Larry, the coconut cream pie was delicious, but we had not had the tuna melt for some time either, and it tasted so good!

I bought a 3-qt Instant Pot and now I am trying to find simple recipes to learn how to use it.  I did have a pressure cooker many years ago - I had it at the cottage that I had from 1960 until 1976 so you can see that was many years ago.  I am sure I still have it in the storage room somewhere.  I used it quite a bit at the cottage but I don't remember what I fixed.  The recipes I have seen for the Instant Pot have so many ingredients and I may try some of them after I know what I'm doing.  Tom wants me to fix something tonight and invite Dot.  I'd like to have a little practice before I invite anyone to share.  Practice makes perfect - or nearly so.

I grew up in what became a 7-room house (we added to it in 1947), then moved to a 3-bedroom ranch and had no trouble filling it.  Then I came here - 871 sq ft on each level.  I brought too much stuff and have never adapted to the smaller space.  When Tom came here in 2013 I got rid of a lot of stuff but we still have too much stuff.  When I am gone, Tom can have a garage sale.

Mary Ann

Good morning.  It is just so nice to see the sun shining.  Supposed to get up into the low 80's for most of this week.

I had some business to take care of on the phone this morning and that all went without any problems.   So, now I am just waiting for the PT and the OT to come a little later,  One is due around noon and the other one at 2 p.m.  I will be glad when they are finished coming.  It really kind of messes up the day.  They will only be coming twice this week.  I am doing so well, but they have a set program and then I have to be re-evaluated before they can stop coming. 

I have been waking up earlier than I did before and I feel like getting up and getting things done.  Some days I was so tired, that I didn't get out of my robe.  Now, it is a nice feeling to be up and dressed and then, if I want to go downstairs I can.  Today the rent is due and I will take it down in a little while.

All the bills are paid so that is a good feeling also.  I still will have a couple that come in the middle of the month. 

Mary Ann, I am happy that you and Dot were able to get to church and then out to lunch.  Like Larry said, that coconut cream pie sounds so good.  That, along with a chocolate pie,  is one of my favorites.  I like anything with coconut. I am still trying to decide whether I should get the Instant Pot or not.  My biggest problem is not having enough room on my countertop, 

I hope everyone will have a nice day.

Joy

Joy, from what others have said, you don't need anything other than the Instant Pot on your counter, at least not a slow cooker.  I have not been cooking at all since Tom has been here but I may with the Instant Pot.  I have used a pressure cooker before but I have no idea what I fixed 50+ years ago when I did most of the cooking - at least weekends.  Dad was a good cook, very inventive, and got the meals during the week when he got home before I did. 

Mary Ann

Larry, your Sunshine Grill sounds a lot like our favorite hamburger place, Kirk’s Steakburgers.  "Since 1948!", is prominently displayed on their neon sign. It's one of  very few locally owned Restaurants remaining here in the SanJose area, and is one is my favorites. 

Mary Ann,  as I’ve mentioned before, Kirk’s sounds like your Cholesterol Pit, only they don’t have a tuna melt on the menu, and I wish they did! 

Joy, you’ve already accomplished a lot this morning!  It’s only a little past 7:30 here in CA, so I’m still sitting here drinking my morning coffee.  I hope to get out later,  and do some grocery shopping for the week.

Hope you all have a nice day!

Good morning from the Interior with a bright, beautiful, sunshiny altho chilly day! It's 8:26 here and I'm sitting with my first cup of coffee after the usual morning rituals.

I also have a couch, a table, two chairs and a lamp to donate. It just takes time to coordinate with someone and their vehicle for pick up for donation to a used furniture place. I have end tables, two small single folding tables and a counter separating my living room from the kitchen so certainly do not need my kitchen table with leaves anymore.

I want to replace that with a wing chair and a rocker, plus perhaps a futon. Where the table is now, Farrah uses it for her window on the world as its next to the balcony. I'd like to get her a large cat tree instead.

MaryAnn, here are some easy beginner recipes for the instapot that you might enjoy browsing.

https://www.pressurecookrecipes.com/easy-instant-pot-recipes/

https://www.brit.co/beginner-instant-pot-recipes/

https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/quick-easy-instant-pot-recipes/

https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/instant-pot-roast-herbed-chicken/ed6314b1-f99d-4899-a163-12cf4c96c0c4?esrc=18005&int=td&rc=&gclid=Cj0KCQjwi8fdBRCVARIsAEkDvnJn02fJC4mMICMWF4XU5_6q_ewRTEhIGF3-YKs_GezLK7uD1yjmiaYaAjEEEALw_wcB

Marilyn, the Cholesterol Pit is a hamburg joint, cafeteria style and they have a varied menu- hamburgers is not all.  And Sunday mornings, a lot of eggs, bacon and toast are used.  Because we are there between 11:30 and 1 pm, Dot and I sometimes get burgers (the place name is Mr Burger and he has seven places around town) - she gets an oliveburger and I get a regular hamburger.  It is a popular place to go before or after church as it is almost impossible to find a parking place or seat.  We've been lucky to find a booth and Dot goes down the line to order the food and get coffee (also the pie) and I get water and eating utensils.  A number is on the receipt and when they call our number, Dot gets a tray with our food.  We split the pie and we split the tuna melt.  They give us two plates for each of the items - they cater to us!!!

Mr Burger is a popular place for north end people.

In looking for recipes for the Instant Pot, I've only found one so far that I might attempt to make but I'll keep looking.  I was going to see if I could find my old pressure cooker book that I think is with other cookbooks but they are too high so I'll have to wait until Tom is in the kitchen.

Marilyn, I managed to see a ship go through the Soo, but none at Duluth.  i don't remember the name of the ship.

Mary Ann

Good Afternoon Everyone!
Great day today!

My Drive Nitro Rollator  was delivered
today.     It is awesome...  Tomorrow I
will take it for a walk down to CVS...   

I am hoping this will make me feel more
secure when walking around the city.

As I mentioned,  it got side tracked and ended up
in California  (home base) but it has finally
survived a trip to the North East.     

What a relief.. 
Sandy

Tom baptized the new Instant Pot tonight.  I sent a recipe to him, supposedly simple, and he read it over and thought it took too many steps.  Nevertheless, he went to the store for the ingredients and did exactly what the directions said.  He did say afterward he thought the meat was a bit larger than called for because it did take longer to cook.  He expected we'd eat about 7 pm and it was closer to 8 pm when we finally did eat.  It was a pot roast, carrots, onions and potatoes - and it was delicious.  It reminded me of roasts that my dad or I fixed on top of the stove.  Because of the length of time it took, I figured Tom would say he wouldn't fix it again, but it was so good I know he will.  Another time we will invite Dot. 

It is 9:30 pm here now and I am ready for bed.  I hate to go to bed too early, but I may make an exception tonight.  Kendrick will go anytime after the lights are out.  I have nothing scheduled for tomorrow.

Mary Ann

Good Morning from the cool and
rainy rocky coast of Maine.   

I purchased an "Instant Pot  in January of 2016... 
I liked it very much.  Made a lot of yogurt. 
Then I decided that I didn't like the home made
yogurt so much..  then I stopped eating dairy... 
Then I decided that for one,  being me,  the
Instant pot was just not necessary,  so I
gave it to my daughter..  and I presume that she
gave it to my Grand Daughter Madison. 

I don't know if anyone is using it now...  but I think
that I will ask.

Instant Pots are great!!!   I just didn't have the
need any longer. 

Have a good day,  everyone.

Sandy

Tom told me that the roasts were 2 for the price of one so we have a roast in the freezer and there will be a next time.  I must look up some other recipes for us to use but that one we used for the roast is a keeper.

Tom has gone to breakfast with a friend of 30 years ago.  I didn't recall the name but she is a Korean adoptee. 

I've got to call to see if the absentee ballots have been mailed because it seems I should have received mine by now.

Mary Ann

Hi Everyone.  It looks like we will have another nice with some possibility of rain later this afternoon.  My schedule is light this today.  I thought Pat had placed a Walmart grocery order that I would pickup nearby this morning but don't see any email that it is ready so that may not have happened.  A friend will be here for an hour later this morning and that is all that is on the schedule that I know of now.  Pat made some delicious enchiladas for our dinner last evening and there was enough left for three more meals later on.  They will go into the freezer for now.

Mary Ann, there are many cooking sites with recipes for the Instant Pot.  Pat has already printed off a good number of these and will soon have enough for a notebook of them.  Pat doesn't usually use a recipe with many ingredients.  She was going to make some Spanish rice in ours last evening but didn't have enough rice so that was put on hold. Nice to see Tom had success with his first recipe.   

Joy, I see you are looking forward to the time when you won't need the PT and OT folks coming.  It sounds like they have been very helpful to you. Like you I want to get my monthly bills paid as early as possible.  However, I do have one utility bill that comes later in the month and my credit card statement isn't ready until a few days into the month.  We put everything we can on the credit card for ease of payment and also because it pays a nice little bonus check twice a year, one from Costco from our purchases there and the other from the credit card company on all of the purchases.  One of my favorite cookies is the coconut macaroon. 

Marilyn, you are right that the Sunshine Grill is one of the few locally owned restaurants we have here as well and it has been here a long time. 

Patricia, do you have a charity there that will pick up furniture?  That is how we disposed of about half of our furniture when we downsized into our first retirement home.  I copied the Instant Pot recipe locations and will share them with Pat later this morning.

Sandy, nice to see you got your Rollator and hope you find it makes you feel much more secure.   

First thing this morning, I looked out the glass slider in the kitchen, and was surprised to see the deck covered with sprinkles of rain!  What an unusual, but welcome sight!  According to the weatherman on the local news . . . the last time we had rain here, was on April 6th, so it's been almost exactly six months.  Unfortunately, this little drizzle is not supposed to amount to anything measurable, but it's a treat to at least have some dampness and overcast skies.

Mary Ann - sounds like Tom's Instant Pot meal was a huge success!   Makes me want so much to order one, but I don't do enough cooking anymore to justify buying one. I might consider getting one each for my daughters or dil, for Christmas presents?

We haven't heard from MarsGal in here for a while?  She posted in the Library/bookshelf last week, I think?  I hope that her three cats are doing well?  I think the older one, Oscar, was having some health issues?

Patricia - those cat trees, are quite expensive, but worth the cost. They provide good exercise, and the various platforms are fun for the cat. We had a couple of them over the years, and I always thought it was money well spent.

I just went into the kitchen to refill my coffee, and I see that the deck is now dry again. I hope those few drops was not the extent of our "storm"?  Still cloudy out there, so there is hope!

Marilyn, I just looked at my radar and it shows a lot of rain along the California coast, no storm, just rain.  We have had rain overnight, just a light rain, but enough that I could hear it on the roof.  The radar shows no rain in our area, however.  We have had enough the last few days and I'll have to check my rain gauge.  We've had nights into the low to mid 40s and it's time I think about bringing in my plants, although I think I saw we'd be in the 70s for a few days.  I've always put the plants in the lower level but since I don't go down there now, I have no way of checking on the amaryllis bulbs and I'm thinking of putting them behind a chair in the living room.  I know it sounds crazy but that is the only place I think I can put them.

Mary Ann

Good Morning ..

I just went out for a walk with my Rollator...
It "Drives" nicely.     
What I did notice is that people seemed to give me a
wide birth... more so then with the cane.   

Also  walking back up my hill,  I noticed that
my breathing was much better.  Did not have
to stop to catch my breath.   

I do believe that being more secure now, I
am not fretting about being out alone...  no
shortness of breath which I believe now was
caused by me being nervous  before... 
Asthma related .. 

I hope to be out walking more and enjoying
it more. 

Sandy

Sandy, I'm glad that your Rollator gives you a sense of security when walking.  I notice some people around here - some in my complex, others not - have them. 

In the Random Image occasionally, I notice a picture of Fe.  The one beside my post is at age two.  What a darling.  I'll bet she gives you much joy!

Does Grand Haven ever look cold!  Grey skies, grey water, whitecaps and no one on the beach, no boats going in or out. 

Mary Ann

Mary Ann - That slight trace of rain, (unmeasurable), looks to be all we're going to get here.  Old Mister Sun, has pushed his way through the clouds, and is now smiling down on us once again.  It's supposed to be a pleasant 78 here this afternoon. 
There was about a tenth of an inch in the North Bay Area.  Not enough to help with the high fire danger, but better than nothing. 

I notice that there is quite a bit of rain in Southern CA, near the border, due to a monsoon off the coast of Mexico/Baja California.  Most of it is going into Arizona, but they need it there too. I looked at Grand Haven, and it does look very blustery and cool. 

Sandy - Looks like your new Rollator is going to give you more independence, as well as a feeling of security!  Anything that gets us out of the house is a good thing. I'm going too go to the Cottage Craft Boutique today, just to walk through and enjoy looking at all the beautiful items for sale.  I don't need anything, and too early for me to think seriously about Christmas presents. 

Marilyn, I watched the American Spirit go through the Duluth channel a while ago.  Of course, there were fewer people, but it is Tuesday and people work and kids are in school and there are fewer tourists.  It was interesting to see their clothing as they are wearing warmer coats, long pants, some hats or caps.  No shorts.  The kids I saw were pre-school age.  So it is Brrr there too.  I notice some of the leaves in the Hillside cam look like they are turning because they are more yellow.  I also notice some of the leaves around here are not the vibrant green, but kind of a dull green and the tips of some leaves are red.  I can't tell what kind of trees are there because they're on the other side of a house.  Fall is here!

A boat is going up the channel in Grand Haven; I'll bet that is cold.  From what Norm's boat had, it is possible to put curtains (clear plastic) around the back and a heater will keep things warm. 

Mary Ann

Mary Ann, I picked up the 6qt. instantent pot, but I think it is to much for me to handle, I am going to take it back and get the 3 qt. I had just wondered if it was big enough, but you seem satisfied with yours.

Gloria, I read somewhere that recommended the 3 qt for two or three people.  We don't entertain unless Dot comes over and what we had would have been adequate.  In fact, I cut off a piece of meat and had a roast beef sandwich.  Yum.  The whole thing tasted like I remembered from years back when we'd fix a roast on top of the stove and put carrots, onions and potatoes in it.  I'd recommend that you return the Instant Pot and get a 3 qt. 

Mary Ann

Good morning from another cool but bright sunshiny Interior day!

Gloria, When they first came out last year, I purchased a five quart due to my meal prep. It is heavy, sits on the counter and while great for meal prep; it is way too much for me for a single meal or two.

The one I purchased is no longer available as they've gone to newer sleeker models. I think they are fantastic for families or two people who cook larger meals regularly, but if I had it to do over, I would have waited for a smaller size. It did replace nine other appliances that I later donated.

Sandy, I'm glad that you are enjoying less anxiety and more freedom with your rollator. I find myself staying home more as the buses are very hard for me to get up into anymore and I'm resisting moving over to VanTran or SeniorRide as the buses are free for seniors and go everywhere while the others are not and do not.

Marilyne, I think Farrah would love one, and a platform or cubby would give her not only a "den" area and also a place to hide while watching when the Hawks are out. She needs the exercise too! Thank you for telling me about yours! They, the larger ones, are an investment!

Amazon has more varied stock, no shipping costs with Prime and less expensive than the ones locally available. Although the almost 23 or higher percent levied in shipping to the state has a lot to do with local pricing! For some reason, going over water raises freight cost significantly.

Larry, I hope you and Pat might find some good recipes for two in the list I posted for MaryAnn as I tried to find ones for instapot beginners and a variety.

I read an article in Euronews yesterday that caught me by surprise as it wasn't shown locally or in US news. It caught my attention because of its headline that Alaska had a warmer late summer that is expected to carry on into fall and later. I'm thinking What!? And wait a minute!

Then I read that the two systems that clashed overhead and remained there for some time successfully stopped Canadian cooler weather from moving over the western portion of the state, causing warmer temperatures bringing a heatwave to the rainforest areas. Almost in an afterthought, they did mention that the eastern part of the state remained cooler and wet. I am so glad that we were able to help our western neighbors! 

Altho they might have titled the article to read it wasn't the entire state having heat waves!

Here the leaves are past fall coloring, and on the ground, we have frosty mornings and bright days! 

Patricia, I did answer your e-mail about the list for Instant Pot users, especially newbies.  As I mentioned, the roast beef was delicious and tender.  I know the preparation took longer than the cooking but preparation would have been about the same regardless of cooking method. 

We bought our Instant Pot from Amazon through Tom's son's Prime account.  The pots are shipped free anyway, probably because they cost more than $25, but it takes a few days, not just two. 

Jim's sister lives on Vancouver Island, part of Western Canada, and I know they are in a temperate zone year round.  She lives near Victoria.  The warmth of Western Canada should affect her. 

Some headlines leave a lot to be desired, don't they?

Mary Ann

Patricia .... 
That is too bad that  you can not easily use
the buses any longer... 

Here  all our buses are "kneeling buses"
with wheel chair lifts,  if needed...   So they
are very handy to use... and they cater to
elderly and disabled,  who need more
room sometimes.   It only costs me  75 cents
to get to the grocery store and I get a
free ride home !

Portland Maine and Surrounding areas  have
a fabulous bus system...  Plus we have access to
Greyhound plus Amtrak and an International
Jet Port...   (plus taxis)   ... 

So I do feel very fortunate since
I had to give up driving five years ago.

We are very lucky in this part of Maine,
to be able to get to where we need to go
seven days a week. 

Sandy

Sandy,  you are so fortunate to have such good bus service.  The bus service in my county is not good, especially for handicapped people.,  You have to go on their schedule and sometimes, I have waited longer than an hour for the return trip,  They charge by the zones.   It used to cost me about $8 round trip to go to the doctor's, which was less than 10 miles.  One time I had to pay $30 to go one way with a private bus company.  Luckily, a friend picked me up and brought me home. 

Luckily, my DIL or son can make arrangements, most of the time, to take me now.

Joy

Joy, we are very lucky in our small town, they are good to the children and seniors. They have a huge playground, base ball and tennis courts out door skating rink. I can call the senior center if I cannot get a ride to the doctor, of course the bus picks you up and takes you to the center every day to eat two meals, plus all the other activities Of course the filled bus goes to Conn. once a month to the casinos. Tat takes the ferry to New London

The local transit is good in that it runs six days a week, no Sunday or holiday service; and it does have an automatic, (electronic?);  wheelchair lift. However, even tho they can lower the bus threshold, it is still too high, and it is hard for me to grasp the bar and pull myself up. Rides are free for six and under and sixty-two and over.

SeniorRide from the Senior centers is reservations only, no other stops and five dollars each way. VanTran, part of the transit system, is the same, reservation only and no extra stops plus it is two dollars each way. Both of these rides have roomy vans, wheelchair lifts and easy mobility in and out of the vehicles.

Sandy, I'm not sure what you mean by kneeling except perhaps lower entry thresholds?

I have more autonomy on the city bus system, but it won't be long until I am no longer able to ride as it is already a production getting in or out and my balance is not very good.

PeopleMovers, the Anchorage transit system has newer buses, and I understand both wheelchair lifts and lower thresholds are standard on all buses. The problem here is that the taxicab companies have strong allies on the city council and see buses as against their business and the council members see it as too expensive as it is...politics!

Patricia, I don't have any occasion to ride the bus and I'm not sure I could step on the low step now.  There is a vertical bar to hang on to but it's been years since I rode the bus and I was working downtown at the time.

You'd laugh now when/if Annie has to take me somewhere and drives the big black truck.  I absolutely cannot get in that truck; I can't get my leg up to the floor of the cab.  We had to find something I could step on, then step into the truck.

Recently Tom's former wife was in town and she, Annie and I went to lunch.  Sue has a Hyundi SUV and I sat in the back.  I think I could have made it in eventually but Sue gave me a shove when she saw I was having trouble getting onto the seat.  All of this is due to my being as short as I am.  Fortunately, Tom has a car and Dot has a kind of SUV that is classified as a station wagon.  It is a stretch for me to get in her car, but I am able to get in.

Mary Ann

kneeling bus
     A bus that can lower its body or entrance door to facilitate boarding by the elderly or people with disabilities.

After it kneels,  it can then put out  a flat
access for wheel chairs,   Rollators ,   or
anything that we might be pushing or pulling,
if necessary

Thanks for the definition, Sandy. These buses have that "kneeling" where they are able to lower or raise the bus entrance and when it is lower, part of the entryway floor unfolds and joins the entryway in sliding down and out, thus becoming a ramp for the wheelchair.

So I guess it is kneeling in that way, but the body of the bus doesn't move up or down. However, when the entryway is lowered, but not yet becoming a ramp, I still have to pull up, holding on to the bar and pull myself inside. When I'm leaving via the back door, I hold onto the bar and still feel unsteady moving downward. But I'm fighting consigning myself to Vantran and four dollars to get back and forth from point A to point B.

We just had a small earthquake similar to one we had last week. All that happened was the couch seat sort of rolled a couple of times. Not really anything to write home about, but its consistent with other quake activity with the Pacific-North American Plate and the Aleutian Trench. All part of the increased activity in the Pacific area right now.

Patricia - lots of earthquake activity everywhere except in California.  It really makes me nervous, that we haven't had even a small one here in a long time.  That Earthquake/Tsunami in Indonesia over the weekend, was catastrophic!  Now I see on Google News, that a volcano just erupted there!  The infamous, Ring of Fire, is getting extremely active.

Did you get that daily earthquake list that Mary Ann posted a number of months ago?  I looked at the ones for today, and see lots in Alaska - none in California. If you didn't get it, here is the long version URL.  Sorry I tried to shorten it, but then it wouldn't come up?  I know the one that Mary Ann posted wasn't this long.

https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/map/#%7B%22autoUpdate%22%3A%5B%22autoUpdate%22%5D%2C%22basemap%22%3A%22grayscale%22%2C%22feed%22%3A%221day_m25%22%2C%22listFormat%22%3A%22default%22%2C%22mapposition%22%3A%5B%5B-89.89497727536504%2C-597.65625%5D%2C%5B89.89752354420406%2C659.53125%5D%5D%2C%22overlays%22%3A%5B%22plates%22%5D%2C%22restrictListToMap%22%3A%5B%22restrictListToMap%22%5D%2C%22search%22%3Anull%2C%22sort%22%3A%22newest%22%2C%22timezone%22%3A%22utc%22%2C%22viewModes%22%3A%5B%22list%22%2C%22map%22%5D%2C%22event%22%3Anull%7D

Marilyne, Alaska is part of that ring of fire and has volcanoes. Mt. Redoubt, across the harbor from Sitka, is active and at times, the volcano spews enough gas clouds to divert aircraft. Google says this about them, "They create zones where earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanoes are a constant threat. Particularly active places around the Ring of Fire include Indonesia the Philippines, Japan, Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia, the west coast of Canada, the west coast of the US, Peru, Chile, and New Zealand."When tectonic plates move against each other at boundaries, they cause earthquakes and eruptions of magma, which form into volcanoes. The tectonic boundaries of the Ring of Fire are so active because they are mostly subduction zones."

California's volcanoes are presently dormant according to Google. "The Eruption of Lassen Peak. On May 22, 1915, an explosive eruption at Lassen Peak, the southernmost active volcano in the Cascade Range, devastated nearby areas and rained volcanic ash as far away as 200 miles to the east." Then, of course, Mt. St. Helens in Washinton.

Now to go look at that link. I see that the local earthquake was between Nenana and Fairbanks in the foothills. Thanks for the link.