Soggy Sunday

I woke up at the usual weekday time on Sunday morning (which somehow annoyed me). I posted the Blog entry and then tried to fall back asleep (isn't that what weekends are supposed to be all about?)

I did get about another hour's sleep. When I woke up that time, I stripped the bedding, displacing cats as I went. I started the first of two wash loads and then went and had a cup of coffee. I noticed it was raining steady. It's supposed to be a high of 49 degrees F. with rain today. This is our last day of the January thaw. We go back below freezing and with snow starting Monday.

I wanted to make a beef roast in the oven, along with a broccoli and cheese casserole today. But the roast I thawed out was a blade roast, which needs braising to break down the fat. So, I'll have to use the slow cooker.

Still, I'm gonna try a little new twist. I patted it dry and then heavily salted both sides. I covered that with Cling Wrap and put it in the fridge for an hour (that's supposed to make it juicier).

About halfway through the hour, I began to prepare the vegetables. I peeled and quartered Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced carrots and peeled three medium yellow onions. Two onions I left whole and the other one I cut into rings.

Then I assembled them in the slow cooker: First the carrots and two whole onions, a couple of smashed garlic cloves, and then the potatoes.

I took out the roast, patted it dry again and then hit both sides with fresh cracked black pepper. Meanwhile I had a couple of tablespoons of canola oil heating in my largest skillet (this is a big roast!) When the oil was smoking, I put the roast in to get a nice sear (about four minutes per side).

While the roast was getting a crust, I cut two small trays of crimini mushroom into quarters. When the roast was seared, I put it on top the potatoes, added the onion rings to the top and sprinkled in some dried parsley, basil and thyme (I will be so glad when summer comes and I can have fresh herbs growing in my garden again). Then I fit all the mushrooms in, put the lid on the slow cooker, turned it on "low" and checked the time: 10:00 PM. I should be able to eat by 6-7:00 PM.

I swapped out the laundry and had another cup of coffee on the couch. After a bit, I went back to the rest of the housecleaning. I got the office and my bedroom swept and then mopped the wood floors with Endust. I probably looked pretty silly out on the porch in my shorts, shaking off the mop every five minutes. I washed the main bathroom floor, sink and toilet.

There was one self-stick kitchen tile I never could get the mortar from the sink tile off of, so I got the putty knife and slowly peeled it loose. Then I replaced it with one of the leftover ones from when my old landlord tiled the kitchen just prior to me moving in. Looks much better!

The bathroom was dry by 2:00 PM, so I put it all back together. My daughter, Melissa, called just after that, so it worked out just fine. I was ready to take a break. We talked for about an hour and a half and then she got company.

I put on my work pants and my boots, grabbed a shovel and went out front to try and make a channel to drain off some of the driveway water before the rain starts back up (it stopped raining here around 1:00 PM). The shovel didn't work so well, so I traded it for my hoe. I made one on each side (see photos) and the driveway is finally draining a little.

Since I was out there with the camera anyway, I took pictures of the front and back yard.

Back inside, I posted the pictures and then noticed how dry my wood cutting board was (I'd washed it with hot water and dish detergent earlier). So, I seasoned it with food-grade mineral oil (they sell it in drug stores as a laxative). BTW, you all probably already know, but if you use a wood cutting board for, like onions and garlic, you can eliminate the odor by rubbing it with kosher salt and half of a lemon.

I finally got around to making the bed up at 4:30 PM and decided to take a break. BTW, the roast is nowhere near done, but it smells AWESOME!

The bed looked inviting so I thought I'd take a little nap. I woke up after 6:00 PM, so I went to check on dinner (breakfast and lunch, too, come to think of it).

The meat was falling off the bone, so I made up a plate for me and took the rest out to cool. Well, it wasn't the dinner I'd planned, but it was delicious! I ate too much (that's what happens when you skip breakfast and lunch) and then put the rest in the fridge. I filled the slow cooker with warm water to soak overnight.

Content with the day, I wandered in to watch my Sunday night shows.