A La Recherche Du Temps Perdu - Valentines Day Dinner

I seem to be doing a lot of writing related to dealing with life in the aged state. Could this be because I AM in the aged state? This will bear observing. 🤔

The title of this post is the title of Marcel Proust's monumental seven volume novel written at the turn of the last century. It was originally translated as 'Remembrance of Things Past' but now as 'In Search of the Past'. 

Cooking has been a bit like that as I deal with age related declines. I still love to cook (and eat!) and I bring that to our day-to-day eating. But there is this longing to do the kind of big meals, epic presentations I did in the past. Unfortunately the physical need to be on my feet, and do the tasks necessary for these put a major toll on my body. Then there is the fact that even if I cook that way, there is no way Wife and I can eat that much food.

Despite that I was in the mood to do something a bit extra. Wife is in her before travel, get all the accounting and house care planning mode, which means she is mono-focused. I mentioned I at least wanted us to do something for Valentine's Day and sent her three proposed menus. To my surprise she actually looked at them and made a choice. Here is the chosen menu.

First Course - Shrimp Cocktail

Main Course - Casserole Roasted Chicken and Baked Potato

Dessert - Peach Pudding

There was a bit of a twist with each of the courses. 

For the first course, I made a poaching broth flavored with onion, garlic, and pimenton de Campello. This last is a made up name. It is a pimenton (smoked paprika) I got during our last stay at El Campello at the local market. It is a very cool ingredient. Unlike most Spanish Pimenton, it is quite mild and subtle. Yes, it has the smokey flavor but it never overpowers. 

I put my shrimp into the poaching liquid and turned off the heat. I let it rest for 5 minutes and put the shrimp into an ice bath. Shrimp out and dried, they were stored in the fridge. I cooled the poaching liquid and save this too. All this was done a day ahead. On the day of the meal, I marinated the shrimp for an hour in the poaching liquid before draining and drying it. This resulted in the shrimp being very moist and having a subtle flavor. I served it traditionally American style on shredded lettuce with cocktail sauce of horseradish and ketchup. I love traditional cocktail sauce especially on lettuce. 

A casserole roasted chicken is recipe that comes from Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. It is a classic I have made many times but not in the last 15 years. If you have not cooked from this source, the recipes can seem deceptively simplistic in terms of flavoring. Yet the technique results in massive flavor.

In this case, one rubs down a chicken with butter, salt, pepper, and an herb (I used thyme). You truss the chicken and brown all sides in a large casserole. Chicken is put to the side and one lightly sautes onion and carrot with salt, pepper, and your chosen herb for five minutes until the vegetables get soft. The chicken is put back on the vegetables. A piece of foil is laid over top. The casserole covered and put into a medium oven for about an hour and a half (depending on the size of the bird) and cooked to the proper internal temperature. And that's it.

The result is a chicken that is totally moist and infused with flavor. I carved up the bird and put it into a serving dish and covered it with juice from cooking then brought it to the table. 

I have cooked so many things from this cookbook I don't know why I was so amazed that it tasted so good. 

The peach pudding was an experiment. After the chocolate pudding experience with 2.3 at Thanksgiving, and knowing the massive amount of peaches in our freezer, I conjectured I could adjust the technique to come up with pudding from peaches. I took enough defrosted and drained peaches to account for about a third of the liquid volume required in the chocolate pudding recipe. Then I put in the milk for the rest along with the sugar and corn starch. It cooked up fine as far as texture. However, it was a bit too subtle. I took some tweaking to get the sweetness right. I think maybe 50-50 peaches to milk would be better. It could use some peach extract (if there is such a thing). Or maybe a strong peach or berry sauce with it. It was a worthwhile experiment. 

Of course, all this led to a de-I that was beat and in pain (especially my just recovering foot), and enough food for at least two other couples. 

Wife decides a meal of such proportions deserves its own monumental monolith 

I'm still glad I made it. 

A Week Of Gratitude State Testing

Only a week ago, I was flying over the Atlantic, returning home from Ghana. A first stop in Washington D.C, very early in the morning. I had time to go to the Polaris Lounge and grab a very thorough shower and shave, a lovely indulgence when flying long distances. I ate at the club restaurant and then cranked out some quick emails before making my way to the plane for the next flight segment to Houston. 

I sat next to a delightful gentleman who did satellite communications sales and (unlike the vast majority of my travels) we had a nice conversation. After the meal service, I got my backpack out and reached for my computer to do a bit more work. Except there was no computer in said backpack. I couldn't believe it. I tend to do things when I travel by strict habit and pattern. Surely the machine was in there.

I put the backpack under the seat in front of me. I just sat for a moment. I took it out and looked again. It's not a very big backpack. There aren't a whole lot of places where it could be in it. No. There was no computer in the backpack. "I'm F@%$'D" My computer is like my total mission control central for things business and personal. There's not a day I am not on it using it for writing, researching things personal and business, reading a wide range of materials, running all my travel, all my business.

I was pretty sure I must have left in in the Polaris Lounge. Assuming someone hadn't run off with it (the Lounge was nearly deserted at that time in the morning), I would think the staff would get it. I wondered if I could call the Lounge and somehow have it put on a plane or otherwise sent to me. 

As soon as I touched down in Houston I went to the United Club. I asked the check-in person if there was a way to contact the Lounge in Washington. She was very nice. She explained that an organization like an airline as a HUGE number of items misplaced every day. There is a specific system you have to follow. You go on their website, fill out a lost item form. Then each day the organization matches up what has been found with the forms. This can take days. You are notified at 2, 5, 15 and 30 day intervals the status. If your item is found it is sent back to you. 

Of course, trying to find said form on the airline website and filling it out with my phone was not that easy. But the lovely woman from United kept coaching me through each blockage (even though she was checking in a steady stream of Club visitors). Finally I had the form submitted and got a confirmation email that it was in the system. How cool was having this lovely lady assist me? 

While all this was going on, I hurt  my right foot. It had been bugging me for a number of days before I departed. But on the flight to Houston, I struck the place that was hurting against the metal strut of the seat in front of me and felt a real sharp pain. However, with all else that was going on, I wasn't paying too much attention to it. I still got around the airport and got home. 

While flying the Houston to Albuquerque leg, I found I had free WiFi. I had already been thinking about all kinds of options I had to get computer enabled again. Fortunately, I do daily back-ups and had my back-up in my backpack. Reinstalling your stuff on a new computer is pretty simple with MACs if you are using their backup protocol. I researched new machines and refurbished ones. My existing machine was working just fine, so I figured there was no need to buy something brand new. How cool was that? Being able to line up all those purchasing options while on the plane. 

By the time Wife picked me up, I had worked through what I thought the likely scenarios were. I felt the machine being left in a near deserted club was either going to be found quickly by staff or stolen. It wasn't going to take the airline forever to find it. So either it would be on my way back to me or I would need to get a new machine relatively quickly. Adding a bit of time pressure to this all was the need for me to be doing a virtual presentation on Thursday using a PowerPoint deck. So, we would wait and see what happened over the weekend. 

Getting home I took off my shoe and it was as if I had a jack-in-the box in it. The foot that had been hurting expanded and was clearly totally swollen with something wrong with it. And now I can't get the shoe back on without great pain. In fact, walking at all is nearly impossible. I'm wondering what I broke and thinking of the alternatives since Wife and I are scheduled to leave for Asia in two and a half weeks.  

Saturday morning, the foot is not any better. Is maybe a bit worst. I am hobbling around using one of Wife's crutches from when she broke her foot. However, I do get a note from United Airlines. They've found my item. I go online and figure out how to have it sent back to me. I'm surprised that it won't be that expensive. However, they don't ship until Monday. Hopefully that means I get it on Wednesday so I have it for my presentation on Thursday. The rest of the day, I'm wondering what to do about my foot. I think I should go to foot doctor which I cannot do until Monday, assuming I can get in that fast. 

Sunday morning Wife convinces me I should go to Urgent Care. An X-ray will be needed no matter what and would be done there. I hustle myself off there. I know the long wait in store for me. Going in, I see NOBODY in the waiting room. NOBODY. Am I in an alternative universe. I check-in, immediately have my triage done, sit down and am immediately called in to have my X-rays taken then put in a room. It still takes hours before the attending physician can look at the X-rays and start determining the options. Still how cool is this? 

There is no break (Whew! No boot or cast. I'm VERY grateful for that!). He believes it is either an infection or gout with the infection being the more likely. I am set up on antibiotics. I should start to see some improvement within two days. Except I don't. So now what. I won't be able to travel if I can't walk. I communicate with my primary care physician via email even sending her pictures. She says the Urgent Care doctor had also prescribed a drug for gout, though it never got on the discharge instructions. She says we should try that and puts in the script to the pharmacy. 

We get that drug, but then the foot starts to improve. What should we do? Stay with the current course or change? We decide we will use the antibiotic until it is finished and then switch. In the meantime, I get notifications that my computer has been shipped and I can track it's progress on the FedEx website. Delivery is scheduled for Wednesday. It will require a signature so I will need to be sure to be around. 

While all this is happening, I'm using my phone for Zoom meetings, doing my email correspondence, doing research. There are things I need to do that I simply can't do or won't try to do on the phone. Like write a blog post. I'm frustrated but still feeling pretty grateful that things are coming along.

On Wednesday, I'm geared up for the computer return. It's supposed to show up between 10am and 2pm. It shows up at 5pm. Of course, I am like doing my entire day by the front door so I don't miss the delivery that needs a signature. But finally I have my baby! I promise it I will be a reformed computer owner and will never abandon it again. I get my PowerPoint set up. I have a lovely evening doing my writing. 

It is a good thing that my foot is coming along because after the presentation on Thursday I go in for my second eye cataract surgery. I'm a little worried about being in a sitting position for a long period of time (my therapy has consisted of a lot of foot raised and resting). It takes almost two hours before I'm finally called in for surgery. But my foot handles it okay. Once in, things go quickly. It is a lot less stressful the second time since you know the drill. I chose to not use a sedative (they use a local anesthetic to numb the eye so you don't feel anything) because I want a drink when it is over. Not being sedated, I am quite aware of all the conversation taking place during the procedure. How cool is that? I'm feeling pretty grateful and well taken care of. 

Getting home, the foot is good, the eye not so much. I have a lot of pain Thursday night. When we go for the post-op check up they tell us there was a slight scratch on the cornea. Not uncommon but very painful. They put a 'bandage' over it, which is basically a contact lens. That really helps.

I kind of over did things being on the foot today. I will need to be a bit more circumspect. The foot is definitely improved but not completely better, so I will go ahead and use the gout drug one I've gone through the complete antibiotic cycle. 

It has been quite a week and I can say I have felt a lot of gratitude as I've wound my way between the various ups and downs. 

How cool is that? 

Breakthrough!

I was about halfway through this week in Ghana when a number of things hit my consciousness.

First, Theodora Ghana Virtual Assistants' billings and collections for January and February were going to result in substantial surplus cash flow over our required monthly operating expenses. 

Second, assuming we can maintain this level of client billings (and all indicators are that we should), we will be able to accumulate all of the money we need for our annual office rent (we pay rent once a year in advance). This is the first time we have been able to pay our rent out of operating funds. 

Third, by mid-February, will have repaid all the salary arrears we accrued during the lean months of 2025.

Fourth, for the first time ever, we will not use any donated funds to cover operating expenses!

Fifth, instead, we have been able to get this week three major items that have been on our list of 'must haves' in order to be a truly professional operation.

• Truly reliable internet connection via a Starlink system
• Reliable power back-up through the purchase of a backup generator
•  Retention of a trauma counselor to provide this necessary resource for our people. 

Sixth, as we go into 2026, I have come to the realization that we really don't need to do any fundraising in order to be able to get TGVA up to snuff.  

 We still need to develop a reliable new business acquisition system. That takes years but we are getting started. We still are very vulnerable to the loss of clients. But for the first time since we started, I believe we can say we are truly a business capable of paying its own way.

 

MUPGT Transistions As Well

It is Saturday, January 24. I have been scheduled to fly to Ghana. All the prior week, there has been talk of the horrible winter storm that would stretch from my home of Albuquerque, all through the south and south east going up the East Coast including my stepping off point across the Atlantic, Washington, D.C. 

I spent numerous days tracking the projected weather for each of the three cities I would be transiting through, Albuquerque, Denver, and Washington. The information was consistent. I should be able to slip through before things got bad anywhere I was headed. The airline was offering to allow me to change my flight. I thought about leaving a day earlier but finally decided that I was content to go with my original plan and whatever would happen would happen. 

I woke up the morning of the 24th and no, there was no bad weather event yet in Albuquerque. Just some light rain. My Uber got to the airport in normal time and I checked through without problem. We had a slight delay taking off but I was in Denver with plenty of time for my next flight. It was very cold in Denver but nothing that was delaying flights. We arrived in DC on time. 

Then things started to go slightly sideways. Our flight to Accra, Ghana was listed as delayed due to mechanical problems. We were to take off at 6:30pm while the snow was scheduled to start at 11:00pm. By the time, we boarded and were ready to push back, it was now 7:30pm. We push back and now we wait quite awhile. The Captain comes on and says there are a couple more mechanical things showing up. They are going to need to go back to the gate and have mechanics come on board. 

This is done and another hour passes. During all this, I decide it is an excellent time to see if my practices related to gratitude were actually going to manifest in this rather stressful time. I can't say I didn't have negative thoughts like, "What if the crew times out and I get trapped in Dulles Airport during the winter storm and can't get out for days," But I didn't obsess on them. I reminded myself of all the great things I've experienced by being willing travel. 

The mechanical issue is resolved. But evidently a passenger decided to get off the plane. They need to find the person's bag which requires unloading most of the baggage containers then reloading and re-balancing them. It is another hour before this is achieved. But we do get out before any of the bad weather hits. 

As we are taking off, to my surprise the Magical Unicorn Pony God of Travel manifests before me.

"What the hell de-I! This was an opportunity for an epic battle. I throw all kinds of things and you and you just, just, I mean just paid no attention. What kind of way is that to fight?"

I tried to explain to the perpetually youthful demi-diety of travel mayhem my attempt to be in a place of gratitude in my life. 

"Well that's all fine and well mortal, but I think you are being really selfish. I really do. What if everyone started acting like you? What would be left for a demi-diety like me to do?

"Well MUPGT I haven't exactly abandoned you completely. Did you hear about your new neighbor on the lower slopes of Olympus?"

"Ya there was some noise about a new demi-diety.'

"Yes the Magical Sales Manager Goddess of Grapenuts."

"Pathetic. What are they doing to the demi-diety business anyhow allowing these parvenus in."

"Well my horned equine nemesis, that parvenu demi-diety is my daughter who I secured a promotion. AND she and her family have just committed to really upping their travel game."

I could see MUPGT brain whirling. A relative of de-I. Traveling a lot. And a fellow demi-diety. How much fun will that be.

 "Okay de-I I take it back. I appreciate your thoughtfulness. But I'm still going to throw at you an incredibly turbulent flight. I mean, I still have to do what I do."

"I would expect no less."

The flight was very turbulent. I watched the wine in my glass sloshing side to side, going over and soaking the tablecloth underneath, something I've never experienced before. But I was grateful to still be traveling, to still be able to enjoy this special thing in my life.   

Doing Nothing - A Succession Success Story

Between late last week and early this week a minor crisis took place at Theodora in Ghana. Our new trainees were not paid. 

The problem came about because of a mistake where 800 Cedis (local currency) were sent rather than 800 US Dollars. The Cedi is worth about 10 Cents at the moment. I understand that it was an error by one of the banks involved though I don't actually know this for a fact. 

The process for the Grant money that is funding this is convoluted. It is sent from the U.S. Rotary Club, to the Club in Ghana. They, in turn, send it to the organization which recruited the women, Muslim Family Counseling Service. Finally it gets to M at Theodora who distributes it to the women being trained in the program. 

I am on the WhatsApp group that includes everyone from the four entities that are engaged in this Grant. I watched the frustrated communication go back and forth for days. And here is where, I suppose, I show myself to be selfish. Because I am repeating my gratitude mantra. "How cool is this"  and feeling very happy and grateful. Because I am TOTALLY not involved with it. It is the responsibility of others. And I know they will take care of it because they are competent people who care. 

How Cool Is This. 

Theodora & Other African Social Impact Program Update - Part Four

This is the last of the four-part series on the status of the African social impact projects. In Parts One and Two, I laid out the status of two primary projects, Theodora and Rotary Club to End Human Trafficking Economic Development Initiative (Gad that's a mouthful. I wish I could find a shorter way other than an acronym to get it across). In Part Three, I set out the specific goals I have for the coming year. In Part Four, I am going to let myself stretch a bit from what is clearly doable, to what I am hoping to pull off.

As I sit here, 78 years old, I see one project (Theodora) that is getting really close to true sustainability. I see the other project (EDI) getting close to proof of concept. If we hit the short-term goals, Theodora has a real opportunity to survive and continue even if I am gone. EDI has a bit further to go. If even Theodora alone becomes self-sustaining, that would be quite the win. 

However, I think there is a possibility I can take what has been accomplished so far and use it to build something that has longer-term potential even without me. That is what's critically important. It has to work without me. 

It's too early to go into specifics, but I find I am in the hub of a number of situations that would be much more powerful working as one than working independently. The critical two are led by people who have similar personal situations as me. They don't have forever to take what they're doing and turn it into something sustainable.I need to slowly and patiently start building bridges between the entities and individuals so that the case for joining forces becomes more obvious. 

So my long-term goal is to see if I can pull off this merging of resources and create a social impact entity, based on the principles I've developed at Theodora and EDI, which has sufficient size and funding to become an on-going entity, an entity that will be able to afford professional leadership. 

Theodora & Other African Social Impact Program Update - Part Three

Continuing our update on all things Theodora and Social Impact

Short-Term Goals 

For Theodora:

Our day-to-day operations are finally solid. Our current cash flow is strong enough that even if we lost a couple of clients, we would not be thrown into cash flow negative situation. So the goals I have set for this year are: 

• Pay down all the debt that we took on to cover us during the development years and the recent cash flow negative years. To accomplish this goal, we would have to not have a client loss set back like we've had in the past. But if we can avoid that, it is doable.

• Get a working new business development/lead generation system launched so the business can free itself from dependence on me.

•  Find some kind of mentoring/coaching for M so she can develop and grow as a manager and leader, and not have to learn everything OJT and the 'hard way'.

•  Add sufficient new clients that we can hire the women who are currently in training.

• Get the Rotary Club of Accra Spintex to take Theodora on as one of its long-term projects.

For EDI:

 

 We finally have a beta test with an organization that provides a model for replication. 

•  We need to have success in getting this model up and running. Knowing as I do the obstacles you face doing these things, I know it will not be easy.

•  Find at least one other similar situation, hopefully two, with which we can test the model. A population of one is too small to provide data on how to build something scalable. 

• Secure funding from the club to handle seed funding for those in the program building businesses.

• Develop a model for paying the volunteers that are providing the critical knowledge to make the program work. 

For de-I:

 

Over the last six months, I have successfully divested myself of virtually every bit of operational detail related to both projects. This has been shown by:

•  The training grant for Theodora that was developed and is being executed with virtually no involvement by me.

• My total non-involvement in any day-to-day activities at the virtual assistant business.

• My lack of involvement in any of the detail related to the new EDI project.

What I am getting to do is deals, putting together the various players in a way to make projects come to life. And if you know my past business career, you know that his is putting me in my sweet spot, the spot where I can be engaged in an extremely valuable way, but am not doing anything that sucks energy out of me. So this year, I want to show that I can put more of these 'deals' together that drive the mission forward.