Food For One

As you can imagine I find this whole food thing frustrating. It's no secret Bob and I had many a battle over grocery store shopping and cooking. You'd think I would be thrilled to have the kitchen to myself. Not so. Somewhere during our 55 years together I lost my desire to cook. I am not at all excited about the kitchen regardless of who's in it.

I was sure it was in bad shape so I made cleaning it one of my first tasks after Bob died. Now when you look in my refrigerator it looks like a display model, almost nothing in it. I had no idea you could have so many groceries out of date but the pantry was full of outdated food.

I have no interest in food and certainly no interest in cooking. I can see why eating is such an issue with some older people. I try different things but so far have not come up with a workable solution.
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I'm sure Bob was walking those golden streets Monday wringing his hands and telling St. Peter, "See, I told you she couldn't make it without me to tell her what to do." The light came on in my car to tell me I was out of gas. Horrors I thought. No doubt that's the first time that light was ever on in that car.  Bob never let it get below half full. I was near the gas station so it was no crisis and no doubt I'll remember from now on to check it.

I don't like cars. I consider them a necessary evil. Public transportation is good here but trains and buses do not run up and down neighborhood streets. You've got to get to designated places on your own before you can ride it.. When you're young that's not a problem but as we age it often becomes problematic.

That means I'll keep driving and watch the gas gauge closer.

Trial and Error

Bob Update

The cardiologist has stopped his blood pressure medication. I have a neat little app on my phone where I keep a log of his blood pressure readings. I can then generate a report and print it. In two weeks the doctor wants to see a log of his readings. I can provide that.

(The bruise on his left arm is from his blood thinners and playing with the neighbor's Bouvier dog.)

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I have a Safeway grocery delivery coming today. Until some issues are resolved I will be the only one visiting grocery stores and I can assure you it will not be often.

I have another challenge I'm concentrating on now. He's lost 10 pounds in the last two or three months. He eats very little in spite of how often he goes to the grocery store. I guess he just enjoys looking at food.

I recently told daughter I thought we might be approaching the time to add a supplemental high nutrition drink. He loves sweets so he might enjoy that but as yet I haven't bought any.

Earlier this week I was cleaning out the freezer and fridge and set a few items on the cabinet to take a closer look at, things I didn't quite know how I would use. A package of frozen shrimp was one item. I studied it for a while then took down the minute rice from the pantry, a can of diced tomatoes with mild green chili peppers, a can of 'Hoppin John,' and tossed it all in a pot on top the stove. Cooked it a while leaving enough broth for Bob to eat his more like soup. I dipped mine out with a slotted spoon with no broth and melted some cheese on it. He went nuts over that, came back for a second bowl. Loved it. Told me to write down the ingredients and do it again. Who knew?

Yesterday I took a pound of Jimmy Dean Sausage, a can of black eyed peas, a can of okra, tomatoes and corn, browned some onion, and added some rice. Cooked it the same way and he reacted the same way. Hey, maybe I'm on to something.

Now I'm trying to figure out why he would like that so much. I'm about to decide he thinks he's eating  from a pot of soup as opposed to a casserole from the oven. Not sure why that would matter but who knows?

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I've read that political conventions have almost no effect on elections.  True politicians, and political addicts remember them but the vast majority of voters are just glad when they're over and they can go back to regular TV programing. I'm trying to decide if I think that's a good thing or a bad thing. What do you think?