Sunday's Highs and Lows

I woke up at 7:00 AM Sunday morning. I had the last of yesterday's coffee while I planned my day, posted yesterday's blog, started the dishwasher, etc.

After shaving and taking a shower, I got dressed to drive to CVS and pick up my prescription. But, when I got in the car, it didn't start, just "clicked." Uh, oh...

Maybe I'm lucky and it will turn out to be just the battery? I put on the battery charger, grabbed my cane and walked over to the drugstore.

When I got back, I resumed work on the compost sifter and finished it (Damn, those air nailers and staplers make stuff like this sooo easy. I wished I'd bought them 20 years ago when I still had old Rock Bottom farm!) I took a couple pictures and posted them and then went out to sift some compost!

So, I got three wheelbarrows done before two things occurred to me: first, this would be easier if the ground was a little drier; second, leaning over the wheelbarrow and shaking that screen is killer on my back! This may be one of those "two wheelbarrows a night until its done" kind of projects!

I walked over to Murray's Auto to see if the Volvo had a stand-alone starter solenoid (cars back in the day used to). But, no such luck. And the cheapest starter (rebuilt) I can get (and it's not in stock, but shipped overnight) is $159 US! (Please, please let it be the battery!)

When I got back home, it was just after noon. So, I got my biggest skillet and started browning two pounds of ground chuck, hitting it with the house seasoning. When it was browned and drained, I divided it into two. One pound went into a container and the fridge, to make my rice mixture later this week. The other pound of meat I kept on the sink. I took 6 strips of bacon and cut them into 3/4 inch chunks. I fried those up while I chopped three medium yellow onions. Then I added the onions and saut�ed them with the bacon chunks.

Meanwhile, I cleaned out the pan I'd managed to burn the other day. Once it was back in shape, I put in the onions and bacon, the pound of ground chuck and two big cans of regular pork and beans. I added a couple squirts of yellow mustard, a good slug of ketchup and a healthy dose of blackstrap molasses. As an afterthought, I added about a teaspoon of Red Hot sauce. I mixed it all together, covered it and put it on simmer. Once it's warm, I'll taste-test and re-season. This is my version of Luanne's "Texas beans."

I washed all the pots, bowls and knives I used and then made a simple marinade for the two round steaks I will grill later. I used olive oil, balsamic vinegar, some onions and garlic, black pepper and Worcestershire sauce. I put the round steak in a large baggie and then the marinade. I massaged it in and put it back in the fridge for later. The steak is not to eat today (well, maybe a taste) but it's for Philly Cheese Steak sandwiches during the week.

I had bought eight ears of Florida sweet corn at Westborn yesterday, (so much for only eating locally. But anybody who knows me knows I have a jones for roasted sweet corn!) so I put them in a bucket and filled it with water. I also have 8 chicken legs thawed I will be grilling as well.

So, the trickle-charger has been on my car battery since this morning. It's time to try it... NOTHING!!! I was thinking about calling Jake and asking him to come over and try jumping the car, when I remembered: The lawn tractor is 12 volts, too!!!

So, I fired that up, pulled it out and backed it to get close to the car, got out my jumper cables and... BINGO!!! It started! I pulled the car outside and let it run (hopefully charging up the battery). Since I had the mower out anyway, I cut the front grass for the second time. When I was done with that, I pulled the car back inside and then cut the back lawn for the first time (avoiding the spots I had recently reseeded). That took longer than I remembered, but I was cutting it at a lower speed (first time and all). BTW, there was NO dust and crap coming out from my mower, so I do believe I have fixed that problem!

I finished cutting the back lawn at about 4:00 PM. I came in and tried to take a nap, but that didn't work. So, I gave up at 5:30 and started the charcoal in the grille. When I checked my root cellar Saturday, before shopping, I saw that both the rutabagas in there were starting to sprout. So, I peeled them, cubed them and put them in a pan to boil. The sweet corn went on the grille when the coals looked ready.

I put the oven on warm and piled the corn on a cookie tray when it was done. The cookie tray went into the oven and the chicken legs on the grill. I kept them off the hottest direct heat and turned them often until they were getting a nice golden brown. Then I started applying barbecue sauce and letting that caramelize. I pulled them off to rest and seared the steaks on both sides. I pulled them off almost immediately (I'll be warming back up for the sandwiches, so "rare" is good at this stage).

So, I had two ears of corn, some rutabagas a small piece of the steak and a chicken drumstick for dinner. I cleaned up everything and put away the precious leftovers just before 8:00 PM.

I went in and watched my usual Sunday shows. I did fall asleep during Iron Chef, but it was a rerun, anyway. I woke up before 11:00, turned everything off and went to sleep for real.