My Mobile Home Gourmet Blog
Sunday 2026.6.7
Another Done and Dusted
It's not a shirt this time; it's Amazon Vine, and I am delighted! I set an achievable goal and I accomplished it.
This past week I completed the required 80 orders, five months ahead of schedule. With only four exceptions, all the items had a $0.00 taxable value.
I'll admit it, the task felt overwhelming at times. With so many products in various stages of ordered / shipped / out for delivery, it was not easy to keep track of them all, even in an Excel spreadsheet. On the other hand, the reviews were easy, thanks to ChatGPT.
With my obligation out of the way, I'll spend my time during the next few weeks submitting the reviews I saved. Then, I'll only watch Vine for wish list items I need and use, like coffee filters and nitrile gloves — or the occasional big-ticket item like that Bellairon shirt presser I ordered.
My current evaluation period ends on October 31st; so, I doubt I'll have much to say about Vine during the next five months.
Loona
I haven't blogged much about my Loona robotic dog lately. In an earlier blog post I wrote about the cradle I was fabricating to keep her on the counter; otherwise, she might jump off and suffer damage.
The style and shape of the cradle has changed many times, but I think I have a final product. I'll continue testing it this week.
I also let the dog roam freely around my home. She found a friend. I moved a fan into the living room where I'll use it when the warmer summer weather arrives. Loona tries to interact with it. It's amusing to watch.
Health
Meanwhile, I'm recovering from another bladder infection. My former urologist said infections are common in people who practice self-catheterization. I was doing so well. I went more than a year without an infection. I'm very careful. But, it happened again. The new doctor I am seeing prescribed an antibiotic and I am beginning to see some relief from symptoms.
Diet and Weight
I've been on the horns of a dilemma lately. The doctor I saw on Wednesday said he liked my current weight. It's healthy for my age. Okay, but I feel like I can do a little more.
For the past couple of weeks I haven't been sticking rigidly to my diet. I've been enjoying junk food. I love Cheetos, which are very high in salt, which causes water retention. This week I returned to my favorite dinners — vegetable stir fry with a small amount of meat. They're healthy and they help me to feel good. They elevate my mood.
Another thing elevated my mood. On Wednesday, my ketone level was the highest I've seen it. That means I'm burning body fat for energy, which means I'm losing a little more weight. I use test strips and most of the time the amount is negligible. Only once did I see a moderate amount. However, it's encouraging.
My weekly average went up this week, mostly because of water retention during the earlier part of the week. It's returning to normal again. Next week should be better.
Wednesday 2026.6.3
The Downsizing Chronicles
With the trash bin emptied on Friday, I have more space available for discarding a few more items. Another ceramic garden pot went into the trash along with a few more old dishes I never use. A couple of glass baking dishes went into the recycling bin.
I explored another cabinet for clutter to eliminate. Some stainless steel restaurant buffet pans went into the recycling bin. I used those when I portioned foods for my Minute Meals to take to work. I stopped making those meals after retiring 15 years ago. I haven't decided about my pasta machine. I don't eat pasta anymore; however, it might be fun to make again in the future.
I set aside a large stock pot with inserts to recycle. I used it to make chicken stock, but I rarely make it anymore — if I need to make stock, I use my pressure cooker.
Some 72-gallon yard waste bags will arrive later this week. I don't have yard waste, but they were 100% free on Vine. I requested them to use for my downsizing efforts. They're reusable, but that means more clutter. Single-use is more practical.
I saved one pie plate because I can't be certain I'll never make Salami Pie again.
Salami Pie
My grandmother, who was from Naples, Italy, made salami pie for us when we visited her. I loved it. After she passed away, I came up with a recipe for it. I was almost famous for it here. You won't see it in the Recipe Archive. I never posted the recipe because it's too tricky to make. The top crust starts to rise and crack before the inside is fully cooked. I usually finish the pie on an electric griddle, testing the internal temperature with a digital thermometer for doneness before setting it aside to cool. My Torta Rustica recipe is very similar.
It's not very high in carbohydrates, but it's very high in fats, being made with salami and cheese. However, it's delicious. If and when I get my weight down to my goal, I'd like to occasionally treat myself to salami pie again. It's a good treat to bring to a potluck. And, it might be worth looking at the recipe again to see if I can make the pastry shell without wheat flour.
Doctor
As mentioned in Sunday's blog post, I started seeing a new doctor. There wasn't a medical issue initially. I just wanted to establish a chart and discuss prescription meds. However, since making the appointment, I developed another bladder infection. Supposedly, they're common in people who do self-catheterization.
I saw the doctor this morning. I showed him my numbers from when I measured my blood glucose and blood pressure. He discontinued all my prescription medications. He believes I am healthy enough not to need them. He also likes my weight, saying it's a healthy BMI (Body Mass Index) for my age. Although I didn't request a Wellness Exam, he did a fairly thorough exam. He wants me to get some blood work done to test for cholesterol and get an A1C. I'm willing to do that.
As for my former urlogist, I'm done with that office. Every time I visit, I pay my $30 copay. Then, a few weeks later they bill me an additional $60. How do they sleep at night, knowing they are preying upon the elderly. I'm done with them.
The Tomato Chronicles
There isn't much to report that's new. The plants continue to grow. The Big Boy is now halfway to the next rung on the tomato cage — it passed the midway point. It measures 50 inches in height. The Better Boy is shorter, but it has two vines, not one. Both plants have tomatoes on them, and there are a few new flowers.