Saturday, September 19th 2020
Today was a really good day, a normal day, a fun night. As customary on a Saturday I statred the day with coffee in bed and a plan to go through the news, social media and so on. While the coffee worked to, the rest did not. Instead I spend the better part of an hour with Apple support as my iPad keeps telling me it is out of storage and just shuts down. I have deleted almost all Apps, all pictures, all videos, but instead of freeing up space “others” kept increasing usage and I have o idea what it is, only that it is related to systems. I managed to resolve by doing latest update via Mac, but it was a real pain. Glad to say it is now functional again and I have 10GB free, so can reinstall all the Apps.
Other than this nuisance, it was a near perfect day or rather as perfect as life with Corona and declining temperatures get. I got to the park in time for class, which was great fun as I am getting an ever better handle of the Jo. While I am still a far cry from getting weight shifts, feet movements and cuts coordinated, I have at least a sense of what I am doing; so progress.
From practice in the park I made for the Wheaton pool. Admittedly not very committed as the air was cool (17C). The water at 19C was just a little warmer. It took me a while to get in, but once there I stuck with it for 40 minutes feeling the chill. It was all on the fresh side and I think outdoor swim season is sadly over. Then getting out was a problem. I quickly changed into pants and hoddie right there on the pool deck before rushing home to cook dinner for my Aikidoka.
The night was a great success! My new outdoor space works. The heting is great and despite it being a chilly 15C the outdoor heating erfomred well enough for people to stay from 17:00 until 22:00. The only question I have: Why does everyone alwasy have to leave at the same time?
Once home I braaied the lamb, which I had cut up in the morning feeling like a butcher, before chucking it into a pot in layers. First,sauté onions, then tomato, braaied lamb, butternut and bringjals with plenty of Thyme, garlic and chilly. This was left to simmer for three hours. The meat was really tender and all the flavors blended perfectly. On the side funeral rice, rice boiled in water (though I think using coconut water would increase the flavor, with salt, sugar, saffron, cinnamon and cardamom, which matched the Potjekos perfectly. People were not really interested in the side salad. The appetizer of pickled fish turned out great. I had been worried about covering the fish cooked to perfection in the hot brine, but it had not fallen apart, it looked gorgeous on the plates and was rather delicious. Even my faulty Crème Anglaise was recycled in a triffel everyone enjoyed. Maybe that is the raison d'etre for triffel.
Most importantly though everyone was super comfortable in my newly redone outdoor space. Paving the lawn patch has really been a good idea. The outdoor heating worked, but best of all is my portable firepit, which was the star of the night and kept everyone warm. None of the blankets I had put out were needed.
I have a sense everyone enjoyed themselves and the food. EM was a treasure helping set up extra tables (which we never used as everyone was comfortable with plates on laps huddling around the fire). All the red wine was consumed. Now I have 20 bottles of beer and cider, but I am sure it will go over time. Worst case scenario I shall take it to the dojo for the Tuesday beer waza once we reopen.
With the colder temperatures it is just red wine time now, so will need to stock up on that.
Prompted by me text about R.B.G death last night my brilliant friend, I do enjoy hearing from him even if I should not, was in touch. He thinks Trumpism was a necessary evil to wake up America. I do hope he is right. I do not share his confidence, I fear the moron is not finished.
Even more critical for the future of the country he will appoint a third supreme court judge, The Republicans stole the Democrats appointment, arguing with ten months of the presidency to go the people should decide. Of course, this standard does not apply to them as R.B.G. was barely cold before the chief scumbag announced they would appoint a judge. It is all so dirty. Whatever news I read today was dominated by the passing of R.B.G. and the consequences, which are not pretty. Obviously the GoP will not honor her last wish for the new president to appoint her successor. In the mean time the Virus continues to expand its reach.
Death in the USA doubled over the past four months. The world reports 30.9 million cases of which 6.96 are in the USA. Pandemic management continues to be a mess in the USA. The CDC is retracting the guidelines about testing asymptomatic people which turn out were not issued by CD but rather by some administration officials. Now these guidelines are officially being reversed. While Dr. Fauci provides guidance on a few simple things one can do to maintain a good immune system: reduce stress, eat healthy and sleep well.
All no brainless, right?