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Monday, October 26, 2020

Well, gee whiz.

 This week should wrap up all of the paperworky type stuff vis a vis my 'retirement'.  In an admirable show of support, my past company's COBRA handler (I was imagining a turban and recorder...) contacted me with an offer to continue my healthcare coverage through them.  Let me see... do I choose to pay close to $900 a month for coverage that calls for higher copays and deductibles?  Or do I opt for Medicare plus supplemental, that costs me $144 a month, with lower copays and limited deductibles?  Hmmm.  Give me a nanosecond minute...  

Autumn seems to be coming in fits and starts.  We've had days so warm, all the windows were open and I contemplated hauling the fans out from storage.  Instead, I dug my heels in and 'glistened'.   It's more than frustrating when there is a nice, sunny day and I can only do limited manual labor in my much-neglected garden.  Thank goodness everything is pretty much over for now - just my friends the kale plants are and their slightly less hardy cousins, the chards.  There are things that must get done before snow flies, so I am hoping for a couple of days this week where the sun and moon and planets line up - along with the weather, my hip pain and my motivation.  Hope springs eternal.

Speaking of hips, what would you say the device pictured below is?  (I'm sure Mrs. Puca - she of fourth grade English class - is spinning in her grave over that sentence.)  

If you guessed "bamboo toast tongs with rubber bands on the ends", you would be totally and partially right.  If you guessed that this is a sock-puller-upper tool, disguised as a pair of toast tongs with rubber bands on the ends, you would be 100 percent correct!  My sister thinks I need to stick to professional devices, but I am quite happy with this.  Just call me Sweezie McGuyver.

I am currently filling my time with ferment-making.  This was brought on in force by the arrival of two cabbages of enormous dimensions.  My neighbor asked if I would like a cabbage or six (he always grows enough vege for a family of 12) and I said, naively, sure!  I'll take two.  Sauerkraut is done and curtido is on today's agenda.

If I had a bowling ball, I'd use it for gauge.  Honestly.  He used to compost all of his extras (!!!!) until I convinced him to take them to the food pantry.  Some of those in need have large families - a perfect match, plus it's fresh vege.  Win, win, win.

Not much else to report from the Little Lucky.  I did my first bread run for Marianne (she is one of my bffs and has a large organic farm and general store, for those who may not know) and it was pure, unadulterated aitch ee double ell, being closed in my car with a back seat full of warm, fragrant bread.  I had fleeting thoughts of pulling to the side of the road and diving into the bags - eating myself to a painful and early death.  Very fleeting thoughts, thank goodness, and both the bread and driver survived the hour-long drive.  The bakery has been in business for at least 100 years and it is one of those wonderful neighborhood buildings - an old duplex, with bakery on the right and restaurant on the left.  I will try and get a picture of it on my next run, although it is still dark when I arrive.

I'm off to sort out a few projects.  Even at one a month, it will keep me busy well into my 90s!


19 comments:

Debra She Who Seeks said...

I commend you for resisting that bread. I would not have. I'd be moaning in the back seat right now, bloated beyond recognition.

tpals said...

That is a cabbage! My view is that socks are for those who go to work or have cold feet; neither applies to me. But that looks like a handy workaround.

Mama Pea said...

Our weather is having no fits and starts. It's all colder than . . . well, really cold for this early in the chilly season.

Since I have not yet graduated to using the sock-puller-upper to get my socks on in the morning(just a twinge of stiffness in the lower back), I shall stop complaining.

About that cabbage . . . it's SCARY! And beautiful. Good thing you didn't tell your sharing neighbor you'd take six or so.

When you make the bread run, do you get paid in fresh loaves??

Ed said...

I love fall but my least favorite thing about it is the wide range of temperatures. I don't mind the range outside but inside the house it is constantly juggling to go from heat to fan to air-conditioning and back all in the course of a day.

Goatldi said...

Ahh . The aroma of freshly baked bread. Right up there with freshly milled grain and a spring time event of driving with windows down to turn a blind corner on a mountain road and there is a field being cut while the scent of fresh alfalfa permeates the air.

May I suggest tucking a pound of butter in your travel bag if needed on your next bread run?
You know for that loaf that jumped the seat into your lap on the curve you took on two wheels?

You may want to bring a napkin to wipe the butter off your face while explaining that you have no idea where the MIA loaf went.

Nancy In Boise said...

That's so great that you encouraged your neighbor to donate his fresh cabbage people in need always need fresh fruits and vegetables to stay healthy. Cobra sadly is a disaster of a plan, I've heard about this for years. I'd like to see somebody get something a little bit more reliable and affordable

jaz@octoberfarm said...

the big question is, if the bread were GF, would you have succumbed?

Rosalea said...

You never fail to have me laughing..."COBRA handler (I was imagining a turban and recorder...)" I have read your blog for a long time and never commented. Its time to chime in! Thanks for all the enjoyment. That sure is a CABBAGE! Retirement...mmmm...it takes a while to get used to it, but it is wonderful. Enjoy your freedom!

Marcia LaRue said...

COBRA has always been a ripoff! Go with the Medicare!
Glad you clued your neighbor into donating his excess veggies to food kitchens and food pantries. So much good food goes to waste when donations can work for everyone!

Leigh said...

Sounds like you're getting the last details of your transition taken care of. It must be a relief! If that's the cabbage you used for sauerkraut, you're going to have a big supply!

Joanne Noragon said...

I bought a cabbage that big from the market. My sister cut it for me, but I studied on how she did it, and think I could manage.

Michelle said...

Yay for the cabbage!! Years ago we were gifted two like that; it was the first time I made sauerkraut. I felt so accomplished!

coffeeontheporchwithme said...

That's a big cabbage! There's always cabbage roll casserole, too. Well done engineering those sock-puller-uppers! -Jenn

Susan said...

Curtido is new to me but not for long, just have to find a neighbour with cabbages. I'm ignoring the year's supply of my own cabbages already fermenting. Spring will find me with a very healthy gut. I recommend some extra treats while you manage the wonky hip.

ellen abbott said...

so I'm sure you picked the COBRA hahahahahahaha. my supplemental went to no co-pays. and I had a procedure last year that cost me a total of $300 that included 4 days in the hospital for observation of a new medication. no charge for that since I wasn't officially admitted. and the got a refund check for about $160 a couple of months ago for I have no idea what.

you will have no trouble filling your days.

Steve Reed said...

That's a big ol' cabbage! Good job getting your neighbor to donate his extras -- seems a shame to let them go to waste, and fresh food is always in demand, I'm sure.

www.self-sufficientsam.blogspot.com said...

You have the neatest neighbors! People around me don't cook or work in their yards or garden. I think they just watch T.V. It's disgusting! LOL! I'm sorry but I like people who are interesting and actually do things during the day...this is pretty much a retirement community. Have I said I detest old people? Not really as I am one, but these are the ones that give the rest of us a bad name!
Anyway, glad you got the bread there safely and unmolested (by you). That cabbage is beautiful! I need to make some sauerkraut. what is curtido...never mind I'll google it. I have sourdough going but need to do some real fermenting! SO glad your neighbor is taking his extra's to the food pantry. There are a lot of people hurting right now.
So glad you don't have to pay those Cobra prices! They're terrible!
We've been wet and cold here. Of course it started right after my mulch was delivered. I have plenty to do though inside and in my garage too. Enjoy your new lifestyle!

Debby said...

A car full of fresh bread??? My. That sounds delightful. I think that you should do a kickstart business. You know those little pine trees that people hang from their mirrors to scent their cars? You could do a little loaf of bread. The car could smell like fresh baked bread. The drawback would be that you'd look over and see your passenger gnawing on the arm rest or something.

Retired Knitter said...

My.God!! That's a cabbage!! You never find them that big in the grocery stores.