He's Here Again Today!

He arrived late morning. The 5 year-old dynamo would be with me -baba- till dad picked him up later that day. There was a treasure trove of fun things to do, including school work, for this home-schooled child. He was beyond his years in all the markers used to assess little children, the easiest people to teach. 

Little children and I mesh well. Did that indicate I was a child, too? Probably. As a child, I enjoyed being around older people. Nowadays, as a grandmother, I enjoy little people. The rules are simple- follow them my sweet. Discipline is not my game. It belongs to mom and dad. My job is to follow their rules where you are concerned, dear boy. 

'Oscar' loves sports, numbers, rhyming words, running and dogs. Today we have 4 - mine and his with us. The ten-year-old retriever is running with Oscar, never letting up unless Oscar does, around the fenced area with a large cage inside. I watch them all. It is my job to keep both groups of excitable creatures from fighting or anything else that might surface. Time to go indoors for printing and reading. He recently turned five.

As an old lady I am ready for anything. My rules tell the story. Living in the country can be a dangerous place, I remind my precious 5-year-old. Nothing is completely safe, anywhere, I continue. He understands. Trees and bushes abound. I begin picking up the twigs, large branches and other fallen 'debris' lying around

Wind has played havoc with the outdoor playground, recently. I need to remove the fallen stock from the ground. The unsightly green mess really bothers me. Always has. But now an idea comes to mind. “Would you like to clean this small area, my child, for $5.00,? He smiles - as he often does- and asks for $10.00” “Sorry” I reply. “The job is not worth ten”'. Good try, I thought. “Do the rest of the area nearby and you'll get $10.00” He agrees, happily. We work together as I show him that some jobs take two or more people to finish. Soon he stops. “I'm tired”. “Well that is unfortunate, I remark. No pay for a job half done”, I say. He smiles and begins again to finish. 

The crisp ten dollar bill grabs his attention. Into his special bank account the money will go when dad arrives. Oscar's entrepreneurial spirit says it all. He's happy to be here, running with the dogs, running out of breath and watching a Disney animal special about Lilly the gorilla. He wants to move, learn and eat salmon. Easy to love and easy to please. His delightful hugs are the price of admission into baba's world. He's sold. And so am I.

Commercials' Hold Over Us Today

Commercials have become king, competing with the shows they underwrite, both in time and cost. Television needs to pay for what we watch. That is understandable. Thank goodness, however, we have PVR, the mute button and of course, the off switch when we've simply had enough.

A new twist on commercials, nowadays, has the networks appearing on the screen, at the bottom, inconspicuously, while the show is in progress as if to say to us “ Your private viewing time does not matter, to us, anymore!” Mustn't forget the product. It is forgotten, however, by an disgruntled viewer. Having just watched several minutes of your advertised product, I am not amused to see it plastered on the screen, again, reminding me to buy it or subscribe to it. The product code entices us, non-stop, to buy without thought.

Time is the enemy to advertisers - not us. Click. See how quickly the money disappears. Why did I do that? The screen aids in our destruction. Buy now. Do not think about it, they hope! Our future has this daily message as we watch. Will there be anything left to support us and our dreams? Is our health going to matter then? How soon will our down fall happen? We now have online betting. Emptying our bank accounts never looked so good - to them. A scary scenario, I'd say!!

Life is about commercials yet we have an added burden - that of personal stories of the on air hosts. The prize is the invited on-air guest. Irrelevant information of the hosts is of no consequence to me. My own life is too boring to contemplate. Birthday and birth announcements, cake included, are inappropriate, on air tools. Where is the information you dispel? Useless banter is useless. We did not ask! If every second - on air - is a costly enterprise, then stop wasting precious our time and those of the invited guest. Fluff is irrelevant; real news is not.The invited guests should reign, each and every time!

Air time is a costly moment. The personal stories of the hosts who present the hour long programs become intrusions into the viewing audience's time. Our time is important, too. The airing of a segment near the end with 5 seconds left is an affront to the dignity of the invited guest and the audience watching. Is that gimmick an enticement for us to stay till the end? Do it once, shame on you. Do it twice or thrice, shame on me. I'll simply go elsewhere for entertainment. The choice is endless and commercials are not king. Life is too short to waste. 

Momsey's Newest Fashion Statement!

I had relinquished control over those decades old winter boots. Name brand and all. They were done.. A new kid in town had arrived. 

Last year, I had bought a couple of pairs of boots but had given up on finding any that were truly comfortable and quick to put on in whenever our 14-year-old pup had to go out quickly. Challenging mobile issues were now a part of her life, a much slower paced one.

One pair of boots had been bought online, another pair from TSC. I kept looking. Comfort is everything. This newer pair was perfect. I needed them for the outdoor supervision of our two retrievers. Material and looks meant nothing. The issue of a weak ankle and wide food needed to be addressed for walking, running and sliding.

An issue with our septic tank weeks after the purchase created a new dilemma for me. I did not want to wear these new 'pen' boots in this outdoor area now requiring attention and repair. We were facing a problem of untold proportions. I did not want to ruin these new winter boots. I had looked too long and spent enough money in the interim. Where were those decades old boots I had been wearing previously? There had been a hole at the back of one boot making snow, slush and sleet gain easy entry inside. Cold and wet would result. Could duck tape be the answer? Why not, I surmised? I wasn't heading to the fashion runway. 

A new fashion statement came into being. Black crinkle patent duct tape had solved my problem while making these old boots fashion worthy.. How could that be? My husband's discovery had made life simple. I was falling in love with these decades old boots by simply attaching a patch of shiny black duct tape to the back of the boot with the hole. Could another patch be used to augment the style of the other one? 

I began to think duct tape for an old pink raincoat I loved. Could this magical tape be strategically placed to make this coat wearable again? Had I discarded this coat? Parts of the jacket were fine while one spot had a gaping opening making sewing impossible. Was it feasible to fix this much loved garment with duct tape in an appropriate colour? So many questions. We'll just have to see. ..

Re-imagining Potato Salad

To help out with food recently, I thought of the summer favourite: potato salad. Its appearance on the summer barbecue scene had me wondering, why not now, in the dead of winter?

Potato salad is a limitless concoction. Yummy yummy. It is a recipe that can unfold, time after time, as newer trends appear. Diets for many have changed. Eliminating meat (eggs), certain types of mayonnaise and altering the way it is made has made potato salad a yummy 'newcomer'.

Originally, I made the famous salad with mayonnaise and lots of eggs. Lots of protein, I thought. Then the word dairy came to mean ' not in my best interest'. My family enjoyed its place during the summer. As time passed, diet preferences began to influence the ingredients used. So I adapted. I changed the ingredients while thinning out the dressing. Dressing should never be the centerpiece of any salad, anyway. Recently, I had an epiphany. Everything changed. My family raved. .. 

I thought of Dr. Stephen Gundry, cardiologist, author of the Plant Paradox. It all began to make sense to me. Potatoes began to taste better with deeper flavour penetration and nutrient retention when cooked 'under pressure'. The plant doctor has pointed out the folly of eating certain plants that may play havoc with our heart and health. He refers to these harmful things - seeds- as lectins. (He has implicated ADHD in these lectins.) 

The pressure cooker eliminates the harmful lectins, making foods healthier when pressure cooked! The high interior temperatures  makes those foods safer to eat.  (If I buy non-organic potatoes are they healthier now? I would think so. Discard the peels, however.)  I add bay leaves to augment flavour further. Peeling the potatoes happens afterwords as the peels protect the potatoes from becoming soggy. Cutting should be avoided whenever possible. But I have done it, on occasion, nonetheless.

I do not own the newest combo pressure cooker. I am on my third one since first being introduced to this former 'dangerous' appliance from the early 70's when it was made of aluminum. My second one was made from stainless steel until its demise from over work. My third one followed, was made of stainless steel, is still with me today being used over and over again to make chicken soup and other foods in a bowl. Potato salad is now at the top of my list

Making potato salad starts with my current pressure cooker.  Desserts stand no chance with me! The dressing is a healthy mix of lemon juice - no vinegar here - with salt and pepper added, shaken not stirred, with olive and avocado oils - subject to change.This rich topping binds it all. (No eggs or mayonnaise used) A few tablespoons gingerly applied inside the bowl allows for the slow penetrating oil to lightly coat the potatoes before finely chopped vegetables are added. I use green onions, celery and finely grated carrots. Other vegetables can be added. Red pepper will be next; dill, perhaps. The more colorful the better. Mix gently, using two forks, to avoid 'bleeding' of the finely grated carrots. Salad might still be warm. Refrigerate immediately.

This potato salad is a hit with my oldest grandson. “It” disappears within minutes of arriving. At a recent birthday visit, this precious six-year-old told me, “I loved it”. Really? A meal in a bowl. Thank you my dear sweet boy! That's all I needed to hear.

Never Give Up! Ever!

Our 14-year-old canine manages to test the limits of endurance and life. After injuring herself during a short marathon in snow, uphill, with her 5 year old human cousin, Sally required treatments to address the swelling, inflammation and other hidden issues. She could barely stand, walk or eat easily. A harness with its rear end attachment helped restore her strength, once again. She is a miracle in a retriever's guise. If I dare complain to her, she will simply ignore me. Good for her!

The snow has arrived in this winter location. She loves the outside walk and the challenge it presents. Though Sally has mobility issues, walking is a must nonetheless. I want to stay indoors myself but she needs what she needs. All dogs do! The rear end handle helps her outdoor 'play' have meaning. To those companies who make these contraptions so our pets can walk and heal, I salute and honour you.

Lifting 70 pounds of puppy is a mean feat for this old lady. But I must keep fit if her life has meaning. One cannot exist without the other.

When the snow falls, walking can be difficult so I use my special shovel to create fresh pathways. Each new snow fall buries the walkways created before. Every new pathway is akin to a maize or labyrinth making their brains work a bit harder at this new way home. Brains that are challenged retain the knowledge and spirit of the past. New ways of playing create new memories thus encouraging our seniors - both animal and human - to figure it out all over again in a new way. 

It is my job to address her exercise regimen outdoors. The inside ones cannot be changed as walls are permanent. When she hears me chopping or slicing Sally gets up to 'look'. Movement is good in all its forms as is the interest she shows. Tumeric is an integral part of her diet, thus keeping her brain clear, ready for the next intrusion into her life. No time for pity here. I have work to do. And so does she, the darling in my life.

Being a Grandmother

Being a grandmother is a special role. Though I had one while growing up, she never bothered with any of us. She was too important in her own mind. Four of her girls were my aunts, incredible women I loved. Intolerance was the name of her game. She disliked my dad and my mom, her daughter. Her grandchildren were collateral damage, I guess. I did not waiver. Family strife was not my game. Time would be wasted. It belonged elsewhere.

As a grandmother since 2017, I am learning. It is an unusual fun-loving role, one that fills me with love, fun AND AMAZING PEOPLE: 5 LITTLE ONES UNDER THE AGE OF SIX - for now! As often as possible, I engage in conversation with my grandchildren - 4 boys, a one-year-old girl and soon-to-be three little girls by May. Our newest heir is just under 2 months old.

I remember being asked to come and play with O, our second oldest, recently. I was honoured that a little boy wanted to play with an old lady. My philosophy: ask questions and let them lead. They must lead at some point so why not learn with me and begin the process? Words such as show me, tell me and help me learn makes leaders of them all. 

Giving little ones the attention they need and deserve focuses on teaching them who is in charge with their best interests at heart: mom and dad. Baba is second tier; mom and dad, first.

Canine Kidney Disease, Reversable?

She has kidney disease, our  active 14 year old canine pup. Though a protein restricted diet is her new health protocol, I am not accustomed to waiting and hoping for the best. I simply use what has been given me: my mind- to change outcomes, if possible, based upon common sense.

Sally's output, on the frozen ground, is an obvious clue to her health status. Colour is too. Snow helps with its white colour backdrop letting us all know what is clean and what has transpired with our pup. We love her dearly. But pills and such are not going to rule her day and ours. Diet is medicine. We all know that.

Miracles are beginning to happen. Her urine is a soft yellow now, an obvious sign of recovery, temporary or long term. I'm not sure which. She is fed a 'raw' diet of produce, allowable for dogs. I must watch out for all those oxalates so have begun my study of the contraindications of some foods she has been given so as to make sure they benefit her health. Green is out, sort of, while it is a favourable choice for our Mr. Wiggles. Vitamin K, the blood clotting factor, is found in many green foods. Another thing to consider. Back and forth, I go! She needs to go out!!

She pulled a muscle or whatever it is that has impaired her mobility. Running marathons, even short ones, with her four-year-old human cousin, might have caused this latest injury. A harness, worn full time now, helps with walking. Another piece of this puzzle has been added to assist with her getting up from  a resting position. The toughest part of this journey is using the two steps to go outside. Lifting her is a tough road till we find a ramp to make life easy. I have decided that building this accessory over the concrete steps will be the decision that makes sense. Her brother, now ten, might need help in the future. At over 80 pounds, he will test my strength, I'm certain of that. Must stay strong!

Recent tests to determine the status of Sally's kidneys make me happy. Low protein is not the only part of the health puzzle. Berries, apples, cucumbers-peeled a bit and sliced and other miracle foods help to round out the diet my precious old girl needs as she advances to 15. I can hardly wait.