Steak Two Ways

Woke up around 7:00 AM. I am waiting for Jake and Carla to get up, so I am trying to be very quiet (I am assuming they are as worn out from yesterday as I am). But, I hear them moving around, too. So, I took my shower and got ready to face the day.

Jake made breakfast: pancakes, sausage patties and coffee. It felt odd to have somebody make me breakfast in my own house, but I could get used to this! Afterwards, I went out to retrieve my extension cords and found them neatly coiled by the garage door. Nice people!

Since they were already out there, I got my electric weedwacker and trimmed around the mailbox, and the front gardens. My lawn was last cut on July 3 (even with my watering it, it's just not growing) but here and there a weed is making it look a little shaggy. So, like a barber, I didn't give it a haircut, just a trim.

Jake and Carla left to clean up the apartment and turn in the keys. But, then they came back! They went to Westborn and bought some ingredients for tonight's dinner. Carla said she hasn't had a regular meal for a while and really feels like cooking! (This is starting to be quite the perk, eh?) I had picked up three strip steaks for today, but now the entr�e will be "Steak Two Ways" as they bought some Mako Shark Steaks (none of us have ever had shark steak), along with some live mussels and other things.

So, they are gone again and I am inventorying the contents of my refrigerator freezer and our chest freezer in the garage (I lost control of both of those, too, doing the kitchen project). I wrote down what was in them and threw out anything that was more than 2 months old. Sadly, I had to throw away two packages of pork chops, a steak, a package of stewing beef, two packages of ham (leftover from last Christmas), containers of bean soup, chicken soup and chili (all from last winter) homemade pesto sauce and homemade chicken stock. Lesson learned, though! Rotate your stock or lose it!

That accomplished, I turn to cleaning out Newt's tank. I make more of a mess than usual and spend most of my time trying to get spilled water off the dresser and the floor. But, eventually, the bowl is clean, the filter cartridge has been replaced and now Carla won't be complaining about "poor Newt" anymore.

It's 1:30 PM and hot outside - 81 degrees F., going for a high of 85 (I just refilled the birdfeeder and suet cage, so I know this!) so, now seems to be the perfect time for a nap (Scruffy's already asleep on my bed). So, I grab my book to read a bit and then take an hour nap.

After my nap, I putzed around a bit. Jake had dropped Carla off and went back to the apartment for the last load. So, we chatted a bit, then Jake returned and it was time for dinner. Carla made a citrus herb marinade for the shark steaks, and the steak was just seasoned with salt and pepper, then rubbed with a clove of garlic. Jake put them on to grill while Carla fried some Yukon Gold potatoes and steamed the mussels.

We each had some of the two very different, but very good steaks and the mussels went on top of the fried potatoes (so their liquor flavored the potatoes, you see). Oh, my! Excellent!

While they were cleaning up, I started watering the gardens (back to front). Jake eventually came out to see why it was taking me so long (hey! It just does!) and I eventually finished (about 8:30 PM). I put the hoses away and came in and watched some TV but fell asleep before the show was finished. And, that was Sunday!