Updates on Stuff

 

The Basement

The bathroom tile is all done, and the drywall is almost ready for painting.  Centennial Glass should be here sometime this week to take measurements for the glass panel.  Some more of the construction debris in the basement has been cleaned up as well.  We’re almost ready to paint the family room also.

The Main Floor

Jane has been busy painting in the living room and reading room.  It’s basically done now.  I’ll try and post some pictures this week.  We can finally hook up our stereo system, etc.

Getting ready for The Next

About this time last year, there was a big hole in the yard.  Had we known what we know now, the big hole in the yard would have included a trench that extended all the way to the city storm sewer, in order to connect our weeping tile to the sewer.  We just haven’t been satisfied with the sump pump and all that it entails (noise, worry when you go away, worry during power failures, etc.).  So we’ve decided to dig up the yard again, and have the weeping tile in the addition connected to the city storm sewer.  The crew starts tomorrow, so if you see pictures on the blog of the yard all dug-up, these are not re-runs, unfortunately.

Trip to the Market

Today was the opening day for the Ottawa Farmers Market.  Unlike the major open-air markets in Ottawa, this one focuses exclusively on vendors who grow or raise everything they sell.  The Byward and Parkdale markets are a mix of local producers, and people who truck in fruits and veggies from away.  Both systems have their plusses and minuses.  I doubt we’ll ever see peaches from the Niagara Peninsula at the Farmers Market, and I wouldn’t want to go a whole summer without Niagara peaches.  On the other hand, it is nice to interact with the people who actually grow the stuff.

We have never been to the Framers Market, and had an enjoyable visit there, despite cold and windy weather.  Given the time of year, not many veggies for sale, but lots of interesting meat vendors, and the usual mix of honey, hot sauces, baked goods, etc.  We did buy an assortment of various cultivated mushrooms, some local asparagus, honey, smoked elk sausage, samosas, as well as some pasture-raised pork (shoulder chops for dinner later in the week, and a slab of belly for culinary experiments to be determined later).  We picked up some pamphlets from the various meat vendors, as we’re considering getting a freezer, and then buying some larger quantities of meat from local farmers.

Some of our haul from the market got turned into tonight’s dinner.  The mushrooms got made into the Wild Mushroom Soup from the Les Fougères cookbook.  As an aside, I had that soup in the restaurant a few years ago, and have not gotten the flavour out of my head ever since.  When I got the cookbook for Christmas, I was very happy once I saw the mushroom soup recipe was included in the book.  The soup tonight did not disappoint.  We also had the asparagus from the market, as well as some olive buns we picked up there.  Since you can only buy frozen meat at the market, I picked up a fresh chicken at the butcher, and roasted it “spatchcocked” in the oven, and glazed with a honey-ginger glaze.  A nice meal enjoyed by all.

Apropos of Nothing

snack time in the back yard.  We moved the bird feeder from the front yard to the back

Can Miso come out to play?  She could help me chew on the garbage can lids!

Mushrooms from the Farmers’ Market

…Combined with some dried mushrooms.  On their way to becoming most awesome soup.  The pot in the back is homemade stock combined with the liquid from soaking the dried mushrooms.