We have had some lovely weather in March. Two days ago it turned back towards winter, with frigid temperatures and about six inches of snow on Friday last. This is the way spring arrives in Canada, in my decades of experience, always forward, with intermittent looking back. Today is sunny again, and cold. We went for a walk and had to bundle up with extra sweaters, hats, gloves, and still we felt the bite of the wind. The cold spell will break, more mild weather to come, tomorrow is predicted to reach 10C.
Through these freezing temperatures Attila has kept the rain tanks from freezing by setting them up to constantly drip.
Attila’s electrical project progresses, he has the outlet in the kitchen wired, and needs to wire the outlet and light in the garage. There is a sizeable hole in the drywall in the kitchen where he removed it to bring the electrical cable up from the basement to the counter level outlet. That will need drywall repair, and painting. We don’t have any paint left, so that will be our next renovation purchase, paint for the kitchen wall, and paint to touch up the external siding. The siding is showing wear, peeling in many spots. Ideally we would replace the siding, but that isn’t in our immediate plans, so touching up the paint will have to suffice. Attila is watching for a sale on the paint we favour, so that last part of the project won’t be completed until then.
When I say “we”, figuring out how and when to do a renovation is a joint effort. Organizing the finances to do it is my responsibility, and carrying out the project is Attila’s responsibility. This is something I have to get used to, not being able to be involved in the physical aspects of our projects. Perhaps after surgery I will be able to work towards regaining agency, but at least for now, I must honour my limitations. Fortunately our arrangement works very well.
Today I am tinkering with a recipe for dinner. The original recipe was developed by me, in an effort to use up some vintage cans of tomato soup. We loved it, but all of the canned tomato soup is used up, and we won’t be buying any more. I am going to attempt to make the recipe without the tomato soup, with home canned tomatoes instead. It will be important to get the liquid to dry ratio right, and to find ways to enhance the flavour, because there will be no salt added. Canned tomato soup is incredibly high in salt, so without it the the recipe might not be so appealing to the palate. If it doesn’t taste very good without salt, I will not make it again. In that case Attila can eat the rest of it, because it will be fine with a sprinkling of salt.
I continue to capture and dispatch bugs in the house. So far dozens and dozens of Asian beetles have been caught, a handful of stink bugs, and two angry wasps. I use the hand vacuum to vacuum them up, then drop them into a bowl of soapy water. I had been dropping them into the toilet, but it was using too much water, too many bugs!
Worldly
Weather
Updated on Sun, Mar 24 at 3:08 PM
-1°C
FEELS LIKE -1
Clear
Wind 4 W km/h
Humidity 40 %
Visibility 24 km
Sunrise 7:02 AM
Wind gust 5 km/h
Pressure 102.8 kPa
Ceiling 9100 m
Sunset 7:24 PM
Quote
“The ancestor of every action is a thought.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
1803 – 1882
I imagine the outlet will prove very useful, and you won’t have to endure it being ‘naked’ for long.
Joan, the outlet will be well used, and I will probably rearrange appliances now that it exists. Already Attila has installed and mudded the drywall, and the plate is on. More sanding and mudding, then it is ready for pain.
Nothing better than extra outlets in the kitchen!
Teri, I agree, outlets in the kitchen are wonderful to have! I have gravitated to relying on so many small appliances that require an outlet, food processor, instant pot, bread machine, air fryer… I still use the range elements and oven, but a lot less often. The small appliances use a lot less electricity, the main attraction for me.