Thursday, January 30, 2014

Post rain here in the Big Valley (an episode of which I actually watched this day), but we only got about two tenths or so here at the rancho, not a soaker by any means. I spent this day suffering from, I guess, some allergic reaction to something. All the usual subjects...Moff and Charlie visited this day, he to scope out our trees for one of his projects. Really, not a very exciting day. Sorry.

January 29, 2014

Long time, no write, eh? That's the way the cookie crumbles, folks. I really can't speculate (remember) why I stopped posting here but I DO know what brought me back: Phfrit. She stumbled upon this blog just this afternoon and commented on how fun it was to read. So I revisited here for the first time in ages...and it WAS fun! So here I go again. Today we had rain for the first time in 52 days, which is a riiiiiiiiiiiiiily long spell, especially in winter. Not big rain...no. Riiiiiiiiiiiiily small rain, but moisture nonetheless. As we licked our chocolate Jolly Kones at Whitey's in West Sac, everybody was excited to see the rain.

Tuesday, April 24

Spring has more than sprung here in the Big Valley. This was a warm, storm-comin'-on day, and we worked worked worked. First up to Mack Road for Phfrit's first therapy session for her wrist. The therapist's name is Baron Von Something-or-other. Quite a moniker. Cool guy. All is going well. Then over to the apartment to gather some things and fill some boxes and take down stuff from walls, etc. Then back home to do things with all the things we brought here, etc. You know how moving goes. All in all, having
~ phfun. ~

Sat, Sun, Mon, April 22, 23 &24

Monday morning I dutifully sat down to recount the adventures of the weekend, and I did, but I somehow clicked the wrong thing in the new Blogger layout and it went away. I was sad about it. Then I was mad about it. Then I just said fuck it. But here I am again, and I'll try one more time. Saturday was a rilly hot day that involved moving things down here from Phfrit's. Necessary, but not loads of fun. So Sunday we took off for The City and played like children what with the eating (oysters on the half shell, Dungeness crab sandwich, Dim Sum, clam and garlic pizza) and the shopping (fans and hats and a jacket from Chinatown) and the music-listening (and authentic Chinese music group and blues at the Saloon). Monday was Big Dog Windy and full of assorted chores of the moving preparation kind. We'll see if'n I can post
~this.~

Friday, April 20

Very warm here in the Big Valley. Over 85 degrees and somewhat humid, owing to the fact that everything is green green green from the recent April showers. Still painting in the bedroom. Last night we were joined for the supper by none other than Mrs. Blakesley of next door. Grilled sausage and peppers with a whisp of thin spagetti, dressed in only olive oil and garlic.
~ MMMMMMMMMM...~

Thursday, April 19

One week later, and we'll just see if I can keep on track now and post once a day. In the week Kahlil has been gone I have been busy finishing up the work here in the house, and Phfrit has been busy recovering from her broken wrist. And doing quite well, I might add. She starts therapy next week. The weather has been DDG (Drop Dead Gorgeous), in fact yesterday was our first 80+ degree day...so nice. The flooring is done (except for the transition strips), the cabinets are all painted...the bedroom was painted half-way yesterday...will finish today...and the movers come with the rest of Phfrit's stuff on the 27th.

Whaddayathinkofusnow?

Thursday, April 12

Things are getting somewhat back to normal, and we are reclaiming the house after the madcap nine-day visit by Kahlil, in the middle of which was sandwiched Easter, and Phfrit's wrist surgery, getting my taxes done, and a visit by DeeDeeDooDooDiDi, and the work that was done in the kitchen by he and me. We ran out of time so some things did not get done and I will have to finish: Shooting on the base and caulking...hanging the cabinet doors...finish the flooring in the mud room, etc. It was a joy and delight to meet Phfritzie's son, and he is one hell of a talented man.

Tuesday, April 10

Busier than a bee.

Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Thursday, April 5

Prease to see Brog.

Wednesday, April 4

Spring weather. Drop Dead Gorgeous. Kahlil here. Work begun on kitchen. Need more?
Call me.

Tuesday, April 3

Oops.

I forgot.

Monday, April 2

So my cell phone battery will only last for about one call when fully charged onnacounta I've had this phone for two years and so I go to Radio Shack in Sacramento which is a Verizon affiliate and no, they don't stock my battery but they can order one for $18.00 so I see if I am up for an upgrade and yes, it is time so I look at the new phones that they have and I don't like them and I don't want to order a battery so I then go to the Verizon corporate store in Elk Grove hoping for either a battery or a better selection of phones and lo and behold they have neither and to order a battery from them costs $40.00 so I chuck the whole idea of getting a new phone and I come home and order the battery from Radio Shack for $20.00 and then I go to the Verizon web site and change my number because that has been a long time coming and they would have charged me $15.00 to change it at the store. So....no new phone ( I like the one I have anyway) and hopefully a new battery will come through the mail and I'll be set for another
~ two years. ~

Sat.-Sun. March into April

Yes, the months changed this weekend, and wow did it seem like it! Saturday was stormy and windy and wet and rainy and such and the like whereas Sunday was...not. No, Sunday was mild and warm and dry and not rainy and man was it nice and I got outside and got things done and everything and everything. Do me a favor, will ya? Write the last of this post for me?
~ Thanks. ~

Friday, March 30

Did you want me to say that on this day I built a full-sized replica of the Eifel Tower or that I operated on Schneider and removed his spleen or that I paved a section of Interstate 5 or that I ran for congress and was elected or that I dug up Jimi Hendrix's grave or that I sang a song of sixpence or that I read an entire encyclopedia or that I tunneled to China or that I ate an entire moose or that I visited with Manny Rameirez or that I flew on a jet plane to Kalamazoo, Michigan? Did you? Well, I didn't.

~ So there. ~

Thursday, March 29

Up quite early and upriver for some crack o' Donny and off to Midtown Sacramento to see the wrist specialist and see new Xrays and learn about the forthcoming surgery. There will be a plate with screws installed to keep the ulna in correct alignment....Back at the ranch-o my day was filled with doin's in the shop and Phfrit puttered about in the house. She feels alot better with the new smaller brace. We feasted on Pasta Pomodoro for the supper on this didn't-rain-all-day-until-it-sprinkled-at-night day.
~ Get it? ~

Wednesday, March 28

Spent the entire morning trying to get an appointment for Phfrit at the orthopedist...seems that onnacounta some stoopid HMO stuff the orthopedist cannot make an appointment without a referrel from the primary doctor, who she saw the day before, and was supposed to fax the referrel, but....no. What do you mean, no? The whole morning was full of waiting for people to answer fones and it was rife with frustration. Rife, I tell ya. But it all eventually worked out and we go tomorrow at 8:30 to Midtown Sac for to see the wrist specialist. Other than that, I had a productive afternoon working in my shop, installing some shelves. Then, by the grace of God, a two hour nap. Then I fired up the Webber and grilled some BBQ chicken thighs. Break in the rain
~ this day. ~

Tuesday, March 27

I challenge anyone who says they don't like fish to try a bite of the sturgeon steaks I grilled last night. And I don't mean "grilled" on the BarBQ. No. I mean grilled on the flat, non-stick electric griddle that I have on my counter. What I did, see, is cut two 1" steaks off the gob of meat, just like salmon steaks, and I rubbed them all over with a freshly crushed garlic clove and then I doused them with freshly ground black pepper and sprinkled them with coarse kosher salt. When the griddle was hot I applied some butter to it and placed the steaks on to grill. .....Minutes go by...Then I flipped the steaks over for yet a few more minutes, all the while basting them with minced garlic. Add steamed asperagus and a baked potato and a slice of toasted sourdough french bread and feast.
You. Will. Like.
~ Fish. ~

Monday, March 26

Two vastly different things happened this day. One involved Phfritzie, who bent down to pick up a penny (a penny!) at a check-out stand and somehow lost her ballance and fell over backwards and landed on her wrist which as it turns out is now broken in three places, into the muscle, and may well require surgery. The other thing that happened is that I received a huge gob (8-10 lbs.) of fresh caught sturgeon from some fishermen that I let use my property the other day. It was a wonderful thing. So, you see, the good and the bad....the dark and the light...the up and the down...it all weaves together in this kooky kooky world of ours.
~ Don't it? ~

Sat.-Sun. March 24 & 25

After six months...the return of DeeDeeDooDooDiDi! (Without Ron, who was sorely missed, but that's another story for another day) Di was here to attend the memorial service for Walt Carlos, and Di, Phfritzie and I were there with bells on. It was a cold, cloudy, supposed-to-rain day but spit the skies did not, and the memorial was touching and well put together. Autumn and Swanny were there, as was Barbara and Jo and Boots and David and Rosemary and Walt's sister. Eve was elegant and serene. Sunday's weather was much nicer, Di made Breakfast Pizza # 48 and then headed home. Phfrit and I worked on the house the entire day, then feasted on Chicken Pizziola, ala Bondo. A great
~ weekend. ~