My bedroom's back!

I got up at 6:40 AM on Saturday. I cleaned the coffee pot and made a fresh pot. After having two cups on the porch (not as nice today, much warmer and very humid), without further ado, I got to work on the bedroom.

I emptied both the nightstands of their books and knickknacks, dusted them, applied a good furniture polish and nailed in the new nylon glides. Then I put them in place and, after cleaning them with Windex, I put on the glass tops. Next I transferred all the books to my bed and started the laborious process of dusting, sorting and then shelving them.

Sometime during this process, the doorbell rang. I had to laugh, as both cats were sleeping on the bed. But, when the doorbell chimed, they jumped up like a shot and ran into the living room, like two kids, wondering who was here!

It was Jake and Carla, with exciting news! They found a Farmer's Market, not two miles from my house! I don't claim to remember everything they bought, but I know it included purple green beans, raspberries and sweet corn, all locally grown and picked less than 30 minutes before. Hoping to become a "locavore" (someone who only eats food grown within 100 miles from their house) myself, someday, this is great information! They said there were only a few vendors (it's really early yet for Michigan produce) but I am sure there will be more to come. I will definitely hit it next Saturday!

We were sitting on the porch when the rain started, sprinkling at first, but a real downpour by the time they left. I got back to work and by 11:00 AM, I had all the books and knickknacks back in order. Next was a quick trip into the attic to put away the sleeping bag I used to keep the baby-back ribs warm on the Fourth of July and some bows I used outside (at Christmas!) that I had drying in the back room and more or less forgotten about.

The rain started to slacken, so I did a quick check of the rain gauge (no, I didn't go outside. I have the gauge turned so I can see the numbers from the bathroom window, using my bird watching binoculars) and, so far, I have over 1/2 inch of rain this morning.

I put the new curtains in the washer on "delicate." It was just after noon and I am hungry. So, I warmed up the last hot dog and ate it and a pickle for breakfast/lunch. Then I decided to take a break and check out the book Jake had brought me. So, I shooed the cats off the bed (they came back, of course) and laid down for a spell...

I was engrossed, but made myself put the book down at 2:00 PM. I removed the mini-blinds and replaced them with the new ones I had gotten at Lowe's, Next I took off the old curtains and put the curtain rods back up. I put the new curtains in the dryer on low heat (hoping I don't shrink them too much).

So, by 3:30 PM, I had the new drapes up and secured. I put the old burgundy ones in the washer (also on delicate) in case someone wants them. Then, since the rain is now over, I headed outside with my camera (Mom said she likes to see the pictures of new flowers, etc, emerging).

Oh, I did call my Mother to see how things were going. I had a family question that seemed to stump her, so I reluctantly (I wish I hadn't brought it up, frankly) hung up. But, she did say that everything was good out there.

While I was outside, I filled up the bird feeder. I also marked the two trees and one branch of another tree that my neighbor can cut down (he is attempting to heat his house with wood this winter). I have spent the last month or so, studying the sun and shade patterns in my back lawn. And, I determined that with those two trees taken out and that one branch, I could, in fact, have a good-sized vegetable garden next year, with adequate sunlight. Now all that remains is to determine if I should just rent a rototiller guy, (like Jake and Carla did) or buy another rototiller outright next spring. We'll see...

Back inside, I posted my photos. So, now it's almost 5:30 and I am thinking about dinner. I decided earlier that it was going to be fried ocean perch, and a side of rice pilaf. So, I set up my breading station, with flour, then two large eggs, whisked, and finally a cup of plain bread crumbs.

I got the rice pilaf going (nothing homemade, a box mix made by Near East) and then fried up the fish in four tablespoons of vegetable oil in a medium-high, non-stick pan. I made a spicy dipping sauce to go with it using 1/2 cup of mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper sauce (I use Red Hot, myself), half of a lemon, juiced, and some salt and pepper.

I ate that watching TV. At about 10:30, I turned the TV off and went back to Jake's book. I read that until about 12:30, when I started nodding off. But, before I went to sleep, I took some pictures of the bedroom and posted them (I thought if I waited until after dark, the lighter windows wouldn't mess up the shot. But, the flash bounced off the one picture and the mirror, anyway!)

Then I went to sleep.