Life Off the Grid 41 - July 24, 2012

Life Off the Grid 41 – July 24, 2012

8:30 AM

Pot of millet simmering for breakfast. Very hungry.

9:00 AM

Munching on millet. Thinking about painting.

2:20 PM

I am in an advanced state of Arrrrrgh! My long extendible handle for the paint roller broke, right where the threads screw into the roller handle. I was so close to done the 1^st coat of rolling on paint. I am going to have to find some duct tape. I have about 4 square feet left to do. Not impressed. And too surly to do anymore on this today.

3:15 PM

OK, I have driven the quad. Up our drive to the road. And back again. Reaching heart-pounding speeds of 9 or 10 kms/h. It does not drive like the tractor back in Alberta. The slightest touch on the throttle and it leaps. The only thing responsive on this beast is the accelerator. It steers like a drunken ox. If you missed earlier discussions of the quad, it is a Can-am 2012 Outlander 800X. It's a big machine. It's also a scary machine. Ok. I've done my one terrifying thing for today.

I will have to keep doing it. Driving it again and again, until the fear is all squashed down. But not today.

I'm going to make some split pea soup. Soon.

Maybe I'll just sit and read for awhile. I am very tired.

6:15 PM

1/2 cup split green peas, 1 cup water. Bring to a boil.

Add a broth cube (I use Healthy Harvest low sodium vegetable bouillon), cover and reduce heat or shut it off. I turned off the heat because the pot I am using is large and the quantity I am cooking is small.

8:30 PM

Went down to play with the dogs while the peas soften. After a bit I could hear my cell phone in the window of the cabana playing the song that indicates Jeff is sending me a text. So I went and checked. The next couple of hours were spent texting with Jeff and throwing balls for the dogs. It's weird. There are these windows when the signal is good. And then lots of times when I can't find signal anywhere.

This evening I was even able to send him photos of the new paint job.

I had this half a baked potato left over in the fridge, so I chopped it up (took the skin off first).

And put it in the soup.

Put the heat back on. There was a bit of basil pesto still on the potato. More flavour. Nothing wasted. Sadly, I don't have any other interesting leftovers to put in the soup. Except some crumbs from a package of Rhythm Superfoods Bombay Curry Kale chips. It's all natural, organic, no preservatives. You can add this stuff and it's just like adding some kale to your soup. And curry flavour. Yummy.

I added some water because it was beginning to stick. Stir often. Add little bits of water as needed so it doesn't stick. When the peas are really soft, soup's ready!

I am going to prep the other package of prawns, just like I did before (because it tasted so good). And I'm going to soak some more mung beans. Then supper tomorrow will be really easy.

I may wind up dashing to Kenora early tomorrow. Get a new extender and some really fuzzy rollers. Chalet board is brutal to paint. For some reason, someone saw fit to put ridges every so often in the boards. It's all well and good if you are repainting the same colour, but now I have lines where the roller didn't reach that are still dark brown and unless I get a really fuzzy roller, I'm going to have paint them all with a paint brush. And that just isn't going to happen.

Jeff pointed out that it's a $50 trip to Kenora (gas) and I should make it worthwhile. I guess I could also get all the additional electrical things we need (junction boxes, switches, outlets, wire, etc), and samplers of potential paint colours for the deck. That will save me some time in Winnipeg.

9:30 PM

Alright. Prawns marinading, mung beans soaking, split pea/potato/kale soup all set to go tomorrow. Which is good. I think tomorrow will be a heavy day. I will appreciate having easy food that will be ready quick.

I think it must be time to go and lie down and read. And then sleep.