Past and Present

In the spirit of patting myself on the back over things I could once, and some I still can do. Thirty years ago I laid this flooring myself, in three rooms and a hallway. We had pulled out the carpet and there was just the underlayment. I like parquet. I know it isn't a popular choice, but I liked it then and I like it now. 

It's another dreary day, but it is November and that is how November rolls. Yesterday I was in the hayloft, or hay mow as it is also known, helping Mark. There were three windows he needed to get to, which meant he needed to place and extend a forty-foot ladder to do that. Lots of grunts and groans happened. We did get it done. One mission accomplished.

More Simple Things

I think this sounds like it would be good so I thought I would share.

 

I had a full day of messy work. I decided to tackle the wood pellet stove myself. I took the revocable interior parts out and gave it a thorough cleaning. I pulled the rotator stirrer out, cleaned it up and slide it back in. When had everything was put back together I turned it on and it rotated. I put a small amount of pellets into the hopper, turned it on again and it worked for about five minutes then stopped. I figured out it needs a bushing, which I ordered. I received a notice it has been sent so hopefully I will have a working heat source soon.

 

                

No day is complete without a photo of a tired Gatto.

Bunny Cheeks

Gatto alerted me to this little guy outside the window. It was quite accommodating. There were several years with no bunnies, I don't know what happened, but I'm happy they are back.

Tabby comes in more now that it's getting cold. He has found his spot in the old rocker. It's a good place for some spa time and a nap. 

I drove yesterday for a third time in a couple of weeks. I picked up groceries at Aldi. I'm grateful to have one in the community as prices have continued to increase, at least I can buy groceries. It's easy for me to track because I do pick-up orders, which vary little, so I can look back at the prior orders.

The sun is shining, the coffee is hot. The simple pleasures of life. 

Taking Comfort

I looked out the window as evening was falling and I saw this. It's beautiful, even taken with a  phone camera through window glass. 

November and December, especially December, my favorite months of the year. The magnificent sky scapes, the early darkness and sitting in my snug with a fire and a book. Comfort food, oh my god, how I love comfort food. Don't we all? Then, of course, there is always a but. I don't actually mind plowing snow. I can't say I enjoy the deep freeze weather but I can dress for it. The tropical summers we've been having, going through life naked wouldn't help. The utilities bills, we won't talk about. This is supposed to be idyllic, after all.

Speaking of finding comfort in food. I finally made the rhubarb cake and it is delicious. A pound or two may end up on my waste line. 

 

Saturday

This is a grocery store about two miles east of us. It was built about a year ago. There is a lot of affluence in the West Metro. There's also farmers and small towns and the rest of us. I have not been there, I haven't been much of anywhere for a few years. 

I'd say this isn't the average coffee area in a grocery.

 

Today the SNAP (food stamps) benefits end. Minnesota will support it for as long as is possible, which can't be that long, I'm sure. 

We had matzo ball soup for lunch. 

A Different Day in the Kitchen.

The finished project.

This cabinet was always a disastrous mess. Baking sheets, pot lids, colander. Just a jumbled up mess. After over 30 years I thought maybe I should do something about it, so I bought these. I put them together and cleaned up the mess.

I then decided to reorganize the others that were in desperate need. Two were actually not in need.

It was simply a matter of pulling everything out and then putting it back with some sense of order. These last few years it seems I was relatively useless. I'm back or at least partially.

Today it's the cupboards. That rhubarb cake will need to wait. When one has intriguing assignments all else must wait.

 

Not Quite Wordless Wednesday

What consumed my entire Tuesday Afternoon.

 

Rainy Tuesday

It's raining this morning and supposedly through the day. We need it and I have no plans. I have baking plans and I couldn't ask for more appropriate weather for that. I think I'll make a rhubarb cake. When you are born and raised in a cold climate the biological instinct to start loading up calories as winter approaches still exists. This is why it's so common for weight gain during winter. I tell myself a little treat now and again doesn't hurt anyone. Justification? Maybe.

Neighbor Bill brought me some of the last of his peppers. I stopped growing peppers years ago when I started being supplied by Bill. They made a good, easy and colorful stir fry for our dinner. 

 

Boo

As we approach Halloween I felt it fitting to honor the Princess of Darkness.

Frieda of the Dark

 She is a most serious cat and she holds a grudge.

So, matters of no consequence. We took a carload of boxes and bags to Goodwill on Saturday. We picked up my monthly non-wine order at Total Wine and had lunch at Culver's. If you are going to have fast food, that's the food to have. It's actually good. And the frozen custard, don't get me started. The day spent out and about meant I missed at least half of your blogs. I hate to admit that I come home mentally exhausted after being out in the world, but I do. It's what happens when a person with a tendency toward lonerism becomes too isolated. I am working on modifying myself. Stay tuned. 

Hodgepodge

Not Gatto. Tabby; aka Crabby Tabby. It's colder outside so he is seeking the warmth of a comfortable chair. We had our first frost last night, so you could say the air is crisp. The horses do a happy dance when they are let out in the crunchy morning air. The old geezers still got it.

Other than another orange cat in the house and dancing elderly horses, not much happening on the old homestead. I continue whittling away at the disorder that's in my life. Small steps. Small steps lengthen the time of the journey, but the journey does eventually end. 

As some may remember, I rarely make a casserole. I know, I know.....I was born and raised in Minnesota, land of the 'hot dish', but the hot dish was not in my sphere. My mother never made one, other  than lasagna, which could be called a casserole. I know I won't be making the kind that I hear about, green bean, tator tot, but noodles or rice, vegetables and aromatics, protein if desired, in a cream sauce, well, it's hard to beat that. Add in the easy factor and all I can say is, what have I been thinking.

 Enjoy your Friday. Make a casserole.