Month: November 2022

Weather has been cold and dry.  Walkabouts have been challenging due to the cold mornings.  My breathing is compromised due to having to keep my nose protected.  It objects to any temperature of 55º or less and mornings have been between 23º and 27º.  

Predictions are for slightly higher temperatures through Thanksgiving and days after.                                                               

~~~

During a waiting time I stumbled on to a streaming of the 1972 movie Grease.  Olivia Newton-John sure could sing and Travolta sure could dance.

But what really caught my attention was seeing Eve Arden (Our Miss Brooks) and Sid Caesar (Your Show of Shows) as part of the faculty at Ridgemont High (correct me if I don’t remember the school’s name), and Stockhard Channing as the school’s go-to girl (Practical Magic and the West Wing).

It was an hour and a half or so well spent partially due to memories of the 50s. 

~~~

Another movie reference.  This time locally produced and filmed by Mark Oliver “From the Quarters to Lincoln Heights”.  I’ve told you about Lincoln Heights but that time was in reference to the damage done to the Heights by the Mill fire. 

This movie reference is to the film done by Mark Oliver with help from James Langford and residents with memories of the Quarters and the Heights.  The date for this showing is out of date, but it would be worth seeing if you are interested in Black History in California or any genealogy.

You can probably get information by contacting the Mt Shasta Museum.

~~~ 

Anyone think Putin has seen this take on the Russian dictator?

Belvedere Presents Daniel Craig, Directed by Taika Waititi: Director’s Cut

~~~

One day while niece Mary was here we did the tourist thing in the south County.  It was an interesting time which ended at Penny’s Diner at the north end of Dunsmuir.  It is a short order old fashioned diner which serves great food, especially their Reubens with batter fried onions. with The short order cook is a blast to watch and servers are gracious and friendly.  Mary and I both enjoyed ourselves.

But I had previously advised two burger places, Sten’s and the Burger Barn.  Seems they have both changed since my last visits there.  I therefore withdraw those suggestions and instead highly recommend Penny’s.  

Penny’s is not easily visible from I5 but is easily accessible southbound at offramp 732 … going south turn left and going north leave Dunsmuir going north on Siskiyou Avenue until it goes right at an intersection with the freeway on the left and a road straight to the left up the hill toward the Motel and there’s Penny’s.  Confused?  If you got off at 732 and see a sign directing you to Dunsmuir downtown, you’re going in the wrong direction. You need to turn around, go under the freeway, and turn left up the hill. 

Penny’s is a reimagined old railroad dining car.  

Wish I could draw you a map. Maybe Penny’s web page could provide better directions, but any confusion, once resolved, will be well rewarded.

There used to be a Thai restaurant and a Mexican restaurant, both good, but both closed due to Covid.  Too bad.

~~~

John was here last wednesday to take me to the FNP for my mandated annual physical.  It was a thorough hands on evaluation much like RNs used to do when first meeting a patient, i.e. hands on with a minimum of fancy machines.  

The evaluation was that I am as physically fit as most 80-year-olds which is pretty good for a 90+ year old.

I gave her a list of things I thought she should know about my physical conditions to understand and watch for such as the splenic flexure syndrome and my stress induced scotomas, the painless version of migraines.  She hadn’t faced those two before but said she’d look them up.  

So this old nurse was able to introduce her to some things she might find useful.

She wants to repeat blood work since indulging in shared Hallowe’en candy my glucose was on the high side of normal.

But John had to drop me off at home and leave.  His partner had a detached retina and they were on their way to the ophthalmologist in Medford who took care of George’s macular degeneration with eye injections.  

My guess that lasers would be used to reattach Michael’s retina was correct.

By friday all was well.

~~~

Yesterday I saw a bluebird.  No robins yet.  Guess we have a wait for Spring.  

The number of Crows and Ravens seem to be increasing however.  I will check and see what they prefer (peanuts in the shell?), set some out with protection from the squirrels and add some bling when they begin to come and see if they will trust me and begin to leave trades.

~~~

To end this week,  …

Whenever we compare the present moment with some more perfect moment of our imagination (the “Kodachrome” photo, the Disney ideal) then we lose the Now which we have and which is all we will ever have.

Sara Crane ( a friend)So ‘til next week …

Woke up last saturday morning to welcome…but almost freezing rain.  Went to bed,  raining again after an overcast day but not quite as cold as the morning.

Monday it began to snow.  The woman who does my pedicure lives here in McCloud but works in Weed and volunteered to take me over to Weed for the pedicure and then to Grocery Outlet (we had met in Grocery Outlet a couple of times after my pedicure and monday elder lunch when I was still driving).

It was snowing lightly but flakes were getting larger as we got around the Mountain. There was about 3” on the ground. Jessie took me under her care when we got to my house and carried my groceries to my back door so all I had to do was take them inside and unpack them.

She is part of the local Fire Department and drives the Medical Response Unit. 

I had not been sure how I was going to make it to Weed … have a need and someone will appear to respond to the need even if you haven’t voiced it.  A lesson in humility.  Another gift I will be paying forward when I can.

Snow continued into tuesday, heavier in Mt Shasta and Weed than here.  Even so, there were reports around McCloud about tree limbs down across power lines and sparking, trees down on 89, as well as power lines just plain down (another thing to add to the list of why there is a need to put power lines in this part of Siskiyou County all underground).

Our Village streets weren’t cleared until beginning about 1000 with grandson helping (school snow day).  Still snowing at noon.  I voted by mail-in ballot so I was snug indoors.

Total snow by wednesday morning = 4 ½” and snowing very very lightly.  Temp 33º.

The rest of the week was pretty much the same .. very cold (freezing or a very little above) followed  by cold days (in the low 50s).  I had to find a way to cover my nose and ears for a walkabout.  Wearing a Covid 95 mask and a head scarf didn’t work because the mask fogged up my sunglasses (the sky was very clear) and the knitted neck cowl worked but was bulky and not really comfortable.  I’ll keep trying and find something that does work about the time the cold arctic air flow moderates.

Oh well …

~~~

I am a recent convert to “Midsomer Mysteries”  on Acorn streaming and so also to the names in those shows.  The first one that caught me was Ms Inkpen who was an ancestor inheritance snob and pointedly not a nice woman.

They are scattered throughout so if you are a mystery fan and enjoy wordplay, Midsomer may be for you.  Those Brits are just full of suggestive, sarcastic, watch-to-the-end, ironic, how-is-that pertinent before you understand the name.

Latest were the names Eebell, Clanger, Pullman, and a couple of others I can’t recall just now, in an episode about someone killing the church bell ringers. 

Not for you?  Too bad.

~~~

Mary LaMonica was here for a few days and we talked until late a couple of evenings (until around 9:30 which is about 3 hours past my regular bedtime).  

Most of our conversations were centered around family do-you-remember or did-you-know stories.  I learned about Don and Sally during the time between Oak Ridge and Evanston when my contact with them was minimal.   

I was asked by a niece of George’s, therefore of mine, to help her write a memoir of her Grandmother Sally since no obit had been written when she died.

It has been a test of current memory, a challenge, adding my genealogical notes, and all together rather enjoyable.

Can’t say I really loved Sally.  I didn’t know her well enough.  But I did like her a lot and also respected her a lot.

Wish I could have known her more.

\~~~

Don’t seem able to get away from doppelgängers …

Most recent was finding a Sydney Greenstreet doppelgänger but with no Peter Lorre to be seen.  

And hearing an interview with the producer doing a movie about Weird Al Yankovic who hired Daniel Radcliff because that actor and he, the producer, look like identical twins in spite of having no known blood connections.

Anyone else know Weird Al?

~~~

John was here today to take me to the FNP  for my mandated annual physical.  It was a thorough hands on evaluation much like RNs used to do when first meeting a patient, i.e. hands on no fancy machine in sight.  

The evaluation was that I am as physically fit as most 80-year-olds.

And in giving her a list of things I thought she should know about my physical conditions to understand and watch for such as the splenic flexure syndrome and my stress induced scotomas, the painless version of migraines.  She hadn’t faced them before but said she’d look them up.  

So this old nurse was able to introduce her to some things she might find useful.

She wants to repeat blood work in three months since following Halloween candy my glucose was on the high side of normal.

But John had to drop me off at home a leave.  His partner has a detached retina and they were on their way to the ophthalmologist in Medford who took care of George’s macular degeneration with eye injections.  

My guess is that lasers will be used to reattach the retina.

I’ll get a call tomorrow to learn what happened.

~~~

 Again it was a busy week and that is why this blog is being posted at bedtime and may have a cluster of mistakes.  My apologies.

So to end this week, although I think I posted this before, but yesterday was election day …

“Learning respects no geographic boundaries, … and the spread of learning must be the first work of a nation which seeks to be free” 

… James Smithson

‘til next week …

Weather … nights have been near freezing and so the morning walkabouts have been more energy consuming than earlier.  My lung capacity has been challenged by the cold.  But I will  acclimate and make a 4 circuit walkabout before the snow flies if, as a result result of the non-existent climate change, it flies at all  this year.

~~~

The saturday before Hallowe’en the radio club held a potluck using the community lounge in the resident facility of one of the elder communities where a club member lives.

Interesting potluck.  Three kinds of mac and cheese, two pasta salads, two pumpkin cakes, a pumpkin pie with whipped cream, and several soda kinds. 

I brought home a sample of each of the mac and cheese.  Enough for three dinners if I add a green salad.

But the takeouts had to wait because on sunday the Mt Shasta family showed up with salmon steaks, sauteed potatoes and onions, and seasoned rice. 

An additional food comment …

On monday (Hallowe’en) John got here at noon and we went to lunch at the HiLo, then went to the library to collect the books I had on hold, and ended with shopping time at the Grocery Outlet.

A note about the HiLo … The family who established the HiLo and handled it until a few months ago, sold it. It had been a go-to for George and I as well as for several friendsfor years and years.  We knew the staff, most of whom had been there ever since we moved to Siskiyou County. We called them by name and the ones who regularly waited on us and any visiting family called us by name, or in my case “Mama”, as we all grew older.  Mama is an honorific, much like Auntie, in their culture. The kitchen crew knew our regular orders and would peek around the swinging doors to say “Hi”.  The food was first rate with scrumpcious fries and haomemade pies made with local stuff in season. All this as I’ve told you more than once in this blog.

But that is no more.  

John and I went there for lunch monday and I didn’t recognize anyone … shaved heads in interesting patterns, piercings in a collection of places, polite service but without any connection. The fries were a bit greasy and small food offerings were typical tourist stuff.  So if tourist style stuff floats your boat, the HiLo may still be the place to go. 

 We will not be going again. 

There is a new place, smaller but more to my style, a couple of blocks down Main street before you get into the residential section of town.  The sandwiches are tops, especially the grilled cheese, as is the mac and cheese.  

And for burgers I suggest a stop in Dunsmuir at Sten’s wee family run burger shop (more of an outdoor place or takeout but well worth it) next to the swimming pool or the Burger Barn a bit further down toward Redding near the Fire House so expect a loud blast at noon or if called to a fire.  

There used to be a great Thai place owned by Sengthong who would make a yearly trip home to get authentic supplies (I still use sticky rice cooker equipment I got following one of her trips) and an authentic Mexican place, but both closed down due to covid. 

For a good Reuben there is always Penny’s near the north Dunsmuir I5 offramp (hard to see but near a motel) and well worth a stop.

And if you want high style there is always Madelaine’s down  near the railroad tracks.

In Mt Shasta there is Casa Ramos (which has been run by the same family into the fourth generation) for good Mexican stuff.  They went franchise a few years ago but the local starter spot is still good and friendly but they no longer have the jar of chocolate mints on the counter since covid. 

Our family goes there often after church.  Try the chicken burritos on the appetizer menu for a small treat. 

And that’s the end of my food report for now.

~~~

Niece Mary arrived late on tuesday.  Mark picked her up from the airport and brought her here after dinner in Redding. 

Kamille picked up Mark to take him home and and left the Honda here for Mary and me.

Mary and I hugged, talked a smidgeon, did a quick look at the digs and went to bed.  It was after 9 … a full two hours after my bedtime.

Also on tuesday earlier I talked with our attorney to arrange for my current digs to be switched to the Family Trust and added Mark as initial beneficiary to be followed by Kamille and then by Francis (but under his birth name of Paul Michael).  

It used to be George and me.  John opted out of any inclusion. 

Guess those changes are a type of family tax dodge.

~~~

The Aspens are beginning to change.  A lot more yellow showing.  Yesterday I was sitting looking out through the rain and saw  3 leaves on the aspen, which is sort of centered in the view from my breakfast seat, gently dancing.  Just three.  The rest of the aspen, and the tree which waltzes, were not moving at all.  Eventually the aspen went quiet as well.  

I still haven’t yet figured out what caused that.  I Didn’t see any sign of a squirrel .. or maybe it was a sign which I have yet to decipher.

The next time I looked everything was quiet.

~~~

For the first time ever, I had a reaction to a vaccine injection.  The injection of the latest Covid booster went into my right upper arm and resulted in pain in the area but no redness or swelling. 

At first I thought I had pulled a muscle.  But it also resulted in itching in the surrounding area which was irritating enough that I scratched it in my sleep enough to open a couple of subdermal raised areas.  The pain is mostly gone and the scratches are healing.

Never before have I had any such reaction to any vaccine injections.  Now I can say Been there … Done that.  I’ll report it to my new medical care provider when I see her in a couple of weeks for my annual physical. 

~~~

Part of Hallowe’en I spent with John.  We had lunch at the HiLo (see the critic’s report above) followed by a stop at the library for my pile of reading material, and to say Hi to one of my favorite librarians, and ended at Grocery Outlet picking up a replenishment of basics for the next couple of weeks.

We stopped on the way home to pickup the mail (I’ve told you about the non-delivery of mail here due to the small, spread out population in this town).

By then we were both ready to settle into nap/rest time, me here and John at home in Dunsmuir.

  ~~~

Mark has connected me to Sirius and for Hallowe’en I set the speaker tuned to the Scream channel and set it in the front window.

I didn’t get any comments, Maybe I didn’t have it trned up enough.

I went out about 1800 to make the rounds here in the Village Trick or Treating in reverse … I gave offered Tricks which were a collection of riddles and if they were not answered correctly they had to take a Treat.  

Some of the riddles were … How many eggs can you eat on an empty stomach?  What is everybody doing at the same time?  What is in fire but not in flame, in Lord but not in Dame? What is the start of every eternity and the end of  time and space?  What do you get when a grizzly bear gets caught in the rain?  What is everyone doing at the same time?

Those are the ones I recall right off hand.  How’d you do ?

I missed only one neighbor.  He was away working.

Everyone that was home laughed. The three little kids of the owner wer of course were only anxious to get on with collecting candy. So I believe everyone else had a good time with one exception.  The newest neighbor, who moved in just a couple of months ago, wouldn’t take a treat and wanted me gone because she was expecting her grandchildren.

Oh well …

~~~

I watched the producer and one of the stars talking about the movie “Till”.  I’ll have to wait to watch until it shows up on the net but at this time I feel I might need to watch.  Maybe a lot of people do. 

History isn’t always touchy feely.

~~~

Ruth Bader Ginsburg to be honored on a new postage stamp.  I plan to buy as many as I can afford.

~~~

It was a busy week.  Mary and I talked until 9 about family stories.

So an end to the week …

Don’t wait for things to get simpler, easier, better.

Life will always be complicated. 

Learn to be happy right now.

Otherwise, you’ll run out of time.

and ‘til next week …