Decided to go to the large farmers market today to use the remaining senior scrip before it expired, hoping for some of the farm exchange dark maple syrup. Flying Coyote brings it in from Vermont. Since it cost less than I remembered, was able to also get some beautiful Japanese eggplants*. I also remembered to check the model train hobby store and was able to acquire a strip of 1/32" basswood to cut up to back the trinket shelves. All before noon.
※※※
~ faux Noguchi ~
Thursday afternoon decided that a visit to the PCP makerspace would improve my mood. Was able to cut out pieces for two different MCM miniatures: the frame for a rocking chair (very much like one Rois and Chance had) and the base and top for a faux Noguchi coffee table. All the wood parts for both pieces will need a fair amount of finish work, but with sanding and staining they should turn out quite lovely and a good accompaniment to the Wishbone chair. ~ faux Noguchi ~
※※※
In the desire to not be limited by models others have created, our plucky heroine has been trying to become familiar with TinkerCAD. May have successfully created two objects: a planter pot to be 3D printed and a pot riser to be laser cut. I won't know until I can get to a makerspace next week to find out if they will actually turn out as I hope, but after several hours of online efforts, they seem to look as I desired, and are hopefully the right size. Wish me luck...
※※※
Thursday started out scrambled, as my appointment with Dr N was not at the new location and there was no way for me to get to the old office in the time remaining. Bah! Had to reschedule. Next time I will double check location when scheduling an appointment. Had to reschedule, fortunately the following week. Saturday my left foot was really bad again. I wish I could figure out why it is unhappy.
※※※
Body doubling is probably my favorite effective task initiation strategy. It seems to work for me even over video chat. On Thursday spent several hours online with Ursel, doing my best to tidy up the living room and kitchen. While the impetus for this effort was the imminent arrival of the tax accountant on Friday afternoon, the tidy space has vastly improved my sense of well being. Got enough done that day and the next morning to return the room to "company ready"
※※※
October SMART goals (x=extra)
| # | THINGS MADE | THINGS FIXED | THINGS GONE |
| 1 | tiny Wishbone chair | wheels for 2nd RÅSKOG | greenwaste bin |
| 2 | 3 laser cut walnut trinket shelves | tidy living room | recycle bin |
| 3 | vortex bottles | - | recycle bin |
| 4 | - | - | - |
| 5 | - | - | - |
| 6 | x | x | x |
| 7 | x | x | x |
| 8 | x | x | x |
| 9 | x | x | x |
today's gratitudes -
- was able to locate a new Luci solar bike light on eBay
- tiny trinket shelf layers are glued together, and I was able to kitbash pieces of the miscut to enlarge one (which will add variety)
- managed to time my excursions today to avoid being rained on
Time of Isolation - Day 2275
*
"5 Flavor Eggplant"
(savory, salty, sweet, sour, spicy)
(savory, salty, sweet, sour, spicy)
about 2# long skinny eggplant
1 tablespoon salt
1½ tablespoon tamari
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoon oil
+ hotness as desired
put the salt in a big bowl, add several cups of water, and then clean and cut up eggplants, tossing the bits into the bowl of salt water - I cut them first the long ways into quarters or sixths, then cut the long pieces into chunks. I try for about ¾" cubes more or less by volume, because big pieces take a long time to cook through, and undercooked eggplant is nasty.
when all the eggplant is in the bowl of salty water, it sits there for a half hour... I occasionally stir it or push the chunks around to make sure they all get drenched... you want to have enough water that they are all floating.
Meanwhile, combine the tamari, the vinegar, the sugar, and the cornstarch. Drain and dry the eggplant bits. (my current innovation is to use my salad spinner after pouring off as much of the water as I can)
In a big frying pan, heat up the oil, then fry the eggplant until it is FULLY COOKED and slightly browned. (Trust me, you want it cooked till it is SOFT, not al dente) Pour the sauce mixture over the eggplant (give the sauce mixture a good stirring up just before you pour it), and cook til thick, which will take only a few moments, because cornstarch...
At this point, I usually add some awesome sauce (spicy chili jam) but you could add a dash of tabasco, or sriacha, or whatever you prefer. The original recipe called for adding jalapeno peppers at the beginning, but that was WAY TOO HOT for me. YMMV, and the spicy aspect is entirely optional for that matter.
Truly, this recipe is almost faster to cook than to read, most of the effort is in cutting up the eggplants, and in waiting while they soak in the salty water. I had always in the past done the sprinkle the eggplant with salt, let it drain, rinse it off thing, which is a whole lot of faffing about. I had never heard of soaking them in lightly salted water, but it works really well!!
put the salt in a big bowl, add several cups of water, and then clean and cut up eggplants, tossing the bits into the bowl of salt water - I cut them first the long ways into quarters or sixths, then cut the long pieces into chunks. I try for about ¾" cubes more or less by volume, because big pieces take a long time to cook through, and undercooked eggplant is nasty.
when all the eggplant is in the bowl of salty water, it sits there for a half hour... I occasionally stir it or push the chunks around to make sure they all get drenched... you want to have enough water that they are all floating.
Meanwhile, combine the tamari, the vinegar, the sugar, and the cornstarch. Drain and dry the eggplant bits. (my current innovation is to use my salad spinner after pouring off as much of the water as I can)
In a big frying pan, heat up the oil, then fry the eggplant until it is FULLY COOKED and slightly browned. (Trust me, you want it cooked till it is SOFT, not al dente) Pour the sauce mixture over the eggplant (give the sauce mixture a good stirring up just before you pour it), and cook til thick, which will take only a few moments, because cornstarch...
At this point, I usually add some awesome sauce (spicy chili jam) but you could add a dash of tabasco, or sriacha, or whatever you prefer. The original recipe called for adding jalapeno peppers at the beginning, but that was WAY TOO HOT for me. YMMV, and the spicy aspect is entirely optional for that matter.
Truly, this recipe is almost faster to cook than to read, most of the effort is in cutting up the eggplants, and in waiting while they soak in the salty water. I had always in the past done the sprinkle the eggplant with salt, let it drain, rinse it off thing, which is a whole lot of faffing about. I had never heard of soaking them in lightly salted water, but it works really well!!
