead, I'm stuck inside, watching videos, reading, and blogging. I'm too drained to make the 2-block walk. Thankfully, I made it to the store earlier this morning before this fatigue sunk in. I'm pretty sure the problem is that I haven't had my regularly scheduled infusion. By the time I get it next week, I will be over 2 weeks behind. I never realized how much the infusions helped some of my symptoms.

I guess that, instead of complaining, I should be talking the positives. After all, even though I can't get to the park, I did make it outside for a while to enjoy the beautiful weather. And it really is a spectacular day out. Just a while ago, I went out and fed bread ends to the birds and squirrels! I'm still fascinated by the little creatures who are so friendly with us humans. Remember the friends I made while in the courtyard at my brother's apartment?




Speaking of peaceful, here is a shot of the very peaceful morning on Main:

That's from when I walked over to pick up some foodstuffs.  For a minute, I wondered if something was wrong, then I remembered. Sunday morning. It was so quiet that all I could hear was bird song. Did I mention that this is a "church" town? Sunday mornings are for worship and family. I think that there are about 4 churches in a 6-block radius of my building!

So, yeah, it sucks that I'm stuck inside on a pretty day but, on the other hand, I could be stuck inside and miserable. All in all, I realized how blessed I am. Hopefully, after the infusion I'll feel so much better.

Once I am feeling a bit more up to speed, I will be getting back to work on the book!

Peace
--Free

Oh, How I LOVE Dollar Stores!

One of the biggest benefits to living in the Lower 48 again is that I have access to all the "dollar" stores.

• Dollar Tree - where everything really is a DOLLAR. (Okay, there is the 7% tax thing, but, hey...)
• Dollar General - lots of premium items and no-name-brand on the cheap
• Family Dollar - same as Dollar General

Of course, I still love Walmart (for the prices, not always for their practices), but I am starting to get the hang of how to use the "dollar" stores to stretch my budget. I call Walmart and "the Dollars" my Top 4. (And I still love you too, Amazon Prime, but a girl has to shop around.)

Some of you might remember the last time I went nuts over these "dollar" stores. And then, there was also the time I had my romance with Big Lots. The nearest Big Lots is about an hour and a half away in Des Moines. No bueno. 

Anyway, I'm happy with having 3 of the "dollar" places along with Walmart. When I had to throw this apartment together, I used my Amazon Prime for about 10% of what I got - the bed being the most important. The rest, I got from the Top 4. 

For people turning up their noses at the Dollars, I say go ahead and burn your money. Of course, like anyone else, I'd rather have the best of the best. But, like most tight-budget folk, I have to o with the best of the cheap. Sometimes, I have found that paying more doesn't always mean getting better.

For instance, I ordered some kitchen towels from a seller on Prime but was really disappointed with the quality. - especially after laundering them... Afterwards, I picked up a couple more items from Dollar Tree. Guess which was the better bargain:

The raggedy-looking towel on the left? Yeah, I paid too much for that... 

The only reason I didn't replace the more expensive towels with something from Dollar Tree is that there were none in the colors I wanted. Yeah, I have this thing for red. I'll be making another trip to the Tree next week.

Basically, I did my entire kitchen - minus the coffee maker - for around $80. That was between shopping sales at Walmart (for the toaster, staples canisters, and some glass bake ware), then hitting all of the Dollars for the rest. I literally got all of my kitchen towels - minus the horrible ones - mixing utensils and bowls, and miscellany for $1.00 - $5.00 each. I even got dust cans for the bath and bedroom from the Dollars. And, of course, I have photographs...

Also got trash bags & plastic storage bags

Paper towels & (name brand) toilet tissue?  From the Dollars. 

Sugar, flour, baking soda? The Dollars

Bleach and laundry soap? Toilet drop-ins and cleanser? The Dollars.

When I "splurged" the other day and bought myself some of those sparkling cider drinks I love. One dollah each.

Now, I'm not saying that everything from the Dollars is great. That's why I do a shopping circuit between the Dollars, Walmart, and Amazon. I am saying that I know people who consider themselves too good for the Dollars. Let me tell you something: even if I were to magically become rich, I'd still bargain shop. It's stupid to spend more money that you have to. If you want to throw money around, why not throw it at a charity or someone in need? 

Anyway. 

I'm pretty much finished with the apartment set-up. The only thing I need - and it's not urgent - are curtains. I'm keeping my eye out for some bargains!

Peace

--Free

Praise the Lord & Pass the Peas!

I'm not trying to be irreverent. I truly am praising the Lord. I have so much to be thankful for that I don't even know where to start. But, since I have internet access again, I will try. LOL

I am thankful for family and friends who love me enough to always be there for me. The first things I decorated my new place with where very meaningful reminders of these folks.

From my brother & sis-in-law
because my name is in it!

From my best sister/friend
because she knows me so
well.

By the way, without all my brothers, I would not have been able to make this life change. They offered money, love, encouragement, and continuing support. Not many people are that blessed here on Earth. To top that, I have a brother in Heaven, waiting for me along with the rest who've gone ahead.

I am thankful that I had such an amazing sister. I miss her everyday, but this huge sunflower reminds me of her. She loved the color yellow, and she was so much like the flower: beautiful, stunning, and shining bright.

God blessed me with a nice home where I can begin healing. Of course, it's decorated like a college dorm room, but, hey - a chick was working on a slim budget! 

Like my life - sparse but beautiful

And, because, I still know how to laugh at just about everything... This here is my shopping helper. Let me tell you how I came to love this cart:

I live in a "seniors" building. I never thought of myself as "senior". Heck, I never accepted being middle-aged! The deal here is, you have to be 55+ to reside in the building. I just slid in. As far as I know, there is one other "silver" woman here; the rest of the tenants are definitely gold (by at least 3 layers or more) and they look at me as if they want to feed me or knit me something. I adore them all. They are some of the liveliest, active, busiest folk I've known in a while! I adore them, but I didn't want to be too much like them. When I noticed that most of them use these wheeled carts for shopping trips, I decided I would never have one of my own. That resolved dissolved the first time I walked a block and a half to the market for groceries. 

I call my cart "Beauty" and I never leave home walking without her!

Look at those sleek lines...

She slides open and shut

 Beauty rolls like a dream. Curbs, gravel, little bumps in the sidewalk mean nothing to her! She is perfect for getting things home and into the apartment. And, to tell the whole truth, she gives me something to hold on to when my balance is off.

So, yeah, I have plenty to be thankful for. Of course, I'm still adjusting to a new routine and my surroundings. I'm glad to be near family and to be making some new acquaintances (I have enough friends!).

I'm going to sign off now so that I can go praise the Lord some more. I just can't stop thanking Him for keeping me through such tough times.


Peace
--Free

New Home & New Beginnings

Well, folks, this life changing move of mine just got real. I got into the apartment building that I so badly wanted.

When I lost my sister, I went through such a dark time. I didn't know what I needed to get out of that misery, but I tried looking. Turns out it wasn't a person or a situation. It was a place. This place that I am in.

I never had a doubt that God was going to bless me with what I needed but, this time, what I needed just happened to also be what I wanted. That doesn't happen very often.

This is just a post to give thanks to God and to the people he put in my life. Peoplake who prayed for me when I was so depressed the past couple of years. People who gave to me when they didn't have to. People who just let me drench their shoulders with my tears when I needed.

I'm thankful to my family who supported me and helped me along the way. I am truly blessed - not just in good times but also in times of sadness.

Peace
--Free

My (New) Life Adjustment

Living with a disability is challenging in ways other people understand and in ways they don't. Living with an invisible disability has its own special challenges. I like a challenge. Most times.

I have learned various "workarounds" to deal with my cognitive and physical problems. As a matter of fact, I don't even like calling my issues "problems" Let's just call them challenges.

My physical challenges are easier to deal with. I know what I can and can no longer do. The new twist to this is that I have recently relocated to another state and will, for the first time in almost 8 years, be living on my own. When I lived in a household with a roommate or family, I had a lot more support for daily living obstacles that I never really thought much about. Now that I am looking for an apartment here in my new town, I am forced to consider a variety of challenges from new angles.

Getting out and around is going to work differently. When I was living in Anchorage, I knew the streets and basic locations of my personal "landmarks". Because my brain seems to work strangely, there were times when even driving to the most familiar of places (think Walmart on the other side of town) required orienting myself before starting the trip. On a good day, this only required plotting out the route in my head (Get on Old Seward, head towards the church, turn left onto Lake Otis, head down Tudor., etc.) and along the way, I'd make sure to keep track of where I was so I didn't get off route (going past my doctor's office meant I'd missed my turn onto Tudor). On a great day, I didn't miss any turns and have to re-route myself.

Other people are able to use their Google Maps navigation. I can do that too except I might have to pull over to pay attention to the directions because it's hard for me to listen to the instructions while actually driving. Crazy, I know. It's also a little embarrassing. So I find it easier to "self-plot" routes.

Also, I could understand North from South and East from West. Of course. I'd lived in Anchorage for most of my adult life.

Now that I am here in my new town (thankfully a very small town!), I am staying with family while I wait for my application to go through on an apartment. My brother and sister and law have told me that I am more than welcome to use their vehicle anytime I want. I've told them they might want to reconsider that offer. If you think it's embarrassing losing my way in a town I spent over 50 years in, just imagine getting lost in a tiny spot where nothing is more than 5 minutes away from anything else.

Out of my price range for 3 lifetimes!

Yesterday while riding around with my nephew (who has a learner's permit and must be accompanied by a licensed driver), he realized that he had a band practice. He wanted to know if I could drop him off at his school and make my way home okay.

Uh... Probably not. Not only was I still recovering from a weekly medication, but I was just a little bit lost. I had a vague idea of which direction home was, but I wasn't completely sure. So we ended up going home and getting my other nephew (also in possession of only a learner's permit) to do the drop-off.

I can't describe how frustrating this all is. Pre-Slip, I would have been able to make my way around this town on the first day here. Knowing where I was wouldn't matter because I'd have been able to reason out the directions by following a grid or just finding my way back to the street my family lives on. I no longer have that ability or confidence. I've got memories of once getting lost and having a mild panic/anxiety attack while on my way to a doctors appointment. The same doctor in the same location I've been going to for years!

So.

This is where I want to live
Not exciting, but location is everything

I've decided that I probably will not own a car again until I get better. The apartment that I am applying to live in is income restricted and for seniors only. It's situated beautifully in the most convenient downtown location - close to shopping, banking, and leisure. Thank Jesus and please pray that I get in. Half my stress about living solo will be erased if I can get a spot in that building. I won't have to depend on having a car to do most of my necessary business and it will be hard to get lost if I leave my apartment.

Should I have to move into my second or third choice of an apartment, I will be out of walking distance to grocery stores and my bank. That means I will need to rely on family or the special transportation provided for people like myself. Or that I will have to get a car.

Managing daily living is going to also be easier should I get the apartment I prefer. Because shopping is closer, I will be able to get groceries and other necessities at my own pace. Being able to buy as I need things (versus stocking up) will be easier on my budget. The biggest plus is that I will be getting regular exercise in small, daily doses. Even when my balance is off, I can manage short distances. Back in Anchorage, there was no need even thinking about walking to the grocery store - too far away and the route isn't pedestrian-friendly - and the closest convenience store is too pricey. Here, there is a discount grocery literally around the corner from where the apartment is. The bank I joined is directly across the street, there is a Woolworth-type mercantile a block away, and I the streets are very pedestrian-friendly - even for the elderly and physically challenged. There's even a library and church within walking distance.

Praying, dealing with it all, and just living are my immediate goals. Yes, I am out of my routine of many years, but I want to focus on getting healthy and whole again. I want to enjoy this journey - no matter how rocky and precarious it can sometimes be. All that means is that I have to be life-adjustment ready. I am. With God's help, I truly am.

Peace
--Free

AT&T Their Trek 2HD and Their Online Reps

~sigh~

It's been a rough couple of days trying to get my phone ordered. The highs and lows have been ridiculous. Before I do this device review, let me just do a quick rundown of the valley-and-peak situation that led to me getting to try it out. (Oh, and I am talking about the AT&T Trek 2HD tablet, btw.)

My Note, which has been acting like a pre-pubescent child for weeks, finally hit puberty and went completely nuts on me. Basically, the dang thing bricked out. When I checked, I heard that the Note 8 is probably not coming out until September. That just won't do. I love the Note, but I need a phone now.

1. I went online to upgrade to the Galaxy S8 Plus, which I've heard nothing about but the best things.
2. That went well at first, but there were some glitches so I signed into the Help/Chat function to expedite things. (I was having a sarc-rage morning.)
3. First chat rep ("Steve") is ever so happy to help me. He tells me that there is a promotion going on where I can not only get my much-needed phone, but I can also get the Galaxy Tab E and - yes, and - the Gear S2 watch. Wonderful. (I think the word I used in the chat was "Wowza".)
4. "Steve" gives me the news that I cannot add the bonus items using my old grandfathered unlimited plan. I have to change to the Unlimited 3GB plan. Fine. I was going to eventually have to make a change. I do mention a concern about my budget and ask for a moment to do some math. Being helpful (or so I thought), "Steve" gives me a very precise amount of what my new monthly charges will be with all 3 devices on this new plan. And I mean he was specific down to a penny. I do some budget math and decide I can afford that amount. So "Steve" puts things in motion and we then move on to the devices I want.
5. I should have known something was off when "Steve" processed the order for the tablet before doing anything about the phone. But he seems a nice enough guy and, like I said, I was having a bad day of the brain.
6. Tablet is ordered and confirmed. At this point (another oddity), "Steve" says that he needs to pass me on to another rep to complete the rest of the order. Ohhhh-kay...
7. Now I am dealing with "James" and he needs a moment to look at the what "Steve" has done to this point. We eventually discuss how excited I am to be getting my 2 freebies, how glad I am to be getting a new phone, etcetera.
8. It's not until "James" mentions that the tablet and watch will not be part of my order that I realize that something is seriously wrong.
9. (Let me stop here to mention that, because of my poor brain function, I tend to take meticulous notes about business transactions if I don't have a trusted witness. In this case, I was constantly printing the Chat record to a PDF file. Just in case.)
10. I begin to remind "James" of portions of "Steve's" offers. Actually, what I did was to copy/paste those portions of the chat back in so that "James" could see them.
11. "James" got so frustrated that I wasn't okay with not getting what "Steve" promised (he kept trying to convince me that I was misunderstanding something) that he turned me over to Chat with a 'supervisor'. So, now I am chatting with "Leo". Great. I'm on my third rep and I've been in this chat for at least an hour and a half.
12. "Leo" also tries to convince me that I am misunderstanding what I can get with the promotion. I remind him of "Steve's" offers and of how specific he was even about what my new monthly cost would be. 
13. Finally, I tell "Leo" that I would rather go into a store and deal with reps face-to-face because he and the other reps have me so confused I can't tell what's going on. They have changed my plan, begin shipment of a tablet to me here in Iowa, and I still have no phone.The phone upgrade is what I came for - so why do I have a tablet and no phone?! I tell "Leo" that I not only will go into a store for service on the matter, but I will be taking a copy of the Chat record. At that point, he pretty much starts "taking the5th". I don't blame him at all.
14. Hilariously, before we end the Chat, "Leo" goes back on script and wants to tell me what a pleasure it's been to serve me. And he finishes by wanting to know if there is anything else he can do for me today. My response (after I finished LOL'ing myself into a stomach ache): "Seriously???"
15. I went to the nearest AT&T store (which happens not to be a corporate store, by the way) and the young woman there fixed my problem inside of 15 minutes. She's personally going into a store in the next town to pick up my phone and watch, then call me to pick it up. That would be quicker than waiting for mail delivery. Oh, and I left with a tablet in hand.

Okay. Now, this is where I can begin the review of the Trek. I got the Trek instead of the Galaxy because of the personal opinion/recommendation of the young woman who so beautifully fixed the mess that those other folks caused. 

About this Trek, where do I start? Maybe with the Pros first:

• It's very sturdy and well-built. I think it's a tough little device that would last a long time.
• The display is pretty - though I will have more to say about that in a moment.
• It's easy to set up and use.
• Battery life is great.

The Cons? Unfortunately, there are more of these than of the Pros:

• It's not a Samsung, for one thing. I love the Samsung brand and very rarely step away from it. That makes any other device hard for me to get used to. So, this one is totally on me.
• It's not as user-friendly as Samsung devices. Again, that might be because of what I'm used to. (And ,my brain doesn't adapt well to new things.)
• The display is nowhere near as crisp and red apple-delicious as a Samsung - any Samsung.
• The built-in functions are not familiar or comfortable for me.
• The USB is not compatible for anything else I own.

Basically, I realize that I am a Samsung loyalist. It's the brand I have used for my devices for years and it feels familiar to me. I don't like change.

I'm rushing back to the store tomorrow to give this thing back and get the Samsung. With that device, I will feel like I know what I'm doing. I have never had the watch, but it's also a Samsung.

That will make me happy.  

Peace

--Free

**REVIEW** Under Armour Shoes

As I have said over and over again, I have bad feet. My problem is that, when I gained all that prednisone weight, my feet went flat. Flat feet + poor balance = calluses. Calluses on the soles of the feet and toes make for very uncomfortable walking.

Because my balance has not improved (and my feet are still flat), getting rid of the calluses is only ever a temporary solution. I have tried every kind of insole that I could find anywhere. Some work better than others, but none really alleviated the pain. I have bought (and received gifts of) shoes that were supposed to be ultra comfortable. Nothing ever worked well enough (or long enough) to help.

When I was getting ready to leave Alaska, one of my "play" nephews wanted to give me an early birthday gift. He ordered shoes and had them delivered to my destination. Let me tell you what... I love these shoes so much that I have since ordered an additional 2 pairs. I am going to throw out/give away every other shoe I own. These are the shoes that I have been using all this first week in my new location:

They are actually a much darker pink & look better than the photo

That's the Women's Charged Bandit 2 Cross-Country Running Shoe by Under Armour.

For the first time in probably 4 years, I have been able to walk comfortably and for long periods without worrying about my feet. And this first week here has been the perfect test. I've been walking a minimum of 5 miles a day - before noon. In 6 days' time, I have been apartment hunting (and just finished the looong process of applying for the one I want), changed over most of my medical arrangements, and opened a local bank account.

My feet have not felt this good since I first got sick. I might not be able to do anything about my general fatigue, brain fog, or other general medical symptoms, but I can now be happy about my feet.

These shoes are so amazing. Just to look at them, you wouldn't think they were any different from most other good brands of shoes. The one thing that tipped me off that they might be something special is this part around the back:

That little rubberized piece of bracing gives great support, but it mostly just looks great. I figure that adding that touch meant the manufacturer cares about details.

The inside of the shoe doesn't look all that special but, boy... when I put it on and took that first step, I thought I might be dreaming. Still, I wasn't convinced. I put on both shoes and went for a walk around the courtyard of my brother's apartment. Now I was convinced.

I don't just like (or even love) these shoes, I need them. The apartment that I am applying to live in is in such a prime location downtown that most of my shopping and other business needs are within a few blocks. The bank that I joined is right across the street; the Woolworth-type mercantile store is a block and a half up the street one way while the library is the same distance in the opposite direction, and part of the lake/park area is about four blocks straight ahead. Oh, and there is even a small neighborhood discount grocery store nearby. Perfect, right? Since I don't have a vehicle yet and don't plan on getting one anytime soon, I want to take advantage of my surroundings.That means walking most places. The walking will also please my doctors.

I've been wanting to get more exercise and walking is the easiest (and cheapest) way. In Anchorage, this was not something that I liked to do - too much anxiety, traffic, crime, and stray animals. Here in my new town, the pace is slower. That apartment building is my dream location because it makes me feel like I can fully enjoy my surroundings.

These shoes... Man. I am so happy with them. I even splurged a little and ordered a second pair of the sneakers and a pair of the slip-ons for getting around the inside of the building.

(Can you tell how excited I am to be here in this place?)

So, yes, I am going to be telling every single person I know about this brand. If you have been trying to use insoles and other temporary measures to get relief, you must try Under Armour. I don't think I want to ever own another brand and I will forever be thankful to Randy for such a lovely gift.

Peace
--Free