etienettebluet

SUNDAY

This morning I put two pork butt roasts to cook in the big crockpot with six cloves and a couple bay leaves and set some free-cycle beans to soak. I had a pint of pork gelee in the refridgerator from a couple weeks ago so I discarded the fat from the surface and put the gelee in the pot with the roasts for moisture (instead of water). In the afternoon I started the beans cooking on the stove. Late in the day I boned out the roasts and let the meat and beans continue cooking in the crock pot along with three peeled and grated carrots. Then I roasted the bones in the oven on high half an hour and put them in the bean juice with more water on the stovetop to cook down. Mid evening I picked out the bones to cool and cut every bit of meat and now soft grizzle off them, chopped this goodness up and stirred it into the crockpot too. I boiled down the strained liquid from the pan until it too could fit in the crockpot and left the whole thing cooking another hour.

I'd done everything I could to maximize the flavor and it was so worth it. Leofwyna and I were sucking the bones around 10pm and decided we had to have a bit of the soup too. It was really yummy beyond our usual simple pot of bean soup.

Although the weather people had said we'd have nice weather today the temps never got up to where I wanted to work outside so the veggie beds are still neglected. I spent the afternoon skimming through the genealogy site (Ancestry.com) learning how to deal with it better. Dad's side of the family tree has been developed a great deal more than ever before and his mother's line takes us back to the 15th and 16th Centuries in part of it. I did get out briefly to visit the library where I found a huge pile o'books I'd requested so I'm set up for a week or so with those now.

THURSDAY

Had a call from the library yesterday evening about four overdue books so first thing today I drove over and dropped off a book I'd finished,  On the Oceans of Eternity, and two videocasettes I was done with (these were not overdue) and extended the checkout for the four others which are a series I've just begun to read.  Just started Dies the Fire yesterday and I can already tell I'll enjoy this series just as much as the preceeding one by this author.  I'd never heard of S. M. Stirling before a couple weeks ago when I picked up Island in the Sea of Time which Leofwyna is reading now with equal enthusiasm. 

When I saw gas was at $3.27 I stopped to top off the tank as that's the lowest I've seen it in awhile. 

Back at home we noticed Gerald indeed must have picked up that stack of excess concrete blocks early this morning.  I'd bought those years ago for stacking board book shelves.  Subsequently they've been used about the place for various things but it was time for them to go away.  They're just to big and heavy to be useful and I have plenty of bricks and pavers for my purposes about the place. 

Got back into yardwork duties sifting the last wheelbarrow load of the oldest compost and setting up the new compost location pulling up old carpet, leveling the cages with the four concrete blocks I did keep and some electrical posts the previous neighbor had left supporting the fence her dog nearly destroyed.   The back line of the property is looking much improved with the old fence and block wall gone where Leofwyna's been transplanting hardy geranium and choral bells from the front beds.  In another few days the other three compost bins will be transfered to the new location in the back corner nearer the raised veggie beds.  There's room for them there now the fence is gone and their old location is no longer an attractive location for them so near the neighbors driveway and entry.

I'm sure the neighbor appreciates all this Fall activity as she has the FOR SALE sign out and the sagging fence and weedy area could not have been making favorable impressions on potential buyers.  This will be the fifth change of owners for that house since we moved here.  So far we've been fortunate in fairly quiet and reasonable neighbors in that property; certainly hope that doesn't change this time.

All this activity day in and day out is making me a little stiff and sore.  Tomorrow Leofwyna goes to work and I can apply myself to some job searching time on the computer.  Saturday and Sunday are soon enough for more of this other stuff; but as Leofwyna keeps noting... this pretty weather isn't going to last.

THURSDAY

Finally got that pile of plastic storage containers and baking sheets washed, carried up the laundry and made a run to the library for more T Jefferson Parker mysteries.  Got e-mail that said the job was given to someone else.. already, no further interviews