A boring, lonely weekend

 

Sophie hoping someone, anyone would come visit
so I would have someone else to talk to.

With Jordan and Christian at the golf tournament and Jacob celebrating the end of the school year, Sophie and I have found it a sort of lonely, boring weekend. At least we have each other to talk to, though the conversation is pretty much one-sided. She contributes by cocking her head and looking at me as if to say, “Really?” I do have work on my desk, but sometimes I just don’t feel like doing it on weekends. So I piddle a bit and read a lot.

I did spend much of the day on domestic chores—hanging up clothes, putting away groceries, generally straightening things, and making a batch of my pea salad because I like it a lot. Contrary to most recipes, I do not put bacon in it, and I grate cheddar instead of cubing it. Last night I asked Jacob to get me a ream of paper from the corner where we store such supplies, and he asked, “What’s a ream?” I explained, he looked, said he didn’t see any such. This morning, Christian found an unopened box of three reams. I had already ordered three, so I’ll return the package that arrived today. Poor Jacob—he had no reason to know that’s how paper comes, but I’ll tell him so he can add it to his knowledge bank. Who knows? Someday he may work in an office.

I do have a slight domestic dilemma. The electric teakettle that Mary Dulle handed down to me several years ago gave up the ghost. The switch refused to work, and while I know those things can be fixed, it’s usually less expensive and easier to order a new one. That does, however, leave me with the guilt about the footprint I’m leaving on the earth. But I ordered a new one, partly because I don’t know anyone who does such repair. And for once, I read the instructions and warnings. One of the latter was: do not immerse. Okay but I always wash a new appliance before using it. Can I use a soapy dishrag on it and then rinse without immersing?

Good dinner tonight: since I was cooking for myself tonight, and Jordan was picking up my grocery order at Central Market, I included a quarter lb. filet of Dover sole. First problem: a half lb. is too much, since I don’t really like leftover fish the next day, but a quarter lb. is too skimpy. Second problem is I can only occasionally sauté sole in one piece—it usually turns to hash when I try to flip it, as it did tonight, even with a fish spatula. The delicate flavor, however, is so good, I don’t mind the hash. And even though I didn’t get the crispy brown crust I like, it was so tasty that I forgot to put lemon on it. What I did do, however, was to sprinkle it with a bit of the lava salt Jordan brought home from Iceland. Really enhanced the flavor without making it too salty. I do need, however to learn to use a lighter hand with the black salt. To go with it, I made a big batch of English pea salad which is a favorite of mine. Thinking of people who don’t like English peas—Christian, Barbara Ashcraft, and Jean, who once said she didn’t like pea salad and then ate two helpings. Mine has no bacon and no little lumps of processed cheese—I grate some good cheddar. We always buy Tillamook cheddar from Oregon but today Jordan wasn’t watching, picked up Lucerne, which is I think the Albertson’s house brand, and then was so mad at herself. I am sure it will be fine.

Not an appealing picture--too monochromatic. I am
obviously not a food photographer, but I was trying to
show the black lava salt on the fish. Honest this
tasted a lot better than it looks.

My political brains is whirring happily tonight with the vote of the Texas House to impeach Ken Paxton. I may despise Texas politics, but I have to admit it is interesting, and I’ll wait to see what the state Senate does. Maybe tomorrow my further thoughts on politics. Tonight I have a new issue of Bon Appetit to read.

Sweet dreams, y’all.