Monday, December 13, 2021

Accents on letters on mac

This has all kinds of interesting info.

How to Type Letters with Accents on Mac

I needed to look it up when I found the need to type a word with two dots over the u.

Years from now, (maybe only in a couple of days) I'll wonder what I was typing so I'll mention it here.
I was tracking movies we watched in a spreadsheet since we seemed to be watching a movie or episodes of a series everyday with our Happy Hour and the movie was AClüsterfücke Christmas.


Saturday, December 4, 2021

BHG Recipes

 For the first time in months, I actually looked at a BHG magazine that came the other day.  A few days earlier I delivered 8 months worth of magazines that I hadn't looked at to the library.   In addition to BHG, there was Martha Stewart Living and Vanity Fair and some AARP too.

I found some recipes and project that looked interesting so I thought I would put the links here just in case I actually want to make them some day.  This is the link for BHG recipes online:  https://www.bhg.com/recipes/

Swirled Garlic Herb Bread









Shawarma Casserole









Slow Cooker Ribollita








Tuesday, November 9, 2021

Greta's 50th Birthday - one month late

Laura and I visited Greta so that we could celebrate her birthday with her.  This was the second time for Laura because John and Ann were there for Greta's actual birthday while Larry and I were in Hilton Head. Her family was thinking she had enough birthday celebrations already.

The first day we were there, Thursday, we sang happy birthday and had the cake.

On Friday we went into the city to visit Aunt Harrie.  On the way we stopped in Yonkers and stopped and took pics of the house where I grew up

Monday, November 8, 2021

Caramel Apple Bundt Cake

 

CARAMEL APPLE BUNDT CAKE

YIELD: 8 SERVINGS
 
PREP TIME: 25 MINUTES
 
COOK TIME: 1 HOUR 15 MINUTES
 
TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR 40 MINUTES


from - https://www.melskitchencafe.com/caramel-apple-bundt-cake/

INGREDIENTS

CAKE:

  •  3 cups all-purpose flour
  •  1 teaspoon baking soda
  •  2 teaspoons cinnamon
  •  1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  •  1/2 teaspoon salt
  •  3 medium apples, for about 3 cups chopped
  •  1 tablespoon lemon juice
  •  3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
  •  2 teaspoons vanilla, divided
  •  1 1/4 cups vegetable or canola oil
  •  2 cups granulated sugar
  •  3 large eggs

Sunday, October 31, 2021

Banana Blueberry Muffins

 Since I always go to pinterest to find this recipe and then have to go to the creators website to get the whole recipe I finally decided to just put it here.

I finally decided that it was easier to make muffins than a loaf of banana bread and cut it into pieces before freezing for Larry and I liked this recipe.  When we visited Michael and Doris one year Michael had made these delicious muffins and this recipe was the base for them.  It's been my favorite ever since.

This is where I got it from: https://emilybites.com/2019/02/banana-blueberry-muffins.html

Banana Blueberry Muffins

These Banana Blueberry Muffins are easy, fluffy, and flavorful with less sugar!

Ingredients

  • 3 large ripe bananasmashed smooth with a fork
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/3 cup white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 5 tablespoons light buttermelted (I use Land O’Lakes) (I use regular unsalted butter)
  • 1 cup blueberries
  • 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup chopped walnuts (my add to recipe)

Saturday, September 18, 2021

Remembering Stephen

 I can't believe we've lost another dear friend.  We just had dinner with Steve and Britta a couple of weeks ago and now he's gone.  He and Britta were so close, they could drive on long trips and would talk to each other the whole time.  Larry and I listen to books.

We will miss you Steve. 💔 💔 💔


Stephen Clinton Biklen
1943 - 2021

Stephen Clinton Biklen died at Sunset House Hospice on September 15, 2021, after a valiant battle with lung cancer. He is survived by his loving wife of 32 years, Britta Anderson, brother Douglas Biklen, stepsons Theodore and Robert Anderson, stepdaughters-in-law Meghan Anderson and Stacey Sigmon, step-grandchildren Claire, Liam, Ella and Lily and numerous other relatives.

Steve was born in Philadelphia in January, 1943, the elder son of the late Anne and Paul Biklen and grew up in Westport, CT. He was a graduate of Phillips Academy, Andover, Brown University, and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Steve served as a LTJG in the US Navy, 1966-1969 on the destroyer Henry W. Tucker, home ported in Yokosuka, Japan.

After the Navy, he worked at Coopers & Lybrand in NYC before joining Citibank in 1973. He transferred to Rochester, NY in 1978 as VP of Finance for Citibank NYS and became manager of the Citibank Student Loan Business in 1980, ultimately overseeing its conversion to the publicly owned Student Loan Corporation in 1992. Retired as CEO of the SLC in 1998.

Steve and Britta married in 1989 and spent the years from then until now living in the Rochester area, always with loving pets, always taking advantage of the many outdoor and cultural activities available, and often traveling to different spots around the US and around the world, but always spending a week in the Adirondacks, primarily Lake Placid, every summer. Most importantly, they spent many enjoyable times in Vermont and Savannah with Ted and Rob and their families.

After retiring, Steve served on the Board of the Massachusetts-based American Student Assistance and volunteered for Meals on Wheels He also volunteered for Lifespan, which included assisting clients with their financial matters.

To honor Steve’s wishes, there will be no calling hours or funeral service. His wish was to be remembered without ceremony by those who knew and cared about him in whatever way they find comfort. The family will hold private Memorial gatherings at a later time. Contributions in his memory may be made to Wilmot Cancer Institute (WEBSITE), Sunset House Hospice (WEBSITE), Doctors Without Borders (WEBSITE), or Lollipop Farm (WEBSITE).


We didn't take pictures when we were together, but this is one I knew I had from our wedding.


Wednesday, August 11, 2021

Peach-Puree Vinaigrette

 Doris made this salad dressing the other day while we were here in Chatham.  DELICIOUS!!  I have so much basil at home at least I know where 10 leaves can go.

Peach-Pureé Vinaigrette 

By Mark Bittman

YIELD
About 1 cup (enough for 6 to 8 cups of greens)

  • ½ cup peach purée (or peach preserves) one peach = 1/2 cup
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 1 Chopped shallot
  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup white wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
  • 10 leaves fresh basil, washed

  1. Combine all of the ingredients in a blender, and blend until they are smooth. (I just chopped by hand and mixed in an empty jar, leaving more texture. Use to dress a green salad within 1 hour.

This works for 4. 
Double or triple for larger group. 

Serve over arugula with chilled or hot cheese tortellini, grilled peaches, topped with sliced red onion & chopped roasted pecans. 

Thursday, March 11, 2021

Pandemic Anniversary

One year ago today, March 11, 2020 a corona virus, Covid-19, was declared a pandemic in the United States.  What a year it's been.  On Monday, March 15 we get our second covid vaccine shot.

Tuesday, February 9, 2021

Now it's February

Well, I have to admit I have already failed as you can tell since my last post was Jan 3.

I did do a lot of those Yoga classes and did post on instagram consistently for a few days.  But I have been walking every day even when the temps are in the teens.

We were finally able to get a covid vaccine appointment in Syracuse the day before we were going to leave for the auto-train to go to Florida.  Now we decided to just stay overnight 2 days in Harrisburg on our way to Lorton, VA instead of driving back home and doing the same trip the next day.  At least one shot before we go to that viral state is better than nothing.

We got to go snowshoeing twice already after not having any snow for the longest time.  The first time was a perfect day.


Sunday, January 3, 2021

Jan 3, 2021

 So far, so good, but it's only day 2.  I can already feel that I'm not going to keep it up.  Too many things to do and not enough hours in the day.  In face, I need to go back and look at yesterday to see what all my goals were.

So far I've done 2 days of yoga classes and posted 2 pictures on instagram.  It's raining now so have a reprieve from walking for a while.  I did send out some holiday greetings yesterday and felt good about catching up with that.  Still have some more to do.

Saturday, January 2, 2021

January 2, 2021

That was the first time I wrote 2021, when I put it in the title.  It's hard to believe it's been 21 years since  we were worrying about Y2K as the year 2000 was rolling around.  I had my New Year's Eve party and Craig Erickson created a fireworks display for us in the backyard.  Of course, I invited all the neighbors so no one would feel left out or complain.  Y2K could have been the pandemic for that time.  Now instead we have Covid-19.

Since March of 2020 everyone has been in a lockdown.  We're like China always was, wearing masks.  But we can't see anyone other than in our household unless we're outside.  Now that it's January and cold it makes it a lot harder.

Today I'm starting a 30 day Yoga program online, I'm also going to post a picture, trying for a drawing, every day on Instagram, and of course keep up with my daily walks.  In addition to that I'm going to try to keep up with this blog every day because since I haven't worked on my memoir I can at least keep a real time memoir going here.  Next week I start Zoom ballet and tap.  

That's not mentioning how I still want to go through everything in my office, downstairs bedroom and basement.  We've been home for 9 months with basically nothing to do and I haven't done any of that.  But for accomplishments, I have listened to lots of books, watched lots of movies and binge watched lots of shows on Netflix, Prime and Hulu, learned to play pickleball, played neighborhood bridge outdoors and met my Kodak bridge group on Zoom and then in the park every other week once the weather turned nice and Zoomed with my family everyday for the first two months and now about three times a week.  

I even did a Zoom call at the end of 2020 with the Davis/Dwass relatives, most of whom I didn't know.  They're from my grandfather's side of the family (my mother's father).  I also heard from someone who is a distant relative from my father's father's side of the family.  We never knew that grandfather since he and my grandmother divorced when my father was still a boy.

I still haven't sent out all my holiday greetings that I wrote on December 21.  It seems that the more free time I have, the less time I have to do things (or do I just lack the initiative?).  Of course, there are all those hours I waste surfing the web for things to buy that I don't need (one of the reasons I need to do a clean-up, I need to get rid of things) and of course all those interesting things to read.  (9:19 AM)