**Cross Post** Jesus' Love Is Not Approval

**I first posted this on Free and Faith but it's important enough to me that I want to post it here also**

People are celebrating Christmas this morning.

(By the way, I no longer make a big deal out of Christmas. I exchange gifts with loved ones - as we do all year round - and I do respond to wishes of good tidings. So I hope everyone has had a wonderful time with family and friends this day.)

Now. I have a bone to pick with a tweet I saw this morning. I went on to Twitter to send a message to the support team for an appliance I have and I happened to see this tweet from David Corn in my feed:

That looks like a nice and positive message for the day that some people choose to celebrate the birth of Jesus. (Or for the day that a lot of us choose as a reason to go consumer-crazy.) 

The problem I have with that message is that it is all kinds of shady and misleading. Let's take a look at some of the shade being thrown.

First and foremost, the message implies that followers of Jesus (you know, Christians) are nothing like Jesus because... we follow the teachings of the Bible? It's as if we are being shamed for holding a set of beliefs that come directly from the Bible.

All of this part is true about Jesus. It's also true of many Christians today. Many.

But it makes it sound as if Christians today (or at least the ones Mr. Corn knows of?) would never be seen hanging around with "lepers, hookers, and crooks". He doesn't acknowledge the Christians who spend time working with those who are outcasts (because of illness, deformity, or otherwise), working the streets, or in jail.

Then there is this part:

Jesus was not anti-wealth. It isn't being wealthy that Jesus has a problem with. He just does not want wealth to come between man and salvation. We are not to put wealth above all. 

Because Jesus is not only the Son of God but God Himself, he was not anti-death penalty. He believed in punishment, he just did not want the condemned to die unsaved and unrepentant. 

He was certainly not anti-public prayer, he just did not want man using prayer to call attention to himself by trying to look holy and pious versus being holy and pious. Our prayers are for and to Jesus, not for the approval or admiration of others.

As far as the "anti-gay" mention, Jesus was never against any sinner - gay or otherwise. If the Lord is against sinners, he would be against me. His problem is with sin. 

Remember that Jesus is not just the Son of God but God Himself. God is anti-homosexuality - not anti-homosexual (or anti-liar, anti-thief, etc.). God made man and woman for each other and to procreate together. Man with a man or woman with a woman cannot procreate. I would not be here, you would not be here in that case. (Of course, now science is creating life from life without the need for male-female interaction. But they have not and cannot create life from nothing as God did.)

On the abortion issue, Jesus (God) saw life as it began at conception and, in fact, knew us before we were born, as mentioned in Psalms and elsewhere in Scripture. Taking life before a child is born is murder. 

I'm pretty sure Jesus (God) is not good with the abortion of the unborn child - unwanted or inconvenient - any more than he would be with the abortion/killing of the unwanted or inconvenient child already delivered.

And the birth control? Well, that comes back to the issue of procreation. We use birth control so that we can have the joy of sex without the inconvenience of pregnancy. Aren't we picky? 

This last one was the slickest one of the lot:

No, Jesus most certainly did not "slut-shame". He did, however, tell us to "go and sin no more". 

Listen. God (the Son, the Father, and the Holy Spirit) is not the who or what, or why that we sometimes want Him to be. He is who He is. We either chose to follow the Son or not. We can't choose which of his teachings to follow. We can't twist his teachings to fit our desires. (Well, we can if we want to, but we aren't fooling the Lord.)

I might be wrong but I don't think that Mr. Corn was trying to point out the goodness of Christ so much as he was trying to make Christ's followers look or feel bad. I think that what Mr. Corn might be trying to say is that we all need to be better people. I agree with that. I pray every day for the Lord to "create in me a clean heart" and to "renew a right spirit in me".  There are days when I am a disappointment to myself. I can be horribly judgemental and wrong-minded. I tell people that I am a work in progress. We all are, I think.

We Christians are not all walking as Christ would want us to but we are individuals. It's not fair to lump all of us in with the worst of us. It's also not fair to try tarnishing Christianity by holding every "bad" thing about it up against your personal ideals. 

I am not Christ. I am his follower. I try to live more by his rules than I do by any other. Being a "good" person doesn't make me a Christian. Being a Christian assures my salvation. It doesn't ensure that I will always be nice, kind, understanding, etc. Ask any of my family or friends or go read some of my blog posts.

By the way, although Christ loves all of us, and doesn't push any of us away because of our sins, he does not condone sin. He forgives them. But to be forgiven, we have to acknowledge that we need forgiveness. One cannot ask forgiveness for things they don't believe is sinful. 

One cannot happily, readily, purposefully, and - most importantly - unrepentantly indulge in sinful things and want forgiveness. That makes no sense. Either we want the sin or we want the forgiveness. 

Now, I am not a theologian, Bible scholar, or any kind of an expert in debate. As a matter of fact, I struggle with an illness that affects my cognitive abilities. I am just a Christian. I am sure that someone could find a better way to get across what I am trying to in this post. I just had to address Mr. Corn's tweet. I hope that he does not think I am attacking him. I think that he has a good heart. But I did have to respond in some way to his post on Twitter.

Peace

--Free

A Power Outage Made Me Rethink My Midwest Life

 When I first moved to Iowa just over 4 years ago, I thought a lot about the probable pros and cons of leaving Alaska.

Pros:

• Not being so isolated from family in the Lower 48.
• Being able to take day trips to other states and climates.
• Cheaper costs of rent, shopping, groceries.

• More stores choices.
• Shippers not treating (or charging) me as if they had to hire wagon trains to deliver goods to my home.
• Wider proximity away from crime-addled areas.
• Having more seasons than those of "mostly light all the time" and "mostly dark all the time" or "Winter", "Almost Winter", "20 Days of Summer".
• Roads without potholes the size of my car.
• No more cottonwood allergies or running from mosquitos big enough to carry off small children and pets.
• Being able to go comfortably sleeveless for more than 30 days of the year.

Cons:

• Being away from my niece still living in Alaska.
• Not being surrounded by the natural beauty of Alaska.
• Missing the friendly people.
• Not being "just down the way" from almost everything and everyone.
• Not being able to make store runs 1 in the morning in the full light of the "midnight sun".
• No more weekends sitting around a fire pit with family and friends all night, talking about why I don't fish, hunt, ski or pick berries - but like having the choices.
• Not being 6 degrees of knowing almost everyone in every store or supermarket.
• Just not being in the place I've called home for almost all of my life.
• The possibility of seeing insects and critters I don't like. I'm used to seeing a moose on the loose. I can handle some small bugs, but I will move house the first time I see a snake.

In reality, I have realized things after making the move that I never expected.

• How I miss the sweet, clear water-from-the-faucet of Anchorage. The tap water here is so awful that I have to budget for buying or filtering it. I won't even water my plants with what comes out of the tap.
• It's so hard to find affordable and not-farmed fish and seafood here. I never knew how much I loved salmon, trout, and crab until I couldn't afford it without taking out a personal loan.
• Worse than with the seafood, I miss the variety of dining. I have not seen an Indian, Japanese, or Thai restaurant within a 15-mile radius of my home. There is a Chinese restaurant that everyone raves about but only because they have never had food from Golden Gate. My best choice is to go to the Panda Express in the town next door. 
• In fact, there is very little racial diversity. I have not found my New Sagaya, Stop and Shop Asain Market, Korean or Indian Grocery, or Mountain View Red Apple Grocery. And no Natural Pantry for my hippie food moods. Thank goodness Walmart carries collard greens and smoked neckbones at least.
• My family can buy tickets for me to visit them for less than the cost and time of shipping furniture to Alaska. On the other hand...
• ... Getting to and from the airport can involve a road trip and a possible overnight stay at a motel.
• Midwest people are so friendly, I think they would be Alaskans in another life.
• I do love my small-town life. The calm and quiet make up for most of what I miss about Alaska. Not all, but most.

So why am I about to whine? Well, with all the thought I put into being able to enjoy actual seasons, I forgot about one thing: the storms.

Oh, yes, Dorothy. We aren't in Kansas but we are close enough.

My SIL was laughing at the time but...

I took that photo a couple of years ago when my Arizona family was visiting. My SIL thought it was funny and I assured her that I had not yet ever had a tornado scare. And I hadn't. Not then. But last night...

When the tornado devastated parts of Kentucky recently, I prayed for the people. But I wasn't thinking that Kentucky is just 11 hours from here. So, basically, we are storm neighbors. Maybe?

Last night about 6 or 6:30, I heard a faint siren. Didn't think anything of it. I was just finishing dinner in front of the TV and waiting for the next Netflix episode of "Supergirl" to run. Then my phone made that nerve-jangling noise that happens for Amber alerts and... storm alerts. Now that siren made sense.

Thankfully, I had not taken my weekly meds yet so I wasn't feeling sick. I was also having a decent brain day so I was fairly lucid. I went into preparation mode and started getting ready for a power outage. We have those quite often here.

I plugged in my cellphone to charge up. I also started charging my phone's backup battery case and my laptop. And I started downloading some "Supergirl" episodes onto my Netflix desktop app.  Because, you know, I was in the middle of a binge. (Thank you, Arizona niece for giving me a Netflix sub!)

Being here in Iowa for less than 5 years and I've experienced enough outages to know what to expect of a regular storm. 

I turned my fridge up to get it as cold as possible and I made and bagged up some PB&J sandwiches to keep on the counter. I set out my little flashlight on the counter, turned up the thermostat, checked my bottled water supply, and made a pot of coffee to put in a thermos.

By the time the power did go down an hour later, I was set for the evening. Normally the power outages last about 3 to 4 hours here - maybe 5. The apartment has a backup to keep the hallway lights on and we always have heat in the common areas.  My neighbors treat outages as a chance to get together in the common rooms and chitter-chatter.

Half an hour into the outage, I could hear my neighbors congregating in the hallway. That was new. Generally, they stay up front in the lounge area... ~shrug~ 

I heard them talking and laughing and passing snacks around. I propped my front door open a bit to let in some light and hunkered down in my bed with the computer and Netflix. With my laptop in battery-saver mode, I could get in at least two hours of "Supergirl" before I had to shut it down and have some power left for later.

An hour later, the neighbors quieted down. I guessed they had gone back into their apartments. An hour after that, I turned off the computer and waited for the power to come back on. 

At about a quarter to nine, one of my neighbors called into my door asking if I was alright. I called back that I was and she said to make sure to come into the hallway if I heard the siren again. I called "Okay" then sat up in bed.

Wait. What?

I ran out and asked what she meant. She said that the safest place to be in our building during a possible tornado was the hallway. Not only was it the most reinforced part of the building, but it would be faster from there to the shelters down the street.

What?

Yeah. The older neighbors living on the upper floors of the building were being helped downstairs by others (the elevator was out with the power), just in case.

What, Dorothy?!?!?

I went back into my apartment and started putting together a go-bag faster than the feds on "Criminal Minds".  I put in my laptop, phone and chargers, my wallet, and my medicine kit in my backpack. I added the only cash I had on hand -10 dollars in quarters for laundry - some bottled water and the sandwiches. I put the backpack by the door with my coat. I put on some shoes and went to help with getting people down the stairs. Then I went into my apartment and sat on my bed, praying for everyone and waiting for the end of the world.

Get yours here

Okay, so I might have overreacted. 

The storm quickly subsided enough that the word went around the building that we could relax. The power was being worked on and some neighboring buildings had lights working.

I didn't relax though. I got busy using the light from the hallway to write out a list of things I need to have ready for the next storm a better flashlight, another battery backup for my phone, and one for my laptop. A permanent go-bag with some cash and extra meds.  I called my brother (who had been trying to call me) and let him know I was okay. They live less than 20 miles away and their weather was way calmer - no outages or warnings. He was in his garage, smoking some meats. He wanted to come and get me but I pretended to be brave and said I'd call if I needed him.

When something like that happens, you start thinking about just how unprepared you are. I couldn't help thinking about things like how did I have enough meds and syringes on hand in case of a long-term emergency. And what would I want to take with me if I could only carry a backpack at the last minute?

I finally managed to calm down enough to lay down in bed (fully clothed and shoes on) and wait for the power in our building to come back on. I woke up to the ceiling light shining down on me. It was 1 in the morning and the building was very quiet. 

After thanking God for getting us all safely through the storm. I went straight online to order a flashlight, another phone backup charger, and to look for an affordable charger for my laptop. 

I found most of what I needed. I will have to cut back on food and any extras for the next couple of months, but I should be better prepared for the next outage.

Now that I am finished ranting, I want to tell you that I will be reviewing the lights and phone backups at a later time.

Peace

--Free

**UPDATE** **UPDATE 2** Y'all, My Instant Pot Died!

*****************

Update 2: The Biggie!

Now I am upset for real.

Everything I saw online about the C6 error - and Instant Brands didn't dispute it - said it was fatal. Unfixable. Toss out your appliance.

Guess what?

Apparently, on some machines at least, the error is fixable. If you are at all handy (or know someone who is). I watched this video where the guy opened up the panel, adjusted the sensor with his finger, closed the panel, and - voila! - his appliance worked again.

What? WHAT???????

Yeah so. 

Now, I am not telling anyone to do this - for the same reason Instant Brand probably doesn't: I don't want to be liable. However, I do wish I had found that video before. You can find it on YouTube. 

Just saying.

*******************

Yes, folks, it does happen, apparently...

RIP Izzy Poo

My beloved Instant Pot died yesterday. I am so sad. And annoyed. It didn't break. It just threw up gang signs and died. And this is what a dead Instant Pot looks like, apparently:

What???

I had finished cooking some rice earlier in the day for lunch. Later on, I decided to fix some beans to put up for the next day. I cleaned the inner pot and plugged in the Instant Pot back in and - it was like a bunch of bright, flashing Times Square "Nopes".

It took me three tries - unplugging and re-plugging it - to realize that this problem was not going away. The third try is when I noticed the code - 

A "C6" error
not good

The first thing I did was find Instant Pot online and request some help. The next thing I did was ask Google if anyone else had experienced the same problem. Answer: Yep, you bet.

The first link that popped up was for Honest & Truly with this heading: "What To Do When Your Instant Pot Has A C6 Error". Maybe I should have started here? Maybe I can fix this situation?

Uh, that's a no. This is the very bad news I read on Honest & Truly:

"What is the Instant Pot C6 error?This means you have a faulty pressure sensor. Your Instant Pot can’t recover. This is a an error you can’t fix, but stop your tears."

Too late to stop the tears. The last few weeks have been pretty awful - my favorite Iowa doctor suddenly had to move away; I broke the seal on my favorite coffee mug; I have a knot on my head from when I fell against the door the other day; I've gained three pounds for some crazy unknown reason, and on top of all that. I'm scheduled to go in for a colonoscopy two days before Christmas. Yeah. 

Luckily, Honest & Truly had some good news right after the bad:

"You may be ok. First, don’t throw away your Instant Pot. Yet. This is a manufacturer’s defect, not something you did."

Oh, thank you, Jesus!

I had already done the right thing by contacting Instant Pot. They got back to me pretty quickly and, just as Honest & Truly predicted, they wanted some photos. I sent them a photo of the Amazon order details, the silver label from the back of the machine, and the heating element inside the pot.  

I've sent all this off and hope that I hear something back soon. My only concern is that my pot is from 2018 and they might try to use that as a reason not to help. I sure hope not. When I priced Instant Pots today on Amazon, they are running 10 and 20 dollars more than the 2018 price. And mine was a gift. (Well, the 6-qt was a gift that I returned and replaced with the 8-qt.)

Now, I do feel a little first-world-whiney for complaining about this. When my family asked what I wanted for Christmas 2021, I chose this:

7 In 1 Toaster Oven Oilless Cooker Fryer

I asked for it because I wanted an air fryer but don't like the small capacity of most I've seen and I didn't want to ask for anything super expensive. I had an air fryer once that was too heavy in weight and too small in capacity. And it was a one-trick pony. The Homuz is roomy (23-qt) and weighs just over 12 pounds.

Another thing I like is that, in between uses, I can stow this in the little bookcase storage setup I put together last month. Space is at a premium in this tiny apartment!

saves SO much room 
in the kitchen

The first thing that caught my eye was the whole "7-in-1" highlight. A 7-trick pony? I can deal with 12 pounds for a multi-use appliance.

I like the idea of having so much more room in which to air fry things. Also, I cannot wait to do a small whole roast chicken in it. And there are times when I will be able to multi-task - using my regular oven to bake a cake or using my Dutch oven while I use the Homuz to fix other things. Another plus is being able to see the food I'm cooking. My oven doesn't have a glass door. And being able to keep food warm without running the oven. And roasting nuts and...

Yeah, I'm pretty excited about this year's gift. And I wonder if my Instant Pot didn't get a little bit jealous...

That's what I told my niece. I was on the phone with her when the Instant Pot blitzed out. She reminded me that I could have asked for a Ninja version of the Instant Pot this year. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But, honestly, I'm really happy that I've picked the Homuz. Send up some prayers for me that I'm not getting a lemon!

So, yeah. I shouldn't be such a whiny baby about the Instant Pot. But I do love that thing. After all, the Homuz won't pressure cook my rice, beans, and greens, will it?

I will update here when I find out more about the Instant Pot situation. And you know I surely will do a review on the Homuz!

Peace

-Free 

P.S.: I will be going back over to the Honest & Truly site to check out some of the recipes. 

UPDATE: 

Okay, so "Instant Brands Customer Care" person got back to me rather quickly, as you know. I sent them the requested photos and they sent me their reply:

"Your unit is not functioning as intended and we are pleased to offer you a 20% discount on a replacement of your choice as it appears that your unit has passed the standard 1-year manufacturer's warranty." (my emphasis)

"Not functioning as intended"? Uh, yeah, that's why I was contacting them in the first place. 

They gave me the 20% discount code - and okay, they didn't have to give me anything, I guess - but the code only works ordering from their online store. And it appears to only be good until December 21st. 

I pointed out that a 20% discount is nice but that I would have to spend it back on an extended warranty - you know, since their pots can't be counted on to last more than a few years. (I didn't add that last part in my response). 

They responded that they "understand the frustration." But slid right on to "Should you decide on the discount code in the future, please do not hesitate to email us back and we would be more than happy to help and assist you."

In other words, so sad, too bad.

by the way, anyone who got this far: the first one of you to email me can have the code. 

Yeah, so, I will not be buying another Instant Pot. Ever. As a matter of fact, I learned a valuable lesson - other than that Instant Pot Brand doesn't stand behind their product for longer than a year. That lesson?

I don't need an Instant Pot!!!

Not to cook beans, soup, greens, etc. There are, after all, other pressure cookers out there. Not only is Instant Pot not the end-all, be-all, but they are kinda overpriced for something that might not last longer than a few years. If you buy one, you better tack on the price of an extra warranty.

True story: for about 70 bucks (including a 4-yr warranty and tax), I got this for Christmas:

Crock-pot 2109296 Express Pressure Cooker, 6-Quart, Stainless Steel

It does pretty much everything that the IP does and I prefer the oval shape. To be honest, at this point, I would rather have anything but an Instant Pot. Crock-Pot is a more established brand. I have a small $10 Crock-Pot slow cooker that has lasted for about 7 years. I've packed that thing from Alaska to here and it still works like new. I also like almost everything I've read about this little cooker. Yes, I did go smaller (from 8 quarts to 6) but I will now have my Christmas gift of the Fryer/oven so I don't mind. I will be able to cook my beans and rice and greens and, oh my.

The bottom line is, I think I got caught up in the Instant Pot rave back in 2018. After the bad experience with the durability of mine, it was good to take a look at other brands. I did look at Presto, Go Wise, Hamilton Beach, and some others, but I wanted to stay in a lower-price range and with a more established brand. Crock-Pot's parent company is Sunbeam so, yeah.

Of course, I will review the Crock-Pot when I have gotten it and had a chance to review it. My second choice, should I return it will be the one from Presto, most likely.

Bra Shopping Nightmares & Horrors

 Shopping for a bra is one of my life's most stressful situations. When I find a good bra, I will go broke trying to buy enough to last for years. I hate it that much. 

Recently, I had to look into getting some new bras. Since I am shopping online for them at this point, I decided to try one at a time before committing to a whole stash. I've tried 2. One went back so fast, the mailman was still delivering that day's mail. I kept the other one but only because I had a doctor's appointment and really needed one that wasn't so raggedy looking.

Let's talk first about the bra that I returned.

Oh. The. Madness.

I realize that sizes vary by brand. My favorite brand is Warner's but... pricey. I just need something that keeps me looking decently covered. I don't need cute, sexy, patterned, or intriguing. I just need something to hold and cover. I'm not especially well-endowed.

The first bra was so laughably badly sized that I swear it had to be labeled wrong. Had to be. The minute I tried putting it on, I realized that I had either grown by 2 cup sizes or the bra was sized not by "cups" but by "tablespoons". I didn't even bother getting further than that. No need causing damage to a return item.

someone on Pinterest understands!

The second bra... Wow. Just... 

Okay, this one fit. In some kind of way. I mean, it fit, as in, the cup and strap sizes seem adequate. The problem is, it gave me bullet boobs. Like Madonna at her scariest.

At first, I thought there was something wrong with my breasts. Why did they fit but not fit into the cups? Why did I feel like I needed to have implants the same size as my own breasts - just turned upwards like a cute little button nose - in order to make this bra work?

I mean, they REALLY understand...

Like I said, I was out of options. I mean, I could wear the new bullet bra or go with one of my ugly old ones and risk having to show it during an exam.

I went with the new one. I was tempted to stuff tissue on the tops of my boobs to sort of normalize the cups but... I remedied the situation by yanking the bottom of the bra down low under my bustline and tightening the back strap.

So awkward.

thanks Pinterest.

I needed the humor.

I intended to contact Amazon with a complaint but by the time I got through the appointment, I noticed that the bra was fitting better. I think it sort of shaped itself to me with the help of my body heat. Like some kind of weird Terminator-type material.

At any rate, I kept this one but I am going to just have to break down, take out a personal loan, and get a few Warner's. Instead of another appliance, I should have asked for bras for Christmas...

Peace

--Free

**SIFO** Perishable Food Storage Tips (and more)

**Not really Stuff I Found Out but Stuff I've Known**

 If you want good tips about being frugal, ask a broke person with a good credit rating. That's me. Ask me.

My neighbor came by while I was putting away groceries. When she noticed how I was prepping the meat and liquid dairy products, she was intrigued. I explained that I store a lot of my groceries in serving sizes. It saves money (food lasts longer when sealed and/or frozen), it saves space (because of how I separate and seal food), and it saves time (because it's easier to thaw smaller sizes of food). She suggested sharing these pointers here on my blog. (Since I share just about everything here, I can't believe I didn't think of it myself.)

Although I am single, I still like to buy food in family-sized portions. And what do most of us do when we catch a good sale on certain grocery items? We stock UP.

So, I am sharing some of my storage and money-saving tips. 

First off, I suggest collecting up some mason jars, various sizes of baggies (again, the cheapest kind that seal well), and/or a vac-seal machine and rolls of sealing material. Save any brown paper bags you have. Save any glass jars with good lids that come with jellies, jams, candles, etc. You can wash and sterilize them to use for storage. 

It does take a little more time to put away groceries when you are storing them for quick access and saving money but it really is worth it. I can shop once every other month or sometimes every 3 months for some things that a lot of people buy in smaller quantities, much more often (usually, at a higher cost). 

When I have chicken pieces, chops, or cuts of beef, I also store them by portion sizes. I usually put chicken pieces in zip-style baggies while I vac-seal the other stuff. Like with the ground beef, it's easy to pull out a meal portion to thaw overnight in the fridge. I will sometimes even add a bit of water and seasonings when I bag them up. That way, as they thaw, they are already absorbing some flavors.

I don't buy ground beef often but when it goes on deep sale...

This is how I fit 5 1/2 pounds of meat 

in my small freezer.

A rolling pin, scale, sealer & the bag for the meat

This is how thin I can get about 1 pound 3 oz of meat

And this is the meat neatly stored for later

If you don't have a sealer, you can use ziplock-type baggies. Just make sure you seal them tightly, getting out as much air as possible. Double-baggie them if you must. You don't want freezer-burned meat.

I find that it's easier to use the baggie method to store liquids, like broths, stocks, coffee creamer, and milk. And you better know I get the cheaper baggies! Once you seal them, lay the bags of liquid on something flat - a cookie sheet or a plate - to freeze. When you are ready to use the liquid, it will thaw much quicker. I usually measure out and store them this way:

Coffee Creamer - 1 pint per baggie. I will store the thawed creamer in a mason jar to use over the next several days. It's cheaper to buy the 64-oz bottles of creamer than to nickel and dime yourself to death with the smaller containers.

Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate - Because I generally make at least 2 cups of concentrate at a time, I will freeze 1/4 cup portions in snack baggies. Concentrated coffee goes a long way and I don't drink it every day. I have not noticed a negative effect on the flavor from freezing it.

Broth and Stock - 1 cup per baggie.

Soy Milk - I vac-seal about 4 cups at a time because I use vanilla soy to make my smoothies. Vac-sealing seems to help it keep the regular texture/consistency so it lasts longer in the freezer. When I used baggies, I wasn't always careful to get out all the air (lazy!) and the liquid would often separate a little when I thawed.

Whole Milk Powder - For the brand I use, 1 cup of water + 3 tablespoons of powder = a cup of whole milk so I store 12 tablespoons of powder per baggie. I can then make 4 cups of milk at a time to store in a mason jar. I really only use whole milk for baking and when I run out of coffee creamer.** Also, I sometimes add a teaspoon of unsalted butter when I mix the powder with warm water. Don't ask why I first did this, but the extra fat helps when I am using the milk for baked goods. Makes sense.

Frozen Berries - Because they are so good for me, healthwise but the prices can fluctuate so much, I buy a lot of frozen blueberries and/or bags of "fruit medley" when I can find the 16-, 24- and 32-ounce bags for really good prices from Aldi's. It's been said that the frozen fruit can often be better for you than the fresh. I do know that frozen fruit lasts just about forever, which is great because I usually only use it in smoothies. I vac-seal and freeze about 2 cups of berries to portion. The price recently went up on the blueberries so I'm glad I have about 40 ounces left from the last 4 months shopping. (One of my nieces is a smoothies fanatic. She pre-preps her smoothies in containers she bought by adding fruit, juice, and oat milk. She has them lined up in her fridge next to the Greek yogurt that she likes to add to some of her smoothies. She has a lot of cute containers and a much larger fridge that I don't have!)

Bread - Sometimes, large amounts of bread are delivered to our building by a senior resources group. We might get a lot of loaf bread or croissants or tortillas and wraps. And it is a lot of bread. I don't eat a lot of bread but when there is the really good bread with nuts and whole grains, I'm all over that. I will vac-seal half-loaves so I don't have to freeze the bread. I really don't like frozen/thawed bread for some reason. And here's another tip: save those little packets of silica gel that comes in some packaged foods. Those packets are for absorbing moisture to keep foods dry. I toss them into my stored bread and into my jars of sugar.

Whole Bean Coffee - I vac-seal beans in 2-cup portions and put the sealed bags inside dark paper bags. I have bought some of the specially-made bags that have the degassing valves because they can be used over and over. I also have one little air-tight canister. The seal-and-bagged method is the cheapest though. There's a lot of debate about freezing or not freezing coffee but I do freeze mine and make sure to let them thaw to room temp overnight before grinding. I don't generally use pre-ground coffee anymore but I just make sure it's kept in a cool dark place in the summer.

$8 for 10 3oz bags
still using 3 months later

coffee bag with gas valve

Spices and seasonings in bulk - I buy Turmeric, Ceylon cinnamon, and Old Bay seasoning in bulk because it's cheaper to do so. My mom told me once that the reason people buy spices in those small containers is that they go stale and lose flavor easily. But if you can find them in larger (cheaper) quantities, they will last longer if they are protected from light, heat, and air. 

This is the Old Bay I get in the large container from Amazon vs what it would cost for small sizes at the local Hyvee:

Why would I buy this???

I keep some in a little can I saved and the rest is sealed and stored in the freezer. The back of the freezer, which is why I didn't take a photo for you!

Just as with the coffee, there are bags you can buy to keep things from those elements but you can also cut up butcher paper or paper bags to use when you vac-seal spices. I generally do this and toss the extra in the freezer. I have some yeast that I bought last year that is still working when I use it for baking.

I think that covers most of my food storage tips. Even if I could afford to buy cute little containers for all this stuff, I find my way is cheaper. And I can't afford all those cute little containers. My vac-sealer that I got in 2018 on a Lightning Deal is still around and kicking after all this time. I buy the rolls of sealing material because that's cheaper than buying pre-cut bags. I like to get the rolls in the 11inch x50 foot' and 8"x50'. 

(One thing I miss a lot about living in Alaska. We used to keep coolers on our back deck to use for frozen food storage! Ah, the good, cold days...)

Anyway, I hope you are able to use some if not all of these tips. I have to be "frugal" but even if you have money, there's no need in wasting it.

And, finally, speaking of wasting money and why we shouldn't (even if we could):

You can donate some of what you save to a worthy cause. By the way, see if your grocery store has any programs for helping those in need. In honor of Giving Tuesday (at the time I am writing this), Instacart is working with a bunch of non-profit organizations, making it possible for shoppers like me to donate - at no charge to us - to one of 4 different local & national programs for feeding the hungry. 

"Offer applies to all orders placed between 11/30/21 12:00 AM PST and 12/8/21 12:00 AM PST. The cost of a meal varies by nonprofit. The nonprofit you choose will receive at least $1 for every 10 meals donated. You must choose a nonprofit before placing your order. Your chosen nonprofit will be your default for all orders during the offer period. Does not apply to orders that are canceled or fully refunded."

I chose No Kid Hungry. My orders this month (that I made on one day from 2 different stores) funded 2 meals! That might not seem like a lot, but it is along with all the other shoppers who participate.

There is no reason for children anywhere to be living with hunger - and especially not in a society as wealthy as ours. Donate to a food bank or to any program you can find. You never know when you will be in need. It can happen to anyone.

Peace

--Free

** If I use whole powdered milk in place of coffee creamer, I oomph up the milk by adding some unsalted butter and either a tiny bit of brown sugar or sweetened condensed milk.

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