Saturday's Story

I woke up at 5:30 AM on Saturday and went out to start a pot of coffee. Then, despite the protests from the cats, I stripped the bedding and started the weekend wash.

I answered some emails and then wrote and posted the Blog and a picture. Next I started making tonight's dinner, pot roast.

I took out the round crock pot, sprayed the inside with non-stick spray (for easier clean-up, later) and started peeling, dicing and adding the veggies: carrots first, then one whole small yellow onion, the six remaining redskin potatoes (that were starting to sprout) one medium russet potato (to get enough potatoes to carrots) and two smashed garlic cloves.

I seasoned the English Blade roast with a lot of salt and pepper (it's a thick cut of meat) and then trimmed it to fit in the crock pot. I wedged it in over the veggies and then topped it with Vidalia onion rings. I added fresh sprigs of thyme and parsley and some dried rosemary leaves. I finished it all up with a layer of Cremini mushrooms with the stems removed (so they would fit). I added a half cup of water, turned it on Low and walked away.

I shaved and took a shower and then got dressed. I made up the bed and then left to run my errands. First, a 9:00 AM hair cut. After that, I stopped and got my oil changed. One of the "joys" of owning a Volvo is that it takes six quarts of oil instead of the usual five, and a special filter. So, the advertised $19.95 oil change always costs me $29.10.

Then I went to Kroger's for my main grocery shopping. I got my usual staples as well as some pretty good deals. I was back home and unloading the car just after 11:00 AM. When I got out of the car, I noticed the engine smelled "funny," so I actually got down on the floor to see if there was oil leaking (there wasn't). I thought maybe the guy had left either the filter or the drain plug loose and I had lost oil. I made a mental note to check it when the car had cooled down.

Back inside, with the groceries put away, I happened to go into the bedroom. I saw that in the brief time since I made up the bed this morning, somebody (Scruffy) had barfed up a hairball on the bedspread. Disgusted, I cleaned up the mess with a paper towel and threw it back in the washer (after spraying the stained area).

At 12:15, I was hard boiling the rest of last shopping trip's eggs and going out on the patio. I reset all the furniture and moved the "shepherd's crooks" that hold the bird feeder and the suet cage farther apart.

Why? Well, it was amusing to watch the squirrels use the two close poles to climb up and either eat some of the bird seed or the suet. But, recently, one or more of them has the great idea that it's cool to jump and hang on the bird feeder. This spills all the seed at once, emptying the feeder in a matter of moments. I can't afford that!

I took out all the old bread and buns I had and, after ripping them up, spread them around as well. Then I went back inside and warmed up the rest of the pork-fried rice for my lunch.

When that was heating up, the doorbell rang. It was Jake and Carla, on their way back home from Jake's annual dental check-up. He had listened to me bitch about this new monitor all week, so he went in to fix it while Carla and I visited.

I mentioned this whole pistachio and salmonella scare thing and that I had nearly a full jar of them that I'd recently bought from GFS (they are supposed to be a good snack for lowering cholesterol). They suggested that, rather than throw them away, I should put them out for the squirrels. That way, if there was nothing wrong with them, they wouldn't go to waste and, if my backyard was littered with dead squirrels, I would know I had done the right thing.

Jake got the resolution straightened up (so everything didn't "flicker" all the time) and the format changed from the "wide-screen" (so all my photos didn't look stretched and stupid). Thank you!!! And, then they left.

I re-heated the fried rice and ate it, topped with good soy sauce, watching some taped Food network shows. Then I took a short nap. I woke up, but wasn't inclined to get up, so I checked the TV guide and watched the last half of a movie (Rambo, First Blood II). Then I got up.

I went out to get the mail and remembered I wanted to secure the front of the tree box (the "planter," Brother Carl) better. I had used 2 1/2-inch finish nails, but I have been thinking the freezing and thawing next winter might pop them. So, I got out the drill and drilled pilot holes first, then added some screws. They will probably rust and look crappy, but the front won't come off!

Almost as an afterthought, I checked the oil in the car. Now I'm pissed!!! It was NOT low, but almost an inch over the Full mark on the dipstick!! I have long since let my cert lapse (I was an ASE certified mechanic in Engine Building) but I still know what kind of damage you can do to an engine with too much oil!

By my calculations, I had only driven about five miles after having the oil changed, so I am hoping I didn't trash the engine. But, I gotta get the oil out. I dragged out my floor jack which I haven't used in years. But, it wouldn't pick up the car (the hydraulic oil must be low) so, I got the jack out of the trunk for the first time ever.

I jacked the car up as high as it would go (after putting on the parking brake and chocking the wheels) and stuck one of Jake's jack stands under it. I washed out one of the extra kitty litter trays I keep (for leaving the house for extended periods), dried it thoroughly and slid it under the car.

It took a while to determine which metric socket fit (the drain plug points to the back of the car and I was in the front, so I was doing it all by feel) but I finally got it. I took it off and filled the tray about half full of motor oil (and my hand and the sleeve of my jacket). I made more of a mess trying to get the plug screwed back in, but I finally got it done.

I washed my hands, removed the jack stand and then let the car back down. I reluctantly volunteered one of my soup freezer containers for the next part (they are exactly one quart, you see). I took the container and the oil out to the field next door (in case of spillage) and filled up the container. I took it back, put it into the engine, and then I checked the dipstick. I did that three times until it registered on the dipstick.

I started the car up and let it run for a minute or two. Then I checked the dipstick again. It was right in the middle between "Low" and "Full." I filled up the container and put a lid on it and put it on the garage shelf. I dumped the rest of the oil (maybe another 1/2 quart) on the grass in my driveway. I'll check the oil level in the car again in a day or two and adjust as needed.

Back inside, I sprayed my jacket and washed it in hot water. I washed up and finally checked my mail (one bill and three junk mails). It was about 6:30 PM.

So, onto dinner. I put the mushrooms and the onion rings into a bowl and threw away the herb stems. I put the meat onto a platter and then took out the veggies with a slotted spoon. I strained the au jus into a sauce pan and heated it up. I chopped up the mushrooms and onion rings and added them to the pot. When it was boiling, I added a water and cornstarch slurry and whisked it until it thickened into a nice gravy.

I made up a plate and topped the roast beef and the potatoes with the gravy. I ate it at the kitchen table, reading a book. The dinner was very good, BTW.

I let the crock pot inside soak for the night, put the rest of the food into the fridge and wandered off to watch TV.