Thursday, January 31, 2008

 

Tuesday Dinner

This Tuesday, I tried an experiment. I bought a picnic ham and wanted to cook it while I was at work so I put it in my mother's "Silver Seal" pan and set the temperature of the oven for 200 degrees.

The "Silver Seal" pan, Walter gave it to me.

By the time I got home it was very well done.

The meat was falling off the bone and very tender. You could cut it with a fork.

Liz and I had ham, potato pancakes (Kate's homemade recipe), apple sauce, and Spinach. Next time I will try it at 175 degrees, the lowest temperature my oven will go. Next week we will use the left overs to make bean soup again.


Sunday, January 27, 2008

 

Updated Links

Last August, I met a woman on the flight back from Poland. We discussed various things on the seven hour flight from Amsterdam to Minneapolis. She said that she would like to go to dinner the next time she visited the cities. Well, last Wednesday we went to McCormick & Schmick's Seafood in downtown Minneapolis and had an excellent time.

Kate, Gerardo, Kathy, and Fred

I am also updating my links, adding Kathy's Web Site and deleting some that are never updated.


 

Weekend Projects

In a long sad story, the check engine light came on in my Blazer. I took it to the dealer and for $68 they told me that the thermostat was defective and had to be replaced for $309 and that they would flush the cooling system at the same time for $149 for a grand total of $458 and change. I said, "You must be replacing the sensor along with the thermostat." They said, "Oh no the sensor checked out OK."

A short trip to AutoZone and $7 for the part, no gasket required, and it is fixed. It turns out that AutoZone will read the codes for free. The most pleasant surprise was that it really was the thermostat and it is fixed!

Other News

My friend, Liz had a 1995 Saturn with 230,000 miles that died suddenly. Last Tuesday (I cook dinner for us on Tuesday) Liz and I went to see a car at the dealer and it was perfect. The right color, low mileage, and the salesperson started dealing even before we asked. I said, "Liz, you can't buy the first car we see even if it is perfect." On Saturday we went car shopping again and we looked at two other cars and decided that the original car was the one but when we called it had already been sold. The blue one she is standing beside was also very nice but she didn't feel it was time to compromise. She is driving my Astro.

On the way home we stopped and visited with our friend Joanne.

We will see what I make for dinner this week, maybe crow.


Saturday, January 19, 2008

 

Cold in Minnesota

Yes, thats right it is MINUS SEVENTEEN degrees this morning. Where is that Global Warming we keep hearing about? Send it this way.


Wednesday, January 16, 2008

 

Weekly Update

Car Talk
The Cavalier got put back together and did not leak as it drove away.
It took us four hours to get it apart and another four hours to get it back together and running. I hope it holds up. You have to remember, "It is a Chevrolet."
My friend Warren standing beside the finished car.

Cooking Time
I made bean soup this week. Beans, ham and ham bone, celery and onions, and diced tomatoes.
Cooked in the pressure cooker for 30 minutes, it was delicious.


Other News
In other news, the garbage disposal quit working and I replaced it. Tuesday, I had a friend over for dinner (the bean soup) and when I opened up the dishwasher it was full of water. I don't know if she was impressed with having to help me remove the knock out plug from the disposal before we could eat dinner or not. The friend I had over was Liz, one of the widows. Live and learn I guess.
I mounted my drill press on a new stand. (Notice the Milling Machine on the floor)
The old drill press stand I am modifying to mount my milling machine that has been sitting on the floor of the garage since last year.

Sunday, January 06, 2008

 

Weekend Auto Work

This was a weekend of car work, both big and little. Kathleen's Cavalier has returned with a bad head gasket. The temperature got up into the 30's and I was able to get the garage cleaned up.
Then Warren brought the Cavalier over and we got started. Three hours later this is what we have. Lots of connections. We fooled around with the power steering pump for about an hour till we figured out that the bolts that hold it on go through the drive pulley. General Motors considerately leaves a hole in the pulley through which one can insert a socket.
Next weekend we will put it back together.
On the Little Wheel front, I helped one of the guys I work with turn the wheels for his son's Pinewood Derby Car. No pictures, I missed an opportunity. They were really cute kids.

Wednesday, January 02, 2008

 

Some Friends From Mexico


Olivia and Hugo, Hugo is Gerardo's cousin.
Edgar, Gerardo's friend with Kate and Gerardo.
Alejandro and Patty.
The friend from the Villa.
Tere and Aris
Another Tere, Aris, and Kate.

Tuesday, January 01, 2008

 

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

I am back from Mexico and had a very nice end of the year. There were many presents waiting for me when I got home.
Gift cards from Martha and Walter, a seat for working on my cars from Corrine, beer from Janice and Jim (I assume), cookies and goodies from Aunt Phyllis, a MP3 player from Kate and Gerardo, and some books from Fritz.

I have made a number of New Years Resolutions, one to be nicer this year to Kasin. I plan to travel more this year and update my blog more often.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

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