Ocho S

Back up, early and in the mid-Dark Hour. I awoke and my mind was revved up, racing and could not be throttled down. So I conferred with self and made a command and executive decision asking why fight it?

Coffee this morning is the dwindling supply of pure Kona and it is delightful. Piping hot, just as smooth as I recall reminiscent of smoking a Cuban cigar on the veranda on Marquette drive after my first travel to the Yucatan.

I made another stunning discovery on TuneIn, the internet radio app on the smart phone.

While venturing to Spirit fm and the website to refresh on the daily Mass schedule, I see a hyperlink to an article announcing the Vatican had made a ‘Plenary Indulgence’ for the epidemic.

My interest diverted, I opened the Merriam-Webster app and got a very brief, almost cryptic definition of ‘plenary indulgence’. I went back to the link for the tab was still up and opening was fairly easy. I began to scan or skim thru the article. ALMOST to the point of ‘legalese’, I got the gist OR most of what I needed to be Enlightened and moved on.

I started to peek ahead at my list on the Calendar and schedule and informed myself that I REALLY needed to get after it.

I am up against a soft deadline on one of the cutting boards I am working on. Sanding on both and more sanding with higher and finer grit abrasive paper and then oil three (3x) coats and finito.

One is a Christmas gift and the other somewhere between a ‘favor’ and speculative or strategic project for a friend.

So yesterday, Labor day, thru the weekend actually things were simply perfect and absolutely delightful.

It was warm but not blistering. I got in a couple of rides and when the needle approached ‘HOT’ and moved towards the Red Zone, I would take a dip in the cement pond and the water was or is now chilled as the seasons are changing. Look up ‘invigorating’ in your virtual dictionary and you can see a short video of Bill taking a dip.

Anyway, the Plan was to smoke the ham or rear leg of the wild boar as a roast and I jumped in to that adventure early yesterday morning. I had calculated it was a lengthy process and complicated. It turned out I was about half-right.

I made some fine-tuning on the fly and did have to apply some logic and critical thinking. I had initially calculated the cooking time incorrectly however having and being of 'sound mind', and two (2) thermometers, I was able to pull it off quite successfully. But that is fast forward.

Back tracking, never having done such a thing before some due diligence was in order which I of course had naturally performed. Wasting the life of the pig unnecessarily would be a Sin of the highest order.

I started the research a couple of days prior and had purchased three necessary items I will spare the reader the minutia.

However an oven thermometer and a meat thermometer I did not own and were deemed Most Necessary to pull off this project.

Also, a cast iron smoker box was called out and purchased in a more difficult exercise again sparing the minutia said item was secured after a combination of online research, phone calls, a ‘chat room’ visit and finally picking up the object at a Home Depot the THIRD store after the TWO (2) local Orange Boxes had ‘no inventory.’

I was headed to S1’s to watch the Stars versus knights anyway and 539 (store number) in East Plano was on the way so it was super convenient.

Anyway, it is getting light and my focus also is slipping.

Yesterday was my BFF Bob’s birthday so I sent him a quick text with birthday wishes early AM. He lives in ‘Cali’ which he still thinks is 'cool' and I received a reply exactly, I mean EXACTLY what I was expecting.

So predicatable and discouraging but not unexpected so it is what it is. I have made a preliminary diagnosis however it is private and confidential.

So yesterday afternoon, late I had eaten a couple of pimped up wild boar tacos and they were spectacular.

As I was early in the dreaded cleanup process, the doorbell rang and after fearing the worst first, I was thrilled to find S1 and his lovely GF .

We had made ‘loose plans’ for the day because those are the ONLY kind of plans one can make with him. During the game the topic came around and he said she had Family members visiting town so I assumed our Plan was scrubbed. Moral: NEVER assume.

It was still daylight when they arrived so we enjoyed the water and then 67% of the party had a short supper while 100% carried on conversations, a cocktail until dark and departure.

Which gets me back to the Kona coffee.

I don’t know why it is so good however do see the value.

Since my friend that brought it back is no longer traveling regularly I am thinking the future supply will be obtained online and via US mail.

I think that is called ‘progress’.

Evolution, adapting.

All good.