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For an update on my post here yesterday:
Meal prep. Tonight I'll cook-up my first batch of dried beans. They've already been soaking for a couple hours. Still have to sort through 'em, there's a few shriveled-up beans. Next time I'll sort out the bad beans first on a flat pan. Still not sure if I should change the water before cooking. I've about that, but guess it didn't sink in.

Brought up the old Panasonic stereo from the basement, still works amazingly well and sounds good. Tuned in a classical music station.... kinda cool and relaxing in this chaotic world.

Put some bean in a Rubbermaid 1 gallon air tight food storage container. Perfect size for six 1lb bags.

Edit: Still need learn how to post pics without that band across the bottom. Maybe it's a fluke of my Linux operating system???
Today I recovered from being bummed that my first attempt at cooking dried beans was disappointing, to say the least. Almost posted in the rant thread... They cooked fine and developed a nice thick sauce. 1 1/2 hours cook time after soaking for 6 1/2 hours. Changed the soaking water at 4 hours and drained & rinsed before cooking in fresh water. When cooking in nothing but water and a tablespoon salt - they just didn't smell good to me. At one hour cook time I started testing for tenderness. At 1:15 I started taste-testing and adding seasoning. Garlic powder didn't help. Parsley... nope. Italian seasoning (a mix of Thyme, Oregano, Marjoram, Rosemary and Sage) still no joy. Celery Salt - whoohoo.... it helped. Warmed-up some rice (which I found I can cook and season to my liking) and topped it with a few beans. Ugh... not good, chocked down about half a serving. Still not giving up, though. I'll try Pinto Beans next, over those small Red Beans. That and go the extra yard with real garlic, fresh celery and probably pork or sausage.

Good news is that old Panasonic stereo from the early 70's is definitely alright. For a low powered system without any external antennas for AM & FM reception - It pulls in radio stations quite well and has a nice clear natural sound. The speakers have a hook wall mounting, and I'll be wall mounting them soon. The receiver will fit fine on top of a stand-alone cabinet I have loaded up with about 100 lbs of cooking, serving and food storage wear. All glass and stainless steel.
 
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Just finished the chores. I really do not like the fog. Maybe it'll clear out tomorrow.
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We drove to Zion National park it was a 500 mile round trip, just got back to our room in Vegas. We wonted to get the most of the park so I hired a helicopter to give us a hour and a half tour. We drove like a bat out of hell to get up there and back and I really wanted for Alex and Jake to get to see it.

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For an update on my post here yesterday:

Today I recovered from being bummed that my first attempt at cooking dried beans was disappointing, to say the least. Almost posted in the rant thread...

A show that might help you… My early attempts at cooking were poor at best. I’m the guy who has to take things apart and put them back together to understand them. Cooking instructions like ‘bake 20 min or until browned’ left me confused because that statement leaves a few dozen obvious questions unanswered. For starters why 20min and not 19 or 21, and how exactly do you define browned? What exactly happens in 20min or when browned?

Cooking shows were worse, they made no sense either. Then I saw a show called ‘Good Eats’ and a guy named Alton Brown. He gave some of the science behind ‘cooking’! Not to the degree I would like but it was a place to start! For me cooking instructions began to make sense. There is science behind the instructions in a book or on a box, chemical changes are occurring, logical and predictable events. Now that I understand the science, cooking makes sense.

You're a mechanical minded guy. You might find ‘Good Eats’ helpful. Some episodes are online...
 
Yep. Like you, I need to know how and why things work. And, things that don't work right are really irritating.

His cook books are better than the shows. He goes into much more detail. I have a few.

Anyway... my cooking is far better now and its thanks to alton...

Here's his website with his books, most are available on amazit also.

https://altonbrown.com/books/
 
... Cooking instructions like ‘bake 20 min or until browned’ left me confused because that statement leaves a few dozen obvious questions unanswered. For starters why 20min and not 19 or 21, and how exactly do you define browned? What exactly happens in 20min or when browned?

...
The Princess had trouble with that in her early days trying to cook for us. It prompted me to invent the word...

Princinerate

Ben
 
What is a lefsa roller?

À lefsa roller is a fat rolling pin that has groves cut into it about 1/8" apart. The groves go around the roller not handle to handle. The groves are for getting the lefse as thin as possible; paper thin or less if you've got skills.
 
Laundry today.
Hubby caught a head cold somewhere but he's actually taking medicine on his own without me nagging him to (for once).
Waiting on the snow thats coming later this evening.
Have to deal with amazon with an order that never came. It was picked up in Pa but then disappeared. :rolleyes:
Tell him he’s not supposed to keep it (head cold). It’s catch and release only. 😉
Got snow down to the 4800 foot level yesterday and last night. First time this year the snow got down to that level with any amount. Long pants yesterday but back to shorts today. About mid 20s today.
I had some things to do outside today. Started off with a flannel lined coat then opened it, then took it off and left it in the house. Thought it felt warm out so looked: 40*. Warmest we’ve been in over a week.
 
Went skiing yesterday. Foggy and sunny but then foggy and snowy. Still fun but I got cold. Went to our favorite place afterwards then home and straight to bed.
This morning picked up Hubby’s pickup that’s been being worked on by a private individual. He found what the dealership couldn’t find having it for 6 months 🙄. Went to church ⛪️. Came home and got to work cleaning up some of the “stuff” the investigators dragged all over so we can get to the fuel tanks again. Will have to move those also.
Worked on genealogy for a few minutes and now sitting on my backside.
 
Well, it wasn't all today but here is a recap of the last month and a half.
GF and her family were all in Michigan for Thanksgiving so I emptied everything out of the small walk in pantry, painted the walls, changed out the light for a way better and brighter one, put down flooring, measured and bought and stained and finished and installed cabinets and a counter top. That was actually a 3 week project, but all that is left is hanging some shelves above the counter top and overhead and above the door to store dry goods and extra stuff all the way to the top of the 10 foot ceiling.
My son finally made a 5 day visit the end of his Christmas break and we finished most of the projects on the 2002 Avalanche. Oil change, both axles drained and refilled with lube, transfer case drained and refilled. ( I rebuilt that myself about 16 years ago so I was happy to see the drained fluid looked as clean as the new stuff we put in) New front shocks. All new, brighter light bulbs everywhere. Washed the last of the chipmunk debris off the engine, and washed the truck at the do it yourself place. Vacuumed and armorall'd the inside, dressed all the outside plastic and the tires. Cleaned all the windows. We were going to put on new brakes but the ones on it were like new so just stashed the new box on the shelf. We did several other things too. Rode with him on the drive back to vegas, he is a great driver and I only gave him a few pointers for driving in heavy traffic.
Yesterday I emptied most the ammo and reloading supplies out of my storage container and into my garage. I forgot that a case of .22LR ammo weighs a lot more than a case of 9mm or a case of .45. Dang those boxes are heavy. Today I stashed them all on a shelf and made room for the GF's daughters jeep. I need to replace all 4 of the Tire Pressure Sensors, but I didn't have it in me to do it today. Maybe one evening this week. I have a manual machine to break the outside bead so I am hoping that is only a couple hour job.
Oh, and I did 10 small T-shirt jobs between the 20th and the 31st to get as much income as possible for 2024 because I have a ton of write offs this year for the business for new stuff I bought.

Aside from that, not much going on here.
 
I've been right here in my chair all day. Yesterday's earache has evolved into something between a head cold and an ear infection. Spent most of the day sleeping. Watching the Lions now, they're making it hard to doze off again, letting the Vikings stay in the game.

I really wish I knew what happened to my immune system. Can't seem to get more than a day here or there where I'm feeling halfway decent. Makes it hard to get anywhere with my projects. Something has to change.

It's in the teens outside tonight, and 70 here next to the woodstove. Furnace has only been on a few times, I have it set at 58 for the basement zone, that seems to keep the floors warm and makes the whole house comfortable, even in the back where the warmth from the stove can't reach. A woodstove is a lot of work and mess, but so worth it! Anything much above freezing, or if the sun is shining in the windows, the furnace doesn't even come on. I love not paying the gas company.
 
Had a hard time getting the kitchen stove started this morning, I think my starter wood was not dry enough. Took a lot of newspaper to get it started. The other stove is out too , we didn't keep it going last night, have to take the ashes out ( it does not have a box underneath like the kitchen one, just a huge solid stove
It's currently pouring outside?!?! Weird weather all the wet snow is going to freeze
So , animal care will be a challenge today will have to rotate them around in the barn
no other plans today, definitely not going anywhere
 
Snow day.
I slept in till 5 this morning. Didn't want to get up.
Hubby's head cold has now moved into his chest so I had him take some mucus relief med (mucinex)
Cooking up a mess of greenbeans today for supper with the ham bone from Christmas ham.
Have some more laundry to do
Just gonna hang out and read or listen to the classical radio station
 
. Yesterday's earache has evolved into something between a head cold and an ear infection.
I hope that you are feeling better soon!

It only got down to about 31 last night. I'll take it! 40 for a high today.
Will do a walking video as there is a lot of wind out right now.
DH has a VA video appt this morning.
Write ebay drafts and do ebay filing for New Year.
 
The fog is finally gone this morning and everything is covered in ice, but that's to be expected during winter. It'll thaw out in April. After breakfast I'll get my truck out of the barn and head down south and pick up some lumber for the new building. We should have a few days without any new snow and I'll be able to get a lot done around here.
 
I don't think we will have any new snow either. Neighbor Marlon just arrived with the skidster and is clearing the driveway, and making paths everywhere I go to do animal chores. Makes it easier for me to pull a wagon, for sure. It's now 3 degrees, better than the negative 3 it was a few hrs ago. Levi is in for his breakfast and coffee. I'm not going out for about another hour. Everything is closed down in our little town and most things in the bigger town. Putting a turkey in the oven.
 
you might need one of then 'converter' thingys
Yep, brought up a new in box DTV converter from the basement. It would have distracted from all the nostalgia... but it's all a mute point - TV doesn't work. AM and FM radio works so it's not completely dead. It's back in the electronics repair area in the basement.

Decided to go with wall mount shelves for kitchen speakers and stereo receiver, using these brackets:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/6-Pack-H...helf-Support-Brackets-Holds-160-lb/5421853405

But.... that's on hold until I'm back to work. Done spending money that I don't have to while only income is unemployment.

Moving on to the project of getting my desktop computer center in order and reprogramming computer with Linux operating system.
 
we have now taken buckets of warm water to the barn several times and will do one more time
son cleared off the rest of the road between barn and house, and it is not snowing much anymore so hopefully the road won't be too bad in the morning. We don't have chains for the Ranger, just the truck
The hydrant and the faucet were frozen at the barn ( indoor room but cold) this morning, so we put a space heater in there until it opened up and filled the tank to the top. This should last the rest of the week, we take half a bucket of hot water down there from the house and then fill the rest with the cold water from the tank. Huge hassle this weather!!!
Saw some Amish kids sleding down the road , looked like at least they were having fun

I have a bunch of paperwork stuff to do and procrastinating, which is not something I do with ANYTHING else
tomorrow I will start sorting the tax receipts ...once I get started I get it done, it's just the starting....
 

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