what did you do today? (2008-2015) (closed)

[rodi]

Gardening is fun, and even more so when you eat the fruit of your labor. Here in the SW, very few plants can survive the summer heat, except okra and eggplants, and we grow mostly in the shoulder season of spring and fall.

And up in our high-elevation home, the danger of frost does not go away until Memorial Day, and returns in early October so the growing season is so short and we have not bothered.

I often envy my friends and relatives who live in CA with a moderate climate where they can grow nearly year round. Up in the Puget Sound, I guess it is not too bad as the winter is not too brutal, and the growing season is still longer than what I have.

We finally gave up the ghost on a 2 year old tomato plant... it produced up till 3 weeks ago - but was dying so we pulled it out to replace it with the new plant. (It was the only one that lasted this long.) We have a lot of "annual" plants that act like perennials here.

 

[Ronstar]

Technically, this was a couple of days ago. I spent 5 days on "my island" trying to get the majority of my garden prep done. This is a garden site that has been dormant for 5 years - the encroaching forest has been in the process of swallowing it up. Now that I am ER'ed, I am determined to become a gardener of some proficiency. Many hours were spent hacking and whacking the blackberries, honeysuckle, wild rose, and salal into submission. Not ready to plant quite yet, as it is still a bit cool and the ground too wet...but soon.

It wasn't all work though - the weather was picture perfect here on the B.C. coast, so I hauled the boat out of storage and got some amazing afternoon paddles in. Don't remember a finer early March weekend...it was glorious.

https://vimeo.com/121810187

Thanks for the video! You have some great scenery in which to enjoy your kayak. I've been looking at mine wondering when I'll be able to get it into the water.

 

[BBQ-Nut]

We finally gave up the ghost on a 2 year old tomato plant... it produced up till 3 weeks ago - but was dying so we pulled it out to replace it with the new plant. (It was the only one that lasted this long.) We have a lot of "annual" plants that act like perennials here.

I hear ya.

I have 3 tomato plants in containers - they get plenty of sun, water when they need it and frequent feedings.

They have plenty of flowers but are stubborn and reluctant to set and produce tomatoes!

Maybe they'll respond to a good talkin' to!

 

[Sea Kayaker]

Thanks for the video! You have some great scenery in which to enjoy your kayak. I've been looking at mine wondering when I'll be able to get it into the water.

You are most welcome! I have obviously noticed you are a fellow kayaker based on your profile photo. Love goofin' around with my GoPro camera so I may post more videos as my ER unfolds (not ALL kayak stuff I promise). A close orca encounter is wish #1. If I get that footage, you can bet I'll be posting that here.

 

[Ronstar]

what did you do today?

I saw your orca video- awesome! I can't imagine getting closer than you did in that video.


Sent from my iPhone .using Early Retirement .//82339)

 

[springnr]

A close orca encounter is wish #1. If I get that footage, you can bet I'll be posting that here.

Grays started trickling into the sound this week too.

 

[MichaelB]

Went to see "Chappie" yesterday afternoon.

 

[beowulf]

Worth seeing in a theater or wait until Redbox?

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

Just finished up the last of my pot o' coffee while listening to some "silky smoove jazz". It's a rainy, dreary day, so will probably do a bunch of nothing.


I do have an uncle in town, so might go see him but this weather is fabulous for doing absolutely NOTHING. And I love doing nothing.

 

[MichaelB]

Worth seeing in a theater or wait until Redbox?

Chappie? No harm in waiting, no compelling need to see it on the big screen, and some viewers may use subtitles, as the South African accents are strong.

 

[freebird5825]

I slept in late because I was up until 3 AM listening to music. I kept the volume low so it did not disturb Mr B. I just felt like staying up late.

I started a corned beef in the crockpot, letting it cook overnight on a very low setting. I'll do the cabbage and potatoes and carrots tomorrow in the water I cooked the corned beef in.
St Pat's dinner is being done early this year because I have a dental apt on the 17th.
I have 2 more corned beef briskets sitting in the freezer for another time when I get a Reuben craving. Aldi's had them for $3.99/lb so I asked Mr B to grab 3 total.

I did some more tomato and eggplant seeding. Peppers will get started on April 1st. Right now I have 3 San Marzano tomato plants that are 6 inches tall, and 3 Sweet 100 tomato plants cut back to 7 inches tall. All part of my efforts to "grow my own" and deal with my very short growing season.

My gardening buddy and I are getting together tomorrow to discuss possible team garlic growing plans. He has a following of people who buy it from him every year. I might offer some space in my ground garden as another location for him to expand on his growing efforts. He can do the soil prep and have it all ready for fall planting.
WIN WIN.

 

[NW-Bound]

Ah, this reminded me to go get my corned beef for next week. A local store has point-cut corned beef for $2.79/lb, and flat-cut for $4.99/lb. And of course one has to boil the potatoes and cabbage in the broth. Would anyone do differently?

My kids looked forward to this meal, and said they would bring some special beers.

 

[springnr]

Ah, this reminded me to go get my corned beef for next week. A local store has point-cut corned beef for $2.79/lb, and flat-cut for $4.99/lb. And of course one has to boil the potatoes and cabbage in the broth. Would anyone do differently?

My kids looked forward to this meal, and said they would bring some special beers.

LBYMs, I wait until after the 17th when the flats get put on go away sale, then fire up the Traeger pellet and Weber bullet smoker, it's Pastrami time mmmmm.

http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/cornedbeef.html

 

[davemartin88]

Busy day cooking yesterday. Smoked 2 slabs of ribs, a salmon fillet, and some Italian sausages. Made home made pizza sauce for freezing until a family visit in two weeks. Made some fresh mozzarella cheese- used Costco milk for the first time and it worked well, curds were larger than the Food Lion milk I usually use.

 

[freebird5825]

Today is Pi Day.

3.141592653..., or 3/14/15 at 9:26:53

It is also Albert Einstein's birthday today.

"Massachusetts Institute of Technology has often mailed its application decision letters to prospective students for delivery on Pi Day.[21] Starting in 2012, MIT has announced it will post those decisions (privately) online on Pi Day at exactly 6:28 pm, which they have called "Tau Time", to honor the rival numbers Pi and Tau equally.[22][23]
The town of Princeton, New Jersey, hosts numerous events in a combined celebration of Pi Day and Albert Einstein's birthday, which is also March 14.[24] Einstein lived in Princeton for more than twenty years while working at the Institute for Advanced Study. In addition to pie eating and recitation contests, there is an annual Einstein look-alike contest.[25]"

Source: Pi Day - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There are some very cool pictures of Pi Pie at this link. Geeks can cook !
I searched for "Images of Pi Pie".

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q...orm=QBIR&pq=images of pi pie&sc=8-16&sp=-1&sk=

 

[Gumby]

Today is Pi Day.

3.141592653..., or 3/14/15 at 9:26:53

Duly noted and celebrated at my house. As we say here, unleash your inner geek!

 

[Ronstar]

Today is Pi Day.

3.141592653..., or 3/14/15 at 9:26:53

It is also Albert Einstein's birthday today.

Thanks for the reminder. In the past, I'd celebrate with a liberal use of pi. But now retired, I can't think of a need for pi today.



Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum

 

[aja8888]

When I think of pi, I visualize my old Post slide rule. (it's a college thing)

 

[Philliefan33]

I made pi(e) today. There's also a pot of homemade bean soup on the stove, and college basketball on tv. Life is good!

 

[NW-Bound]

This sounds like a fun thing to do, LBYM or not.

I have never done this nor buy turkeys post-holiday, simply because my two fridges are always full. I am constantly working on my wife to cut back on her grocery shopping, so that we can make a dent into what's stacked in there.

LBYMs, I wait until after the 17th when the flats get put on go away sale, then fire up the Traeger pellet and Weber bullet smoker, it's Pastrami time mmmmm.

Quick Pastrami - Smoked Corned Beef - The Virtual Weber Bullet

 

[aja8888]

First day of sun in over a week in south Texas.

1. Went to the Saturday ROMEO breakfast at Burger King.

2. Hand washed my 2014 Passat.

3. Watched "Counting Cars" new episode while taking a break.

4. Walked dog for a mile or so.

5. Thought about finishing my taxes....will do tonight.

6. Looked at back yard leaf accumulation. Hoping for gale force winds.

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

After a short celebration of Pi Day, made a batch of boudin. DW will only let me do this when she is away for several days because of the livers and the casings and the mess (which I do clean up).

It looks good and tastes good, but a lot of trouble and I don't think I will do it again.

I picked up a taste for boudin many years ago in Louisiana. A few years back, I fell in with a bunch of Afrikaners in Calgary who introduced me to sausage making. I bought a machine and tried it with mixed results, but getting better each time, but next time I think I will just order some, frozen, on-line from LA.

 

[rodi]

Baked two pies today for pi day. Has to employ time management to get the dough in the fridge before younger son's baseball game then roll out and fill the pies before older sons baseball game. (Pecan and pumpkin were the flavors). Also put together a stew in the crock pot before the first game. My sister and her husband are coming over for stew and pie in a little bit.

 

[Revlefty]

Launched the kayak for the first time this spring. What a gorgeous afternoon.


Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum

 

[W2R]

Today Frank and I had lunch and then drove by three houses that came on the market yesterday near his house. Each of them had an unfixable fatal flaw, that made it worse for me than my present house IMO. I'm seriously thinking of forgetting this search for a dream house, and staying put! I love my present house and just wanted to buy one that is nicer or could be made nicer. Oh well, maybe it is not to be.

Then he wanted to go to a going-out-of-business sale at the Radio Shack at New Orleans' biggest mall. We battled the traffic and managed to find a parking place which is not as easy as it sounds! But alas, the store was already empty, shuttered, and padlocked. Guess the sale is over.

What a rotten day. On the other hand, it was still better than a day at work, though marginally so....