Social distancing was really easy to do at the food bank today. Only six people showed up instead of the usual 15-20. Two people were at a table bagging carrots, the rest of us were trying to hold back a rising tide of oranges with two people per bin.
The trouble with oranges is they rot quickly when damaged, and there’s a lot of damaged and simply squished oranges at the bottom of a roughly 4x4x4 foot bin. ICK!
At least the good oranges we bagged will go out to people tomorrow.
Morning, mumpers! I am surprised that churches are allowed to have easter services although I suppose if you do it in small groups at an appropriate distance then it might work. I saw a very sad bit of news reporting yesterday about a man whose wife had died from the virus, he hadn’t seen her since she went into the ambulance, she died in hospital and had only the minister and two funeral directors are her burial. Her husband of 51 years wasn’t allowed to be at the funeral since he was in isolation at home. It really made me appreciate mum’s funeral back in January, I don’t think I would be able to deal with not actually being there.
On a brighter note, it’s a lovely sunny morning here. I have irk to get through but I am sorely tempted to go out for a walk later just round the park that is five minutes’ walk from home. I suspect it will be busy there, it’s a nice little place and has a large pond with ducks, geese, moorhens and coots. I haven’t been out much at all for the last ten days, and I’m missing the fresh air.
Oh well, irk beckons!
Pretty day alert! YAY!! I’m going to try to move some dirt today to fill in the ruts in the yard, since **FCD **hasn’t gotten the dirt guy to come here yet. Dammit. He still owes up $2000 of dirt that was supposed to go around the building. I’ll nag him again today.
I wish I understood more about where my brain goes when I sleep. I frequently have dreams about the last place I worked before I retired the first time, but it’s never really the right building and it’s not always the right people. Still, in my sleeping mind, it is, in fact, where and with whom I used to work. Plus I left there almost 9 years ago and haven’t been back since - why does it keep returning at night? And, no, it’s not alcohol-induced! 
Brains be weird.
We normally have Easter dinner at my mom’s, and this year (as last) we were going to include a joint birthday party for the babbies (Apr 15 and May 5) - it ain’t happening. We’ll have a little family thing for Roxy, not that she knows what’s going on anyway, tho she does like singing “Happy to you!” over and over again. 
HVAC guy is coming over some time today - I need to make sure the path to the furnace is clear, as well as the path to the outside unit of the A/C. I hope this company is more reliable than the last one was. We shall see.
Happy Thursday!!
Good Mornin’ Y’all! Up and caffeinatin’. YAWN 'Tis 43 Amurrkin out and clear with a predicted high of 74 and mostly N.O.S. for the day. Not a whole lot on the agenda. When it warms up, I’ll probably go out and work on the cee-mint pond. I need to get a buncha pine straw out of it, dang neighbors pine trees! Need to get it all purtied for cee-mint pond season. Sup shall be leftover boxed (don’t judge!) boxed lasagna from yestiddy with sallit and garlic cheesey bread. That will pretty much be the excitatement for the day.
Red if I were goin’ to do that, Biloxi is a whole lot closer.
Now I need more caffeine and to feed rumbly tummy. Then, onward into the day! Rah.
Happy Thursday Y’all!
Happy Thorsday!
It’s a bright sunshiny day out there, 39 degrees but going up to 59.
No playdate again today, Echo is crying and running from window to door looking for her friends.
My son and I are trying to find new ways to entertain the pups, but it’s not the same. They miss their friends.
There is lots of meat, of all kinds, at Weis. Good luck getting bottled water though. Or butter, or eggs, or cereal.
Morning all. As expected, taking a nap yesterday afternoon messed up my sleeping schedule, was up at 2:30am and 5am, but managed to stay in bed until 7. Garbage can is out curbside, so that is one major activity completed. second one is to pickup two dining chairs at Furniture Row; they are closed for new business but open for deliveries/pickups. Just need to call about 10am.
45F heading for 67F, another beautiful day for doing nothing. I should be like you, Moooomm, got several bags of dirt in the garage and a couple spots in the back yard that need filling (trees were removed 20 years ago and there is still depressions there). we’ll see.
Sari, we’re still good on water and cereal at the stores I shop at; don’t know about eggs and butter. Frozen Pizzas are low in stock, I know.
gotti, that’s a good thing you are doing, working at the food bank. Props to you.
Dot, nice on the April Fools; made me grin in this non-grinning time.
Everyone have a good Thorsday.
SIL is self-isolating in the basement. I’d be more sympathetic if he didn’t have a history of hypochondria. Like last year when he was sure he had Lyme Disease… :rolleyes: But he doesn’t have a fever and apart from coughing a little when he woke up, no symptoms. Whatever.
So I’m pretty much unable to do anything today since I have Roxy wrangling. I may try to pick up sticks out front while she’s napping later, and I can push the vacuum cleaner around in here this morning. But I don’t see any serious work getting done. Oh well…
**FCD **and daughter are busy. Looks like it’ll be a nice day outside, so there’s that.
Up, caffeinated, and sheveled.
They padlocked the complex dog park. People were gathering in large groups, and now Gordie’s favorite bathroom is locked.
So he has Corona with Lyme?
Howdy all. I finished the budget and narrative and got that sent off to the business manager. I shall attempt to access the training I need to do but from what I am hearing from other employees trying to telework the network is wonky. I had no doubt it would be. Heck, it’s wonky even at irk.
Hubs had a virtual dr. appt with his cardiologist yesterday was scolded by the doctor. I guess hubs told him I had to go to irk and he said neither of us should ever leave the house. I don’t know how that’s gonna irk.
I am gonna attempt my first shrimp and grits tonight.
Everyone stay well.
:smack:
Former Doper Ivorybill took me to a restaurant one time I visited New Orleans, and I had the shaved beef salad. They were kind enough to give me the recipe for the dressing.
Horseradish dressing
1 ½ cups mayonnaise
3 tablespoons creole mustard (or whole grain mustard)
4 tablespoons prepared horseradish
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon hot sauce (we use Louisiana brand hot sauce)
2 tablespoons cane syrup (this is a Louisiana product, and may not be available – you can substitute a mild molasses)
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Yield: about 2 cups
Directions
Mix it all together.
I can’t get cane syrup here, so the first time I made it I made simple syrup and added molasses. Now I just use a little Karo corn syrup and light molasses. I use Zatarain’s mustard and Louisiana brand hot sauce.
The beef
Most supermarkets will have packets of thinly-sliced roast beef. I go to the local supermarket’s deli counter and have them shave some Dietz & Watson roast beef as thin as they can get it. Dietz & Watson is the brand The Market carries. Boar’s Head is also popular in this area. We like the ‘shaved’ beef, but it would be easier to plate if we went the next thickness up. Lately I have been having it sliced on the second-thinnest setting.
The salad
You can make your own salad, but I find it easier to use the bagged mixed Spring mix.
Assembly
Use three or four slices of thinly-sliced roast beef or the appropriate amount of ‘shaved’ roast beef. Tear it into bite-sized bits (no more than a couple of inches square) and arrange them on a large plate. Pile on the greens. Add as much dressing as you desire. Top with French’s fried onions.
Yeah, the situation called for immediate action. Several things happened at once to precipitate it. I had met my present wife while in indoc class with the State Department. One thing led to another and I filed for divorce from my first wife, a process that takes time. The divorce was finalized on March 31st and I was scheduled to leave the country to post overseas on April 4th. She still had another month or two in WDC. It was essential for us to be married in order to obtain housing once we were both there, so we found a JP to do the job for us, as trying to get married while overseas would have been complicated. His only opening was on April 1st.
It’s snowing again; very, very lightly, but it’s not melting when it hits the deck and patio furniture.
Also: I’m sure I just heard a harbour seal go ‘Woop! Woop-woop!’ I’ve never heard one here before. We got out of the house the other day, and went to Semiahmoo Spit. They had a sign indicating that harbour seals are found around Drayton Harbor and Semiahmoo Bay, but I haven’t seen any. Anyway, I heard one in Birch Bay. (There was a stray whale in the very shallow bay last year.)
Roxy is napping - hope this is a long one. I need a break - that kid wears me out!!
Furnace guy is here. I just made a batch of mini-cheesecakes, and once our HVAC is blessed, I’ll take Roxy out to play for a while. It’s very windy and I’d rather stay inside, but the kid needs to run off some energy.
I should build the shepherd’s pie first, tho. Back to the kitchen…
Garbage man has come and gone and can has been placed back in the garage. Have an appointment at noon tomorrow to pick up the two dining room chairs, shouldnt’ be any problem.
I really should put on some appropriate attire and go sit outside (really need a rocking chair) while reading a good book. Maybe tomorrow.
Cookie, nice marriage story.
FCM, you threw doggio that fat pitch, he just had to hit it out…
A good afternoon to you all.
I got paid Monday, and paid some bills today. (I have $38 left!) I put a note on the mailbox: ‘Letters sealed with water. Not licked!’
Haha. I had a text from a neighbor that our mail lady told her that a man sorting the mail at our tiny PO was diagnosed with the Virus. They were recommending we leave the mail sit until tomorrow. Of course, hubs just had to go get the mail. He used gloves and took it to his office vs bringing it in the house. I don’t know about all this.
Crazy times we are living in.
So our already scaredy cat is even more freaked than usual. Wouldn’t come out from behind the couch when we got up this morning. Puzzlement ensues.
This afternoon I spot of blue-tailed lizard in our bedroom. Puzzlement ceases. We’ve had them in the house before it always freaks out the cat.
Mrs. FtG had me doing An Important Task* so I wasn’t able to round it up that minute. When I came back, it was off somewhere. I hope that it pops back out before bedtime, else it will require Moving Furniture as Mrs. FtG will not be sleeping in the same room as a lizard.
Very impressed with the HVAC tech. He did a very thorough inspection and servicing of both the furnace and the compressor. He recommended we replace a contact that has been subjected to some arcing - he showed me the problem. We’ll get that taken care of next month. All in all, I think we’ve got a good company here.
Shepherd’s pie (OK, cottage pie) is in the oven. We’ll eat in about 20 mins. I’s hongree!!! Daughter took Roxy out for some fresh air. I’m about to walk to the mailbox. yep, life’s exciting here.