I SAW THE COMET AGAIN!!!

 It was super cool again.

I SAW THE COMET!!!! !!!

 It was super cool.

I was out driving at dusk, which I hate because...deer.

But I'd been helping with a chicken butchering day at a friend's place and that was when we were done enough to leave  I had heard there would be a comet but since I didn't see the northern lights (living in a ravine with trees either side and falling asleep EARLY work against me).

SO I'm driving home and look west and THERE IT IS!!!!  It looks like a COMET in a cartoon about comets.  The big tail and everything.  There wasn't anywhere safe to pull over so instead I was unsafely staring at the sky instead of the dusky deer ridden dark road.

To celebrate, my car wouldn't start this morning.  I might have a battery drain issue, a super old battery, or both.  Or...stuff I can't even imagine because I have no idea how cars work.  I tried jumping it with the tiny jumpstart battery thing....nope.  That had worked before so I guess I will get a new battery and see if that works.  If not, I will jump it with the pickup...or use that AAA for a tow.

I drove the truck Friday, didn't drive Saturday, and drove the truck Sunday.   So the car had sat several days.   It did jump with the little jump starter thingy when I was parked at the airport 2 weeks so...probably battery???? (see above...I don't know how cars work).

STOP OFFERING TO MICROWAVE MY F#*CKING PASTRIES!!!

 Do you people NOT know how pastry works?  The fat, starch and water have to stay in balance.  Also the sugar.   If you "heat it up" for me YOU RUIN IT!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

Am I the only one who hates that?  If I wanted a cardboard togo box full of grease dripping out the bottom of an overly frosted, now molten lava frosted, icky chewy ruined cinnamon roll I would have ordered that.  Today it was a carrot cake muffin.  Who the hell heats up a muffin?  NO.  LEAVE IT!

It still wasn't worth the price.  Oh well.  Some day I will learn my lesson.

As long as I'm ranting, also, stop putting spray foam on my goddamn pie.  I ordered it COLD AND NAKED (like my men....heh heh).   Just a slice of pie on a plate.  Thanks for not adding that freezer burnt off brand icemilk you call "a la mode" style, but also can-o-spray-creme is unwelcome.   

Ok...done.

Better Than I Thought

 So, I had to take the "new" car in for oil already because I drive A LOT!

Anyway, it only needs one rear strut, sway bar bushings (both of which can wait) and a drive belt (the thing that makes the power steering etc work). That last one I think is important so I booked it.  Parts AND labor estimated at 150$.  That is a cheap repair so yep.  Doing that.

Part of the joy of an old Honda is the cheap repairs.  

Then, I went ahead and checked regional craigslist for Elements with similar mileage.  Turns out, I pad about the going rate for an element with 100k or fewer miles.  Good!  It's over bluebook but bluebook is moot with the current market.

So, I didn't overpay as much as I thought.  Just paid more than I wanted to for "a car".

That said, I get a HUGE kick out of driving it.  It's like being a keystone cop or in a classic looney toons.  Zippy but also a tad tippy.  

This Made Me LOL

Actual headline at cnn.com today:

"37 items you need to add to your summer vacation packing list"

Uh...INCLUDING underpants, sox, and what I'm wearing for the flight/drive, I don't think I pack/bring 37 items.  I mean.  JEEZ! Are you moving or traveling?

Wear:

Shoes (2 items)

sox (2 items)

undies 

bra

jeans

tshirt

sweatshirt or buttondown

belt

reading glasses

IF it is winter or will be when I get there, i wear a coat with a zip out liner that turns into a jacket

 So far...12 items.

Pack:

2 undies

2 pairs sox

2 t-shirts or tank tops

yoga/jammy pants 

That's 8 more items for a total of 20.

Toothbrush

comb

epi pen set (3 items: 2 pens and a little bag for them)

Current count: 25.

Misc: 

notebook

pencil

Phone

ipodthing

1 charger

2 cords

backpack (which is what I carry the stuff in)

wallet (1 item even though there is a credit card, ID and spare car key in there...I mean...give me a break on this one.  There is probably a melted linty chapstick in a random pocket too but that will get thrown out)

corded headphones

small shopping back with lunch in it.  I am not counting the lunch items because they get eaten before the plane takes off.  Sometimes before I even board the first flight.

Water bottle

That's 11 items for a total of 37

Optionals:

If I'm goin to santa fe, then about 12 items of jewelry which makes 49 (ooo...gettin' fancy)

Elsewhere: 2 items jewelry which makes 39

Midwinter: hat and mittens/gloves which makes 40.

So how would adding 37 more items...nearly doubling my count...make my trip better?

Most of the items are extra fancy chargers, cords, various bags and inner stuff/pack bags.  I've lived without them so far!

A (slightly) NEWER CAR!!

 So, Juanita, my CRV, had to go to a farm.  REALLY.  Not like that dog a governor shot.  Actually to a farm.  Here is photographic proof:

She's quite happy there even with her wonky fender from an unfortunate encounter with a deer.  Less fortunate for the deer really....

I don't have a name for the new rig yet...working on it....

Another Honda.  2003 Element (replacing a 2002 CRV).   SUPER fun to drive.  Only 91000 miles.  For me, there is well and truly an "only" in front of that mileage.   Juanita had 165,000.

I paid more than planned, probably more than I had to if I had infinite time to shop and didn't REALLY REALLY like this car.  I've wanted an Element for a while.  Even more after driving a friend's for a few days around Santa Fe (Thanks Lynn!  Sorry about the near miss while you were in the car....let's focus on the "miss" part of that).

Anyway, it's basically a van you can hose out with GIANT doors and the back doors open backwards making an even bigger space to get crap/people in and out.

I sat in it for the test drive and went "ahhh" because it super fits my back and butt.  It's, much like Juanita's, seats are like straight back kitchen chairs.   Those work well with the giant stick reportedly up my butt.  I took it to a friend's house and he sat in it and said "ahhh"...also fit his back.  

It was towed behind and RV mostly so the back wheels have been yanked about a bit.  Otherwise, in pretty sweet shape.  Even came with a scotche (scoach?) BIT of dog hair.   There was a husky riding in it so they tell me.  Whatever.

No matter what I paid, pretty sure I can hit my purchase metric:  10,000miles/1k$ in purchase and unexpected repairs.

Juanita was a 5k$ purchase.  Let's say 1k$ in unexpected repairs (she went through brakes fast!) and I was at 68,000 miles and change that I put on her in 3years and  few months.  So, we were roughly even.

BUT GET THIS!!!  The dealer would NOT take Juanita in trade!  Not even for scrap.  The salesperson said she didn't want to give me 300$ scrap for a car that could still be driven.  I didn't want to mess with selling a vehicle or keeping plates/insurance on another rig if I owned it along with the newer car.  So I gave it away to a friend.  Worst case scenario the winter tires on rims will fit the friend's other vehicle and she can junk Juanita if she wants.   But, she's driving it!  She doesn't drive as much as me and has more back up drivers with vehicles in her area.  Juanita just wasn't up to being my daily driver with a 50mile/day commute minimum.  

Anyway, driving a car to the point the USED car dealer won't take it is a new personal best!  And Juanita gets to live out her natural life on a farm.   The farmer's helper said "this is a great car" and did some deliveries the day after they got her.  Nice.

The Element is a blast to drive.  Has good tires.  Still a rough ride because ...honda...but NOTHING like the 50mile kidney punch that was commuting in Juanita.  

The Element has good clearance, ooooooodles of hauling space (like enough that I wouldn't need a truck immediately should my pickup be undrivable for some reason)  (but so far Prince, the pick up, is doing GREAT!).  

Well, that's the news for now.

That's It...No More Food Delivery For Me

 

So apparently food delivery undermines restaurants, food trucks, etc.

Warning...Potty talks in the vid.

https://youtu.be/aFsfJYWpqII?si=cxiT0_nxIFPegsbb

DAMMIT!!

Ugh.  If I'm going to support good real food I need to let food delivery go.  I never use it myself because a) I am cheap, B) I live 11 miles from any sort of food cookery-servery 3) I don't use a smart phone or have wifi at home.  I partake if others use an app.   Now I have to think about that.  

DAMMIT!  I want the restaurants to get the money and the farmers and so on.  I don't want big-app losing money until they undermine the food industry.  Ugh.

Farewell Joe Flaherty

 

Farewell Joe Flaherty

SCTV is still a favorite sketch comedy show.   

https://youtu.be/uHkvD7-u7y8?si=4C58VP_1rP5mUFdK

He's the one who is not John candy

Food Is Good....UltraProcessed Crap Isn't

 So, here's the danger of reading science stuff, sometimes it makes you do stuff that is good for you.  Not always, often, it is BS but this time...it makes sense.

I read and listened to the book UltraProcessed People by Chris Van Tulleken several times and will do that a few more times.

I'd already read/listened to various other books and articles on how the ultraprocessed food messed with our bodies, brains, moods, economies, human rights, farming, soil, weather and on and on.

This one though, it brings it all together and the dude has a nice british accent of some sort so it's an easy listen.

Turns out, frankenfood is bad for you! I mean, I KNEW that but I didn't get scared straight.  I'm getting there now.  

For years I've been working on the diet.  Decades.  And the exercise.

NOW though...I have the means, the time, the motivation and group of friends and colleagues who also are a bit into it in their own ways.  Is that what you extraverts call a support system?

So, last year I avoided cheap grocery store sugary foods.   That made a major change in the diet and budget.  Good for both as it turns out.   If I really really wanted a treat, I didn't buy Reese's (this will be a complete shock to those who know me...I haven't had an industrial candy bar, even an expensive "good" one in over a year), instead, I either made it or went to a business, all turned out to be local, where someone actually MADE the thing.   Like Moscow Candy in Moscow, Idaho where I got a really good peanut butter cup for 1$ or a "Bruttle" (what Butterfingers WISH they were) that is made in Spokane for 1.50$.   They are smaller than the industrial versions, cost about the same or less and are astoundingly BETTER.  Also, there are some  road blocks to getting them.  I'm not in Moscow most days.

Occasionally, I would get a locally made cinnamon roll or piece of pie or cookie.  And occasionally I would make them.

This year, cutting back UPF, ultraprocessed food, as defined by the NOVA system.   None of it is good and it turns out all of it wrecks my health.   

FORTUNATELY I have the means in money and location and skills now to do that.  I have enough $$ to buy eggs and live close enough to people who raise chickens that go outside.  I know people who hunt (and hope to be one of them this year) and trade them informally for game meat.  I know how to butcher chickens and other small things and can them.  I live with enough outdoor space to have a garden and near lots of people who garden.  I have enough money to buy produce from local farmers.  

While it costs more upfront for the food, by avoiding the fast food and convenience foods, my total food spend for 2023 went up very little.  Pretty much on par with inflation.

Recently people at work got into similar things and I talked one into reading the above mentioned book.  Now he and I share labor on processing (not ULTRAprocessing...very different) meat and fish.  For the holidays I gave home made mustard, ketchup, and vanilla extract.  In return I got deer and elk meat, and some smoked salmon.   We are all happy with that.

Now...to buy a 2024 hunting and fishing permit.  The hope is to ACTUALLY use it this year.  Especially for fishing because that's easy and doesn't have to result in 100lbs of meat like killing big game.