Old and new

I managed to get the crockpot lasagna going in time that we may be able to eat before 8pm tonight. I’m going to consider that my major accomplishment for the day, despite my doing laundry, dishes, and also paying bills and taking a walk with the dog. Whew. It just ticked over 1pm and all that is behind me.

~~~~~

Sunny and (relatively speaking - it is still January, after all) warm but windy, again, today. I could easily be spoiled by such conditions. With the impending winter storm Juno heading for the northeast, I’m sending warm thoughts that direction.

~~~~~

On Saturday, my business partner and I traveled to Mandan so that we could clear out our training center and haul everything back to our respective homes. It was hard work, up and down a huge flight of stairs countless times with heavy, cumbersome furniture, totes full of books and supplies, and random detritus one tends to collect over five years of running a business. A sad and sadly necessary task, when shuttering a business.

My legs hurt from the stairs. My heart hurts from the ending of things. However, when one chapter ends, I suppose the logical thing to do is turn the page so as to start the next. My brain would feel better knowing what that next chapter is or how to start it.

~~~~~
Playlist:

Enya: A Day Without Rain
A Day Without Rain
Wild Child
Only Time
Tempus Vernum
Deora Ar Mo Chroi
Flora’s Secret
Fallen Embers
Silver Inches
Pilgrim
One By One
Lazy Days

Crock

I think I’m developing an unhealthy dependency on my new slow cooker. Is that even possible? I’m not going to deep dive into that black hole, but I’ve been considering it for the past 30 seconds, so therefore it is justified as a topic here.

I bought said slow cooker not because I need it - I have several crock pots and slow cookers - but because I wanted the fancy bells, whistles, timers and settings this one has. That and I had some Christmas money burning a hole in my pocket.

It came with a recipe book (included in the instruction manual) and so I tried a couple of the options. I believe the Slow Cooked Oatmeal will become a weekly standard - at least during the cold months (so All The Time). I also tried Lemon Chicken, which was OK except I don’t think I reduced the lemon juice correctly (or enough) because it was a little more tart than I expected. I salvaged the leftover chicken from that experiment and made Chicken Vegetable Soup, which was lovely.

Now I’m making Tuna Noodle Casserole in my slow cooker because apparently I’m about a half-step away from being a Church Lady. Except for the part where I don’t actually go to church and with my nose piercing, I’d probably be found wanting by the local Circle. Or Guild. Or whatever they are calling themselves these days.

No. I’m making Tuna Noodle Casserole in my slow cooker today because Chad is away for the weekend ice fishing. It has become something of an event for Mar and me to have tuna anytime he is gone for more than a day or so. Why? Because that is the only time we get to eat tuna. And we girls love us some tuna.

~~~~~

Ice fishing is a compulsion I do not understand. And not because I’ve not tried it. I grew up ice fishing. I also grew up skating on frozen ponds/lakes, snowmobiling, skiing, sledding…winter sports are one of very few options when you grow up in the Northland.

But now, at this stage of my life, given the option of going outside in sub-zero weather to sit on the ice and wait for a fish to wander by OR staying inside to sit in my favorite chair by the pseudo-fireplace and teach myself a new crochet stitch…well…I think you can deduce the rest.

~~~~~

I’m making a new crochet baby blanket in pink. I’m also going to make a crochet baby blanket in blue. My friend Rootie is patiently waiting for her first grand-baby to arrive and I want to be prepared.**

Of course I’ll offer to make whatever color her daughter-in-law wants, say green or purple or yellow, to go with the decor of the nursery or just random preferences.

**No need to concern oneself about preparation as I discovered an entire Rubbermaid Tub FULL TO THE TOP with various crochet baby blankets that I’ve made and squirreled away over the years. See what happens when I clean out closets? I also found several skeins of yarn that need to be used, so I have justification for making more blankets. The logic for crocheting more blankets makes sense in my head so I’m not going to say it out loud or offer the argument up for debate.

~~~~~

Playlist:
“Chill-out: Ambient” station