I am sick.
Quite sick actually.
I hate being sick.
The boy brought home some plague variant.
It took a week to get the filthy beast attached to me, but it is now living in my lungs.
It notched up a few days ago.
Sneezing, oddly, then coughing.
Then more of both.
Then lots of mucous.
I retaliated with lots of tea with honey and cup-o-soup, no honey.
It is doing its darnedest to shut me down, but I am stubborn.
I even managed a couple of hikes this weekend; one with the Scout Troop.
One thing I noticed, is that while out in the woodland, I feel great.
Sure, I am still coughing, but not so bad.
One thing that sucks, is when I sneeze, I cannot help but speak in some ancient, unrecorded language.
The same often when I cough.
Hence, the title.
I think it means: "THIS SUCKS! I HATE BEING SICK; WHY ME?!?!?!"
Another thing that sucks?
The sneezing and coughing is so intense, it brings on crushing headaches, verging on migraines.
The coughing has been so intense, that my ribs ache; they feel bruised.
When I feel a coughing fit coming on, I have a great fear and trepidation.
However, the reason I need to cough is that it feels like a squirrel, perhaps a badger, is trying to claw its way out through my windpipe.
Once the coughing starts and the chest and ribs ache even more, the trepidation is gone as my throat is temporarily relieved of its agony.
Sadly, it all comes back far too quickly along with the trepidation.
Some of my fits have been so intense that the wife and/or the boy come running in to the room to see if I am okay; as in: did I collapse on the floor?
The coughs started to be accompanied by inhalation wheezing yesterday and varies in intensity.
Because of this, I suspect I may have developed a bronchial infection.
Some years back, I was very prone to them and they led to pneumonia at least once a year.
This went on for a half-dozen-odd years.
Hopefully, this is not the case this time.
Well, I did break out the Cēpacol.
Hopefully, its magical healing properties take hold.
Otherwise, to paraphrase a protocol droid I am familiar with: " I'm doomed."
Now, for more tea with honey and cup-o-soup without.
Did I mention I was sick?
FVMNEGNJKLEBNJKL;QEGVB!*
*THIS SUCKS! I HATE BEING SICK; WHY ME?!?!?!
blbbl
Sunday, January 28, 2018
Tuesday, January 23, 2018
sometimes techonlogy hates me - i think my phone is plotting against me
I have posted previously about my dislike for technology at times.
Well, the tables appear to have turned.
So, several days back my phone's battery was discharging at an alarming rate.
It started about six days ago.
First, I had to charge the phone twice in one day. This is extremely rare. Usually I am doing heavy-duty searching, reading news articles, and looking at some youtube videos.
This was not the case though.
The next day I had to charge my phone three times. Usage was actually quite low though. I went in to my settings and force stopped a bunch of stuff I was not actually using. I even shut down twitter. I have come across articles and bitching about it using a lot of juice of late.
No change. And, it was getting worse. I was getting only four or five hours by day three.
Then I physically disconnected the battery. It was a little better. Sort of. The first discharge took eight hours, but then everything went back to sucking all the juice in a few hours. I did try it again, and no real change.
Then I went in to my running services and hit stop on "google services". It got a bit better, but not much. I tried it again and a little better, but not much more.
Then. Then! Two days ago, it seemed the rapid discharging just stopped.
I went through that whole day with normal battery usage. I did not even put it on the charger overnight. About ten percent battery drain overnight. Well, the first two nights of this odyssey, the battery drained until the phone died. The first night I had around forty percent battery life left and it was dead in the morning. The second night it was sixty percent and it died before dawn.
After that, I left it charging. Only on Sunday night, two days ago, did it not discharge overnight while off the charger.
Yesterday, I had a meeting in the evening and wanted my phone to check my calendar and to be able to search if necessary. So, I charged it. I went down about six percent and I left it off the charger when I went to bed. Less than four percent discharge.
I toodled around this morning and it only went down a couple of percent. I was out all day, doing my regular thing and it went down only about twenty percent. Less, I think.
When I got home, I had about seventy percent charge and I started twitter up again and did some farting around. Right now. As in now! The phone is at forty-nine percent. Not sure if it is twitter or all the crap I have been doing on it.
I am monitoring it right now, but the first time I disable twitter, the battery still drained for days. I am starting to suspect it is twitter in allegiance with these so-called google services.
I am going to step back from the keyboard for a bit and keep an eye on my phone. But before I do, some theories.
If it is not some weird confluence of twitter and google, I have other theories.
First, even though there is supposed to be a détente between me and the gnomes, they may be playing a part. I am sure I have heard gnome laughter the last few days. That, and a few little things going on that would suggest I am being tested. Now, I am not accusing them. Yet. But I do know they can get bored. Guys: if it is you? Very funny. Can I have my phone's functionality back. Please? Pleeasse?!?!?
Theory number two. I may be getting skynetted. It has already happened once before. By the way, there are at least two companies out there called cyberdyne: this one and this one. This guy even adds another layer or two to the whole thing. Well, at least they should go after him first. It gives me some breathing room. Now, who's crazy? Not me. Well....., not because of this.
Theory three. Replicants. (Hey, do not fall for that reference to them being fictional. As if? Next there will be an entry about cyborgs not being real too.) But I have said too much already. I need to put safeguards in place before I can even get in to anything about these guys. But be forewarned. They are among us and I have circumstantial, very circumstantial, proof, so there.
Distant theory four. Squirrels. I think I need not say any more on this topic. Go through my posts about the Expanding Legion of Evil (ELoE). If anything, they are in collusion with one or more of the above mentioned parties. There is a whole posse hanging out at the back of the property these days. Not just the melantic (I use a really old version of the adjective I picked up from a book titled: The Sea & The Jungle: see!; a great book.) ones, which are more common, but also a full grey, and at least one brown squirrel. And not a chipmunk to be seen; who are known to be allies of my allies at times. Hmmm?!?
That should throw the replicants off my scent for now. Yeah, that's the ticket.
Anyway, before I step back for a bit, the phone is but at forty-eight percent. Time to monitor the situation before I may accidentally tip my hand. (I need to check my resources in the woodland as a fallback position.)
A couple of hours later and now I am at twenty-nine percent. However, I did a bunch of intensive stuff on the phone. There was yet another update for twitter, so I did. We will see if it eats more battery up. I may have to shut it (twitter, not the phone) down for a while. Which is sad, as there a few "twits" I follow that I like to see when they post, not many, and they tend to be infrequent, but I love when they do add to the interweb. I also added one new poster; see if she figures it out, as I suspect she runs her profile really lean.
A couple of more hours and only down by five percent for a whopping twenty-four percent battery life left. Something is certainly funky. Much less drainage in this period.
Normally, I am really quite very good at breaking this kind of ridiculousness and turning the interweb to my advantage. Sadly, or more so, inevitably, it has become much less fun to dismantle software and technology to fix it or bend it to one's will. The interweb is so polluted now, searches that should be quick, easy, and simple, become a death march through junk and false metadata. Hell, it took me ages to figure out how to link to a youtube video at a specific time frame. Partly out of laziness, but really more from despising the overwhelming amounts of shizzle in the ethersphere. And laziness.
So, I will plod along slowly with this, most likely, simple puzzle. I am also moving towards the idea of detechnologising many facets of my life. I do like to blog, and I will find my rhythm and stay online for that. Probably need to get a new computerising device for that as my current Dell Latitude D520 with Windows XP is making motions to retire. Too bad, great notebook. If chromebooks were not so pricey..... However, I do have two portable typewriters. I think I may write for the drawer, as was said behind the iron curtain, for a bit too. I will use the interweb to get some ribbons for those suckers. Oh, and acid free paper..... I wonder if I can find linen paper, like books used to be published with.
I also like being able to communicate in writing from remote locations, but I do not need the tons of apps I currently have. Being able to call too, especially if stranded or broken down without having to walk several kliks is handy.
Tracking my hikes is handy, but I really do not need it, it is just a nice-to-have add-on. Same with GPS; I have plenty of roadmaps and am acquiring more. Just need to finish the American mid-west, Texas and the US West Coast. Plus Mexico. I also know how to read roadsigns.
I must say the phone-camera is nice to have. It saves me from getting a camera-only device. But I want one of the those pocket printers, but that is more for fun stuff, especially with the Scouts. It can be nice to be polaroidesque at times. Worst case, I always wanted to get a fully-manual film-camera. Maybe the wife remembers how to develop film?
Well, obviously, I will be cleansing my phone and seeking some additions to my low-tech arsenal of aids and conveniences.
So, how much later is it now? Oh, about two hours again and the phone is down to six, no, five percent. However, I was dinking around a lot in the settings and other stuff. Not a bad sign actually. A couple of days ago and the phone would have died in a couple of minutes after that.
So, more experimenting. And also to figure out why some apps restart themselves, when they should not be doing that. Oh, the deleting will begin. I am reminding myself as well, that a mobile phone is a tool to be used as necessary, like a pocketknife. It is not a lifestyle.
Wow. I started in on how technology is turning on me. Went on to a bunch of conspiracy theories (or maybe not). What next? Oh yeah, going on about how tech failures and the like was looked upon as a challenge once, but more a burden now. Finally, eschewing technology, at least some of it; mostly post 1999 type-stuff.
If that has not thrown the replicants off my trail, I do not know what will. Have a better one. blbbl
Well, the tables appear to have turned.
So, several days back my phone's battery was discharging at an alarming rate.
It started about six days ago.
First, I had to charge the phone twice in one day. This is extremely rare. Usually I am doing heavy-duty searching, reading news articles, and looking at some youtube videos.
This was not the case though.
The next day I had to charge my phone three times. Usage was actually quite low though. I went in to my settings and force stopped a bunch of stuff I was not actually using. I even shut down twitter. I have come across articles and bitching about it using a lot of juice of late.
No change. And, it was getting worse. I was getting only four or five hours by day three.
Then I physically disconnected the battery. It was a little better. Sort of. The first discharge took eight hours, but then everything went back to sucking all the juice in a few hours. I did try it again, and no real change.
Then I went in to my running services and hit stop on "google services". It got a bit better, but not much. I tried it again and a little better, but not much more.
Then. Then! Two days ago, it seemed the rapid discharging just stopped.
I went through that whole day with normal battery usage. I did not even put it on the charger overnight. About ten percent battery drain overnight. Well, the first two nights of this odyssey, the battery drained until the phone died. The first night I had around forty percent battery life left and it was dead in the morning. The second night it was sixty percent and it died before dawn.
After that, I left it charging. Only on Sunday night, two days ago, did it not discharge overnight while off the charger.
Yesterday, I had a meeting in the evening and wanted my phone to check my calendar and to be able to search if necessary. So, I charged it. I went down about six percent and I left it off the charger when I went to bed. Less than four percent discharge.
I toodled around this morning and it only went down a couple of percent. I was out all day, doing my regular thing and it went down only about twenty percent. Less, I think.
When I got home, I had about seventy percent charge and I started twitter up again and did some farting around. Right now. As in now! The phone is at forty-nine percent. Not sure if it is twitter or all the crap I have been doing on it.
I am monitoring it right now, but the first time I disable twitter, the battery still drained for days. I am starting to suspect it is twitter in allegiance with these so-called google services.
I am going to step back from the keyboard for a bit and keep an eye on my phone. But before I do, some theories.
If it is not some weird confluence of twitter and google, I have other theories.
First, even though there is supposed to be a détente between me and the gnomes, they may be playing a part. I am sure I have heard gnome laughter the last few days. That, and a few little things going on that would suggest I am being tested. Now, I am not accusing them. Yet. But I do know they can get bored. Guys: if it is you? Very funny. Can I have my phone's functionality back. Please? Pleeasse?!?!?
Theory number two. I may be getting skynetted. It has already happened once before. By the way, there are at least two companies out there called cyberdyne: this one and this one. This guy even adds another layer or two to the whole thing. Well, at least they should go after him first. It gives me some breathing room. Now, who's crazy? Not me. Well....., not because of this.
Theory three. Replicants. (Hey, do not fall for that reference to them being fictional. As if? Next there will be an entry about cyborgs not being real too.) But I have said too much already. I need to put safeguards in place before I can even get in to anything about these guys. But be forewarned. They are among us and I have circumstantial, very circumstantial, proof, so there.
Distant theory four. Squirrels. I think I need not say any more on this topic. Go through my posts about the Expanding Legion of Evil (ELoE). If anything, they are in collusion with one or more of the above mentioned parties. There is a whole posse hanging out at the back of the property these days. Not just the melantic (I use a really old version of the adjective I picked up from a book titled: The Sea & The Jungle: see!; a great book.) ones, which are more common, but also a full grey, and at least one brown squirrel. And not a chipmunk to be seen; who are known to be allies of my allies at times. Hmmm?!?
That should throw the replicants off my scent for now. Yeah, that's the ticket.
Anyway, before I step back for a bit, the phone is but at forty-eight percent. Time to monitor the situation before I may accidentally tip my hand. (I need to check my resources in the woodland as a fallback position.)
A couple of hours later and now I am at twenty-nine percent. However, I did a bunch of intensive stuff on the phone. There was yet another update for twitter, so I did. We will see if it eats more battery up. I may have to shut it (twitter, not the phone) down for a while. Which is sad, as there a few "twits" I follow that I like to see when they post, not many, and they tend to be infrequent, but I love when they do add to the interweb. I also added one new poster; see if she figures it out, as I suspect she runs her profile really lean.
A couple of more hours and only down by five percent for a whopping twenty-four percent battery life left. Something is certainly funky. Much less drainage in this period.
Normally, I am really quite very good at breaking this kind of ridiculousness and turning the interweb to my advantage. Sadly, or more so, inevitably, it has become much less fun to dismantle software and technology to fix it or bend it to one's will. The interweb is so polluted now, searches that should be quick, easy, and simple, become a death march through junk and false metadata. Hell, it took me ages to figure out how to link to a youtube video at a specific time frame. Partly out of laziness, but really more from despising the overwhelming amounts of shizzle in the ethersphere. And laziness.
So, I will plod along slowly with this, most likely, simple puzzle. I am also moving towards the idea of detechnologising many facets of my life. I do like to blog, and I will find my rhythm and stay online for that. Probably need to get a new computerising device for that as my current Dell Latitude D520 with Windows XP is making motions to retire. Too bad, great notebook. If chromebooks were not so pricey..... However, I do have two portable typewriters. I think I may write for the drawer, as was said behind the iron curtain, for a bit too. I will use the interweb to get some ribbons for those suckers. Oh, and acid free paper..... I wonder if I can find linen paper, like books used to be published with.
I also like being able to communicate in writing from remote locations, but I do not need the tons of apps I currently have. Being able to call too, especially if stranded or broken down without having to walk several kliks is handy.
Tracking my hikes is handy, but I really do not need it, it is just a nice-to-have add-on. Same with GPS; I have plenty of roadmaps and am acquiring more. Just need to finish the American mid-west, Texas and the US West Coast. Plus Mexico. I also know how to read roadsigns.
I must say the phone-camera is nice to have. It saves me from getting a camera-only device. But I want one of the those pocket printers, but that is more for fun stuff, especially with the Scouts. It can be nice to be polaroidesque at times. Worst case, I always wanted to get a fully-manual film-camera. Maybe the wife remembers how to develop film?
Well, obviously, I will be cleansing my phone and seeking some additions to my low-tech arsenal of aids and conveniences.
So, how much later is it now? Oh, about two hours again and the phone is down to six, no, five percent. However, I was dinking around a lot in the settings and other stuff. Not a bad sign actually. A couple of days ago and the phone would have died in a couple of minutes after that.
So, more experimenting. And also to figure out why some apps restart themselves, when they should not be doing that. Oh, the deleting will begin. I am reminding myself as well, that a mobile phone is a tool to be used as necessary, like a pocketknife. It is not a lifestyle.
Wow. I started in on how technology is turning on me. Went on to a bunch of conspiracy theories (or maybe not). What next? Oh yeah, going on about how tech failures and the like was looked upon as a challenge once, but more a burden now. Finally, eschewing technology, at least some of it; mostly post 1999 type-stuff.
If that has not thrown the replicants off my trail, I do not know what will. Have a better one. blbbl
Monday, January 15, 2018
cooking - united nations goulash
So, wow, a whole week since I posted. Wanted to post on the weekend, but I was stupid-busy. And yesterday. And today.
Anyway, on Saturday, after clearing an obscene amount of snow in the morning from the laneway after a major dump of the white stuff, which followed a major melt wherein almost all the previously dumped snow melted, including most of my anti-zombie snow berms, and raised our water-table to a ridiculously high level, we dropped the boy at Ray's Reptiles for his volunteering and went shopping for groceries and various other essentials that have run down since before the Christmas holidays.
We got some awesome bargains. Many deals to be had, especially for meats. The freezers are all now stuffed again and we will be good probably past the vernal equinox. When we got home, the wife and the boy unloaded our bargains while I finished a strip of snow that had not yet been done. When all that clobber was done, no one was in the mood to cook.
Well, still no oven, supposed to be getting a used one today that is built like a tank. Just waiting for the delivery guys to show up, so, out came the slow cooker.
We got a package of fresh Italian sausage at one grocery store for super-cheap. Eighteen sausages for six-and-one-third dollars. Woo-hoo!
So, a little leftover gravy in the crock and put it on high. Then I cut the sausages in to thirds with a pair of scissors from the kitchen drawer and threw them in the bottom with the gravy. Super-super easy, better than trying to cut them with a knife. Then, a half-dozen potatoes cut in to quarters and threw them on top of the sausages. Seasoned with dry spices: garlic, onion, paprika, chili (real chili), white pepper, some fresh-ground Sichuan pepper, fresh-ground so-called pink peppercorns. Oh yeah, and a few dashes of Worcester sauce. Then, I cut up most of a cauliflower and threw that on top of the potatoes. Then I just let it simmer while we all chilled and mucked about the house.
From time to time, I would give it a stir and mix everything up and around.
The wife took a look at it and said it looked kind of like goulash. Really, in the end, it was a simple goulash. So, with various nations represented: Italy (sausage), South American Andes (potatoes), Cyprus (cauliflower), China (Sichuan pepper), Brazil (pink peppercorn), Hungary (paprika), Asia (onion), Iran (garlic), India (pepper), UK (Worcester sauce), South America again (chili peppers). It is my UN Resolution 13012018 Goulash.
Now, the only hitch? I do not know if all crock pots take a while to really get a move-on or not, but both of mine take two to two-and-a-half hours to really get percolating. No worries though, very UN-like in the end then. (Ha! I kill me!!). We just had a really late supper in the end which worked out really well this past Saturday.
Well, the oven just came. Great guys who brought it by. It is built like a tank. The only thing that sucks? The interior is a touch narrower than our crap stove and the trays do not fit inside. No worries, those will be used for campfire cooking or cooling racks for baked goods. I just need to keep an eye out while driving around for stoves being dumped and grab the trays out until I can get enough trays to fill every slot. Three more needed, for total of five slots to be filled, as I want to try to make jerky and try dehydrating various product from the woodland.
Still going to continue experimenting with the crock pots though. But. But. Tonight, I think, it will be chicken wings. Yummy-yum-yum. blbbl
Anyway, on Saturday, after clearing an obscene amount of snow in the morning from the laneway after a major dump of the white stuff, which followed a major melt wherein almost all the previously dumped snow melted, including most of my anti-zombie snow berms, and raised our water-table to a ridiculously high level, we dropped the boy at Ray's Reptiles for his volunteering and went shopping for groceries and various other essentials that have run down since before the Christmas holidays.
We got some awesome bargains. Many deals to be had, especially for meats. The freezers are all now stuffed again and we will be good probably past the vernal equinox. When we got home, the wife and the boy unloaded our bargains while I finished a strip of snow that had not yet been done. When all that clobber was done, no one was in the mood to cook.
Well, still no oven, supposed to be getting a used one today that is built like a tank. Just waiting for the delivery guys to show up, so, out came the slow cooker.
We got a package of fresh Italian sausage at one grocery store for super-cheap. Eighteen sausages for six-and-one-third dollars. Woo-hoo!
So, a little leftover gravy in the crock and put it on high. Then I cut the sausages in to thirds with a pair of scissors from the kitchen drawer and threw them in the bottom with the gravy. Super-super easy, better than trying to cut them with a knife. Then, a half-dozen potatoes cut in to quarters and threw them on top of the sausages. Seasoned with dry spices: garlic, onion, paprika, chili (real chili), white pepper, some fresh-ground Sichuan pepper, fresh-ground so-called pink peppercorns. Oh yeah, and a few dashes of Worcester sauce. Then, I cut up most of a cauliflower and threw that on top of the potatoes. Then I just let it simmer while we all chilled and mucked about the house.
From time to time, I would give it a stir and mix everything up and around.
The wife took a look at it and said it looked kind of like goulash. Really, in the end, it was a simple goulash. So, with various nations represented: Italy (sausage), South American Andes (potatoes), Cyprus (cauliflower), China (Sichuan pepper), Brazil (pink peppercorn), Hungary (paprika), Asia (onion), Iran (garlic), India (pepper), UK (Worcester sauce), South America again (chili peppers). It is my UN Resolution 13012018 Goulash.
Now, the only hitch? I do not know if all crock pots take a while to really get a move-on or not, but both of mine take two to two-and-a-half hours to really get percolating. No worries though, very UN-like in the end then. (Ha! I kill me!!). We just had a really late supper in the end which worked out really well this past Saturday.
Well, the oven just came. Great guys who brought it by. It is built like a tank. The only thing that sucks? The interior is a touch narrower than our crap stove and the trays do not fit inside. No worries, those will be used for campfire cooking or cooling racks for baked goods. I just need to keep an eye out while driving around for stoves being dumped and grab the trays out until I can get enough trays to fill every slot. Three more needed, for total of five slots to be filled, as I want to try to make jerky and try dehydrating various product from the woodland.
Still going to continue experimenting with the crock pots though. But. But. Tonight, I think, it will be chicken wings. Yummy-yum-yum. blbbl
Monday, January 08, 2018
post 367 - here's the skinny
So, like I have been saying, today is the day that everything changes.
This post is my last "in-a-row" post. I have now posted every day for a year. A leap year. Plus an extra day. Three-hundred-and-sixty-seven days. Some of you will have noticed that some of my posts lately were, at times, a stretch and a struggle.
Instead of forcing myself, any longer, to post mediocre material, I will take more time to develop my posts and consider what the rooster is putting forth. It does not mean that there will not be any posts on consecutive days, but it will be less likely.
It also does not mean there will not be mediocre posts. One person's awesome can be another's mediocrity.
If something jumps in my head and I think it is worth sharing and it does not need much percolation, I will write it and post it. Otherwise, if I truly feel I need to develop it, I will take time to work on it. There are subjects I would like to get back to, which I planned and promised. I have follow-ups on handkerchiefs and lip balms after some field testing. These will be coming up soon enough, but only when they are ready.
Expect one or two posts a week, but it could be fewer, or it could be more. I will still probably do the odd travelogue, but perhaps in a different format. The boy and I, amongst others, will be going to the Great Lakes Jamboree this summer, so expect at least a few from there.
There is some good stuff in here, if I do say so myself. Feel free to peruse and check out the older posts if you have not read them. Reread them, I do. Hey, feel free to submit some comments. That would be nice. At least I would know I am not posting in a vacuum.
I will be doing some retooling of the blog as well. Not a lot probably, but bits here and there. You may have noticed that I have already started. I am hoping to add labels as well and finally finish cloning this blogger site on my wordpress site.
A bit of an update on things around here:
Lots of snow overnight and today and the snowblower still will not start. I have tried everything except for beating it with a stick. I think there is moisture in places where it should not be, so a-shovelling I have been. The bright side? I now have a second line of anti-zombie fortifications. If they come this winter, I will be ready, because like it or not, the undead conflagration is coming people, or, as many call it: the zombie apocalypse. Just not from where you may expect it.
I got my Tibetan Prayer Flags up today! Hooray!! According to my calculations, it was not an inauspicious day. It was a Monday. It was morning. It was windy. And, even though it was snowing, it was sunny. So, that should be all good. I really enjoyed putting them up and really like looking at them and watching them in the breeze. The birds do not seem to mind them either. The squirrels are indifferent to them. As soon as I have some time to go back to the shop and cash to spare, I think I am going to get some more prayer flags.
I am going to leave you with some pictures of the prayer flags out back of the house. And yes, those round ball-like objects you see are Christmas tree ornaments that I no longer wanted to use on our tree, but could not just discard (they are the "unbreakable" type); I think they add to the whole atmosphere. Enjoy! blbbl
This post is my last "in-a-row" post. I have now posted every day for a year. A leap year. Plus an extra day. Three-hundred-and-sixty-seven days. Some of you will have noticed that some of my posts lately were, at times, a stretch and a struggle.
Instead of forcing myself, any longer, to post mediocre material, I will take more time to develop my posts and consider what the rooster is putting forth. It does not mean that there will not be any posts on consecutive days, but it will be less likely.
It also does not mean there will not be mediocre posts. One person's awesome can be another's mediocrity.
If something jumps in my head and I think it is worth sharing and it does not need much percolation, I will write it and post it. Otherwise, if I truly feel I need to develop it, I will take time to work on it. There are subjects I would like to get back to, which I planned and promised. I have follow-ups on handkerchiefs and lip balms after some field testing. These will be coming up soon enough, but only when they are ready.
Expect one or two posts a week, but it could be fewer, or it could be more. I will still probably do the odd travelogue, but perhaps in a different format. The boy and I, amongst others, will be going to the Great Lakes Jamboree this summer, so expect at least a few from there.
There is some good stuff in here, if I do say so myself. Feel free to peruse and check out the older posts if you have not read them. Reread them, I do. Hey, feel free to submit some comments. That would be nice. At least I would know I am not posting in a vacuum.
I will be doing some retooling of the blog as well. Not a lot probably, but bits here and there. You may have noticed that I have already started. I am hoping to add labels as well and finally finish cloning this blogger site on my wordpress site.
A bit of an update on things around here:
Lots of snow overnight and today and the snowblower still will not start. I have tried everything except for beating it with a stick. I think there is moisture in places where it should not be, so a-shovelling I have been. The bright side? I now have a second line of anti-zombie fortifications. If they come this winter, I will be ready, because like it or not, the undead conflagration is coming people, or, as many call it: the zombie apocalypse. Just not from where you may expect it.
I got my Tibetan Prayer Flags up today! Hooray!! According to my calculations, it was not an inauspicious day. It was a Monday. It was morning. It was windy. And, even though it was snowing, it was sunny. So, that should be all good. I really enjoyed putting them up and really like looking at them and watching them in the breeze. The birds do not seem to mind them either. The squirrels are indifferent to them. As soon as I have some time to go back to the shop and cash to spare, I think I am going to get some more prayer flags.
I am going to leave you with some pictures of the prayer flags out back of the house. And yes, those round ball-like objects you see are Christmas tree ornaments that I no longer wanted to use on our tree, but could not just discard (they are the "unbreakable" type); I think they add to the whole atmosphere. Enjoy! blbbl
Sunday, January 07, 2018
movie review (sort of) - the last jedi - no spoilers
So, maybe the wife and I are the last people in the free world to see Star Wars: The Last Jedi. But, we went to see it at a matinee with the boy today.
I quite enjoyed it. The wife thought it was "okay". The boy, who saw it for a second time today, also thought it was "okay".
First some background. I have only seen a handful of the Star Wars films at the theatre: The Force Awakens (Episode VII), Rogue One, and, now, The Last Jedi (Episode VIII). The rest, on VHS and/or DVD.
Of all the films, I of course liked all of them, but especially: A New Hope (Episode IV), The Empire Strikes Back (Episode V), Attack of the Clones (Episode II), The Force Awakens (Episode VII), Rogue One, and The Last Jedi (Episode VIII).
Basically, my favourites are the second films in each of the three trilogies, including Last Jedi. My absolute favourite is still "Empire". Sadly, much of that movie was spoiled (spoilt?) for me by spoiler ignorants. Nevertheless, I still immensely enjoyed it, and continue to still enjoy it; I think it is the best of every single Star Wars film, series, special (I did see the Star Wars Holiday Special) , what have you. Plus, Rogue One, probably because it is so anti-heroic (or more appropriately: non-heroic) in many ways, in a film and television kind of way. However, I will not state anything specific in order to prevent ruining it for anyone who may not yet have seen it. I am sure there are some out there.
Now, I am a huge Star Wars fan, as well as Star Trek for that matter. However, I am not a (total) fanatic. I can discuss it for hours, but I do not really get bent out of shape over too much and "Monday morning quarterback" it to death in how it could have been done differently or better. Sure, such things do get discussed, but not in a life shattering method.
Now, to The Last Jedi. As much as I liked the film, I found the write up during the opening crawl a bit cheesy, but not a big deal. Maybe they all are? Not sure now?? The opening scene is quite exciting and has some pretty funny bits; I laughed out loud. Actually, I laughed out loud quite a few times. There were several exciting scenes, but again, I do not want to spoil anything.
There were a few surprises and unexpected bits and a few little teases here and there, if you could notice them. As to the surprises and unexpected bits and turns, before Disney bought up this franchise, I read a lot about the "future evolution" of the Star Wars universe that were considered canon. Some of it was quite fascinating and I would have loved for it to have evolved that way, but, hey, what can you do?
Saying that though, there are plenty of "nods" to the evolution of the originally conceived (or is it perceived?) canon. Saying that though, in the past, George Lucas himself altered the canon periodically. So, again, what can you do?
Anyway, I thought the film was very well done, for the most part. There was one scene, not to harp about it, that could have been done a bit differently. It, like the opening crawl was cheesy. But I am not going to spoil anything. You will probably know what scene I mean anyway.
The film also carries on with the circular nature of the the trilogies in how history (even fictional history) has a tendency to be repetitive.
Say what you will about the direction that Disney is taking the Star Wars universe, it is still pretty darned good and not many out there can say definitively which direction or path it would have followed if Mr. Lucas was still at the helm or passed the mantle to some other entity or person.
If you do not like how the story is progressing, move out of you parents' basement and make your own sci-fi epic.
I liked and enjoyed it. It is a fictional story. Enjoy the story. This latest instalment is entertaining and well done for the most part. If I can get past the bits of cheese, anyone should be able to get past any niggly bits they perceive too.
I cannot wait to get it on DVD to watch again and try to see bits and pieces I missed the first time.
I also cannot wait for the next Star Wars instalment.
"May the force be with you!" (Sorry, had to do it.) blbbl
[N.B. Everything changes in one day.]
I quite enjoyed it. The wife thought it was "okay". The boy, who saw it for a second time today, also thought it was "okay".
First some background. I have only seen a handful of the Star Wars films at the theatre: The Force Awakens (Episode VII), Rogue One, and, now, The Last Jedi (Episode VIII). The rest, on VHS and/or DVD.
Of all the films, I of course liked all of them, but especially: A New Hope (Episode IV), The Empire Strikes Back (Episode V), Attack of the Clones (Episode II), The Force Awakens (Episode VII), Rogue One, and The Last Jedi (Episode VIII).
Basically, my favourites are the second films in each of the three trilogies, including Last Jedi. My absolute favourite is still "Empire". Sadly, much of that movie was spoiled (spoilt?) for me by spoiler ignorants. Nevertheless, I still immensely enjoyed it, and continue to still enjoy it; I think it is the best of every single Star Wars film, series, special (I did see the Star Wars Holiday Special) , what have you. Plus, Rogue One, probably because it is so anti-heroic (or more appropriately: non-heroic) in many ways, in a film and television kind of way. However, I will not state anything specific in order to prevent ruining it for anyone who may not yet have seen it. I am sure there are some out there.
Now, I am a huge Star Wars fan, as well as Star Trek for that matter. However, I am not a (total) fanatic. I can discuss it for hours, but I do not really get bent out of shape over too much and "Monday morning quarterback" it to death in how it could have been done differently or better. Sure, such things do get discussed, but not in a life shattering method.
Now, to The Last Jedi. As much as I liked the film, I found the write up during the opening crawl a bit cheesy, but not a big deal. Maybe they all are? Not sure now?? The opening scene is quite exciting and has some pretty funny bits; I laughed out loud. Actually, I laughed out loud quite a few times. There were several exciting scenes, but again, I do not want to spoil anything.
There were a few surprises and unexpected bits and a few little teases here and there, if you could notice them. As to the surprises and unexpected bits and turns, before Disney bought up this franchise, I read a lot about the "future evolution" of the Star Wars universe that were considered canon. Some of it was quite fascinating and I would have loved for it to have evolved that way, but, hey, what can you do?
Saying that though, there are plenty of "nods" to the evolution of the originally conceived (or is it perceived?) canon. Saying that though, in the past, George Lucas himself altered the canon periodically. So, again, what can you do?
Anyway, I thought the film was very well done, for the most part. There was one scene, not to harp about it, that could have been done a bit differently. It, like the opening crawl was cheesy. But I am not going to spoil anything. You will probably know what scene I mean anyway.
The film also carries on with the circular nature of the the trilogies in how history (even fictional history) has a tendency to be repetitive.
Say what you will about the direction that Disney is taking the Star Wars universe, it is still pretty darned good and not many out there can say definitively which direction or path it would have followed if Mr. Lucas was still at the helm or passed the mantle to some other entity or person.
If you do not like how the story is progressing, move out of you parents' basement and make your own sci-fi epic.
I liked and enjoyed it. It is a fictional story. Enjoy the story. This latest instalment is entertaining and well done for the most part. If I can get past the bits of cheese, anyone should be able to get past any niggly bits they perceive too.
I cannot wait to get it on DVD to watch again and try to see bits and pieces I missed the first time.
I also cannot wait for the next Star Wars instalment.
"May the force be with you!" (Sorry, had to do it.) blbbl
[N.B. Everything changes in one day.]
Saturday, January 06, 2018
cooking - quick and dirty pork
Well, not dirty, that would be quite disgusting.
And not so quick as I am cooking it in a crock pot.
Actually, two crock pots.
So, why two crock pots?
Well, we bought a giant pork loin roast last Saturday and kind of forgot about it. Originally, we were going to cut it in half and freeze one part and cook the other this week, but like I said, we kind of forgot about it.
Originally, we were going to do a dinner out and a film tonight, but changed our minds. So, we were jabbering about what to do for dinner now. The wife asked if we had any chops. I went down to the freezer to search and then it was an oh-oh moment. I remembered about the pork roast.
The roast was "fresh" when we bought it, meaning that it was just shipped in from the meat packers, and it was vac-packed as well. This was fortunate.
I brought it upstairs and put it in the sink and cut the packaging open thinking it was going to stink to high-heaven and end up in the bin. But no. It was in fine shape. Yet huge. It was a lot of pig.
So, I cut it in half and then cut one half in to fist-sized chunks and put it in the slow cooker that the mother-in-law ditched on us. The other one, I left in one big roast sized chunk and one small roast sized chunk.
The fisty one got the remains of my home-made rhubarb relish as a marinade that has been kicking around the fridge for a while. I also lathered the chunks with dried granulated garlic and onion and white pepper and paprika. Then I topped it some freshish parsley left from Christmas.
The roasty one got some hot pepper jelly, that again, has been kicking around the fridge. Thankfully, we got gifted some hot jelly in the Hammer by a friend. The roasty chunks also got the same dry seasoning treatment. But this time I added leftover dill. That is correct, dill. It should offset the heat with a unique layer.
Now, for those slabs of pig, I just need to wait a few hours and voilà: main course for supper.
The wife asked for mashed potatoes. So, mashed it is, with a few put aside for the boy as he does not yet find the pleasure in the mashedness of 'taters. However, I am in a funny mood, so I will also be making gnocchi and maybe pasta.
Veggies? Checking the fridges right now. Be back in a sec.....
Grilled zucchini (needs to be used up), fried mushrooms (needs to be used up), broccoli (because I really like it), and Guest Room 184 salad (avocados need to be used up).I have some habaneros that need using as well, so they will get in there somewhere.
So, a "gotta be eaten" type of supper, but I guarantee you, it will be sup(p)er delicious. Ha! blbbl
[N.B. Everything changes in two days.]
And not so quick as I am cooking it in a crock pot.
Actually, two crock pots.
So, why two crock pots?
Well, we bought a giant pork loin roast last Saturday and kind of forgot about it. Originally, we were going to cut it in half and freeze one part and cook the other this week, but like I said, we kind of forgot about it.
Originally, we were going to do a dinner out and a film tonight, but changed our minds. So, we were jabbering about what to do for dinner now. The wife asked if we had any chops. I went down to the freezer to search and then it was an oh-oh moment. I remembered about the pork roast.
The roast was "fresh" when we bought it, meaning that it was just shipped in from the meat packers, and it was vac-packed as well. This was fortunate.
I brought it upstairs and put it in the sink and cut the packaging open thinking it was going to stink to high-heaven and end up in the bin. But no. It was in fine shape. Yet huge. It was a lot of pig.
So, I cut it in half and then cut one half in to fist-sized chunks and put it in the slow cooker that the mother-in-law ditched on us. The other one, I left in one big roast sized chunk and one small roast sized chunk.
The fisty one got the remains of my home-made rhubarb relish as a marinade that has been kicking around the fridge for a while. I also lathered the chunks with dried granulated garlic and onion and white pepper and paprika. Then I topped it some freshish parsley left from Christmas.
The roasty one got some hot pepper jelly, that again, has been kicking around the fridge. Thankfully, we got gifted some hot jelly in the Hammer by a friend. The roasty chunks also got the same dry seasoning treatment. But this time I added leftover dill. That is correct, dill. It should offset the heat with a unique layer.
Now, for those slabs of pig, I just need to wait a few hours and voilà: main course for supper.
The wife asked for mashed potatoes. So, mashed it is, with a few put aside for the boy as he does not yet find the pleasure in the mashedness of 'taters. However, I am in a funny mood, so I will also be making gnocchi and maybe pasta.
Veggies? Checking the fridges right now. Be back in a sec.....
Grilled zucchini (needs to be used up), fried mushrooms (needs to be used up), broccoli (because I really like it), and Guest Room 184 salad (avocados need to be used up).I have some habaneros that need using as well, so they will get in there somewhere.
So, a "gotta be eaten" type of supper, but I guarantee you, it will be sup(p)er delicious. Ha! blbbl
[N.B. Everything changes in two days.]
Friday, January 05, 2018
trash
Yeah, so, I am going to write about garbage. And recycling.
It has been six weeks since we put out our trash.
Originally, six weeks ago, I misread the trash/recycling calendar and put out the paper recycling. For some reason they took it.
Then, we went down to the Hammer for Christmas and did not want to burden our neighbour, who was keeping an eye on our place, with having to deal with the trash and recycling containers. That, and seeing the mayhem of our garage where we keep receptacles for such items.
Hey, in the cold of winter, the trash can sit, right? Definitely not during a heat wave in the summer. Maggots are just plain gross.
Also, with the holidays, they do this thing with pushing back the trash and recycling pickup by a day.
So, really, it is now six weeks and a day. Forty-three days. That is a long period for not putting out the trash.
Let me tell you, it is not a record for us.
Where we live is under the mighty and powerful jurisdiction of the capital city of this nation of Canada: Ottawa. As an aside, I do not consider myself an Ottawan. A bit of a stupid moniker too.
So, Ottawa currently has a biweekly cycle for trash and recycling. Every two weeks they pick up trash and so-called blue bin items. Blue bin items are, basically: glass, metal, plastic. Plus they pick up green bin items, which are, basically again, biodegradable food waste and yard waste. On the other weeks, they pick up paper (black bin) and green bin items.
They used to pick up trash and all recyclables weekly, but decided it was economically wasteful. I do not wholly disagree. However, when trash was picked up weekly, we never put our trash out until the trash can was full. We could go for weeks and weeks before that happened.
However, the great and powerful city of Ottawa used to recycle a lot more plastics. That is, until a bonehead mayor decided that less plastic should be recycled and more should be classed as trash. Bonehead? No, assclown! Full disclosure, I never voted for him. Ever.
Anyway, we could go for over two months before putting out the trash, depending on the weather. Do not forget the maggots. We recycled everything that we could. We were very diligent. I grew up that way, so did the wife, and it is how we raised the boy. Then, bam, the wise and omniscient city of Ottawa, and its mayor, decided a "better" path for all.
So, after that, our trash started filling up with non-recyclable plastics. Mostly food packaging. It is somewhat hard to get away from this too. Everything is over-wrapped and over-packaged.
Then it was another mayor who decided on the biweekly trash deal. Again, not in total disagreement.
The thing is, the recycling of plastics should have been expanded, but it was not. The corruption allegation dodging city of Ottawa has, as far as I am concerned, a pretty crappy recycling program. I will not get in to it right now. It would take weeks of locating documents to spell out the shortsightedness of Ottawa, the capital city of Canada, in how they operate with regards to trash and recycling. Then, of course, I would diverge in to innumerable tangents of their other foolish actions, policies, and behaviours. And, oh, did I mention corruption dodging allegations?
Anyway, where was I?
Oh yeah.
So, after six weeks and a day, we still managed to put all our trash in to one garbage can (we only have one garbage can). Now, we have four regular recycling bins and a a super-sized one full of metal, glass, and the plastics that are allowed. We were in a cycle of emptying various large containers so we kind of bloomed. Plus, we no longer save all our metal recycling for a local cat rescue that would take it to raise money. We would crush all our cans and when two bins were full, I would drop them off. We have gotten kind of lazy on the can crushing. I think we will restart the crushing. So much space is saved.
I am digressing again. Six weeks, one garbage can. Here is my question. I knew I would get to it sooner or later.
Why do I see people putting out several cans and bags of garbage every garbage day. It does not matter what neighbourhood or city I am in. Many people people toss a lot. Many people do not recycle at all. But still. That is a whole hell of a lot of garbage. I know people who who toss out as much as nine bags/cans of trash weekly (in other cities of course). I know people in the Ottawa area who toss out as much as six trash containers every two weeks! The maximum allowed in Ottawa.
What the filth?
Even when the boy was in diapers, we managed to keep it to no more than a bag a week.
Sure, we go over the one trash can sometimes. It is usually when we are purging the various flotsam and jetsam I have collected. Still though, a lot of it is recycled, except for the evil and excluded specific plastics despised by the unfathomable city of Ottawa.
Why do people generate so much waste? Why are materials used that cannot be recycled or repurposed? Why do so few people seem to care?
What was my point? You know what? I no longer know. My train of thought has derailed and broken in to many tiny pieces.
Anyway, everybody (including me and the rooster) needs to start thinking about their waste and recycling and not dismissing it as if there is nothing can be done. We, I, need to make better choices of what we are purchasing and the like. Over packaged? Packaging cannot be recycled? Look at another comparable product from a company that gives a damn about waste. blbbl
[N.B. Everything changes in three days.]
It has been six weeks since we put out our trash.
Originally, six weeks ago, I misread the trash/recycling calendar and put out the paper recycling. For some reason they took it.
Then, we went down to the Hammer for Christmas and did not want to burden our neighbour, who was keeping an eye on our place, with having to deal with the trash and recycling containers. That, and seeing the mayhem of our garage where we keep receptacles for such items.
Hey, in the cold of winter, the trash can sit, right? Definitely not during a heat wave in the summer. Maggots are just plain gross.
Also, with the holidays, they do this thing with pushing back the trash and recycling pickup by a day.
So, really, it is now six weeks and a day. Forty-three days. That is a long period for not putting out the trash.
Let me tell you, it is not a record for us.
Where we live is under the mighty and powerful jurisdiction of the capital city of this nation of Canada: Ottawa. As an aside, I do not consider myself an Ottawan. A bit of a stupid moniker too.
So, Ottawa currently has a biweekly cycle for trash and recycling. Every two weeks they pick up trash and so-called blue bin items. Blue bin items are, basically: glass, metal, plastic. Plus they pick up green bin items, which are, basically again, biodegradable food waste and yard waste. On the other weeks, they pick up paper (black bin) and green bin items.
They used to pick up trash and all recyclables weekly, but decided it was economically wasteful. I do not wholly disagree. However, when trash was picked up weekly, we never put our trash out until the trash can was full. We could go for weeks and weeks before that happened.
However, the great and powerful city of Ottawa used to recycle a lot more plastics. That is, until a bonehead mayor decided that less plastic should be recycled and more should be classed as trash. Bonehead? No, assclown! Full disclosure, I never voted for him. Ever.
Anyway, we could go for over two months before putting out the trash, depending on the weather. Do not forget the maggots. We recycled everything that we could. We were very diligent. I grew up that way, so did the wife, and it is how we raised the boy. Then, bam, the wise and omniscient city of Ottawa, and its mayor, decided a "better" path for all.
So, after that, our trash started filling up with non-recyclable plastics. Mostly food packaging. It is somewhat hard to get away from this too. Everything is over-wrapped and over-packaged.
Then it was another mayor who decided on the biweekly trash deal. Again, not in total disagreement.
The thing is, the recycling of plastics should have been expanded, but it was not. The corruption allegation dodging city of Ottawa has, as far as I am concerned, a pretty crappy recycling program. I will not get in to it right now. It would take weeks of locating documents to spell out the shortsightedness of Ottawa, the capital city of Canada, in how they operate with regards to trash and recycling. Then, of course, I would diverge in to innumerable tangents of their other foolish actions, policies, and behaviours. And, oh, did I mention corruption dodging allegations?
Anyway, where was I?
Oh yeah.
So, after six weeks and a day, we still managed to put all our trash in to one garbage can (we only have one garbage can). Now, we have four regular recycling bins and a a super-sized one full of metal, glass, and the plastics that are allowed. We were in a cycle of emptying various large containers so we kind of bloomed. Plus, we no longer save all our metal recycling for a local cat rescue that would take it to raise money. We would crush all our cans and when two bins were full, I would drop them off. We have gotten kind of lazy on the can crushing. I think we will restart the crushing. So much space is saved.
I am digressing again. Six weeks, one garbage can. Here is my question. I knew I would get to it sooner or later.
Why do I see people putting out several cans and bags of garbage every garbage day. It does not matter what neighbourhood or city I am in. Many people people toss a lot. Many people do not recycle at all. But still. That is a whole hell of a lot of garbage. I know people who who toss out as much as nine bags/cans of trash weekly (in other cities of course). I know people in the Ottawa area who toss out as much as six trash containers every two weeks! The maximum allowed in Ottawa.
What the filth?
Even when the boy was in diapers, we managed to keep it to no more than a bag a week.
Sure, we go over the one trash can sometimes. It is usually when we are purging the various flotsam and jetsam I have collected. Still though, a lot of it is recycled, except for the evil and excluded specific plastics despised by the unfathomable city of Ottawa.
Why do people generate so much waste? Why are materials used that cannot be recycled or repurposed? Why do so few people seem to care?
What was my point? You know what? I no longer know. My train of thought has derailed and broken in to many tiny pieces.
Anyway, everybody (including me and the rooster) needs to start thinking about their waste and recycling and not dismissing it as if there is nothing can be done. We, I, need to make better choices of what we are purchasing and the like. Over packaged? Packaging cannot be recycled? Look at another comparable product from a company that gives a damn about waste. blbbl
[N.B. Everything changes in three days.]
Thursday, January 04, 2018
isolation breeds vapidity
Yeah.
So.
I am kind of stuck.
I have been semi-isolated for a couple of weeks.
Sure, I travelled, with the wife and the boy, down to the Hammer and back.
Had Christmas and New Year celebrations.
Went out with the boy for some appointments and errands.
I was even out all day today and went to some meetings this week as well.
However, I have been fairly inactive socially and globally.
What to post about then?
Most anything that has happened in the last couple of weeks that could be written about, pretty much has been written about.
No idea, really.
I do actually have some ideas for the rooster, but they are just embryonic and they require more time than I have today.
I, somewhat, foolishly pledged, more to myself than anyone else really, that I would post everyday for at least a year.
Well, that year is still a few days off, and I would hate to blow it now.
It can be quite difficult at times to be inspired when a person is, themself (themselves? thyself?.....), stagnating.
I really do need to get out more and speak to more people.
I really, really do.
It also explains some of my less than stellar posts.
But, you know what, they all cannot be gems.
It would be nice though if I had a few less lumps of coal.
So, here I am.
Posting about not having anything to post.
Damned insipidness.
Well, I will leave you with something inspired by the boy. He is wearing modified 3D glasses right now and looks like Kissinger. It made me think of this.
blbbl
[N.B. Everything changes in four days.]
So.
I am kind of stuck.
I have been semi-isolated for a couple of weeks.
Sure, I travelled, with the wife and the boy, down to the Hammer and back.
Had Christmas and New Year celebrations.
Went out with the boy for some appointments and errands.
I was even out all day today and went to some meetings this week as well.
However, I have been fairly inactive socially and globally.
What to post about then?
Most anything that has happened in the last couple of weeks that could be written about, pretty much has been written about.
No idea, really.
I do actually have some ideas for the rooster, but they are just embryonic and they require more time than I have today.
I, somewhat, foolishly pledged, more to myself than anyone else really, that I would post everyday for at least a year.
Well, that year is still a few days off, and I would hate to blow it now.
It can be quite difficult at times to be inspired when a person is, themself (themselves? thyself?.....), stagnating.
I really do need to get out more and speak to more people.
I really, really do.
It also explains some of my less than stellar posts.
But, you know what, they all cannot be gems.
It would be nice though if I had a few less lumps of coal.
So, here I am.
Posting about not having anything to post.
Damned insipidness.
Well, I will leave you with something inspired by the boy. He is wearing modified 3D glasses right now and looks like Kissinger. It made me think of this.
blbbl
[N.B. Everything changes in four days.]
Wednesday, January 03, 2018
cooking - stew - on the fly
This is going to be a rambling recipe and process.
I have about five pounds of various meats: beef, pork, chicken that are going to make the base of a simple stew. Any meat will do, normally I would also throw in kidneys, veal, turkey, and anything else I could find, but simple today.
Cut it all in to chunks and dust in a mixture of mostly flour with the following dried spices/herbs: ground bay, granulated garlic, granulated onion, ground white pepper, and paprika. Normally, I would add cayenne, but the wife picked up a bunch of habanero for me to use. I do wish I had some ground marjoram and thyme. Oh, well.
Dust the chunks in the flour mixture and fry briefly in some oil or fat in batches. Today I am using canola. You do not need to cook through, just enough for a crust to form is okay. Or skip this step altogether. Your choice.
As the chunks crisp-up, put them in your stew pot which will have some liquid in it: stock, wine, water, whatever. Today, I am using the left over broth from the fondue earlier in the week. Monitor the thickness. You will probably need to thin it a few times as it cooks.
Add a couple of onions coarsely chopped to stew. You can fry/sauté a bit. Or not. O had some flour soaked oil left in the pan, so I fried a bit. Then, in the pot.
The vegetables. Coarsely chopped. Anything you want, root vegetables are the best for this. This time I used: parsnip, turnip, carrot (purple carrots), some celery (I like celery in a stew), sweet potato, and some actual potatoes too. You can throw whatever else is kicking around in the fridge or larder, especially if it is not enough to do much with on its own.
While cooking, keep the heat low enough to not scorch the bottom of the pot, but high enough to actually cook. You want it just bubbling. On most stove tops that will be a setting of around "3" or medium low.
Less than two hours, taking my time, everything in the pot and just simmering. I could have done it quicker, but I was having fun. It will be ready whenever I want it to be now. It does not need much seasoning, but everyone has to follow their own preferences. I may not use those habaneros for the stew. The pot is almost completely full, plus it tastes great. I will be making a soup this week some time, so maybe they will go in there. Maybe in a stir-fry. We will see.
It can be served on its own. Or with additional sides of potato or rice or pasta, sides of vegetables. A salad? Bread? Personally, I like a salad and bread. I think I may fry some mushrooms crispy though to toss on top.
Well, that is it. Quick and dirty stew. Good for a few meals or to take for lunch too. blbbl
[N.B. Everything changes in five days.]
I have about five pounds of various meats: beef, pork, chicken that are going to make the base of a simple stew. Any meat will do, normally I would also throw in kidneys, veal, turkey, and anything else I could find, but simple today.
Cut it all in to chunks and dust in a mixture of mostly flour with the following dried spices/herbs: ground bay, granulated garlic, granulated onion, ground white pepper, and paprika. Normally, I would add cayenne, but the wife picked up a bunch of habanero for me to use. I do wish I had some ground marjoram and thyme. Oh, well.
Dust the chunks in the flour mixture and fry briefly in some oil or fat in batches. Today I am using canola. You do not need to cook through, just enough for a crust to form is okay. Or skip this step altogether. Your choice.
As the chunks crisp-up, put them in your stew pot which will have some liquid in it: stock, wine, water, whatever. Today, I am using the left over broth from the fondue earlier in the week. Monitor the thickness. You will probably need to thin it a few times as it cooks.
Add a couple of onions coarsely chopped to stew. You can fry/sauté a bit. Or not. O had some flour soaked oil left in the pan, so I fried a bit. Then, in the pot.
The vegetables. Coarsely chopped. Anything you want, root vegetables are the best for this. This time I used: parsnip, turnip, carrot (purple carrots), some celery (I like celery in a stew), sweet potato, and some actual potatoes too. You can throw whatever else is kicking around in the fridge or larder, especially if it is not enough to do much with on its own.
While cooking, keep the heat low enough to not scorch the bottom of the pot, but high enough to actually cook. You want it just bubbling. On most stove tops that will be a setting of around "3" or medium low.
Less than two hours, taking my time, everything in the pot and just simmering. I could have done it quicker, but I was having fun. It will be ready whenever I want it to be now. It does not need much seasoning, but everyone has to follow their own preferences. I may not use those habaneros for the stew. The pot is almost completely full, plus it tastes great. I will be making a soup this week some time, so maybe they will go in there. Maybe in a stir-fry. We will see.
It can be served on its own. Or with additional sides of potato or rice or pasta, sides of vegetables. A salad? Bread? Personally, I like a salad and bread. I think I may fry some mushrooms crispy though to toss on top.
Well, that is it. Quick and dirty stew. Good for a few meals or to take for lunch too. blbbl
[N.B. Everything changes in five days.]
Tuesday, January 02, 2018
i am stuffed
I have been snack binging for two days.
Why do people do that?
Why am I doing it?
It is not like I really need these snacks.
At least these snacks are mostly not super crap.
Funny though, I did not really binge eat over the holidays.
Sure I snacked, sure I ate some elaborate dinners.
However, I never really felt super stuffed.
I do now.
One problem with snack binging is that that you eat more than you realise.
Also, it does not necessarily end when you get stuffed.
I find with snack binging you "come down" from it pretty quick, so you can stuff yourself more than once.
Well, I am gong to have some tea.
Oooohhh, nuts! And little chocolates! blbbl
[N.B. Everything changes in six days.]
Why do people do that?
Why am I doing it?
It is not like I really need these snacks.
At least these snacks are mostly not super crap.
Funny though, I did not really binge eat over the holidays.
Sure I snacked, sure I ate some elaborate dinners.
However, I never really felt super stuffed.
I do now.
One problem with snack binging is that that you eat more than you realise.
Also, it does not necessarily end when you get stuffed.
I find with snack binging you "come down" from it pretty quick, so you can stuff yourself more than once.
Well, I am gong to have some tea.
Oooohhh, nuts! And little chocolates! blbbl
[N.B. Everything changes in six days.]
Monday, January 01, 2018
new year's day 2018
Sorry folks, gonna keep it short.
Last night was fantastic. Strengthened bonds with existing friends and made some great new friends.
Got home safely and was not a nuisance on the road, but I think I saw a couple.
Today, a bit of a lie-in this morning.
Visited neighbours and gave thanks for keeping an eye on our house and clearing snow while we were in the Hammer.
Fondue, broth and cheese, for supper tonight. I make fantastic fondue. Just finished up.
Going to do some reading, maybe I will not fall asleep three pages in???!??!!
I may just be free tomorrow, so the boy and I will do some "stuff".
Anyway, good night on this first night of the year.
I wish everyone the best for this upcoming year.
blbbl
[N.B. Everything changes in seven days.]
Last night was fantastic. Strengthened bonds with existing friends and made some great new friends.
Got home safely and was not a nuisance on the road, but I think I saw a couple.
Today, a bit of a lie-in this morning.
Visited neighbours and gave thanks for keeping an eye on our house and clearing snow while we were in the Hammer.
Fondue, broth and cheese, for supper tonight. I make fantastic fondue. Just finished up.
Going to do some reading, maybe I will not fall asleep three pages in???!??!!
I may just be free tomorrow, so the boy and I will do some "stuff".
Anyway, good night on this first night of the year.
I wish everyone the best for this upcoming year.
blbbl
[N.B. Everything changes in seven days.]
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