Life Off the Grid 35 - July 18, 2012

Life Off the Grid 35 – July 18, 2012

4:00 AM

Not Sure why I am awake. Actually, I am. Seamus has been trying to get under the covers with me. It's chilly in here. I miss the wood stove. We need to get a new one for the cabana. One wonderful discovery I made last night was there is much more text access down here.

9:00 AM

Well. Fell asleep again. Up now. Getting ready to go to Wilson's to call the roof guy and make sure he understood the directions. Then, if the estimator isn't coming out today, on to Kenora for a few supplies.

5:30 PM

Finally back. Stopped at Wilson's, made my call (yes, he knows how to get here but won't be out today), chatted with Edie for a bit, then on to Kenora.

Stopped at the McDonald's and used their free wi-fi until it died on me. Got some political rants uploaded to the blog. Went to the pet store and got some new toys, but they didn't have dog beds big enough for my boys. On to the beer store, then Wal-Mart (They did have dog beds big enough – Yay!) for a few items, then gas and propane at Canadian Tire. Then back on the road. Stopped at Wilson's to see if the roof guy had called back. Got to the parking place, loaded up the back pack and headed down. Totally forgot a box of dog biscuits on the side of the truck box. Had to go back up. Took the balloons and replaced the ones that had shrunk to nothing. Finally back. Whew! Doesn't seem like I did very much, but it took all day! Of course, an hour and a half of that was driving to and from town. And then there was the trying to negotiate Kenora roads and traffic and erratic pedestrians.

Guinness seems to really like his new bed. This is good. Seamus is suspicious of his still. He's a nervous boy. And if I want him to try lying on something, well, that makes it very suspect indeed.

Totally forgot to register my Spanish course online while I was online at McDonalds. Blah! If it's a toll-free number, maybe I can call from Wilson's...

Yes, Guinness is indeed comfy with his bed.

Again, what to make for supper? The leftovers are gone. I guess I need to triage the veggies and see which need eating soonest. I probably won't be in town again until I go to Winnipeg next Friday. I heard on the radio today how cutting out wheat from your diet, only that, can make you lose 30 lbs and 3 inches around your waist over 3 months. Not to mention reducing the risk of diabetes, heart disease, joint pain and depression. Sounds good to me. Wish I hadn't bought pasta today. Even flax omega-3 pasta. Next pasta I get will be rice based. Or something similar. No more wheat for me.

7:30 PM

Ok. I have a potato washed and slices cut on one side, and seasoned, and wrapped in foil. The BBQ is on. I have a pot of water ready to be boiled for an ear of corn. I probably need to cook some asparagus and mushrooms, those being the less resilient of the veggies I now have in the fridge. Maybe an asparagus and mushroom omelette with a potato and corn. Sounds like a lot of food. But, veggies really do not stay with you long, so the egg helps to keep me from waking up ravenous in the middle of the night. The thing about getting too hungry is you tend to make bad food choices at that point. The food NOW imperative overrides all you know about nutrition and calories... Out here, if I don't buy the bad things in the first place, it's a long way to go to get them. Well, actually Wilson's has a pretty good supply of not so great fast “foods” - like chips and canned alphagetti. But even getting there is a bit of an ordeal. I try not to be hungry when I go there. So if I am ravenous, I'm just miserable and hungry unless I get my act together to make something healthy.

Ok. Time to put the potato on. I lit two burners, but I will put the potato on the upper rack and turn the heat down a bit so it can slow roast and, I hope, not get burned on the outside.

8:00PM

An omelette is the very simplest form of elegant food. Like the egg commercial says, “first you take some mushrooms, then you take some eggs....”. I have washed and cut up asparagus and cleaned and cut mushrooms.

 I will saute the mushrooms first, then the asparagus, then add the eggs (2, beaten and seasoned).

And cook. You lift the cooked edges to let the uncooked egg flow under. When it is mostly cooked, fold it in half until it is all cooked. Voila!

Mushrooms are mostly cooked, asparagus just added.

I flipped the potato awhile ago. I will flip it again shortly.

Egg added.

A non-stick pan is very useful in making a pretty omelette. The pan I chose is not. I'm afraid it is going to be more of a scrambled egg look... It will taste the same anyway.

The egg dish is done. Heat turned off. Corn is keeping warm in the water.

Waiting for the potato. I was over-eager (aka really hungry) when I started everything else as soon as I did.

8:30 PM

I have flipped the potato yet again. Nearly done.

8:45 PM

I heated the eggs a bit. At last, dinner is ready! I adorned the baked potato with basil pesto and organic fat-free yoghurt. A bit of black pepper on the corn. It's a big plate of food. I shan't be able to finish. However, any leftover potato will be mashed potato or hash browns tomorrow. Corn can turn up in all sorts of things. Likewise, leftover mushroom and asparagus omelette.

9:00 PM

Ate the eggs. Ate the corn. Ate a bit of the potato. It was all yummy. But I am full. The potato goes in the fridge now and will turn into some other delicacy tomorrow. It's all good. Very good.

Off to the cabana now to see if I can get some texts....