Kitchen done! More about keys

This morning's walk was beautiful, cool sunny weather, happy neighbors on their patios, including one who's just finished getting his redone with tiling. He was so pleased when I admired it, though I think hello and yes was the limit of his English, but we communicated anyway.

What happens when you neglect to move the kids' bikes before the landscapers come around.

 The Sleeping Beauty effect.

And this looks like a natural object at this point, so weathered 

This morning Michael the Contractor came, caulked the cabinet, chatted about his mother, the food pantry, his noisy neighbors, crunchy tofu, he loves it.  

Also I paid him, very fair price, though a stretch for me. I rationalize that it's a once only job. I may have converted him to contribute to the food pantry; he didn't know where it was till now. Also he's going to see if his mother can get the bone density injections I get.  Quite a productive convo.

About locks and keys, when I had the pet care service I had many keys I kept safely, coded for security. One time I got an anguished call from a client, so sorry to disturb me, could I rescue him? 

He happened to live close by, which I knew but he didn't, for my security -- I didn't broadcast my address. Anyway he lived in a third floor condo in my development,  only one possible entrance from the staircase. 

He was getting his excitable Golden retriever ready for a walk, dog jumped at him, he staggered out the door,  the door slammed shut, he heard the lock drop! 

This left the dog inside with the keys, owner locked outside, luckily with phone and my number saved. I brought my copy of his key, let him in, no charge,  and he begged me not to mention it to his wife, who would never let him live it down! I did get a nice Christmas gift that year. No connection I'm sure..

Happy day everyone, try not to let your dog lock you out! You feel pretty silly explaining it when you need help.

Up to now: the Gubbernor ordered the rainbow crosswalk near the Pulse, scene of a mass shooting tragedy, painted over. A crowd of LGBTQ+ people protested with joy, flags and chants and repainted the rainbow. Once more Gov. Boots had it painted black. Once again the rainbow returned. Up to now. 

Don't let anyone dim your rainbow! Screenshot this one to preserve it in case Boots paints it over again.

Tuesday, cabinets, locks, Textiles and Tea

Tuesday's plans got moved around a bit. Michael the Marvellous Maker, installed the cabinet and the door keys.

Ted and Big Ursy checking there, to make sure he does it right.

Then we had a ceremony of carefully keeping the new keys, tossing the old, and I tossed all the old then later had a thought. The top lock, for which I had several keys, was the original builder-installed one. As is the lock for the outdoor storage.

I vaguely remembered there was a key for the outdoor storage, too. I never lock it but, in case any kind neighbor turns the inside knob and carefully locks it, locking me out, I'd better find the key. 

So I retrieved the two old keys for the top lock and, clever me, they fit the outdoor storage. So now they're labeled and saved. 

I thought about the neighbor possibility because years ago in our first house a visiting friend followed us out to the garden, to drink tea,  locking the door after her. 

I was too late to stop her, and pointed out I didn't carry house keys out to drink tea in the garden! And the only other door was the front porch, which only locked and unlocked from inside. Windows were too high for any of us to force. Very expensive locksmith visit ensued. The friendship was a bit dented by this incident.

Back to the present, Gary buzzed in and out, admiring, making me accept potato bread, he's deglutenizing his kitchen, retrieving the plants I minded for him, and Billie barked along. 

After all this I thought I'd rest a minute, after lunch, before my Tuesday knitting group. I woke when it was half over. Oh. But I did make the planned delivery to the food pantry, ahead of their Thursday distribution.

Then it was a pot of tea on the deck, crowds of shouting birds, and my kindle open to

Late summer deck reading, very niche.

Textiles and Tea was a revelation about making, farming, dyeing and working with silk.

Karen has literally done all that and learned from silk farmers in India, working with wild and domestic silk production. That's what her book is about. She's a plant whisperer!

I made the crunchy tofu for supper, this time as dice, with more seasoning -- umami mix, cayenne -- in the batter. 

It used up the rest of the batter from the fish, and the panko. I thinned the batter a bit.

This worked fine, in the toaster oven, not much oil, and it still crisped up, about 40 minutes at 400°f, or what the toaster oven claims to be that.

Foyle in the evening. Nice day, despite detours.

Happy day, everyone, may your detours be fun ones.