First off, this morning; as I walked down the
hallway and got closer to the kitchen/livingroom area … I started sneezing
nonstop, my eyes and nose started dripping, and I was starting to wheeze.
It didn’t take me long to figure out why.
The chrysanthemums were making themselves felt.
I knew it was risky to bring them in, but I
needed to tidy them up a bit before tucking them away to overwinter. They are
all ‘delicate perennials’, so I don’t want to lose them; if overwintered in an
agreeable atmosphere, they will thrive and put out new growth again in the
Spring.
I got the coffee underway, pulled Bob’s old windbreaker
on – and shifted the pots back outside.
On the front porch this time, in a kinder
cooling atmosphere: where the cruel Fall/Winter river winds, and slashing rainfall
won’t damage them.
Then, I dug the allergy capsules out of my
handbag and swallowed one past the growing blisters on the back of my throat
that was making breathing and swallowing difficult. The blisters are the
result of nasal drainage running down the back of my tongue – they get quite
big and hamper my breathing ability.
1 capsule makes me loopy: so, I only take one
instead of the recommended 2. If I get stung, I’ll have to take 2 … and
I pray I never have to use them when I am driving (this was not an issue
when Bob was still here – he could spot-drive when necessary).
1 capsule will make me sleepy if I am
inactive; so, as soon as I swallowed one of them, I got busy making the turkey
stock while the coffee finished perking.
==TURKEY CARCASS STOCK ~10 to 12 cups
1 Turkey carcass, broken into pieces *
any defatted Pan Juices or gravy that may be left over * 12 cups Water (or
enough to cover carcass completely) * 2 medium Onions, coarsely
chopped * 2 ribs of Celery, diced; with leaves, if possible * ½ cup
Carrots, diced * ½ cup diced, well-washed Leeks * ½ cup diced
Turnip * 1 clove Garlic, minced * 1 teaspoon Salt, optional *
Bouquet Garni, made by tying in cheesecloth: 6 sprigs Parsley (or 2
teaspoons dried parsley flakes), ½ teaspoon Thyme leaves, and 1 Bay leaf
1) Combine all ingredients in a large pot, bring to a boil; and
simmer it partially covered, for about 2 to 3 hours (this stock tastes better
the longer it is simmered – as long as you don’t cook away the liquid).
2) Strain the stock, and skim off the fat.
3) If desired, remove all the bones, reserving any meat pieces.
Discard the spice bag. In a blender, food processor, or hand sieve … puree the
remaining vegetables in a cup of the stock and save the mixture for another
soup; or for flavoring a stew or sauce.
*WHAT I DID: When the stock was finished cooking, I cooled it in the ‘fridge/bagged
it up in freezer baggies, and slipped it into the freezer to use in future
meals:
While the stock was cooking, I traced some
more snowflake outlines onto the last 3 plastic canvas sheets – I don’t think I’ll
have enough time this year to make all the snowflakes I want to hang in my
windows from Thanksgiving though February, but I can have these shapes cut out/ink
washed off them/and work on them for the 2021 season.
It will give me something to do to keep me
productively occupied during the dark and gloomy PNW Winter months.
I talked to my younger sister in the afternoon,
and picked her brain about a destination I plan to visit in 2021 sometime; it’s
close to where she lives, and I felt reasonably certain she’s been there and
would know the layout and best time of year to drive there. She did, and she
was very helpful info-wise.
So, this is the first destination that will
be written on a slip of paper to go into my 2021 Get-Out-of-Dodge Jars.
It will be fun to do the drive – and I’m
thinking of spending the night there, too. A BIGGIE for me; but a necessary
step in moving forward and building a new life separate from the one I had with
Bob. It is not healthy to live a forward life hemmed in by the past life.
I also talked to a fella about the dishwasher
issue – he’s coming next Thursday to check into it.
Periodically, throughout the day, I checked
my FB Page for notices and interesting tidbits.
A friend posted to his FB Page, this fantastic
rendition of ‘The House of the Rising Sun’ song. The guitar is pretty
fantastic itself … and the way the song is played is catchy.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLE-CaCPb1A)
In our early years, when we went dancing
every weekend, Bob would request this song at some point in the evening because
he knew I liked it; and he liked holding me in his arms.
Bob was a romantic fella – I don’t know if he
was always romantic; but I do know that he was with me.
I also started reading another book today.
It’s not a new book, though it is new to me.
I buy my books at garage sales, or thrift stores.
I rarely buy new books because I breeze
through them so quickly; forking out $5 to $8 a novel seems very wasteful to me,
when I can read through the book in 24 hours – or less.
I don’t have a money tree growing on my small
lot 😉
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMYQYyTCwDk)
The book should be interesting: I like ‘who done
it’ plots.
Speaking of … I need to shut the laptop down, crack the book covers, and get back
to titillating my gray matter while the river winds whip the tree tops, rattle their
limbs, and snatch the leaves off one by one to send them skipping down the quiet
blacktop.
There’s been very little street activity this day.
It should be a peaceful relaxing evening.
The fireplace giving off a warming ambiance, cocooning
myself in Bob’s fleece blanket, book in hand; and hot cocoa at the ready.
I can embrace that.
