Wednesday, February 24, 2021

She Shopped


I can and do assure you that this will not become a blog which is entirely centered on pictures of things cooking on my new stove. But I took that picture this morning when I set my pinto beans on the burner because, well- I could. I made Mr. Moon's favorite breakfast of egg burritos while the beans came to a low boil and then I shut them off for a little while and went about the business of laundry and hanging it out on the line and getting ready to go to town. Partway through all of that I put the beans back on, thinking I would let them simmer on the extra-low simmer burner while I was in town but by the time I checked them before I left, they were already soft. So I just turned them off. I could not believe it because I've never cooked pinto beans in less than five or six hours except in a pressure cooker and it was just a regular old package of Publix pinto beans but there you go. This whole star burner thing is not just something that looks cool. It cooks much more efficiently, the flame going to all parts of the bottom of the pan and so I am finding that I can cook at a lower temperature and yet still cook things faster. 

I am learning.

I stopped by Hank's and Rachel's when I went to town to give them some eggs. To be truthful, I forced eggs on them. They already had eggs. I give eggs to everyone. After a short chat there, I drove to...Goodwill.


Please don't give me grief about going to Goodwill. I know they are crooks and thieves and take advantage of their workers. I am not a saint. I just wanted to go shopping and it was right down the street and so I did. 
Goodwill has not changed in a year. Smells the same, looks the same. There were hardly any people in the store. More workers than customers. I looked through the kitchen wares, the house stuff, saw one small chest that I liked but it was already sold. Then I proceeded to the dress racks and it was abysmal. Polyester, polyester, polyester, polyester.
And more polyester.
I did find one linen dress with pockets that will do for a house dress if it fits on my burgeoning body. I also found a pair of overalls that I would not wear if they were the last overalls on earth.
Well. If they were the last overalls on earth, I might wear them. They had huge red and white stripes and some sort of patch of blue with stars on it. 
Beyond hideous. And possibly even illegal or at least unconstitutional. 
I found no cashmere and nothing even close. Well, there was one sweater that claimed to have a "cashmere feel" but they lied and it was 100% acrylic. 
Still, it was something to be out in public like that, doing something so familiar. The faint drone of people talking from a distance was soothing and the man who checked me out would suddenly laugh for no apparent reason but that was not unpleasant. It was a jovial chuckle, not a horrible frightening clown laugh. I told myself that he is probably in on the cosmic joke of it all and I think that is possible. 

Then I was on to Publix and then Costco and by the time I got home it was past 4:30 which really put a crimp in my regular rut/routine. I flew about, bringing groceries in, putting things away, starting the dishwasher, bringing the beans back to a simmer, rushing out to the garden to cut greens to cook, to the line to get the clothes in, to the henhouse to get the eggs. I put the laundry away and washed and cut the greens and got them to cooking with bacon and tomatoes and onions and various vinegars and a little bit of soy sauce. 
I can get a lot done in a little time if I really want to. The joy, however, of this past year is that I have had little need to rush like that. I don't like rushing. I like taking time to check the progress of the budding mulberries, the spirea, the Japanese magnolia. It has been so warm here today that I am certain even the most reluctant of bloomers are having to reconsider their sloth. Sap is flowing and the birds are calling everything to come out and play from dawn to dark. There is no stopping it. 
And quite frankly, all of this is far more fascinating to me than thrift-store shopping. It is good to be reminded. 

So that was my big exciting day. 

I did want to report that yesterday I got a phone call from my Trumper neighbor with whom I'd had a very vocal disagreement a few weeks ago. She was calling to ask if I'd seen her cat which disappeared the other night and I had not. We spoke pleasantly. I asked her how she and her husband were feeling, if they were recovering from covid. She said that it's slow, but every day is a little better. We discussed Jack a bit, as he used to go over to her house now and then for some canned cat food and a good fur brushing. She really does love animals. And all of that was fine and I was feeling good about the conversation- we are neighbors. We very much need to be on decent terms, especially out here in Lloyd where a neighbor's help can mean so much when it's needed. 
But then she brought up Texas and blamed all of the power problems on "green energy" and turbines that had to be winterized and weren't, never acknowledging that Republican deregulation had caused these problems. It's so obvious that if there is not a Democrat to blame, then it surely must be some liberal plot like "green energy" which is the demon in the scenario to these Fox people. Their powers of rationalization are truly magnificent. I tried to talk to her a little bit about it but I didn't have the energy nor the desire. I finally gently ended it with wishing her and her husband the best and hopes that they are truly well and healthy soon. 
And I do wish that. 
And I'm glad she called. I hope her cat comes home. His name is Baby and he means a lot to her. I understand that too. 

I have my greens on the extra-low simmer in which the burner goes off and on intermittently to keep the temperature low, low, low and it is a wonder to me to see them still simmering even when the flame is off. The beans are cooking down gently to a nice gravy and I'll cook a little pot of rice and bake a cornbread in a little while. 
I'm tired. It's been a long day. I think my goals for tomorrow are simply to clean out the hen house and try to figure out what my eye doctor's name is. I desperately need a new prescription and new glasses. That doesn't sound like a big deal but for those of us with these weird medical neuroses, it is. I have promised myself that all I have to do tomorrow is to figure out who the doctor is and maybe on Friday or maybe even next week I will actually call and make an appointment. 
Baby steps. 

I'll try to catch up on some comment answering. The last two days have been a bit frenetic for me. Please be well and know that I am grateful for each one of you. 

Love...Ms. Moon

29 comments:

  1. I am so happy your beautiful stove is working well. I was excited to see you went to a store other than the "essential" grocery and hope I can do the same. Our second shots are scheduled for friday, I look forward to eventually getting my hair cut and like you, going into a store. We have been quite cloistered here! Maybe I will even be able to see my son and his family in New Hampshire. Enjoy yourself Mary!

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    1. Although I am not wild about the idea of going anywhere and everywhere, I do feel a bit safer now when I am out. I know you will too. I so hope you get to see your son and his family.

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  2. Beans and cornbread ... yum! Such a delightful read this evening! Thank you ... ❤

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    1. One of the best culinary combinations in the world, I think.

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  3. I've had the same eye doctor since forever. I picked him almost forty years ago, because he was so young and would be my eye doctor forever. Jokes on me; he'll retire soon.
    Yay for the stove. It is lovely. Low low simmer. Who'da thunk?

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    1. That's just crazy, Joanne! Do y'all joke about it? I hope you can find a new one you like.

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  4. Another beautiful day in Lloyd! That would make a nice title for a movie!
    I’ve spent more time than i care to admit looking at YT videos of Betty White. I love that woman! I laughed so hard i almost cried! Truly, i needed it today and will remember this when i may need it again.
    There’s nothing like a fresh pan of homemade cornbread!
    Debbie

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    1. It's awesome to find what makes you laugh and to have access to it. Good for you!

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  5. That stove is a thing of beauty. And there would be worse things than blogging about cooking on it daily.

    I agree about Goodwill. It's a long time since they had nice quality. I also have the red white and blue Vietnam Vets store, much better.

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    1. Well, I'm sure the stove will make an appearance here more than some people might like.
      We don't have that thrift store here. I'll have to go to Monticello soon and see if their thrift store that funds the animal shelter is open. That's a good one.

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  6. Our trumpian Q-anon neighbor informed us today that everything will be back to normal in April, trump will return and all will be "normal" again...dear oh dear.
    I looked up your new stove, it is a wonder to behold! So pleased that you finally got it into the kitchen.

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    1. Oh my god. These people are so fucking crazy. And what are they going to do when their god doesn't return?
      It's a beautiful cooking machine, Linda Sue. I feel so lucky.

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  7. So good to know that stove is off yo a good start, and wishing you a sweet night.

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  8. That was a very diplomatic phone call. Perhaps Mr Biden should employ you to sort out any remaining issues between Israel and the Palestinian community they have incarcerated in The Gaza Strip. A couple of phone calls should do it. More importantly, nice to hear that The Magnificent Thermador is behaving brilliantly.

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    1. Hmmm...
      Not sure that I help Joe with that. I'd try if he asked me, though!
      Yes. So far the Thermador is a wonder and a beauty.

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  9. Dear Mary,

    Well, the stove has finally arrived, is installed and already in action. It looks a truly magnificent machine, quite terrifying in our eyes, but we know that you will master it wonderfully.

    It is always reassuring that when a longed for home improvement of whatever form arrives, it really turns out to be better than the previous version of itself. So often the promise of a new, all singing and dancing appliance just turns out to be a rather mediocre song and dance act. Already, finding out that the cooking is more efficient must fill your heart with relief and joy. Happy days to come!

    We totally agree with you about neighbourliness, but some people do make that a very difficult goal to reach. In our apartment house, there are so many communal things that really do depend upon people being considerate and respectful to their neighbours. It is not enough to simply close the door and pretend that one is isolated from the rest. However, the views of your neighbours would try the patience of Job. You are best to keep to the safe topics of animals, which thankfully you are of the same mind about. Yes, Baby come back....was that not a pop tune somewhere in the past??

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    1. It is wonderful when a new thing is everything you hoped it would be. And more. I am quite, quite happy so far with this one.
      "Baby come back." Yes! I had to look it up. It was done by a group called "Player." Not the best pop song ever, was it?
      I honestly don't know why my neighbor feels the need to make everything she can political. I think because she knows how liberal I am and wants to show me the error of my ways.
      Fat chance there.
      But I will try my best to be friendly.

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  10. And then your neighbour had to go and ruin it all didn't she! I guess sometimes you have to agree to disagree!

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    1. Yep. It's so important to her to show me that I am wrong about things, I guess. Or to at least rationalize her thinking. I just wish they'd take those damn Trump signs down but they'll probably be there until they die.

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  11. That is a really fancy stove. You will learn new ways to cook old favorites!

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  12. I never though about the practical reason for the star-shaped burner. I thought it was just a cool design. But I can see how that would spread the heat more widely.

    That's a bummer about the slim pickings at Goodwill! I hadn't heard they exploit their workers. I thought they were supposed to be the good guys! Geez, can't you trust anyone anymore?

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    1. The burners are definitely superior to round ones when it comes to heat distribution. They are awesome!
      Well, don't worry about Goodwill. Do they even have them in London? I'm sure you have a myriad of much better options.

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  13. I wish your neighbor could have just asked about her cat and left it at that. Sigh.... you handled it perfectly. I can't imagine ever leaving anything on my stove to low simmer while I was gone...... your new stove must have an extra special setting for that LOL! For all we know, it might have a brain too!!!
    Susan M

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    1. It's crazy low! And I do not like crockpot cooking so this is a terrific alternative. I don't think this stove has a brain. It's very basic in its functions. It cooks on the stovetop and it bakes in the oven. There is a convection oven option. That's it.

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  14. tell her to call me. I'll set her straight on what happened in Texas and it wasn't the windmills. got my second jab today and so far I feel fine but I don't expect anything this soon. tomorrow will tell. there's a goodwill 30 minutes down the road that i've never been to and it's been there for several years. I keep meaning to go in but so far haven't. I noticed that one of the people on a road I often drive down who had two Trump signs has taken them down.

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    1. I hope your shot doesn't affect you too much. I can't remember- are you getting the Moderna or the Pfizer? I think the Phizer has less side effects, or so I've heard.
      You should stop into that Goodwill just to see. One never knows.
      I'd LOVE to have you talk to my neighbor. Want me to just give you her number and you could call her anonymously? Haha!

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    2. P.S. Trust me- these people will NEVER take their Trump signs down.

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