[ Tuesday, January 24, 2012 ]

I can hear the truck driving away

and I’m shouting to the universe THANK YOU!!!!! 

Our power was restored at 6:30pm and I was in the shower by 6:40...and it took me 10 minutes because I had to finish cooking dinner! 

My shower was glorious!

Now to get this joint cleaned up and back to the 21^st century!

I think we may be close

Rumor has it that a large cherry-picker-advantaged electric line repair truck is at the end of our narrow road. 

Please make it so!

Riso sounds

Sometime during the last 5 years, Riso has become a compulsive licker and slurper and chewer of his flesh.  It is an absolutely disgusting visual and sound fest.  Not only are these behaviors a multisensual assault, they aren’t so good for him.  They make him stinky and in places favored, bald.  Alas, he is no longer the handsome pup he was during the first half of his life. 

We’ve tried all sorts of interventions, some vet suggested, some options were presented at our local gourmet pet food store.  Nothing has worked very well....actually nothing other than a firmly delivered “LEAVE IT” command which interupts his obsessive focus and seems to limit his mouthy attachment to whatever it is that draws him to various parts of his body.  I’ve found that all I need to do is call out the command and he stops.  I can call it out in the dark of night and he stops.  He is very good at this command and we use it to stop his self-abusive behavior.  He’s a smart dog.

Recently I noticed that the outside snow melting is an awful lot like Riso’s personal grooming sounds....also slurpy and licky and mushy.  This has led to a sort of canine conflict with our dog.  Sometimes I hear the snow melting sound, mistake it for Riso and I call out “LEAVE IT”.  His response to this unwarranted commanding is to raise his head, issue a Scooby Doo “huh” and stare at me, apparently wondering why I’m bothering him. 

It happens too often and I think my dog must wonder if I’m insane.  He might be right.




No.  No power yet.

More of none

Now they say 10pm tonight. 

[ Monday, January 23, 2012 ]

Cooking in the dark

So here we are at 6:45pm as early evening slips into night.  Early evening being a significant deadline only to those of us awaiting long promised power.  Yes, we have no power. 

Instead of crying and whining and bitching and moaning, at least here, I’ll tell you what we’re having for dinner.  And, no, we’re not technically in the dark.  We’re technically in the dim light provided by a tired generator.

Tonight, a meal prepared on the stove top, one that requires a couple too many pots but one that is a proven winner with us and one that is easy to prepare.  Yes, it’s true, we’re having burritos. The menu is:

Chicken Burritos
Refried Beans
Mexican Rice
Green Salad

It’s an easy meal because we bought a precooked deli roasted chicken, harvested her breasts and pulled them apart.  Chicken is ready!  We use canned refried beans and a basic green salad.  A couple members of my family put the greens in the burritos, I eat it on the side.

This is easy and so much better than the commercial Mexican Rices out there.  And for the record.  Mexican Rice and Spanish Rice are two different puppies.

---

Here’s my recipe for Mexican Rice. 

3 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup uncooked white rice
½ cup chopped onions
½ cup orange or red or yellow pepper (I don’t like green pepper but you can use it too if you want to)
4 cloves garlic, chopped
½ cup tomato sauce
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups chicken stock

Use a frying pan with a tight fitting lid and use a wooden spoon to stir because a plastic one melts and a metal one gets to freaking hot.  Do not substitute olive oil because it can’t manage the higher temperature.

Heat that oil until hot and add the rice.  Tan it to golden brown.  Add the onions, peppers and garlic and sauté it until the onions appear translucent.  Add the tomato sauce and salt.  Stir it up then add the chicken stock.  Be careful because it might be spitty.  Bring to a quick boil, reduce the heat and put the lid on the frying pan.  Slow simmer it for 20 minutes until the liquid is absobed.  Take it off the heat and eat it.  I like to put in my burrito but some in this family like it on the side with Monterey Jack melted on top.  Gourmets all.

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Are you taking notes Brian?  Brian is always so impressed (not) with my cooking abilities I have to call special attention to it.

Isn’t this much nicer than a recording of my wailing about no power?

Picture this

Puget Sound Energy lied was mistaken.

The ?good? news is that PSE gives (that’s a legislatively driven “give") a $50 rebate or discount for customers who have been without their power for 120 consequtive hours. 

Yay! We qualify! I’d rather have the electricity.  Maybe they can ship that with the next bill.