Rain.

     Morning.  A wee bit before I put on the coffee.  It's Sunday.  Been a not to terrible weekend.  Came home Friday and made my new obsession, pizza.

     I buy already prepared shells and just jazz it up.  Well I've also recently rediscovered my love for hot peppers.  My dad used to love them.  He'd do something to them in an old pickle jar and eat them right out of it.

     Sometimes I'd join him.  Always gave me the same warning.  "They burn both ways.  Going in and going out."  Still I ate them.

     Think it was last week, food shopping.  For some reason the jalapeno display caught my eye and I said why not.  Grabbed one and took it home with me.  Cut paper thin slices and put it on the pizza.  Wow.  Brought out some nice heat.  I loved it.

     Fridays had thicker slices with some sauteed mushrooms.  Ones I'd made some time during the week for burgers.  Was pretty good if I do say so.  And Saturday breakfast?  Remainder of pepper and mushroom, slice of cheese, on a nice whole wheat tortilla. Heated of course.  Let's see any of the fast food chains make me something so good.

     Was supposed to be warmer yesterday and all rainy.  The rain didn't really let it feel much warmer.  Just hung about til 11 and then went out.  Had to buy a few things.  Gray skies.  Little spritzes of drizzle here and there. So grabbed a cigar and headed for the water.  Punched, been using a punch later, lit, boom the skies open.  Hightailed it home and finished under the overhang.

     Other than that just a lazy sort of day.  I should of course cleaned.  Didn't.  Dinner?  Pizza.  No, just plain cheese.  Didn't want to over do it you know.

     I've already told them we are shopping for basics today.  Haven't got paid yet.  Took the last bit of money out of my account.  I've a whole $1.45 to my name right now.  We've $85 to shop.  We need $150.  I already explained I cannot afford another $300 on my credit card bill.  So we'll see what happens.

     Going to put on coffee.  Thinking on bakery run.  I've been good food wise this week.  Hit the gym all but 1 day.  Whole wheat buttered roll and a chocolate danish.  Which I always heat in the micro for 13 seconds.  Why 13?  Just because.

     Not even sure I'm going to the lounge today.  I've really lost my love of the place.  Partly the new owner.  Partly my disconnect with my friend there.  He's still annoyed about the ownership change too.  Still feeling the opposite of the big fish in a small pond as it were.  We'll see what happens.  Oh I should mention that I'm not even sure I can afford a cigar today anyway.  I could check.  

-later

Ugh.

     Yup.  Ugh.  Nuff said.  Well not really.  It's 1:46 at the start of this entry, Monday early hours.  It was a weekend.  I managed 3 hours sleep.  I'm slightly troubled and that will not let me sleep.

     Saturday.  Oh yeah that went very well.  Was told about a call from my neighbor about some mushrooms in my gutters.  I said what?  Well in the small hours of Saturday I went up on my roof.

     I haven't been on my roof in ages.  Landscaper was doing the gutters last I knew.  Well I'm assuming age has got the better of me.  I was never so uncomfortable up there as I was then.

     I was literally crawling, I remember being able to actually walk up right on my roof.  I can't call it vertigo, but it was a very uncomfortable feeling.  I always used to clean my gutters this way.  On the edge with a bag.  I found myself feeling very hesitant.  Sliding along, the best way I can describe it.  I hadn't even made it to the mushrooms yet.

     Coming down was a freaking nightmare.  Gone the carefree, slightly sure footed self.  It took a great deal for me to get on all fours and put my first foot on the ladder.  I don't want to say I was terrified, but that may be just the word.  I think the main thing that kept me going was the thought of having to call the fire department to rescue me.  I was not going through that indignity.

     Made my way around to the side and I saw something on the ground.  Insulation.  What the Hell was that doing here.  I went about cleaning it up.  Now fearing the worst.

     Now when this side of the house was constructed something had occurred.  A plumber had come and moved the roof pipe for the bathroom.  I'm sure that there is a proper name.  This left a perfect round hole in the shingles on my roof.

     I explained it to my fellow inmates, who assured me it would get taken care of.  I won't lie, I trusted them then.  2 years passed and it still wasn't taken care of.  Now my brother in law, doesn't do roof tops.  I was annoyed.  So I let it be.  Again assured that it would get taken care of.  Yup.  I bought it.

     Then of course came my health issues, so I no longer went onto the roof or ladder.  And apparently my landscaper no longer did gutters.  What a joy I know.

     So there I am.  Cleaning insulation, looking up at the roof top.  Fearing the worst.  Once I was satisfied the clean up was done I positioned the ladder.  Rung by rung I ascended.  Yeah, that wasn't mushrooms in my gutter, insulation.  I hit the top, well joy of joys the wood was gone.  There were chunks of it laying on the roof top.  A squirrel had apparently found a nice nesting spot.  I was pissed at the rodent.  Who wasn't at home.  

     It was a pleasant enough day and I knew action had to be taken.  Funny how adrenaline can over come fear sometimes.  Off to the local big chain for supplies.  I needed a quick patch.  Couple of reasons.

     Firstly, the temperature was supposed to drop like crazy on Sunday, now yesterday.  It was late morning, early afternoon.  I still wanted to make the cigar event.

     Bought some stuff, on my card, don't get me started.  Trust me, I've had enough of money woes right now.  I think that's why I'm up.  Need to get up in 2-3 hours.  I'll be glad to get an hour and a half.  Anyway.

     I finally figured how the caulking gun worked, embarrassed to tell you how long.  Patched the roof.  Adrenaline pumping.  Not allowing me to care about my surroundings.  I patched, knees hurting like Hell.  Legs are still sore from the ladder.  It was done.

     The cigar event can wait until tomorrow's entry.  Hoping I can garner some more sleep.  After that, maybe I'll tell you about Sunday.  Maybe not.

-later

The next day.

     Saturday reared like it often does.  I've decided to treat myself on the weekends.  1 cup of coffee and something fun for breakfast.  Discovered that I thoroughly enjoy an egg on a bagel.  No not just that.  But this isn't really a food blog and we'll have food aplenty in this one entry.

     I took the meat which I defrosted in a big red bowl and put it on the counter.  I was very much scowling, this was not stew meat.  But I bought it and continued.  

     To say that the flouring and browning of each and every individual piece was a mind numbing chore.  That would be appropriate.  As each slice had to be done individually, I was more and more sure that this wasn't going to be great.  And I'd not allotted enough time to check on the herbs for seasoning.  It was getting late, I wanted this to be ready for 6 at night.  Needed 10 hours on high.  So had to be good to go by 8.  
     
     By the by, I'm writing this a week later on a Saturday and enjoying my cup of coffee.  Just saying.

     Quartered potatoes, halved carrots, browned meat, deglazed pan, into crock pot.  Used a boxed beef broth.  Only seasoning was the flour and the clove of garlic I put in.

     Brother in law visited sister, who was in ICU.  More so they could keep an eye on her blood sugar more than anything else.  It was over 700.  

     Course the 3 steroid shots and the near six pack of soda on way to hospital and in E.R. didn't help.  Oh well.

-later

Today promises to be busy. Oh and hot.

        As usual the week ends and the weekend is born.  Been a week I tell you.  Still stuff I haven't mentioned at all.  And still haven't done anything about he piece in the drafts.  Yeah I know, you'll live.

     Thankfully I've my coffee and it's just 7 in the morning.  Okay Saturday where do we start with you.  This is what needs doing.

     Banking; garage sales organizing and then attending; haircut; exercise; new hose for the front; weeding and more weeding; was car; clean out old car; drop off check to pharmacy; buy new bottle of honey; laundry; and here I pause.  Why?

     Probably because I'm forgetting a few things.  Also once written down it isn't all that overwhelming at all.  Have I become one of those easily overwhelmed people?  No I refuse to believe that.  It does however seem a lot.  Okay well if you organize it a bit I reckon.

     If you've read recently, I've interested in garage sales.  So am finding a bunch relatively close to one another and going.  Today has the added benefit of being hot and sunny.  So that part should be quick and can be filed under amusement part.

     Okay landromat, honey, haircut, pharmacy are all actally quite close to one another.  Haircut could be the longest.  Still the one old barber in there.  Went last week but there were 3 people in front of me.  So I'll have to get out by 8:15 to get one today.  I like the guy, does a good job, and at a reasonable price.

     The health food store where I purchase my honey is just down the road from him so I'll pop in.  Very fond of my local honey in my oatmeal as you may know.  Landromat and the pharmacy are right next to eachother.  I need to pay the pharmacy.  The laundromat?

     My brother in law has suceeded in making the 3 loads of laundry he does of his and my sister, into a week long event now.  And I just refuse to give a damn.  And if it costs me about $8 in washing and drying included, to wash and then dry and fold my laundry, well that suits me just fine.

     Just need cash.  That is where banking comes in.  Have to go to bank, it's in the next town of course.  While there, talk to the loan officer I'm friendly with.  Just got the tiltle for the new car in the mail.  So that means refinance with MY bank, get a lower rate, and just save myself some money.

     At some point in this heat wave I noticed that the landscapers cut both ends of my hose.  So the lawn is dying of thirst.  The trees getting no water are letting leaves fall.  What?  Who asked why doesn't any one else buy one then, or water the lawn, or even just replace it with the backyard hose?  Shush up you.  Probably a newcomer.  Seriously I would be the only one for the job.  Although I do like the idea just replacing the hose.

     The yardwork is the worst part.  I mean in this heat it could be deadly, but so is my yard.  Something must be done.  My brother in law came out last night as I relaxed with a cigar.  Said he wished the landscaper would come in and do this.  I looked at him and asked where the money to pay him would be coming from?

     Well it's 7:30, their breakfast run is about to begin.  I've had mine.  I do need that second cup of coffee tho.  Must get running myself.  Thanks for listening.