Thursday thoughts

in which our plucky heroine feels right clever...

Today was my first PT visit to get advice on maintaining and improving my bone density health. I came home with three simple exercises to start with, and will gradually increase the repetitions and sets as I become stronger. The arm and shoulder exercise should be done with a one pound weight in each hand; tonight while I was tidying up a box of randomness, there were some large bolts and hardware which reminded me of the fancy weights at the PT facility. The thought being the parent of the deed, it was the work of a moment to weigh out the right amount and use the nuts and washers to put together a pair of hand weights that each weighed a pound.

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~ it's a sign ~

After several days, it occurred to me that the postie was not seeing or looking at the LARGE blue tote box I put directly under the mailbox, despite my writing instructions on the top. So I made an additional sign from box cardboard, tied the sign to one of the porch chairs, and set it next to the blue tote which I moved just opposite the mailbox, right where the large puddle forms that has been their chosen dumping ground for my parcels. Success at last! There was a tiny parcel left between the door and the screen door this afternoon! (I hope that the other two items on today's "Informed Delivery" list arrive tomorrow, and not that they have been delivered somewhere else)

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Getting really exciting here, four Advent Swap packages arrived yesterday, and another box today. The card table used for stacking the contributions is starting to fill up! We have 18 folks who have sent boxes so far, and 9 more folks have said they intend to participate...

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Years ago I learned from Charlotte how to make an easy meal she called "kluski". It isn't quite what the internets describe, a Polish soft dumpling, but rather was a mixture of sturdy noodles, cottage cheese, and stir-fried and steamed mixed vegetables.  I now cook chopped onions till soft and golden, then add chopped mushrooms, while those continue cooking, the broccoli steams... At the same time, cook some robust noodles until they are the texture you prefer, when they are done, mix it together and eat!

When I lived in Massachusetts, one could buy "kluski" noodles at the grocery store, they were much thicker and narrower than "egg noodles" but the same sort of wiggly chunks. In my attempt to avoid wheat, recently noticed tinkyáda brand fusilli brown rice pasta, and while the style of pasta (thick hollow curly spirals) isn't the same, it is sturdy enough to have an appropriate mouthfeel and works really well as an alternative.

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November SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	clothespin bag	horse kerchief	greenwaste bin
2	5 jars pickled beets	-	-
3	1# hand weights	-	-
4	-	-	-
5	-	-	-
6	x	x	x
7	x	x	x
8	x	x	x
9	x	x	x

Yesterday's gratitudes -
- tinkyáda fusilli rice pasta, very toothsome
- took advantage of sunbreak to get laundry mostly dry
- microwave "rice bags" warm the bed
Today's gratitudes -
- managed to get some serious fig tree pruning done despite the drizzle, and filled the wheelie bin. 
- finished up the rest of the cooked veggies in a second batch of kluski for lunch, so tasty.
- figured out a way to DIY one pound hand weights from large washers, nuts, and bolts. Using what is here, rather than shopping, makes me happy!

Time of Isolation - Day 1961