Beans on toast

Beans on toast…from my British cozy mysteries, “Beans on toast” is comfort food from a “tin” (can in American-speak): brown bread toasted and buttered with canned baked beans…not a thing wrong with that!

I think I might be the only one of my family that LOVES beans. My Papa might have, but I think they didn’t love him!

Beans and me – we do fine!

My beans on toast.

My own ciabatta.

My own baked beans.

My own cilantro-jalapeno-spring onion vinaigrette.

A dollop of sour cream and a leaf of cilanto: beans on toast!

The bean mix is Rancho Gordo’s: Brown Tepary, White Cassoulet and Christmas Lima beans.

The sauce is a very slight modification to Homesick Texan’s Barbequed Black eyed peas recipe: White Balsamic in place of the Worcestershire, the addition of smoked paprika.

The cilantro-jalapeno-spring onion vinaigrette that I am currently drizzling on almost everything!

May I have an AMEN?!!!

Simple fare. Elevated a bit. Good stuff.

Other news.

Mr. Bob.

We had a Friday ear check and are trying an injectable drug over the weekend with some research/consult, etc. to happen on Monday and then a decision on the next step.

The very good news is that Bob continues to eat and drink VERY well – with normal output from the intake! He is wanting to be with Bear and I normally. Both ear drums are intact. BUT…left ear continues to be the nemesis. RATS.

We’ll see what Monday conversations turn up.

Meanwhile, we enjoy life…

Mr. Bear…mouse and vole hunting – under gray and cool skies.

Happy hunting Bear!

Growing stuff

The herbies!! – all looking good.

Even the parsley which I cut back to the nubbins.

The cilantro, though – this is my prize! Not only is the starter plant doing well, but the seeds I planted alongside have sprouted.

Baby cilantro!

I thought I’d messed up the seeds as the sprouts did not appear per the seed packet schedule, but several days ago, THERE THEY WERE!!

My hope is that I can grow-harvest-grow at least through the summer.

Garden buddy 1 = Bear

Garden buddy 2 = Bob

A basil bonus: pineapple, banana, coconut, basil and ice blitzed in the Vita-mix with a splash of tequila = adult slushie.

Growing stuff.

Getting ready to roll

I made the motorhome bed today.

It is kind of a big deal for me and for my plans to be in that state of “ready to roll” that I like.

Mid-January, anticipating Bear’s recovery from TPLO 1, I changed my house bed (Platform Bed) and then moved the motorhome mattress to the house, leaving the motorhome bereft of its normal sleeping arrangement.

But, last week, I bought…

… a new mattress. A compressed mattress. An inexpensive, compressed mattress.

It came in a blue bag.

Bear was mystified at the bed that first got lower and then non-existent…

First the blue bag came off.

Then an outer plastic bag came off.

Mattress in position and then an inner plastic bag was broached which caused an intake whoosh of air and the mattress unrolled and inflated until it looked like a REAL mattress.

Huh.

I’ve slept on it for a week and so far, so good.

Getting ready to roll.

Almost Friday

I was up on the house and the garage roofs today – both are now reasonably clear. AND, I raked up the stuff that came down. And I got VERY warm. It was 80F!!

Anyway, done. My hired yard help fizzled, but my ribs are better and I’ve been doing things, just taking it slow and carefully.

I’ve taken a pre-emptive dose of ibuprofen and arnica and expect to be 100% in the morning.

I noticed that the temperature started dropping about 5:30 so my Friday plan is to mow and trim at the 5:30 p.m. hour. It takes just under 2 hours which will give me time after to wind down.

Meanwhile…

“Hey, we still have that air conditioner, don’t we???”

Mr. Bob is doing fine on the new ear drops – I think a bit of improvement.

Almost Friday.

The continuing saga of Bob’s ears

The last we left our story, Bob had undergone an ear roto rooter kind of procedure and the resulting gunk was sent off to the lab to see if something could be grown that would help target a new medication.

Something(s) did grow and it was two odd/rare/hard to kill bacteria but we have an ear drop weapon picked up today and have commenced on another round of attack.

Meanwhile, the first drug was one that was effective against one of the bugs, hence Bob’s feeling better, being less wobbly and progressing to being my snuggle buddy once more AND using his litter box vs the pile of litter sand. Yea.

Not only that, but as Mr. Bob is feeling up to getting on the bed, he has also been feeling up to giving Bear a bit of the ole stink eye…just on general principle.

Onward.