Monday, January 30, 2012
Weekend Update
This weekend Liz and I went to the Minneapolis Orchestra.
Liz at the restaurant before the concert.
In other news:
Last week we had some snow and as luck would have it with a fleet of four wheel drive vehicles, both Kate and Gerardo were out in it with the two wheel drive cars!
Gerardo got the Saturn stuck and in the process of getting it "unstuck" broke the windshield wiper transmission. The first step in the repair was to remove the wiper arms, but they were frozen onto the shafts! The cheapest professional puller was $104 but I was able to make my standard gear puller work after some effort.
With the wiper arms removed I then had to get the cover panel off.
That required the removal of the hood.
The wiper transmission and motor removed.
A close-up of the broken part. Since there are no more Saturn dealers, I have had to order the part on line and it will take a few days before the story continues.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Weekly Update
The "Little One" wanted some trucks to play with. I went down and got some out of one of the many cardboard boxes I have in the basement and ran them through the "car wash".
Nice collection!
I have been storing his toys in a "shopping cart" but now is time to move up to a toy box.
He liked his toy box and wanted to take it home!!
We then made cookies.
I only wanted to do one batch in the oven so they got a bit close together on the cookie sheet.
Then it was lunch time. Noodle soup, his favorite.
After a nap and a walk with the dog it was time to enjoy some TV.
A drink, a cookie, and a truck in front of the TV, what can be better?
For dinner it was homemade Pizza!!
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Sunday Dinner
Sunday I had Kate, Gerardo, the "Little One", Liz, and Rosealle over for dinner.
Table all set.
Rosealle and the "Little One".
Practicing making "Snow Angels".
With Kate.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
An Addition From Thursday
I had a lobster dish for dinner with Kate, Gerardo, and the "Little One" this week. It is a long story where the lobsters came from and I will not go into it now.
While the sauce had good flavor and was easy, I want to remember the recipe so I can make it better next time. I cooked the half lobsters for four minutes, not quite enough, I will do five minutes next time.
My guests enjoying their meal. Isn't he cute?
Recipe:
2 tbs butter
2 tbs corn starch (level)
1 cup chix. broth
1 tsp garlic powder
boil mixture, add salt to taste
add
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup of milk
1-2 tbs dried parsley
1/4 cup wine
stir until cheese is melted and smooth
Friday, January 20, 2012
Garage project
I needed a threaded 1 1/2 inch fitting for a project and thought I had a die to cut it, but I didn't. My pipe threading dies only go to 1 1/4 inch.
But my lathe is able to cut the 11 1/2 threads per inch I required!
I said, "Why don't I just thread a piece of pipe instead of getting in the car and going to Menard's and buying one?" It was very cold outside and I didn't feel like riding my bike. Of course I am too "cheap ass" to drive my car.
The first problem was the gear ratio to cut the threads wasn't correct.
Out came my little tool box and I was able to sort through the parts to find the correct gears.
Installation of the top gear.
And the installation of the bottom gear. It took me the whole day (the original gears were stuck onto the shafts and I had to make a tool so I could pull them off with my gear puller.) At the end, I realized I should have driven over to Menard's and paid the $2.00 for a plastic pipe nipple. Oh Well, the joys of retirement.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Cold weather is here.
I got up this morning to be greeted by the first sub-zero temperatures of the season.
It is cold inside and out.
The "Little One" was shivery and his mother insisted I turn up the heat.
Last night I had Liz over for dinner and made "City Chicken". It turned out pretty well except it is not what I remember.
I received a new camera for Christmas.
We will see if I blog more now that the temperature has gotten such that I can no longer work outside.
Thursday, January 05, 2012
December Update
Christmas
I got the house all decorated, actually I carried my tree down from the spare bedroom and set it up. It took about 10 minutes.
Liz made some special requests from Santa.
This year, due to Global Warming, we had a brown Christmas. Just like we used to have in Michigan. I liked it. Kate, The Little One, the Dog, and I for a walk before dinner.
Kate cooking the creamed spinach for Christmas Dinner.
Here it is being drained, waiting for the cream sauce.
We had lobster and crab legs along with a prime rib.
Our traditional Christmas Photo.
I have a Holiday Party every year. This year we had pan fried rib-eye steaks (I got the recipe from The Test Kitchen and it worked!!) and lobsters. The one at Christmas was a bit overcooked but these were perfect. Bob cooked them!
