perfect timing, as usual, Claire: we are moving furniture among three houses this week and that means i have to clear out the dread office/sewing room, aka floor to ceiling junk room. // go easy on the cops and the unions, please. my union isn’t afl-cio affiliated but all workers need protection. now, more than ever. (…

i guess i’ll have to replace that waffle iron after all. this technique is answer to prayer

I don’t have room for one more anything in my kitchen, unfortunately. My microwave and toaster oven reside in the garage... I put my old fries on a little tray and put them in the toaster oven on ‘toast’ with excellent results. You are still my guru, however, Claire. Thank you for the science, also.

Claire: I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Genius. I don’t bake cakes and have a little hearing loss (too many mandatory range days with too little ear protection) BUT, I promise I’ll try this at some point in the future. However, when I read one of your posts I am transported into Claire Lower Land where I…

Oh, Claire: how I have missed you... remodeling house is an exhausting activity. This recipe proves your genius. I only hope you are able to protect yourself from the atmosphere. Don’t forget: ‘it will cool off’ or words to that effect. That was very comforting to hear from some weird looking guy talking to Gav Newsom…

Oh Claire, I’ve missed you. This is absolute genius, of course. I’m headed to Trader Joe’s immediately.

Thank you for your insight into cuke prep. I will be giving that a try this afternoon. I believe I’ll add a little feta to the mix... A friend gave me some fresh halibut, sounds like a marriage made in heaven to me.

Claire: I’ve never tried Shake Shack but this sauce sounds fab. Since I’m sheltering, I can indulge to my heart’s content, despite potential arterio issues and my lactose intolerance.

how did you know?

‘Advance Health Care Directive’ is something your health insurance company wants you to have so that, in the event you can’t tell doctors what you want, your wishes for care, as well as end of life decisions, are written down. Most hospitals ask if you ‘have a directive’ at the time of admission. I have one and I…

i read somewhere, sometime, that pulling through saved some energy/tires, etc. i try to find these spots and only had a conflict once: i was 2/3 into the ‘through’ space when a woman tried to turn in and was irate, yelling out the window that i should back up. i didn’t.

Claire: I speak to you as a mother and as a pickler: you are the child of my heart. Thank you for your dedication and innovation. I go to the farmer’s market in Ventura on Saturday and will search the stalls for appropriate produce. 

A while ago I started getting weird calls on my new house phone from the dope dealer burned by the guy who had the number before me. The threats and imprecations were hilarious: he had no idea who I was and where I lived. I tried to explain the situation to him but he didn’t believe me. I finally asked to speak to…

i believe the Brits say ‘bugger all’, regardless, i agree. OMG Claire! another innovation. I’m still boggled about the cottage cheese pancakes.

thanks, Claire! my friend had a truck that ran on old cooking oil but the friend and the truck have moved on. i’ll check for a local recycler, again: peanut oil from my deep fried catfish. 

i was never a grocery cart handle wiper and didn’t care much about the gym equipment until i started volunteering in a nursing home and i became aware of drug resistant infections, incidences of staph in athletes, etc. i mention wiping to trainers when i see them, hoping they will add that to the list of suggestions…

thanks for your observations. i’ve been widowed twice and finally learned/ remember some of the phrases which helped or didn’t. i try to remind my friend of the wonderful contributions the dead made to family, community, the world (!) and how much we appreciate the time we spent with them. i also try to make my friend…

OMG Heather (doesn’t have the same ring as OMG Claire), I was just looking at my cucumber collection (what the squirrels have overlooked). Thanks

OMG, Claire: another brilliant and timely hint. My son just started his John Muir Trail adventure and in the run-up/training we tested LOTS of jerky. As a result: lots of jerky left over. Whats left is good, not great, and did not make it into the backpack: you and my microplane to the rescue. Thanks.

and the writer hasn’t reached her 70's yet: stenosis of the cervical spine! my osteopath/orthopedist saw me for the first time consult and before she looked at the diagnostic tests told me my posture was contributing to my problems. i do specific neck exercises now but when head/neck/shoulders start hurting i know…