It's not Allowed!

20 Aug 18
06:00 hrs

     Good morning Dear Readers. 
    
     Does the word epiphany ring a bell? You do know the meaning of the word, correct? The millenials refer to it as having an aha moment - the moment when a significant idea or notion suddenly comes to mind. Not everyone has an aha moment and epiphanies may be large or the mat be small. And for some people an epiphany may not be important at all. My Better Half has told me that my ideas and by direct connection any epiphanies are half baked and not allowed. Although I disagree I will let you be the judge.

     I thought that with all of the forest fires happening it would be really cool if there was slow cost 100 to 250 litre tank c/w a 12vdc high pressure pump, 75 feet of hose and a nozzle that could fit in the back of a pickup truck. Just think of how many road side fires that could be thwarted by a unit such as this. If Crappy Tire stocked it I'd buy one. When it was on sale at least.

20:00 hrs

     Is it smokey where you are? The whole Island and most of the Interior is heavily  shrouded in smoke from the forest fires. If you have to be outside please limit your exposure to the least of time.

     On the weekend my Lobster and I went on a date-day taking in The Goats on the Roof as well as some other venues. No Loin Fruits allowed. Actually they could have tagged along but they're much too cool to be seen with us.

     On the drive south I noticed - as one should when paying attention to the road -  that there were numerous sets of skid marks and brake marks that swerve and weave as they criss-cross the road. Some of these tracks are pretty wild. My question is - what was happening that caused the operator to lock up his brakes? What were the weather conditions like when it happened? If you haven't noticed these anxiety fueled tracks you must not be paying attention or maybe you just don't care. But you should care because these road lines may indicate a slick spot or road maintenance issue and seeing what happened before could save your ass now.

21 Aug 18
04:45 hrs

     My Better Half was baking cookies last night for the monthly birthday treat at her work. Spiral shortbread cookies. Those that didn't make the grade tasted great. While she was occupied with her recipe I carved up a Costco pork loin into several portions. Several roasts, a set of boneless chops that will be cooked tandoori style on the Flame Pit and the last chunk was tied in butchers cord before being coated (in eleven herbs and spices) to cure the meat. It's an experiment really. If given half the chance - and if my Better Half will let me - there is no reason that I cannot produce my own pastrami, salami and corned beef. The raw ingredients are quite affordable from Costco so why not give it a shot. Once it cures for a number of days  it will be rinsed and left to dry with some of the prescribed techniques involve hanging the meat in a closet or the pantry.  I'm sure that my Better Half will not appreciate this so I'll try it in the spare refrigerator.

     The cured roast may or may not be put through the smoker. But I am going to smoke some salmon and also produce my own gravlax. This past winter a neighbour of the Wayward Inn gave us a 12 pound chinook salmon. It's been taking up space in the freezer. Once I am finished processing the salmon I will be taking it (probably most of it) and the cured pork roast with me when I head Out in the Weeds in a couple of weeks.

22 Aug 18
14:45 hrs

     So, where were you, Dear Readers, when the news of Manafort's conviction and Cohen's guilty plea were announced to the world?

     Do you even care?

     Well, you should care.  We're talking about the freedoms and the rights of individuals being trapped. We're talking about a head of state who believes that racism and misogyny are okay. We're talking about the 50 year regression of a nation's civil attitudes.

     And they are our neighbours so you had better get with the program. It is not FAKE NEWS. So pay attention.