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Borrego Springs, CA

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Rather ordinary days

It’s been a bit since I posted, but it hasn’t been very exciting around here.  I did have a doctor’s appointment on Monday for my shoulder which resulted in a cortisone shot.  It’s improved some, but certainly not back to normal yet.  I’ve been advised not to lift my right arm higher than my shoulder for two weeks to give it a rest.  I’ve found that easier said than done.  I have to consciously think about it all day since I’m right handed. 

75 Anahuac NWR 2013-20146

Half of the RV volunteers left the refuge for the holiday to visit with friends and family.  That left five of us here, and I invited the two other couples to join me for a Christmas dinner at the bunk house at the Winnie facility.  Get a load of this refuge bunkhouse!  Bunkhouses are usually for college interns and visiting fire crews and other visiting staff.  This is the snazziest bunkhouse I’ve ever seen.  The kitchen is huge and has two ovens, two big refrigerators, two microwaves, and a dishwasher.  I was in a cook’s heaven.

75 Anahuac NWR 2013-20147

The second floor of the bunkhouse has all the bedrooms, and a balcony that overlooks the ground floor.  After living in my motorhome for seven and a half years, I felt a little giddy with all the counter space available.  Rolling on the floor laughing 

I had a couple of ulterior motives in having the dinner here.  I was providing the ham and mashed potatoes.  That meant two things to me.  First, I got to keep most of the leftover ham to make some ham and bean soup, ham sandwiches, and a second ham and potato meal for tomorrow.  And then there was the gravy.  Whenever we baked a ham when I was growing up, my mother made raisin gravy.  I love it.  Because I was providing the ham, I made raisin gravy too. 

The other volunteers brought cranberry salad, green beans, rolls, a very tasty pineapple bread pudding type of dish, pumpkin bars, and Christmas cookies.  As always happens at these gatherings, there was really enough to feed an army.  It was all very delicious, and when I got back to the rig Emma was pleased to have some of the ham and gravy mixed into her dry food.  Another raisin gravy fan!

IMG_5371

Today it was back to the grindstone, as I had to do this week’s waterbird surveys.  Most of the ducks, geese, and herons that I count are far off from the truck and I view them through my spotting scope.  However, I did find this juvenile black-crowned night heron lurking in the reeds close to the gravel road. 

IMG_5358I haven’t decided if I’ll ‘work’ tomorrow or not.  I really should force myself to do some vacuuming.  I hate housework!  I just don’t understand why Emma isn’t bald with all the black hair that accumulates on the floor.

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

35 comments:

  1. First, I love the chipping sparrow photo and the night heron! Second, I think you need to get physical therapy for your shoulder, and check with the therapists in your area to find out when they recommend therapy, usually the sooner the better, I think! My experience is that many doctors are not "up" on the latest therapy modalities for bursitis. It will freeze up if you aren't careful. Third, I agree with you about house work! And my three pets should be bald as well!

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  2. LOVE the chipping sparrow header! What a pretty shot, perfectly appropriate for the holiday! I agree with Hazel that physical therapy would be good, even if you just went a couple times and they gave you bands to use and exercises you could do on your own. The dinner sounds wonderful. I have not heard of raisin gravy..would be interested to know how that is made! I did ham and sweetpotatoes (with cranberries, really easy if you want some variety...let me know.) and broccoli salad...it was a nice day...but you're right. Today it was back to work! :(

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  3. Hope you and Emma had a Merry Christmas. Your stomach sure did ! ! ! !

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  4. I would like the recipe for the raisin gravy. It sounds very interesting. Glad you had a good Christmas.

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  5. Love the bunkhouse, when you get a chance send me a couple picture via email so I can look at them a bit better. Are you in Winnie at the maint facility? John and I are in H town for a week or so in January and I am bringing my binoculars :)

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  6. Beautiful! Your header photo is just wonderful. I'd have to agree with your first two commenters. PT would probably help the shoulder. A couple of visits would teach you how to use the resistance bands correctly. And what is raisin gravy? Inquiring minds want to know.

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  7. Merry Christmas and all the best in the New Year, your header photo looks really festive!

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  8. Me too! The header photo is beautiful!
    Dinner with friends sounded yummy. Glad you and Emma had a nice day!
    I can't keep up with the vacuuming and just don't worry about it either. The tan clan sheds like crazy!

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  9. Love that header pix, so very Christmassy. I do love raisin gravy, too. Haven't had that in a million years, now I'm gonna' have to track some down.

    Nice digs to cook a meal, with all that counter space and fancy appliances. Don't get too familiar with it, or you might have to settle down. Yikes!!!

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  10. For the second year in a row, I have had to have the cortisone shot in my shoulder. It took two or three weeks for the shoulder to feel normal. I just do not want to have surgery. Mine is a combination of a torn rotator cuff and arthritis. With your arthritis in your hip, I would guess that it might be the same for you.

    When I saw that kitchen, I gave a huge sigh. Fun to cook in, but not that much fun to clean.

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  11. Glad to hear that you decided to "ham" it up! :-)

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  12. You need to be patient for that shot to work! That was some snazzy place you had dinner! Love the photo of the Sparrow and the berries:)

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  13. Nice Christmas dinner you had there. Interesting point about Emma. Our three cats should be bald by now too! :-)

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  14. a belated Merry Christmas to you and Emma
    as for the hair?..well our house grows those 'hair bunnies' daily! and the boys are still not bald!!
    that must have been fun to have all that space to cook even if it was only for a short time!

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  15. Bunkhouse??? Looks more like an upscale vacation rental to me.

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  16. Sounds like you had a great Christmas dinner with some friends. That is some bunk house. What I would give for that kitchen.
    Your header picture is just great love the colors and the little Sparrow?

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  17. Your new header with the Chipping Sparrow and Holly is really wonderful! Will you post your Raisin Gravy recipe? I have never heard of it .It makes me think of Sauerbraten for some reason.

    My Stella sheds constantly. I keep telling her she should learn to run the vacuum but she just turns and heads for her bed!

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  18. I agree with others publish the raisin gravy recipe. I made ham and beans last night with leftover ham, reminds me of home
    when I was a kid. I can sweep my floors and within 5 minutes Riggs has hair all over again. Didnt know this about labs until he
    came around, my husky didnt shed this bad!

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  19. I often wonder if doctor's follow their own advice. I wonder if they even know how difficult their advice is to follow. But, I am certain they gave you the best advice for quick and complete healing.

    So happy to read you had a blessed Christmas with friends...no matter what your ulterior motives were.

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  20. You didn't get a Roomba for Christmas??? Did you see where Rod received one for Christmas? We still love ours, she runs every day!

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  21. Please do share the raisin gravy recipe! That is something I've never heard of.
    Hope that shoulder feels better soon.

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  22. My Mom always used to make raisin gravy with her ham. I can't believe I forgot all about that. I think Janna has a good idea - you need to get a Roomba. Especially with that shoulder of yours. There are definitely times when I wish I had more counter space but it doesn't happen often.

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  23. Wow ... that's quite the bunkhouse they have at the refuge ... Mui took one look at the kitchen and started drooling.

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  24. Enjoyed the bird in the holly. A good looking bunkhouse. Hope you enjoyed your day.

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  25. Don't think I've ever heard of Raisin gravy before but it sure sounds good to me.

    Pretty fancy bunkhouse you have there. Glad you were able to have Christmas dinner with some friends.

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  26. I don't usually comment with this many comments on the page, but I agree with the first poster, double check with a physical therapist. This is exactly how my whole shoulder thing started this time last year, and because I "rested" and babied it things got worse instead of better. Due to the frozen shoulder the PT got intense and I had to have that surgery to remove the adhesions that formed due to lack of use! Good luck!

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  27. I can sure see why you'd be in heaven with that kitchen! All these comments have me worrying about your shoulder now. Never had raisin gravy either but I sure like both raisins and gravy.

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  28. That is a fine looking bunkhouse. Nicest I've seen! It sounds like you had a great meal.

    I like your Chipping Sparrow header. Very nice sitting among the berries.

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  29. Wow, that bunkhouse reminded me of the fire department "lounge" where our son works...It' has a huge living area and kitchen with 2 huge refrigerators...Fabulous digs you had to cook in...Raisin gravy?? Den's Grandma made sour cream raisin pie when he was little. I have the recipe, but the raisin part I'm not too sure about..I don't like them..however, I do love prunes!..go figure! Hope you shoulder gets better..My arm I broke is still painful if I do too much...I'm aftraid I'll just have to live with that...Hope you had a Merry Christmas..and let's get this New Year started!!

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  30. OK, how did you get that sparrow in the Holly? Such a perfect Christmas photo! I'm with you with your shoulder problem. I've self-diagnosed a rotator cuff tear and did some research. Surgery is only 'successfull' (as in fully back to normal) in 50% of the cases. Physical therapy helps to avoid a frozen shoulder but doesn't 'fix' the problem. Cortisone shots do get rid of most of the pain. A study (one of many) showed that 'most' shoulder problems clear up regardless after 3 to 5 years!!! Seems we 'just' have to hang in there! ;-)

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  31. I love raisin gravy, too! Live by self haven't made it for a long time and sounded good when you mentioned it. But might want to be careful about giving it to Emma; my "land" neighbor lost her dog to raisins a couple of years ago, big eye-opener for me. For what the ASPCA Poison Control Center has to say about grapes/raisins: http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control

    Sarah

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  32. Love the chipping sparrow... looks right cheerful for this time of year!

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  33. I love the photos of the birds in the berry bushes. Looks like they have their own Christmas buffet!

    I do want to second the warning about dogs and raisins. They are toxic to dogs. Hope Emma didn't eat enough to hurt her!

    What a gorgeous kitchen! I can imagine what it must have felt like after cooking in the RV's kitchen for 7-1/2 years!

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  34. And a chipping sparrow in a holly tree :-)

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