August 30, 2018 by princesshotflash

What I want to make : two

Since I got back haven’t had a chance to cook or back. One, lazy and still not in sync with my work schedule and living schedule. Two, it’s too hot and humid for me. I’m just melting. But I need to start and suck up being a sweaty mess.

Meals for Mom and Dad

Looking for meals that I can cook for my folks. A few food restrictions to adjust to–Diabetic and blood thinner. I think they need a bit of more spice in their diet. I’ll try a couple of the meals I made for friends in the past year: Fish Stew and Spicy Lentil soup

The Fish Stew I made for the Hawaii girls

I want to try out some new recipes but it’s so hot in the afternoon. I decided to use mom’s crock pot while awaiting the arrival of my favorite kitchen appliance–my electric pressure cooker. Thought chili in a crock pot would be easy and plentiful so we can share what we made with a few of mom’s friends. Found this recipe that I’d like to try https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2017/01/11/slow-cooker-taco-spice-chili/. I like this recipe because it has sweet potato, corn, and black beans with an added bonus of quinoa. I’ll think I’ll try it this week.

Jamming

I’d like to try out that mango jam recipe again but I think I missed mango season. I will just have to make what in season or what my parents want to have. First up, Kiwi Apple jam as requested by my mom. It’s her favorite. I’ve been making this recipe so long that it kind of morph into my own. I’m having my parents do the prep on the kiwi and apple and I’ll do cooking up.

The spices make this jam-cinnamon, ginger, and clove

I’m also getting some Calamansi limes from a friend so I think I can make up a lime curd soon. Calamansi is a little lime with orange inside. It’s tart and fragrant. I use Ina Garten recipe that I’ve made 100s of time change out the flavor from lime to lilikoi to grapefruit to raspberry. Just a slight adjustment to the sugar depending on how sweet the fruit is. I think adding the zest of the citrus makes the jam taste so good. This is mom’s favorite. I love the grapefruit and turn into a grapefruit curd tart.

Sweet Breads

My parents like a little snack in the evening. I always had bananas in my freezer so I could whip up a smoothie or a loaf of banana bread on short notice. Here it’s a little different. No bananas in the freezer because they eat almost every day. Also, they eat apple bananas which are firmer and tastier. Not sure how it will influence the texture but flavor will be great. Might need to look for another type of sweet bread. Carrot? Zucchini? Hmm. Need to think about it.

chocolate marbled banana bread. Delicious

Here’s one that I made this year. Everyone liked it. And it looked great. A smittenkitchen recipe.

August 27, 2018 by princesshotflash

2 Weeks In

It will be 2 weeks back in Hawaii tomorrow. Still adjusting to my new life here. Trying to figure out what I can do to keep me out of trouble.

The Boys

The cats have been great. Getting into mischief as much as they can. They had full reign of my cabinets as I empty them back in NJ and want the same privileges here in Waipahu. But the Boss [my mom] doesn’t allow that. They also think the patio has the same breezeway privileges that they can run in and out of the house and the garage whenever they wanted. The patio is open to the side and backyard. So the only way out is with a harness and a leash. Ollie is up for the harness and we tried going for a walk. Orange, he’s another story and who would have guessed any different. It’s like I’m going to put him in the carrier.

The Heat

Got me a ceiling fan!! Woowho! I still feel hot but it’s like a constant breeze on me now. [I owe someone delicious bottles of red wine.] I hope Hurricane/Tropical Storm Lane doesn’t bring heat and humidity as he leaves the islands. It poured all morning since the time I got up at 3:00ish and stop at 7:00ish. It’s overcast and that might keep the temps down.

Please O’ weather gods keep the temps down for me, pretty please.

The only benefit of the heat is I don’t feel guilty for getting a shave ice as an afternoon snack. Luckily there is a good shave ice truck near the house. Too delicious to stop and get a picture, next time.

The Folks

I’ve been trying to keep them busy and getting them out of the house for entertainment and exercise. They have an aide that comes three days a week. She works with my dad on exercises for strength and takes them out and about or holo-holo in Hawaii slang, on errands and dr visits.

The aide that they have is a young girl from Chicago that just moved to Hawaii. Everything is new to here and I think it’s a good fit for my parents. My mom loves to feed people and she loves to try anything new. And she’s really sweet to my dad. Thought I think he would fare better with someone that was more on the rascal side.

I’m glad they have her because it would be all on me if they didn’t. I can see how hard that would be.

And me

I’m looking for things to do and meet new people. Here are a few of my ideas I thought I could try out in September

yoga class
swimming class to strengthen and learn more strokes
join the Y
knitting group
volunteer at Honouliuli National Monument
volunteer at Library
start walking/running consistently
lunch or dinner with friends
trying sell vintage stuff for my parents
look out for my ebay or etsy shop if you like vintage housewares. Midcentury stuff.

I’m trying to keep busy and not just hang out in my room watching too much Netflix as I did before I moved. I got sucked into watching DeadWind, Finnish crime drama with I’m such sucker for. I think I have a few more episodes left then on to the next. I need to stop watching. . . ahaaaa.

August 13, 2018August 24, 2018 by princesshotflash

The Big Move

This was the hardest thing I’ve done. The last year and 4 months was whirlwind, doing things I’d never thought I’d be doing with Oat or just by myself. I’m exhausted probably could sleep for 2 weeks if I had ac.

I packed up his ashes in one of my boxes for a trip across country and ride across the Pacific. Both things he wanted to do but just in a different mode of transportation. Would have taken his ashes on the plane but I just didn’t want to get hassled by chance. So many things were going wrong.

I sat on my dining floor in front of the fan, watching the movers move out with my stuff to be wrapped in plastic on a palette.

“3 palettes, Can you sign for this?” the head mover said and 25 years of my life fits on 3 palettes. I’m sad but proud that this step is done.

I survived

All that was left was stuff for the junk guys and whatever my friend ends up taking and garbage. But there is no rest for the weary. I still had to go to the bank and city for house stuff, cancel the cable [that’s another story for another day] and leave my house broom clean. I told myself I could get it done by 7:15.

Ollie is supervising. I think he knows something is up. Orange is nowhere to be found.

Hahaha! I was running on empty. Didn’t feel like cleaning, I did what I could. My neighbors came by to say bye and even brought me a snack to give me the energy to finish my task. I’m leaving such a nice neighborhood.

FINALLY!

I locked up my house after got the cats in the crates. Just a few tears, more stressed about everything else. Driving, CRAP! where’s my toothbrush? CRAP! I didn’t clean out the upstairs medicine TURN AROUND. SOBBING. It feels like it will never end.

This is one reason that I was so stressed out

But I survive

I arrived at my friends’ place 2 hours late. Dinner waiting for me. I get cute little set up in their TV room with the AC on. Cats exploring thing why did have to come in. Orange wants to go out visit with some new cat friends.

Everyone arrived safely and we are all adjusting to our new place. Now we just have to ride out Hurricane Lane and we will be alright.

Ollie checking out outside

Orange sleeping away the afternoon heat

Princess Hot Flash

Chronicles of My New Adventures

Month / August 2018