Grump Central Archive: Week of 5 January 2020
Saturday, 11 January 2020
Not getting much done lately as I've been cooking up a storm for guests—I love to cook, so I'll take any excuse to prepare food for just about anyone who shows up at my door. And this $350 Gasland induction cooktop is awesome; I'm starting to like it better than gas—yes, seriously. I've watched my guests' jaws drop as I'll make a heap of scrambled eggs in less than a minute. I confess I'm still getting the hang of it, though, since it's different from anything else I've ever used—I keep burning the bacon (yesterday I set off the smoke alarms)...
Friday, 10 January 2020
The camper's days are numbered, and while I don't yet know exactly when it'll be gone, it's soon enough that I'm counting the days—the damned thing makes my property look so "trashy." The odd thing is, every time I look at it, I still think I've got to go take care of the cats. And I have a feeling this reaction won't go away until the camper does.
What's been most rewarding these past couple of weeks is seeing things that actually work—and, even better, outnumbering the things that don't. It's especially fun to watch my kids take to those features I made just for them, like the cubby over the fridge, which Roy and Zack share daily, and Kitty Central, which keeps all of the "cat maintenance" items nicely out of sight. Plus, there's more to come for them.
And now maybe it's my turn. With the last of the sheetrock delivered, I may be able to spend some time in my train room getting it ready for my "forever layout." Sometimes I still feel guilty doing such things, but I have to keep reminding myself that the house is fully functional, and that I'm not on a clock anymore; I can actually afford to take the time to indulge in things solely for my enjoyment.
Thursday, 9 January 2020
Today the septic engineers are supposed to come get soil samples, and indeed they've confirmed they'd be here at 9:30 this morning via email yesterday; however, they did say "weather permitting," and it's supposed to barely break freezing, so I'd understand if they cancelled. Actually, they'd be better off doing it tomorrow, when it's predicted to hit the 50s—and the weekend might see highs in the mid-60s. Yep, wacky weather is upon us. BTW, today's strange image is Zack's tail hanging out of the air vent for their cubby over the fridge (there will eventually be a grille covering it).
Wednesday, 8 January 2020
To celebrate having the cooktop, I hosted an impromptu breakfast yesterday: a friend supplied the food, and I cooked it. I confess to being a little rusty—it has been around four years, after all—but it all went deliciously well. Meanwhile, all of the kitties seem to be completely adjusted to their new home. I know cats, and when they start to play, they're happy and settled. Plus, we're getting into new routines, and breakfast for them has become one. All quite fun.
Tuesday, 7 January 2020
Yesterday I cracked some eggs for the first time in four years, and it was glorious. Cooking is a simple pleasure that becomes sublime when it's been denied for so long.
Monday, 6 January 2020
Today is going to be a mixed bag: the pinched nerve in my neck is giving me real grief; but today my cooktop arrives, and I refuse to leave it uninstalled. So it'll be a painful challenge with a delicious reward.
Sunday, 5 January 2020
I am sooo looking forward to getting the cooktop tomorrow. The very first thing I'll do is make myself some eggs! I don't care what time of day it arrives—I've already got some fresh eggs (the first I've purchased since 2013) waiting in the fridge for the occasion.