Sunday and Father's Day

I got up at 6:30 AM today. I went out and started watering. Found the cheap-ass hose in the back sprung a leak (and, I was gonna replace it with a non-kink hose on sale in the Spring, but talked myself out of it. Damn!) I patched it up with electrical tape, but it only held a few minutes.

I watered everything, a lot! It's supposed to be in the high 80's again toady, with no rain until maybe Tuesday night. I am ashamed to note just how many weeds I have in my gardens. I have really let things outside go. This kitchen refresh has taken its toll in more places than just my wallet. After watering the gardens, I switched to the lawn sprinkler for the first time this year. The grass is actually turning brown in spots. So, set the timer on the stove for 30 minutes and then moved the sprinkler. Repeat process until front lawn is completely watered. Then put it in the back between the reflecting pool and St. Francis garden and let it run for an hour.

While that was going on, I was busy inside. First, I took the last of the deli ham and fried it along with two cut up scallions. Then I added four scrambled eggs and, after they set, some American cheese and made a great omelet for breakfast.

Now, to work. Got out the ceiling paint and touched up some spots over the sink. Then, got out the cabinet paint and gave the caulk a second coat and rolled the left-side cabinet by the sink (You could see where I touched up the paint, all too clear). Also touched up some spots on the rolling butcher-block table, since I had the paint out. Then I tried to install the light over the sink. The side hits the wood in front! So, I cut the metal base out, then repainted it and when it dried, put it up.

Because it is Father's Day, I will tell you that I had a nice email from my daughter Amy, when I was inside I took calls from Acenter (Carla's Mom) and my daughter-in-law Jyl and, when I was outside, I got nice voicemails from my son Jeremy, my daughter Melissa and Luanne.

I also must report I completely blew Jake and Carla's Father's Day present on Saturday! Back in the day, whenever the kids would ask me to guess what a present was, I had a standard answer: an elephant! They would all laugh because it was a shirt or something. So, after reading the card, Jake handed me a small package and said, "You have to guess what it is." I felt it and tried seriously to guess what it was and finally said, "I have no idea what this is." It was a small carved elephant! So, had I followed tradition, it would have been perfect. Sorry, Jake. I blame this on my mad cow disease.

I put on the base board and shoe molding behind the refrigerator and tried to roll the fridge back into the kitchen, but I couldn't get it to go over the metal molding (it rolled "down" over it just fine, but I couldn't get it to go "up" by myself. Fortunately, Jake and Carla showed up just then and with one quick lift in front and a push in back, the fridge is back in the kitchen!

Next Jake and I moved back the table back and pushed the hutch back as well. Other than the fridge, nothing can go to its rightful place until I install the bead board, but I am very close! Jake put up the new mini-blind and I fluffed up the new curtain in the drier and then installed that. This is seriously starting to look good!

I have had baby back ribs, covered with spices and garlic and sitting in bourbon and apple cider, baking in the oven at 250 degrees since noon (it's now about 4:30 PM). Carla brought over some homemade potato salad that looked great! She got busy making a lemon marinade for some shrimp and scallops. She partially cooked some bacon in the microwave and soaked some skewers in water. Then she assembled everything: A nice big scallop, wrapped with bacon and outside, two big shrimp, wrapped around the scallop and skewered. I wish I had thought to take a picture as it was very impressive-looking!

The ribs went on the grill after basting them with a mixture of Sweet Baby Ray's Hot and Spicy barbeque sauce and bourbon. I continued to baste them for about 15 minutes. Jake and Carla put the shrimp/scallops on the grill as well. Then the magic moment: it was all done! The ribs were tasty, the shrimp/bacon/scallop combo was excellent and the potato salad was perfect!! A delicious Father's Day feast!!!

Jake and Carla cleaned up and then left. I treated myself to a long-awaited nap. When I woke up, I decided no more big jobs today, so I putzed around a bit, then read my book in the now liberated living room, then finally went to bed.