Journal

2023 - Week 3 Cooking Results

We had some snow this week, and it was dense and heavy. I am grateful for the work the city does and the speed at which they do it, but they did leave 1.5 to 1.75 feet of snow in front of my driveway and it was quite heavy. Enough so I pulled something in my back. I’m starting to not notice it (days later), but it is still there.

Spicy Mexican Shredded Pork Tostadas

This was the third and final use of the pork butt, made a lot easier by having the pork already cut into pieces, I made some adjustments, due to the herbs and spice on hand (jalapeño and ancho powder instead of chipotle). The cooking made for a longer, but easy cooking night for a Saturday. We ended up having small tacos instead of the tostadas, and it was pretty good. I suppose the tostadas would work well too, but I don’t particularly like frying things.

Slow-Cooker Pork Ragu

The previous week’s vindaloo, left me with quite a bit of pork butt left, so I picked a couple of recipes to do with it. I really liked this. I made my first trip to the Aldi’s that just opened near me, and one of the things I picked up was pancetta, which was about a dollar cheaper then across the street at the Hy-Vee. Could I have done all my shopping there? Only if I shopped first and planned after. There’s not enough ingredients for my taste. It is a smaller store I suppose, but I also picked up a bottle of wine for the ragu.

I prepped everything Tuesday night so I could dump everything in the slow cooker in the morning, and this morning, drive my wife to work (snow), go to my cardiologist. The night before, I didn’t want to drink any of the wine, just in case I had a blood test, so I did the tasting method and spit afterwards. I didn’t end up having any labs, though I did get an EKG (Fine for another year).

I got everything int the slow cooker, and started my day. When I got back from the doctors, the house was already smelling pretty good. As the day wore on, it was rightfully unfair as I had to sit here and smell the pork and tomatoes meld together.

It was quite good. I probably should’ve skipped the added diced prosciutto, which may have added a bit to much fat to the whole thing, even so, still good.

French Toast

I changed the bowl, and soaked the leftover dense challah a bit more, and got into the grove of making the toast. We used the last of the maple syrup in the house, but I just ordered more (Food Coop).

Skillet Cheeseburger Macaroni

I used a full pound of macaroni, a bit more broth, and quite a bit more shredded cheddar. Pretty good.

Pork Burger

Momofuku spicy seasoned salt, pork.

Hot Dogs

All pork, all good.

A turn for the horrible

This week took a turn for the horrible. After struggling through a work thing which took multiple days. I was able to take my head up and found out that a friend was not doing well. My initial and wrong impressions was that maybe it was a bad accident, but after some more information, found out he had a heart issue, lost consciousness while he was driving.

Someone called the police right away, he was given CPR.

He was taken to a local hospital and stabilized on Monday. Many things happened, before I noticed Wednesday night, and after a couple of meetings on Thursday, I headed down to the CCU at the hospital, to see how things were going.

After seeing the faces of his family, especially his mom, partner, boys, and co-parent, I texted my boss saying I wouldn’t be back at work. I saw how his older son reacted to the situation, and I recognized that as something that happens to myself, which is trying to hide a large emotional reaction.

I had some time to sit with him, I made jokes, as many do in a stressful situation. I kept a few people in the loop, for as much as I understood. When Shannon got off work, I brought her down and we were there when the publicly announced that he would be the 101st organ donor in Iowa, this year.

With the terrible loss to his boys, partner, co-parent, family, friends, he will bring a bunch of life to those in dire need.

Stepping aside from the situation, the fact that organ donation is so specific under the conditions on which donation can be obtained, it seems to make more sense that so few happen. Note, tissue donation, is much easier.

At this time, if you live in Iowa, I think it’s important to register to donate your organs:

https://www.iowadonornetwork.org/

Mental Health, an update

I occasionally talk about my depression, but, it’s time to be public about it, and my struggles.

I’ve been therapy for years, initially a couple of times a week, then weekly, monthly, now every other month.

I have been on an anti-depressant of varying strengths for longer (initially prescribed by my PCP, then upped with a Mental Health Nurse Practitioner or two, whom I see every so often).

My depression (Recurrent MDD) generally expresses itself as anger, mostly at myself, but it also boils enough to splatter on to others. To combine that with anxiety, also can be helpful in my chosen career, but can be overwhelming at times.

I know that I set routines to try to keep my brain in general check. 6 days a week I make sure I get some sort of exercise, I read books about the issues, I listen to Depresh Mode with John Moe, and Before that The Hilarious World of Depression. I try to make sure I go to bed at a regular time, wake up at a regular time, not intake to much caffeine.

Sometimes, I do need just extra time. In the past month I have taken a couple of days where I specifically have planed to do nothing. No video games, no TV, just resting, maybe some music. These sort of help bring me back down to a normal where I can try to look and understand what’s going on. But then again I don’t always get it.

Recently I stated openly to my co-workers, some of whom I had talked individually about it, and they were open, accepting and understanding, which I am grateful for.

I will perhaps write more, as I have time to write about how things can feel, battles, speculation, and probable genetic components.

I will first like to thank someone who helped me, when she had her own struggles, and just opened my mind to the fact that perhaps, this was the case for me as well, more then 20 years ago, when I was trying to manage my mental health between a ever changing balance of caffeine, nicotine, alcohol and cannabinoids, not that I told her that. I think somewhere between the first and second years of college? So thanks K.

Written Saturday - Monday.

2022 - Week 32 Cooking Results

This week has been a bit of a challenge. The construction on the stormwater drain pipe, seemed to have increased in activity, often making it very challenge to get in or out. Generally we’d wait until after they stopped for the day or before they starting in the morning. It was planned for this past Friday that they would have 8 hours to change some water main items. Thursday morning I started with a small hole in my yard, and then by the middle of the day, the entire part of our property that touches Franklin, ended up being hole.

At some point around 7 or 8 PM or so, they apparently broke something they were not, and they had to stay very late to to get the water main fixed. I sat outside for a while watching them work in the night, their precision with the construction equipment was kind of amazing. I ended up going to bed and when I got up around 1 AM, the street was quiet and the water was back on.

With that work, we didn’t loose water on the Friday, which was nice.

While sitting outside, I apparently obtained a skin infection (diagnosed Saturday). I await the pleasure of my local grocery chain pharmacy of filling the antibiotics prescription, which, as I write, has been 18 hours since prescribed (nice job). All being said, it feels odd, the skin seems tight on my leg, that segment is clearly warm to the touch, and it’s got a patchy red look to it. It’s mildly uncomfortable when I move it, but as one who has been dealing with bone spurs, it’s not anywhere near that annoying. Hopefully the antibiotics will smack it upside the head and kick it out of my body.

Brats

Once again, jalapeño and cheddar, good things.

Taco Salad

Good as always.

Teriyaki Chicken Burger with Chili Crunch White Sauce

Made the Teriyaki sauce, then he Chili Crunch White sauce. I skipped the cabbage, cause I didn’t feel up to it, and didn’t feel like hearing the smoke alarm, so cooked it at a slower pace. Still came out good tasting with a mildly caramelized crust on the top and bottom. Good dinner.

Skillet Corn with Mexican Chorizo

So this would work better as part of a taco salad, or part of burrito or over rice or something. I ended up using it in the taco salads I was having for lunch.

Kung Pao Shrimp

A lot of bowls, and making rice, but over all pretty easy to make. I had the ingredients I needed or the listed alternatives I used the leftover sauce (Teriyaki) from the chicken burger in place of the hoisin sauce. I had to do some adjustments cause I had two 12 ounce packages of shrimp, so, that all worked out too. Good meal for a Saturday.

2022 - Week 21 Cooking Results

The original plan was to head down to Cedar Rapids this weekend and watch my niece and niece* graduate from high school and go to the parties the next day. This is not how the week worked out.

Shannon tested negative on antigen test on Sunday and Monday, but when in on Monday to get a PCR test and tested positive. From discussions with her manager, she was not the only one who brought this Covid home. When Shannon asked me how I was feeling to try to get an impression of my level of sickness, I honestly had to say I almost always feel not great, so at this time I felt lest not great. I tested negative on a antigen test on this past Wednesday, and then got tested w/ a PCR that afternoon, and also tested positive.

My primary care provider noticed the test result pop up, my doc is the best, and reached out to ask if I wanted to do the antiviral course. Initially I refused cause I wasn’t feeling to bad, but after discussion w/ my cohorts, changed my mind and accepted it. As of now I just finished day three (twice a day, 2 pills each time, i started in the evening) of five of the round of Paxlovid. Reading about the why that it works combining a drug to help the liver fight HIV/AIDS and then another that blocks the replication of Covid related protein, is kind of interesting.

My only side effect, is a annoying taste in my mouth, which was described as possibly metallic, but to me is more a combination of a penny, fresh dirt, and a new insight this morning, hangover mouth after drinking really shitty beer (No I didn’t drink last night). On the positive side, this is easily distracted by chewing gum or eating. So the only time I’m not doing one or the other is as I go to sleep or wake up.

As it stands, we’re mostly feeling fine, We both cough here and there, but unlike earlier in the week, for Shannon, where the amount of coughing made her wake up early, which is not a thing that normally happens. I worked the entire time, not cause I had to, since I’m remote. On Thursday I was a bit tired so I called it a day a mere 30-45 minutes early, I had already taken Friday off.

The sign I was on the mend, was when the idea of going to bed at 9:30-10:30 seemed absurd, as I’m a normally a wind down at 10:30.

We are taking the appropriate precautions, and I have ordered groceries for pickup, and I’ll break out an N95 to go pick them up and have them put them in my trunk.

Brats

Good as always.

Pancakes

Again, due to the amount of syrup we have, this will happen on the regular. I swapped back to the Cooks Illustrated version.

Taco Salad

Good things.

Penne with Red Pepper Pesto

I added more red peppers, red pepper flakes, Parmesan, and ricotta. It led to a savory spicy clerkly can taste the red peppers dish. Apparently I didn’t read the directions well as I a salted all the peppers. Since it is not yet tomato season, I used a can oaf diced tomatoes. I forgot to add the vinegar so I added a splash of champagne vinegar and stirred it in. I really enjoyed this, though I guess I didn’t really make the recipe but it is close-ish.

2021 - Week 48 Cooking

As to create a bit of separation between thanksgiving and leftovers, I am going to put the leftover under-done turkey, stock, rendered fat and pot pie in the freezer for a bit. This should free up some space in the fridge and allow for a more normal(ish) week. I’m actively going to chase after some dishes to use the leftover vegetables and etc.

I got my COVID booster shot on Friday, and other thing some injection site pain (minor, still lingering but slowly becoming less), it went without comment. This will put me close to peak resistance for Yule.

This week I’ve tried to not pay to close attention to the news, and have, only once, picked up my work phone (Tuesday). So this has truly been a stress holiday of a sort. I suppose I replace that stress with cooking stress, but that was far more relaxing in general. I woke up the same time, that I would have for work, specifically to get in my morning routine, but after that my day was more or less my own to work around.

2021 - Week 32 Cooking Results

I suppose I should’ve checked closely the schedule of plan for my colonoscopy prep. I could have worked on Monday, and other then having very specfic restricitons on what I could eat for breakfast, lunch and snack. Instead I took a mostly relaxing day, doing a handful of chores (breaking down a stash of boxes for recycling, shredding papers, etc) and just relaxing most of the day. The inherent problem with the instructions are because you are starting at 6:PM it means you’ll be staying up pretty late as it work through your system, and the instructions says get up and finish prep with the last liter of liquid 4 hours before the procedure. So I finally felt able to fall asleep around midnight, and was up at 3:15 to finish off prep. I did get in a nap before the procedure and got called in early since the appointment before mine called in to cancel.

As a note, the nurses helping the procedure were very relieved that I was already vaccinated and it was much easier for them to put the oxygen in my nose.

They found two polyps, which were benign.

We headed to the cheese shop, picked up some lunch and went home. I ate, then headed upstairs to sleep. Shannon woke me up around dinner time, and I was up a bit more, then slept overnight. Normally I get around 5-7 hours of sleep a night, and on Tuesday I got 12.5 hours.

So here’s a reminder, if you are recommended to do it, get your colonoscopy.

Bacon Arugula and Tomato

Fresh mozzarella, a loaf of Whole Grain Sourdough that had shown up that day, and some fresh tomatoes from Blue Gate. Topped with some bacon from Crooked Gap. Good things.

Sheet Pan Shrimp “Boil”

This was surprisingly quick to put together. I picked up some gulf shrimp, pulled out some breakfast sausage (Lucky George) and corn from the freezer, and used potatoes I had already bought. Then added some leftover onion. I upgraded my purchase of the spicy salt to a pouch, rather than the jars, since I go through it fast enough. I ended up getting two, to get the free shipping. I ladeled over a couple of dashes of the butter sauce. Delicious meal overall. For me, I would’ve perhaps added more potatoes, but maybe that’s just me with that butter sauce and the potatoes. Certainly something to make again.

Sheet Pan Shrimp “Boil”

Brats

Still a bit tired after work, even though the previous day I slept an astounding, for me, 12.5 hours of sleep. Easy to do, good things.

2021 - Week 29 Cooking Results

Hunh, looking back over time it appears I have had more feet problem then I thought. After a bit of waiting for pickup on Monday, I may have over used my right foot, causing a bit of inflammation. this was complicated by having to take Shannon to and from work, since her car was in the body shop to repair hail damage. As I was hobbling around, I watched my heart rate spike as I head upstairs, which tipped me over to actually make an appointment with my podiatrist. His only appointment was way up in Ankeny at 8:00 AM. A couple of x-rays and a quick consult later and I’m back at treating a “very inflamed” tendon and the actual bone spurs hiding around and behind it. The anti-inflamatory prescribed has me feeling mostly normal, where I can still feel where it is but, it’s no longer making me think about waiting longer to go up stairs to get more water or go to the bathroom, making it worth the pain or not. Back on the path to healing, I suppose. We did vaguely talk about surgical interventions, and perhaps the next go round this may be the thing to do.

This week, driving was a thing I reminded myself I actually liked. I enjoyed the trips to and from my wife’s work to drop her off. The nice cruise up to and back from Ankeny. Listening to music, windows down, a good mild but humid breeze (at least in the morning). The vast majority of my trips have been regular errands. Which, even if you vary the pathway, can be kind of a boring drive. The, while not new, but not recently driven pathways just felt nice to drive. Even with that in mind, I am still enjoying working from home. I have started to build a semi-separation, even though it is on this same desk, of work space at home.

Other then the call with the Allstate rep (lots of mis-hearing), the whole process went pretty smooth, dropped the car off on Monday, got it back Saturday, and looks like they got all the hail damage repaired, including the ones that made actual scratches. We paid our co-pay to the body shop, and I guess we’ll see how they hold up. It’ll be nice to be able to return to my normal morning routine.

Brats

Pulled out a set that had been partially used, cooked them up. I had mine with some beet kraut, which was pretty good. Later int he week I had smoked pickled beets on a sandwich from the Cheese Bar, and that was really good.

Pasta

Fridge and pantry cleaner pasta. Had a bit of Italian sausage leftover from a previous recipe, and some onions and pasta that I picked up along the way. With the herbs and spices that I had around, we came out with and ok pasta. Certainly not my best, but not to bad.

Bangers and Fingerling Potatoes

I had trouble finding bangers in the random collection of meats in the upstairs freezer bin, so I pulled out some blue cheese and bacon brats, and on discussions we had brats again (it was warming up outside), this time, since I don’t recall having them before, I had them with a simple swipe of mustard. I do need to figure out something to do with the potatoes though.

North African Tuna and Rice Salad

I didn’t have preserved lemons. I forgot to buy cilantro. My wife is not a fan of olives. Did I make it? I guess sort of? I did add more harissa. It was pretty good. Nice cold meal, with fine tuna. I had some leftovers so I added a bit of hot sauce and it was even better.

Hot sauce burgers, vaguely based on this

Delayed!

2019 - Week 44 Cooking

While I took two days off this past week, it still has been quite stressful. After a PTO sale last week, I was able to pay off the last part of my medical stuff, and as I have met my out of pocket max for the year, there should be no surprises from my side anymore. Other then paying for it, things are going fine, I think. My next round of doctor appointments start soon to follow up on how things are going after the stents and drug changes. Beyond that we had quite the range of estimates for Máni getting his dentistry, I was quite worried since the money we had left was, in theory could cover most of it, but would completely strip the not full emergency fund. Luckily it was on the low end, and the procedure went well. 3 removed teeth later (and still on drugs) Máni seems to be doing a whole let better. So far it’s only canned soft food on the diet, but he does seem a bit more cheery and snugly.

So the other thing. A few weeks ago, I was renting a rug doctor, and figured without the cloth shelf thing, it should be able to stand upright. I was very gentle as I tested the rear hatchback, but apparently with the minimum amount of pressure, the large hatch back window glass shattered. I certainly felt stupid at the time, but ended up driving home with a fully open window and got everything mostly cleaned up. I had trunk tray in the back which certainly helped get the glass in the garbage (pick up tray, treat as funnel, into the bin). After calling a bunch of glass places on a early Saturday afternoon, I got a hold of one. I expected a lot of call backs on Monday, which I did not get. The one I worked with, said he’d get me a used glass from out of state, which was fine, but it would take a bit. It becomes very apparent how convent having two cars is, when you are really just limited to one. It made various appointment taking challenging and waiting sometimes a must (as times when things are done are often unpredictable). Eventually, after 17 days of waiting, I contacted a friend of mine’s brother in law at Sun Auto Glass (Ankeny). He provided a quote, and the next day (18) after asking for an update from the original vendor (still waiting for it to get from Kansas City to here?), I cancelled and told Sun to move forward. The next day, it was installed. After a bit of discussion, Shannon convinced me that it is what insurance is for, so I submitted the bill for reimbursement.

The positive thing here is that I didn’t dwell on it. I reacted in a fashion that was appropriate (upset, self blame), but didn’t drag that out into the following days, weeks or months. This would be my brains normal course of action, where it generally drags down my mood for the next quarter or two or three.

Remaining items we have are paying off my machine that I bought (since my bone spurs are preventing my walking, and I need cardio activity in my life), and an engine light causing problem with my car (I have a sensor, it’s not problematic problematic, just not exactly good). Then we should be back to normal expenses. It has been an expensive year.