Travel Heavy - Live Light

Everywhere I look on the topic of TRAVEL, people tout "travel light!"  Well, what about those of us who simply can't?!?!

Yeah, we tried it; didn't work.  We have issues - (mostly) physical. Our standard packlist now contains at least one air mattress (plus pump and sheet), exercise bands, and core ball.  We toss in a small waist pack, hoping to buy some weights at our destination.  We often pack a pillow - useful, and it helps to cushion the suitcase contents.  We haul along a CPAP machine (yay, they're starting to get smaller; boo, the airlines now count it as a carry-on instead of an uncounted medical device).  Of course, that's not the only medical item; we have the usual assortment of pills.  For very long trips, there is also allergy serum - this has proven to be so painful that we've decided to skip this, and keep our trips to less than 5 weeks until the series is done.

Also in our suitcase: electric toothbrushes and shavers, and all the associated charging stands.  USA electric devices in most other countries require power converters.  We have two, and rely on extension cords to plug everything in.

With the advent of tablets and smartphones, we've been able to reduce (but not completely eliminate) books, maps, travel guides, dictionaries, and photos (whew!).  We still need at least one laptop (and ethernet cable, surge protect, plug converter, power supply, and sometimes a backup battery).

Against all that, it doesn't make much sense to follow the standard travel-light advice: buy toiletries when you get there, rinse your underwear each night, etc.

It also doesn't pay to take short trips - even one night on the road equals at least one checked bag, so - darn! we go for it!  :-)

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The flip side is that between trips, we've learned to live light!

We've downsized from a 3 bedroom house to a 1 bedroom apartment. The last time we moved, we used a 4x8 trailer!

We have a few big-ish items for daily living (including a big-a$$ TV), but we have a lot of multi-use "furniture" and utinsels.  We use our packing cases for everything from the bed platform* to end tables. We have a couple of folding tables that we use for dining*, office work, and hobbies.

If we buy a souvenir, we make sure it is also practical / wearable (or at least small!)

We've cut down on physical books in favor of ebooks and heavy library patronage.

We have only slightly more sheets and towels than we need. :-\

Instead of a knife-block full of specialized tools, we have a few favorites. I especially like my french whisk and side-cutting can opener.  Oh yes, and the tongs. And...



(You may notice there are two peelers - I bought a replacement when one was left in storage; heh, turns out I like the cheap one better. The other will be gone soon.)

I use this soup pot and 3 qt saucier  a *lot* (a gift from a *lovely* friend - who also gave me my very favorite chef's knife)!

And we improvise! (No meat rack? Use foil!)

 (That's a picture of my cherry-glazed pork loin - very yummy!)

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* I must admit, I would like a few more items:
- a small table with 2 chairs for dining
- we're hoping to find a mattress that works for us. Easier said than done - currently, we have two air mattresses plus various "padding."
- at least one more real end table (We're getting a bit tired of the unstable box)
- a hand mixer. Although, I don't bake as much as I used to, and I have come to like my fork-mashed parsnips (replacing mashed potatoes)
- a serving platter and bowl; I'm looking for something that combines a NM souvenir (and perhaps handmade experience?) with practicality. I'm not in a hurry tho - I have a cookie sheet and largish cereal bowls that work pretty well...

Spring Green Report

Albuquerque's Bosque, a cottonwood forest along the Rio Grande, is still not convinced that it is Spring!

The largest trees are still waiting, and the cattails are hanging on

Some trees have been persuaded

And a few "trees" just don't care which season it is :-)

ABQ Spring

Spring 2015, ABQ...

Green Chile Stew Update

Soooo...
I decided to try a new version of Green Chile Stew.  My last one (click here) was simply too hot!

Here's a snap of the little bit left :-)

Green Chile Stew

• 1 tub frozen Green Hatch Chiles, fire roasted (13 oz)*
• 1/2# cubed lean pork
• 2-3 potatoes, peeled and cubed**
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 4-6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cups water
• 1-2 TB flour mixed into water

Toss everything in a pot, simmer for 2 hrs (or more!)

*Using "mild," as any previous heat was simply too hot!  It's *very* good, but I could see adding a couple TB of hot or medium. We encountered some unpleasant skins; not sure if this is more common in mild, or just a fluke - I'm not sure of the best way to deal with it...

**white or red; although I usually leave the peel on for stews, in this case peeled is better. Rick likes fewer potatoes.

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Note - some recipes brown the pork and onion in a little oil first, and some add diced tomatoes.  I like my way better :-)

Today's Walk

Today's Walk...

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Green report: some trees have a slight hazing of leaf bud.  Some are in full bloom, while others are fading. Most are still resting.

Memories of France

Ahh, memories* of a sun filled courtyard in Vaison la Romaine, France, captured!

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*with significant artistic license ;-)

Snow Thoughts

In the last 2 days, we saw 8.6 inches of snow here in Albuquerque. It got me thinking about how different areas deal with their snow...

In Northern California, I grew up "visiting" snow. It was an hour or two drive away; it was for fun - sledding, angeling, skiing, snowmanning, etc. We always added the snow kit to the trunk (it was never a permanent fixture). It included things like blankets, snacks, crack-and-heat devices, shovel, and coveralls. Most significantly, it also included chains. There would always be a point on the road where people pulled over to put on the chains - you would be turned back if you didn't have them, and ticketed if you found a way to continue on without them.

At one time, we looked into moving to Denver. The biggest question I had was "how will I deal with all that snow?!?" Turns out that (1) it doesn't stick around very long, (2) there is an infrastructure to get rid of it (3) people generally use snow tires in winter, and switch back to "normal" tires for the rest of the year (and guess what? They keep their convertibles! Not every car is 4-wheel drive!)

Well, we didn't end up moving there, but I did spend more than a few snowy days in Iowa. I think the thing that shocked me the most was that tire chains were illegal! Such a difference - from legally required, to illegal to use. The other whaaa??? moment was hearing that people were required to clear the snow from the sidewalks in front of their homes within a certain time. Of course, it makes sense, but it wasn't anything I had ever had to think about before. Iowa also had "emergency snow routes" - designated roads that got cleared (sanded and plowed) first when it snowed. Woe to you if you parked on these streets on a snow day. People regularly listened for school and business closures due to snow, and planned their routes according to plow schedules. And oh my goodness, those piles of dirty plowed snow! Ugly mountains that lasted for months! (Yeah, not a fan)

Back to here in Albuquerque... Our snow days are normally fairly spread out, usually just a dusting, and often followed immediately by sunny days. Snow is not a big issue. Except for the flukes :-\
There are a few snow plows, and the freeways have priority for getting cleared, but snowfall like this last one are dealt with by encouraging people to stay home, closing some overpasses until the ice melts, and calling all hands to the plows (there isn't much info on just how many there are, but my guess is... two!)
So far, we've been able to shop ahead and stay tucked up at home with hot soup and a good book - all in all, not a bad way to wait for the melt...

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Monument to the Donner party in the Sierra Nevada mountains in California.
It shows how deep the snow was from a freak storm.