Successful Sunday

On Sunday, I woke up at 5:30 AM and did that thing we all do twice a year ("You should get up, it's 5:30 AM, same time you need to be up tomorrow and if you're sleepy later, you can always take a nap today." "No, I'm not falling for that, it's really 4:30 AM and its Sunday morning and I can sleep in if I want to!") I finally compromised and stayed in bed, reading...

Eventually I rolled out of bed, threw on some clothes and got to work. I was cleaning the house when Carla called. It's supposed to be over 50 degrees F. and sunny today so, as we talked about yesterday, its time to drag out the grille. We discussed menu options and agreed to 2:00 PM as the time.

Next I installed the last (pray to God they are the last!) two magnetic catches. While I had the fridge pulled out, I washed behind it and the top.

Luanne called and talked about various construction issues relating to my trip down there on March 22 to install their kitchen cabinets. It seems the plumber hasn't been back since December, so the plumbing isn't done, the new 2 x 4's in the addition are smaller than the original 2 x4's, etc. We came up with solutions to all the problems (I think) and we are still good to go.

Washed another load of laundry and cleaned me up (shave and shower) for company.

They arrived and we first sampled a blue cheese chip dip Jake has been perfecting (I'm no sure of the proportions, but it was sour cream, cream cheese, blue cheese and white wine). Very good! Then we got to work. Jake put a rub on the two steaks I thawed and switched to making the burgers. Carla was cutting up toppings (tomatoes, onions, smoked Gouda cheese) for the burgers and saut�ing some mushrooms (also for the burgers). I chopped up garlic and cleaned asparagus then threw both (drizzled with olive oil) in the toaster oven for roasted asparagus.

I had earlier cleaned some sweet corn (the kind you get in a package, probably from Peru or someplace - but I felt we needed sweet corn). Since they take off most of the husk, I couldn't grille it my normal, preferred method (soaked in water and grilled in the husk). So, I brushed each ear with melted butter, sprinkled it with salt, pepper and garlic powder and rolled it in time foil.

Jake had a clever idea for the burgers. He flattened out the pound of hamburger and used a 3 inch donut/biscuit cutter to make the patties. Then he used the same cutter to cut out circles of sour dough bread, toasted them and (after grilling) had perfect sized mini-burgers.

I had the charcoal burning and the grates cleaned and oiled. So, Jake grilled everything and we went back inside to eat. Everything (except the corn) was excellent! Corn was less than so-so (but I knew that).

Carla insisted on cleaning up. Then they left around 6:00 PM. It was too late to take a nap, so I read until my shows came on. I did call my brother Carl and asked it I could drop off the goldfish in his pond on Thursday (I have a doctor's appointment in Mt. Clemens). He said the pond did have some open water and that would be fine. The fish is way too big for Newt's tank and I don't want to put him back in the little pool where the raccoon could catch and eat him, so I will transport him to a big pond where he can be with his relatives.

Watched my shows and finally fell asleep around 11:30 PM.