I’ve discovered yet another use for Mr. Clean Magic Erasers they remove oil-based deck stain splatters from your skin. Having spent the better part of the afternoon reviving the backyard privacy fence with black stain, it was time switch gears and start dinner prep. I had planned an easy meal (mentioned in an earlier post) of pesto salmon with sweet potato fries and a steamer bag of vegetables, but I also wanted to start on Sunday’s meal as the bro-in-law was in town and would be joining us along with his mother for Sunday dinner. I had put on my fabric garden gloves for quick removal in order to answer the many calls from work I was receiving as our RIS system upgrade had quickly degraded to a downgrade by the end of the week. The day was blistering hot but the more irritated I became with the work problems, the more productive I became in the yard. Damn fence got done and as some of you might know, one completed project makes the remaining surrounding environment look shabby. Proceeded to pot up a bunch more herbs, re-pot root bound ornamental trees, paint the rest of the patio chairs, yadayadayada. I finally stopped when I realized hypothermia was setting in. Looong story short, needed to quickly clean up; the stain had seeped through the gloves and the rest of me was covered in splatter,all of it quite dry by that time. I have a magic eraser in the shower to wipe down the tile – I gave my hand a swipe with it and off came the stain (that is, enough of it to not necessitate a mineral spirit bath). I wonder if it would work as a DIY dermabrasion? Just kidding. Dinner ensued and I did manage to put together a tortellini salad for the next day made with frozen pesto I had put up last fall. I freeze it in ice-cube trays (leftover whipping cream as well). Sunday dinner was fun – the weather was beautiful so we were able to enjoy sitting outside. The meal was great – my favorite tomato tart (good tomatoes from Tennessee are in), grilled flat-iron steak, the pesto salad and a last-minute veggie, green beans with feta, toasted walnuts and cranberries. Dessert was Very Berry Triple Fruit Pie. The evening’s entertainment (besides our granddaughter, the star of any show) was home movies on the laptop with soundtrack provided my YouTube station http://www.youtube.com/user/4basil9?feature=guide . We have remote speakers hooked up to our PC. Our daughter has been transferring our family VHS tapes to DVD and brings a few over each week. The transfer is taking awhile as she can’t help but watch them as she’s editing.
I’d like to send a shout-out to our Bashford Manor Lowes..fast forward to Memorial Day weekend, the backyard is coming together but I still had no repair/replacement plan for our deteriorated concrete patio, my main view as I look out the kitchen window while I do most of my food prep & cleanup. I do have a $4K bid to turn it into a ground level deck and Concrete-man has not called me back with a quote. I want this off my plate as I’m tired of thinking about this and now have to obtain a number of other quotes for the hail damaged stuff. I get online for a few minutes and outdoor carpet pops up amongst many other pricey options. Eureka! Hop in the car – first stop is Target for landscape lights (since I just mentally saved about $3K, I rationalize I can now purchase some yard tchotchkes. Next door is Wal Mart for a bag of black mulch and, hopefully, some zinnias as I have difficulties starting plants from seed due to the eco-system that is my yard. Too many critters that appreciate my efforts and enjoy munching on tender seedlings, bulbs and any vegetables that attempt to grow. On to Lowes where the first person we encounter as we walk in the door asks if we need help and proceeds to escort us to the flooring area. We quickly decide on a sample and the gal stops a co-worker to help her roll out, cut and shrink-wrap a 12′ x 12′ piece for us. We were out of there in 15 minutes. Great service!! My patio looks so much better and all for under $100. 
I made a cheeseburger salad (using soy crumbles) based on Ree Drummond’s recipe for last week’s Sunday gathering..wasn’t sure about the weather and didn’t want to spend too much time in the kitchen. It’s an interactive meal as you build your own salad. A side dish of zingy coleslaw (I accidentally added a Serrano instead of a jalapeno) rounded it out. As the title of this post implies, too much time is passing too quickly; can’t remember what dessert was, maybe Ghirardelli Turtle Brownies. Heading out to the yard as it’s once again Sunday. Daughter and family are in Florida so it will be a quiet dinner. Our son has had two career boosts this weekend, one of which was landing a school system bid. I’m really hoping he can continue on his journey to follow his heart. Tonight will feature adult beverages, grilled lamb burgers with spinach feta relish, a bang-up potato salad (had to use up some celery and Wickles Pickles relish) and grilled carrots with fresh thyme. There may be beans. Dessert will involve dark chocolate. I now must go forth and buy sod.
Serendipity 