It is staycation time

Once again, it is vacation time for me - my third one of the year. And, I have two left - one at the end of the month and one in September. The fiscal year for the company I work for is October 1-Sept. 30. 

As all of my vacations the past couple of years, I am staying home. The term for that these days is a "staycation." Here is how Wikipedia describes the staycation:

"A staycation is a  period in which an individual or family stays home and participates in leisure activities within driving distance, sleeping in their own beds at night. They might make day trips to local tourist sites, swimming venues, or engage in fun activities such as horseback riding, paintball, hiking or visiting museums. Most of the time involves dining out more frequently than usual."

I didn't buy these. It is an image to show the marbling.

Honestly, that sounds great, don't you think? During this staycation, however, the only leisure activities I will participate in have to do with our patio, the barbecue, some cold beverages and Alexa. And speaking of the barbecue, I bought some good-looking rib-eye steaks with just the right amount of marbling to cook on the "barbie" tomorrow. 

And why marbling, you might ask. Well, 
because "marbling is fat that improves steak's tenderness, moistness, and flavor," according to mychicagosteak.com.

But, the meat has to be cooked hot enough, at least at 130 degrees F. so the marbling starts to melt and coats the muscle fibers surrounding it, notes the website, which "produces a rich buttery texture and enhances the bold, beefy flavor of the meat," resulting in a "far tastier steak."

At 125 degrees F. or lower, marbling has an adverse effect on the quality of the steak, according to the website and "when cooked rare or blue rare, marbling fails to melt. The unmelted fat gives the steak a slightly waxy and unpleasant texture."

Hmmm. I learn something new every day. 

I also stocked up on some cold beverages -- alcoholic and non-alcoholic -- fruit, veggies and more. The plan is to stay away from the grocery store while on staycation.

Yes, I cheated and bought some already-prepared vegetable kabobs. I am on vacation, and didn't Wikipedia's description of a staycation mention "dining out more frequently than usual?" Well, for me, buying prepared food falls into that category -- sort of. 

And speaking of dining out. It has been a very long time since we had some Five Guys burgers and fries, so I placed an order online and we drove downtown to pick them up. How convenient. No standing in line, no waiting for the food to be cooked. The food was ready in the amount of time it took us to drive there -- about 8 minutes. If you haven't tried their burgers, you should -- at least once. They use fresh ground beef - though I doubt if it is organic. Their potatoes are from Idaho and are specially chosen for French fries. They use peanut oil which is modestly healthy according to fitness expert and life coach Jillian Michaels. Peanut oil has more saturated fats than canola oil, but it has high levels of beneficial polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, she writes on her website. 

While the Five Guys burgers and fries are tasty, they are high in calories and fat -- two reasons we don't eat them very often -- and they are very filling. I am still full and we ate them around 11:30 this morning. 

I had the cheeseburger with grilled onions, grilled mushrooms, tomatoes and lettuce. Steve had the cheeseburger with extra onions, extra pickles, tomatoes and lettuce. Mmmmm. They were delish. 

We ate them while watching the TV show "Cash Cab." It is a game show hosted by stand-up comedian Ben Bailey. When passengers get in his cab, he tells them they are on an instant game show. During their ride to their destinations, he asks them a series of trivia questions worth $25, then $50, then $100. If they have to stop for a red light, they get a "red light challenge" question for additional money. If they miss three answers, they are kicked out of the cab wherever they may be. They can get help from a mobile shoutout -- call a friend -- or the cab pulls over and they ask someone on the street for help. If they get to their destination, he offers one more question -- a video question -- to double their money. But, if they get the answer wrong, they lose it all.

Hubby Steve doesn't like game shows, but he likes this one. 

The rest of the day was spent cruising the Internet, although I managed to do two loads of laundry; and clean the bathroom -- floors, toilet, countertop, sink. I made an Amazon playlist titled SANE's smooth jazz (SANE stands for Steve and Nancy Edwards -- clever right? hahahaha) with some great songs, including "Return of the Rainman" by Paul Hardcastle, "Lily Was Here" by David A. Stewart, "Tango" by Kenny G, "Till You Come to Me" by Spencer Day, "Bumpin' On Sunset" by Wes Montgomery, "Lucy's" by Mindi Abair and many  more. If you haven't heard any of the ones listed here, I highly recommend trying them out. You won't regret it. 

And now it is nearly 6 p.m. The day certainly has gone by fast, but it has been a lazy and relaxing day. When it gets near bedtime, I think we will read in bed for a while before nodding off into dreamland.

Here's hoping everyone has a great night. 

POTATOES

When I want to serve food quickly, I am tempted to dash over to the nearest fast-food restaurant, but I refrain myself.

By using fresh and wholesome ingredients, a delicious meal can be put together in about 30 minutes or less, especially if a potato is used as the base. My husband loves the taste of cooked potatoes. And, they are good for us as long as the tuber is not loaded with several tablespoons of butter, a handful of shredded cheese, large dollops of sour cream and several slices of crumbled bacon. But, oh man, it tastes so good, right?

Are you drooling?

If Steve could, he would have a baked potato with every meal, even for breakfast. Think about it. Why not have a baker with your over-easy eggs? Hmmm.

So, back to the tater. An average potato -- about 5.3 ounces -- with the skin contains 45 percent of a person's recommended daily requirements of Vitamin C, 620 milligrams of potassium, a minimal amount of sodium and no fat, according to the Washington State Potato Commission. That same potato also has trace amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, folate, magnesium, phosphorous, iron and zinc. All of which is packed into 110 calories.

And, if the dietary dangers of carbohydrates worry you, think again.

"Carbohydrates are the body's primary fuel source," according to an article on the potato commission's website. "Muscles prefer them and the brain relies on them."

The commission claims scientific evidence indicates when consumed in normal amounts, carbohydrates do not cause weight gain and obesity; do not automatically cause blood sugar "spikes" and insulin "surges"; and do not cause diabetes, heart disease or cancer.

However, if we take in more calories than we expend, regardless of whether they are carbohydrates, protein or fat, we will gain weight, notes the commission.

Keep potatoes in a cool, dark place to maximize their shelf life. According to stilltasty.com, that is between 45 an 55 degrees Fahrenheit -- which is warmer than the fridge, but cooler than room temperature. Stored this way, they could last two to three months.

If that is not possible, store them at room temperature in a loosely closed brown paper bag so air can circulate around them. Extended exposure to light causes potatoes to turn green under their skins. The green is solanine, a toxin, that if eaten, can cause a headache, nausea, fatigue and gastrointestinal issues, according to Kyle Shadix at cookinglight.com. You can cut the green off the potato, but to be safe, if it is green, I toss it.

Stored properly at room temperature, the potatoes usually last about one to two weeks.

Lately, I have been buying more organic produce, including potatoes, and I have to say, the flavor is so much better than non-organic potatoes. I am reminded of the potatoes my parents grew when I was a child.

Before using potatoes, wash them under cold water to remove any dirt. Gently scrub them with a veggie brush if you plan to cook them with their skins on and remove any eyes or dark spots.

By utilizing some time-saving techniques, you can top, toss or transform a potato into a yummy dish.

Bake whole potatoes in the microwave, prepare a topping (chili or steamed veggies) and you have an entire meal. Cube potatoes, microwave them briefly and then saute them with beef, pork or poultry and toss them in a Parmesan sauce. Instead of boiling potatoes to mash, microwave them, mash them and mound them on top of a meat or vegetable concoction; or create a meal in a tin foil pouch.

If you don't like using a microwave or tin foil, boil and bake or use a casserole dish.

The following recipe by Marti Losasso of Arvada, Colorado, originally was published in the December 2006 issue of "Cooking Light" magazine. She notes a mixture of herbs can be used in this recipe, including basil and thyme. I found the recipe on myrecipes.com.

Photo by Randy Mayor at myrecipes.com

Roasted potatoes with garlic and herbs
Makes: 4 servings (about 1 cup)

2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 pounds quartered red potatoes (I like organic)
Cooking spray (I like olive oil cooking spray)
1/2 teaspoon Himalayan pink sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (I like to use a blend of peppers)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. 
Combine garlic and oil in a small pan over medium heat. Cook 2 minutes or until golden, stirring frequently. Remove garlic with a slotted spoon; set aside.

Drizzle remaining oil evenly over potatoes in a large bowl, tossing well to coat. Arrange potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 

Bake at 425 degrees F. for a half hour or until potatoes are golden. Combine reserved garlic, parsley and lemon rind in a small bowl; sprinkle garlic mixture evenly over potatoes and serve.

Nutrition information per serving: 196 calories (19 percent calories from fat), 4.2 g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 2.5 g monofat, 0.4 g polyfat, 4.1 g protein, 32 g carbohydrates, 2.2 g fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 1.6 mg iron, 299 mg sodium, 7 mg calcium.

The following recipe is by Emma Christensen at kitchn.com (Yes, kitchen is spelled without the "e".)

Credit: Emma Christensen of thekitchn.com

Potato, red pepper and gouda frittata
Makes: 6 servings

1 large onion, diced
5 small red potatoes (1 to 1 1/3 pounds), diced
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme (or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried)
10 large eggs, whisked until frothy
4 ounces gouda cheese, cut into cubes

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Warm a teaspoon of olive oil in a 10- to 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the onions and a pinch of sea salt. Saute until the onions are translucent and just starting to turn brown, 5 to 7 minutes.

Stir in the potatoes and another pinch of salt and lower the heat to medium. Cover and let the potatoes steam for 4 to 5 minutes. Uncover and stir in the peppers and another pinch of salt. Lower the heat to medium. Cover and let the potatoes steam for 4 to 5 minutes. Uncover and stir in the peppers and thyme. Re-cover the pan and continue steaming for another 4 to 5 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. Taste and adjust the seasonings.

Scatter the cubes of gouda evenly over the vegetables, then pour the eggs over the top. Shake and tilt the pan to make sure the eggs are evenly distributed.

Put the entire pan in the oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes until the eggs are completely set and beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let the frittata cool for a few minutes and then slice it into wedges.

Serve the frittata with a simple green salad and a crusty piece of bread. Leftovers will keep for five days and are excellent eaten hot or cold.

Nutrition information per serving: 268 calories, 6 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 1.6 g carbohydrates, 2.5 g fiber, 3.8 g sugars, 17.4 g  protein, 331.5 mg cholesterol, 291.9 mg sodium.

FATHER'S DAY

Memories are all I have of my Dad. 

In 1992, my beloved father suffered a heart attack and was taken to St. John Medical Center. From there, he was rushed to OHSU in Portland, Ore., where doctors performed an angioplasty. After the surgery, I was shown a film of his heart working - it was dying from the outside in. 

In 1999, Dad was taken to the hospital in the wee hours of the morning. When my husband and I arrived, Dad was in the intensive care unit. His blood pressure was extremely low and the doctors were struggling to raise it. They were not successful. His heart stopped.

As I grieve his physical absence, the talks we used to have, and the access to his life's experiences and adventures on this Father's Day, I remember the loving and nurturing home my brother and I were raised in. 

Me and Dad, January 1959

I was fortunate. My parents remained married until my mother's death in 1978. The pain of divorce and custody battles was foreign territory. 

Mom didn't work outside the home. I never arrived home from school to a cold, empty house. My mom greeted me with a smile when I walked through the door and asked me about my day. After a few minutes of chatting, I was shuffled off to the privacy and quietness of my bedroom to do my homework. 

School was a top priority in our household because neither of my parents graduated from high school. After my grandfather's death, my dad, at age 16, went to work to help support his mom. My mom quit school in February of her senior year to marry my dad. 

Meals were eaten at the kitchen table together, depending on Dad's work schedule. He worked three different shifts when I was growing up. One of my favorite meals was fluffy mashed potatoes, crisp fried chicken and gravy with green beans, a tossed salad with Mom's homemade Thousand Island dressing, fresh-baked bread and a tall, ice cold glass of milk. Mmmmm. 

Our lives had structure and routine. Whether we had the sniffles or the measles, a stubbed toe or a broken arm, my parents were there to take care of us.

They read to us. They played games with us. Indoors it was dice, card games and board games -- Crazy Eights, Solitaire, Go Fish, Yahtzee, Monopoly and more. As a young girl, I loved Chutes and Ladders and Candyland. Outdoors it was lawn darts, croquet, badminton. Sometimes we'd sit on the patio and talk, while marveling at Mom's beautiful roses.

Me and dad, 1980s

Until the day Dad died, we'd congregate around the kitchen table to share work stories and discuss current events. We'd laugh and we'd cry. From time to time, Dad would tell tales of his childhood. My husband and I still have that table and now we congregate around it.

Sunday nights were bath nights growing up. After our baths, we would be given a bowl of soft vanilla ice cream and, together we would watch "You Asked For It" and "The Wonderful World of Disney." Another TV show I remember watching was "Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom" with Marlin Perkins. Loved that show. 

We worked in the yard together, too. Dad mowed and edged the lawn. I helped Mom pull weeds; and my brother and I raked grass clippings and swept the sidewalks, patio and driveway.

Mom didn't drive, so Dad taught me how to drive a car and how to change a tire. He taught me to stand up for myself. He taught me to be proud of who I am, to love and accept myself; and that it is OK to make mistakes - and learn from them.

If someone needed his help, he would postpone whatever he was doing to give assistance, whether he was watching his favorite football teams (the Seahawks and the Minnesota Vikings - he grew up in Minnesota) or rebuilding the transmission in the car.

When I moved from apartment to apartment, (before I married) without me asking for his help, Dad would round up a friend or two and they would move my belongings for me while I was at work.

After he died, I learned he left his mark on many people's lives.

Yep, that's my dad.

Happy Father's Day, Dad! Love and miss you tons. ❤

Purging

One of my friends, Jenny, is in the process of moving from one home to another and while packing for the move, she is getting rid of some of her belongings.

While embarking on this journey, she also has been posting her progress on Facebook. Her new place is larger than the one she is in now. She had some money set aside, so she was able to buy a patio set, a new bed, a couch and a fridge (because the new place doesn't come with one) and had them delivered.

On Friday, June 8, she posted she was going to relax that night because the next two nights were going to be a free-for-all dedicated to more moving, prepping and reducing her footprint. The final day for that goal is June 13 when she starts living in her new home.

The morning of Saturday, June 9, she posted the meme below.

On Sunday, June 10, she posted: "Back at it... I have way too much crap. Note to self... do not repeat the old way of deciding what to keep. Ugh..."

Friends responded. They offered words of encouragement. One gave advice on what worked for her, such as if you haven't used something in two years, get rid of it; keep it if it is of sentimental value or an heirloom. Others noted they need to do the same thing and if Jenny discovered the secret to purging during her adventure, to please post the secret. :-)

One friend, Richelle, noted that when we were younger, it was all about more, more, more; better stuff and new stuff. But, at our age (we are in our 60s), less is so much simpler and freeing. She wrote she is going to tackle her garage this summer that is full of storage, including probably every greeting card given to her daughters as they were growing up. 

Another friend, Leslie, agreed and wrote "As we age, our priorities change. I know I have learned (maybe still learning) that I don't need those shiny things to make me happy." And, she wrote she promised herself she would never leave the mess her parents left her and her siblings to sort out, writing "But if I don't clean out, I'm on my way to doing just that."

All of this got me to thinking. Why do we hang on to so many material items?

Mark Banschick, M.D., writes on the "Psychology Today" website: "The answer is complicated because there are so many different kinds of stuff and there are so many different kinds of people. No two individuals are alike. No situations are alike. Each is unique in their environment, and although you may empathize, you cannot compare your situation to theirs, nor can you judge them."

Hmmmm. I never thought of it that way.

He notes some of the reasons people can't get rid of stuff: If it is out of sight, it is out of mind; we may need it one day; we can't waste things; someone else may need it one day; items have sentimental value; we are overwhelmed; we are unable to bite off small pieces to downsize; or we don't know where to start.

How many of these reasons are you guilty of? For me, it has been all of them at one time or another. 

Moving by itself can be intimidating, let alone trying to get rid of things at the same time. I remember one time when daughter Stephanie was going to move. She looked around at all of her belongings and froze. She was overwhelmed and didn't know where to start. I told her to get a box and start in the bathroom because it was a smaller room. Pick up one item at a time and put it in the box until it is full. Then, after the bathroom, move to another room. Family and friends helped, but that initial start can be frightening.

Oops! I'm getting sidetracked. This blog post is supposed to be about getting rid of "stuff." I should change my middle name. Just call me Nancy Sidetracking Edwards. :-) 

My husband and I have been in our current home for 25 years. In that 25 years, we have  had four garage sales. We have taken several van loads full to Goodwill. 

After my dad and stepmom died, we brought a lot of their belongings home with us -- and gave a lot away to family and friends. In the beginning, it was difficult to get rid of their belongings because of the memories. Eventually, we had to decide what was "necessary" to keep.

I have a cedar chest full of pictures in frames I still need to go through. Earlier this year, I finally shredded tons of paperwork dating back 15 years -- some even longer. Why was I hanging on to my parents' instruction manuals for the heat pump, sprinkler system, washer and dryer, and more? Was it sentimental? If I got rid of the papers and other stuff, did I think I was erasing their memories? Honestly, I haven't a clue. Once I got rid of the paperwork, I didn't feel like I was erasing their memories. <3

These days, we don't have garage sales. But, as I go through the kitchen cupboards pulling out whatever dishes, cooking apparatus, utensils, etc., we don't use anymore; the closet or any other area in the house, the clothing and all the other stuff has to go somewhere. So, we give it away. We put stuff at the end of the driveway with a free sign. Admittedly, some items, such as power tools (when switching from gas to battery power) we have sold, but in the future, who knows, they may sit at the end of the driveway with a free sign, too.

As for Jenny, well, she is progressing, and by the time she settles in her new place, I am positive, she, too, will feel "less is simpler and more freeing"