Friday Fun

Today was my department's company picnic, but instead of going for the food and companionship, I decided to run errands. So, I ate fish and chips at Murphy's Bar and Grille (double tartar sauce and malt vinegar for the fries, of course). Then I went next door to the hardware store and after some looking, found the 1 1/2 length screws I needed to replace the 1 inch screws that came with the new metal knobs. I still had some time left, so I drove up, then down the length of Hynes Park to get back to work. It's still freakishly warm here (85 degrees F. and, for the end of September in Michigan, that's weird!) and the joggers and bicyclists were out in droves.

I debated long and hard about going grocery shopping at Meijer's right after work. But, it's always crowded on Friday night and, for some reason, I'm tired today. So, I just went home.

After changing clothes, I started replacing the dresser knobs, sitting on a chair to give my leg a break.

Finished up just before 7:00 PM and went outside to hook up the back sprinkler. I decided I should take a moment and check and see if I was getting any reaction from the grass seed I'd spread. So, I walked out back and, sure enough, young grass has sprouted. While I was there, I picked all the ripe Roma tomatoes. I also notice one of the roses has re-blossomed! On my way into the house, I stopped and picked all the remaining, non-blemished basil leaves.

I took the basil leaves and stacked them up, rolled them tight, and then used my Shun knife to chiffinade them (Mom, that means cut them super thin, but since they are rolled up, they come out in long strips). I put them in a bowl along with a stick of unsalted butter, so the butter can soften and I can make a compound butter for something I want to try over the weekend.

So, when the timer went off, I went out back, first tearing apart all my leftover bread, hot dog and hamburger buns for the birds. I put in a suet cake and refilled the bird feeder. Note: when I got out the suet cake from the fridge, I found a plastic bag with three catfish filets I'd bought two weeks ago. Damn! I HATE to waste food (is it because I am a fallen-away Catholic and view it as a sin, or just because I know just how many people there are in the world, even in the United States, who don't have enough to eat, that this really bothers me?) I dunno. But I know it pissed me off to have to just throw them away!

While I was out there, I took a picture of the new grass and the new blooms on the mini-rose. I posted them, but you will probably have to click on them to enlarge and see the detail. Then use your Browser's "back" button to get back to my Blog (assuming, of course, that you want to come back, lol). On my way back in, I stuck the end of the hose in the reflecting pool and turned the water on half way. I set the timer for 20 minutes.

I went in and updated this edition of the Blog until the timer went off again. Then I went out and re-coiled the hose after turning it off. It's 8:01 PM and I've decided I am done for the day!!!

Dinner tonight is the last of the lamb pot pie and more Guinness. Then TV until I fell asleep. I woke up just after one o'clock in the morning, decided to finish this and now I'm going back to bed.