My hand is much better. The swelling is still there, but the pain is considerably less. Yesterday, I could barely put on a glove. Today, I didn't bother with the ACE bandage, and all but the really complicated dexterity has returned. I still can't lift anything with any kind of heft, so cooking is a problem (I can't lift and turn the pots and pans) and so it goes without saying I can't use my damaged hand to piss. THANK YOU! There's another show at 10. Try the lamb.
From the bad news department, I was turned down for unemployment. I didn't work/make enough last year to be able to reinstate my benefits. It was a longshot. And despite a valiant effort, I lost the battle to beat back a cold that was coming on. I felt a little run down the last couple days, and slept over 10 hrs. the other night. I was coughing a bit and my throat got scratchy. This afternoon I started to sneeze every 1/2 hour or so. A sure sign I was sick. By the end of today I was a snot factory. And since the temperature outside already dropped over 20 degrees today, the cold went right in to my bones. He doesn't always, but Jet seemed to have mercy and accept a few quick walks around the block. I'm currently sipping apple cinnamon caffeine free tea and waiting for the Ambien to work it's magic. Remind me to talk about the controversy that breaks out in Gay-A camps about whether or not over the counter and prescription drugs should or should not count in sobriety. It goes without saying I stand firmly in the some pills are good camp.
Yesterday I made a pasta with carbonara sauce for dinner. I saw the recipe on a Food Network show from Italy and it looked so good and so damn simple. I had to try it. Here's the original recipe:
Spaghetti alla Carbonara Recipe courtesy Enotcea Corsi, Rome Italy Show: $40 a Day Episode: Rome, Italy
1 pound spaghetti 4 eggs 1 teaspoon black pepper 3 teaspoons Pecorino Romano, plus extra, for serving 2 teaspoons cream, optional 3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 3 slices pancetta
Boil the spaghetti in salted water until it is al dente. Drain and set aside. Beat the eggs. Add the black pepper and cheese to the beaten eggs. Set aside. Add cream to this mixture, if desired, for a creamier dish. Put the oil in a saucepan with the pancetta, and saute for 5 minutes. Add the spaghetti into the pan and saute for another 3 minutes. Turn off the flame (this is important) and add the egg and cheese mixture to the pasta and mix. Serve with additional Pecorino Romano on top.
Now, I did modify the recipe slightly. I used spaghettini instead of spaghetti, it's thinner and it cooks faster. In the saucepan with the oil and pancetta I added chopped white onion and garlic. In the beaten eggs I subbed Parmesan for the Pecorino and I dropped the cream and subbed a bit of skim milk. Trust me. Then I took the pasta and saucepan together, took it off the heat (Very important!) and added in the egg/pepper and cheese mixture. Toss it all together, sprinkle more cheese on top before serving and top with a generous sprinkling of Italian parsley. Make a quick simple tomato and cucumber salad with a lo/cal Italian dressing, top that with a couple of pepperoncini for heat and you're at the table in 1/2 hr. tops. It was really, really tasty. I immediately thought it would also be good tossed with shrimp.
I spent last night and tonight painting furniture. I've been haunting the secondhand stores for a coffee table to replace the rickety one I bought from Housing Works a couple years ago. It served it's purpose in that is was the right height to eat on and was easy to clean. But it was too clunky and big for the space, and if Jet gets to roughhousing he invariably knocks the loose top half off, along with whatever drinks, candles etc. are on it. I found a used one at The Goodwill for $50. It was the wrong color wood but it had two square marble inlays on the top. I figured I could strip and stain the wood. Then three day ago I was shopping on Overstock just to kill a half an hour, when I came across a new coffee table in black, that was the perfect dimensions. And it was a clearance item on sale for $69. Could you die? More important could you resist? I couldn't. It's being delivered tomorrow, so I wanted to get a few of the pieces painted so I could see if my vision for the living room will work. Total money spent so far: $82.00 I found the perfect lamp for the room but unfortunately, the thrift shop wants to sell them as a pair. I haven't tried to work my magic on them yet. Stay tuned.
Well, since you're reading this on Tuesday, "the little Alkie that could" is now 28 days sober. I bought my own copy of the Big Book, and I'm actively looking for a sponsor. I'm ready to start getting more in to the steps of sobriety, and I've started doing service, hospitality mostly, to help out at meetings. Didn't drink today, and didn't want to. Hmm.
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