Sunday's Summation

I woke up again at 6:30 AM. Before shaving and showering I checked the rain gauge on the patio. Another inch of rain fell overnight. According to the Weather Channel, there's still more to come today, and Flood Warning are posted until Monday morning.

I took my first cup of coffee out to enjoy the cool morning air on the front porch, but that didn't work! It was already 73 degrees F. and with the high humidity, it was sticky and uncomfortable.

I washed another batch of dishes from last night in the laundry tub and then went out in the garage to get the tools to re-attach the sink. After some difficulty, I did get the garbage disposal hooked back to the sink. But, it was as I feared. Raising the level of the sink 3/4 inches higher was too much for either trap to make up. So, I put on my "going to the store" clothes and left at 10:00 for Home Depot. I bought a new trap for the disposal side and two 6 inch drain pipe extenders.

I treated myself to breakfast at Leo's and then stopped in at Kroger's to pick up a sale item. I was back home and back to work by 11:15.

It took a while, cutting down the extenders to the exact correct length, but I finally was ready to try it out. I turned on the water and had my first scare! The hot water was dripping from the shut-off. These are soldered in and I can't solder worth a damn, so this would be an expensive call to a plumber!! But, I tightened the nut that holds in the valve stem and it stopped!!! Whew!

The drain on the disposal side worked perfectly. But the other side was dripping. I took it all apart and checked everything, then put it back together, making sure I hadn't cross-threaded anything. This time, no leaks! I was tempted to stop there and call it good, but I made myself plug each side, fill the sink completely full and then unplug it, as a final test! Hurray! No leaks!!!

So, at 1:30 PM on Sunday, September 14, 2008, my kitchen was completely back together. I took some photos for the Blog. It has been a long project, but I definitely think it was worth it.

I started a load in the dishwasher (oh, how I have missed you, baby!) and carried the tools back out to the garage. I must have dragged some dirt going back and forth this morning, as I needed to sweep the kitchen again. It was drizzling when I was out this morning, but the sun did finally come out for a bit. Then it got cloudy again and, by 3:00 PM, it was raining once more (When it rains, it pours!)

I refilled Newt's tank and washed the tablecloth that had protected my kitchen table these past few weeks. I kept up doing any and all of these little chores that I have largely ignored during the tile project until 4:00 PM. I decided then to treat myself to another recently ignored weekend pleasure: a nap!

It took a while, but I did eventually fall asleep. I woke up, refreshed, at 6:00 PM. I had thawed out three catfish filets yesterday, so I set up my breading station (flour, egg, yellow cornmeal) and got about 1/2 inch of canola oil heating in my big old cast iron fry pan. While that was getting ready, I put the water and butter in a sauce pan and put in the "original" Uncle Ben's Wild Rice mixture. I know, I know... I can hear you purists saying, "Captain, you are using a box mix! Who cares if it takes 25 minutes or the 'new-improved' quick-cook, 5 minutes?"

Well, I do. The old style just tastes better than the quick-cook. It makes a damn good tasting side that's definitely worth waiting for!

I patted the filets dry, put them in the flour, then egg, then cornmeal and into the hot oil (I'd say around 350 degrees F. because I didn't use a thermometer, just the "bubbles around a wooden spoon handle" method). Now the pan could "probably" fit all three, but I hate to crowd frying food. You risk getting "steamed" rather than "fried" food if they are too close. So, I did two, then one filets.

As soon as they came out of the pan and onto the rack (on a cookie sheet, over paper towels), I hit both sides with just kosher salt. I covered them with tin foil, waiting on the rice.

Meanwhile, I must tell you, the rain seems to have abated, but the winds have really picked up. The trees in the back yard are dancing and swaying in the gusts. As always, I worry about falling limbs...

So, the rice was done and I plated tonight's feast. I put two filets on a dinner plate, with a healthy helping of wild rice and topped the catfish filets "Southern-style" with generous dashes of red hot sauce (I use Frank's Original, myself). I took the plate into the bedroom and prepared to watch my Sunday night shows...

My nap helped me stay awake until they were finished at 11:00 PM and then I went to sleep.