Since there is a lot of time unaccounted for, I will give you the Cliff Notes version of the past week and a half:
- Visit with BFF thwarted - but at least half my house was cleaned.
- Week from Hell at the office - where the stress meter was off the charts all. week. long. I believe they want me to retire or commit hari kari.
- Gluten Free Chinese food - was not.
- Easy Clambake on the Grill, turned into Not-Quite-As-Easy Clambake in the Oven, thanks to a faulty propane tank
- The fun continues - Stress level with family jumps a few levels.
- The Universe intervenes and makes me take naps all day Sunday.
- Summer decides to revisit and the heat and humidity index does a number on us all.
- The Butter Pat re-injures his back due to a fly-related incident.
Slogging up the front path on Saturday, I spied a box perched on my front deck. You know that feeling - you are a kid at Christmas and there is a box that is just the right size for that thing you want more than anything in the whole world....and you are almost afraid to open it because it might be underpants....or socks....but then it IS that thing that will make the clouds part and the sun shine?
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| Not an injured one in the lot. |
After I admired them for a while, I ate six. Then I weighed out enough for my all-time favorite jam and will carefully mete out the rest. OMG. They are so delicious. Michelle, you are an angel.
During the stressfest, I managed to make cowboy candy and a new, wonderful zucchini recipe:
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| My first Cowboy Candy |
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| Zucchini cheddar scones - Gluten Free! |
It's been difficult to muster up the energy to do much, inside or out. Summer appears to be loathe to leave and our heat and humidity spiked - again - and won't be leaving until the end of the week. I am so totally over it. I want to take a flame thrower to my garden, but it's too hot.
I did spend the one cool-ish day we had outside:
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| Freshly weeded and mulched. |
I'm going to split and transplant hostas along the back edge of this bed - but it will have to wait until next spring, as it is way too difficult to split hostas that are all leafed out.
Since Sunday was a wash and Monday's humidity was of the breathing-through-a-wet-sponge variety, I turned to something on my to-do list.
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| Small wardrobe - Before |
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| Hole for cords |
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Tightly fitted shelf insert
(notice mallet) |
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Second shelf in - no mallet
involved. |
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Wardrobe - After - Entertainment
Center! |
I will have to admit that I was very proud of myself. It's not of the Ed-Quality, but it is sturdy, fits in the space and is adequate for my needs. I still need to stain the insert to match and I have plans for murals on the insides of the doors, but it's pretty much done.
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Lovey was exhausted from helping me sort
the DVDs. |
The only issue is that it crowds out the dog crate. So, you ask, why is that a problem? Because Peanut Butter has re-injured his back and must now be confined until it's better. I don't know how it happened, but it had to involve an ordinary house fly. The Butter Pat has an intense fear/hatred for flies. I assume it is because, in his past life of neglect and cruelty, he was confined 24/7 in a crate and the urine, etc. drew flies and it must have been pure hell for him. The irony of having to confine him to a crate is not lost on me. I leave him out as much as possible, but he is not the sharpest tack in the box and will try to fling himself up on the sofa, if I'm not watching. We have an appointment at the vet for his allergy shot, so we will just segue into this new pickle. Never a dull moment. Never.
My next dilemma? How to preserve my bean harvest.
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| Can? Freeze? Dinner? |
26 comments:
I'll start...
That's a pretty great insert for your appliances!!
Can you make/buy a ramp for Butter Pat/Peanut Butter to ramble up to the sofa on?!! How about a doggie girdle?!! We all know how those pulled muscles are!!!
Just wishing and waiting for a cold front.....promise I won't complain about the cold and snow!!
The wardrobe looks great. Our weather here is super humid and hot too. I can't do anything outside, but it doesn't seem to bother the hens. Lovely gift you received too. Yum.
Hey, nice job on that entertainment centre! And is that your ENTIRE bean harvest? Oh my, LOL, not a good year for them, I see.
Oh poor Butter Pat, wilted, fly phobic, itchy and now spinally challenged again.
Too bad benadryl doesn't help, it would make his jail time a bit more mellow. Thats one yummy looking care box from Michelle! Nice work on the cabinet.
So, what will the mural be?
May I suggest you invest in a new $100-something pressure canner . . . so you don't lose those 5 beans? Okay, not.
Sorry to hear your nasty/hot/humid/sloth-like inducing weather has returned. Ours has moderated a bit . . . except out in the garden (or working anywhere outside, for that matter) when the sun is shining down brightly. At least the nights are cooler. (Cooler being a relative term.)
Lucky you to have that box of fruit magically appear on your doorstep. I'm thinking there could only be one "Michelle" that made that happen. :o]
What a GREAT job you did on that wardrobe-now-entertainment center! (Aren't all trim and finish jobs supposed to be accomplished with a rubber mallet??)
Sorry to hear about the stress level rising with the family. I do believe the entire world is stressing out right now. Hugs to you, my friend.
I have a ramp for the stinker, but he doesn't like it. I catch him trying to jump up NEXT to it. I am with you on the cold front - we are due for one Thursday night, with the accompanying thunderstorm.
I can't imagine hens are comfortable, with all those feathers - but mine are the same. It doesn't do much for me, though.
Hold on - I may get another handful...
I'm not quite sure, but it's going to be bright! I am seeing a lot of reds and golds...
Heehee! I needed that! Yes, our Oregon Michelle, bless her heart. I want to live next to that prune plum tree. Yes, stress abounds on all fronts. I am clinging to my sense of humor with all my might.
Great job on the entertainment center. Very creative. I agree with you. It's too damn hot and humid. It's been miserable here also. We have a breeze, but its to hot to do any good. Hope your little peanut butter will be alright !! Take care. Stress can and will make you sick. You have to take good care of yourself before you can help any one else. I know its hard to do. I always like to hear what you have to say in your Blog. That small garden looks good. Great job !! You can email me at crumbcat@outlook.com
don't even get me started about this weather. the only good thing i can say about it is that my bread proofs perfectly.
It most definitely is Ed worthy for he has almost the very same setup!
I was going to ask but based off a previous comment, I'm guessing those are plums? I'm next going to assume they are the basis for the cowboy candy?
dinner. don't like canned because they have been cooked to death and freezing them results in inedible rubbery things. and the plums look yummy. and nice job on the new entertainment center.
Lovely entertainment center. I thought the mallet was for beating ice cubes into submission for smoothies . That is what I use mine for.
Poor PButters mercy. That breed and back issues makes one shutter at the thought. Be well sweet checks.
Mama Pea aced it. Although there should of been a spew warning with *that* comment. My iPhone screen will never be the same.
However there are five so as follows 1 frozen for later use. 1 canned for same. 1 French cut and steamed. 1 diced in stir fry. 1 slivered and added raw to salad. Mine you with a harvest that large you want to avoid repetition and boredom.
Yikes yes stress especially of the family induced kind can create illness. I left my appendix in the O.R. I know these things.
All and all welcome back !
Goodness, where do I begin? You accomplished all that, despite ultra-high stress levels, humidity, heat, an injured dog (I hope he feels mends quickly) and the week from Hell at work? You are truly amazing.
The entertainment cabinet is excellent, I look forward to seeing your murals. I used to do that kind of thing too - enormous fun to do. Now I must head off and find out what Cowboy Candy is, I am intrigued!
Wanted to share with you something that I use for my over active Jack Russell who has separation anxiety. I get them from Chewy, and they work. It is a product called Nutri+Vet Pet-Ease soft chews for Dogs. I thought you might want to try on little Pea-Butt... Hope your days slow down and cool off soon. Always look forward to your posts, as they are very entertaining. Take Care.
Thanks, Lynne. I'm glad you enjoy my babbling... :)
At least there is something good to come out of this. One more day of high heat and then a cold front. Halleluiah!
I feel empowered! It's Ed Approved! Yes, those are Italian Prune Plums - the best plums, in my humble opinion. The basis for Cowboy Candy are jalapenos - lots of them. It's basically candied jalapenos. If you like hot stuff, it's wonderful.
We are of one accord. That's exactly what I did with them. I like to lightly steam beans and then make a cold salad with vinaigrette, too. I'm waiting for my next handful.
Smoothies with mallets? That is truly off grid! Yes, the Pat has a suspension bridge for a back - and he's too lively for his own good. I'm headed over to your blog to catch up.
Elaine, I am thinking something along the line of folklore - with birds and things. I will have to noodle it over. Cowboy Candy is candied jalapenos - it's lovely on a mild cheese as a dip, or on pork or meatloaf as a glaze. I'm not cowboy enough to eat it out of the jar, however.
Thank you for that! He does get himself worked up to a frenzy over flies only. I order their food through Chewy, so will add it to the next order - thank you very much!
I was busy picking prunes at the not-too-ripe stage I prefer them and thought of you. Tickled pink (or plum!) that they arrived just when you needed a pick-me-up. :-D So glad there was enough for jam AND eating!
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