AspenThicket of Bliss

[ismo]

I hate it when I do something the recipe cheerfully suggests, but it doesn't work out as planned. Monday night I put the onion-walnut bread into the refrigerator to rise overnight. What I didn't anticipate was that, of course, it comes out of the refrigerator very cold and stiff. So when the next step says to shape it into four small loaves and let them rise for 45 minutes, this is total nonsense. It takes that long just for it to warm up enough that it's inclined to rise at all. This put me behind in my schedule, so I had to rush around quite a bit yesterday. When the bread finally came out of the oven, I put the pork roast in to slow-cook for three hours. Before that, I had rubbed it with spice and brown sugar, and seared it brown in the cast iron Dutch oven. Because I am apparently incapable of not messing with a recipe, I cut up an onion and two big apples and also seared that with the spices and let it roast with the pork. After it cooks for three hours, you take the lid off and let it cook for an hour or two more. Then you make BBQ sauce from the juices. I thought the apples and onions would improve the flavor of the sauce, and I believe I was right.

While it was cooking, I went to the grocery store and bought a LOT of stuff, including another two bottles of Italian red wine--a Negroamaro and a Montepulciano. When I got home, I finished making the corn and bean salad with chopped tomatoes, green onions, red bell pepper, and avocado, with a lime juice and olive oil dressing. We also had cole slaw (from the deli--I mean, I'm not COMPLETELY insane!) and cilentro-lime rice, also from the store. I felt that when people have just been visiting hospice, they need to be warmed and fed. Deb and the Prussian arrived a little earlier than last time, early enough that Deb and I could go for a quick walk around the block, and then they enjoyed some hot coffee before siting down to the table. We had lively and restorative conversation, and the Sparrowhawk built a fire in the fireplace to warm up Deb. Yes, it was that cold! I had started out for the store in my t-shirt, but it started SNOWING on me before I got to the car. I went back inside and put my jacket on.

This morning the Sparrowhak slept in, while I worked on cleaning up the leftover mess in the kitchen so I could make a couple of pots of coffee, cut up strawberries, slice cheese and bread, and start cooking the sausages. We had a couple of lovely bonus hours of visit before they packed up and I went off to see Madame. Luckily for me, she had another appointment that ran over, so her daughter dropped her off at the bookstore, and I met her there and didn't have to hurry. She'd had her implant adjusted, and I think was hearing a little better. She is encouraged and hopeful enough to actually practice with it as the doctor showed her, so that's great. Mademoiselle has taken time off from work to help her, and I give her all the credit for Madame's improved condition. Finally I indicated gently that I needed to get home now. Madame first dropped her purse upside down so everything fell out, and I had to get down and pick it up. Then she had to make a trip to the bathroom. You can't hurry the old! I always tell her there is no hurry, because there really isn't.

The day had become sunny and lovely by the time the Sparrowhawk went to the gym, and I so longed to go out for a walk. However, my stomach was really hurting. I felt pretty bad and decided to lie down for awhile instead. I wouldn't say I'm old, but I'm old enough that I can't really hurry myself the way I would like to!

Comments

[oracne]

It sounds like you had a good visit before the stomach ache.