I was woken by a notification on my phone. My friend texted me to make sure I was ok. I sleepily texted back something about Mike Nesmith’s death, but then she responded, “No, Anne Rice”…

I was awake

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Mass graves in New York?

I’ve been seeing a lot of posts on my FB feed regarding “Mass graves being dug” in New York to bury unclaimed bodies that have perished of Coff-Coff.  (that virus that has ground the world to a stand still)  While this feels like an apocalyptic act of an uncaring government, Part of it is true. Let me explain.

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Quarantine and the living is… living.

We’ve been in the house so long, I legit forgot what day it is (It’s Saturday).  I’m trying to think of what to write about, with this self-isolation going on.  I had a group chat with my Stitch’n’Bitch group, (Old club friends from London, Ont) and my former work wife in Kentucky over FaceTime. I worry so much about my American friends and family.

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Food shortage?? Say it ain’t so!!,

In these trying times, trying to tamp down the spread of the coff-coff, we as a society have been asked to “practice social distancing”, and buy groceries judiciously to combat hoarding and food shortages.  Well, this is where #poorskills come into play. Anyone living paycheck to paycheck knows what it’s like to run out of food, and make do until payday.

My Mom (mom2) was amazing at baking and cooking. I’d watch her look for ingredients, sigh, then find a substitute, making dinner, or her baked goods, absolutely delicious and irresistible.  So, after being on my own and having my own family,  I’d call her quick and yell “I RAN OUT OF (said ingredient) WHAT DO I DO” and she always had the right answer.  So, I’m spotlighting recipes that might not need milk, butter or eggs.  And some substitutions of said ingredients, if self-isolation is driving you to stress-bake.

Thankfully, most of us had Grandmothers who survived the Great Depression. Food was rationed, especially by WWII, to avoid hoarding (apparently this is a pattern for humans) and people had to get creative and work together.

Here’s a recipe for “Depression Cake” which requires no eggs, butter or milk. You can satisfy your sweet tooth while preserving these food items.

There are also “two ingredient cakes” which requires cake mix and one can of pop.

These give you suggestions, the rest is only limited by your imagination.

There’s also beer bread, should you run out, and you’ve got a bomb-ass stew to sop up.

Beer bread is a three ingredients, but a rich tasting solid bread that absorbs gravy but still delicious on its own with butter.

2/12 cups self-rising flour (or cake flour)

1 bottle/can of beer. Ginger ale/Sprite  can be substituted.

1 tb sugar

Mix just until blended, pour into greased pan and bake 45-50 minutes on 375 degrees.

Hope this helps any frustrated home baker.  Everyone stay home and stay safe!

 

 

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It’s the end of the world as we know it

I’m serious. It’s the end of the world as “WE” know it. After CORVID-19 is a distant memory, this world is not going to be the same. We’ve been forever scarred by a Pandemic that illustrated the harmful Capitalist Societies and the Medieval sacrificing of the masses to save the butts of the few.

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The Death of a Princess

1997 Was a crazy year.  The NASA pathfinder landed on Mars, Madeleine Albright makes history as the first female US Secretary of State, the first book in the Harry Potter series was published, and Princess Diana was sadly killed in a car crash in France.

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Open Letter to MP Doug Ford

Dear Hon Doug Ford

I have seen news of you cutting a billion dollars from our provincial healthcare system.

This affects me, my family and my son, all of us who depend on regular doctor visits, medications, and livesaving therapies. Let me give you a history.

I am an RPN. I graduated from a school in London , Ontario. I passed my provincial exams, and worked in London Ontario until 2004, looking after everyone in my nursing home. Many of them have done important things, I cared for Doctors, Nurses, Lawyers, politicians, and everyone inbetween. I am proud of my career, which was unfortunately cut short, as I have been living with Lupus since 1997, and finally succumbed November to various organ complications due to my condition. My sister is living with a brain injury, and she needs assistance. My parents are retired. They are both diabetic with various other conditions that impact their quality of daily living. We all need the healthcare, as much as it can provide. Or, quite simply, we’ll die. Are you ready for that responsibility, Mr Ford?

Now I am dependent on the province for my basic needs. Which you are cutting out.

Tell me, Mr Ford, how is this fair, I have looked after your consituents and their familys. The moment I need caring myself, you wade in and cut everything to assist in preserving my life and providing for my son, in order to provide tax cuts to billionaires, who, if they even had to just pay 30%, they wouldn’t notice an impact, but would help our province so much. I paid taxes every year, and proud to. Those taxes take care of people, disabled, children and those who just need a leg-up. I don’t understand why rich folk are afraid of taxes. I deserve care. I deserve a decent quality of life. It’s not my fault I have my medical condition. Many of my friends in my position, all of them deserve care. In my career I cared for your consituents, my fellow countrymen and would do it again in a heartbeat. It’s your turn to help me, or I’ll remember your silence and complacence come Fall. I’ll sign every petition, I’ll show up to any demonstration and make sure we are heard.

That’s a promise

Mari Lynne Pelton-Rupp

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My professional ramblings, yo

So, yeah, THIS happened.

I published my first money-making article on examiner.com, and already working on my second.  I’m blown away that someone would consider letting me do this.  Keeping my mind sharp, stalking actors to keep them relevant, I’m actually good at that.

And now someone is betting their money on me doing that…I’m blown away. I’m still a far cry from that impressionable 20-something who thought she could knock out a thousand dollar horror novel, but this is still beyond comprehension for me.  That advice all those famous authors give you? It’s really true. If you want to write, write…..Just keep writing. Even if you think it’s shit, someone else might not.

 

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