Goodnight my sweet prince Marbles, 7/02-12/21-20

We lost our sweet baby boy, our shy old man today. And my heart is broken. 

18 is a good long life for a cat. He was sweet, gentle, and unassuming. Shy and affectionate, noble and companionable. Handsome and loved his chin scratches... always had to be under my hands as I typed or crafted, because if my hands were doing stuff, it should be petting him. Always trying to be the alpha, but just too dang nice and to really do it. The sweet prince that always wanted to be king, but never was allowed the chance. 

It wasn't unexpected, we knew he was coming on his time. He had lost his middle aged hanging belly and thinned down to old man skinny. But it's still a shock in a way, a feeling of empty as I sit here and type because he should be rubbing my hand and sniffing my coffee cup, and for sure drinking out of my water glass. 

He passed in the wee hours of the morning- how fitting he should pass on the day of the longest night with the star in the west to guide his way. His last weeks and days were comfortable and without pain.

He had already stopped trying to cuddle in bed, I think the jump down, Tikki taking over, and my own restless sleeping most cut that off.... I missed it, and now I know I'll only experience his ghost doing it now. He wasn't cuddly in general, always happiest along with you instead of on top of you. But he would nestle into my shoulder, and rest his head on my hand or arm, safe and happy. 

He was extra cuddly at the desk, almost like he wanted to make sure I knew how much he loved me, and making sure I still loved him just as much too.

With dawn, we went out and dug a grave, close to his friends that we have lost before- Moon and Pookums- and they will be happy to see him over the rainbow bridge again. It hurts every time, but Marbles was something remarkable and rare, and this is more painful than usual. At least Mother Nature is being kind and the day that was supposed to be sleet turning to rain has turned out to be mild, sunny, and sweet like him- a fitting tribute for the sun to kiss him into the longest night. He's now tucked safe into his forever bed, and the sky can cry for him later if it wants to. Now that garden is 3/4 done, and I fear the heartache that will come once it's completed. 

It's been a hell of a year, but losing my sweet boy has left me lost without my almost ever present desk companion. I'm not quite sure just how I'm supposed to function and go back to regular working again without hand nudges and sleepy kitty contentment. He's been my companion for almost half my life, and for sure the majority of my adult life. 

The shortest day into the longest night is today... and today was Marbles shortest day into his longest night too. It's eloquent, quietly grandly regal, unassuming, and so totally his style that I can't help but smile at my sweet prince while I'm crying. 

Goodnight my sweet, sweet Marbles, I love you and will never get over you. 

Keeping this year rolling..

Monday, 27th..

Tonights dinner is Greek style baked cod with dilled brown basmati rice and a salad of red onion, tomatoes, and radishes tossed with fresh spinach... a bit a bread and dipping oil and some feta cheese, mmmmm...

Did a dredge of 1/2c flour with a teaspoon each of coriander, paprika, cumin, and salt. Half teaspoon black pepper. Those got quick pan fried for some color. Then I killed the heat on the pan and layered in a sliced up yellow onion. On top of the onion I parked the cod.
For a top dressing I did juice of a lemon, a few tablespoons olive oil, and a good bit each of oregano, thyme, basil, and dill. Oh, and dry minced garlic and a couple soonfulls of capers.
Then I finished baking them off in a 400 degree oven for 10ish minutes.

Wed....
Last night was fried food from the freezer. Breaded chicken strips, steak fries, and southwest style egg rolls. I wanted to try out something called comeback sauce. It was pretty good. Made a half recipe, which was plenty. Used Franks and some Cholula, but I would bump up the heat a bit next time and maybe add a bit of lemon.

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 2 tablespoon hot sauce (like Texas Pete)
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Also used up some of those sweet and sour packets- I hit it hard with a sweet and spicy mix and a splash of pineapple vinegar to ommph the sour a bit. Very good.
I did have something healthy there... steamed up a bunch of green beans in a little ham stock, seasoned with fondor and garlic ghetti.

Tonight I'm making mom's peppersteak. Beef, onion, tomatoes, green peppers, and mushroom in a brown sauce over plain white rice. The leftover dilled rice from the other night wouldn't work so well with this but does freeze up well for another nights dinner :)

Today while out and about I hit the library and they had a whole stack of free house and gardening mags... so now I'm going through looking for the recipe sections and good advice, lol.
After that whole wrecking my foot and being off and eating crap since October... I'm tired of it, and bored with my cooking and packaged foods. Figured if I at least keep writing stuff down here I can keep a bit better track, right? 

Since the microgreens are pretty much all eaten up at this point and I need to start more... I started a pot each of parsley, dill, and basil. Microgreens are a try-again for me this year, I've had problems with indoor winter greens in the past. Turned out it was because I was using the wrong seeds! I was choosing stuff that started slow instead of stuff that started fast. Now I know better :) So far I think the best ones have been corn shoots and red clover, but the pak choi and chinese cabbage have been really good too.
I ended up ordering a bit of bulk sprouting seed from Johnny's- a pea and a mixed nast. Good stuff there. I'll probably be starting up those along with some other seed for another round of microgreens in a day or two. By the time these ones are ready to start harvesting it will be just about time for me to be starting other exciting garden seed

Some food, some seeds....

Been tinkering with some seeds...

Trying out cactus- I got a packet from Pinetree and one from Baker Creek. And a succulent mix from Johnny's.
Taking time to write down notes on a calendar of what I need to start when. I'm doing a lot more perennial and annual flower seeds than my usual.

Tossed out the black oil sunflower seed that mice got into in the solarium... and boy have the birds been happy about that. Also put out the one suet cake I had in the freezer- and it it not as popular, lol.

Random cooking over the last few days...

Yesterday I tried out one of the Knorr "one skillet" mixes. I picked up a bunch of different kinds on clearance over the last few months. A few of them have been rather good, and this one is no exception. I think I'm going go copycat a few of them so I can start having my own homemade mixed in the house again.
Anywho, this was the Southwest brown rice and quinoa. Add in chicken, corn, and bell peppers. I also added in a can of drained and rinsed black beans, and used Mexican marinated chicken strips from the freezer instead of the plain breast and a T of flour the packet calls for.
Sad that it was the last of the fresh corn from last summer- now I have to wait till at least late July for more, lol. But it was really tasty. Did a small tossed salad with greens and microgreens for a side.

Saturday I did a good ole batch of Kraft quick spaghetti. Hadn't made that in ages. It's likely to be dinner tomorrow, it makes a LOT for two people.

Friday I pulled a second-to-last pound of homemade gyro meat out of the freezer. Made homemade sauce and a little tomato and onion salad. Didn't have any feta, sigh. But the pepperonchini and garlic stuffed olives were great.
Pulled a packet of roasted butternut squash out of the freezer too. It got diced up and mixed with a can of drained and rinsed chick peas in a tasty sauce.
Sauce was a couple teaspoons red wine vinegar, a teaspoon of lemon juice, and a teaspoon of honey. Couple tablespoons of olive oil.  Generous teaspoon each of oregano and dill. Didn't need any salt, but a bit of black pepper was nice. Just popped the bowl in the oven to warm while doing everything else.

Thursday did some Sour shawarma cube steaks with onion spaetzle and a heap of steamed broccoli and carrots. I use shawarma seasoning, a bit of red wine vinegar, and a dash of worstershire along with a handful of dried mushrooms and a small bottle of a sweet red moscato for the deglazing. A bit of salad on the side.

Wed was a batch of Asian style beef short ribs in the instapot. Served over rice. Straight up meat and carbs there, no veggies, lol. Damn good.

Tonight I'm trying another packaged product,  shrimp scampi sauce. Got some cocktail shrimp to add into it and doing a pasta. Roasted up some zukes and red onions in a bit of my homemade Italian spread from the freezer... and tried out a boxed biscuit mix- Red Lobsters rosemary and garlic.

Today was also a shopping day. Meijer as usual took as long to shop as it did to check out. If they had self-scan over 20 items I would so use it for days like this. But the one to the south does not have that option, lol.
Then over Aldi for fresh veggies for the most part. And dang if they didn't have broccoli, they were out on the shelf at that moment.
A quick pop in at Michaels to see if there was anything interesting on sale/clearance- there wasn't. And TX Maxx for interesting food- there wasn't.
So over to the Hispanic grocer. Needed some Seven Blossoms tea and dry packet chicken noodle soup... also found a big bag of bay leaves and an equally big bag of tropical hibiscus, AKA jamaica. I frigging love hibiscus, damn fine as a hot tea and a cold one... and makes a wicked good jelly.
As a seed thing.... ordered roselle to try again this year, even though I know my growing zone is sketchy. But hey, I just got a nice big bag of jamaica to brew up :)

For those not familiar.. tropical hibiscus, jamaica, roselle.. it's tart and tangy, like cranberry or rose hips. Got a lot of vitamin C. And incredibly red, like how red beets can instantly dye, so can this. The calyx of the plant, which is also rather pretty to grow.

Then hit Big Lots real quick- they have the spinach and lentil curry I love for cheap- and good luck they were having a 20% off everything day. Picked up a couple extra and some other interesting bits.

Had to hit Hardings on the way home... still needed broccoli. They had celery on a good sale too :)

I was a good wandering around day that shopping always take up half of. Cashed in a couple bags of cans, got some fun new colors of nail polish- instead of 7.89 they were 70 cents, gotta love the seasonal clearance sales.

The weather is still freakishly mild for this time of year. The summers ticks are going to be horrible. I think this might be the year to install some opossum homes out back and perhaps try out the dry ice traps.

Not dead yet...

No, not dead yet... just been away for a while again. Had another summer that kind of burned me out- got garden fatigue. Autumn saw me ripping up a foot and being laid up for weeks, and winter was strangely warm and dry till a couple days ago. I need to make some changes for my health, and want to really be focused on my yard this year. Maybe even start posting here more regularly again.

Saw a regular doc for a checkup for the first time in years a couple weeks ago. Got the flu from another patient there and was sick as hell for a week. Dropped a few pounds though, lol.

Took a try at microgreens again... and pretty darn good for growing this dead time of year. Been trimming various greens and herbs into our dinners for a couple weeks now... corn shoots and red clover are particularly tasty.

Been cooking of course. The instapot I was gifted with last year is still awesome. Got to splurge a wee bit at Christmas with food and ordered a bunch of different Spanish and Latin seasoning stuffs. Very tasty stuff.... I love import foods, lol.

Been doing some different stuff too, sort of.

Friday I tried out a couple of those Pillsbury like store brand pizza crusts. Pretty good, though they ended up bigger than I thought they would, so we ended up with a pizza worth of leftovers, lol. Did one pizza traditional....
used a 8 oz can of tom sauce, warmed up a bit and added a packet of Knorr salat kronung italienische art... Knorr from Germany, they have little 10g packets of salad dressing mixes, wonderful things. This was the Italian version. Also added in a goodly pinch of Italian herbs, and a few grinds of black pepper. Let it cool, and it made a slightly thickened sauce that was easy to spread.
Over the sauce I layered some mushrooms, onions, fresh garlic, spinach, and a lot of cheese. 
Pizza 2 I did a base of frozen creamed spinach, topped with shrimp, onions, slippit (it's an herb), and a mix of cheeses. Would have been better if I had done a bechamel for home creamed rather than doing a frozen thing, but hey, didn't feel like it, lol.

Saturday I did cheddar sausage and cauliflower casserole. The sausages were ok, but kind of soft like hot dogs rather than the brands usual when I get other kinds. The sauce for the cauliflower had sour cream, mustard, cajiun seasoning, onion, splash of milk and a bit of cheese... but the amount of mustard called for was a bit overpowering and it ended up being mustard cauliflower, and not the best. Otherwise good, so I'll just adjust that ratio next time, lol.

Sunday night was really good... tried out a packet of the stuff from that Spanish/Latin box of stuff. Provenzal's Cau-Cau Stew mix. This was from Peru, and very tasty. Traditionally made with tripe (fucking hell no), but also is commonly done with chicken or seafood. I opted to do chicken. Brought the mix to a simmer with water, tossed in cubed chicken... let simmer till chicken was done. Add in some diced taters and simmer till taters are done. Add in a drained can of peas (didn't have frozen on hand, that would have been better). Serve over rice. Light and herby, with enough heat to let you know it's there. Glad I ordered 2 packets, lol.

 
While sick with the flu I had a soup that kicks Mrs. Grass out of the pantry... also from that same tasty box... and also found it at the local Mexican foods store for cheap so I don't have to order it again :)



BTW, here is where I ordered that tasty box of stuff from.... Amigo Foods

Tonight I pulled some cube steaks out of the freezer... think I'm gonna do the kefta style with carrots and broccoli.. and maybe couscous or quinoa, not sure of the grain yet.