“Gone from my sight, but never from my heart.”
Sue was a fantastic chef, and the only one I ever knew who could make a five-course meal out of a box of soda crackers, a banana, and three mushrooms! How she looked into the cupboard and produced such beautiful creations always amazed me. I had a devil of a time making a meal from a TV dinner. Our friends from Germany told us of how they made sauerkraut one day, and the very next day, Sue begins the process of making sauerkraut from scratch. She was creative, resourceful, and willing to try anything at least once. I do miss that can-do (with a smile) spirit.
Sauerkraut from scratch.
Happy anniversary Diane. Thirty super years with a top-notch man! We were both lucky to find our partners. And also, Diane, thank you for being with me during the dark times and lending me words of wisdom and sounding like your beloved sister.
Sue and I were there and happy to see you guys enjoying your wedding celebration thirty years ago. Three incredible decades and may you have thirty more!
The sun riseth, and so do I with grand plans to visit the doctor’s office for a little plastic surgery. No, I am NOT having my nose fixed (didn’t know it was broken), eyes narrowed, eyebrows leveled, or anything else like that! Just a little bump on the back of the neck taken out and biopsied. Routine maintenance on this old body.
My dear next-door neighbor mentioned she was out of flour and could not find any so, I departed early to go to Costco to see if I could find some. Well, the line was too long to wait before my 10:00 AM appointment so I returned back down the street and went to Von’s.
Awaiting there, on aisle number five, was a big bag of Gold-Medal All Purpose flour. Apparently he was antisocial because there was a sign saying, to the effect, ONE PER CUSTOMER. I grabbed it, tucked it under my arm, raised my hand, and, like a professional running back, dashed toward the cash-register prepared to knock down anyone in my way!
Vicky asked why the package looked to “squeezed”, I explained!
So, off to the doctor where the major operation was performed without anesthesia. I team of surgeon examined the spot, poured whiskey on that same spot, withdrew his Samurai sword from this elaborate surgical gown, and plunged the knife well into my neck. Being the brave person I am, I yelled so loud the parking lot attendant, who was four-floors down and three-hundred feet away, came running to my rescue. Thanks to the slow elevators, the wound had been patched up, blood mopped form the floor, and the two nurses, who fainted during the operation, were back on their feet regaling my bravery to their fellow nurses.
Now I get sneaky. The Von’s sign said only one bag per customer. I decided I also needed a bag so I went back into the store in disguise. I wore my mask upside down and had my walking hat on complete with dark glasses. Speaking in a Scandanavian accent (I hope) I muddled my way through the line and carefully got into the check stand with a different checker than an hour ago. When asked if I had bought any flour today, in my best Danish brought, I said, “¡No entiendo inglés!”. I made it out with the second ten pound bag without a hitch!
Robin is coming over later and I needed to get the closet cleaned up so I worked hard for about an hour sorting through my clothes, putting my suits and tuxedos together, and making a few other adjustments.
She arrived and then I dawned on me I had asked her if she could find flour. Well if you do not know Robin, she was my Radar O’Reilly at Boeing. She could find anything, do anything, and work magic. She got four bags of flour!
Tomorrow I am setting up a Flour Stand on the corner of Katella and Beach Blvd!
We decided to walk before lunch so off we went like a herd of turtles!
Walkin’ and talkin’, that’s what we do!
On our walk, we visited several neighbors and admired their gardening handi-work. Our first step was to visit Mr. Froggie who was eyeing some delicious flies nearly. We stood back, not wanting to a tongue lashing as lunch was being served.
Three flies at a time, he was talented!
Arriving back home I had to work on my bread which I was letting rise while we were gone. I was out of uniform as I did NOT have my bakers hat on but that was good because the dough was gooey!
Just a few more turns and it will be ready to proof for the second time!
The result of three cups of flour is enough bread for two families. Half of tonight baking went next door, half goes to Robin, and the other half we ate!
As a kid in 1950s I saw a movie with something like this in it and I believe is ate Boston!
I added the cheese on the first kneading today, the ideas worked well.
While slapping the dough around, Robin did the important task at hand, making the margaritas. It says in the bread recipe (somewhere) that a margarita must be consumed while kneading the dough or the bread will get lumps. Of course, the corollary to that is with three margaritas, who gives a hoot about the lumps! hic!
We warmed up the pastrami that Robin had made from scratch, got out the fixins’ and the bread came out of the oven and… tap, tap, tap tap tap, tap tap, tap! I was sure it was a woodpecker! Robin spotted the little beggars. It was mommy and daddy duck who kind of live in the back yard. They smelled dinner and wanted some.
We didn’t anything so we did offer them a small piece of bread crumb. Tomorrow my assignment is to go to the feed store about noon and get some proper food for the critters.
We had pastrami sandwiches and Bostom Clam Chowder for dinner. Of course, as soon as we sat down, Colleen called so we decided to call her back in twenty minutes when we were done.
Dinner is served!
QUACK QUACK QUACK! What the devil is going on out there? We jumped up from the table and observed two boy ducks in a fight over the “hand” of the maiden. They chased each other around the pool and finally flew off landing on the garage next door where the maiden was observing this tomfoolery!
We do not know who won the fight!
Back to the bread as one must admire the simple elegance of this fantastic display of baking prowess!
Simplicity with some sharp cheddar added!
Robin and I walked the garden and I noticed my berry patch is alive and well and in fact time to pick. For the next two months, I will make the rounds every morning to pick the fresh berries while simultaneously attempting to avoid sticker shock!
Fresh berries for my cereal!
Warning!!! Sex talk just ahead! Hide all your women and children. As we progressed to the area of the corn, I noticed the girl corn was getting quite frisky awaiting the boy corn’s advances.
Flirting with the tassels. According to plan, they ought to get busy pollinating for the next ten days or so!
Did You Know? Huh? OK, here it is in a nutshell: The silk is part of the female flowers of the corn plant that functions to trap pollen from the male flower of the corn (the tassel-looking part at the top of the plant). Each silk strand (they’re actually called styles) is connected to a corn kernel, which functions as the corn’s ovary.
The male flower of the corn plant is known as a corn tassel. After the bulk of the plant growth is complete, tassels will appear on top of the plant. Corn plant tassels can be green, purple or yellow. The tassel’s job is to produce pollen that encourages the growth and ripening of the corn ear. The tassel does not release pollen all at once, but instead begins at the center of the spike and then continues in all directions thereafter. Pollen shed is generally completed within 10 to 15 days depending on the hybrid.
Corn matures at different rates depending on the variety. Early varieties of sweet corn generally require 70 to 80 days to reach maturity, while the main crop types may require up to 100 days. The corn tassels about 20 days before the kernels are ready for harvest.
Tassels up, pollen down, let’s get busy!
We cleaned up, fixed another margarita and watched “The Wife”. Great movie. The Wife is a 2017 drama film directed by Björn L. Runge and written by Jane Anderson, based on the novel of the same name by Meg Wolitzer. It stars Glenn Close, Jonathan Pryce, and Christian Slater, and follows a woman who questions her life choices as she travels to Stockholm with her husband, who is set to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature.
She works; he “edits”; he gets the credit.
We attempted to watch another movie but by 10:00 PM we were done. Robin hit the sack and I stayed up another 45 minutes doing the daily diary. I was asleep before 11:00 PM.
