I Made A Delicious Soup

Reader, ever since I bought myself a big, enameled cast-iron Dutch oven for my birthday, I have been on a mission to figure out if there's anything that pot can't do. So far there is nothing.

Maybe I should put my broken laptop in it!

So I cooked some onions, celery, and carrots in a little butter. Then I added a tablespoon of flour. Then I put in half a head of cabbage, shredded, and a crapload of baby bella mushrooms, sliced. Then I added like four cups of chicken stock and two cups of water. And a sprinkling of rice. And some garlic.  It was really good.  Matt mused, "Hmm, mushrooms are the meat of the non-meat world." Indeed.

It was a quiet weekend. So quiet that soup is getting an above-the-fold mention.

And O Sweet Land, we are getting a new roof! We and a roofing contractor and our insurance company have been doing a delicate dance of trying to get the claims adjuster to come out here and agree that our roof has been damaged at some point in history by hail or some other precipitate, and that we can have a new roof for the cost of our deductible.  On Saturday, the adjuster came and climbed up there. Then his assistant adjuster climbed up there, then the roof guy.  They spent a long time, which I figured was good.  I wandered into Matt's office.

"I think the roofing guy kinda has a thing for me!" I said.  Matt said, "Yes, I noticed. I'm going to clear out of here and give you room to work."

But in the end, all I needed was my charm. And the probability that our roof has in fact suffered some meteorological insult. They came down, finally, and delivered the good news.  We all shook hands like old friends, and I immediately told everyone on Twitter. Then I texted my parents and Matt, who really had cleared out to let me work.

I like to celebrate these moments with my tribe.

Other stuff that's going on:

I took the weekend off from working out, but this morning, Pretty Neighbor and I were back at it in her basement.  Later I realized that the single biggest benefit that I feel from exercising is the almost crazy sense of well-being it gives me. Like, my mood is so good afterward, it's total irrational exuberance. From a twenty-two minute workout.  Mind-altering drugs. 

And I am off to Blissdom in Nashville in a couple of days.  I have bought nothing new to wear.  In fact, I haven't bought anything at all (besides food 'n stuff) in 2011.  No Shopping Liz was my inspiration for this. I didn't make a big resolution out of it, but I've had it in the back of my mind for the last few weeks. And I want less stuff in my house, not more, so it hasn't been hard.

Anyway, when you see me in Nashville, please come hug my neck. I will be wearing my regular clothes.

I do think I will get a manicure though. And I'm trying to decide which purse to bring.  This is the time to let the nice bags come out and breathe the free air, but I am also rather attached to my unfussy LeSportsac hobo. I will obviously update you as this decision unfolds.

Oh, and my computer's fan is indeed busted and don't even get me started on how Frye's Electronics said it would cost hundreds to have them replace it, and how it would take "weeks" for the part to come in. We're ordering the part ourselves and they can kiss my grits. 

Lub,
B