Wheee-ha! Mini vacation!
Yesterday was the first day of my mini-vacation. Except for a couple of times when I was sick and it managed to coincide with a day off, this is the first time since Escapade in Feb. that I've had more than one day off at a time. While I've come to appreciate having my work week broken into smaller bits, I really miss having my days off together.
Yesterday, like the previous week, the weather was miserable - high 90s and even a foray into triple digits with moderate to high humidity. Welcome to August in the Midwest. Late yesterday afternoon a storm front rolled in that lasted half the night, cooling down the temps a little but ramping up the humidity to truly disgusting proportions. This morning I woke up to high 60s with lovely, acceptable humidity. Highs for the rest of my min-vacation? Mid-70s! WOOT! Phouka is also enjoying the weather, not only for the weather itself, but because the balcony door is open and he has free reign over both areas.
Yesterday I did my plasma thing (amazing how much less stressful the experience is when you don't need the money to eat). Then did grocery shopping spending a chunk of that saved plasma money for some luxuries. I'm going to fetch the bro tomorrow for a day together. It's the first time I'll have seen him since March (that single day off at a time thing). We're going to have a spicy shrimp boil with new potatoes, corn (if he wants), fresh green beans and I'll make shortcakes (more like flat, sweet biscuits) to have with fresh strawberries, ice cream and real whipped cream. For an afternoon snack I have the last of the beef fajita queso dip (really yummy) that I bought frozen on sale a few months ago - $1 for a one lb frozen package! It was selling for $6 during the Superbowl. I've actually been saving it for the bro.
The last couple of weeks I've been restocking the freezer and pantry. When things were a little tight before the coveted/dreaded promotion and raise, things were getting a little skimpy and reserve stores were dwindling. Luckily I've run across some really great meat sales and I now have a turkey breast, boneless/skinless chicken breasts, a small pork roast, a garlic and herb marinated pork loin, several different types of fish, some frozen veges and fruit in the freezer. No, it's just a regular size freezer, I'm just really good at packing things! My small food cabinet is also refilled with basics. I rarely eat canned veges other than tomatoes, but I always keep a small supply on hand. There are also various beans, rice, lentils, oatmeal, grits (I come from good Southern stock!) and other basic staples. I'm good to go now. Just need to buy fresh fruit and veges and coconut milk as required.
I also splurged and bought small quantities of exotic cheeses that I've never tried. Greek aged mizithra, very white and hard - I've going to try it in a Greek oregano pesto with almonds in a cold pasta salad with grape tomatoes. I got a small piece of Italian taleggio (I'm not usually one for soft, oozey cheese but my taste have been changing lately. It was wonderful smeared on a soft, crusty, demi-loaf of Italian bread for lunch yesterday along with a salad. Lastly I got a piece of Spanish Manchego that I thought I'd try in this recipe of Spanish Chicken Stew with Manchego Polenta. Looks good, yes? And very handy because one of my 'buys' yesterday was a 10 lb bag of chicken legs for $4. Couldn't pass that up! That reminds me, I have to process and freeze all those suckers today. *sigh*
I got a card from
spasticat with a lovely little origami dress (the one I called her variegated mauve chiffon cocktail dress *G*) in the mail. And that reminds me, awhile back I got a box from her with more origami - a gorgeous lily and two whimsical birds, along with a beautiful necklace she made all in shades of blue and silver. *mwah!* I still need to find my camera and post pics of them.
Last night I also had a nice Skype chat with
slavelabour. She has the most lovely laugh! I've known her for years - since the Yahoogroups days, and chatted with her online before, but we've never spoken in person. Such a bright spot to begin my vacation.
Anyone else out there Skype? I could really get addicted to free long distance phone chats. *G*
So what else do I have planned for these next few days? Basically a whole lotta nothin'. Tuesday I'm going to grab my antiquated film camera and head to the nearby lake complex for some quality outdoor time by the water. It's not as good as
slavelabour's planned weekend by the ocean but it'll have to do.
And then there's writing! I have just under 2000 words of my
spn_cinema J2 re-write of the movie Bell Book and Candle and as soon as I hit 'post' for this sucker, that's where I'm going. If I don't get the majority of that sucker done these next few days I'm afraid I'll default on it.
So that's how my extended weekend is going. How about you? If you're out for an end of summer party, please be safe.
Yesterday, like the previous week, the weather was miserable - high 90s and even a foray into triple digits with moderate to high humidity. Welcome to August in the Midwest. Late yesterday afternoon a storm front rolled in that lasted half the night, cooling down the temps a little but ramping up the humidity to truly disgusting proportions. This morning I woke up to high 60s with lovely, acceptable humidity. Highs for the rest of my min-vacation? Mid-70s! WOOT! Phouka is also enjoying the weather, not only for the weather itself, but because the balcony door is open and he has free reign over both areas.
Yesterday I did my plasma thing (amazing how much less stressful the experience is when you don't need the money to eat). Then did grocery shopping spending a chunk of that saved plasma money for some luxuries. I'm going to fetch the bro tomorrow for a day together. It's the first time I'll have seen him since March (that single day off at a time thing). We're going to have a spicy shrimp boil with new potatoes, corn (if he wants), fresh green beans and I'll make shortcakes (more like flat, sweet biscuits) to have with fresh strawberries, ice cream and real whipped cream. For an afternoon snack I have the last of the beef fajita queso dip (really yummy) that I bought frozen on sale a few months ago - $1 for a one lb frozen package! It was selling for $6 during the Superbowl. I've actually been saving it for the bro.
The last couple of weeks I've been restocking the freezer and pantry. When things were a little tight before the coveted/dreaded promotion and raise, things were getting a little skimpy and reserve stores were dwindling. Luckily I've run across some really great meat sales and I now have a turkey breast, boneless/skinless chicken breasts, a small pork roast, a garlic and herb marinated pork loin, several different types of fish, some frozen veges and fruit in the freezer. No, it's just a regular size freezer, I'm just really good at packing things! My small food cabinet is also refilled with basics. I rarely eat canned veges other than tomatoes, but I always keep a small supply on hand. There are also various beans, rice, lentils, oatmeal, grits (I come from good Southern stock!) and other basic staples. I'm good to go now. Just need to buy fresh fruit and veges and coconut milk as required.
I also splurged and bought small quantities of exotic cheeses that I've never tried. Greek aged mizithra, very white and hard - I've going to try it in a Greek oregano pesto with almonds in a cold pasta salad with grape tomatoes. I got a small piece of Italian taleggio (I'm not usually one for soft, oozey cheese but my taste have been changing lately. It was wonderful smeared on a soft, crusty, demi-loaf of Italian bread for lunch yesterday along with a salad. Lastly I got a piece of Spanish Manchego that I thought I'd try in this recipe of Spanish Chicken Stew with Manchego Polenta. Looks good, yes? And very handy because one of my 'buys' yesterday was a 10 lb bag of chicken legs for $4. Couldn't pass that up! That reminds me, I have to process and freeze all those suckers today. *sigh*
I got a card from
spasticat with a lovely little origami dress (the one I called her variegated mauve chiffon cocktail dress *G*) in the mail. And that reminds me, awhile back I got a box from her with more origami - a gorgeous lily and two whimsical birds, along with a beautiful necklace she made all in shades of blue and silver. *mwah!* I still need to find my camera and post pics of them.
Last night I also had a nice Skype chat with
slavelabour. She has the most lovely laugh! I've known her for years - since the Yahoogroups days, and chatted with her online before, but we've never spoken in person. Such a bright spot to begin my vacation.
Anyone else out there Skype? I could really get addicted to free long distance phone chats. *G*
So what else do I have planned for these next few days? Basically a whole lotta nothin'. Tuesday I'm going to grab my antiquated film camera and head to the nearby lake complex for some quality outdoor time by the water. It's not as good as
slavelabour's planned weekend by the ocean but it'll have to do.
And then there's writing! I have just under 2000 words of my
spn_cinema J2 re-write of the movie Bell Book and Candle and as soon as I hit 'post' for this sucker, that's where I'm going. If I don't get the majority of that sucker done these next few days I'm afraid I'll default on it.
So that's how my extended weekend is going. How about you? If you're out for an end of summer party, please be safe.