In Which I Invent Chicken, Tofu, Vegetable Soup

Maurice and I have settled back into our routine. She's been sleeping with me, probably because it's cooler but also, I think, because she's more anxious when Father Human is not here. Although who really knows? Certainly not me. 
But that's where she was last night when I got out of my shower and was ready to get under the covers. I think she looks anxious. Do you think she looks anxious? 

I've had a darn good day. Remember all those things I said I wanted to do today in yesterday's post? Well, I did them all except for hemming the nightgown plus, I took a walk. And hung laundry on the line. 

It is so much easier to walk when the temperatures are below ninety, the humidity below 50%, although if it would rain, I would happily accept a percentage higher than that. 

I stopped to talk to four people today. The first two were Harvey and another guy whom I recognize but I don't know his name. They were sitting in that guy's front yard, watching Lloyd go by and I am part of Lloyd. 
"Haven't seen you out walking too regular," said the guy whose name I do not know. 
"I know, I know," I said. "But now that it's cooler, perhaps I'll do better." 
And then Harvey began to talk about something involving penning dogs up and although I asked him to repeat himself, I still had no idea what he was talking about. Has he gotten dogs? Not that I've seen. As I have often noted, Harvey speaks in his own way and I am not familiar with that way. But we smiled, and I walked on and then when I turned around and passed them on my way back, I pointed my finger at them and said, "Now you two stay out of trouble!" and we all laughed and I said, "I will too." 

I wonder if they really thought that was funny or just laughed to be polite. Oh well. 

The third person I spoke to was Abraham who was raking his property across the street from his house, right down from the fally-down house. 
"Mr. Abraham!" I called out. And he stopped his raking and then he TOO commented on my lack of regularity in walking. "You gotta keep it up," he said. 
"I know, I know!" I told him. And then I gave him the story about it being cooler so that it will be easier and this time I added that now that I'm older it's harder when after I walk I have so many aches and pains and he nodded but said, "You have to keep trying. You just have to keep on."
He's right. 

And he's older than I am. I know this only because he told me. I have no idea how old Harvey is. He could be sixty or he could be seventy-five. Same with the guy he was talking to. 

The fourth person I talked to was Ms. Tee, the post mistress. We discussed her recent injury from a fall which has caused her great pain and frustration. I've been trying to keep up with her on how diagnoses and treatments are going. It turns out she has a tear in the upper part of her hip and although surgery has been mentioned, right now they're trying to let it heal on its own but...damn. 
She's had two steroid shots and neither one has done much good. I feel bad for her. Working at the post office means she has to lift heavy boxes and I don't even know what all. It doesn't seem to me that the USPS employee insurance program is too great. Also, it seems to me that she should be able to get workman's comp. She fell at work. She's trying but so far, no luck on that one. I can tell she's in pain. It's so obvious. 

I did the tiniest bit of weeding in the garden and turned on the sprinklers and after lunch I got to work on the crocosmia and other weeds in front of the fence. The dirt is seriously dry and in some ways, that does make it easier to sift through. It is slow going, though. 

I'm not pulling ferns if I can help it. I like ferns. As far as I'm concerned they could take over the entire area. 

Here's what I haven't gotten to yet:

Sigh. 

It's okay. As I said to Glen when he called me while I was in the midst of it all, it's just my hobby. Let's face it. 
Do you have any hobbies, Ms. Moon?
Oh yes. My hobbies include gardening, writing, and pulling up invasive plants to no avail. 

I made an appointment for tomorrow to get my flu shot at Publix. I need to get a few things anyway. When I was there on Monday I'd forgotten my list and you know how that goes. And I've added things to it. I hope I haven't made a mistake in scheduling the flu shot for tomorrow but I don't think I have. There's nothing I plan on doing on Saturday. I SHOULD be at the nearest No Kings protest but I won't be. The very idea of being surrounded by that many people makes me shudder and also, where would I park? 

I am not proud of this but it is who I am. I should at least go to the Dollar General and buy a poster board and some Magic Markers and make a sign to tape to my fence. Maybe I WILL do that. 
We shall see. 

So this is what my supper last night looked like before I added the tofu.

Does that not look freaking healthy? Of course after I added my sauce, it wasn't quite as healthy but at least it had a lot of vegetables. 
Tonight I am making a soup with the remains of the chicken I roasted on Sunday along with vegetables I cooked with it. I am trying to clean out the refrigerator and am honestly thinking about adding the leftover stir fry to the soup. 
I mean- why not? It's all chicken and vegetables anyway and some tofu won't hurt it. 

Here we have some kale, collards, and arugula. 
Y'all- I have planted way too much arugula. And not quite on purpose. 
Well, I do like arugula. I hope I still do after this winter. 

And Mr. Moon is well and happy, up there in the wilds of Canada. May he stay that way. There is an ER doc who goes on these trips. Not as a doctor, but as a hunter. This makes me feel a little more comfortable. 

I'm going to go add the stir fry to the soup. If all I do is eat one bowl and freeze the rest, it'll be just fine. At least I'm not throwing the chicken enchiladas in there too. There is a limit. 
Theoretically. 

Love...Ms. Moon