IT'S ONLY GETTING WORSE

Hunger Fighters Oregon has done too great at their job.

In August, we served 891 people facing food insecurity.  HFO is a nonprofit all volunteer local organization ... we hired our first salaried person last July.  Supposedly for just 20 hours per week but really, it is more like 20 hours per day!

Two key people have stepped down from their long held posts (I think because the job hours kept increasing until it was more than full time) and our Executive Director and our past President have kept this place running in these extreme conditions.

Inflation is sending us more clients.  We offer 180 different food products as well as personal hygiene and cleaning products.  Clients can shop in person (we are open for two hours three times per week) or I lead a group of callers who contact 3-5 homebound clients and take their orders on the phone and input as we chat.  We deliver every Monday to about 25 homebound clients, some of whom are good with a computer and order their own 30 items.

Inflation, as you probably know, have made a huge impact on the cost of food.  We get food donations at three locations, we get fresh food from local farms, we glean food from many locations and yet it is hard to keep up.  Some items are in such high demand we can only offer them once a month.  One problem we are facing is we opened our service area to a 10 mile radius.  We are so well run and have such a variety clients come from everywhere.

Hopefully we will get more food drives, more corporate partners and entice more volunteers.

Support YOUR local food pantry.  With food or with money to buy food.  We can make a difference!

NORC

We bought this condo almost 13 years ago.  There are fourteen buildings, each with eight units. Some buildings have all 2 bedroom units and other buildings have all 3 bedroom units (although many have removed a wall between the smallest bedroom and made a large room.  It never looks like one room to me, as two columns have to remain for structural integrity.  Most people usually decorate like two living rooms.  Very odd to me.

Our community is mostly over 65 although we do have a few young families (who usually move when the kids need their own backyard). These have been condos for 25 years and the original 50-somethings are aging.  (NORC means naturally occurring retirement community).  

An ambulance or fire engine drive in at least twice a week.  My friend drove himself to the ER while having a heart attack because he didn't want neighbors to gossip about who the ambulance was for.

We have several deaths every year which leaves a lot of single 80+ year old ladies on their own.  Many of these are slowly becoming more demented.  A few of these have fallen for scams from potential "husbands" and have lost thousands of dollars.  One neighbor even reserved the Clubhouse for her "wedding" to a rich man who lives in a mansion in Hollywood, CA.  She had to send him money several times because his is tied up in big investments.  So sad.

Due to their dementia, (or maybe bad childhoods) these ladies are mostly estranged from their children.  It leaves our Village trying to help these singles.  One neighbor finally relinquished her keys and had her neighbor sell her car.  Another neighbor had to sell her car to afford necessities.  She can't sell her condo (now going for $350,000) because early on they got a reverse mortgage.

But it's not ALL bad/sad news.  With a community of 112 owners, every one recognizes almost everyone.  There a several groups of close knit neighbors who help people so much.  Whether setting up a meal delivery after surgery or doing a surprise birthday party, most everyone gets along.  Many of the folks love seeing our boys outside playing.  They are polite and chat with them, accept cookies or candy, then continue being army guys.  They get Christmas gifts, Halloween bags of candy and other treats so it's like having 5 grandmothers.  The boys write notes back and the ladies are delighted.

Covid threw a big wrench into our community.  We have some die hard anti-vaxers so they were excluded from small outdoor gatherings.  I stayed home and out of sight for so long, several thought I passed away. Things are getting back in swing!  One neighbor just turned 95 and a parade was organized around her building.  Banging pots and pans, birthday kazoos, balloons, silly hats and many happy birthday signs.  Ending with someone providing her with her own individual cake.

I'm lucky to have my family living with me so when I retire from driving I'll still be able to get around.  The grandsons are still a hoot and I love their curiosity.  That's for another blog!

 

sep·tu·a·ge·nar·i·an

Yep.  That little box I have to tick saying I am between 70 and 79.  I'm officially a Queenager and I hope to live at least as long as Queen Elizabeth II.

I would love to have hats made to match my outfits.  And outfits to fit my body type.  Sometimes even her gloves matched her outfits.  I love her monochromatic style (mine too)  She always looked stunning.  Currently I have a dozen hats, five are the ball caps which I don't really wear these days.  (Need to donate those)

Lust is the word I would use for her home life.  Maids, cooks, people to dress her, business secretaries, drivers, horse and barn employees and so much more. Maybe a full time flower arranger!  Oh, and I bet a make-up professional and hair stylist (491 direct employees to the Queen ... I could work with half that many!)  

She had more than 40 tiaras.  And how many sets of China and silver?  Shoes?  Up to 12 people staff the queen's wardrobe department for big occasions including three dressmakers, a milliner and four dressers whose job it is to help the queen get dressed as well as keep her clothes in pristine. 

I think it would wear me out just living like the queen.  I'm a wash and wear 100% cotton kind of girl.  I occasionally glam it up by adding a scarf!

THE DAILY RITUAL

Gosh do I enjoy my septuagenarian daily ritual.  After all those years of rushing to get a wee one off to preschool and myself off to work, and then all the years of just getting myself off to work, retirement is something I just immerse myself in.  It has changed very little since I first retired.

One cup of homemade cold brew coffee.  I add a scoop of Benefiber, some cream and my oh my it's good.  Then I open my computer to read and answer any emails of importance.  Next I read/skim our local City paper followed by the Portland paper.  My favorite next step is the NY Times.  I pay just $4 per month and there it is! After checking out articles of interest, I play the mini crossword and wordle.  Followed by Facebook and Instagram and NextDoor.

Once again we have wildfires very close to Portland.  Our air quality today is "unhealthy for sensitive groups."  Yesterday the air was a greenish grey and smelled of smoker.  So far the worst fires are across the Willamette River so Lake Oswego is just getting a Red Flag warning.  My kidlet has mild asthma and yesterday she took her inhaler to work.  My neighbor friend has a moderate case of asthma and just walking a block to her mailbox gave her a 15 minute coughing session and watery eyes.  She and her husband are invited to an outdoor party tonight but she is probably not going.

Thanks for reading ... not the most exciting blog of the century but a little glimpse into the first two hours of my day!

 

COOKING FOR ONE

There are days when the family is eating kid friendly food.  Chicken nuggets.  Corn dogs.  Sloppy Joes.  You know the stuff.  I, of course, still like these foods but I shouldn't eat them very often (diabetes).

I love reading recipes and I discovered a woman on Instagram, Cooking for One.

https://onedishkitchen.com/

She posts almost every day and has the best photos. Some recipes look like two servings for me but I like leftovers. 

Some of my favorite ideas for just me ...

Microwave poached egg.  You will need to try a time or two to get the right sized cup and the right number of seconds.  One cup of water in a regular coffee cup, cover with a paper towel and zap for 60 seconds. I usually leave mine in the water for another 15 seconds. Turkey bacon takes another 60 seconds.  Toast takes the longest!

I haven't tried this Pumpkin Spice Latte yet because I'll have to bake a pie that day as it only calls for one tablespoon of pumpkin!

Usually I'm not a dessert eater (I have wine ... counts as a fruit, yes?)  But those make it in a mug desserts are so great to whip up.  Most of my tries have been via 

https://www.biggerbolderbaking.com/preparation/single-serving/

So so yummy to have a warm brownie whenever you have that urge.

We have a very tiny kitchen so I either have to make my food first or when they are done.  I also keep a stash of Lean Cuisine frozen meals for when I have no energy.

The food pantry I volunteer for has a lot of Indian dishes.  I hesitate to try cuisine where I'm not sure if I would like it but I did buy two pouches (microwave).  

What are some of your favorite "just for you" meals?

OH GOOD GRIEF!

Do you think your mother lives here?  Well, yes, I guess I do. I'm devoting this (hopefully short) blog about all the things that drive me crazy.

 

Let's start with the kidults.  Who are both approaching 40 although I pretend they are approaching 30 due to ten years of addiction.  Makes it easier on me.  They rarely write things down.  Phone numbers (and they both have iPhones), passwords, account numbers (they don't use checks and every once in a while you need to provide your account number) and Kate usually puts thing on the family calendar.  Jesse?  Not so much.

Our calendar has a different color for each of us ... I'm grey, Kate is yellow, Jesse is red and the boys events are purple.  With just two cars, two boys at different schools, different sports with practices and games and hangouts with friends and overnight adventures.

Now I write "JB needs the van" on my appointments that are away from here.  Jesse still acts surprised when I come out with the keys.  We already have days where one of us will need to drive Kate to work because we need both cars.

They are both lax about responding to text messages or checking email.  Even school related stuff!  Fortunately, since we live together I have gotten myself on both schools' emailing lists as well as Deacon's teacher's.  And I finally got Kate's password so I can use ParentVue for more specific things, like progress reports.

No one else who lives here makes ice cubes.  Currently we have NONE because I went on a silent strike.

No one else replaces the toilet paper.  So I hide a roll in the back of the vanity or bring in my own.

Rarely do either of them make our cold brew coffee.  I make a half gallon and keep it in my fridge.

No one remembers to charge their devices and both kids have already gotten warnings for not having a fully charge (school supplies) laptops.

Each child should read a minimum of 20 minutes a day.  Parents are not enforcing that (okay, it's the first week of school but starting next week, I'm cracking down).  They do take turns reading to the boys before bedtime.

No one else cleans out the fridge and again, I'm on a silent strike.  They both know I enjoy most leftovers but if it's not labeled and dated, not me!  I have a dorm size fridge in my "apartment" so I keep things they would never eat in here.  (Currently hummus, coastal kale salad, cooked beets, feta cheese, hard boiled eggs and olives).

Still ... the pros outweigh the cons.  When they are away, I remove all the crap left on the kitchen bar.  As well as that pile on the dining room table.  Usually, if the items belong to one of them, I put it on their side of their bed.  

When that balance tips ....

P.S. I'll do the boys next Sunday!

OH NO! UNBELIEVABLE

School started on Monday.  I have no words how quickly these two gents are growing up.

6th Grade at Jr High and 3rd Grade at elementary.

Sorry this is so late ...