Early Start

We have had a couple of beautiful afternoons here in Oregon. Yesterday Shelley came by to get some garlic starts for her planting beds and ended up spending a few hours helping her dad in our garden. As you can see from the photos, we have the beinnings of a great salad already growing. I did get the peas planted on Tuesday but it is encouraging to see a litttle green and not just seed this early in the season. Shelley dug up and transplanted a lot of our garlic and some perenial flowers for me and took home enough starts to more than fill her beds. While she was doing that, Richard started pruning the grape vines. Those haven't been pruned for about 3 years, so really need it bad. He is outside again this afternoon working some more on that project. It is supposed to rain the rest of the week, so you have to get the outside work done while the sun sines.

Harsh Reality

Today I tacked taping and muding the sewing room closet ceiling. What a kick in the pants I got. The reality of age and what it brings just keeps reminding me that I can no longer do what I have always done with ease. Today it was mudding that ceiling. What will it be tomarrow? Yes, I know my hand and wrist have been bothering me over the past couple weeks, but the harsh pain has subsided and the swelling has disappeared. Even so, when I tried to apply the mud, I could not put enough pressure to the knife to spread a thin, even layer. It came out looking thick and uneven, even after sanding. Oh well, it is in the closet. No one but me will ever see it. I can take solice in the fact that the wall patches I put on came out fine. Maybe it has more to do with applying pressure while reaching over my head. Unfortunately it means that the guys will need to do the mudding of the new ceiling in the room itself. But I still have hopes that I can handle the painting. At least I'll give it a try. Irregardless of what next week brings, I start putting fabic away tomarrow.

I have a closet

When I returned home from bible study yesterday there were 5 men working in my basement. That is an increase of 1 over last week's number and made everything a bit crowded. My storage closet is all but finished. I will need to tape and "mud" the ceiling toay and then I can actually start putting fabric away. I am so very excited about that aspect.

The guys have accomplished a great deal this week. They got the plastic underlay down on my sewing room floor and about half of the sub-structure and plywood flooring in place. They will probably finish up next Tuesday. I will do the "finish" work. This includes mudding and painting. I'm not sure about floor covering. Guess I'll have to wait and see. The point is that there is a lot more to remodeling an old basement room than just thowing up a few sheets of plywood and sheet rock. So if I can take a little of the burden off the guy's shoulders by doing some of the finish work, I am glad to do so. After all, it was the heavy work I really needed help with and they have provided that. Is my impatience showing yet? The guys already have plans to help out someone else. An older couple (late 80s & early 90s) with some landscape and roofing chores. Praise God, I guess my project hasn't discouraged them. They seem to be tired physically, but energized emotionally. These men are all retired and it does them a world of good to be able to contribute in a meaningful way.

Looking ahead - A week in the making

Today is bright blue and shining. It actually looks and feels more like spring than winter. Could our friend the groundhog be mistaken? He predicted 6 more weeeks of winter. But then the weatherman forecast rain for all this week (today excluded). We will see. In the mean time, I will enjoy the sun. Peas and spinach go in the ground this week, regardless of rain, sun, or snow.

On Thursday, I sent a small chocolate cake in the shape of a heart home with each of the men working on my basement. They were meant as a token of appreciation from me to their wives. I got some interesting stories on the subject at church this morning. Two said that they had shared theirs, one that his wife eaten the whole thing, and one forgot to give it to his wife until today. Sounds strangely like a normal bell curve of averages to me. Yes, I kept one for Richard and I to share yesterday. Evidently all the men had a really nice Valentine's Day with their loved ones. That was, after all, the important thing, not to neglect their own wives to do something for me. These same guys and perhaps some additional workers will be here again on Tuesday morning. I will be at bible study till around 11:15. But I have promised them ribs and ribs they shall have. The ribs will go into the roaster oven tomarrow morning.

I am getting a little anxious about the bid for construction on my master bath. I'll give the remodeler until Wednesday to submit it and then if it hasn't come, I guess I'll have to call and find out what the hold up is. It is getting close to 4 weeks since he was last here to take measurements. It is about 2 months before he gets started on the project and I need time to study the bid and decide how to proceed. If I need to get another bid, it must be soon. Remodelers get pretty busy in the spring and summer and it can be hard to get on their schedules.

Where the money is

Today Rick, our son suggested that some of his dad's cartoons/drawings be added to our blog. Why had we not done this before? It is a great idea. So here is the first instalment. I think we can all relate to this sentiment.

Time to Get Real

OK, I admit it. I am a more than a little disappointed. The guys showed up as scheduled this morning. They worked hard and accomplished a fair amount of tasks. The electrical has been re-done, all the bracing and most of the shelves for the closet have been cut and fitted, the wall between the closet and the furnace room is is in, and some of the bracing for the false floor have been put in place. But let's face it. I had set my heart on being able to get in there this weekend and put fabric away on those shelves. It is not going to happen. The shelves just are not yet ready to receive it.

Anyone who has lived through a remodel knows how I feel You anticipate based on preliminary timetables and things always take longer, and longer, and mabe even longer. The point is, they do eventually get there. This will too. I will have to be patient. I must say, everything is shaping up. I will have a lot more light. There is now a wall switch instead of a pull cord to the closet light and so many other small changes for the better. Yes, I am excited. Praise God for willing spirits that also have working hands.

At your request

Amy has a blog entitled "Hungry For Love". On it she published quick, nutriceous, and inexpensive meal options collected from her readers. When there are sufficient recipes contributed, she will publish a cook book, the proceeds of which will go to help feed hingery children. She has been asking for certain recipes from me for quite some time so here goes.

CHEESE ENCHALADAS

1 dozen corn tortillas

1/2 cup oil

2 cups Colby or Cheddar cheese

1 #2 can enchalada sauce (1 1/2 c)

1 cup chopped green onions (bulb onions may be substituted)

All ingredients must be laid out ahead of preparation in an assembly line. (tortillas, hot oil, enchalada sauce, baking dish, chopped onions, grated cheese). Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a heavy skillet, heat enough oil (about 1/4 c) to soften corn tortillas. When oil is hot, place one tortilla at a time in the oil, turn immediately and then remove. (If left in oil, they will become crisp and difficult to work with.) If making more than a dozen, additional oil may need to be added periodically.

Dip the softened tortilla in enchalada sause and place in baking dish.

Fill with mixture of onion and cheese and roll to enclose them.

Repeat until all are in baking dish. Sprinkle remaining onion and cheese over top and cover with remaining sauce.

Bake about 30 min or until cheese is melted and sauce has all soaked into enchaladas.

Serve hot over bed of lettuce.

SHORT or SPARE RIBS

Place short ribs in crock pot, roaster oven, or oven (may need to cover with foil) set at 250 degrees for 8 hours, checking periodically to make sure they do not dry out.

Mix 1 cup brown sugar (or Slenda brown sugar substitute), 1/2 cup catsup, and 1/4 c yellow mustard. Baste ribs and return to 400 degree oven for about 2 hours, turning once.

BEEF STEW

Cube inexpensive cut of beef (chuck or 7 bone roast) and dredge in flour. Braze in hot oil to seal juices. Place in crock pot with 6 cubes beef boullion, a little black pepper, and a minimum of 3 quarts water (bouillon cubes already contain salt).

Add 1 cup each, large chuncks of hard vegetables (carrots, potatoes, celery) along with a large onion (in chuncks) and 3 cloves garlic.

Cook at high setting until tender (5-6 hours).

Add 2 Table spoons Worchester sauce and quick cooking frozen peas (about 1 cup). Continue cooking for another 1/2 hour.

Mix 2 Tablespoons flour in 1 cup cold water and add to stew. Mix in to form gravy. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes (gives the flour time to cook).

Serve with hot bread or biscuits.

SPLIT PEA SOUP

This is the simplest soup to make.

1 large package (1 lb) split peas

4 quarts of water

a large chopped onion

2 large chopped (rounds) carrots

1 teaspoon salt

ham bone, hock, or 1/4 lb ham meat

Add all ingredients to a crock pot and cook on low for about 8 hours

Note: When done, the meat will be falling off the bone. If soup is a bit thin, let stand and it will thicken. If too thick, add a little milk.

Hope you enjoy.