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Damn, I’m really getting a little tired of snow now. I like it and all, in the winter that is. But I have stuff to do and it’s messing with my schedule. Up in the cottage I put in the kitchen sink and faucet and finished piping out the water main in the boiler room. Yesterday I installed the baseboard heat and it looks good. What I really want to do is caulk a few cracks in the ceiling and paint it (with ceiling white, of course) but the temperature is too low to paint, so that’s why I’m saying the weather is screwing up my schedule. I guess I’ll just do odds and ends up there today, finish bringing the feed over for the heat, across the attic and stub it down in the boiler room, and maybe sand the taping I did in the bathroom. I want to get the ceiling painted as I bought all the lighting fixtures. I would like to get them installed as hopefully the electric will get hooked in to the house this week.
Yesterday as I was sitting here, before I went up up there to work, I decided to drop a line to my head hunter. Well low and behold, she called me back within 5 minutes! I was very surprised. She said she just had something come in that morning and she was going to look it over and see if I was a good match. We talked about some skill sets and then I got an email from her saying she was going to do a presentation of my background to them and she’d let me know as soon as she heard something. That was yesterday afternoon. I’m starting to think the worst… Or maybe just the usual, which lately has been the worst. Couldn’t she at least call or write and say it’s a no-go so I don’t sit here wondering? Aaaaaggghhh, I need to find a job, like NOW!!
Then I drove through the snow and freezing rain last night to go down and see G and we had breakfast at IHOP, it was very yummy. Came home, talked to her on the phone and fell asleep. What an exciting life I lead huh ? For some strange reason, for the first time since it started, I watched the war on CNN this morning when I woke up. It’s so weird to see it all first hand almost. Like nothing is private anymore, I guess Marshall Mcluhan was right after all.
Made a pot of coffee, and drinking it now before I switch to construction worker mode. All out of stuff I like so I brewed a pot of Ethiopian Sidamo. Going to stop by S’bucks today and pick up a pound. Lately I favor a custom blend, half Gold Coast and half French Roast, it’s very good. Of course if I could afford it I’d drink nothing but Yemen mocha’s… The other cool thing is a couple weeks ago they had a brewing sale, and the coffee pot I use, the “Utopia” was only fifty bucks, so after the employee discount (thank goodness for friends) it was only thirty five bucks!! Yup, so I bought a spare one to have for when mine breaks. I’m already on my second one, so I figure every year or so they just wear out. The amazing thing is this is the EXACT same pot they sell at the Bodum store for $119, and I got it for a mere thirty five, oh how I love a bargain! And it makes the best coffee you ever tasted. Vacuum brewing is the best method there is, and this pot makes it foolproof with a built in chip that controls the temperature and timing.
In any case, don’t even get me started on coffee, I’ll be here all day! So I’m gonna have another cuppa, get dressed, and start my day (yes, before noon!). I’ll check in again soon, and have some pics of the cottage work as well, K?
Ah, once again I’ll have to remember which clocks I have changed and which ones not as I try to figure out what time it is. It’s so much more fun to just change half of them. Not much new to report around here. Had a relax and hang around in bed and on CUseeme day yesterday, then G and I went to Crackerbarrel last night and had a good ole country style breakfast for dinner.
Gonna go to Home Depot today and get stuff for me to install in the cottage this upcoming week. Kitchen sink and faucet, door for the closet, the baseboard heat, the lighting fixtures, stuff like that. Think I’m gonna try and get the main room finished and then concentrate on finishing the bathroom afterwards. The main thing is getting those damn tiles down on the bathroom floor. Guess I should just rip up the plywood in there, pour cement, and then get to it.
OK, rather then bore y’all I’ll finish my coffee and start my day. Nice to see nobody is signing my guestmap… 
OK, I was EXHAUSTED last night. Got the cables dragged through the conduit and hanging there ready to hook into the respective panels. It was a major pain and I was out there at 7:00 pm with work lights on backfilling the trench! Came inside, talked to Grace and told her I was gonna hang up here and go to sleep early. Then I took a shower, called her back and talked until I fell asleep. I like that, we talk on the phone until one of us falls asleep almost every night. Last night I was asleep by ten, imagine that!
So I’m gonna put two quick links here and then I’m off to Home Depot, then heading down to see my honey. Have a good one !
First a funny online novella- “How Harry Potter Got His Groove Back”
And we all need the Alanis Morissette Lyric Generator
Yeah I know, it’s kinda cheesy and everyone does it. I must have too much time on my hands, or maybe I’m avoiding all the “not fun” work around the homestead by feeling compelled to add content here. In any case, I sat down and wrote the almost obligatory “100 Things” page, and it’s on the link bar so y’all can check it out. Funny when I started, it seemed like it would be hard to come up with a hundred little blurbs, things that are what makes me the person you know (or don’t) and love (or not). But by the time I finished, my head was full of things, and I was like “oh shit, I wanna add this and I wanna mention that”, probably could have easily wrote another hundred, but then it wouldn’t be 100 things now, would it…
Alright, I’ve procrastinated enough today. I’m gonna go to the electrical supply house, pick up 100 (hmmm, that number keeps popping up doesn’t it?) feet of 4 gauge thhn wire and drag a new electric service out to the cottage. Thanks to the backhoe operator who cut the old service in December, hours after I pointed out to him where it was buried, of course.
OK, peruse the 100 things and feel free to comment if you like, you know, you click the link under this post that most likely says “no comments” !
Well I skipped a few days but I’ve been busy. You may notice I added a cool guestmap (please pop a pin in your location), a comic of the day, and the good old weather pixie so you know what it’s like outside my window right now. And if you are intrigued by the “autoerotic” site and want to post a pic of yourself…
Anyway, my contribution today is a really yummy, quick and easy recipe for Miso Soup. I’ll spare you the thousand word rant on why miso is so good for you and why we should all eat more. So on with the recipe-
3 cups water
3 scallions- chopped
1 stick wakame seaweed
1/2 teaspoon hot sesame pepper oil (you can skip this if you want)
Tamari/soy sauce to taste, usually 1-2 tsp. (I recommend a japanese soy sauce)
Black pepper to taste
1 1/2 generous Tbsp miso (I like red or shiro miso, try white for a change)
2 Tbsp. soft tofu
optional – sometimes I add 1/2 tsp of dashi, purists may disagree
optional – very thinly sliced shitake mushrooms
Place water in a pan and heat, while heating add wakame broken into very small pieces (they will expand), the sesame oil, tamari/soy sauce, and pepper.
When water comes to a boil, add scallions (and a few thin slices of mushroom if desired) and remove from heat. Dissolve miso in water, add very small chunks of tofu and serve. Enjoy with a nice green salad and rice or maybe some crusty bread for dipping…
Note- it is important not to cook the miso or vital nutrients and enzymes will be destroyed.
OK, that’s my fave miso recipe, only takes ten minutes and it’s delicious. Once you buy a package of wakame and a tub of miso you will have enough to last you for many many batches of soup. And these days regular markets all carry tofu, so you will only have to visit an asian market once in awhile. Personally though I love them and do as much shopping there as a regular supermarket, but that’s just me. Alright, eat well and be merry !
Yup,
I love that line, what ? You don’t like The Beatles ? Shame on you…
Alright- things that irritate me right now- I haven’t eaten, we have food, but that means I have to cook, and then clean up. I have no job, no money, but tons of bills. The way the IT sector has been last couple years, Solaris System Administrators are about as in demand as Netware 3.x admins. So I may have to make a career change. It sucks, Unix and the net has been the only thing that I never tired of. Oh well. Next, I have blisters under the callouses on my hands, yard work isn’t bad. But when you are trying to fill holes and smooth out ruts from a backhoe and the soil is packed hard as a rock from having feet of snow on it all winter, and it’s loaded with rocks and gravel and pieces of blacktop from your almost non-existant driveway… Well you get the picture. And then I think about the fact I paid some a**hole fifteen thousand dollars to replace my septic and as a result he destroyed my driveway and my yard and then disappeared in a heartbeat, well I could definitely get a little miffed about that one if I think about it too much. But it’s done, nothing left to do now but try and make it look less like a construction site and more like a yard.
Things that make me happy now- G, that she is in my life. My kids, my cats (well Gray cat especially, Max has to calm down a bit), and I could list a few more things. I could be a lot worse off, I have been. Thank God I don’t have to live that way anymore, eh?
Alright, it’s pouring rain out, the yard and driveway are once again a giant mud pit, all the ruts I filled are now full of water, so the loose soil sunk right in, and I have yet to eat. Thinking maybe grilled swiss on rye with tomatoes, and some new england clam chowder. All I have to do is run out (I’m already soaked, what the hell) and get some swiss cheese and tomatoes. Yup, that’s what I’m gonna do. Later on.
OK, I know it has been a few days. Been kinda busy. My girlfriend stayed over most of the week and we’ve just been enjoying life and getting a bit of spring fever I guess. She left this morning and I miss her already…
I actually got around to updating my DVD list, it’s linked over on the top right in the link box. All the movie titles link to the IMDB page entry, same for the directors. I will also add “buy this DVD” links to Amazon.com for all of them. Actually Amazon has better reviews then IMDB, so maybe you’ll get more info from those pages also. Alright, I’m gonna go out and shovel some dirt. Half my property is now a mud hole thanks to the guy who put in my new septic this past November. Maybe I’ll take a few pics and post them so you can see just how much work I have to do, case you think I’m exaggerating…
K, enjoy the day
This is a GREAT link. Thanks to G-O for it, really gets into detail about what we have over there. In any case, check it out, or look at the site top level, it’s kinda cool.
Global Security Iraq Ops
Cool, I checked before and the counter was at 98… Just looked and it is at 100 !! So 100 people have read about my so called life and what not, kinda neat. Maybe we’ll have a prize for the 1000th visitor?
Alright, I feel like I have to just update y’all on a few things.
I got a phone call from G later in the morning, telling me she was sorry she started in on me first thing in the morning and that she is feeling over sensitive, and that I’m a good boyfriend. Made me feel nice, and also made me kinda sad she is having a tough time these last few days. She drove up this afternoon and took me out to an early dinner at Chlili’s, I’d never been to one before and it was good. I wish there was more I could do, but I can’t take away her sadness, all I can do is be there for her. So I guess the next week and a half will be kind of tough, but we have each other and we’ll make it through it. I know you don’t read this hon, but if you do, I love you…
OK, on a lighter note, the guy from the flooring place came and measured the cottage today, looks like I’m going with Pergot flooring in there. It will cost about twice as much as carpet, but will stay nice looking about ten times longer! And I sheet rocked the bathroom, at last. Tomorrow I’ll do the boiler room, and maybe even start taping those two rooms if I’m lucky. Worst case is I tape them Thursday and Friday, and maybe get them primed this weekend. I have to get into high gear, need to get that place finished and get some income from it.
OK, I had a killer stomach virus Sunday night. I puked harder then I think I ever have in my life, about 6 times in a row, I don’t know where it all came from. but it was horrible. Then I was just so wiped out and weak feeling, and a little feverish too I think. I actually had to no-show G down in Tarrytown, first time I ever did that. She understood, of course, and even came up yesterday to nurture me if I needed it. But it was a sunny warm day, first one in ages it seems. I got a little spring fever and after lying in bed miserable for 19 hours, there was no keeping me down! I took it a little slow, but got a few things done. Seeing as how it was the first nice day of the year, I had a hankering for some burgers from the grill. No prob, you say?
Well, first we went to the hardware store and I picked up new flavorizer bars for my grill as the old ones were rotted out (Weber owners will understand) and then when we got home, they were the wrong size! So back to the hardware store, got the right ones, came back, cleaned the whole grill, and put them in. Then I had to clean the cast iron grates and season them with oil with the grill heating up. At long last, so I go to take the burgers out and start cooking. And guess what, I get out there an open the lid and it was out of gas!! So one more trip, this time to the deli, to get the tank filled. Finally cooked those burgers, and being out of practice, they were a little over cooked, but still had that yummy bar-b-q flavor. So it was a big production, but worth it. And now the grill is set for the rest of the summer.
Alrighty, time for bed (actually I’m on the phone with G and it’s a bitch typing with one hand, no, the other one is holding the phone…) so have a good one.
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