HOW TO RESCUE & RESTORE FRESH FRUIT

It’s watermelon season. Who can resist the lure of a seedless, green striped melon, straight from the farm? They’re so heavy, you can barely lug them into the house from the car. And when you crack them open, they’re that deep pink color that tells you they’re going to be delicious. The problem is, they’re way too big for a one or two person household. Sometimes, we find a friend or relative who can use the other half, but often they have one of their own, or they’re allergic. After a few days, the melon gets mushy. But wait. Cut it into chunks, put on a tray in the freezer, and pop the frozen cubes into a plastic bag. They make yummy additions to any smoothie. And, you can use them as ice cubes in a cold drink. That’s how to rescue and restore fresh fruit.

Another fruit that’s apt to shrivel is red grapes. You have to buy them by the bagful. They last quite awhile, but often they start to shrink before you’ve been able to consume all of them. Don’t throw them in the garbage can. Pluck each grape from the vine, and freeze them on a tray, just like you did the watermelon. When you blend your next fruit smoothie, you may find it a bit sour. Not to worry! Five or six frozen grapes will sweeten it up.

Bananas are a fruit with a too-short shelf life. They’re a good source of potassium. Many heart patients are advised slice at least half a banana over their morning cereal. Trouble is, bananas ripen very fast. Then, they get brown and mushy. We used to throw away a lot of old bananas, but no more. They say you shouldn’t refrigerate bananas, but actually, you can.–if you wait until after they’ve ripened. If they’re still green, they won’t ripen in the frig. But once they’ve turned ripe, they will last a few extra days in the frig, resulting in far fewer wasted bananas. And they, too, can be sliced and frozen for smoothies.

Pineapples are often on sale. When you get them home and cut open, you’ll encounter various degrees of ripeness. They may be a bit “green”, but more often, they’re on the verge of being over ripe—turning deep yellow in places. We love fresh pineapple, but it starts to turn after a few days. Once again, rescue the aging pineapple. Cut the ripening fruit into chunks and freeze them. They give your smoothies a delicious tang and sweetness.

Now, you’re in the swing of things. Freezing fresh fruit that’s begun to over ripen is great way to reduce waste. And in these inflationary times, it’s also a smart way to save money.

July 28, 2021July 28, 2021

9 THINGS TO DO DURING A HEATWAVE

One good thing about this hot weather. It’s given the media something to talk about besides politics. Instead, they’re scaring people with dire warnings about what might happen. On top of that, we’re having a resurgence of covid-19 infections because people aren’t vaccinated. It’s almost as if we’re facing an attack from outer space. Most octogenarians have survived many heatwaves and plagues like polio. This is not our first rodeo. Assuming that you live in air conditioning, and you’re smart enough not to spend a lot of time outside, here are 9 things to do during a heat wave.

1. Walk around a big box store. Mall walking peaked out about five years ago. But now, malls are like a graveyard. It’s dreary and depressing to see the demise of your favorite stores like Macy’s. However, big box stores are spacious and very cool. You can easily walk a mile in a place like Meijer’s, and it’s fun to meander through the aisles and log a mile on your activity app.. At the same time, you’re liable to find some interesting new products you haven’t tried before.

2. Sleep in the buff.. You may think this is the height of debauchery. But if you’re over eighty, you don’t have to worry about the kids seeing you naked. It’s much cooler, and you don’t have bunched up pj’s or a nightgown waking you up at night.

3. Start a decluttering project. I began at this time last July https://livingwellafter80.com/decluttering-diary-day-one/and wasn’t finished until November! It gives you a productive way to spend your time indoors. Much more satisfying than watching television.

4. Get creative. Write a blog. Paint a picture. Needlepoint a pillow. Get out that old guitar and write a song. Make a YouTube video.

5. Clean your refrigerator and freezer. This cool task won’t make you sweat.

6. Weed out your photo album. I don’t know about you, but my cell phone and computer are loaded with photos I will never look at again. It’s a tedious task going through them and deciding which ones to eliminate, but it gives you something to do while you’re shut up inside in air conditioning.

A cool, fresh smoothie makes a great summer meal — Start with some Greek yogurt,add 3 or 4 fruits, and whip up a cool smoothie in the blender

7. Whip up a cool refreshing , healthy smoothie. I start with half a cup of Greek yogurt, then add 3 or 4 pieces, each, of fresh or frozen fruit: Try different combinations of banana, blueberries, oranges, grapes, pineapple, mango, peaches etc. If my smoothie tastes a bit sour, a handful or grapes or a few pineapple chunks will sweeten it up.

8. Go swimming. If you don’t have an indoor pool available in your city, drive to a nearby state park like McCormick’s Creek or Turkey Run in Indiana. You’ll feel like a kid again–and so refreshed..

9. Finally, you might download you tube music “HeatWave,” , and listen to Irving Berlin’s popular song from the thirties https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5PpCCfhBhY

Irving Berlin wrote "Having A Heat Wave:in 1933 — We’re having a heat wave, a tropical heat wave

Oh! We’re having a heatwave, a tropical heatwave
The temperature’s rising, it isn’t surprising,
She certainly can the can-can
She started a heatwave by letting her seat wave,
In such a way that the customers say
That she certainly can can-can

July 12, 2021July 12, 2021

BEWARE OF SUMMER SCAMMERS

When you’ve lived in a small town for awhile, you know a lot of people who’ve held a variety of jobs. Sometimes, gossip about former employers reaches you through the grapevine. Here’s what you may hear if they’ve worked for an air conditioning company: A customer calls on a sweltering hot summer day because the A/C went out. Repair man shakes his head and says it can’t be fixed. You’re miserably hot, unable to sleep. You believe him when he tells you that you need a new unit. They do you a favor and get the new one installed the very next day. And remove the old unit at no extra charge. Then, guess what? Instead of taking it to the junk yard, they replace a minor part, then sell your old unit to another customer. Yes, it happens. Beware of summer scammers! .

Summer is when folks get serious about roof leaks, chimney repairs and other outdoor jobs. Have you ever gotten bids to fix a roof? The price range is nothing short of amazing. Half of them refuse to do a partial roof install. They will tell you that unless you get a whole new roof, they can’t guarantee it won’t leak. And if you start getting bids on a roof replacement, you’re bewildered. The bids may differ by as much as ten thousand dollars—or more . Now is the time to pause before making a decision. Talk to people, call different roofers, check BBB ratings and online reviews. You’d be surprised what you can find over the internet. Just gather the facts on your own. And beware of summer scammers.

But scamming can also occur in other professions. There are doctors who convince you that your backache cannot be cured unless you undergo expensive surgery. Tire salesmen who say they can’t fix a low tire.. They feed on your desperation: Afraid the back pain can’t get better, or of what you’ll do without a car for a day or so.

When you sense that a provider is pressuring you to make a quick decision, it’s time to stop and think. Get bids from other companies. Get second and third doctor’s opinions. Check with another tire company and see if a nail can be removed.. Beware of summer scammers.

July 7, 2021July 7, 2021

WARNING! HELP WANTED IS A BAD SIGN.

July 4 started out to be a pretty good day. Decided to go out for brunch to celebrate our country’s independence. There aren’t a lot of choices in our city, but we decided to try a place we hadn’t been to for years. The parking looked great—plenty of handicapped places. And we were pleased when seeing so many customers wearing patriotic clothing. Got inside, and looked for the host, or whatever they call the person who meets you at the door and arranges for seating. Nobody at the desk. Waited awhile. Nada. Finally called out, ‘anybody here?” That brought someone out from the back. Everything went downhill from there. Warning! Help Wanted is a bad sign.

Got seated by a pleasant young woman who brought us our coffee right away. We perused the menu, and decided what to have. She took her time getting back to our table, but we weren’t unduly concerned. While waiting, we looked around. The place was half empty. Unusual for a Sunday morning. She finally came back and took our order. And then the long wait began.

They didn’t have WIFI, so I couldn’t get much on my phone to pass the time. After half an hour, she came and asked if we wanted more coffee. We said, “no, we’d like to have our food, if that’s possible.” She swallowed hard. “I’m afraid it’s going to be awhile,” she said. “Like, how long?” I asked. “Maybe 20 minutes,” she replied.

We debated whether or not to leave. But by now, we’d invested too much time to leave, go somewhere else, park, and start all over again. The hunger pangs were making us cranky, so I looked for the waitress. Nowhere in sight. I rose from my seat to find her standing outside the kitchen. Asked her if she could fix us a couple pieces of toast while we waited. She agreed. I looked back in the kitchen and saw only one cook at the grill. No wonder the service was so slow!

We had never waited that long in any restaurant for a simple brunch. How much time does it take to cook bacon and eggs? But as we drove away, we looked at the sign outside. It said, “HELP WANTED. SERVERS AND COOKS AT BOTH LOCATIONS.” If only we had seen that before we walked in.

Obviously, the poor service is a result of the federal unemployment compensation due to Covid-19. When combined with state unemployment checks, restaurant workers can make more money staying at home than going to work. Especially in places that don’t serve liquor– which generates bigger tips.. I felt sorry for the young people who were working that day. Glad we left our waitress a good tip. It wasn’t her fault.

Warning! HELP WANTED is a bad sign.

June 28, 2021June 28, 2021

WHIRLIGIGS SCARE AWAY SQUIRRELS

Everyone loves squirrels. They’re fluffy and sweet and it’s fun to watch them scamper up and down a tree. In fact, my husband used to buy bags of corn to feed them out on the deck. And then, one day, they weren’t cute anymore. They became a menace when they started eating our house. For years, we didn’t know how to stop them. But at last, I’ve found that whirligigs scare away squirrels.

Squirrels are rodents and may decide to eat your house. — Squirrels may look cute but they like to gnaw on your house.

If you’re new to my blog, you may not have read my post , Help! Squirrels are eating our house. Our side porch is supported by four wooden pillars. A few years ago, the base of those pillars suddenly attracted squirrels. Evidence mounted that they were gnawing and nibbling away, creating large, hollow holes. Consequently, If we didn’t act soon, our porch would crash. We tried peppermint spray. Didn’t work. In fact, the squirrels seemed to like the smell.

We upgraded to expensive jars of squirrel repellent. Sprinkled the granules all around the porch. It really stank, which was embarrassing when visitors approached. However, the squirrels didn’t mind it at all. They just kept coming. As a last resort, we duct taped the base of the pillars. An ugly solution which still didn’t keep the squirrels off the porch.

Whirligigs scare away squirrels, and they're inexpensive — WHIRLIGIGS SCARE AWAY SQUIRRELS. They’re an easy, inexpensive way to keep squirrels from eating your house.

However, this year, my 4^th of July decorations did the trick. While strolling through Walmart, I spotted some bright, shiny Mylar twisters. 98C apiece. Something went through my mind about using them to repel moles. since we also have moles. Yep, that’s the fun of living on the edge of town with a big yard. I invested in four whirligigs, intending to put them out on the mole mounds.

But when I got home, it occurred to me that the whirligigs might work like scarecrows, or scaresquirrels. Stuck them in the ground in front of the porch pillars. As a result, I haven’t seen a single squirrel anywhere near our house. When the wind blows, the silvery Mylar catches the light, whirling around with a velocity that apparently scares the squirrels away. Thank heaven for whirligigs. I’m stocking up on enough of them to get us through the winter.

June 11, 2021June 11, 2021

YOU NEED A FRIEND IN YOUR PLUMBER

Of all the tradespeople you employ to help maintain your home, the plumber may be the most important. Plumbing emergencies are the most critical of any that occur . Yes, you need your lawn mowed, but it can wait a day or two if it rains. If your heat or air conditioning goes down, you can usually stay cool or warm for awhile until the repairman can get there. But a broken pipe or sewage back up can’t wait. That’s when you need a friend in your plumber. You want someone who will get there within the hour.

When I was a child growing up in the post depression years, men in our neighborhood didn’t call plumbers. They were expected to know how to fix a leaky faucet or pipe.. I’m sure I never saw a plumber in our house. But I do remember my poor father struggling with hardware and manuals in all day attempts to fix whatever plumbing emergency had occurred. Sometimes, he called on a neighbor or friend for advice, which was freely given. Men helped each other, and some knew more than others. .

Our country cousins didn’t worry at all about plumbing. They used an outhouse and a chamber pot for their toilet needs. There was a pump for water outside and one in the kitchen. Bathing didn’t include showers or bathtubs. One simply heated gallons of water for the weekly Saturday night bath in a metal tub. And when weather permitted, there was always the creek for bathing.

Now, in our 21st century homes, we have all sorts of plumbing emergencies. Flooding due to a failed sump pump, burst pipe, sewer back up, or water shut off valve failure, can cause significant damage and is a safety concern. Consequently, it’s important to cultivate a good relationship with a reliable plumber. If you’re juggling bills at the end of the month, pay him first. When he’s in your home, call him by name and treat him with respect. . If you’re a good customer, he’ll be there for you in a crisis. You really need a friend in your plumber.

May 17, 2021May 17, 2021

5 HOME REMEDIES FOR SPRING ARTHRITIS

How do you like this damp, cool spring weather? It’s better than a searing hot day in July, that’s for sure. Trouble is, it’s hard on those of us with arthritis. Did you know that 50% of folks over 65 have it? My husband’s physical therapist said this weather has been really rough on arthritis patients. We know it won’t last forever, but we’d like to lessen the pain without resorting to extra painkillers. Over the years, and after numerous therapy sessions, I have come to rely on these 5 home remedies for spring arthritis. All are available online,

Massaging Wrap

You can go online and find a wrap for almost every part of your body—knees, back, shoulders, whatever. The one I like was originally designed for knees but it works great on my shoulders, too. It has 3 buttons: massage, heater, timer. If it gets too hot, you can turn off the heat, and continue with a massage. If you use it a lot, you have to recharge the battery pretty often, but it’s not a big problem.

2. Cold packs

I like the ones that come with a wrap, and a strap, because you can tie them around your arm, leg, or waist while you read or watch TV. I don’t use cold packs very often, but some people alternate between heat and cold therapy. They use the heat to warm up a joint before exercise, and cold therapy to reduce the swelling afterwards.

3. Hot rolling massager

This is a little bit more complicated than the wrap . It’s a fairly heavy device, and the one I use isn’t battery operated. It’s plugged into an electric outlet. Which means that if I turn the wrong way, it’s apt to become unplugged. However, it gives a really deep massage, along with a gentle heat—actually much less heat than the massaging wrap. The first time I used it on my back, I was amazed how many sore spots I wasn’t even aware of. It’s really versatile. Can be used on shoulders, neck, back or knees. Just about anywhere you feel joint pain. It’s timed for 20 minutes, which is about as much as you can take because it gives you a pretty hard massage. But I guarantee you will sleep better that ni

Tens Unit. (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) is used for nerve related pain conditions. The machine works by sending pulses across the surface of the skin and along the nerve strands. The pulses help prevent the pain signals from reaching the brain. This is actually my favorite pain relief device because it’s so portable. I can pack it in an overnight bag if I’m going for an out of town visit. There nothing like a long road or plane trip to cause an arthritis flare up. Not to worry. 20 minutes of Tens takes care of the pain. They’re relatively inexpensive and the tabs are easily replaced.

5 Home Remedies for Spring Arthritis include heat, cold packs, tens and Bio-Freeze.
Bio-Freeze or Vicks VapoRub. If I wake up in the middle of the night, I just rub some of the menthol product, Bio Freeze, into my skin, and I’m back to sleep in minutes. Surprisingly, old fashioned Vicks VapoRub also provides menthol , with some added camphor. You’re not supposed to use Vicks all the time like you do Bio-Freeze, because the camphor can build up in your system. But it’s a good substitute if you’ve run out of Bio-Freeze.

Soon, we’ll be sweating away in the sunlight, watching the INDY 500 or having a picnic in the park on Memorial Day. Hopefully, the aches and pains will ease. But if they don’t, you can always fall back on these 5 home remedies for Arthritis.

Now, you’re in the swing of things. Freezing fresh fruit that’s begun to over ripen is great way to reduce waste. And in these inflationary times, it’s also a smart way to save money.

Oh! We’re having a heatwave, a tropical heatwave The temperature’s rising, it isn’t surprising, She certainly can the can-can She started a heatwave by letting her seat wave, In such a way that the customers say That she certainly can can-can

We had never waited that long in any restaurant for a simple brunch. How much time does it take to cook bacon and eggs? But as we drove away, we looked at the sign outside. It said, “HELP WANTED. SERVERS AND COOKS AT BOTH LOCATIONS.” If only we had seen that before we walked in.

Oh! We’re having a heatwave, a tropical heatwave
The temperature’s rising, it isn’t surprising,
She certainly can the can-can
She started a heatwave by letting her seat wave,
In such a way that the customers say
That she certainly can can-can