Thursday, February 14, 2008

"I was having a bad day until you showed up."

We had a great, quiet day today. I had some trouble sleeping last night after taking my decongestant (it can make me manic), so I took 2 Lithium instead of one this morning. It worked great.

Our driver had a little trouble finding us, and a little trouble finding some of the other trips (he had 3 other stops before we got dropped), so we rode around a bit. His braking style was a bit jerky and I started getting queasy (lithium and the braking). I sat in the front seat and (after asking permission) rolled the window down enough to get fresh air. He was stressed enough that he was chewing on his cuticules, so I tried to be very patient and helpful (I knew the other stops well).

We finally got to Walmart. All the singing cards were sold out. Heather, you monster. You didn't get your husband a singing card! Last night, I DID fry up a pound of onions (with sausage) which was eaten with great relish. Watching him "tear into" the plate, I was glad I'd planted so many onion transplants. When the onions are ready for harvest they will find a very appreciative home with us. I love cooked onions. So, Ron ate that, loved it. Then I cut up some more garlic sausage and fried it. I cooked the chipolte beans - a good enough recipe I'll repeat here, and added the sausage to it right before serving.

Chipolte Pintos
1 cup pinto beans, soaked overnight in water with 1/4 t black pepper added, then drained
1/4 t salt
water to cover the beans
1/4 cup chopped onions

Cook beans until soft (about an hour for me), then add:

1/3 can (about 2 ounces or 1/4 cup) chipolte tomato sauce. Ron likes the "San Marcos Chipolte sauce"
1 t chili powder (I use the cheap stuff)
1/2 t oregano (the good stuff)
1/2 t cumin (also the good stuff)

You can also add about 1/2 cup meat (cooked ground meat, chopped link sausage, etc.). Ron has used both "Taco meat" (seasoned hamburger) and the chopped link sausage, and loves them both.

Ron, a very picky eater, pronounces it "Perfect" every time.


So he's happy, I'm happy. He even does the dishes. He calls them "Those wonderful beans". He hardly ever asks me to cook him anything, but he will ask for the beans.

While I was at Walmart, I saw some beautiful carnations. I'm a sucker for carnations and daisies. I get over my guilt at the flowers' death by composting them. I love the thought that the flowers are now enriching the flowers and vegetables. The flowers were beautiful with a picotee edging. Only $4. They went into the cart, no question. I may have a question about buying a $4 cleaning product but flowers, now and then, are a must.

I had a lot of fun admiring (and smelling) them as I shopped. I went by the garden center and bought a huge saucer I plan to use as a birdbath (allegedly, the birds won't peck my tomatoes if I have a birdbath). I also got some cat food and treats. I had an ephiphany on the cat treat aisle and got them some turkey flavored treats. The dry food is tuna and salmon flavored. The wet food is tuna flavored. Even their treats are tuna flavored. They must be sick of tuna! They seemed appreciative when I got home, but ate both piles of treats.

I even got some parsnips. I've only eaten them once, in vegetable soup, but I thought it might be fun for Ron and I to try something new. If we hate it, I'll compost the rest and we'll have learned we hate parsnips. But what if we love them?

I always thought I hated summer squash until I ate a "White Bush Scallop". Those are so good I'll eat them raw, cut up, with ranch dip. Tasty. I was crushed when the squash vine borer killed it.

I was glad I'd bagged up some candy for my cashier. I had 3, annoying, transactions. My favorite sheets went on clearance, so I had to get another fitted and some pillowcases. I couldn't afford it off the weekly budget so I used a gift card. She also bought me some pruners (the lady who gave me the gift card).

I had my regular groceries, including my beloved Cherry Cola Diet Rite , and some stuff for Ron (the cat treats and a sheet for his bed). Not easy.

Once we were all settled up, I gave her the candy and a flower from my bouquet (actually, the stem had several blooms). She was thrilled, and told me she'd been having a bad day until I showed up. I'm still grinning over that. That's the kind of impact I'd LOVE to have.

I gave some flowers to our door greeter and the female Metrolift driver (she got candy, too). I still have plenty left and I'm glad I did it. I did all the loading/unloading and all the had to do was show Ron to the van. Yay.

We decided we'd rather have pizza than go out for Valentines day. I always overtip and I always will. I'm not sorry.

I hoped I might get my gardening book, but it was just credit card offers for the business. No way. I've also gotten a few credit card offers for me. Being uninsured, I had some old (exorbitant!) medical bills. Ron settled the one I did owe and apparently I look like a good investment now. No thanks, I don't think bipolar and credit card is a better idea than me on Ebay. No no no.

It's nice to know that if I do get this $600 government payout, there isn't really much I'm aching to get. About the only thing that's tempting is this nice faux wicker lounge chair I saw at the Home Depot. It's about $100. It would be nice to loaf in my lounge chair in my garden (wearing my bug spray). Ron would get himself an adjustable bed, or maybe a new computer. His is over 10 years old.

That's it for today. The plants all look good and I shouldn't even need to cover the tomatoes tonight.

Happy Valentine's day!

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