Random Saturday

1.  We got glorious rain last night.  The forecast said we might get half an inch, at most.  I heard the rain coming down hard during the night.  At 2am Brett said to me "Should I go out and check the sand in the arena?"  (he didn't).  This morning, he checked the rain gauge while I stood on the wet front porch.  "How much did we get?" I called over to him.
"Guess"
"Half an inch"
"Guess again."
"Point seven."
"Guess again."
"One point two"
"We got two inches.  Exactly."
Yes!  ...and the rain will continue this morning.

2.  Yesterday when I pulled up the driveway after work, I noticed a big bird walking around in front of the house.  I assumed it was a Canada goose.  But, no, it was the wild turkey who has been hanging around the back of the property lately.  I love living where I have to stop on the road for deer, where the Canada geese are so used to our presence in the pastures that they don't move when we walk by with the muck cart.

3.  I was in bed early last night; the culmination of two long weeks at work and sadness.  Sadness for my blogging friend, Inger, who lost her husband to complications following a liver transplant.  He was only 69 and a good man, a strong man.  And Buttons who lost her mother.  I've been carrying Buttons and Inger in my heart.  I know that Button's loss brought back the loss of my mom, a year ago.  And Inger's husband reminded me so much of Brett -- the bond they shared and the hard work he did on their property -- his death tapped into my greatest fear; losing Brett.

4.  Rest is right around the corner, though.  Brett and I will be on our way to Alisal tomorrow morning for a few days of resting, riding, eating and just being.  This vacation always feels more like a retreat to us; it recharges our batteries.  I've loaded my Kindle, and am packing my colored pencils as well as my riding helmet.

5.  I made the second of our Blue Apron dinners Thursday night.  It was a pork ramen dish with pea tips and roasted garlic.  My knick-knack bag included two cute little bottles; one of soy sauce and one of Mirin.  For me, this is an economical way to make gourmet type recipes.  On my own, heaven knows where I would have found pea tips and I would have had to purchase an entire bottle of Mirin.  Our dinners through Blue Apron cost less than it would for me buying the ingredients on my own.  And then the Mirin would just sit, unused, in my pantry.  For me this is an economical way to go.  Tasty too.  There was plenty of food.  I couldn't finish my portion and Brett was too full to finish it for me.  The chickens loved the ramen the next morning (the noodles look like worms).