Friday, December 16, 2011

Progress

As I announced in the previous post, I have been getting things done. Yesterday I assembled three racks of shelves for the garage and got boxes, formerly scattered about, onto the shelves. I also tore up lots of boxes for recycling.

The new hot water heater arrived very late yesterday afternoon and was installed. I no longer live in fear of an imminent water-spewing disaster in the garage. I celebrated with a long hot bath last night (re-reading Tales of the City). I have also finished watching Season Three of The Big Bang Theory.

I have assembled a list of every ingredient, except water, for tomorrow's dinner. I marked what I have and what I do not. Sorted and printed out as a shopping list. About to head out and shop. (On a Friday afternoon near Christmas, am I crazy? Better than tomorrow morning.)

I am going to attempt my first devil's food cake (from scratch, natch). I will make it today so if it does not work out (this is high altitude baking after all) I can do something else tomorrow while the stew cooks in the slow cooker.

This is not an Italian meal, for the first time in months. I knew I would eventually go in other directions though I still plan to learn more about Italian cooking. The stew and the cake are new adventures for me. Appetizers, side dishes, and salad are old hat. A balance, though the meal is still meant to impress. lol.

Spanakopita

Pork stew with carrots, fennel, prunes, brandy, and cream
Rice
Haricots verts

Green salad

Devil's food cake

Just remembered I need to count my cake pans before I leave and add flowers to the shopping list.

I am rejoicing in the really big things I have accomplished this week and not dwelling on several other things that also need doing. Oh well.

Happy Beethoven's Birthday, everybody.

--the BB

1 comment:

Michael B Coombs said...

Hi Paul,

Was Googling "chanting", "kirtan" in Albuquerque and found your site. I just moved here, living in a Casita in Edgewood. Spent the last 6-months as temple walla at Hanuman temple at Mount Madonna, near Santa Cruz, CA.

My cabin was a few hundred yards from the temple, and most mornings would find me playing harmonium for Hanuman arati. I need kirtan here. Any ideas? I will attend and support, or lead chants, anything.

I lived 23 years and raised my family in ashram, at Ananda, in California (Yogananda devotees).

Kai Michael
michaelcoombs@gmail.com