Saturday

I fell asleep watching the Friday Night Fights, but woke up later and switched to reading. I woke up for good at 4:00 AM. Too early to do anything, so I just read my book, then wrote yesterday's Blog. Finally, at 6:30 AM, I judged it to be light enough outside to commence watering the front lawn.

So, bearing in mind I now have houseguests, I snuck outside through the front door and set the sprinkler up, using my watch this time instead of my faithful stove timer, so as not to wake anyone up. I put on a pot of coffee and went back to reading, albeit in the living room instead of my bed.

Well, from the voices I hear, they are no longer asleep. So, now I am not so quiet as I make myself three soft-boiled eggs for breakfast. I am also moving the hose/sprinkler every 1/2 hour, and by 9:00 AM, the whole front yard is watered. Then I watered the patch of grass next to the reflecting pool (it's the one spot in the back yard that doesn't get much shade, you see.)

Then, onward and upward. First thing I want to do today is wash off the front porch. It's covered with dust from the road and too many spider webs. Since its supposed to be another hot day, I am hoping the carpet and the wicker furniture will dry quickly. So, I got a bucket of hot water and a brush. Then I blew off the porch, and then knocked all the cobwebs down with a broom. I hosed it all down, then brushed it with soapy water, and finally rinsed it many, many times. I set the washed off furniture and rocker in the sun to dry and went to the next project.

Today I want to get the attic stairs working. Carla has gone to an appointment and Jake went into the attic to see how much trouble this was going to be. Turns out NOT to be a big deal, really. We just reversed the nut with the extension the arm rides on, and it works! I still had to install the feet and secure the first two steps, but I can't find the hardware bag (hey, it's been a while, okay?) and none of my leftover screws are the right size.

But, by now Carla's back and they are leaving to run errands, so I wrote down what I needed and they will pick it up at Home Depot. I go out to the garage to cut the molding for around the attic stairs. Now, I bought this molding KNOWING it was "just" enough to make the pieces I need. Cut the one short side and the long side and put it up, using the air nailer. But, the next piece I cut the angle the wrong way. Maybe three inches total of scrap, but now I can't finish it!!!

So, I cut and installed the long side and will have to pick up more molding tomorrow to complete this project. In disgust at my own stupidity, I put away the primer and painting implements.

I turn my efforts to tonight's dinner. I have a pork loin thawed and give it a rub with both Emeril's essence and Old Bay seasoning and put it in the fridge to get happy.

Jake and Carla came back, and Jake screwed together the two bottom steps and installed the feet on the attic stairs. I am pleased as it is much, much more stable than the old one. (If I just hadn't screwed up that molding! Dammit!!!)

I set the grill up for indirect smoking, get the charcoal lit, added wet hickory wood chips and started smoking my loin (that didn't sound right, somehow). An hour later, I took three russet potatoes and cut slices in them (but not all the way through), slathered them with softened butter, seasoned them and wrapped them in two layers of tinfoil. I put them directly on the coals and set a timer so I would remember to turn them every 15 minutes.

Around 6:00 PM, the alarm on the meat thermometer went off, signifying an internal temperature of 150 degrees, so I pulled everything off the grill to let it rest. I steamed some frozen broccoli and added cheese to it for a side. Carla sampled it, and then fixed it a tad (thanks!)

We were playing cards then, but interrupted the game to eat (just as well, as I was getting my butt kicked in the game). Very, very good food, but I really should have made some sort of sauce for the pork loin.

After that, we went out separate way to watch TV and read as Saturday wound down to a close.