Tea, cats, cooking, weekend!

COUGH UP A LUNG

I caved in and went to the clinic, and yes, the Doc diagnosed bronchitis. I get it every year, albeit earlier and earlier in the year. Actually this time I had the flu, and it left behind three weeks of fatigue, coughing, and aches that I definitely did not want to turn into pneumonia. So I was a good girl and I went..

I got my meds filled and right away I started to feel better. The inflamed lungs subsided their throbbing, cement-wright feeling. I coughed less, and I got my energy back.

Now after two days, I think I might actually stay awake all day and be somewhat productive.

I worry because the bronchial issues are a job hazard for me, and it takes more out of me each year. That was one of the reasons I quit teaching in the first place. Oh, well, I still think it is the best job in the world. I love helping kids.

NOISE NOISE- GUESS THE NOISE

Murray kept me awake last night. He had gotten a-hold of something I could not identify. I know all his sounds. THUNK mans he's shoved another book off the coffee table. BUMP means he's jumped off the kitty litter bucket onto the floor and the litter barrel thunked against the wall in a rebound from his launch. BAM means he's whacking the pictures against the wall, which means I forgot to put up the pillow barrier to stop him doing that. He has knocked two pictures off the wall and broke them, and they were expensive pieces. Fortunately I could repair them myself.

But last night it was CLINK CLINK CLINK. I dunno. This morning I was doing dishes and I saw him sitting on the buffet and reaching his paw into my dish of rocks and gems and fossils. I think that was what he did last night. He reached in and pushed off an amethyst or a shell or a fossil in my display dish onto the floor and chased it all night. I can only speculate that there is some semi-precious gem stuffed under some bookcase or nook or cranny somewhere that I'll find next year. Sigh. See? This is why I can't have nice things. LOL.

GENTEAL

I ordered some teas to try and they came in today. Hibiscus flower and Rose Hip are two new teas for me. I am steeping rose hip tea now. It is supposed to have a lot of vitamin C and also antioxidents. I'm so excited. I love everything about tea.

THE GOOD EGG

Long ago I had a microwave egg poacher. It cooked two perfect nuked eggs, it only took a minute and they were the right size for English Muffins. But being made of plastic, it eventually got too unsanitary to use and I threw it out.

I have tried making poached eggs the traditional way, in water, but it takes too long, makes a mess in the pan, and the eggs don't come out in a nice circle.

I've looked for a new one ever since but have not found it in stores to my satisfaction (size, price, function). When I made my tea order I added a microwave egg poacher that looked like a good candidate. It's made of durable silicon, and has space for two eggs. The cover lets out steam and retains heat. No adding water is necessary. Here it is:

I'm so relieved they placed the neat schematic in there so I'll know where to place the eggs! LOL. It is a good cooker, the eggs came out the way I like them- with firm whites and slightly runny egg yolk. I just have to experiment with the timing. I cooked them in my 700 watt microwave for 1 min, then another min, then 15 seconds, then 30 seconds...all at half power. I'll cook in its entirety tomorrow and hopefully it won't explode.

PILLOW TALK

Seeing as it is chore day, and I had some energy back from taking the meds, I decided to make hay while the sun shone. I cleaned up the kitchen and then messed it up. I made roasted scallions, cauliflower, carrots (separately) baked some potatoes, and put together an apple crumble. I defrosted some garden tomatoes I'd frozen, to make a vegetarian chili tomorrow, and also got the freshly picked jalapenos and banana peppers out for de-seeding.

It is also 'change the sheets day'.  I love making the bed with fresh sheets because I love fresh sheets when I slide into bed that night. I also enjoy making hospital corners and making the bedspread fringe line up perfectly with the bottom of the bed rail. I fluff the pillows and arrange them just right. When I come into the bedroom after that, it all looks so clean and tidy and cozy and neat and symmetrical. Bliss.

Apparently Murray thinks so too.

Aw, Murray...what am I gonna do wid you? Love you to pieces I guess!