Friday, gettin' it done!

The first thing I did upon awakening Friday morning was to run around and close all the windows I'd opened before going to sleep. It was 60 degrees F. out there and a bit chilly for my thin robe!

I had a list going (you know me, I ALWAYS have a list) for things I have to do this weekend. It's funny, but it had too many entries to fit on my usual ToDo list that I post on the fridge and then try to follow each week. Come to think of it, maybe it's not that funny!

It should be an interesting weekend: Jake and Carla's on Saturday (for Carla's birthday) and then Lake Orion on Sunday (for Mom, Jeremy and his family and Kal and Hannah). I only hope Uncle Carl is there so Hannah doesn't hurt me for disclosing her granddaughter's secrets.

So, at lunch, I skipped the usual and hit Kroger's and then Westborn with my shopping list. Jake's making some smoked baby backs, hot dogs and hamburgers, so I said I'd bring the sides: my now-famous roasted potato salad and homemade baked macaroni and cheese (take that, colon, lol!).

For Lake Orion, I thawed out the rest of the pork loin I'd dry-rubbed and smoked a while back. That will become pulled pork, topped with fresh coleslaw and served on a sesame bun along with a Greek Pasta Salad (new for me, but it sounded great!)

So, I have my work cut out for me!

After work, I stopped at CVS for some prescriptions and made it home about 5:30 PM. I did the usual, changed clothes and then immediately watered the container gardens. I can't help but remembering how the pansies I had growing in the front garden last year had died by now (as Luanne said they would). But the pansies in the mail box tub are still alive and vibrant (but, as you know, I hand-water them about every two days).

I had thrown all the bedding into the washer this morning, before leaving for work, knowing I probably won't get a chance to do them tomorrow. So, I put them in the dryer tonight and turned it on. I then turned to tonight's cooking adventures.

But I realized, before I can start that, I needed to refill the bird feeder, the bird bath and the suet cage. So, I did. While I was at it, I hooked up the square sprinkler and soaked the raised bed garden once again for 20 minutes.

Back inside, I cut up four pounds of baby redskin potatoes. I added the parsley, and then decide to kick it up a notch, by adding fresh oregano (which I have a ton of) and fresh rosemary (which I only have a little of). I was tossing the potatoes with the herbs, salt, pepper and olive oil as the stove timer went off. I washed my hands and headed outside to turn off the sprinkler.

Back inside again, I put the potatoes on the half-sheet pan and stuck them in a preheated 400 degrees F. oven. I washed my hands again, got the clothes out of the dryer and made up my bed for the week.

I sliced up four strips of bacon into 1/2 inch chunks and fried them until done, but not crispy. Then, I saut�ed about a cup of diced onions along with them in the bacon fat. Meanwhile, I warmed the pork tenderloin I mentioned in the microwave, put it on a platter, got two forks and proceeded to pull it.

Now, let me tell you about pulling pork. It always looks and sounds easy when you see it on TV or read it in a recipe. But, as I have done this many times, I can tell you, it ain't! Your hands start to cramp and hurt about half way through and it seems to take forever! You want to make a million bucks? Invent a pork puller!

Somewhere during the pork pulling, the timer went off for the potatoes. I had flipped them a couple of times already, BTW. I checked but I didn't think they were as done as I wanted. So, back in the oven they went!

I finished with the pork and put it in the pan with the bacon and onion. A generous amount of Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce joined the crowd. I taste-tested it, added a little more sauce, put the lid on it and left it all on low to get happy.

I took the potatoes out and set them on top of the stove, to cool. I noticed it was 8:20 PM (almost time for the Friday Night Fights) so I warmed up some of my homemade chicken soup in the microwave. That and some plain old saltine crackers became dinner.

When the fights came on, I turned the pulled pork off and let it cool as well. About 10:00, I came back out and put the potatoes and the pork in bowls, covered them and popped them into the fridge. I went back and watched the rest of the fights. I turned them off and turned in myself at 11:00 PM.