( 10:59 PM ) Jessica
Started October 7, 2021, published 11-19-2025
it's been a challenging 2 months since a long term relationship of about 30 years ended. (2 months and 1 day now that the clock has gone past midnight.) The previous months were challenging as well, but the last 2 months were mostly me figuring things out myself... making things work. Some highlights: August 17th: I let the dogs out into the yard in the morning as I usually did... and found that the neighbor's cattle got into my yard: 4 of them: 2 big ones and 2 little ones...low to medium level panic was the initial reaction.. mainly because I was not in any way presentable to go running to the neighbors, and I wasn't sure if the dogs could hurt them or if they could hurt the dogs. I also didn't have my CI or glasses on, nor was I dressed presentably for public purposes. On hindsight, I find this hilarious! It was not funny then.
First thing I did was to round up the dogs and bring them inside... then I got dressed (I may have even showered, wooo!) and walked over to neighbors' houses to ask which neighbor owned the cattle. While I was knocking on doors, one of the little dogs was going totally crazy and snapping at me... the little turd didn't even appreciate the treat I brought along in the hope of avoiding that. I found someone home at the 2nd house I went to... got the info I needed (the owner works at the local electric company)... went home & contacted the company. I used their website chat feature & the person I spoke to told me she would email the owner. Around noon, the owner of the cows knocked on my door, apologized, and told me that he would be moving the cattle to another pasture and would fix the section of fence that they knocked down. That was nice! The neighbor that I spoke to seems nice, and I'd LIKE to go over & thank him (and the owner of the cattle), except for that little dog. I suppose I could drive over?
I've been mowing.. the last time I mowed was a few days before my ex came to pick up his stuff. The last time it rained, it didn't seem to affect the grass, but I still think I need to go over the front yard & the driveway island again... I also need to work on the back yard, especially the paddock. It would be nice to get some of that knocked down before the septic installation. I'm not sure when that will be, but that's another crisis situation we've been dealing with here. About 4 or 5 weeks ago, I realized that we needed to find out what we needed to do to get the septic situation sorted. It would have been great if all it needed was to be pumped, but it needs a new system because the lateral lines are full, and apparently not repairable. The soil here is very compact, almost like clay. When I dug to bury Bartleby, it was hard to break the ground (but I managed to). I spoke to 3 or 4 different companies and picked one from Valley View.. we're currently waiting on a permit from the county. I also spoke to someone from the county & they told me that they didn't have any complaints about the companies that I was considering hiring. I found a doctor that I like... I like his approach, and I'll be meeting his Nurse Practitioner, who is vegan, but need to go over and get some bloodwork done... my feeling is: avoid medicine unless it's necessary and find other ways to deal with health issues.
The last couple of weeks, I did some fun stuff: 1-1/2 weeks ago, I met some folks through a Meetup group to go kayaking and hiking. I may go camping with them next weekend. Everything is dependent on when the septic installation happens. This weekend, I'm meeting with the group's leader to buy her folding Tucktec kayak.
Today (yesterday? Wednesday) I went to an Equine Therapy place for an orientation for volunteers. Next Monday (again, depends on septic installation), I'll go over for some training. We also need to figure out what to do about the tree in front of the house.. at least a lot of it has already been trimmed, but it needs to come down. One of my sons suggested cutting it down in sections.
SO I've got a few things going... new medical clinic, septic will be installed, women's adventure group, equine therapy volunteering, and also I'll be trying a Tai Chi class via Zoom with the same person I'm buying the kayak from. I think the living room would be a good place to set that up... maybe set the laptop facing the table &
11-19-25: publishing this today. Since I wrote this, I moved to Southern Illinois, which is much nicer than anyplace in Texas that i lived. I liked living on Valley View best, 1998 through 2005, and wish we could have assured to stay there. The house in krum, and duplex in Arlington weren't bad.
I'll try to start blogging again, here and in my art blog.
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( 12:59 PM ) Jessica
https://www.facebook.com/groups/northtexasvegans/permalink/1424829844376165/
Rebecca Mia on North Texas Vegans
Every non-vegan to a vegan: how do you live without bacon?
Me: seitan bacon 😋 no animals harmed The taste is 10/10 and texture is 8/10.
Becca’s Seitan Bacun Ingredients: 2 cups vital wheat gluten 1/2 cup chickpea flour 1 tablespoons smoked paprika 4 tablespoons liquid smoke 4 sprinkles of Smoked Chipotle Tabasco 1 tablespoons garlic powder 1 tablespoons onion powder 2 tablespoons ketchup 4 tablespoons steak sauce 4 tablespoons soy sauce Add water until you get a doughy texture Steam until done (40 min for me) Brown sugar Plant butter Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix all wet ingredients. Knead the dough for 2-3 minutes, adding more VWG if it’s too wet. Steam until done. *I made mine the night before and froze for about 1 hour this morning to make slicing easier. Slice thinly (I used a mandolin but a sharp knife will do the trick!) Mine was about ¼ inch thick at its thickest In a saucepan, add butter or oil, enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Add paprika and let sweat for 1 minute. Add brown sugar (I used about 3 tablespoons per batch of bacun) and let it dissolve. Add bacun slices and coat in mixture, sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides, and then cook on medium heat, each side for about 3-4 minutes. Bacun bits: place seitan in a chopper and pulse until crumbled. Add to pan with butter, paprika, and sugar and cook until browned. Variations: maple syrup, cracked pepper, spicy, etc.
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( 3:06 PM ) Jessica
So I'm about to buy a house...the seller accepted the offer... the next step is to send the earnest money, which will happen on Monday.
Whem we went to look at houses, we had to wear masks because of the coronavirus pandemic. It's awkward. I'm deaf and I have a cochlear implant, but still am not able to make out many words unless I can see the speaker. I have been using the app Live Transcribe, but it wasn't working last time... need to check the settings on my new-to-me phone, a One Plus 7 and compare with my old phone...
Closing should be sometime this summer. Roof repair or replacement should happen after that... I'll probably be able to live on the first floor while the work is being done.
It's big enough that I'll be able to set up a studio.. also the grounds are a good size, and there's a small chicken coop. We'll be able to get guineas. They're fun! Maybe a miniature donkey, too.
I'll be able to put up the painting that Sarah Whitmire painted in early 2018:
Right now, it's standing sideways against the wall.. occasionally, my cats like to sit on top of it.
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( 10:59 AM ) Jessica
Several years ago, a friend posted a recipe for an awesome baked oatmeal recipe... she gave me permission to post it, here it is:
here
ya go!
What
I like may be different from what you like, so please don’t look at
this as a “be all end all must follow exactly” kinda recipe, it’s
not. I did what I always do, started with something for a base, then
experimented and made changes until it was what I wanted - for
example, the original recipe I got had a TON of sugar in it, so I
experimented with healthier ingredients until I found what worked for
me.
Mix
and match your spicing – mine is drastically different from what
the original called for.
I
added the apples in addition to the craisins called for because I
like them – take them out or add a different fruit – make it your
own! You can just eat it warm, or with a bit of milk drizzled on it.
A certain man in my house likes to eat it cold from the refrigerator
– cuts a square, and heads out the door for work. (I confess to
having tried it that way too - not bad, but I prefer it warm.)
Dani
Arnold’s Baked Oatmeal
Minutes
to Prepare: 10 Minutes to Cook: 40
Ingredients
• 3
cups rolled oats - NOT instant or quick oats!
• ¼
cup brown sugar
• 2
teaspoons ground cinnamon
• Freshly
ground nutmeg to taste (I'm a huge fan of nutmeg so I use quite a
bit)
• 2
teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 2
teaspoons baking powder
• 1
teaspoon salt
• 1
cup milk of choice (plant for vegans!)
• ½
cup pumpkin puree
• ½
cup applesauce
• 2
teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1
cup dried cranberries (craisins)
• 2
pink lady or granny smith apples, peeled and chopped (or pears! or
both! whatever you want)
• nuts,
optional
Preheat
oven to 350
Mix
dry ingredients, and then mix in the wet ones.
Stir
until blended, and then stir in the craisins, apples, and nuts (if
desired)
Put
mixture into a 9 x 13 baking pan, and bake for 40 minutes.
Refrigerate
to store when cool (if it lasts that long)
Number
of Servings: 8
Off to look for the applesauce & make some!
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( 10:15 AM ) Jessica
I had this saved in bookmarks & made it a couple of times. It's NOT a recipe I want to lose and the site I found it on is gone, but I DID find it on the wayback machine, WHEW!!
Here is the Recipe: (adapted from, food.com by Rpgaymer)
Ground Turkey Gyros
1 lb lean ground turkey
1/2 cup oatmeal (I used 1-minute quick oats, Quaker brand)
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin
A pinch of cinnamon
Extra virgin olive oil
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Put all of the ingredients in a bowl, and spend a few minutes kneading the mixture with your hands so that everything is very well combined. (I like to mix all the ingredients together, minus the ground turkey, first. Then add the ground turkey in last, and knead for a few minutes.)
• Put the mixture onto a lightly oiled 9×13 pan. Line with non-stick foil, for easy clean-up.
• Smash the meat mixture down with your hands a bit until it looks like a very large hamburger patty.
• Bake for 35 minutes.
• Remove, then cut the meat into thin slices.
• If you want a crispier, more authentic gyros texture, lay the sliced meat down on the pan and place in the broiler for 5 more minutes.
• Layer the meat on fresh pita brea, then garnish with desired toppings.
Devour!
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( 4:01 AM ) Jessica
.
I've been taking a tapestry weaving course online given by Rebecca Mezoff. Check it out!
I'm also selling looms on my website, Weaving Rainbow. Click on Hokett Looms & Tools to see them. I've been weaving on a tiny 6 dent and original 8 dent and may get one of the intermediate looms eventually.
Although Rebecca's course is not closed captioned, I'm finding it to be an excellent way to practice listening with my cochlear implant because it's a subject that I'm familiar, I'm able to pick out enough words to be able to follow along; watching her warp & weave is a bonus, and I would enjoy that even if I couldn't hear a thing!
It really is exciting to be able to understand so many words... I do better with her course than I do in the audiologist's booth! 20% in the booth (with a challenging map, possibly better with my older September map)...as a wild guess, 50-60% with Rebecca's course & I understand enough words to fill in the others with context.
When I was younger, I tried resisting auditory training practice. It's biting me in the butt now (see booth scores), but I practice every so often. I should practice more! That said, I somehow did pretty well on the telephone when I was younger. In the last 10 or 15 years, my ability to understand on the phone deteriorated. I can't really understand on a cell phone, but I suspect it's because it's different from an older phone.
I am hoping to get my other ear done, even though the doctor isn't sure I would get a lot out of it. It'd be better than my hearing aid, for sure! I'd like to give it a chance, and I'd like to get it done before the newcoming administration makes changes to various health programs... I keep my political thoughts to myself most of the time. I don't like to argue politics, it's not something I'm good at, though I've learned a lot through this election cycle than before... I think I finally understand the electoral college, but can't decide whether or not we should keep it. I'm on the fence.
Anyway, I got on here to say how important it is to listen to different things: environmental, music, speech, etc. Since I started writing, I heard the train, and the rain. Earlier, my son was playing guitar in his room, and some of the sounds he was playing sounded like a low growl. I looked at our dog, Buttercup, and she didn't look disturbed at all...she's a very easy going, friendly girl... I touched her throat & then realized, "OH!! it's the guitar making that sound!" Maybe I'll try to get a video of him making that sound, and will TRY to get a photo of Buttercup. She's hard to photograph...
I've found that doing focused listening when watching videos helps. I don't always need the captions anymore...and listening to something I'm familiar with with words that I expect to hear...in the case of what Rebecca teaches, I hear words like warp, weft, loom, beater (nothing violent, here! it's a fork or fork shaped tool that helps pack the weaving) and other words often used when discussing tapestry weaving.
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( 1:20 PM ) Jessica
I may start doing Friday Fill-ins:
I did this one almost 8 years ago:
sc
Those of you with multiple blogs or private blogs...if you could add your link to the Fill-Ins, that would be GREAT!
Questions courtesy of MindFul Mimi who had some thought- provoking ones this week; thank you, Mimi!
I'd love to feature your questions, if you'd like to leave some for future use please feel free!
1. For me _____ is the opposite of creativity.
2. _____ was the last excellent book I read.
3. I like fill-ins because _____.
4. In nature I like looking at _____.
5. _____ should win the US elections.
6. The last time I laughed with all my belly was _____.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to _____, tomorrow my plans include _____ and Sunday, I want to _____!
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( 2:53 AM ) Jessica
These yarns are $3.50/skein, plus shipping, colors aren't super accurate.. cat friendly home...a couple of skeins may not be full skeins, but have at least 3/4 of a skein. These are great for many crafts, knitting, weaving, etc...some will felt.:
Briggs & Little Heritage
Worsted wt, 100% wool, 215 yards, 4 ounces
(Top Left (top to bottom)
1 Medium Grey
1 Dark Grey
1 Sheep's Grey (looks beiger in photo than in real life)
1 Evergreen
1 Dark Maroon
Right (top to bottom)
5 yellow (brighter in real life than photo,all 5 are the same dye lot)
2 fern green (same dye lot)
1 dark green
Not shown (found after photo session): hunter's orange (looks like a short skein)
Briggs & Little Tuffy, 80% wool, 20% nylon, 215 yards, 4 oz
1 smoke (left)
1 green mix (right)
Also, check the Weaving Rainbow website for more yarns & patterns...
I'm Patchworkgirl on Ravelry!
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( 12:28 AM ) Jessica
I thought this might be interesting to try... I don't know if I'll do it or not...
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( 8:03 AM ) Jessica
One good, but scary change... as of later this month, my youngest son will be attending public school for the first time in his life after homeschooling/unschooling all his life... high school...both of us made the choice.
This is almost worst than my oldest 3 starting kindergarten... it's a good change... (say over and over in my head...)
Clothes shopping as soon as we get down to Denton!
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Welcome to Patchwork Girl's Rambling Warps blog... where I talk about just about anything from projects to just stuff to rants and whatever... I started blogging here on July 31st, 2002 and have been blogging on my website with Movable Type.
I do not promise to blog regularly! I will blog when I feel like:
Blogging Without Obligation:
Feel free to leave comments!
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