Not An Issue in Everyday Ramblings

This is from the Portland State campus on Sunday. Right across from here up against another building is a whole row of large beautiful arbutus shrubs. The way the leaves and the light and the fruit all work it is hard to get a decent picture of them. These are large enough you can see the peeling madrone bark quality to the trunks.

I like this picture though because it reminds me of The Chronicles of Narnia.

Last week in passing I mentioned to Mrs. Sherlock that I have an affinity for making cookies that I haven’t explored in a long time. When I was recovering from surgery in my late 20’s I was staying with my oldest sister and her children and as I couldn’t really go out with any ease I went on a cookie-baking extravaganza that I still remember fondly.

Ever the over extended volunteer she asked if I could make cookies for a memorial service she is organizing in a few weeks. (She has been attempting to recruit me for this social justice/good works organization through the church for a time.) I am certainly willing to make cookies but I am not making any other commitments.

Yesterday along with the regular carrots I got in my Imperfect Box I got some rainbow carrots and they came with the tops on. I was looking up what to do with the carrot tops, besides composting them and I came across this almond carrot cake recipe that looks like it is so good.

For that recipe you need a hand mixer, a sifter and a spring form pan, all of which I do not have. I do have a grater and a food processor. I figure the sifter and the mixer I can use for cookie baking and I have two new sheet pans I use almost exclusively for roasting that I can employ.

As I get more grounded in retirement I will look for this sort of thing in second hand stores as so many households are dissolving as the population ages out.

But this morning as a late last splurge I ordered all three after checking the product reviews on Cooks Illustrated. The hand mixer will match my beautiful food processor. The one for which the big blade has been misplaced and was something I kept saying I would find when I retired.

Um, that would be now.

My one other late splurge as I buckle down to a more modest lifestyle is that when I get my retroactive pension check, in late January, early February, is to get a highlight weave in my hair. I haven’t had it done in almost a year and I liked the last one very much.

My hair is not gray, just this flat light brown after being blonde almost my whole life.

I also mentioned to Mrs. Sherlock that I was chuffed I got my marketing cards done. (I put up the fliers on Sunday at the church.) She got very excited and said that she needed to make nametags and had them and could I make those for her? She is not computer literate in anything other than the basics.

Are you sensing a pattern here?

I am happy to do these things as long as they are one off.

Yesterday I spent almost the whole day immersed in “yoga stuff”. I listened to a number of podcasts, started a couple of books, one that I was able to get as an e-book through the library, and a video practice.

Did you know that each disk in your spine has an outer covering that has rings like the trunk of a tree? I find this stuff so fascinating.

Boredom is so not going to be an issue.

Last updated November 12, 2019