My Coffee Corner

My Coffee Corner

Yesterday I was tempted to make a coffee bar in my small apartment. I looked at ideas on Pinterest on how to make one. They had a lot of cute ideas and tips. Amazon even had items I could purchase and use to make it even more unique. I really believe the ultimate goal of each and every website, such as Pinterest among others, is to trigger you to spend money. Even if you can't afford it and end up using a credit card. Suddenly I had a moment of brain power! Why would I need a coffee bar? Who do I drink coffee with? In fact, I already have a corner of my kitchen devoted to my two coffee makers and the electric teapot. So I set out with the idea of making that corner more attractive. And efficient. Yes, efficiency is what was needed. 

I actually have two coffeemakers. The big one can make a pot of coffee or just one cup. It does not use pods though. Must have ground coffee for that one. The other one uses pods or ground coffee but for single cups only. I have been using that one lately. It is a cheaper model pod coffee maker. Feels cheap but it works good so far. I bought it because I wasn't sure I was going to like using the pods. Well, I love them! Now my coffee always comes out perfect. Every cup is freshly brewed and hot! 

Tin for storing coffee pods!

I used to use tins for storage before I moved here. After moving into this apartment I started using the tins for other  purposes. This one particular tin I had stored my packages of electrolytes in. Until yesterday. I changed it to store my coffee pods in. Now instead of having to reach up into the cupboard for them they are right next to the coffee maker. Easy to get to! Especially if I am half asleep in the morning. It is not like I drink coffee all day long. Or many cups of coffee. I am a two cup coffee drinker! Occasionally I might have a third cup. That is rare though. 

Since my refrigerator is almost up against the end of the counter it makes that corner private. I have slide in shelves that go between the refrigerator and the counter. It just fits because my ex-maintenance man made it fit for me. The top of that slide in is where I keep the tin of coffee pods. So it is right on top and easy to get one out. I do not buy any sugar and have not for at least four years. Cream is all I use in my coffee. It is a pretty simple coffee bar with a spoon rest and spoon finishing it off. 

Then I have the larger Hamilton Beach coffee maker on the end of the counter back against the wall. Next to that is the smaller pod coffee maker. To use one I have to pull it out on the counter. Mainly because to fill either one with water I have to fill it from the back. I hate that design but I found most coffee makers are made like that. I had a really nice Ninja one that filled from the side but that one didn't even last a year. I put a straw place mat under them which helps if I want to use the bigger one. I just pull out the place mat with the coffee maker on it. Easier to do that. The smaller coffee maker is light so I can easily lift it and put it in place.

I have purchased a sign for the corner and will show that on this blog as soon as I have it in place. For me this is a pleasant spot to get my coffee. I now have a coffee bar designed especially for me. No extra cost really except for the small sign I purchased from eBay. There is a nice coffee shop around the corner from my apartment and many people go there. It is quite popular but that expense is not something I want to add to my small budget. I would rather buy the coffee pods and cream and make it at home. I like not having to leave home to get a decent cup of coffee. 

Copyright © 2024 Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2024  Kathleen G. Lupole

My Nuwave Pro Plus Counter Top Oven

 

Nuwave Oven

When I moved here in 2018 I could not adjust to cooking with the electric stove. I could not tolerate that electric smell when I would turn it on. Years ago I had cooked with electric stoves and ovens and I liked them. Maybe the years of living at Peaceful Forest homestead using a gas and a wood cook stove had changed my opinion of them. The smell and the smoke that comes off the burners was too much for me. Fortunately I was gifted by a friend, a used Nuwave Pro Plus counter top oven. It uses conduction, convection and infrared cooking technology. Using 75% less energy and cooks 70% faster than other ovens. 

Comes apart easily

Putting the oven together and cooking with it was pretty easy. The power head is what runs the whole system with digital controls. The next part is the transparent dome. Nice to see what you are cooking at all times! The cooking racks are of two different sizes depending on how close you want it to the power head. It has a non-stick liner pan that catches the grease from the food as it cooks. Unless you are using a pan to cook in instead of the rack. The base is what holds everything together. The dome fits right into it so all your heat stays inside the oven. 

Steak is cooking!

I can take a frozen piece of meat out of the freeze and put it directly in the Nuwave to cook. No defrosting or preheating necessary. I can cook a variety of foods together at the same time. Any baking pans that can be used in a conventional oven can be used in this oven too. If using aluminum foil it will slow down the cooking time. People have asked me why I like it so much. I think because it is easy for me to use and clean. You do not have to wash the whole oven every time you use it. Especially if you are cooking in a pan and not just on the rack. It takes up a large space on my counter but it is worth it. 

The Power Head  I bought on eBay

Recently the power head stopped working. I had worn it out. For awhile I could play with it to get it to work. Eventually it quit for good. I ordered a brand new one from Amazon. I was quite excited to be getting a new one! As soon as I cleaned it and got it set up I turned it on...........the smell! I could not tolerate it at all! I suffer from Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (or otherwise known as MCS) and there was no way I could use it. I sent it back and got a full refund. What was I going to use for my oven now? My toaster oven? No, that would not do for cooking meats even though I have cooked chicken and hamburgers in it before.

Back to work!

Well, I used to be a power seller on eBay and I know if I am looking for a part or a retro product that is the place to go. I still shop there even if I am not selling there anymore. I soon found every single part on my Nuwave for sale on eBay. I ordered a used power head after messaging the seller about whether it had that electrical smell or not. I know that smell goes away after awhile but I can't tolerate it for any length of time. He said no and he knew exactly what I was talking about. So I bought it for $23. with free shipping. It worked perfectly! No smell! No problems and it looks new. Probably was not used that much. 

The Crisping Tray

I was back to cooking with my original Nuwave with the "new to me" power head. I appreciate it even more now since I had to experience a few weeks without it. I have a crisping basket that I use for breaded items to make them crispy. Foods can have that deep fried coating taste and are not greasy. I like how versatile it is and I can cook using different methods. It will bake cookies, desserts, breads, rolls as well as casseroles and other things. I can roast a whole turkey or any other meat in it as well. What do I use the stove for now? I store all my pots and pans in it. Makes a nice cupboard! 

Copyright © 2024 Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2024  Kathleen G. Lupole

 

Fall Is Here! Enjoying it!

 I love fall! I look forward to it every year eagerly. Most people who live in cold climates appreciate summer. Since I don't have a garden anymore to work in during the summer I stayed inside in the air conditioning. I was rarely outside this year unless it was to go to the dumpster. The hot weather just gets to me. I was out in the parks only a handful of times this year. When I did go outside I walked within a short distance of my building. Sometimes just going along the block in front of the building. I was afraid I would get too far away and get overcome by the heat. 

Grand Union parking lot.....I made it!

Surprisingly I walked one day from my building to the Grand Union to get food for Rabbit. It was a cooler morning and I went early. I am always at my best in the earlier part of the day. I walked all the way there and back. It was the farthest I have ever walked since living here. So proud of myself for doing that! Except that the next day and ever since walking has been extremely difficult for me. Needing the walker even in my apartment. My feet have swelled up and stayed that way since. Yesterday was the first day I didn't turn my air conditioner on at all. It felt good with my window open and a slight breeze coming in. I like cool days with the sun shining. It is a gray morning and could mean rain. Gray or rain, I don't care as long as it is cooler. I mean in the sixties or lower, but I doubt it will be that cool yet. I am looking for temperatures in the fifties. Shhhh! Don't tell my friends! They don't want that kind of weather. 

I gave these canners a work out over the years!

This time of year is our harvest time in upstate New York. Past years I would be a canning fool. Working nonstop from early morning till I was the last one up late at night. Two canners going constantly. I always canned everything because I didn't have a freezer and we needed the food. I did not want to waste even one vegetable so I never threw away or gave any away. Even then though I was not adding sugar to fruit, pickles or anything else. Once I learned the dangers of sugar I was able to eliminate it easily. Now foods with sugar do not taste good to me. I enjoyed those years of gardening and canning but am glad I am not doing it anymore. It was a lot of work and I want life to be easier.

My freezer is just big enough for ice, ice cream, popsicles & meat

Now I don't have to stock up on much food. It is just me and my bunny here. I do not eat much in the way of vegetables. No fruit at all because it is all sugar. I have a regular refrigerator with a freezer and don't really need any more room than that. I still like to cook. I will make a casserole or some other dish and have plenty of leftovers. Freeze the leftovers for another time. That way I don't get sick of it. For some reason I have gotten tired of chicken and am just finishing up what I have in my freezer. Not going to buy it for awhile or until I get the urge for it again. Beef, fatty fish and some pork is all I need. Oh yeah, dairy products too! 

Meat, dairy & produce

People wonder how I can afford so much beef? Since I do not buy any vegetables or fruit except what I have to buy for Rabbit that cuts those expenses off my budget. Then the same with all grains, sugars, processed boxed or frozen foods. No snack foods or expensive breakfast foods like cereals or baked goods. No ingredients needed to make those foods. I have had people say to me "I could not give up whatever it is." The difference is, I could when it meant I will be able to improve the quality of my life. Once I stopped eating the vegetables and fruit I noticed a big difference in how I felt. No more bloating or constipation issues. I am still working on my health issues. Especially the Lymphedema which makes me miserable. I could probably live with bad knees if I could at least walk better. 

Fall on my street!

I will never be the type of person to just give up or settle. I am not going to say I have Lymphedema and osteoarthritis and I will live with it. Nope, not for me. I will always strive to improve my health probably until the day I die. I have never been a follower. Just because a medical "so called expert" says this or that does not mean I will do it their way. I do my research and from sources I can trust. We have been fed so much propaganda in our lives that it is hard to believe anyone else no matter what credentials they have behind their name. Right now I am still working on my dental issues which have taken over five years. I imagine that will be a big change for me when it is done with. I am very much aware of the fact that food is our medicine and that is where you have to start on your health journey. I did. 

Copyright © 2024 Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2024  Kathleen G. Lupole

The Inspiration Of Others In Your Life

 

Do we all have inspiring people we look up to when we are young? As time went on I discovered there was no one left to inspire me anymore. Is it because I became older and could see that everyone had been touched by the cool indifference and uncaring attitude that prevails today? There used to be women who stood out in the crowds. Who young women used as their own role models. Eventually they all showed another side as I grew older. The things I didn't know or realize while I was still young. The very women who I chose to copy. I wanted to be them when I grew up. It didn't take me too long to realize they were not what I imagined. Had they changed? No, I did. I matured.

Having gone through a couple of bad marriages, I learned a lot. I learned other women will sometimes target their friends' husbands. Other women will lie and steal to make themselves look better off than they are. Other women, even your closest friends will not tell you the truth. Even when asked face to face. Life teaches you over time the things to look out for. When you are young you don't see that. As you grow older you have time to think. You have time to learn from your past mistakes. 

Life is not easy and if someone tells you it is they are lying. It is not easy even for the richest or most beautiful beings on earth. We all have problems and issues to deal with. It is not up to you to bring problems or complaints to every person you are in  contact with. I keep things to myself. I don't feel I need to share my concerns or problems with others. Even the people closest to me. I have always been like that. Maybe due to me writing in journals it feels like I have talked it over. With myself! Maybe even on this blog with my readers! On the other hand I like to listen to others' problems and see if I can help them out in some way. Granted I cannot help them with financial problems or physical help but I can try to give them support or steer them in the right direction. That is if they ask for my advice first! Never offer it without being asked.

Yarrow growing wild

These days I choose not to feel anything more from a celebrity than appreciate their talent. I have been disappointed by too many of them. So many times I discover what their views are and then never watch or listen to them again. I had a huge collection of Madonna CDs and crushed them up so nobody could take them out of the dumpster. She lost me as a fan for life after stating her views. Same with Cher. Apparently they speak without thinking first. Bad move on their part! The issues they are voicing their anger on at the time will be over and done with in a short while. The blemish on their career and lost of some fans will last forever. 

It makes me wonder if the need for another woman as an inspiration disappears as we age ourselves. Now I am to an age when I feel much smarter than before. I made many bad decisions in my past and they are done with. Not going to dwell on them. When I was younger I may have. I am not going to live forever so not going to waste time on what may have been, Yes, I am where I am right now due to choices I made. Looking back at those times I wish I had not. Nothing can be done about those now. So doing the best I can with what I have. Life is ever changing and we change with it or we become negative humans. I choose to embrace the changes in my life now and stay positive. 

Copyright © 2024 Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2024  Kathleen G. Lupole

The Truth Is In The Details

Note the details!

It is funny how things a person attaches importance to doesn't matter to others. An issue I think is very important, is something other people do not know about it. If they do, they do not even think about it. When I look at a person or group of people, I take in every detail about them. I will usually note the color of their hair, their clothing and even their shoes. I listen to what they say. I will even study their body language or attitude in that situation. Maybe it is not normal to do that. I always thought it was because I like to write. When I write stories I use some of those characteristics. Sometimes I write those thoughts down so I have them for the future. Honestly I feel the real situation is always in the details. The details that are overlooked by many. 

kat's Kitchen

There is no way I can sit in a meeting or with a group of people and not listen to what they are saying. If I cannot hear them I will move closer or listen more intently. Maybe that is why the media reporters present different stories on the same exact issues. Some hear it. Some don't. Some see it and notice the details. Others do not. Pictures do not always tell the true story either. I know that for fact. I can take pictures of a messy room and make it look beautiful by editing the photo. In some ways people do that in life. Some look beyond faults of others and see only the good. My mother was like that. She forgave easily and welcomed those that hurt her back into her life. 

Wind Max 400

The world has changed so much by becoming focused on technology more than anything else. I admit it that I like my computers and being online as much as anyone else. It is a strange thought I had but living here in a city I need it way more than I did living on my homestead. I could have adapted to our life being centered around our land, gardens, harvesting food, the forest and our critters. Instead we needed power to live with technology so we had to have solar and wind. When I first moved there I thought that our life was going to be about living without those conveniences. When technology became the goal we needed money to set it up and it was never ending. I left because I could not keep up with the money or the work. I often think maybe if we had just been content to live in the house with it set up to live without technology (and horses) I could have stuck it out. 

A picture I colored.

Now I can go for days without seeing or talking to anyone in person. I have my friends online who fill that need. Lately I have been cutting back on my time on "fakebook" (my name for that site). I have the feeling they do not want my interaction or content there anymore. I am limited on what I can like, post or comment. I can live without them though I do miss my friends there. A good share of my day is spent following a list I have written the night before of what I am going to do today. Or try to do. My days seem to race by because I am so busy. I am presently reading three different books on my Kindle Fire. I try to read whenever I get a break from whatever I am doing. I like to color in adult coloring books and find it to be my time to think, pray and plan. It relieves stress for me. I take it to the laundry room while I do my laundry and it makes the time there go by quickly. 

I replaced the power head on my NuWave oven!

No matter what is going on in my life I do my best to stay positive and present a cheerful presence to the world. I don't want anyone to feel sorry for me. Trying to figure out things for myself (with the help of YouTube) is what I do. My biggest obstacles has been trying to fix things, like my computers, my mobility chair, the Nuwave oven and the printer to just name a few. The last two I did myself by replacing a part on the oven and the printer itself. The work I do here is basically just keeping my studio apartment and myself clean. Taking care of my bunny. Looking out for my son. Nothing earth shattering. Just life. 

 

Copyright © 2024 Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2024  Kathleen G. Lupole

 

Change Is Always Taking Place In Our Lives

Change is always taking place. From the day you are born till the day you die. Fighting change is a waste of time. Accept it and move on. What if the change is a bad one? Make a list of what is bad about it and what is good about it. Then write a list of what you can do about it. I always do that. Sometimes it is as simple as do not do anything. Wait. Patience. More times than not, time will take care of that change for you. At times I have had to make changes myself to improve whatever situation I was in. The best way to do that is to start taking little steps toward that goal. You can get most anywhere one step at a time. The key is to not overwhelm yourself by trying to do it all in a short time. Sometimes it takes a long time but if you stick with it and do not give up you can do it. 

My Apartment Building

I am constantly trying to change my life here in my apartment. Trying to make it easier due to my bad knees and Lymphedema. Yet I refuse to give up and live with it the way it is right now. I keep watching YouTube videos showing me exercises to improve both of those conditions. For the longest time I could not get up out of my chair without a lot of pain. Since watching a video on how to do that with an easy technique I can now get up from the chair with no pain or problem. It is true if you don't use something you will probably lose the use of it. So I am not going to let that happen to me. One of my goals is to be able to navigate the many stairs in my building. 

Backyard

Change has come to me in other ways than just my health issues. Financial goals are something I work on constantly. I live on a very low income but feel I live very well. Being able to have a budget and stick to it has made me pretty independent. I started doing "no spend" months a couple of years ago. I enjoy doing them now! It is a challenge to be sure. Since I do most of my buying online anyway it is a challenge I can meet. Saving in advance to buy something I want is one change that I found to be the most important one. I ask myself if this is something I really need to spend money on? Or is there another way? An example is that I wanted to shred my papers before throwing them away. Our dumpster has homeless people going through it at night and ripping our garbage bags open. I was looking at paper shredders online and didn't really want to spend the money for one. I spoke to my manager about this and she told me I (or anyone living here) could bring my papers down to her office and shred them there. Now I do not have to spend the extra money for one! 

Neighbors

Another change that happens often living in an apartment building concerns your neighbors who live in the other apartments. Some are great and get along with everyone. Some are not so. I stay away from the negative ones the best I can. Always complaining about something or someone. Being that negative will take a toll on their health eventually. As soon as I see them coming I head the other way. Wonder if they will even notice that? Probably not since that person is only focused on what they want to complain about. To anyone. For myself, I try to present a cheery presence at all times. Even if I am hurting or sad. If something is bothering me I stay to myself in my apartment. Listening to music always lifts my mood. 

My Family

My mother used to say I was more like my father than her. I looked like her (I guess, because that is what everyone always said) but my personality and nature was more like my Daddy. My brother was more like my Mom than me. My father had a pleasant cheery nature. In the morning, preparing breakfast he would be whistling. I would jump out of bed to go be with him before he left for work. I want to be that type of person even though I had many bad times to go through in my own lifetime. I have made it to the other side now!

Copyright © 2024 Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2024  Kathleen G. Lupole

 

How I Use My Old Canning Jars Now

Using Canning Jars for Storage!

When changing my life from living on my Peaceful Forest homestead to living downtown in a small apartment I had to make many life adjustments. No garden. No more preserving food. I came here with many canning jars. I don't know, call me sentimental but I did not have the courage to get rid of them. They were a part of my life for so long. From the first time my Daddy taught me how to make grape jam from his grape vines. To the last jars of winter squash I canned at my old house. It was a lot of work but work I looked forward to. I canned all summer and fall. In winter I canned meat, soups and stews. For a long time after I moved here the jars sat downstairs in my storage locker. One day I decided I was going to start using some of the canning jars for storing leftovers. I had some large canning jars and started using them for making ice tea. 

Beverages stay colder in glass containers

One thing I learned when I lived for six years without any refrigeration was that glass will keep things cold longer. It will also be colder than plastic in a short while. At that time I used an ice chest with cold water fresh from my well. If you have ever used a well with a pitcher pump then you know how cold that water is. Even in summer. Several times through out the day I would change that water in the ice chest. To keep it cold. In winter I kept the ice chest in my pantry and used snow and ice to keep it cold. There was no shortage of that! I was happy when we finally got our refrigerator that ran on the solar panels. It did not have a freezer so I did not have a freezer back then. I learned to live without one and didn't really think about it. 

Tops with a spout!

Now living in my apartment for a number of years, I use canning jars for many things. It is no secret that the jars are great for storing your dry goods as well. I keep beef gelatin, collagen, cocoa, etc. in some of them. I purchased plastic tops for them so I don't have to use the two piece lids and rims. The plastic tops will not rust if in the refrigerator. Some of the plastic tops have spouts so I can pour from them without removing the top. The tops I bought do not leak at all. That makes a difference so when buying them remember the cheapest ones are not always the best. Especially if they leak when you are pouring from them!

Water storage on the counter

I will cook up a few meals in advance which is usually just meat. Then store them in the canning jars in the refrigerator. You can freeze the canning jars. Or even vacuum pack them. Though I have never tried either method. I make up Keto Chow meal replacement shakes and store it in the jars in the refrigerator. Later on I pour it into the ice cream containers to freeze. Also I make bone broth and keep it in the canning jars. In the past I used to can a lot of soups. Sometimes I would have to work so fast to get foods canned in fall that I didn't have time to make soups, stews or sauces. So I would do that during the winter when I wasn't canning so many other foods.

Tops for canning jars!

Copyright © 2024 Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2024  Kathleen G. Lupole

Grocery Delivery Made My Life Easier

One of the things I have done to make my life easier is using grocery delivery from Walmart and Instacart. I do not own a car. It was my choice not to have one when I moved here six years ago. It was an adjustment on my part because I have been driving since I was fourteen. They are just too expensive to own if you live on a tight budget with a low income. The first few years my boyfriend drove me anywhere I needed to go. About the last four years our relationship changed and I don't see him as often. I hated to ask him to drive here, about 25 miles one way. With the price of gas I felt like I was a burden to him. I did not want to feel like that again to anyone. When grocery delivery became a popular option I subscribed to Instacart as soon as I could.

I learned how to shop with grocery delivery using Instacart first. My Chase credit card offered me a free trial for it. So I was able to start using it. I knew after the second delivery that I would subscribe to it. I think it was around $99. a year plus tax. At that time Walmart grocery delivery was not available in my area. So I mainly shopped at Price Chopper, Aldi and Tops (at that time, now it has been replaced with Grand Union). All three stores are very close to my home in downtown Norwich, NY. As soon as I knew Walmart delivery was available to me though I signed up for it. 

Sign up for Instacart using your phone or computer. Make an account using your email address, your Facebook or Google account. Or download the app on your phone. If you are a senior citizen Instacart has a specialized support line for you and they will help you learn how to use their service to shop with. The number is 1- (844) - 981-3433. Once your account is set up choose the store within your delivery area and start shopping. Then pick your products and be sure to put the amount of each item you want in your shopping cart. It will ask if you want to have a different item substituted if the one you order is not available. Schedule your delivery for the time you want your order delivered. It can be as fast as an hour or later in the day. Whichever suits you. Be sure to give clear directions to your door. When I first started I had one delivery taken back to the store because the driver said I was not home. Yet they never came to my home! I was waiting outside! I got my money back on the groceries but not the tip. So be careful on that. You can pay with your debit, credit or ebt card. If you are paying with an ebt card the tip will come from your debit or credit card. 

My favorite store to shop at has always been Walmart. So I signed up for their grocery delivery service happily. They are not as quick as Instacart. For a faster delivery you have to pay $5-$10. I don't ever do that option. I will order early enough that I can schedule it about the time I want it. When they send me a message, email or text that it is on the way I go downstairs to the front door of my apartment building to wait for it. It usually comes pretty fast once they say it is on the way. I always choose the delivery option that says "sign for the order" instead of the "leave at the door" option. My first order had a driver leave it outside the doors to my building where anyone could have walked off with my groceries. 

Both sites will show you the items you have purchased in the past. That is quicker if you buy the same items over and over. I have heard some people complain about substitutions when they are out of something. Never had a problem with that. I try to do a substitution for each item and when you reorder the same products over and over the substitution stays with it. Some items you can say no substitutions and they will refund that money back to you. 

The main reason I choose to shop this way is that it is easier for me. Yes, I like to grocery shop and pick out my own foods. Sometimes though it is tough to do. I do not use a scooter in the store. I can't reach anything on the shelves when I am on one of those. I normally use my walker so I can sit down every now and then because my knees and legs are sometimes very painful. When placing my orders I try to keep it under a certain amount so when it is delivered it will all fit on the seat of my walker. If you are paying with an ebt card it will take you to the screen to sign in with your number. Shopping like this usually means I stick to my list and don't add any extras which saves me money. Try it and see what you think! 

Copyright © 2024 Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2024  Kathleen G. Lupole