Jerry CGI+

Settling into oblivion, a blissful lumpitude, after the Fling and CT. I can sleep, doze, be a lump, and piddle away my time without physical stress or exertion. Only Myka’s opportunist plays for treats ten times a day, to make up for lost time, occasionally pull me out of my torpor.

The Fling was enjoyable, a smaller than traditional party, any number of notable absences. I got to play for about three and a half hours, fingers and voice sustained the quality the whole time. Plenty of jamming partners along the way, and plenty of singalongs. I enjoyed it immensely. I think I got Hanna to attend some of the coming jams at the Pioneer.

Dentures caused some problems, sore spots on the interior of the lower gums limited eating, and they would have been a problem performing if I had continued to aggravate them. But leaving early on Sunday for the Monday appointment helped all around. So did salt applications. I also didn’t roam the crowds much, staying put in a comfortable chair to save my back.

Despite limitations, I got to see everyone, even though I saw less of some than I wanted. But that is usually the case, and it was sufficient to soothe my need for socialization, and I got lots of compliments on how well I looked. I enjoyed the party, it did my psyche a world of good. Lots of hugs and kisses. As always, they keep me sane.

I made a 1/3 lb Tombstone Mesquite burger (gouda, bacon) when I got home, so I could coast through the fast prior to the CT. I finished up the fast with the rest of the carrot cake. I’ll make note here that I need to do a post-party thaw, but I have the faintest idea what at this point. One should be sandwich oriented, as I have a full loaf of bread t do in. I’m drawing a blank on recipes. I also brought home one of the cheesecake samplers… (NY, chocolate twirl, strawberry swirl, Mississippi mud, triple chocolate, turtle). I still have a square of German chocolate cake. But I am out of minis, which is apt. But…

I have $30 mad money to burn in the next 32 hours, before payday. I spent $110 online, and it made the bank, so that helped immensely. I got gas in Giddings on the way home, so I don’t need much for that 35 miles. But I’ll top it off to spend mad money. I’ll figure out something, maybe get the shoulder roasts to freeze for a future stew.

The results came back from the CT. “Clean” sums it up neatly. I would have been surprised if it had come back anything else.

So now I will be lumping for a few days. At least. Even though I came through this one in far better shape than usual, I will be docile and lumpy.

Midnight has passed, it’s pre-party Friday.

I am not doing prep at breakneck speed. But it is, bit by bit, showing definite progress, with about 12 hours before scheduled departure. Since I am packing minimal, I have ample time to amass everything and get plenty of shuteye before wheels spin at 1 pm.

I made a store run, got a cheesecake (6 flavor sampler) for the party. I don’t plan to take anything else except a few snacks for the truck for when there is a lull in the feeding. I had grand ideas of a tequila lime turkey on the pit… maybe TRD.

I have the musical toys, extra clothes, camp chair, fan, etc. staged. But there is more. I got the second cooler washed up, drinks refrigerated. I have the second canvas bag ready for meds, snacks, digital, and more. The last item to load in the truck. What I haven’t packed, I’m still using. Egee, kitchen stool, iPads, meds, etc. It really is a light load.

I’m not in top form, which accounts for the long pauses in the progress. But I started early enough. I had a long soak yesterday, last bath until Sunday when I get home. Prep for the CT, 10 am Monday. Check in at 9:30. I aim on getting home enough before dark to unload and bathe while it’s still sunlight. Unpacking is not a requisite, as long as it’s in the house. I don’t plan on a big blow out for me.

Looking forward to planting myself at the Fling and smiling a lot.

Two days to assemble the truck for the weekend. 48 hour sustain. I plan on departing Sunday afternoon. I’ll need to have it unloaded for the CT, including the fast. I’ll be home well before dark. So lightweight is the intent, bare minimum.

Gumbo is gone, taco meat is gone, down to two days of quick fix, and no shortage of that. I enjoyed the gumbo, good used of the andouille. I am thinking of a sampler cheesecake for the party.

I have the logistics pretty much figured out, this, then that, etc. I’m ready to perform the slow and steady loading. The house is ready.

Spring Fling is coming this weekend. This is prep week. I’m not packing heavy, but even bare minimum is a logistical effort.

And the following Monday morning is the 2nd followup CT appointment. I’ll be at my most disheveled.

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I got an appointment with my primary, a wellness check w/lab for 5/28, 9 am.

Out of thawed brisket. One taco of #5 left. Two servings of gumbo to go. Rest of the week until Friday is quick fix, pizza, fajitas, brats, boudin, etc. Make room for the party. Still in R&R mode.

A double bowl of gumbo day as well, punctuated by a brisket sandwich. The first tub of gumbo is gone, four one pint servings. I got my appetite back. The second tub starts tomorrow. There will be a taco meat/cheddar (double) spud tomorrow, so only one bowl of gumbo. So the second tub will last at least three days.

The rain arrived, from the south, where it formed after crossing I-10. It has already topped two inches. That has passed, but the front from the north is bringing the main rain mass in from the west, and it keeps falling. It has been a serious rain day, to be understating. Dallas got clobbered hard today. Several fairly close lightning strikes sent Myka for cover. The temp has dropped into the 50s, house is closed, furnace is on but it hasn’t kicked in yet. The last bout of sleeves for the season.

Chores have been slow going and far in between, but they get accomplished. No dire need confronting me, so the slothful procrastination is permitted, daresay even encouraged. There is nothing to do outside. The coming week will be prep for Spring Fling. So I am striving for all the R&R that I can get. A busy week is coming.

Chorded out Al Stewart’s On the Border. I take it down a full step from the original, much easier to play and sing.

It’s the 9th anniversary of MOADB (mother of all dust bunnies) aboard the ISS. 4/20/15

I have achieved the prep for the weekend. Pharmacy/store run made. Chores are done. Gumbo is in the fridge.

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I need to decide what to thaw. I’m leaning toward brisket because of an over-abundance of bread (baby back ribs in second place), with a toss up between another section of pork loin (more pork chops) and taco meat #5, to work on the remaining spuds.

The wind is forecast to turn around from the north within the hour, certainly before sunrise, and stay that way until Monday. Saturday looks like a rain event, into the night, but not into Sunday daylight. That is when the temperature will drop until the full rebound on Tuesday, back to mid 80s on Wednesday.

Next weekend is Spring Fling, so this weekend is my last chance to rest up before party prep begins. I intend on taking advantage of it and be a lump.

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I tried the andouille, and I determined it’s not sandwich grade. Casing is too thick, and it’s got a bit of an after-burn that doesn’t jive with bread. The solution was obvious, use it what it was designed for, GUMBO! I thawed a package of shrimp, and the kitchen is ready to go. I seem to be the sole source of delay. (Fortunately Myka is not aware yet.) Then again, I’m still digesting spaghetti (sketti belly).

I made do today with a kolache, 3 tamales, and 2 chicken fajita tacos. Throw in a few Goldfish. It was enough to suppress my desire for gumbo. (But not forever.)

Today was fairly busy when I was busy. Not so much when I wasn’t. But I stayed occupied. I pulled the house skirt covers. I got a bag of ice. Tended the critters. Swapped bins on the street. Etc. I’m waiting on word from the pharmacy about a refill. I have 10 items on the shopping list that will be obtained on the same run, some of which is for Myka.

The keyboard on the MBP is starting to chip, E, T, and O are the first to chip.. A replacement cap kit is available at Amazon for $15. Now I need to find instructions. And another $20 of merchandise for free shipping. No big hurry.

I saw a flea on Myka. She had been scratching a bit, not tons, borderline. There little black dot scabs around her eyes, and I was quite suspicious and watching. So the collar went on. It’s past expiration, but she has stopped scratching already. So I’m hopeful it’s working. She didn’t appreciate it, but adapted rather quickly.

The AC has been briefly test run, but the furnace has not been switched off yet. The switch over to summer is in progress, prep stage. It’s not quite here yet, but May is two weeks away. It won’t be long before we start seeing 90s. Summer is coming.

The forecast is starting to show upper 80s. No 90s yet, but getting close enough for that to be moot. Summer is on the horizon.

I finished the spaghetti sauce and strawberry puree, did the dishes for all remaining operations, scrubbed the sink, scoured the counters, swabbed the stovetop, vacuumed and swiffered the kitchen floor, and put everything away. This officially concludes the great freezer shuffle, a spin off of the last kitchen marathon of the season. The oven is shut down for the summer. The freezers are FULL. The fridge looks oddly normal (brats, andouille, tamales, bacon, etc). The heroic spring of 2024 kitchen replenishment drive has culminated to the last detail, a celebrated success that keeps on giving all summer long. *whew*

The windows are open full time, barring trips, rain, wind, etc, but not temperature. (Well, maybe a freak spell. Can’t rule those out.) It’s time to prep the wardrobe for the season. The truck is ready. The kitchen is ready. The bath is ready. Office, not so much. But that can be done with the AC on. And it will get done, now that everything else is handled. The weather sets the priorities.

Anyway, chores are done, except trash and recycling, and there is no rush, not that big. Most everything went in there during the cleanup. So I am letting the air out of the tires for a few days. No heavy eating, just grazing. Nothing done outside of the routine.

Paid storage yesterday using Messenger on the laptop. I think that will be the new method for me. Save me a phone charge, no full voicemail boxes, no uncertainty. Also, internet starts getting charged next month. $30/mo is not too bad. I can live with 100mbps. Very few sites ever hit full speed as is.

Ten days to Spring Fling.

Recovering from Thursday night, though I wasn’t that spent. A little, yes, but I’ve been on top of chores. I’m eating full rounds, though not always at the projected time. The poundcake is gone. I have one more pork chop, to be torched shortly for Sunday brunch. Spaghetti is being boiled daily, about 115g of pasta per shot, laden with extra chunky sauce. It does the trick. Two more days to go.

I have a feeling that the windows are open full time now. They stayed open overnight, and it was forecast as the coolest this coming week. Next weekend could be a snag, but never trust a forecast older than three days out.

The ring I ordered is at North Houston Distribution. Delivery says Tuesday, so tracking might be on a new estimation routine. Before, it would have said tomorrow, then take two days going to Bryan, instead of directly. The ring is a black tungsten carbide, right ring finger (US size 13). I’ll have to be aware of Egee’s finish, knives, glasses, windows, and other scratchable items.

Pay storage tomorrow. Make it a phone day.

We had a rowdy jam, electric. I didn’t bring any sound equipment, but two amps showed up, and we had a bass player, and the lead guitars were hot. All in all, a good time. There was an audience and we had consistent applause. It took a few songs for my voice to come around, but I found it for the second half.

I brought home a tub of chili, and it went in the kitchen freezer. I had to shift the hambone to the back, vertical, swapping it with the TLT boil stock. The chili sat atop the remaining poundcake.

I missed another spaghetti dinner. I held off eating heavy before the jam, and I zonked out after the jam. I’ve got to quit doing that. Sketti or bust!

I made a store run, a light pre-weekend list, no cart or basket, everything in my hands. Bread, bacon, Goldfish.

Tonight will be the last night forecasted in the 50s until October (?). We’re back in the 80s today. Windows will soon be opened full time.

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I finished the poundcake. Now it’s Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla w/strawberry puree. I also had a hefty serving of spaghetti. Now if I can manage a pork chop and egg for breakfast, I’m set back on schedule.

Only thing lagging is laundry, and there’s not that much.

There was a storm last night that made up for the poor showing from the eclipse storm. About an inch total. And there is a cool (70°F) northwest breeze, 12/G 20, bringing sunshine with it. The front has blown out the rain and most of the cloud cover. I could open the windows on the downwind side of the house, but nah. Not worth it. The house is fresh enough.

I’ve been on the pokey side, not full lump, but nowhere close to manic either. I missed spaghetti last night, but considering the way that the spudacado filled my stomach, it’s understandable. I’ll be having another serving this evening. But I have almost finished the poundcake, and I’ll be switching to Blue Bell to finish the strawberry puree. I had a pork chop and egg for brunch, after a kolache for early breakfast. Myka enjoyed the nibbles.

I have a few dishes and laundry to do. Nothing arduous. It’s time to be resting for tomorrow’s jam session.

I have finished off the avocados, leaving me with spaghetti, pork loin, and potatoes as the mainstay. The marinated pork loin will go mostly as pork chops with an over easy egg for breakfast/brunch. The rest will be diced and go with the potatoes (+ cheddar). That leaves a serving of spaghetti for dinner. There are a lot of servings to go. It is the marathon’s wake. There are still tamales, brats, and andouille as filler.

Had a long soak while it’s still warm. A cool spell is coming for the next three days. (Cool is a relative term, forecasted lows in the 50s, the last of the season.)

Chores are done. Laundry tomorrow. Otherwise a routine day. Thursday is a jam session. Weather should be good. I intend on attending. I’m hoping to be ready for it.

I’ll be changing water bottles this weekend, from magenta to cyan, noting the change of seasons. Cool for summer, warm for winter.

There was thunder during the eclipse, as a storm front made its way from the coast to here. The heavy rain missed, only moderate rain fell here. So being outside for the eclipse was not in the cards. Didn’t bother with photos.

I ate poundcake w/strawberry puree and whipped cream as consolation. It was also celebration for having finished off the four bags of protein in the fridge (TLT, ham, brisket, St Louis taco meat). I thawed a pork loin section, to be diced for use in spudacado tomorrow morning and as slab cuts for pork chops w/over easy eggs for breakfast. That will complement the spaghetti, which starts tonight.

No post-weekend store run, nothing was needed. The dents in stock were not deep enough to require action. I’m still racing time to finish the final freezer door push, not thinking acquisition. The circular releases at midnight, not interested in what’s on special. I can barely close the freezers as is.

It’s a slow evening. Not much energy.

Spending lots of time sawing logs, ZZZZZZ. I need it, but it’s not helping the appetite.

Making sandwiches. Turkey, brisket, ham and egg. I need to make more so I can move on to pasta. One avocado is turning ripe, so breakfast will be spudacado w/St Louis taco meat. An uphill food fight…

I think I am lacking appetite, partially because I feel like I’ve done enough work in the kitchen already. I am rebelling at the thought of doing more, even if it’s minimal.

The windows got closed at midnight, a little late, but I was asleep. And then I promptly went back to sleep for another five hours. Alas, it’s the weekend, nothing much going on anyway.

There will be more relaxation today and tomorrow.

Letting the air out of my tires. Breakfast was a sketti sandwich. I fell asleep before the spaghetti sauce was cool enough to transfer over to a storage tub. It was cool enough when I woke. So I ladled the sauce over to the tub and put it in the fridge. Then I grab a couple of pieces of soft bread and sopped up the sauce that the ladle couldn’t get. My favorite way of keeping the wash cloth/pad from turning orange. And an easy breakfast.

So when the skillet gets washed, I’ll be done with the last kitchen marathon of the season. It won’t be long before the oven is decommissioned for the summer (not turned on). Now there is the matter of dicing the St Louis Brown Sugar test strip into taco meat, but that is from a prior marathon, so it doesn’t deserve inclusion. Spuds will go there. *sigh*

Now I can kick back and rest for a while. I have full freezers, and a fridge that requires a healthy appetite. I am prepared for summer. Let the heat come. (Just don’t be in too big of a hurry.)

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The dishes got washed and put away, all the meats are prepped for quick assembly, all chores are done. The fridge looks like a rush hour pileup, but the freezer doors shut. The episode is over, put to bed.

Tombstone Mesquite rub, 197°F at the fat end core. Cooling for cutting into sections and bagging.

Cutting up the ham into sections comes next, once the brisket is in the fridge.

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The brisket has gone from the fridge into the freezer this afternoon, sans the end piece, shown above, which is still in the fridge for a couple of sandwiches. Once frozen, the bulk of the brisket will be moved into the top loader. I’ve been hesitant to carve up the ham, wanting to see how much space there is left in the top loader when the brisket is added. Eight pounds of protein takes up a little space when bagged. The ham bone will stay in the kitchen freezer. And I’m a little sluggish after tending the brisket off and on for the last 16 hours. The kitchen is back in order, dishes washed, etc.

The strawberry puree is also in the freezer. I pulled one of the oldest two for thawing. That makes six in the freezer, one every two months. The Caribbean rice is now history. Myka just finished off the cooked shrimp, but I saved a few out of the package for her to nibble. So I now have a little space in the fridge, but it’s still pretty packed. Brisket, TLT, tamales, brats, andouille, dogs, cheese by the ton, cake, and a bunch more of the usual stuff. Easy reach is full, available space is by the back wall.

Sunny, breezy, windows open, mid 70s. A gorgeous day.

I am holding off on the shoulder roast until I’m certain that I have room for the excess stew in the kitchen freezer. I have all week to let the dust settle here. It goes on sale once a month on the average. I’d rather wait than freeze the roasts, and I can make it when it warms up a bit. No big hurry, as I just finished off the last of the previous batch, and I have spaghetti on the menu next week. But it is definitely on the list for the indeterminate future. And there is pulled pork in the crock pot to consider. Too much is too much.

Carving up the ham is next, at the proper time.

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Well, the brisket filled the top loader. That reads: lean heavily on the bags to get them pressed low enough for the seal to close securely. I’m going to have to get creative with the ham. What can I thaw? Make spaghetti sauce now? That’s a starter.

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YES!!!! The ham fit in the freezer! Whew!

I moved the seven burger patties from the kitchen freezer door to the large skillet on the stovetop to thaw. They have thawed and are ready to chop and fry, drain, and add the sauce. The newer patties in the top loader were moved to the kitchen freezer door, basically the same fit. I also thawed the St Louis Brown Sugar taco meat. That created enough space for the ham.

Of note, the ground chuck burger patties (1/3 lb) are on sale for $3/lb, basically $1 each. Bulk ground chuck is on sale for $3.79/lb. Using burger patties instead of bulk ground chuck saves 79¢/lb. I have no qualms in chopping up the patties.

The hambone went in the kitchen freezer, replacing the poundcake that was pulled to go with the thawed strawberry puree. So everything fits as only an experienced topologist could achieve. Creative Topology 241.

Fridge: TLT, ham, brisket, bacon, tamales, brats, andouille, hotdogs, a ton of cheese, cake, strawberry puree, eggs, and soon, spaghetti sauce.

So now, it’s sketti sauce time. Then I’ll be done.

Whew!

Whew!

Whew!

*sigh*

I made a run to the store to get two jumbo pineapples for 77¢, to make pineapple puree, but they were sold out. Alas, I got two 1 lb packages of strawberries on sale for 99¢ instead. That will give me seven pints of strawberry puree total. I wouldn’t have gotten them, except I have a tradition of getting 99¢ strawberries for puree, and while the earlier ones were on sale, they weren’t 99¢ strawberries. Ah, traditions, compulsive behavior, impulse buying, call it what you like.

I also got minis, a ham, and a brisket. The ham was a solid one, not the spiral cuts that were advertised and sold out, but the same 97¢/lb price. Since the majority of the use will be diced, I judged it sufficient. The brisket was sort of on sale, reduced price, but not a full reduction. I got the smallest one there, which should last me awhile with what I already have in the freezer. I will be roasting the brisket tomorrow, maybe starting tonight, since it’s the coolest day this week.

I think that I can fit the ham, pulled pork, and brisket in the top loading freezer. The pulled pork will be the fence sitter, since the Boston butt is still frozen, and it’s a slow cooker item. I’ll be getting shoulder roast next week when it goes on sale, for beef stew, another slow cooker recipe. The stew excess will go in the kitchen freezer, along with the strawberry puree. It will be a tight fit on both ends. The only thing not accounted on the cook-for-summer list is rib eye, and those can be frozen raw. And if they aren’t available before the heat turns on, I’ll survive awhile without them. I’m not going to go hungry if there aren’t any.

It will be around 50°F for the next two nights, good for the brisket slow roast. It’s the last major piece of meat to be in the oven this spring. I got the brisket at the price it was, because I didn’t want to delay oven use any longer than necessary at this point. The oven can go idle for the summer. I think the Tombstone Mesquite will be the rub. The pulled pork will get St Louis Brown Sugar. None for the stew and ham. I’ll be glad to get the final items on the summer target list behind me, get down to the strictly thaw and eat phase. Then I can get back to spring cleaning.

So there will be logistics in the kitchen, and the spaghetti will get bumped again, until I recover from the butchering chores, making little cuts out of big cuts (all day). But I have plenty on which to coast. The Caribbean rice has one serving, but the turkey has at least two more sandwiches, and a test piece of brisket will remain in the fridge until it vanishes. Tamales, brats, dogs, andouille, chicken fajita, taco meat, spuds… The schedule will adapt nicely, and there is a matching cool spell next week for the spaghetti.

It’s a nice sunny day, moderate wind from the north, low humidity. A pleasant afternoon with a fresh breeze through the house. There won’t be many more like this for quite some time.

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11 pm

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Back in the mad money. It was payday this morning. Haven’t spent any of it. Nothing on the shopping list. No wild hairs either. No hurry, after having caught up from truck month. The only foreseeable expenditure is Spring Fling at the end of the month, and I don’t expect much there. I may be grabbing cash back at the stores this month, since my wallet was drained of everything but ones by truck inspection and registration.

The windows were open all night, as it never dropped below 70°F. A bit of a Gulf bred fluke this early in the season, but a hint of things to come. Short sleeves, sweating glasses, AC, mosquitoes… But hey, better than winter any day. 82°F for the high.

Thinking about a second burger, this time with the Louisiana Cajun rub. It’s been long enough since the first burger test to not wreck digestion. Get it in sufficiently before I move on to spaghetti. Not complaining about the turkey and rice options, just an issue of timing. I don’t see another taco meat thaw until after spaghetti, and there are four to go (Santa Fe, Tombstone, St Louis, Tequila Lime).

There is getting to be space available in the top loader, enough for pulled pork. So I expect that to happen in the near future, even though I may not eat more than a single sandwich right away for testing. And tonight is the new grocery circular. Texas style ribs (stew), brisket, and rib eye are on the watch list.

A fairly slow day, chores are minimal. A little achey, but not bad.

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Cajun burger report: I went a little heavy on the rub, but I’m brave when it comes to heat. It wasn’t quite what I expected, but not all that hot, at least while there was food in my mouth. The after-burn was more prominent than the burn, but it wasn’t anything that I’d call hot. The initial taste is savory, mild, but definitely with a cajun slant, and the heat only becomes readily apparent after swallowing. It’s not nearly as warm as what comes locally labeled as cajun. I think it is more suited for poultry, pork, or seafood than beef. Still, not bad. Glad I got it.