22 Au 22

TAKING a break from a busy day fighting the battles and the ROW. The ‘marginal’ immeasurable rain mentioned in yesterdays report hit today with a vengeance and flash flooding became a reality.

I had to make a run to Richardson in the rain and was caught.

WHY DID YOU GO OUT? THE WARNING WAS STAY OFF THE ROADS AND HOME.

I know but I had to have my hand-piece looked at and either repaired or replaced. Well there was no fix to it as it was a ‘less expensive’ handle and with the slight upgrade I dropped over $200 for the handle and an extra collet for the next size up bit so I should be good. I dropped the old original hand piece and I had used it pretty well for 20+ years. I bought it when I was working in Fla and I was filthy rick with what I vaguely recall now was ‘discretionary income.’

It took a long time to travel back & forth as on the return leg I opted for a more scenic and slower route as 75 the Central Expressway was like Pearl Harbor with kamikaze drivers in a free-for-all.

I got to Donnie’s late and made one (1) precise surgical cut on his band saw. It took 15 minutes to set it up so I could cut thru .75” and not damage the piece. Overall cutting time was less than a minute (1) put it was PERFECT. Not sounding the brag horn but I NAILED it. The longer I do some of these things the more I amaze myself at how ‘lucky’ I get.

Which brings me to the promised image of Lutjanus campechjanus aka the red snapper.

This piece will be submitted first to Atrium 23 in Frisco and the Waterway Art Festival in April 23. If it sells I have a second one started and can move it ahead as April is a ways out there.

I am pretty happy with it and the next one should be a little bit better by definition. I am feeling confident about WWAF as I have a number of different sizes in the works in the current inventory build as this particular fish is very popular with fisherman and colorful along the Gulf coast. I am thinking the smallest framed versions maybe $65-75 (?) and going up with the size.

Under meals and food preparations, I finished up Bill’s Grilled corn and black bean salad. It looks like I’ll be eating corn and black bean salad for a spell.

The hatch chilies were individually quick frozen (IQF) for off-season use.

WHAT’S A HATCH CHILIE?

It’s sort of a culinary pepper prized by gourmands, gourmet and regional cooks. They are from New Mexico, a very small region where growing conditions, soil and climate etc imparts a ‘unique’ and special taste. They are quite good and I have used them in soup very successfully and this cycle I am thinking cornbread muffins with them. Locals and afficionados put them in dips, ice cream and everything and ANYTHING else. I mean it is big. They are roasted first so the leathery skins are easily removed.

I also made a batch of mustard. The spicy pub mustard which is an adventure. I saw the brown and yellow mustard seeds at the India bazaar and almost got some but I had enough and next trip they will be on the list.

t to put it on hold on line but couldn’t find my library card. So I get down there, look for it and fail.

I ax the librarian w

So the day flew by and since the Red Sox are off today there is a slight void in tonight’s schedule.

I stopped in the McKPL to check out the Basketball Diaries after FINALLY finding it. I looked it up on line, they had one copy and I was seho looked it up and she told me it was checked out ‘recently’. I think what REALLY chapped me was how happy she was when she broke the news.

I had picked out three (3) dvds of interest for leisure viewing and was going to check them out but once again not having my library card I was like a leper in the market. Now it was MY TURN.

Rather than go all the way to back and replace the dvds, I just placed them on the “free stuff’ cart.

I had suffered enough and I decided it was someone else’s turn.

Hopefully the smiling librarian.

Always taking a chance … while I continue to look for that stupid library card.