Thursday

I woke up at 5:00 AM on Thursday and wandered out in the kitchen to make some coffee. Outside the kitchen window, the world looked weird! I finally figured it out, it was damn foggy out there (we rarely get fog here in Redford). Sure enough, when I watched the weather, we have a dense fog advisory until 10:00 AM.

This was not my usual Thursday because I don't have to go therapy until 2:00 PM. This is my one month evaluation, you see. So, I drank coffee and putzed around. It was too damp to work outside and nothing inside was calling to me. I watched the morning shows, read a little more of my book and then made some lunch for myself (another meatloaf patty and the other half of the acorn squash).

I did get a quick nap in and then went and shaved, showered and got dressed. I headed out to the rehab place at 1:45 PM.

The results of my 30-day evaluation? As always, everyone is astounded at my range of motion. The only noticeable problem is the weakness in my triceps (well, keep your arm in a sling for 30 days and see what it does to you). Supposedly, that would explain my crappy handwriting and the shakes I get trying to eat soup. So, that's what we are going to work on. Their best guess is that I should be done with therapy in another month or so! Thank God!!

Back home, I answered some emails and some instant messages and then changed into my work clothes. It was time to mulch leaves!

I gassed up the tractor after checking the oil, fired that bad boy up and got down to it. The front yard was pretty simple. I cut it on #3 to really grind up the leaves (during the summer months, I cut the grass on #4).

When that was done, I went out back and ran into a problem. The leaves are either too thick or too wet. Regardless, the deck would lock up and the belts would squeal. So, I'd stop the mower, get off and clean out the offending leaves. I tried doing it on #4, but eventually settled on the #5 setting.

Anyway, it took a long damn time and the back yard still looked like crap. I got everything put away, the gate closed and the garage door down just after 5:30 PM. It's supposed to rain heavy for the next few days, so I guess I'll have to live with it.

It's funny (in a sick sort of way), but three or four years ago, I paid my lawn service (yes, I actually had a lawn service after my second knee replacement) $60 bucks to do a fall cleanup. Two or three guys with gasoline-powered back-pack blowers walked across the yard and blew all the fallen leaves into the vacant lot next door, No fuss, no muss.

Now, I'm afraid to spend the money and buy a burger off the dollar menu at McDonald's. It's sad how far I've fallen...

Anyway, it was 6:30 PM and I was ready for dinner. I took the beets I'd bought and cut off the greens (leaving one inch stems on the beets - I'll explain later). I cut the stems and the leaves into one-inch sections.

I got my medium-sized saucepan and put in one-third amount of salted water. When that was at a rolling boil, I dropped in the beet greens. I let them boil for a bit while I got out the strainer and put the last meatloaf patty in the microwave. Then I drained them, put them in a bowl and added a generous splash of white vinegar.

I plated it up and went in to watch some TV. I was still impressed with the taste of that meatloaf and the beet greens were fantastic!!