when it penetrates right into your very core, you can’t use your fingers properly, your feet hurt to touch anything, it makes me cringe just thinking about it.

cold. freezing, sharp, burning cold.

hang-on, it’s happening right now! we’ve got no heating and i’m sat writing this, the cogs are turning slightly slower than normal, or maybe they’re heightened because of the biting shivers penetrating my extremities.

the above shot was taken on a very cold april weekend in the lake district. the mountains were topped with awesome swathes of thick snow. our tent had the patter of snowflakes caking it, snow falling heavily moments after we returned from helvellyn. what’s better than hot curry and tucking into the bag to listen to the outside world through thin nylon with your loved one?

i compiled this simple graph of various cold weather experiences i can remember without much thinking.

Seeing as the man-child refuses to let sleep over take him, I thought I would start my Pumpkin Pie from REAL pumpkins recipe.

This summer I decided to grow a medium-sized garden.  My plan was to do a rolling harvest so I had produce on a constant basis.  For some crazy reason, growing and canning or freezing pumpkins for the awesome pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving struck a warm fuzzy tone in me.

I set off to Lowes and bought four pumpkin plants.  The were so stinkin’ cute with their heart-shaped leaves and I never thought about how much they would grow.  And grow they did.

Soon after two months, my pumpkin patch was in my neighbor’s yard and trailing off across my lawn towards the road.  It looked a little like the beginnings of a B movie, as each day went on you could swear it was creeping closer and closer…

Enough of that business and I cut it back and allowed ten beautiful pumpkins to grow.

The first thing I did with one of my pumpkins was make it into a soup.  I love curried butternut squash soup and figured pumpkin would work well too.  Oh, how right I was!  Now with Thanksgiving approaching, I figured we would make another curried pumpkin soup and also use it in a pumpkin pie.

Really, any pumpkin will do, however Pie Pumpkin varieties work the best. I do not remember what mine is, however it does lean towards the runny/watery side.  In the next two posts I will walk you through both types of pumpkins.

1. Pick a pumpkin. Pie pumpkin or even Jack o’ lanterns may work. Steer towards the medium small size because it will produce a lot of pumpkin gloop for your pie.

2. Wash your pumpkin with warm water, no soap.

3. Cut off the stem and top of the pumpkin. Cut it in half. Scoop out the seeds and fibery pumpkin innards to make a clean hollow pumpkin.

4. Turn oven on 350 degrees. Place pumpkin halves on baking sheet.

5. Place pumpkin on baking sheet for about an hour or until fork can easily poke the skin. If you have a rather large pumpkin there are a few options. Before putting it in the oven you could cut it up in quarters or leave the pumpkin in the oven a little longer until ready. A few people I know do not like to bake their pumpkins. I have heard them use the microwave or a stove top steamer. Whatever floats your boat, just make sure the pumpkin is done.  I prefer the yummy smells of the baked pumpkin in the oven!

6. Take pumpkin out of the oven. Please be careful because some pumpkins are a bit more watery and the baking pan will have hot pumpkin water in it. Allow pumpkin to cool.

7. When you are good and ready, it is time to take out the gloop. You may use a big spoon or an ice cream scoop to scoop out the gloop. Place gloop in a bowl. Throw skin away or compost it! If you have a food processor, just put it in there and blend it up until it is smooth and there are no pumpkin chunks. Bar blenders also work, as do potato mashers (fun for kids!).  If you happen to have a watery pumpkin, you can place a bowl over the pumpkin gloop so it rests on the pumpkin, place it in the fridge overnight and it should help raise the water out of the gloop and you may skim it off. Other methods: wrapping gloop in cheesecloth and let it drip over night, or putting it through a collandar.

8. Once you blend up the pumpkin you can freeze it or use it for your soups or pies. One pumpkin does yield a lot of gloop, so there are many uses for the extras: soups, pies, bars, etc.

After a few hours of sleep (hahaha) I will write-up the pumpkin pie recipe part 2 with a home-made, sure-fire, to-die for, crust.

The process of using a real pumpkin is long and somewhat time-consuming. I live by a rule of pacing myself in fifteen minute intervals (a FLYlady thing), so you can do one thing, play with kids, go back, vacuum, play with pumpkin again, and so forth as to diminish that “stuck in the kitchen” feeling. The time is well worth the healthy nature of doing it purely from scratch. I read on CNN.com the other day that Libby is telling everyone there is a canned pumpkin shortage. Whatever. Once you get past part one of this recipe, all the rest is easy-schmeasy!

Time for bed!

B’tayavon!

Kosher Spice

Though the thought of holiday leftovers can conjure up images of bland hot turkey sandwiches or reheating the main course, it can actually be easy to transform the holiday spread into entirely new, great-tasting meals.  Chef Ryan Scott, former cheftestant of Bravo TV’s Top Chef, has some tips for helping to make holiday recipes delicious the second time around.
 
“Leftovers sometimes get a bad rap, but with a little planning and creativity, it’s easy to create recipes worthy of becoming new holiday traditions, ” said Chef Scott.  “Before heading out to pick up those last-minute ingredients for the holiday feast, take stock of the pantry and make sure you have staples like rice, eggs, frozen vegetables, and chicken broth and stock on-hand. If not, pick them up while you’re out – that way you won’t have to make a special trip to the store later.” 
 
Here are a few other tips from Chef Scott:

• Freeze leftover stuffing and use it to make stuffed pork chops, or serve it as a weeknight side dish – it’s one less thing to think about when trying to put dinner on the table during the hectic week.
• Leftovers aren’t just for dinner!  Poached Eggs with Stuffing and Ham is a simple twist on the classic eggs Benedict using leftover stuffing cakes instead of English muffins, sliced ham and a simple mushroom gravy.
• Instead of hot turkey sandwiches, try making Turkey Sloppy Joes, a twist on a family favorite that’s perfect for kicking back and checking out the weekend’s football games.  They also make great sliders if you have leftover dinner rolls from last night’s meal.
• And finally, since there’s nothing better than coming home to the comforting aroma of homemade soup simmering on the stove, try combining leftover meat, vegetables and rice with 100% Natural Swanson Chicken broth to create a hearty soup, such as my Asian Turkey Soup.

For more delicious leftover meals and cooking tips, visit www.swansonbroth.com and www.CampbellsKitchen.com.

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This is one recipe that I really love. Friends and family are always asking me to make it for big and small gatherings. Easy on the budget and packed with goodness, it’s best when made with love, tastes even better the next day and it freezes well. A special treat served with Corn Bread or Bannock.

2 C. dried kidney beans (substitute pinto, romano, Jacob’s cattle or other big beans, or mix 3 or 4 together)

water

1 or 2 onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic (or 2 tsp. Garlic powder)

oil or fat for frying

1/2 – 1 pound ground beef (or use TVP – see below)

3-4 T. chili powder

2-3 T. cumin

1 T. dried coriander (cilantro), or 1/2 C. fresh

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional, add 2 or 3 times as much for a hot, spicy chili)

dash of cinnamon

large can crushed tomatoes (2 1/2 cups fresh)

1 tsp. brown sugar

2 T. vinegar (white, red wine, apple cider or balsamic)

small can peaches in light syrup (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

Soak the beans in water about 2-3 inches above the beans in a non-metal bowl for 6-8 hours or overnight. Discard the soaking water, add beans to a large pot and cover with fresh water an inch or two above the beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the beans are soft (1 1/2 to 3 hours).

Cook the ground beef (or dry fry the TVP) until nicely browned and crumbled, set aside. Sauté the onions in a little oil until soft, then add cooked beef, garlic and spices and cook covered, for 5 more minutes. Add the meat mixture, tomatoes, brown sugar, vinegar and peaches to the beans and stir well. Cover and simmer over low heat for at least an hour to let the flavors blend, stirring occasionally to prevent burning; this is a good recipe to cook all day in a slow cooker or in the oven. Serve over rice.

Suggestions: Vegetarians and Vegans can substitute TVP dry-roasted with cumin for the ground meat to give a meaty texture and lots more protein. Offer crushed red pepper or Tabasco sauce at the table for people who like hot chili.

Hints: The beans will be more digestible if you add a piece of seaweed (kombu or dulse) to the beans while they cook, or you can add 1/2 tsp. baking soda to the soaking water to make the beans less “gassy”.

Time saver: For a quick chili, use 2 or 3 large cans of cooked kidney beans.

Note: Because this is such a good winter meal, we planned to make you a video of this recipe not too long ago when Brian and I were both in Toronto… didn’t work out. We will be getting to that asap, so stay tuned!

Much love, All My Relations, Gramma Willi

Good Clean Food For Everyone!

125 ml (1/2 cup) frozen, chopped mango
125 ml (1/2 cup) frozen peach slices
2 frozen bananas
500 ml (2 cups) soy, rice or almond milk
5 ml (1 teaspoon) flax seed oil, or blended omega rich oils (for example: Udo’s 3-6-9 Oil Blend)
On high speed, process all ingredients till thick and creamy. Serve in chilled glasses. Makes 4 servings.

Tip: Buy mangoes and peaches in season when prices are most reasonable, then cut and freeze for later use.

I found this recipe and decided to try it. But I can’t find out if there is anything I should know about freezing fruit. How do I get them to not stick together and stuff?

I am really sad, and normally buy frozen fruit :/ waste of money.

201423     การแปรสภาพด้วยความร้อนและการแช่แข็งอาหาร     Thermal Processing and Food Freezing

หลักเบื้องต้นสำหรับการแปรรูป หลักการใช้ความร้อนในกระบวนการแปรรูปเครื่องแลกเปลี่ยนความร้อน วิธีการประเมินการแปรสภาพด้วยความร้อน การเปลี่ยนแปลงทางเคมีและชีวภาพของผลิตภัณฑ์โดยกระบวนการใช้ความร้อน อุปกรณ์การทำความเย็น การลดอุณหภูมิก่อนการแช่เย็น การทำให้อาหารอยู่ในสภาพแช่แข็ง การคำนวณเวลาการแช่แข็ง การละลายอาหารแช่แข็ง

(Principles of food processing, principles of thermal processing, heat exchanger, evaluation of thermal processing, chemical and biological changes of products in thermal processing, refrigerator, precooling, freezing, calculation of freezing time, thawing.)

(201423 มหาวิทยาลัยเกษตรศาสตร์)

I’ve found one thing that I definitely don’t like about Japan: their damn cold houses! It was ok as long as it was summer, but now that autumn arrived and we’re heading for winter, I’m finding myself constantly freezing, and that while I’m inside the house! Something’s wrong here… My dad’s got a very good point there: why on earth have the otherwise so clever and ingenious Japanese not invented a smart way to keep their homes warm even in winter? My hostdad claims that they can’t build their houses the same way we do in Sweden, due to the high humidity in summer, which would ruin the house, or something…but at the same time the houses in for example Hokkaido, which has about the same kind of temperatures and weather as Sweden (apparently), has nice warm houses… Luckily for me this (apparently) includes the houses of Nagano, where I’ll be spending the winter. I’m definitely not used to having to walk around freezing inside the house and I do not like it! If I end up staying in Japan, I’ll make sure to order my house from the popular company Sweden House (there’s a village in Hokkaido which consists entirely of these houses, and when you go there you might wonder how on earth you ended up in Sweden… I have to go visit!), so I won’t freeze to death wintertime in Japan. It’s either that, or migrating to Sweden and my parents’ warm house during the cold winter-months, but that makes no sense at all: change Japan’s above zero degrees Celsius winters to Sweden’s way below zero, just so I won’t freeze while I’m inside the house!

Today my hostsister and I spent the day in the kitchen, the warmest room in the house. As soon as we left the room to go get something, we soon ran back inside and to the little stove in the corner, that heats up the room. It felt really good to get in to the hot bathtub this evening, and it was, as usual nowadays, quite funny to see how the hot water and my ice-cold body created fog, as soon as the water touched my skin… Now I’m really happy about my long-sleeve fleece-pajama that my parents sent me from Sweden! That and my 3 layers of covers on my bed… I really hope that it’s true that the houses in Nagano are warmer! If not I’ll be spending my nights in the nearby onsen…

So I got me a new Canon 7D just 10 days ago.. I couldnt test it or try it out immediatley cuz I had some major school work to do and needed to prepare for my A.C.E exam.. BUT today some friends of mine had a music video to shoot for a class project and I was appointed job cameraman #3 with my 7D.. and it was beeeeaauuutttiiiful! Here are some images.. downsized a little for web.. the video footage will be uploaded soon when their project is finished in less than 2 weeks.

In only a few days, it'll be December —- we have such harsh Winters here.

Man, this sucks….

Posted via email from HikiCulture – A Forum For Reclusive People (and Hikikomori) {HikiCulture.Com Site Blog}

That is what I am doing. It’s a slow process, occurring over weeks, possibly months, could even be years. Who knew this could happen in Florida?

But happening, it is! On Monday, the forecast was for an 80-degree high. Yet my office on Monday, as on most other days from October to March, was probably 20 degrees. I swear! I’m not exaggerating one little bit. And you can’t prove I’m not telling the truth. Just try.

A picture in words of me in my office on Monday: Boots off, but wearing fuzzy, purple sock-slippers over my regular socks; fingerless gloves so I can type (which means my hands are warm, but my fingertips could snap off because they’re frozen solid); a heavy cardigan over my dress; and the blanket I finally remembered resting on my lap. I folded the blanket into four layers just to keep me a little bit warm. Without the blanket, I believe I would have died of hypothermia that day. Good thing I remembered it!

The rest of the building in which I work has heat. I don’t know why mine doesn’t. Maybe this is how they get rid of people here. Just freeze her out!

And before you start typing a comment suggesting a space heater, it’s been done. I bought one last year. It was wonderful. I used it a couple days, no problem. Then, suddenly, I couldn’t use it anymore. Because, for whatever reason, after a couple days, ever time I turned it on, it tripped a breaker and cut power to most of the third floor. So that’s out.

Tea helps, but only for a short time.

So, dear readers, if I suddenly cease writing this blog, if you don’t hear from me at least once a week, assume I finally succumbed and am lying dead, but well-preserved, in a third floor office in Florida.

212431     การแช่แข็งอาหาร     Food Freezing

การออกแบบอุปกรณ์แช่แข็งอาหาร สมบัติของอาหารแช่แข็ง จุดเยือกแข็งที่ติดลบสูงขึ้น การเกิดผลึกน้ำแข็งในอาหารแช่แข็งและปริมาณความร้อนที่เปลี่ยนไประหว่างแช่แข็ง การทำนายอัตราการแช่แข็ง อาหารโดยสมการของแพลงค์ และสมการอื่นๆ การเก็บอาหารแช่แข็งและการทำละลายของอาหารแช่แข็ง

(Design of food freezing equipments; properties of frozen foods, freezingpoint elevation, ice crystals formation in frozen foods and enthalpy changes during freezing; freezing time prediction by Plank’s equation and others; frozen food storage and thawing.)

(212431 มหาวิทยาลัยเกษตรศาสตร์)

I admit I was a little late embracing apple season. By the time I finally made it out to Linvilla Orchards, pick-your-own season had just ended. Luckily, they still had plenty of apples. I bought a big box of “seconds” – apples with slight blemishes that are still great for cooking and half the price!

The thought of peeling, coring and slicing all of those apples made me a bit faint-of-heart, but I borrowed my friend Merridy’s vintage Victorio Strainer. My mom has one, and knowing it’s super powers, I didn’t consider making applesauce without one. Here’s the deal: You just chop of the apples, and boil them in a little water and cider until very soft.

Then you just take a big old measuring cup and dump the apples in the “funnel” of the old Victorio. Save the liquid, as it’s great for boiling more apples, or as a sweet vegetable soup base.

All you have to do then is crank the handle and the applesauce slides hot and delicious down the shoot, into your waiting bowl. The peel, core and seeds are miraculously separate and drop into a different bowl. Some people use these peels as moistening additions in breads and muffins.

The last step? Add your desired spices (I like nutmeg, cinnamon and star anise) and cook for a bit over medium heat. Now eat it all – fresh applesauce is amazing – or can it, or freeze it. Later, in those cold winter months, you’ll be so glad you did.

A few weeks ago, I told you about my addictive personality. It was at this time I began an experiment with my finances. I told myself if I could go two weeks without using my best friend Chase Visa, I could make a bigger commitment to myself to get out of debt. Fourteen days came and went without using and it my body did not spontaneously combust like I imagined it would without the security of falling back on the card.

It was also at this time that I experimented with the cash vs. debit card debate my mind struggles with every day. I am adamant in my habit of never having cash unless A) I am going out (not a good idea to use the card for rounds at the bar -lesson learned the hard way) or B) I am going somewhere that takes dough only (which is another issue I get, um, passionate about. One too many times I have told a business/restaurant/etc. “It’s 2009. Who doesn’t take cards!” Only it’s not said so nicely.)

So when I accidentally had some cash on me, I wanted to see how long I could hold on to it.

I actually didn’t want to use it. Instead, I preferred to stare at it, in my wallet, like some kind of daily reward for being smart about my finances. I treated those bills like gold, people. I avoided impulse purchases and used it for necessary things that were well-thought out. It’s so easy to just swipe, swipe, swipe and I can definitely purchase without thinking twice.

So last week, I did something big.

I know you’re probably wondering, “Why didn’t she just cut it up? Or take it out of her wallet and just not use it?”

I don’t want to get rid of the card completely. Closing accounts is not good for credit and some day I will have a much lower balance and want to use the card again. I realize it may not work after living in my freezer for months, and that’s OK. I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it.

I’m not taking it out or hiding it because I know that simply will not work. I have self-restraint, but not that much.

Plus, it’s a visual reminder. Every day when I get out ice for my Green Monsters or make pb&j waffles before my runs, it will be there. Staring me in the face. Like I said, I need a little reward staring me in the face every day.

And, if there should occur an occasion where I need it in an emergency, I have a back up plan. People went years without credit cards and some still do today. Plus, an overwhelming percentage of people in my age bracket have $10,000 or more in credit card debt. That’s one statistic I don’t want to be a part of.

What about you? Are you struggling with debt or another pricey addiction? What did you do to overcome it once and for all?

Fall is one of the most beautiful times of the year. It is so invigorating to get out on the trails, ride in the crisp air and view the splendor of the changing leaves. The horses feel better and the change in the air seems to put them in a better mood. Summer hair starts to shed, a clue that much colder air is approaching. For us, that means it’s time to get the barn and pastures ready for winter.

One of the most important items to consider when you are preparing for winter is how you will keep your horse’s water from freezing. Breaking frozen water in buckets can be one of the most challenging chores, especially when it must be done once or twice a day.

TIP: 1: Be sure that frozen buckets are totally emptied of ice and then refilled to help prevent refreezing.

Water troughs present another problem. They can freeze solid and are extremely difficult ‘”if not next to impossible’”to break.

We know our horses need ample water, so let’s take a look at several good ways to make this chore easier on you, and most importantly, give your horse the water he or she needs.

TIP 2: Heated water buckets are one way to prevent water from freezing in your horse’s stall.

RAMM’s UL approved buckets come in 5 and 16-gallon sizes. These buckets are thermostatically controlled to keep the water temperature between 42 and 55-degrees. The bucket automatically turns on and off with temperature changes and keeps water from freezing.

The 5-gallon bucket has a flat back, allowing the bucket to hang on a stall wall. The electric cord, located at the bottom of the bucket, is 6′ in length and is shielded with a strong wire that coils around the cord.

TIP 3: We recommend drilling a small hole in the stall wall and passing the cord through to the outside of the stall where it can be safely plugged into an outlet.

The bucket holder (5-gal. size), is a “well worth it” accessory for the bucket. This unit helps the bucket stay secure on the wall by sitting in the holder. When buckets become dry, horses may “play” with them, either out of boredom or need for more water. If you find that your horse’s bucket is dry, you may consider using two electric buckets, or go with the 16-gallon size.

The 16-gallon bucket is fashioned the same, with the exception that it does not have a handle for hanging. This bucket was designed to sit on the stall floor or ground (for outdoor use).

TIP 4: We recommend securing the bucket in a corner or against a post.

Keep the cord away from direct contact with your horse. Try running your cord through a PVC pipe and then securing the pipe. All of these buckets and holders are economically priced and an easy fix to the fast approaching cold winter months.

If your barn is not equipped with electricity, consider the RAMM insulated bucket holder. This holder is insulated to keep water from freezing and will help to keep water cooler in the summer, too. A 5-gallon poly pail with a float is included. The holder can be mounted directly to the inside of the stall wall.

TIP 5: Water should be changed regularly to avoid frozen edges.

Another convenience of these 5-gallon size buckets is that they can all be used with a RAMM swing-out bucket door.

TIP 6: Instead of going in and out of your stall, you can stay in your aisle and change water, a real time saver.

Additionally, if someone other than yourself is taking care of your horses while you are out of town, they will be able to change the water without entering the stall.

I personally use the heated water buckets and can say they have made life much easier. Now changing the water is a breeze, and I know that my horses are getting the water that they need.

If you would like more information on these buckets, please email me at debbie@rammfence.com. Enjoy this beautiful fall weather. Take time to follow your passion, get out and ride.

Happy Trails!

Two days ago I boarded a train in Chengdu for Guilin.  Up until about two hours before departure, I thought I was in for another standard overnighter.  And I had a ticket for a soft sleeper in my hands, so I thought it’d be easy peasy.  Yeah right.  Turns out the train is twenty-five hours, but seeing as we pulled out of the station a full hour behind schedule, I was on that miserable thing for twenty-six and change.  Oof.

The ride wasn’t as bad as the one to Chengdu, but it was up there.  It was the same horrifyingly old, rickety, loud, dirty, uncomfortable train, the only difference being that my soft sleeper ticket granted me access to a mere four beds behind a closed door, as opposed to an entire car full of hundreds of beds out in the open.  If this had been what my first soft sleeper experience resembled, I probably would have booked flights across China and never bothered with a train again.  (In fact, it’s reeeeeeally tempting to fly into Hong Kong directly, skipping the night train/bus and bureaucratic bullshit that is surely waiting to hassle me at the border.)  It was just as smokey as the last train, which I abhor and am blaming for my sore throat that just will not relent, except I had a door to help filter some of the smoke and stench.  (Although certainly not all; smoke gets into EVERYTHING, and it’s impossible to rid it after a point.)  My one big stroke of luck was that I only had to share the compartment with one other woman, so it was much quieter and more spacious, each of us keeping to our side of the berth.  She couldn’t speak any English and clearly I don’t know any Mandarin, so it was a quiet ride, save for the screaming on either side of us we could hear through the paper-thin walls.

I plowed through The Unbearable Lightness of Being, which I don’t recommend; it was merely the best book I could find off the bookshelf in the hostel in Beijing.  It’s a metaphysical approach to life and love and politics and entanglements, and while it is unlike most things I read (and therefore somewhat interesting), it can be slow and annoying and GET TO THE POINT ALREADY! and I feel like the author is trying to make it into some life-changing heavy piece of philosophy, when really, it’s not.  That, and it’s not exactly what I’d term a “happy” read, and as you might imagine I need something happy to help me forget I’m trapped in an old, dirty, smokey, bumpy, claustrophobic train for the next twenty-odd hours.  Scratch that one off the old “books to read” list.

The train FINALLY pulled into Guilin, without any ceremony or even something as basic as an “exit” sign.  (China never ceases to frustrate me.)  Initially I thought I would get off the train and hop onto a riverboat and be in Yangshuo in time for lunch, but that was before I realized how long the train ride was and learned that boats to Yangshuo only leave at the crack of dawn and take a full five or six hours and oh yeah, be sure to book it through a trustworthy vendor because the scams are up the wazoo.  That, and Guilin is NOWHERE NEAR as small and quaint and idyllic as the guidebooks will have you believe; it’s another massive bustling city with screaming, shoving, spitting Chinese EVERYWHERE.  There are also about ten times more touts than usual too.  Nice tourist town perk.

So at the last minute (in Chengdu) I arranged a room for the night at a hostel who was supposed to come retrieve me at the station, but of course didn’t bother showing up.  I couldn’t get my hands on a map or helpful directions, even after stopping in both the tourist information office and the post office.  It was pouring rain, freezing cold, and pitch black, and I’m going “You know what? Screw this. I’m out.” and jumped onto one of the half dozen buses screaming for passengers to go to Yangshuo.  I mean, pouring rain, freezing cold, I don’t care how you spin it; that would make for one MISERABLE six hour bamboo raft (read: no “boat” to keep you warm and dry) ride down the river, no matter how scenic it is.  So I missed the “must do” Li River Cruise, but as I understand it it’s the dry season (pretty wet for the dry season, if you ask me), so the river is dried up and it’s difficult to navigate and takes hours to get down here and I’d be so cold and wet and pissed off I probably would have taken a bus all the way back to Guilin just to board a plane out of this place.  The bus was supposed to be an hour but of course took two; when in China everything is always longer and harder and infinitely more frustrating than it should be.  It also came fully equipped with a horrible Chinese movie absolutely BLARING at ear-splitting volumes.  Pleasant.  I was then dumped on the side of the street in Yangshuo — at this point it’s 8pm and I’ve been on the road for how many hours? — so I schlepped to a hotel and had them call me a cab and was happy to almost be at my destination.  Enter a good thirty or forty minutes (to go a mere six kilometers) over the most torturous potholed road you can imagine.  Forget bumpy — I kept waiting for the axle to snap at any minute.  Either that or for the driver to spin around and tell me (in Mandarin, of course), to fuck off and get out of his cab, he was done with this flooded potholed dirt road from hell.  We then finally — FINALLY — pulled up and I forked over the (way too much) cash and scampered into reception.  It was nearly 9pm and I clocked in thirty hours of travel.  Not my idea of fun, boys and girls.

I did the unthinkable and ordered western food for dinner: a veggie burger with fries and a salad.  I was eying the fried rice and would have gone for it if the burger hadn’t also included the fries and salad; I was picturing this massive pile of food and was beyond ready to stuff my face.  Unfortunately, the guesthouse being run by a Dutch couple (read: dainty European appetite) and the kitchen being run by Chinese locals (read: veggie burger? what did you just call me?), the fried rice would have been the way to go.  The veggie burger was bizarre, a soft heap of who knows what that kept falling out of its bun in small clumps, and the plate was nowhere near massive.  But I was starving, and it was gone in under two minutes.  I then took a lukewarm shower (TORTUROUS when it’s hovering just above freezing outside and your room isn’t heated) and slept in a bed for the first time since home.  A real, actual BED.  With a mattress several inches deep.  I’ve been sleeping in bunks with little mats thrown over their planks.  I did a double-take when I saw the mattresses from the side.  NICE.  And, having been trapped on a train and therefore subsisting entirely on fruit and steamed buns (that I picked up the day prior), and then having food here from an MSG-free kitchen, I had my first night’s sleep without crazy drugged-up dreams.  (Want to screw with your sleep and your dreams? Eat MSG.)

So pleased to finally be in Aishanmen.  This is what I’ve been looking forward to the most for my China travels.  Here’s hoping it lives up to the hype (and my expectations).  Am hunkering down and staying put for the next week, if not longer.  Waiting for the bad weather to blow through (should be cold and wet the whole week, hopefully clearing next weekend) and mellowing out and simply NOT TRAVELING for a bit.  Will walk around and get a feel for the nearby area today, plan to rent a bike and scout out the larger area and ride into town once it dries up a bit, hopefully as soon as tomorrow.  In the meantime, if you need me, I’ll be the one constantly stretching and arching my back, trying to get that awful train out of my system.

Fall is the best time to start. In the Pacific Northwest it is already raining and storming a bit. Before the snow and ice start to fall, start preparing your home for winterization.

Your home will have normal upkeep throughout the year, during the winter it is about protecting the upkeep that you have done.

Tips for preparing your home.

 Furnace: It is a smart idea to have your furnace inspected during its peak season, and the ducts cleaned out. Keep all flammable material away from furnace. If you have a hot-water heater bleed the valves, allow a small amount of water to come out and then close valves.

Fireplace: If fireplace is in use, very similar to your furnace, have it inspected before you burn in it. To keep small animals out cover top with a cap or screen. Store firewood away from your home in a dry area.

Exterior, Doors and Windows: To help insulate your home weather-strip around doors and replace broken windows.

Roof, gutters, and downspouts: A way to prevent heat escaping is by adding extra insulation to the attic. Replace damaged shingles.  Make sure gutters are clear and that the downspouts are cleared from debris, leaf guards is a helpful way to prevent further congestion during the fall and winter months.

Foundations and outdoor surfaces: Seal up cracks in foundation and make sure that small animals are unable to crawl under the house by also sealing crawl spaces. Seal driveways, bricks patios and wood decks.

Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors: You should check your smoke detectors often, but an extra precaution is installing carbon monoxide detectors. Carbon monoxide detectors should be installed near the furnace and the water heater. If a fire extinguisher is older than 10 years replace it.

Plumbing freezes: This can be one of the most important winterization projects. This will save in costly repairs. Know where your water main is in case you need to shut it off. Drain all outside hoses and any AC unit pipes. Insulate exposed pipes. When you go on vacation have a house sitter and leave heat on at least 55 degrees.

Landscaping: Trim hedges and trees close to the house and electrical wires. Prune your plants so they will be ready to grow in the spring. Cover or move plants/flowers to a place where the appropriate area and temperature.

Emergency kit: Remember if you do not already have an emergency kit made it is very important. Besides winter time the Pacific Northwest can experience flood and earthquakes, these are things that should always be prepared for. Winter time the concerns are power outage due to extreme weather. What should be in an emergency kit: candles, matches, battery-powered or hand cranked radio and flashlights, at least on gallon of bottled water, blankets, at least three days of non-perishable food, can opener, first-aid kit, whistle, dust mask, moist towelettes, garbage bags, tools, cell phone. For more information on emergency kits please visit http://www.ready.gov/america/getakit/.

It is always a good idea to contact your Insurance Agent and ask about Flood and Earthquake insurance. Please visit http://www.floodsmart.gov/floodsmart/pages/flood_facts.jsp for flood facts, you will be very surprised that every home in the United States has a possibility of flooding.

Weintraub, Elizabeth. “Winterizing Your Home.” About.com. Web. 9 Nov. 2009. <http://homebuying.about.com/od/buyingahome/qt/92607_WinterHom.htm>.

“Get A Kit.” Ready America. 2009. Web. 9 Nov. 2009. <http://www.ready.gov/america/getakit/>.

It’s definately getting colder out there now and some mornings my poor fingers are so cold after the 20 mile run into work that they ache.

So my sweetie of a boyfriend bought me a set of the Oxford Sport Heated Grips for my bike, and they arrived in the post yesterday.

Woohoo! I can’t wait for the weekend so I can get them fitted.

I’ll let you know how I get on with both fitting and using them.

This is a temporary post. I have not yet  put up content in this category.

I can’t believe how cold it was tonight. I got out of my friend’s house and into my car and the front and back windows were all frosted up. Then when I got back to my house I found I had been locked out. Luckily a quick call was all that was needed to get me back inside.