Category: Blitherings

Honey-Sweetened Rice Pudding

For baking, I try to avoid refined sugar these days. I already have a tendency to bounce off the walls if my energy is not directed, irritating everyone around me and annoying myself as well. Honey does not have the same vibratory effect on me as white sugar, for whatever reason, no matter the arguments given that honey and sugar are the same thing. I don’t really care. The fact is, that honey and I are better behaved together than sugar and me. The biggest thing is that recipes called “honey this” and “honey that” often have a ton of sugar as well. I’ve even seen recipes labelled “honey blah” with a tablespoon of honey and a half cup of sugar. In this age of massive lies, what else is new? So, I created this recipe for those of you who like rice pudding and want real honey-sweetened somethings.

Honey-Sweetened Rice Pudding

2/3 c. honey
4 c. unsweetened almond milk, or milk of your choice
3/4 c. short grain rice
1/4 c. cream
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 – 1/2 c. raisins or other dried fruit
1/2 c. toasted almonds

Method

Mix honey, milk, and rice together in 2 qt. sauce pan. Watching carefully and stirring as needed, over medium-high heat, bring mixture to boil. Once boiling, drop to a simmer, and stir periodically. Note: Almond milk does not tend to boil over but regular milk does. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, or longer. Rice will cook and pudding will begin to thicken. When pudding is thickened, stir in cream and raisins. Continue to cook a bit longer, maybe 5 minutes. Take off heat. Add vanilla and almonds. Good warm, and cold; will be thicker if refrigerated.

Beauty in the Time of Covid-19

This is me every morning:  Medusa with her head of snakes. Hopefully I won’t exit this incarnation with beheading, and I will definitely steer clear of men named Perseus.

A professional haircut is out of the question for now.  I won’t even attempt to trim it myself.  Josh says he won’t touch it.  I guess I’ll ride it out and pin it up in the meantime.

Luckily, I don’t go out much in public much these days – certainly not looking like this – but I do have a nice array of hats should I need one.

Lock Down!

In a state of 40 million, there is a lot of potential for sickness.  The trajectory is 56% of the population will get Covid-19.  That is 22, 400,000 people will get sick.  There are 3 known corona virus victims in the city where I live, and 17 throughout the county.  At least the governor of Califronia is taking a proactive approach to lessening the spread of this virus – the new state mandate is everyone shelter in place, but you can get out to shop for food, get medical care, bank, buy gas.  You can get out for exercise in open spaces.  I cannot believe the fact that kids are flocking to our southern beaches to play and party and crowd together, yet that is youth – indestructible and still in a world of magical thinking.  Yet, I do get it.

Meanwhile, I am sitting here pondering what to do with myself.  The other half is home, working full time and telecommuting again (he is happy).  We sort of tumble over each other at times, but part of that is just life in a smallish house.  Unlike many people, we are going to be fine no matter what happens – income, insurance, access to doctors and care.  Good neighbors.  People to call.  I am pondering because all the things I should avoid suddenly become things I want to do!  I need to really sit down and put a bit of a list together for fun things and necessary things to do.  It would be a great time to do a bit of cleaning – but where do you bring discards if the places such as Goodwill are closed?  Life will continue, no matter what happens, and getting creative and productive is important.  Cabin fever is not something I like, nor do most people, I expect.

I am glad I live in a state, expensive as it is, with problems like every place else, is genuinely concerned about the welfare of its citizens (and non-citizens).  Governor Newsom is working for the people, not for the profiteers.  In this country with poor healthcare and safety nets, all the overlords will be so sad when their worker bees die from the virus because sick leave and health care are unavailable.  How inconsiderate of those damned worker bees.

Quarantine!

We are not there yet, but could be. We are now under national, state, and county emergency declarations. Local schools are closed. The grocery stores are swamped. We have essentials, and we have TP! Our freezer is full of veggies, fruit, meat, and film. We have electricity and running water. We have yarn. We have fabric. We have art supplies. We have a neighborhood where the houses – and thus the people – are more than 6 feet apart, so we can go for a walk or out on a hike. We have computers, board games, dogs, and Netflix. We have old DVDs. We have a garage full of stuff to be cleaned out or worked on. Housework, too.

I think we can stay fairly well amused in face of these emergencies. While it may seem I am making light of the situation, which has been poorly handled in a country our size and will most likely result in unnecessary deaths and debt, it really is important to think of the “what if” situation. For instance, toilet paper is being bought up in alarming rates.

I heard from a woman in line at the market that her son in Japan cannot find it anywhere. So what do you use? Google it and you can get some answers.

As well, people with kiddies (and adults) in diapers are being told to make sure they have enough on hand. That makes sense – but when the disposable supply is low or gone? Cloth is your friend, then. I remember all too well the diaper pails and the washing of diapers, sometimes by hand if the electricity failed, on a washboard.  And the smell of ammonia.  Modern conveniences, when they disappear, have alternatives.

So far, where I live, there are about 4 cases in the county. However, schools are closed, and other public places. My husband can work from home quite easily. The last true emergency I can think of is when we entered WW2. We will learn from this situation, but there may be a high cost because of those who have destroyed government resources for such times.