Homemade Cold-Steeped Coffee (with recipes)

As I promised in my Jot coffee review, I am here to share my take on homemade cold-steeped/cold-brew coffee and concentrate.

First of all, let's clear up something: you don't have to drink cold-brewed coffee cold. I rarely drink mine cold. I prefer to heat it up and add creamer to drink as I would my machine-brewed coffee.

So why bother with steeping coffee in cold water? Three reasons:

1.  For the flavor. Cold-steeping coffee produces a smoother, richer result. This is why I often use my stronger or harsher coffees for cold-steeping. (Some people claim that it doesn't cause them the acid reflux problems they get with regular brew.)
2. I can serve it cold or hot. My brother likes to drink his cold brew with sweetened whole milk. I usually drink my brew heated with creamer. I do plan to try my next brew Thai-style, with a little sweetened condensed milk added in. (Let's all say "Calories!")
3. Convenience. I can keep cold brew coffee in the fridge and use it as I want. I mentioned in my Jot review that coffee concentrate is great for sick or lazy days.

So.

Now, if you want, you can buy one of the many, many devices for making cold-steeped coffee and concentrate. I saw so many on Amazon that it was ridiculous. I saw all kinds of jars and filters. There are plug-in machines that will "rapid steep" your brew and containers of various colors, sizes, and shapes that come with built-in filters. It can be overwhelming. And I was once really tempted to try one of the plug-in items because you look around and start to think that you just must have special equipment for making a good brew or concentrate. Not true.

Basically, other than the coffee and water, you need a container that you can tightly cover or seal to keep in the refrigerator. That's it.

For the longest, I was pouring the steeped brew through coffee filters. That was a big waste of the filters I use for my coffee machine. Making a one-time purchase of a filter that will fit into your mason jar is probably the smartest buy. I already had some bags for tea that I'd not used up. They work great for my cold brew until I get a mesh filter to go inside the mason jar. That's if I can find something for under 10 bucks but... good luck with that.

Right after I sealed the jar &
grabbed my phone,
I snapped this pic

More like after about 27 hours

I should get actual
"Not Jot" labels! 
(Just kidding, Jot lawyers!)

There are recipes everywhere online and off for making cold brew - concentrated or not. Here are a couple of recipes I found to start you off:

• From myrecipes.com this is an easy cold brew. 
• thekitchn.com has a Starbucks' style cold brew recipe.

And here is my recipe for a concentrate (that I pieced together from one online combined with some trial and error on my own:

1. About 3 cups of cold water (I use bottled spring water) and roughly 1 3/4 cup of coffee that is coarsely ground. You can also buy coarse ground coffee, by the way. (I also have used regular ground coffee when I had nothing else. Just adjust the measurements, scale back on the steep time, and be prepared to do a LOT of filtering.)
2. Stir or shake this mixture (I use a mason jar)& shake it) so that all the coffee is fully wet and mixed in.
3. Cover/seal the container as tightly as possible (this is why I like using a mason jar). You can use plastic wrap and a rubber band if you don't have a good lid.
4. Put this in the fridge and let it steep at the very least for 12 hours - unless you used a finer ground coffee. I like to steep it for 24 hours. The longer the steep, the stronger the brew.

Honestly, when I only steep for about 12 10 14 hours, I consider the result to be almost regular brew. I might add a little water to it before heating to drink as hot and zero extra when adding the result to milk. A steep of 24 hours or more is, for me, the absolute best for a "concentrate".

I've seen suggestions in forums for leaving the brew out of the fridge for a few hours before finishing the steep in the fridge. I have not tried that yet.

Some coffee drinkers don't like the longer steeping times because they say that it makes for a bitter brew. I say that it sort of depends on the coffee. I have done a shorter steep with espresso coffees and a longer steep for something like 8 O'Clock coffee. If a brew does come out too bitter for me, I will use it in Thai-style coffee or some other milk- or cream-based drink. It could probably be amazing with something like coconut milk...

By the way, another thing that I like about cold-steeping coffee is that I can use up a coffee that I find too strong or acidic when brewed normally. I don't know if I mentioned here the Medaglia D'Oro Italian Roast Espresso Style Ground Coffee I tried several months ago. It's not horrible coffee but it's just not my favorite espresso blend. It does make a tasty cold-steep & dairy brew..

Right now, I tend to go back and forth between machine-brewed hot coffee and cold-steeped brew. There are times when I get burned out on coffee in general and just do one cup regular-brewed in the morning so that I don't go into withdrawal. And coffee withdrawal is a real thing, people. It's like PMS that is not gender-based.

At any rate, if you plan to try making a cold-brewed batch of coffee or a concentrate, I will suggest a few things to start:

• Practice with small amounts of coffee. This way you can learn how fine or coarse you like, want, or need the grounds to be. You don't want to waste a lot of coffee on your practice.
• Don't spend money on a lot of unnecessary equipment. Get good filters and a decent container for the start.
• Don't listen too much to other people telling you what you need. There are comments in some forums insisting that you must use a certain grind or type of coffee, or that you absolutely have to stick to definite coffee-to-water-to-time ratios. Just practice and find what works best for your desired result.
• Enjoy the process. Because this isn't a quick way to make coffee, if you find it to be too much of a hassle, don't bother. If you only like using a cold brew or concentrate occasionally, then just buy a good and affordable ready-to-use brew. I listed a bunch of brands with prices in the Jot review.

Peace

--Free

P.S.: I have to tell y'all that I did go ahead and use my Amazon Shopper Panel credit.  I got this while it went on sale the other day after I started writing this post, last week. Y'all know how I do.

The video for the product showed someone making the world's weakest brew of coffee. Ugh. I will be steeping the heck out of mine and hope for much stronger results, but I this price was almost cheaper than buying more filters:

The app I talk about here is this one

I have, to date, made over $50 in credit from receipts and surveys. I spent most of mine on the Ninja, but the last gift card pretty much paid for the Bodum. It was either that or more of the tea filters so I took a chance on the brewer. Of course, y'all know that I will be back to tell you about the Bodum.

**REVIEW** Jot Dark Concentrated Coffee

 So I was finally able to try Jot coffee concentrate. 

I have mixed feelings about the product.

Pros:

• The taste is not bad. 
• It's convenient. I can program my coffeemaker so I get that first cup in the morning when I want it. However, if I have to run out for appointments or errands, it was nice to have Jot. I could put the dose of Jot in my travel mug and hit it with the hot water when I got where I was going.
• It makes a good cold brew coffee. I liked it chilled for a while with milk or vanilla soy.

Cons:

• For the price, I expected the taste to be amazing - not just good or decent or "okay" but awesome. Alas, it really is just "not bad".
• At $24 per 6.8 ounces, it costs over $1.71 per cup. And that is only if you stick to the weak (for me) tablespoon per cup. By "cup", they must seriously mean 8 ounces of water. No one I know of drinks just 8 ounces of coffee for pleasure.
• It has to be refrigerated. 
• Because of the seller's suggestion of "Once opened, we recommend consuming within 2-3 weeks for maximum quality and freshness. We also recommend storing both unopened and opened bottles in the fridge to help preserve freshness" this means I can't just hold onto it for use only on special occasions outside those parameters.
• It doesn't produce a strong enough hot brew unless I increase the dose of concentrate. There goes the original price-per-cup. 
• It's no better, in my opinion than homemade concentrate.
• There are other, cheaper brands that some customers review as being as good or better than Jot.

By the way, the sellers recommend that:

"Jot should be consumed within 90-days of when the coffee was brewed (each bottle is stamped with a "best by" date on the shoulder). Once opened, we recommend consuming within 2-3 weeks for maximum quality and freshness. We also recommend storing both unopened and opened bottles in the fridge to help preserve freshness." (my emphasis)

 So, would I actually buy a bottle? Nope. It's just not for me however, n my opinion, you might want to use Jot if:

• You value (and can afford) convenience over budget.
• You like a mild-to-medium brew of coffee, or
• Really like a decent (and convenient) cold brew coffee drink.
• You want the better-known brand of concentrate.
• You don't have the time or patience for making a homemade cold brew or concentrate.
• You only want the occasional cold-brew or concentrate - not often enough to go broke buying ready-made - and don't want the bother of making it.

As for me and my house, I find Jot to be a bit pretentious and budget-foolish. But maybe that's just me and my broke behind.

I do like using coffee concentrate but I have made mine in the past. I use my homemade stuff when I know that I am going to be down sick for a while and don't want to bother with trekking back and forth to the kitchen for coffee.

As mentioned, Jot is not the only player out there. I have heard both positive and negative reviews for Jot and its competitors. There are many that come in on Amazon alone with reviews at 4-star and up. By product description, price per ounce, and price per cup : 

• "Javy Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate, Iced Coffee, Arabica Coffee Beverages, 30X Liquid Coffee Concentrate "
• (6oz $19.49 or $3.24 per oz) As for the price per cup, this is from the seller's product details: "BEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK: Want the same great cafe taste right at home without the expensive price tag? Each bottle contains up to 30 servings of coffee concentrate which is 3x more servings than our competitors. With Javy Coffee, you're only spending around 60 cents/cup meaning you get to enjoy premium specialty coffee every day without breaking the bank!"
• "OneBy Coffee Make Cold Brew, Hot or Iced Coffee in Seconds  17 Cups per Bottle with 24x Liquid Coffee Concentrate"
• (8.5oz $19.97 or $2.35 per oz  or $1.17 per cup)
• "JAVA HOUSE Cold Brew Coffee, Colombian 4:1 Liquid Concentrate"
• (32 Ounce $21.99 or $0.69 per oz)
• "Q: how many servings in a 32 oz bottle? A: There are approximately 20 servings in one 32 oz bottle. In other words, you can make approximately 20 8 ounce cups of cold brew coffee with one 32 ounce bottle of 4:1 concentrate." By Amazon Customer on January 7, 2020
• "Wandering Bear Extra Strong Organic Cold Brew Coffee On Tap, Straight Black,  - Smooth, Unsweetened, Shelf-Stable, and Ready to Drink"
• (96 fl oz $33.94 or $0.35 per oz) 
• There is some dispute among customers about the 16 cups. But at 16 cups, that would be $2.12 per cup.
• One customer in Q&A claimed they only got 6 coffees from one box.  " No way you get 16 cups." By Olivia Hammond on November 15, 2021
• This stuff is great, and keeps me out of the Starbucks drive thru, but no way does it contain 16 cups. I got six coffees out of one box." (That would come to $5.66 per cup)
• "Cappio Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate"
• 16oz ($9.30 or $0.58 per oz)
• Indicates o use 1 part Cappio to 2 parts water or milk "depending on tastes". Since there is no definite measurement given, I will assume that 2 tablespoons - or 1 ounce- to be used per cup (as with Jot) and that would be the same as the bottles per ounce price of $0.58 per cup then.
• "Top Roast Colombian Coffee | Ultimate 64:1 Coffee Concentrate | Makes 100 Cups | Includes Pre-Measured Pump | 15.2 Fl Oz | Just add 1 pump to water or milk"
• Shown as being to "Add 1 pump TO 8-10oz. hot or cold water"
• ($34.95 or $2.30 per oz & $0.35 per cup) 

I didn't bother with links. You can literally copy/paste the description in and bring up the items. But you see that there are options.

Everything as to price really depends on how strong (or not) you prefer your coffee. Also, I notice that there is a lot of wiggling from sellers on shelf-life, You have to read their information carefully. They will say that the shelf life is a million years but that once opened, the product must be consumed in 5 seconds. You know what I mean. Pay close attention.

Again, I prefer to make my own brew. Stay tuned because I will be doing a post very soon on just how I make my homemade version.

Peace

--Free

If You Need a Good Printer

 I won't call this a review because I'm not going to go into details but... I love this printer:

Brother HL-L2300D Monochrome
 Laser Printer with Duplex Printing

I bought the first one almost exactly 6 years ago in January of 2016. That poor thing was carted all over the place - from Alaska to Iowa, back to Alaska, and back to Iowa. I probably could have treated it better because I had a habit of just stuffing it in a packing box with bath towels and crumpled newspapers for shipping it everywhere. It survived cold weather, extremely hot and humid weather, and being thumped on like a drum by my little nephew. I once dropped it (onto carpet) when I was moving it to a different corner of a room. I even spilled coffee on the top once. And it just kept going.

Sometime last spring, it shut off (I usually kept it powered on) and wouldn't turn back on. I was panicked because I was trying to print some important documents to mail off. I searched for possible problems and solutions online and found something from a man who'd had the same thing happen to his machine. 

Don't ask me how the guy came up with the solution but it was specifically for this model of printer. His fix? Unplug the power cord and pull out the paper tray then plug the cord back in - and this is important - while you are holding down the Power button.

The dang thing powered up like new. 

This solution worked until a couple of weeks ago. Once again, I was having to print out a bunch of really important documents - a lot of them - and found that nothing worked to power the printer on.

~Sigh~

I went online and found the exact same printer model. Yay! But the price had gone up quite a bit. Boo! I happen to have a credit card with a flexible payment plan for purchases over a certain dollar amount. I got the printer (and a protection plan) and re-vamped my budget for groceries and any extras for the next few months.

The new printer arrived and the set-up was easy. The old one donated the USB for connecting to my computer and the toner tray - just in case. I will be putting it into the special garbage bin we have for electronics.

I hope the new printer is as reliable as the old one. That thing was a workhorse. Also, the toner cartridges can be found on the cheap and they last forever. 

If you need a good, basic printer that can take a beating, this is the one. It's fairly lightweight and does not eat up a lot of desk space. Of course, it's monochrome so only black print is the only option. I don't mind that because I don't need color.

Here's a shot of it on my desk across the room:

I use the USB to connect to my laptop that doesn't have a CD-ROM drive. However, the printer does come with a set-up disk if you go that route. It also comes with one toner cartridge. Nice.

Keep in mind that you can probably find the same model in a refurbished state for a cheaper price. But for 6 years of service under rough treatment, I don't think that $120 is too much to pay. 

This time, I will treat the printer better. I think that the whole Power-off issue was due to damage to the end of the power cord that connects to the back of the printer. I didn't always do a great job of packing the printer for shipping.

 Peace

--Free

**REVIEW** I Love the Ninja Foodi (FD401 Model)

 The first thing I want to say about the Foodi is this:

Do NOT get one!

(not if you are going to use it only as a pressure cooker!)

There. I feel better having gotten that out of my system.

She's a big 'un.

There she is, folks. Meet the Foodi Deluxe 400 series. I've had this bad boy about a week before Christmas and I have not turned on my stove or oven - not one time. I'm not kidding when I say that I am thinking of getting one of those wooden covers so that I can use the stovetop as more counter space!

For those who hate my long-winded and sometimes overly-detailed reviews, here's the short and dirty version:

Question: Is having the Foodi 12-in-1 8-quart any better than having the Instant Pot Duo80?

Answer: Yes. Yes, it sure is.

Question: Why?

Answer: Because it has more power, it has a crisping feature, it has a better shape & design (in my opinion), and the control panel is more detailed.

Now - on to the long and windy details...

This might be a tasteless way to put it but, if the Duo was my gateway drug to pressure-cooking, then I have certainly graduated to the hard stuff with the Foodi. If good sense (and a tight budget) had not prevailed, I would have cooked up everything in my kitchen in just the first couple of days. 

The first few months that I owned the Instant Pot Duo (IP Duo), I only used it to pressure cook foods. After almost forever, I finally got around to steaming and sauteing a few times after I couldn't ignore those functions any longer. I never did use the Yogurt or the other functions. Ever.

And, ignoring those things on the Duo was acceptable. Because, in my opinion, most of the Duo functions are one and the same. Most, not all. The Yogurt setting was the one you might not want to fudge around with. But I didn't need to cook my beans differently from soup or porridge. Not really. And the Duo was a cheaper purchase - very much worth the pressure cooker function alone for anyone afraid of the scary stove-top monsters like the one my mother used... 

Q; Is the Foodi worth the price? 

A: Yes & No & It depends.

I managed to get mine at a huge discount - which I think I explained in another post. I paid less for it than I would have to for a good blender. I got it cheap enough that I could get away with using only the pressure function if I was just plain silly.

But if you pay full price for the Foodi... Sis, use those functions, all the functions. As often as you can. Besides, they are very much separate functions:

• Pressure - definitely one to be used for probably 60 percent of my meals.
• Steam - if you consume a lot of vegetables like I do. Also good for delicate meats and fish and seafood.
• Slow Cook/Yogurt - Yes and Yes. There is a reason I won't miss getting the Crock-Pot. Why have just a slow cooker when I can have all the other functions? (Also, I wouldn't ever make yogurt on the stovetop. That's just the truth.)
• Sous Vide - well... maybe not so much use for this one yet, but I might explore it down the line. I would like to test this out on vegetables and fish.
• Sear/Saute - the Sear will be a sometimes kind of thing and the Saute is a definite more often kind of thing. I've used it for onions and garlic because I love onions and garlic on almost everything.
• Air Crisp - okay, I am already using the life out of this function! I may never eat greasy, fast-food fries again.
• Broil - I'm not sure if I will use a lot this since I like the Air Crisp so much. Maybe when I eat the occasional steak or cut of pork? Maybe.
• Bake/Roast - I can't wait to try baking cookies and other treats and you know I like to roast chicken and turkey. So yes.
• Dehydrate - I am pretty excited about this function. I've made beef jerky in the oven and this has got to be easier. My SIL wants to dry some herbs and flowers. I have already done some apples and I have just finished making some candied ginger.
• Reheat - Uh... more on this in a moment, but, yeah, it's a keeper.

As I said, these are all pretty distinct functions. The Duo seemed to have a lot of differently labeled buttons that did much the same thing. Generally. But as I also said, at 80 dollars or so, the Duo was worth it just for the safe, no-fear, dummy-proof pressure cooking. (And it has such a nice, large pot. I still use the pot from my dead Duo for marinating chicken and turkey.)

But the Foodi? At anywhere from 200 to 250 dollars, you'd be crazy-stupid-weird to only use it as a pressure cooker. That would be like buying a top-value computer just for the document editors.

 

What were my first impressions of the Foodi? 

Some 

(´♡‿♡`) pros & cons (╯_╰)

So. This is what all came in the box. I don't know if you can see them but there are a couple of wire racks shown in the photo.

Took up the entire entryway to my tiny apartment!

Pro - As with most of today's multi-cooker appliances, one huge benefit is the timer/auto shut-off. Cooking on the stovetop means you have to remember not to burn something or boil a pan dry. Oftentimes, I only feel well enough to get a meal started and just don't have the energy to stand and monitor the stovetop or oven. The only concern I really have with the Duo and Foodi is letting something over-cook - but I don't have to worry about burning down the building. It's like that old Ronco commercial says: you can "set it and forget it".

Pro - The Foodi is a decent-looking appliance and it has some "counter appeal". It's big but it's not ugly. (Another Amazon reviewer who upgraded to this one described an older model as an ugly R2D2-looking thing. LOL)

Pro -  As I said when I started this post, I have not used my stove since I got it until I made the ginger syrup to dehydrate ginger pieces today. Other than that, no conventional stove or oven was used. (I could have done the syrup in the Foodi but I was testing a new recipe so needed a couple of pots to experiment.) 

Pro - I have also cut way back on cleaning because I don't have to deal with all the various pots and pans. I can either wipe the Foodi pans out or swap them out during cooking. And the pots clean up pretty easily, especially the non-stick main inner pot.

Con - It's a heavy machine. I have a bedside table that weighs less. At just over 26 pounds, the Foodi is more than double what the Duo weights. And, yes, they are both 8-quart capacity. (By the way, the crisper pot is 5 quarts.)

Con - It's going to be trickier to store than the Duo. It's a chunkier, more squat appliance and it does have those 2 lids. When I got the Foodi, friends and family members sent a few accessories. One is a "lid-holder". The other is a steam diverter.

Lid holder covers crisper lid

Without that lid-holder, I either have to store the pressure lid separately or leave the crisping lid in the upright position. That makes opening cabinets a problem...

Pro & Con - Without the lid-holder, that whole double lid situation is... interesting. Cumbersome and... yeah, interesting. Actually, I could have pitched a tent and sold tickets to the comedy show that was me learning how to put the pressure lid on. No kidding. I had to search out a YouTube video to figure it out (instead of just looking at the manual...).

Con - For basic Instant Pot (and perhaps other brands) users, it's a bit more intimidating at first. In addition to the 2 lids, there's the unusual (to me anyway) control panel.

Looks simpler than it is

Pro & Con - That control panel was terrifying at first and it took me a while to get used to it. Once I did, I love it so hard. I have more control over the individual functions, settings, and it's easier to fine-tune.

Pro - I really like the reversible rack that comes with this. It took me a Lucy and Ethel moment to figure it out, but now that I have, it really comes in handy. It was especially useful for layering the ginger I candied and dehydrated. I don't have the dehydrator racks so...

Pro - The quick-start pamphlet, manual, and recipe book that came with this are top-notch. The quick start is a handy reference for the main functions. The manual is very detailed, and the recipe book is next-level. The recipes not only include step-by-step instructions but some have photos of those steps. To beat all that, at the back of the recipe book, there is a pretty exhaustive set of charts of times and temps for various foods done with most of the functions. 

By the way, it's a good thing the manuals are so good. I have noticed that there are not as many recipes out there online for the Foodi as for the Instant Pots. Of course, most recipes will work with any brand but it would be nice to see more things specifically for the Crisper and Dehydrator functions.

Pro - It comes to pressure faster than the Duo. It comes to pressure faster than some lower-model Foodi's also. I watched a video where a Foodi took almost 8 minutes to come to pressure during the 3-cup water test. This one was good to go at around the 4.5-ish minute mark.

Con - Just as with the Duo, the steam valve is much too close to where the steam shoots out. Because of the size and lid design of the Foodi, it's harder to maneuver the steam away from the cabinets. That steam diverter comes in handy. The lighter-weight Duo was easier to turn/move away from the cabinets.

Pro - Something that always annoyed me about my Duo was that cup for collecting condensation. You know, the little cup on the back? Well, that thing was a major pain in the rear to remove and replace. I once had a really bad brain day going on and ended up throwing that thing across the kitchen in a rage. Ugh! The cup on the Foodi just slides right in and out, with no hassle or fumbling. 

Con continued - And the lids again...

Okay, so let's talk about the lid situation & the size

What makes this Foodi so useful is that crisping lid. However, that lid adds height. The height makes it harder to stow this away in the bookcase where I was able to put the Duo. Without the pressure lid (and holder), the Foodi does fit the bookcase. (I will try to remember to add some photos here somewhere.) So the Foodi will fit but too heavy for me to move it every time I want to use it. I have decided to (for now) just leave it out on the counter since I am always using it anyway. Thankfully, with the lid-holder that is not much of a problem. Also, I keep a heat-safe plastic cutting board underneath the Foodi so that it's easier to slide from one part of the counter to the other.

The only other solution in my small place is to get a rolling table that will fit somewhere in a closet or corner. Then I can roll this near a plug-in when I want to use it. 

As I said, the manuals and guides are really impressive. The one thing I had trouble with is learning how to use the Reheat function. It took a bit of practice. I think the function must be a really new addition because the Amazon product photo doesn't include it. I didn't even know it was a thing until I got the actual appliance. It doesn't seem like a big deal but it would be nice to have some guidance.

Look, Ma - no Reheat button

What do I think after using it the first time?

There is so much I like about this appliance and cannot believe the difference between it and a lower model like the Duo. The quality is better and the design is really nice. I owe an apology to my friend and all the other Foodi owners I previously trash-talked. I thought they were just being so "extra" when they went on and on about the precious Foodis... Now, I am one of those fanatics.

Oh! I forgot a huge Pro: the sound.

Thank goodness that someone with sense was in charge of regulating the volume of the indicator sound. I could be standing next to the Duo and not hear the beep if I wasn't listening for it. The Foodi lets you know when it is done. It also makes a loud beep when you set any of the functions. Not loud enough to disturb my neighbors if I am up late cooking but it would probably wake someone sleeping anywhere in my shoebox of an apartment.

I like how much more useful the indicator panel is. It shows the progress of the machine coming to pressure. There is a better countdown of time. There is an actual button that lets me start the process. (On the Duo, once you set the pressure level and time, it just starts.)

The errors are clearer and tell you to "add lid", "shut lid", "open vent", etc.
There is a Power/shut-off button. I always hated that the Duo just had that Cancel button. And when you power down, you get a cute little "Bye" message. 

The Air Crisp function is perfect. I just cannot stop raving about it. The first thing I made was frozen fries. I didn't want to use anything more pricey the first time out, just in case I messed the food up! Let me tell you something - I will never fix frozen fries any other way. Ever. I didn't have to spray the fries with oil as I do with my little toaster oven. Zero oil and I ended up with amazingly crispy and tasty fries.

Clean-up is quick and easy. Because the inner pot is coated, all I had to do was wipe it clean with a rag. None of the crumbs stuck. For any stickier foods, I will use my trick of heating some water right in the Foodi to clean that up.

Although both the Duo and Foodi are 8-quart machines, the Foodi seems wider and less deep. The Duo inner pot always seems very deep to me. That is really strange because you can see the dimensions compared in the photo below and it doesn't seem that it would be so very different.

Like I said before, I got this at huge savings. Because I had problems with another order and emailed Andy Jassy (and his assistant was so kind), I was given some credits - on top of some credits I already had accumulated from an app I use. After using all the credits, I was able to get this Foodi and a 4-year protection plan while only having to use around 30 dollars of my Christmas gift money. 

Now, would I be as happy if I'd had to pay the entire 200 to 250 dollars for this? The answer is a solid, no-hesitation yes. I mean, if I had that kind of money to spend, that is.

Am I still in love after the honeymoon?

I am even more in love with this appliance. (By the way, I've named 'her'; I call her Franni Foodi.)

Normally after I have an appliance for a couple of weeks, I will calm down about it. I might even run out of excitement and start taking the machine for granted. That has not happened with Franni.

After the first couple of days, when I had gotten to know her and how to use all the buttons and such, only weekly meds or looking for other things to cook could get me out of the kitchen and away from her. 

One of the first recipes that grabbed my attention is for fried pickles. And I found the recipe from this YouTube channel (a channel that I really like., by the way. You guys need to check it out). 

Don't laugh because... Have you ever had fried pickles? Sooo good! Have you ever had fried green tomatoes? Green tomatoes are hard to find where I live now. This is why I am excited to make fried pickles. The first time I had fried pickles was while visiting a little country diner with my niece when she lived in the Dallas area. I think that fried pickles are the closest thing to fried green tomatoes.

Anyway. I will have to take photos when I make the pickles. Every time I fix something with the Foodi, I forget to take photos of the process. I'll remember when I am eating or drinking the final product. Still. I have cooked more with Franni in a week than I did almost the first six months of having the Duo. I didn't even name the Duo...

For New Year's, I was down with a bad toothache because all these years of weekly methotrexate injections have done some damage... I did get up long enough that night to make hot chocolate - in the Foodi. Yes, I sure did. 

Homemade, true-cocoa hot chocolate

Just tonight, I made clove oil using the Foodi's saute function. I made a kind of double boiler setup to speed up the process of leeching the cloves into the oil. I told you, these teeth of mine... 

So, yes, I am still very happy with the Foodi. It is 

worth every nickel and then some. It is fast and powerful, runs quiet, and is even worth the precious counter space. So far, I have fixed frozen fries, bacon, beans, and a small bird. I plan to make yogurt for the first time ever and I can't wait to make beef jerky. Everything my Duo lacked, this Foodi has. 

By the way, I a finding that the biggest pro to having this appliance is the motivation to try different foods and different ways of cooking.

Just as when I got the Duo, I had never, ever even considered pressure-cooking. Mainly because I remember those death machines from back when my mom had the stove-top version.

12-24 hours to dry on counter
took 4.5 hours in the Foodi

With the Foodi, I am excited about dehydrating fruits and herbs with my SIL and I think I already mentioned more than once about wanting to make yogurt.

When I started with the Duo, I didn't feel that excited to do much past using the pressure-cooker function. I think that if the Duo had been designed differently, I might have. The Foodi is set up - the design of the machine and the user interface - to make all those functions seem more doable. It helps that it comes with such detailed books and manuals to get you started on different recipes. And, to give credit where it's due, the baby steps I took with the Duo was a nice introduction.

I joked to my best friend (who has owned a Foodi for a few years) that between the toaster oven, Foodi, and the little waffle maker, I don't need my stove for almost anything. 

If I could only have one appliance...

If you have or know of someone living in a dorm or other small quarters, tell them about the Foodi. If I had a kid in college and had to choose between this and the Duo or a toaster oven, I would spend the extra to get the Foodi instead. It provides more cooking options (and more healthful ones, in my opinion) than anything else I've seen. If I was forced right now to choose between every appliance I have - bread machine, mixer, toaster oven, Duo - I would choose the Foodi without even taking a break. It's the most versatile appliance I have. That makes the expense worth it but...

only if you use it for more than pressure cooking!

Otherwise, just go for a basic pressure cooker or slow cooker with some extra functions. There's no sense in spending money on something you won't use to the fullest

Peace

--Free

P.S.: Sorry if this post was bouncing all over the place. I started on it just before I had a couple of things come up (I ran into a wall and just about knocked myself out, then I lost a tooth... 2022 is starting out with so much drama) and I had to space the writing and editing and adding photos over so many days... I am doing better now and my brain is trying to behave. Maybe I will be able to post again with just photos of Foodi foods? 

**DISCOVERED** Bisto Gravy Granules

 People, you have got to try Bisto Gravy Granules.

Years and years and years ago, while briefly living in England, I could not get used to some things: cold toast; warm cola; tiny fridges, kitchens, and bathrooms; very polite but slightly stand-offish people; dry humor; and underseasoned food.

(Granted, I'm Texas-bred and Southern-fed so we tend to like our salt and butter.)

When I had dinner with someone in England who made a roast chicken so tasty that I wanted thirds, I asked what they had seasoned it with. That was the first time I heard of "gravy granules". 

Gravy... granules. Huh?

My mama always made gravy from pan drippings and flour. And nobody makes a gravy like anybody's country-born mama! But the gravy I had at that dinner was lip-smacking delicious.

Fast forward about a million years. In a forum online, I run across something called "Bisto". I learn that it is made in the UK and immediately, my tastebuds flashed back to that amazing roast chicken dinner.

Honey. Child.

Now when you live in a place like where I live - with no diversity in shops, people, or culture - and you want to find international foods, seasonings, or beverages, where do you look? You know where: Ama-gonna-have-it-zon©.

I easily found the Bisto for chicken. There is a Bisto for various dishes and in several 'flavours' (see what I did there?) but the chicken is all I think I will ever need. So that's what I got.

The first thing I used it on was fish. Yummy. 

Next, I used it on the first turkey I have ever made all by myself. Actually, it's the first one I ever got near enough to do more than call dibs on a leg or wing. (Oh, how I wish I had paid more attention when my mother and sister were making all those holiday dinners!)

Let me tell you what: my turkey didn't look beautiful like Mama's or Mike's but it was so well-seasoned that I would have served it to them or any chef you can name. I  thawed the bird overnight in a salt and cold-water brine that I rinsed off.

 For cooking it, all I used was butter, Bisto, a little black pepper, a tablespoon of salt, and a tiny touch of Liquid Smoke. I injected that mix into the turkey and basted it around the outside before wrapping it in foil to do a low-and-slow roast on 280F for about 7 hours*, then broiling for about 10 minutes. I could have broiled it to a browner shade but got nervous about going too brown. My mama and sister would be proud.

Not the prettiest
but so tasty!

It had that savory hit of a yummy-licious rotisserie-style bird. I didn't eat sides or bread - just turkey.

Another thing I like about Bisto is that it is lower in salt than most (if not all) of the other seasonings I use. Keep in mind that I used very little table salt.

You know how when you cook something for the first time and want someone's opinion but worry what they will say? That was me. Even though I loved the turkey, I wanted someone else to taste it. 

I took a little bit over to my neighbor. I made sure to include both white and dark meat. It is said that the test of a good turkey is how juicy and seasoned the white meat is.

My neighbor loved it. And, trust me, this woman doesn't do polite white lies. She once let me know that I need to stop wearing so much gray and go with colors like blue, red, and pink. According to her, I tend to wear dull colors. Uh, okay...

Before I let her taste the turkey, I did that whole nervous dance about how I've never made it before and can she tell me if it's missing something. 

She took a teeny-tiny bit of white meat and tasted it like she was a judge on one of those reality shows where amateur cooks compete for prizes. Then she took a bit of dark meat.

How happy was I when she declared that I didn't need to add a thing. ("Not one thing.") My turkey was perfect. I was even happier when she wanted to come down and see the Bisto - and get more of the turkey! (The only down turn was that she couldn't believe that all I had made was the turkey!) By the way, she was happy to get a baggy of Bisto to take home with her.

The thing about Bisto is that, if you just put a granule on your tongue to taste it, you will be underwhelmed. But when the granule melts - oh! That is when the bells ring.

What I like most about Bisto is that it's so flavorful without being over-salty. It reminds me a little of the mushroom seasoning I use - and even looks like it - but it's better for fowl than mushroom seasoning, in my opinion.

As far as price: I paid $15 for 3 of the 170g packs ($0.83/oz). That's not bad, considering it's the real deal from the UK. It doesn't take a lot of the granules to season anything. For using it on vegetables, you can grind or mortar it into a powder and sprinkle it on in very small amounts. (By the way, if you "powder" it, the powder tends to clump and won't sprinkle easily.) For meat and fish. I just sprinkle the granules whole.  For 3 frozen tilapia filets, I used just slightly more than a teaspoon. I also added a little bit of Old Bay.

So, people, at least give Bisto a try.  In my opinion, it will change the game for seasonings.

Peace

--Free

* The timing of the turkey depends on the size of the bird. I didn't track strict time but made sure to achieve the suggested finished temps here at Butterball. And, yeah, I could have done more browning but... 

Another tip: You don't have to cook them low and slow but that's what my mother always did. Since I didn't have a roasting bag, I wrapped my turkey tightly in foil and it was very moist and fall-apart tender.

Finally, I want to mention that I made that turkey the day after what would have been my late sister's 70th birthday. Happy birthday, Mike❤

The Saga of the Instant Pot, the Express, and the Foodi

It seems an eternity since I was just starting to cry about my now-dead Instant Pot. So much has happened in 10 days that it sounds crazy. Let me run this down for you:

The CrockPot that I was (and still am) so in love with is no longer in my immediate future. I was still at war with the awful seller - Unbeatable Deals is their name although they should change that to Undoable Deals - when I gave up and went straight to the top. I reached out to the highest customer service team I could find and Amazon came through like a champ.

The CrockPot is currently up-priced to $150 (from the 60-odd dollar price I snagged the first time) but... Amazon issued some credits and I got almost a hundred and fifteen dollars to apply toward whatever they sell.

I was going to get the CrockPot - because I am kind of in love with that oval shape - but I refuse to even think about the $150 price tag. Keep in mind that a 4-year protection plan is just about 30 bucks so... $180 for an item that I had in my cart at 60 bucks? An item that will most likely go back on sale at some point? An item with a Keepa app price history of as low as $49?

No thank you, ma'am.

Best Buy has it for about $89 but they only offer these weird 2-year protection plans. I don't know how I feel about Best Buy...

The Crock-Pot Express is all over eBay from 70 to 120 bucks. I don't know how I feel about eBay. I've never used them and don't want to start with a major (for me) purchase.

I must have sat and thought deeply for a good hour about what to do.

While I was thinking, I scrolled around the Amazon site, looking for anything else with an oval shape. Or anything with such great ratings. Or anything that-

Wait. What is this?

This was, as it turns out, the perfect machine (or so I've heard). It was just staring at me from the product page.

The Ninja FD401 Foodi 12-in-1 Deluxe XL.

In an 8-quart size. Eight- not 6 or 6.5.

Price: $179.00

Let me tell you something. That beautiful Ninja Foodi began talking to me.

Foodi: I'm so much better than a Crock-Pot. And so, SO much better than that laughable pretender to my throne - the Instant Pot. 

Me: Yes. Yes, you are. You are the greatest. You are the Cassius Clay of small kitchen appliances. You don't float like a butterfly or sting like a bee but you air-fry, pressure-cook, steam, dehydrate, crisp, and-

Foodi: Yeah, yeah, I know. So what are you gonna do? Sit there and look at me all day or...

Me: Well, I don't know. You see, I am a little on the low-income side of things.  And you are, well, a bit 'highbrow' - or at least upper middle brow. What would it look like, someone like me having a pricey appliance like you when I am on such a meager budget?

Foodi: ~rolling its- well, you know~ So, what? You can't afford to spend maybe 80 bucks or so out of your Christmas-gift money? 

Me: 80? Hah! Your tag prices you at 179.99, my friend. Not including taxes.

Foodi: And Amazon gave you over113 bucks. That means you will have Amazon credits worth about, oh... 125 bucks, give or take.

Me: Yeah but- Wait. What? How did 113 become 125?

Foodi: Don't you use that app that gives you a credit of 10 bucks every time you submit 10 receipts?

Me: ~remembering and smiling~

Foodi: And you still have some unused credits from the past couple of months from the app. Unless you accidentally spent them when you ordered coffee-

Me: I. For. Got!!! I did not spend those leftovers. 

Foodi: Go on, get out your calculator. Do some math - if you can manage that.

Me: ~Can't manage because my brain is having a hissy fit this morning so I call my brother and he plays with the numbers.~ 

Foodi: It's not calculus. Whatta you come up with?

Me: Well... I would have to pay another 30 dollars for a protection plan. Oh - and I did spend the last of my Christmas gift money. I paid off a credit card balance. So that's- 

Foodi: Yes? Think, girl, think.

Me: I am basically just paying for the protection plan.

Foodi: ~dusting its hands~ See. You can do this.

Me: But still, 30 dollars. Spending 30 dollars is spending 30 dollars.

Foodi: ~looking indignant~ Spending it on me - a Ninja Foodi. The Cassius Clay of-

Me: alright, I get it, I get it.

So I added the Foodi to my cart. Then I called my niece to get her opinion. She was almost as indignant as the Foodi had been.  ("It's a Foodi! I paid almost $300 for mine! And you don't want to spend thirty?!)

I called my brother back and didn't even get to say hi before he was asking when it was going to be delivered.

Yeah. 

I can have a Ninja Foodi. And not just a Foodi, but the deluxe model. And a 4-year protection plan. All just for just about 36 dollars.

I hit the purchase button.

I called my best friend's granddaughter (who I talk to when my friend is not at her best, which is a lot lately) and told her all about what I'd done. She heard the doubt in my voice and had some advice. She sounded kind of serious so I was worried.

A friend of a friend had recently died - a woman in her mid-forties. This woman had long been a steadily employed, well-compensated, white-collar professional. She had been a very frugal person because she was divorced and had to plan for her future on her own. She sounded a lot like me - other than the "well-compensated" part. She had become more pennu]y-pinching since the start of the pandemic, like many money-conscious people. And then she had died of something - not even COVID-related.

My best friend's granddaughter's advice was to be money-wise and frugal but not to pass up the little every-now-and-then treats for yourself. She reminded me that her friend's friend had died with quite a bit of money to her name - and she won't be spending a nickel of it wherever she is going.

Yeah. That is all true. Still, I had a residue of guilt over spending the money.

Fast forward about, I don't know - maybe 3 hours or a little more? 

I'm checking my email. The first new one I see is from someone at Instant Brands. They are "as a one-time, goodwill gesture" sending me a replacement Instant Pot and they need to verify my address and phone number.

It was so weird and funny that I had to laugh out loud. 

I called up my niece to ask if she knows anyone who needs an Instant Pot. She was immediately shaking her head so hard, I could hear it over the phone. 

"No! Sell it on Poshmark or something and put the money on a bill."

So. 

Yeah. And, you know something, I still kind of want the Croc-Pot Express Oval...

That's the saga of the Instant Pot, the Express, and the Foodi.

If 2022 has to be any kind of weird, let it be this kind of weird.

Peace

--Free

**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