Monday Ramble

Living here in New York is quite expensive, but I'd be lost living anywhere else. I don't drive and hate having to depend on others. Always been independent.  I love being able to hop on the bus that stops right in front of my building and go wherever I want, and as you may remember, I was on the go every day.  I haven't been on a bus since shelter in place started in mid-March and have to depend on hubby to take me wherever I want to go.  Imagine that.  Buses are free now, and I can't ride them.  

While on my morning walks, I've seen the buses go past, and they are packed like sardines.  Not for me.  Not with Covid.   Besides, right now there is no place to go, so all we do is our monthly banking together, our weekly shopping, and our Sunday afternoons by the water.   If I had to say something positive about Covid, I will say that one thing it has done was bring us closer together. It seems we were both living separate lives before.

Before Covid hit, things were pretty good here financially.  I had my Social Security and small pension.  He had his Social Security and small pension and was driving a cab at night.  Each week he would give me a hundred or more towards food shopping and spending for me...that along with the $800 he gave me out of his monthly benefits to help pay for the bills.  Then, abruptly that all stopped with Covid.  Oh, he could have driven, yes, but with his health condition it was not worth taking the chance so we made do with less money each month.  Fortunately for me, the center always made sure I had food and for that I will be forever grateful.

Some of the frozen dinners.  They aren't the best and leave a lot to be desired, but I'm not going to complain.  In fact, they bring me so many that I take some next door to the young couple who haven't really been working since Covid.  They do deliveries here and there, and I know they could sure use the food. And what they can't use, they deliver to the homeless.  So nothing goes to waste.

I mostly get chicken and pasta dishes, and they are all so bland.  I've been taking the chicken and re-cooking, adding my own seasonings.  Last week I made the chicken with piri piri spices.  It was nice and spicy and tasteful. Yesterday I took a couple thighs and cooked them  with barbecue sauce.  I use soy sauce with the rice to give it a flavor.  

The pasta I haven't quite figured out yet.  They serve everything with mixed veggies.  I understand they have to give us veggies, but in baked ziti?  Somehow that doesn't seem right.  Oh well, it's not real baked ziti to begin with. But as I said, I am so, so grateful to have this food. They have been so good to us seniors.

The other day I had the urge for hot dogs and saurkraut.  I can't remember the last time I had one.  They are so high in sodium I try to avoid them, but every so oven I crave one.  So, what to do with the extra saurkraut?  I took s the chicken strips from one of the dinners, cut them up, stir fried with carrots and onions, and then added the saurkraut.  Delicious.

Sunday's dinner.  I took 3 of the chicken thigh dinners and re-cooked, this time with barbecue sauce.  Took the rice and mixed veggies and stir fried them together as a side dish.  Turned out awesome.

Along with frozen dinners, they also send these boxes on occasion.  These are basically breakfast and lunch items--waffles, yogurt, chicken sandwiches, apples, breakfast bars, etc.  I look forward to these packages.  I am so blessed. 

Hubby has started back to work, but not like it was before so money is still tight here...and food prices are rising so much.  He put one of those plastic separators in his car and is only doing vouchers for a dialysis program, meaning he takes the clients home after dialysis.  Much safer than regular cab work as  these patients are well taken care of.  He was starting to get very depressed before this so I am glad he has something to do....although I do worry all the time.  He manages to give me about $40 a week to help with the food, but even he is shocked when they ring up our items each week.  Like last week, no meats, no frozen veggies--only corn flakes, half a pound of ham, bread, some watermelon, salad,  3 avocados, yogurt, chocolate milk, a chocolate cake for him, some canned beans, dish detergent,  and a few other items.  $62.  Unbelievable. How much higher can they go?

Wanted some strawberries yesterday, but they were $5.99 a small basket.  What's up with that?  Thought it was their season, but maybe I am wrong.  So I settled on a small box of raspberries and a box of blueberries.  I munch on blueberries every night before bed as they are good for the blood pressure.