Getting Better

While Patrick was here we enjoyed not only Marla’s gift of Four Pillars from the Australia distillery but Chemist from here in North Carolina. The tonic has made all the difference. Not to mention the cucumber…so thank you to the Aussies who put me on the right track.

I am enjoying one right now after an afternoon nap.

Here is my garage now on the side I will have the things I think I might need. Still some tossing to do but I did say goodbye to my drill press and old Dyson vacuum, shelves, working stool from the studio, and garage refrigerator. Now all off to Patrick’s and Amy’s.

It was a fast four days and very productive. Of course I thought I would just go into the garage and finish it off on Monday. Here it is Saturday and not the energy for it yet. Maybe this next week.

It took a bit over two weeks for my taste to return. The thing that jump-started my taste and smell was the dozen eggs a friend brought me. Totally thick and orange yolks! The kind we are served constantly in Australia. So rich and delicious! I only have two left. When Patrick went to the store to get more, he found they were priced close to $10 per dozen and settled for some free range eggs at about half that price. I see it as six very good meals per dozen eggs. And am using the other ones he picked out for cooking.

I had a taste for bonetsy, an eastern European cheese dish that an older sister’s mother-in-law taught us as kids to make from scratch. It started with a day of making phyllo dough by hand and then capturing air and butter in the pockets filled with a cheese filling. The kitchen was a mess of butter going everywhere.

When talking to Amy on the family call last week, she said she had my adapted recipe. It seems I sent her a book of favorite recipes when she went off to college. Smart mother! Clever daughter to hang on to it. By then we could buy phyllo in frozen sheets, so it was much easier.

After making several with just the cheese mixture of cottage, feta and parmesan with egg, I made more adding in cut up ham and spinach. Both have been a quick and easy meal when not eating eggs.

The same elderly mother-in-law, Mom Slodinski, taught us how to make her version of perogis, a homemade noodle-type dough that held two large pitted sweet black cherries before being sealed tight and boiled. Then dried and fried in butter (of course) before being slathered in sour cream.  Anyway I have put some of the bonetsy in the freezer for later.

Now all I can think of is how much I would love a taco salad! It will be one of the first things I order to bring home when I start driving again. For now I am lucky to get to the corner to spend time listening to the guys. I only made it once this past week and it took all the energy I had. But I am getting better!

My physical therapist said I could probably stop with his visits to put me through my paces after this week. I do every exercise on the sheet to strengthen knees and legs and then hit a balloon back and forth with him making sure I can keep my balance. I could go back to the gym next week but likely only to do a shortened time on the bike. He said my body will tell me when to stop. Now I am taking a couple of naps a day and at least eight to ten hours of sleep each night.

The cats never leave my side.

Neighbors still checking on me and offering help. I am very lucky to live here.

So that is all the news…wish it was more exciting. I have not been drawing or writing which feels sad, but I will get back to it soon.

Til later….