Dam Knitters

When I was in college, many of my dorm mates were learning to play bridge. Card games have never been my forte, so I followed the path of friends learning to knit. Can't say I mastered the technique, but I did learn to knit and purl. A resurgence of interest in the process among Dogpatch residents has sparked my interest again. Returning from a spring trip to Santa Fe with my treasures purchased in a yarn shop there, I was thrilled that our local flower shop had added the fiber section. An ever growing group of women, young and old, gather for classes during day and evening sessions. Open knitting is hosted twice weekly with knitters sharing tips and showing off skills. The comradarie has become a support system in and of itself. These women share concerns and joys as the thread of friendship accompanies the twisting, slipping and turning of yarns to complete an accessory or a garment. The group has been tagged the "Dam Knitters."

Yesterday's Open House event was well attended. I can hardly wait for spring classes to begin. My resolution for the new year is to learn to make socks. That probably should have been in BOLD, ALL CAPS. Yes, I am going to learn to make socks in the coming year. There! I have committed in writing.

Slippery Slopes

Winter in Dogpatch can be treacherous and heart-warming. On really cold days the neighborhood looks devoid of human population. Let the sun show it's bright face and walkers are strolling the streets. A little moisture can create icy streets and walkways. That's enough to keep me inside. The klutz gene evolves quickly with just a bit of the slippery underfoot. Dry leaves on a path become more like roller skates when wet and cold. I dare not brag that this season hasn't YET resulted in a spill for me, it's only a matter of time. Wouldn't it be nice if a preventive vaccine could be developed to stave off accidental slippage of aging bodies. As much as I complain when expected to have an annual flu shot, a shot to keep me upright with movement would be gladly welcomed.

I do take reasonable precautions. When approaching a flight of stairs, the handrail is always used. No more do I race up or down stairs with an armload of anything. As I waited for Ol' Abner to have a diagnostic test yesterday, I strolled around the perimeter of the medical facilities. It was chilly, but luckily dry. Inside the hospital, a walkway to the adjoining medical school is accessed by several flights of stairs. On the second day of long hours in the car seat, a bit of total body movement was a necessity. Approaching the wide stairs with some measure of trepidation (all things going up must come down???), I easily walked up the stairs and emerged to traverse the skywalk. The return trip was perilous in my view. As fellow travelers just bounced down the center of the wide flight, I waited for availability of a handrail on the right side to balance my descent.

It's morning on the mountain now. Whatever the weather holds in store, I will have my outdoor time today. Baked goods abound in the neighborhood, and indulgence is a foregone conclusion.

Maybe I Should Just Pass on the Cheesecake

A few weeks ago a friend showed me an "app" on her smartphone that would track progress and map out walking paths. Looked pretty cool so I immediately downloaded it. It also allows an option to add friends to compare notes and challenge workouts. Sounded wonderful and I tried it out as soon as I was ready for a walk. Not being technologically astute, as previously lamented on these pages, the first use of the program was totally unsatisfying. About every third step a voice from my pocket would yell "auto pause", then seconds later "auto resume". After about a minute and a half of that, being a slow learner, I finally just turned it off. Returning home I looked into the settings function and discovered the ability to turn off the "auto pause" function, and happily enjoyed the use of my application on the very next walk. Not only does it map my walking path, but give data that includes distance walked, elevation changes, speed walked and OH YES, calories burned. Such a comfort to know that the 500 calorie piece of cheesecake indulgence can be offset by walking four miles uphill...well maybe NOT so comforting. Perhaps I should have only eaten half the cheesecake. Either way, a bit of personal control and accountability seems like a good thing.

I have told many of my friends about the application and several have now added it to their smart phones. As I mentioned earlier, friends can share workout information with me and I with them...I think. So far I have accepted several friends into my fitness community, but I cannot see any of their progress. I wonder if they can see mine. Often I find myself at a loss where technology is concerned. The interaction of others figuring out methods of using the technology seems to be required with most things these days. Dogpatch is sorely absent of such interest, at least among my acquaintances. Maybe I need to make another trip to the Lone Star state where I was first introduced to this new wonder, or maybe I will eventually figure it out on my own. Sometimes I'm pretty stubborn that way.

Boots for walking

Last spring during one of those necessary closet clean out moments, I donated some my boots to the Salvation Army and the rest were so well worn, they had to be donated to the land fill. As temperatures began to drop, absence of boots in the closet reached a point of urgency. I searched the internet and considered purchasing on-line. With my Daisy Mae size feet, shoes and boots should always be tried before purchase. Luckily I returned to sanity before embarking on buying, trying and reboxing for return...or adding to next years donation pile.

My taste in boots has progressed from over the calf leathers with very high heels to a more sedate simple smooth foot with sturdy low heels. No need for the tall uppers since I seldom wear skirts and certainly don't need to tuck in my pants legs. On one of Ol' Abner's recent medical visits to the city, I made a wicked little detour to my favorite shoe outlet to try on some of the footwear previously drooled over on the website. Of course I forgot to print off the coupon from the website. After traipsing around the store wearing one of my selections, I opted to purchase one pair and order a second in the other color on line with the coupon. Now the coupon has expired and the color that was in stock during my visit is back ordered in my size and color. When will I learn to buy when I know I want it? That's probably a lesson already learned...Salvation Army has a store full of proof.

Family Heirlooms

I just glanced at my friends list on Facebook and noticed the section of "family" is huge, and I don't even have all my first cousins listed there. My mother would be so proud. She took such pride in family connections...at times I cannot help but wonder about the wisdom of some of that pride. We do not choose the blood connections. I am one of 19 grandchildren on the maternal line and my mother was one of 19 grandchildren on her paternal connection. In addition I enjoy the relationship of a number of "step-cousins" as my mother's generation resulted in many blended families. I'm not sure anyone else on my friends list shows so many relatives in the "family" section. Not all with familial connection to me have been pulled into that list on my page and I wonder if most people just choose not to use that feature.

Many times I have lamented the birth of Facebook after my mother's death. Her phone bill and postage expense could have greatly been reduced. She stayed in touch with old friends from school and never allowed anyone in her family to loose touch. We lost her in 2000. She had just started using e-mail, and was most distressed if we didn't immediately reply to one of her missives. Many times I would receive a phone call asking why I had not responded to her e-mail, sent nearly an hour before. Did I mention that she hated answering machines too? An hour away from home might result in an overheard comment on my answering machine "they've got that *!*&#*! machine on again", only to see three e-mails; one of substance and two follow-ups.

She was far ahead of her time. Social networking, instant messaging and daily posts on blogger would have opened all new vistas for her...actually she expected that before the technology was even available.

When "DOGS" fly

My favorite form of exercise is a long walk through Dogpatch neighborhoods. Depending on the route I choose, a leisurely stroll on level ground or a quick trot down the hill only to huff my way back up gives the satisfaction needed for my daily mood. Often a neighbor or two will join in, but a chocolate colored labrador retriever is my intrepid companion whether Ol' Abner chooses to come along or not.

Other dogs sometimes join us on the leashes of neighbors and she delights in making friends with any four legged companions. Her friendly social nature will usually win over the trust of these critters quickly. One neighbor resides with a small dog of unknown ancestry appearing to be a mix of a dachshund and a beagle or something with a brindle coloring. She is every bit as social as Belle although she does not enjoy a leash. Gidget will come running out to meet us as we walk by. She will roll and tumble with Belle, then proceed to me to perch in begging style on her hind legs to receive a gentle scratch on the head, then off she runs to play in circles around us.

Gidget is well known around town as Ol' Taxidermist's companion. Riding shotgun in his truck, head hanging out the window as he navigated a turn into a parking lot one day, resulted in a sudden tumble out to the ground. A few months later, she suffered a bout of lyme desease. Full recovery ensued though she learned to scream shrilly if someone touches her or attempts to pick her up against her wishes. When Mountain Girl and a large very old Blue Heeler, Sam, moved in, Gidget quickly adapted and took charge of his habits. She learned to run beside the four wheeler in the woods and refuse to exit a car if the ride has not yet been to her satisfaction.

A few weeks ago, I noticed a tiny carcass of a fawn beside the road along one of our walking routes. It appeared as though the internal organs had been cleared cleanly while the legs, and head were intact and it looked almost uninjured. I commented on this phenomenon to Ol' Abner and he explained the usual process of scavenger birds. Other neighbors mentioned the tiny fawn and a few days later it had disappeared completely. Ol' Abner came in and related a tall tale to me. Neighbor Joe had been watching as vultures munched on the fawn as Gidget irritated them. He said she barked and charged them until one flew up and grabbed her with claws firmly attached to her neck and shoulders. He watched as the creature flew across the street and around a house with a clearly reluctant passenger squirming in his grasp. Horrified he continued to watch the scavengers. Minutes later the sassy little dog came trotting out of the woods to harass the birds one last time, then turn on her heels and race toward home.

We shared the tale with Ol' Taxidermist and Mountain Girl later that day and she observed that Gidget didn't appear to be injured, but hadn't seemed to be venturing out as far as usual. Ol' Abner noted that she no longer followed past the corner where the fawn had lain. I guess that dog DID fly...and no doubt she has at least nine lives.

Avoid the "Poop Vein"

I tried a new recipe yesterday. It was delicious and should have gone together quickly. Instructions called for peeled and deveined shimp. Years ago when living on the gulf coast we frequently purchased fresh shrimp and Ol' Abner (who wasn't quite so old then) was adept at peeling and deveining the critters thanks to a nifty tool he had found. I had purchased some nice looking frozen shrimp of admirable size a couple of days ago and was anxious to combine some yummy sounding flavors. Since the magazine featuring the recipe may not survive the next side table clean-off, it follows here for future reference.

Red Cumin-Lime Shrimp on Jicama Rice

12 oz fresh or frozen peeled and deveined medium to large shrimp

3 tsp olive oil

1 1/2 C chopped yellow onion

1 anaheim chile pepper, seeded and sliced

1 1/2 T chili powder

1 1/2 tsp cumin

1 C hot cooked brown rice

1 1/2 C peeled jicam cut into thin bite size strips

2 T Lime juice

2 T vegetable oil spread

1/3 C snipped fresh cilantro

Thaw shrimp if frozen and set aside.

In a large non-stick skillet heat one tsp of olive oil and swirl skillet to coat bottom lightly. Add onion and chile pepper and cook, stirring frequently til tender. Stir in shrimp, chili powder and cumin. Continue cooking (about 3 min) until shrimp are opaque.

Spoon hot rice into a serving bowl and stir in jicama. Cover and let stand until serving time.

Remove skillet from heat, stir in remaining 2 tsp olive oil, the lime juice and vegetable oil spread. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt. Cover and let stand 5 min to allow flavors to absorb and vegetable oil spread to melt.

To serve, stir cilantro into rice mixture and pour shrimp mixture over rice.

We found this meal delightful since we have a love of flavors from south of the border, especially those healthy dishes featuring seafood. Probably could be 20 min from start to table IF I had not spent 30 minutes peeling and deveining shrimp...not a pleasant chore if you haven't tried it. Oh yes, that tool that he claims makes removal of the "poop vein" so very easy...does NOT.