Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice

 At the request of a blogger friend who cooks, here is information about my new juicer. It is a Black and Decker (Model CJ630) bought at Walmart for $18.

It is Perfect. Remember I do not want to juice every fruit and vegetable. I did not need the Power Juicer for $99 that looked a little like Darth Vadar. This is what I wanted.



You can use the top to press down the orange and I have found it easier to use my hand so I can feel my way through the process. It has a little switch that allows for the amount of pulp you want.

    

 
I have bought boxes of oranges from Costco - the best oranges we have around here. Four every morning for our juice. One occasionally to add to a drink or iced tea. Yum!!

 The Ultimate test - and the big grin says it all. Best $18 I've spent in a while.

What a Week!

What a week this has been! 

It started in its usual fashion with a good Sunday, warm weather, preparing and sitting on the deck. Monday we had a huge thunder storm in the afternoon and were still able to sit on the deck for dinner with Mike and Dianne. Tuesday I received an email from Jim. Libba had been put in hospice and he was on his way to Dallas. I was edgy about that all day and then during that night it was ok and I “knew” so wasn’t surprised to receive his email that she had died during the night. He was with her, she was comfortable and at peace. Much to be grateful for. 

Still that now leaves my cousins who remember my birth. And I will miss Libba’s presence in the world. 

Wednesday I sent out invitations to a Cinco de Mayo party on the deck - pot luck. I hope the forecast is right because on Thursday it blew enough to upset the furniture in the yard, rain torrents, snowed like crazy, sometimes horizontal, and was in general a messy, yucky day. 

Then Friday morning we woke to a clear sky and although the temp is going up slowly, it is going up. On Friday afternoon I did something I have never done before and took out my own acupuncture needles and left. I was ready to see my family!! :) 

Friday night we went to Q’s for dinner and then the kids and I went to the park leaving Michelle and Marc to wander on their own and do whatever they wanted. After the park, the kids and I came home and they played and did their thing, Trinity even doing some homework, and I was there and on my computer doing stuff. Michelle and Marc came home in time to tuck them in and then we talked and talked and just were. 

Saturday was a family shopping day. Michelle and I went out for donuts and Starbucks for breakfast while my car was getting the oil changed. The the whole family got ready and we went shopping. I had such fun!! I just can’t have that kind of day up here. We just don’t have the stores. I bought deck pillows at World Market, some red paper goods for the party at the Dollar Store, a new grooming brush for Oso at Petco, and even a new summer weight jacket at Costco. Dianne had told me she had bought one and it is perfect for our early mornings and late evenings on the deck. For summer I bought a lavender. I have enough gray and black and although that might go with more of my clothes, I decided to look like spring and summer. :)

And how could I forget my juicer!!! In Walmart while buying donuts, I found The Juicer I wanted. Electric. Simple. Separates out the pulp if you don’t want it ~ and in varying amounts as well. I had Fresh orange juice with my dinner last night and this morning I have 4 oranges in the fridge and glasses in the freezer so we can both have fresh oj with our waffles. Yay!!! 

I am looking forward to the party Saturday night. I think this will be a good week as all the energy seems high around it. Even Libba’s death took on a quality of peace and grace for me. I am feeling good ~ and three good gym sessions plus some walks in the woods with Oso this last week are helping the weight, shape and of course the lowering of the cholesterol. Blew it yesterday, and that’s ok. One day in a week is better than every day in the week. All in a all a Good week ~ a bit wild and crazy ~ and very good. ~ blessings

In Honor of a Dear Friend

A dear friend died last night. Her son had emailed me that she had been put in hospice and he was on his way to Dallas. He was with her. I “knew” when I received word this morning because I had been edgy and teary after receiving his email. Then sometime in the middle of the night, it was ok, I was at peace and I knew it was because she was too. 

I am So grateful that L and I saw her in September ~ dressed in her pink polyester pants suit with pearls around her neck. :) Meredith wrote to say she was thinking about me and that she knew it was a “poignant” time for me. What a perfect word. That is exactly what it is. My friend's death was expected. She was comfortable, at peace and her son was with her. Blessings. And ~ now there are 3 cousins who remember when I was born. 

I think that is the poignancy more than anything. Her death brings me closer to my own mortality because there are few left who knew me as a very young child. Nice to be married now to a man whom I met in the first grade ~ and to still be in touch with many of our classmates from those years. Yes, Meredith found just the right word. It is a time gentle, poignant transition for all of us connected with and related to this wonderful woman. 

Should We Be Surprised?

== RE: the Vatican crack down on American nuns. This is a time when we stand with our sisters. It matters not if we are Catholic, Protestant, Evangelical, Pagan, Wiccan, Atheist or un-caring of it all. The time has come to say, “Right on, Sisters!!” We are talking women who have spent a life time in service to the poor and for the cause of justice and they are being scolded for it. I am including a link to an article in the LATimes which sums it up nicely.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-lopez-nuns-20120422,0,7617042.column

I am truly stunned. Even though not a Catholic, I have always been impressed by the work of the nuns I have known through my ecumenical work. These are strong, powerful, committed caring women and they are being used as scapegoats to take light from the crimes of pedophile priests. Anyway, it is an interesting time and an interesting article. Be sure to read the comments as well as they are mixed and look like they are from men. With blessings to all ~ 

OK ~ I think the time has come to blog about “lie” and “lay”. I remember a line from Up the Down Staircase when the young teacher was told, Never teach a lesson on “lie” and “lay”. That may be good advice and I think too many teachers have followed it over the years. Rather than risk the ribald laughter of teenagers, they have just kept quiet. More’s the pity. 

It really is simple: humans lie down, chickens lay eggs. 

So if I am told someone is going to lay down, I keep seeing whomever it is laying an egg. *sigh* Maybe it is just me and I do wish “lay” could be used correctly even if teachers have to go through some hard times to get the point across. 

Mountain Spring Morning

Just wandered out on the deck and breathed ~ deep lungs full of clear, clean, wet pine air. That aroma takes me right back to my childhood summers in North Carolina. Summers filled with cousins and freedom and running barefoot down dusty roads; watermelon, corn and hand-churned peach ice cream in the cabin yard; following my uncle to his garden or sitting with him in his big chair in the corner listening to the radio. Good memories of good days.

However, that’s not what took me to the deck this morning. I wandered out this morning from a need to feel spring, to break free of the house, if only for a moment, in my fuzzy slippers and robe without wrapping up in any other clothes in order to stay warm. There was a bit of a chill in the air and it is a spring chill, chilly but not cold. And it smells Good. That air makes me feel like Anything is possible. Later in the morning I will don the appropriate shoes and walking clothes and head up the hill with Oso. For now, I am pleased to still feel the cool in my body, the aroma in my nose, and the strength in my soul. Time for a cup of tea.

There is Irony Here

Ad just popped up on my screen from a Christian bookstore that advertises "Everything Christian for less."

Hmmmm - I've been at this Christianity business for 69 years now and somehow I got the feeling along the way that everything Christian meant "more" - more interest in others, more prayer, more compassion, more love, more forgiveness, more grace, more mercy, more blessings, etc, etc, etc.

Had to have a little theological smile at this one. I think they just might find a different ad agency.

Reflections While Making Soup

Homemade vegetable with fresh vegetables ~ except of course for the baby limas which are a must and which I can only find frozen.

And the macaroni ~ although one day I might like to try homemade pasta.

The soup is cholesterol free. I am doing very well with watching that.

Even with snow on the ground and more expected, the store had fresh corn yesterday. Two ears of kernels, into the pot.

New jar of spice. Take off lid. Inside covered with paper that says, “Remove this food safety seal before using.” OK. Except if I didn’t remove the food safety seal I wouldn’t have been able to use the spice. Oh, well ~ better to be safe than sorry I guess and have someone sue for paper in their soup.

Opened a couple of cans of soup base. Oso is used to cans being opened for him to eat. Oops. Humans use cans sometimes too, darlin’.

Time to take Oso snowshoeing and work up an appetite for this soup.

A nice way to spend some time on a cold Saturday morning. I even put on my apron. Uh, oh ~ the world may end in 2012 after all. :D

from a Proud Grandmother

Grandson Akira has been working in class with Jack Prelutski's book Scranimals, in which the animals are scrambled. So he and his friends have been scrambling their animals. Akira's is a Glasshopper ~ and here is the poem that goes with it.

That Fragile Glasshopper

"Do you see the fragile Glasshopper crawling silently around?

Its gleaming transparent beauty not making a sound.

If you encounter a Glasshopper, take good care not to scream,

For if it breaks, the Glasshopper would be just a dream.

(by Akira, age 9)

Phew!

It is So Nice to feel good when you have been sick! You don’t have to have been very sick. Just however much it is that throws you off your stride, makes you oogie, and in my case this week closes my ears with cotton. Yesterday morning I thought I was really in reverse. Felt lousy - even more lousy than earlier in the week. Then I took that nap. Just an hour. Lying on my left ear ~ which I had not been able to do for 10 days. One hour of lovely, solid sleep. Woke and knew I was over the hump. I was better - dare I even say well? A massage helped with the rest of the aches and pains. And last night I decided against more medicine which I had not taken since the night before. And I Slept. Hard. Long. Well. Oh my. Not a lot of energy this morning and I am well, the cold is over. All is well.

Easter Greeting

Christ is risen!

He is risen indeed!

The Day Between

Holy Saturday. That mid-time between crucifixion and resurrection. We know Easter is coming. The early disciples had no idea. They huddled in the dark of that upper room frightened of the knock that would come as soldiers came to drag them into court. Despondent because all their hopes and dreams of a Messiah to destroy Roman rule were dashed on the rock called the Skull. And they waited having no idea what was coming next. Often on this day I think of the monologue Lula wrote that I have performed so often, Mary speaking out of time, telling how she felt during these long painful hours before heading for the tomb to perform the death rituals with the other women. The monologue begins with her favorite Jewish mother joke: “how many Jewish mothers does it take to change a light bulb? Never mind. I will just sit here in the dark.” And so they sat. Lost to the world and to themselves with no idea that in one more day they would change the world forever.

Lassitude

las·si·tude/ˈlasəˌt(y)o͞od/

Noun:	A state of physical or mental weariness; lack of energy.
Synonym	weariness - fatigue - languor - tiredness - exhaustion On Saturday I got up from what was supposed to be a nap but wasn't to discover my left ear was Completely stopped up. My head felt full of cotton wool and I thought I might just tip over to the left, it was so heavy. Uh-oh, here comes a cold. A decongestant and a good spray and the ear cleared fairly rapidly. The cold itself hit like a ton of bricks this morning about five. I'm having my morning cup of tea and reading my book when I come across the word "lassitude". That's it!! That is Exactly how I feel. I knew the word although it is an old one and I haven't heard it used in ordinary conversation in a long time. I had to look it up to give Dean an exact dictionary definition - see above - and the definition fit. That's me this morning. It's good to have word to describe how I'm feeling.