Saturday's Story

Because I went to bed so early, I woke up at 4:30 a.m. on Saturday. It was dark and rainy outside, BTW. So, I putzed a while. Finally, I ate some soft-boiled eggs, shaved, showered and headed out for the morning appointments and errands.

First was my massage and then a haircut. Next was Kroger’s to pick up a few things I was out of. Finally, I pulled into Aco and bought some orange and black spray paint, for the Halloween pumpkin cutout I want to make from the scrap wood. I had to laugh because the checkout lady said “Orange and black? This must be for Halloween!” I said “Yeah, gonna paint my dog.” She looked at me like I was crazy. I made it back home and had the cats treated by 11:00 a.m.

I changed clothes and went out back to get a shovel to plant the mums. I checked the gauge and was surprised to see I picked up yet another inch or rain overnight.

Since the ground was obviously saturated, I took the time to rake, seed and cover with straw more of the “lane,” from the front of the shed to the rise in the lawn. I could have (maybe should have) done more but since I have to water all this seed until and after it sprouts, I decided that was about the max I could water each night. I took some photos for you.

Before

After

On a whim, (I often do things on a whim) I walked over to the raised bed vegetable garden, hoping to check out the new peas. But, WTF! “Something” had chewed the shit out of more of my semi-ripened big tomatoes. My cursing attracted the notice of my neighbor Rick, who came over to see what I was so p*ssed about. We talked it over (well, maybe he talked me down) and he suggested he set one of his live traps in my yard. He checked and NONE of his tomatoes were touched. What ever it is (I have squirrels, skunks, and woodchucks that I know of. I haven’t seen the rabbits that were here when I moved in for years.) seems to be unable to climb the fence to his property.

I agreed to the live trap, but I gotta tell ya, whatever is doing this is going to die! They don’t know who they are messing with! I want my BLTS!!!

If the live trap doesn’t work, I will set up a hide (if you’re a sniper) or a blind (if you’re a hunter) and blow them to hell! You don’t mess with my BLTS, DAMMIT!

After I calmed down, I took in all the “pink” big tomatoes (I’ll let them ripen inside, though they don’t taste as good) and a couple of big green ones.

Then I went out front and planted the mums.

Back inside, it was just after 2:00 a.m. and I was hungry. I think I forgot to mention this, but my Facilities friend Michelle had brought me in some Jambalaya her husband made on Thursday.

So, I set up a breading station: A/P flour, eggs and a splash of milk and, finally, equal parts of A/P flour and yellow corn meal. I sliced up the big green tomatoes.

Then I fried up some GREAT fried green tomatoes. I ate that with the warmed up Jambalaya for an excellent lunch/dinner (way too late for brunch so maybe linner?)

I took a long break then. It was maybe a nap. I dunno… I was asleep…

When my break was over, I went out into the garage again. I took the barometer stand and started to sand it on the sawhorses and my old friend, the birch-faced board. I started with 100 grit and then switched to 250.

When I was finished, I set it aside to let it completely dry out and then cut out my pumpkin from the birch-board plywood.

I did the eyes, mouth and eyebrows first and then did the rest of the pumpkin body. I sanded all the edges and then flipped the pumpkin cutout over on its back. I put the eyes, mouth and eyebrows on the back and then spray painted them flat black.

I put the painted pieces here and there to dry and took the sawhorses and the pumpkin cutout inside. I shut the garage door on the oncoming gloom and went inside for the evening.

I watched the first episode of “The Wire,” thanks to Jake and Carla. I would like to say it was excellent, but I’m afraid to become one of the many zombies who are fascinated by “Breaking Bad” and “The Wire.”

Be that as it may, when it was over, I went to bed.