Saturday morning

 "What is it with Friday?"  I asked the lady behind me on the bus "It's always the crazy train!"  She agreed as we watched the manic homeless guy bouncing up and down the aisle screaming about being A Solider Of The Lord.  We had him for almost a half hour.  

Work was pretty uneventful.  Other employees are saying they like the way I teach how to to "the thing".  "It's so much easier when Heather shows you" said one employee who's been there over 10 years.  Another employee, right next to her, also a 10 year veteran, agreed.  The Team Leads are thrilled I am teaching them.  It is getting back to them and they have always liked to come by and watch what I'm doing.  

I figure, knowledge is meant to be shared, the more people who can do this, the better.  

About an hour before quitting time (they had adjusted my schedule so I worked 11-8) my Team Lead called me over (she's top dog and the one who is in the computer as "my boss").  She asked if I "could" work full time.  

Many associates are on some sort of benefit that's adversely affected by additional work.  I am not.  I told her that.  She said "Good, do you want to be full time?"  I said yes.  She said "Good I'm putting you down for 11-8".  

That is great to hear but I'll believe it when I see it.  Right now I am still getting 32 hours on my schedule.  I didn't get a chance to talk about days off, I'm going to tell her I don't need the weekends off and would rather have 2 weekdays.  Just 2 days together, please, I don't care which days.  

I talked to Ace about it on the way home, he said 8 is great for him.  "What I'd like to do" I told him "Is call you 1-2 days a week, that way I can keep doing the evangelism on the way home" he chuckled because that is exactly what I'd think and said that was fine.  Good.  

If I'm off at 8 I can take the bus home now and then.  

I got home OK slept pretty well and woke up at 4 with a moderate headache, took something, went back to bed, woke up around 7.  

I'm going to take a look at my budget, take a shower, do my God Time, and go get a few groceries.  I have a lot of components to make some delicious meals.  Take a nap today, relax.  It's going to be a nice weekend.  

It's still pretty cold right now, in the 40's.  I got the schedule for the week of the 15th, they have me working the weekend and 2 days off I think Wed-Thurs.  That works for me.  I still have Valentine's off so I can do the Handout.  

That's it for now!  

Friday morning

Yesterday was really long.  It wasn't bad but it was long.  

My boss got in trouble again.  I suspect management is tired of the ongoing poor employee reviews and high turnover.  

I can see what's behind it but I doubt anyone else can.  She also has problems communicating what she wants.  Employees who only want to do a few things and no more.  Whiners, tattlers, you get the idea.  Last night another department dumped a big project on me.  Chief Snitch was having a seizure over it.  It was something only I do.  I don't know why she was so upset, I flex.

I said "I've got this" and was teasing the other lady "Is that all?  Gimme more!" while CS was shouting and calling the boss.  The boss called me and asked me to deal with it, I assured her I would.  

She came by later.  "Where is it?"  "I did it like you told me".  She looked me dead in the eyes "Thank you, Heather".  I can work with her, I'm scared of her but I can work with her.  

I paid all the bills yesterday, not much left.  I did get more cat food on my way out.  They all like the Mixed Grill so that's what I got.  Most cat foods have fish in them and I'm not doing that.  

I've had 7 boy cats.  I usually fed a fish based cat food.  3 of them got FLUTD, two of them died of it.  I am very, very, careful what my boy cats eat.  

Cleo, by the way, enjoyed the pork roast trimmings and ate all of it.  She never, ever, vomiits.  She's my gutter rat and I love her.  

The house was not fresh when I got home last night so I cleaned all the boxes, then Biscuit used one.  I felt bad about that (bad for him) it reminded me of me, in the bathroom, at work, looking in all the stalls for the least worst option.  I am OK for litter for another week so I'm not going to worry about that, plenty of treats.  

I want to get some chicken and the fixings to make tikka masala, my favorite Indian food.  I already have basmati rice.  I have pork chops, pork roast.  I just had some milanesa beef steaks the other night.  Cleo had one too - I didn't season one, cooked it first, cut it up and gave it to herr.  

Cleo gets whatever she wants.  

I find it interesting, I prefer to get up about 3 hours before I leave, do my thing, go to work, come home, eat, take my pills, go to bed, repeat.  

That's it for now.  It's a long day today so I'll try to post on my lunch.  

Pork roast!

 It's just me so I like what I call "small meats" smaller cuts I can eat up pretty quick. I don't want to eat 20 pounds of hamburger. I have a tiny freezer so I meal prep a couple dozen single meals, put them in containers, that's it except for some frozen veggies and the cold packs I stick in my lunch pail every day.

So when I saw a nice looking pork roast, 2 pounds, for $3 I got it.

Ingredients:
1 t thyme
1/2 t rosemary
1/2 t ground sage
1/2 t salt
You want to divide this into 2 portions and mix them up into a little cup or bowl.
You also need 2-3 whole bay leaves. Set one aside for each portion of spice.

I had some baby carrots and half a big whole carrot, so I chopped that up. About 2-3 cups depends on how you like carrots.

I chopped up half an onion. I also set aside 2 big slices I did not chop.

Potatoes - I love a red potato so I used 2 of them chopped. I wish I had done 3 or 4.

I also chopped a medium sweet potato (I didn't peel any of this by the way).

I put the chopped onion and other vegetables in the floor of the crock pot. I added 1 and a half cups chicken broth (you can use no salt or reduced salt versions if you're watching sodium), and a splash of apple cider vinegar. I sprinkled half the spices on it and a bay leaf.

I then turned to the pork roast. I rinsed it off (it was a little bloody) and patted it half dry. I reached into my cup of spices and used it as a rub all over the meat. All over that meat. Herbs everywhere!

When I finished I plunked it on top of the vegetables (bonus if you put it on top of the bay leaf). I then put the last bay leaf on top (if you do 3 bay leaves I would do 1 on the meat and 2 on the veggies), and topped it with what I'll call the "onion cap". I'm glad I took pictures. If you don't want to do that just use the slices on top.

I use my crock pot on a timer so it cooked while I was at work (I just plug the pot into a basic wall timer). When I came home it was ready!

I made my meals - I got 6 nice meals out of it - and then used the juices to make a gravy. I added a smidge of salt, rosemary, and thyme, heated up the broth. I used about 1/4 cup cold water and 2 T cornstarch to make the gravy, then I portioned it out on the food. I had a nice amount for each meal.

First thing Monday

 They don't know what they're doing with the schedule.  This week it's 11-6, 11-8.  Next week it's 9-3.  Week after?  Who knows.  

I am accustomed to waking at 3 and I did today as well.  I went back to sleep and got up at 5.  All the cats are home which is good.  I kept finding a soggy black cat on my front porch yesterday every time I threw out some trash.  He would meow at me, come in for a while, and leave again.  I still haven't settled on a name.  

My black cat Bubba (they bear a remarkable resemblance) had the "legal" name "Mr Black" and the "nick' name Bubba.  So for this guy his "legal" name's going to be "Lucky" and then the other name will find me.  

Ron used to get annoyed because I would recycle cat names, Baby Girl, Cleo, etc.  I don't want to do that here and he really isn't a Bubba.  He sings a lot, he likes to wander, he's very sweet.  I haven't seen him hunt at all.  Bubba was a big, fat, lazy boy who loved to hunt.  

So, for now, I'll go with Lucky.  

I took care of the cats first thing when I got up, fed them, did the boxes.  

I need to get ready to go.  

You think they'd make it easier to take my money

 I tend to self experiment (not that!) on my day off.  For instance, allergy season is coming up so I thought I would try taking my allergy pill at night.  The first night it went fine.  Last night it energized me and I had a terrible time falling asleep.  Lesson learned.  I was glad I had today off.  

I didn't have a headache from the curry spices, I was very happy to see that as I have very large (7 ounce) bags of spices!  

I need to organize my spices somehow, right now when I open their cabinet they fall out on me.  Times like this I do wish I had a handyman around.  I can envision it so clearly, a nice cabinet, with shelves, and doors (spices shouldn't be in the light), mounted in my kitchen on the end of the stove cabinets... 

But the imported spices some in large plastic bags.  That's not a problem, I guess, if you use them up pretty quick (and I am going through them at a pretty good clip).  I need some glass jars.  I will figure it out.  

I just paid my property tax.  For the county, that's the big one, over a thousand dollars.  Boy, they don't make it easy.  Nothing on the bill, no website, nothing.  I don't just want to Google it because I could get a fake link and pay my $$$ to some scammer who drains my account.  I finally found the website on a slip of paper behind the payment envelope.  

So I find the site and I try to autofill my bank card information and it doesn't work.  Says I have an invalid number on the back of my card, I look, it's right, I try again.  And it says it "can't process my request".  

Well screw you, Google Wallet.  I input the number myself.  That went through.  I will say the fee charged wasn't bad (to run my card).  $25 and change.  

I'm going to do school tax next.  That's going to wipe me out until payday but I want all these taxing authorities off my back.  My Revolutionary war ancestors are rioting over this.  

Let's get that over with... that one wasn't hard but I had to tell Google Wallet to go (censored) itself.  I think I'm going to turn it off, anyway.  

So now I have about $400 left on my property taxes.  That's not bad.  The fees were not bad about $20 each taxing authority.  

I am glad that's done for another year.  From what I remember last year the school district wasn't hard to pay.  

My home's value has doubled since we bought it 20 years ago.  I am very happy here.  

Lentil and veggie curry recipe

 Sometimes I cook a meal, it's alright but I'm not excited about leftovers.  On occasion, though, I cook something and I can't wait to see those leftovers in my lunch pail.  

Tonight was one of those days.  

I read cooking websites, watch cooking videos, try to soak up facts, then turn around and use them around my food intolerances/allergies to create good food.  

For instance, every meal always features garlic, online.  I can't do that so I eliminate it.  

Tonight I made a lentil/vegetables curry.  I am very happy with how it turned out.  I'm going to share the recipe but I think it's important to state I had very good quality, fresh, spices.  This won't turn out if you use that 4 year old little jar of "curry powder" that expired 2 years ago.  

It features the following (you need all of them).  It does feature "hot" chili powder but not much in relation to the amount of food cooked.  It has a kick but I'm a White girl, if I can eat it, almost anyone can.  

• Madras curry powder I bought a 7 ounce bag today and used a Tablespoon to make this.  Madras curry is different from regular curry, it has different spices in the blend.  Important to use this.  I love the way it smells and tastes.  
• Kashmiri Chili powder.  You've heard me talking about this for a while and it is worth the hype.  Excellent.  I haven't used any other chili powder since I got this I put it in my chili even.  
• Garam Masala.  I don't know much about this, it is a finishing spice when making curry.  You'll see I only added it at the end, it breaks down if it cooks too long.  
• I used "Mix Dal" from the import store which is basically just "lentil blend".  You could use either the red or the brown grocery store lentils here, or if you want to get fancy you could do half of each.  
• Another note, I found this a very filling meal.  I had a one cup portion for dinner (I'm a big eater) and it was almost too much.  

One thing I've learned making curries, it's important to have a good, BIG, heavy pot WITH A LID.  

First, you want to soak those lentils so you don't get gassy after you eat them.  I did an experiment on myself years ago and I have to soak those lentils.  I used 1 cup dry and about 3 cups water, 1/2 teaspoon salt.  I left them in the fridge for a few hours, poured them in a strainer, rinsed them off, and set them to the side.  

1/4 cup vegetable oil or butter 

1/2 chopped onion 

1 T Madras curry powder 

1 t Kashmiri Chili powder

Heat up the oil and add the onion and spices.  

This is what I used but you could vary this somewhat.  

2 medium red potatoes, chopped 

1/2 sweet potato, chopped 

(You could put a chopped carrot in here as well, I didn't have a whole carrot so I didn't)

(Red pepper would be good, too, but I forgot to get one at the store)

I stirred them around for a few minutes.  I added 3 cups water (you could use chicken broth), brought it to a boil, and added the lentils.  

I texted a friend about 10 minutes later and found out I could add a can of diced tomatoes.  So I did that.  The whole can + juice.  

I covered it and stirred it every 5 minutes or so.  I had it on medium heat.  

After about 20 minutes I added half a bag (16 ounce bag so 8 ounces) frozen mixed vegetables.  It was a mix of carrots (!), corn, and peas.  I don't like any of those vegetables mushy so I didn't want them cooking the whole time.  

I had to add water periodically I would say I added about a quart over a half hour.  Or broth, if you have it.  I would NOT use the commercial vegetable broth as that has celery in it and that would be awful with the curry.  

I salted to taste.  I have to eat a lot of salt due to a medical condition so I would say add 1 t, less if you used commercial broth (which has a lot of added salt).  

I didn't, but I'm pretty sure you could add some chopped kale - a cup or so - about 10 minutes before the end.  

I tasted periodically, adjusted spices (the #'s I gave you are final numbers), and took it off the heat.  It expanded quite a bit I would say I have 3 quarts, easy.  

I added 1 t Garam Masala at the end (total).  Turned off the heat, stirred it really well another minute or two to blend the spices, and made myself a small bowl.  

I bought some nice flatbread today and had a piece with the curry.  It was very good.  I am really happy I have so much left as I want this in my lunch box all week!  

You could serve this with any kind of bread or rice.  

Not a hottie today

 Last night went really well at work.  The ride in was crazy but I made it.  

We go past apartments, we picked up an old lady in a wheelchair.  The driver put her on my side right in front of me.  She kept cranking her head trying to look at me (the whole trip to work, which was almost an hour), then began taking pictures of me every few minutes and hunching over the phone, blowing them up.  I smiled, I gave her a cheerful wave, but she continued to act like I was some kind of serial killer.  

At first I was a little annoyed.  I'm the one with serious mental illness; she was obviously not taking her antipsychotic.  Of all the people on the bus I was, without a doubt, the least likely to hurt her.  I look like what I am, a nice, middle-aged cat lady.  

I decided to feel sorry for her.  I did think it would be funny if I got up, stood in front of her, and made a big production out of taking her picture but figured she would have a meltdown if I did that.  I also thought it would be funny to pretend I was talking on an earpiece but, again, not worth it.  

I got off and went to work.  I got McDonald's before so I didn't eat anything on my lunch.  

I was so tired, when I got home I just opened up a can of seasoned refried beans and ate that with some corn chips.  It worked fine for taking my pills, I need to get more.  

My hands are very irritated from the hand soap.  I need to bring a small bottle of my own soap for a while.  I had stopped using my lotion and I can't do that during the winter, either.  They are very red, cracked and bleeding.  

Next week I work 11-6 several days in a row.  Personnel forgot to put in the schedule so I have nothing for the week of Feb 7-14.  I don't really care (this has happened before) but it would be nice to know about Valentine's day so I can better plan the Handout.  

It's cold out, but clear, and the cats are in last I saw.  The little guy is figuring out his place.  

I plan to go to the import store and get some spices, then go to the discount grocery and get a few things like potatoes, onions, etc.  

That's it for now!  

(Later in the afternoon)

I took my "buggy" out to the bus stop.  The temperature was in the 30's so I wore long underwear under my "joggers" (sweatpants for my generation).  I had a sweatshirt on over a t shirt but you couldn't see the t shirt.  It was fairly loose.  It was also cold enough I wore a wool beanie and my parka.  

My first stop was the Halal market.  Now, it's their house.  They have a lot of rules (when I look at rules for other religions I'm glad I'm a Presbyterian).  That's why I made sure everything was a little loose.  That is not the time to show skin or "be a hottie".  

To me, that's respect, and that's why I went there first.  I did end up buying pork at the grocery store across the street and I wouldn't bring that into their store..  But I have no problem buying pork after.  

The pest has my address and it is very easy to look at a map and figure out I catch the bus on Antoine.  I was on the "wrong" side of the street.  There's construction on one side of the street closest to the subdivision.  They have been working for years now.  It's just supposed to be a gas station and a few shops.  

But if I'm standing on the west side of the street, trying to cross, looking up the road, I can't see more than half a block due to the fence.  And, a bus driver made a very good point, the cars can't see me either.  Not a good setup and one reason I had such anxiety about going this way.  

I will be glad when they finish and we can all see each other.  

I got to the curb and saw, to my despair, a bus pulling away from the bus stop, going "my" way.  I made a sad noise no one heard and gave them a sad "bye-bye" wave.  All of a sudden the bus screeched to a halt and I realized, to my delight, they were going to wait for me.  I booked it over there and ran up to the bus.  

I can tell my cardio capacity isn't bad because running for buses is not an issue for me.  

I got on, delighted, full of thanks and a bag of candy for the driver.  She was talking to someone on the bus so I just rode to my stop and got off, I said "I may catch you on the flip side" as she nodded.  

I went in the market.  It was the owner behind the counter.  He's seen me in there before but he's watching me.  And I don't blame him.  

He sent a lackey over to "sweep" while I perused the little boxes of spices but I didn't mind, it's just asset protection.  He doesn't know me.  He doesn't know, or care, I'm an evangelist, stealing would completely wreck my witness and destroy my ministry.  I'm not doing that.  

I got some Basmati rice, a 10 pound bag.  That was the smallest size they had and I really like Basmati so I figured I would eat it.  It was in the "nice" bag you can reuse, it it even has a zipper and handles.  I got the rice, some spice mix packets, some curry, some turmeric, various spices, Dal, tea, etc.  He went in the back to do something so I waited patiently for him to come back.  

He asked why I was buying Halal candy and I said I like to give candy to my coworkers, I have a new one but she is very devout (unspoken Muslim) "with the hijab and niquab (face covering) so I want to make sure I get something she can eat".  He liked that.  

I was still wearing my beanie.  I paid cheerfully (did not give him the candy/evangelism baggie like I said it's his house and I will respect that.  I will pray for them), loaded up "my buggy" and left.  

I think asset protection is getting used to me at the grocery but I'm sure they watch me.  That's fine I have nothing to hide.  I got some spray cleaner with bleach, on a whim.  I had gotten a lot of produce recently but I could use some more potatoes and onions.  They had the bags of the red potatoes so I got them and probably 6 pounds of onions (red, white, and yellow).  

I had gotten some paneer mix.  That is an Indian dish, creamed spinach with cheese basically.  The spice mix (kind of like a Hamburger helper) said I could use cottage cheese so I got some of that.  I found some nice little beef steaks you cook in a skillet (Milanesa) and a 2 pound pork roast.  Of course I had to get sage for that.  I also got some of the Southwest Spices cumin seed because it is really strong, amazingly fresh and potent.  The packet is only 58 cents.  

I had already bought lentils at the market.  I figured I was OK for cheese and I can get the candy next week.  My favorite cashier was coming on duty so I got her a Mountain Dew.  

I was going to wait by the checkout for her to start but the (middle) manager came by and told me to go to register 4.  He was fairly stern and I did have that suspicious looking hand cart so I went.  

The cashier remembered me.  She asked about the cats and I told her about the new one.  The store was pretty empty and we didn't have any other people in line so I showed her my video.  

She showed me a couple videos of her cats and was in the process of showing me "snuggle puddle" photos of  her cats sleeping on the dog when the supervisor came by looking at us again!  

By this time my friend was on duty, so I went over and gave her the soda, a bag of candy, and the receipt.  She gave me a hug.  

I went out to the bus stop and she was half a block up the road, headed my way!  That never happens!  I am always missing the bus there!  I guess Monday will be rough.  It was the same driver.  

She said something about homeless people on the bus so I offered her my bottle of spray cleaner with bleach, she said YES and snatched it up!   She said she was leaving the route and I said I understood.  

The new bids start tomorrow.  All new drivers for me.  

It was overcast and moody so I went home, put everything up.  I'm going to do some cooking later, and tomorrow.  

That's it for now.