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.

New Years Eve

It's New Year's Eve. Here I am making chicken soup. The last two days I have been coughing and sneezing. I wash my hands often, after I sneeze and before I touch my pups. My 'collection' of tissues is mine to touch, I remind my husband. Sometimes, he has not been as meticulous when he has under the weather. We must all be careful. Others depend on it. 

At the beginning of the virus in 2020, we were told to wash hands in all ways to stop the spread. No other treatment options were available. So we washed. I had been doing since before our children were born. Makes total sense to me, especially, when your babies are all preemies. An infection can kill a preemie. 

My mom told us to wash our hands when we came home, back in the 50's. I'm glad I listened. So today I made the best medicine of all: chicken soup. I used the pressure cooker to develop better flavour and nutrient retention, a superior soup all around. Scientist say there is something in homemade chicken soup that heals us faster than normal. I'm all for that. My soup had too many parsnips. but the onions and dill, salt and pepper helped to balance the flavour. I said yuck, Next time I will be more careful. 

I had retrieved chicken wings from the freezer to begin the process yesterday. (The wings have more collagen than other parts I read). Maybe. But thighs and legs will do fine, the next time. The whole chicken will also be o.k. Use up whatever might be wasted. The half lemon was a bit much though I have used it in past without a problem. I ate some early in the soup's development. The finished product had finely chopped celery and carrots and helped to make things right. These two are a must in any casserole or soup. 

Some over the counter drugs for headaches, coughing and sneezing are sold out at our local Walmart. A troubling sign, I hope not....When in doubt, make chicken soup. It has magical things inside to make haste of bacteria and help us fall asleep. Remember that deep sleep also helps heal the body on so many levels. An unbeatable combination.

Loading the Dishwasher

A few years ago, while reading Woman's World, a most valuable tip page appeared outlining ways to save money and water when washing dishes. Our habit of rinsing dishes and washing pots and pans made this every day chore act of washing more laborious and costly in a many ways. I have followed their lead. It makes so much sense.

There was a time when some daytime shows asked the audience how to load the dishwasher. Each time we load, should make sense, economically and physically. So I began to learn. It was a busy holiday period. Our expanded family would be here. Cooking the food while the table had been set made for alot of dishes to be accommodated afterwards. Who likes washing hoards of cutlery, dishes and pots and pans?

So I began to implement this new plan according to Woman's World with a few tweaks from momsey. I looked inside the dishwasher and wondered how that mess could become clean with some mindful changes. Well, it did. As long as the water spinner arms were free to spin and disperse the liquid all over the interior, regardless of item placement, all was good, I reasoned. In the end a miracle happened.

All plates, these large items, are placed in their lower slots as indicated. Some things can only go where common sense tells you they should. Little items can go anywhere, perhaps, but why waste the space. On the top rack, small bowls and plates fit. Cutlery is next. Each item that remains is allotted a space that fits so the spinner arm can moce without interference. Look beneath the upper rack and let the arm go. If it moves unimpeded, them add more, one at a time, making sure water can be released easily. Aslong as both the upper and lower arms can move to release water, a miracle will happen.dishaes can be added. More to come..............