Saturday 22nd August - a very peculiar time

 Today's ten minute journal page

The peculiar time started quite late yesterday evening with a power cut at around quarter to ten. The sitting room was plunged not only into darkness, but more alarmingly, into silence after the oxygen concentrator emitted a couple of shrill alarms. I sat very still, taking slow, deep breathes, while BB used the light of his Kindle (!) which he had been reading, to make his way to the hall. We have an emergency light plugged in the hall, (and upstairs on the landing) so it was easy enough to fetch an oxygen cylinder for me to use instead of the concentrator. 

Power was restored very quickly, but the episode made us realise we need to think about having emergency lights in the living area, kitchen and bedroom. Suppose there's a power cut when you are pouring boiling water from a kettle?

We always have at least one, and usually two cylinders in the hall so I wouldn't have had far to go if I needed to sort myself out. But it was a good opportunity to revisit the situation. 

That madness of the day continued. I managed to load the crackpot for step 1 of making BBQ pork belly. That's child's play; just put the strips in the pit and cook on high for three to three and a half hours. 

However I was convinced it was Sunday. Why? I can only think that it was because having no workmen on site on Friday made it feel like a Saturday... anyway, I logged onto the zoom for the church service only to discover that I couldn't see anyone else... panic station as I'm down for a reading... So I whatsapped my cousin, who speedily replied 'Saturday?'. Duh.

Feeling a bit of a fool I thought I'd do something useful like the washing up, and promptly cut a finger quite deeply on our sharpest kitchen knife. Not quite like the nursery rhyme; it was 'this little finger on my left'. Ow!

After running it under the cold tap I applied pressure for 10 minutes, and BB stuck a plaster on, which seems to have lasted ok. Still, it's got me out of the washing up and various other jobs. BB finished off the BBQ pork;

remove the slices and pour away the liquid in the pot (into a bowl, NOT down the drain!). 

make a sauce from 1-2 tablespoons each of dark soy sauce, tomato ketchup, I tablespoon runny honey (I  often substitute sweet chilli dipping sauce) a clove of garlic and about the same amount of fresh ginger, both grated (I shake in garlic granules and dried ginger) and a pinch of five-spice powder all stirred together.  Put the pork belly strips back in the crock pot, pour over and mix in the sauce, and cook for another hour to hour and a half on high.

This is for two pieces of pork; adjust for larger quantities. 

That's the day so far... it's half past eight now and it's been very calm...

I've finished a sock, apart from the heel!

I started with the toe, and I've used 'Judy's super stretchy bind-off' for the cuff. YouTube is your friend here if you want to try it. After several disastrous bind-offs on previous socks, which were all too tight, I've discovered this works every time and it's not too much hassle. 

I've even started the next sock. Again,  it's a special cast on method 'Judy's closed toe cast on' which I knew would take me several attempts (YouTube again) but is well worth persevering with. 

My step count for today reflects the amount of time I've been sitting quietly so as not to disturb the plaster on my finger!