The Hot Handle

A blog interspersed with occasional gluten free recipes.

Please note: If you have a family member who requires a gluten free diet, be sure to use a cast iron skillet that has never previously touched gluten....and if it has, scrub it all down completely and re-season, to be on the safe side.

Looking for information on Celiac Disease? There are many good sites, but here is one to get started with:
www.celiacdisease.net/celiac-disease-101.



Tuesday, May 26, 2020

Covid Chronicles, week 11


The Covid thing is starting to get to me more.  I guess I have some days that are better than others......but the Memorial Day holiday, without a parade, without having everyone over for burgers on the back porch....and knowing that this could go on for quite a while, well, that's depressing.   We actually did have John over for burgers outside on Sunday evening, but he sits apart from us.....kind of like when the Amish "shun" a family member.  It's very nice except I don't really get near him.  I stretch out my arms and say, "virtual hug!"  

I try to focus on the positives:  With the good weather, we can have socially distant gatherings with family, friends and neighbors.  Just not too many at once.  I continue to "see" others via Zoom or FaceTime.  The good weather also allows us to go for more walks, and since we are trying to walk all the streets of Glastonbury, we are often driving to different streets and seeing different things.  Yesterday we took the 1935 Ford Pickup out for a ride, and that's fun as well.  

Also, yesterday we ordered takeout from Bertucci's and enjoyed that outside on our back porch.  It felt like a luxury!  Thinking back, we realized that the last time we ate restaurant food was exactly ten weeks earlier, in Miami.  We returned home late that evening.  So March 16 began "week one" for us.  We are now beginning "week 11".  


I re-wrote the lyrics to Dolly Parton's song, "9 to 5".  What do you think?


I call it, "6 to 10"  (Social Distance Song):


Tumble outta bed and I stumble to the kitchen;
Dig down deep to get some ambition
‘Cause work at home – has demons to fend.
Jump in the shower, think about your mornin’.
If you go out there, you gotta keep watchin’
“Cause folks like me – stay away from 6 to 10.


Keepin’ 6 to 10 – what a way to go on livin’;
And I wonder when – we can stop this social distance.
They say, “use your mask” – and also disinfectant.
It’s enough to drive you – crazy if you let it!

6 to 10 – to stop the spread of Covid.
When you think of it – it’s depressingly morbid.
Want to hug my kids – but the rules don’t seem to let me.
I swear sometimes that germ is – out to get me!


We can go out but we keep our distance;
We want it safe in every instance
But we’ve got dreams it’ll never take away.
We’re in the same boat with all of our friends,
Waitin’ for the day our ship’ll come in,
And the tide’s gonna turn, and it’s all gonna roll our way!


Keepin’ 6 to 10 – what a way to go on livin’;
And I wonder when – we can stop this social distance.
They say, “use your mask” – and also disinfectant.
It’s enough to drive you – crazy if you let it!

6 to 10 – to stop the spread of Covid.
There’s a better life – and you dream about it, don’t you?
It’s a changin’ game – no matter how they call it,
And you spend your life hopin’ for good news that will stall it!

6 to 10 – what a way to go on livin’;
And I wonder when – we can stop this social distance.
They say, “use your mask” – and also disinfectant.
It’s enough to drive you – crazy if you let it!

6 to 10 – to stop the spread of Covid.
There’s a better life – and you dream about it, don’t you?
It’s a changing game – no matter how they call it,
And you spend your life – hopin’ for good news that will stall it!

6 to 10, keepin’ 6 to 10….



This is one way I express myself during Covid.  Emoji



Stay safe and be healthy!


Tuesday, May 19, 2020

Covid Chronicles, Week 10

 It seems as though I'm busier than ever now that the weather is picking up.

Peter has started making what he calls a "victory garden."  He rented a post hole digger to set 11 posts.  I helped him ensure they were up straight.  I was the "person with the level."  


We finally got a chance to drive up to see Katie and Andy!  Ninety minutes to drive there, 90 minutes to visit (socially distantly) on the back porch, and 90 minutes to return home.  We were tired by then, but it was nice to see them and their dogs.  Uhtred, the puppy, jumped on us as we arrived.  That was ok until I realized that his paws were quite muddy!  Oh, well.  Good thing we have a washer and dryer at home.  

Otherwise, Uhtred has a pretty good disposition.  Poor Dogmatix has to deal with the puppy jumping on him occasionally, but apparently all is going well overall.  

Actually, Uhtred wasn't feeling well a few weeks ago, and the vet prescribed medications for inflammation.  He tested negative for Lyme disease, however, and it's most likely some "growing pains" that puppies can get.  


We are planning to make a small patio in the front of the house.  I went online to find some furniture that we could put there, and I found this from Wayfair:

Inline image
It's actually all one piece!  It's called a "Tete-a-Tete Bench".  It's cast aluminum.  Already on order, should arrive by mid-June.  

As we go walking in different neighborhoods, I have been looking for a piece like this, but to no avail.  We see lots of benches, Adirondack chairs, and an occasional tiny garden table with two chairs.  I didn't want the wiry look of those garden tables and chairs; I wanted some chairs with arms that looked comfortable but don't send us into a reclining slumber, like an Adirondack chair could.  This seems to be my best bet.  We can sit and read and enjoy some sort of beverage while sitting together.  

A lot of the time I go outside and sit on the steps if I am waiting for an expected visitor to arrive.  This will be a lot nicer for that!  (Sitting on the steps is not the greatest for comfort!)

Monday, May 4, 2020

Covid Chronicles, Week 8


Best wishes for a happy Mother's Day!

We are very happy to have had a very nice day on our 39th anniversary a few days ago.  Well, it was about as good as it can get with Covid restrictions in place.  We enjoyed a walk in the sunshine, and later in the afternoon Katie called just as John was expected for a visit!  We sat outside, ten feet away from John, with Katie on the speaker phone.  So nice to have a "family visit!"  

After the phone call ended and John left, we cooked a dinner of filet mignon (which we ordered from Omaha steaks just as the problems with meat began to brew), and a dessert of ricotta cheesecake.  Good thing we know a thing or two about cooking!

I was browsing on Facebook this weekend....and I came upon this template for a mask.  It looked to be exactly what I was looking for!   And - it was FREE.  I've never really taken to sewing, but it seems like having a number of washable masks on hand is a good idea right now.  We already had a few masks (two each), but I wanted a more fitted model (like this).  This one looked to be simple for my basic sewing skills.  It worked out pretty well,  The links are included below.  

Perhaps you....or someone you know.....would also like this.  I was happy to share it with a friend who needed the child size for her granddaughter!  

Three of my masks were made from cloth napkins with a fairly tight weave.  I made two more with old denim pants for the outside layer and an old navy t-shirt for the inner layer.  I had enough elastic to make ear-loops for three of the masks; Amazon has some that will arrive in another week.  In the meantime, I cut up an old sock and those became ear-loops on one of mine.  

Thanks to my mom and dad, who gave me a sewing machine years ago as a gift!  Digging out the machine was a chore, but once that's done the machine became more "accessible."  I made five masks!

Here is a photo of the masks made from cloth napkins:

Inline image

Here is the link to the template: