Roof Progress

The roof got started today.

The asphalt shingles were stripped off, then the horizontal boards were nailed/sealed over top of the rubber membrane.  The vertical boards are being nailed into the horizontal boards, and the tiles will hook onto them.  They haven't started the front or the garage, so it may take a few days to finish this phase.

...Not sure where they are now.  There are tools and supplies in my yard, and more tools on the roof.  I'm assuming that they've taken a break for dinner, and will be back to collect their stuff.  In the meantime, I'm appreciating the silence.  I know it's necessary, but holy cow is this a noisy process.

Happy points

Happy Point # 1:  I ate the first strawberry from my garden this morning.

Happy Point # 2: I mixed in a bunch more veggies into the back gardens this year than I've ever done before, and so far it's been a success. I already have more (green) tomatoes in my gardens this year than I had total last year.  There are also beets, carrots and onions, none of which I've grown before.  So far, they seem to be doing well.

Happy Point # 3: In case you aren't sick of garden talk or poppies, another pink poppy is blooming today.

Happy Point # 4: There is a sold sign in front of the evil neighbour's house.

Hot Weather Cooking

Although it hasn't gotten too, too hot yet, we're getting a definite taste of summer.  Last night I decided to cook accordingly and made a chicken pasta with blueberries and feta cheese.  It's super easy, and very very yummy.

Chicken pasta with blueberries and feta cheese
1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breast
8 oz uncooked pasta  (Any will do.  I've used penne, bowties, linguine and spagettini, and it's all good.)
1 tbsp of cooking oil
1 shallot (I always use 3-4 green onions)
1/3 cup of low salt chicken or veggie broth.  (This has to be low salt, because the feta is quite salty)
1/3 cup of fresh lime juice
1/3 cup of crumbled feta
1 cup of fresh blueberries

• Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces and cook throughout .  Set aside in a bowl.
• Cook the pasta and add to the chicken bowl
• On medium heat, sauté the onion in the oil until softened.  Add the lime juice and the broth, and when the liquid starts to bubble add the feta.  Stir until the cheese is mostly melted and well mixed with the other ingredients.  Pour over the chicken and pasta
• add the blueberries, and mix well before serving.

This makes 4 servings.  I like it served hot, but the leftovers are pretty good served cold too.

Out of order

I got an exciting phone call on Tuesday.  It seems that the person who was supposed to get their new roof started this week was being indecisive, so the roofing contractor called me to say he'd be starting on my house this week instead. I was slotted to have my roof done in August, but since I know what I want (thanks in part to you) I got to swap places with the indecisive clients.

He said he and his crew would be here Wednesday or Thursday, probably Thursday.  Great, I said.  Come when you can.

He hasn't made it yet.

Technically, he hasn't done anything wrong because, from the beginning, the only agreement we've had  is that he will finish before summer.  There are two phases, and he'll do them both from start to finish so he won't leave any gaping holes exposed to the weather; but other than that, I gave him an end date instead of a timeline.  He doesn't need to come into the house, so I don't need to worry about when he'll be here.

Or so I thought.

(Apparently, I need more paperweights rocks around the edges of the tarp.)

I forgot the little detail that the dog pen has to be covered to catch any stray nails that might fall.  I tarped the pen Tuesday night, and the dogs haven't been able to use it since.  Because the dogs aren't allowed to potty in the rest of the yard, their facilities are unavailable and they need to go on leashed walks four times a day.

I wonder if it's too late to impose the timeline.

Now there's two...

There are two different colours of poppies blooming now, coming from two different plants.  Or, if you really want to put a good spin on it, four flowers are blooming.  Either way, they all add up to me being happy.

I just love the texture of those petals.  They look like paper, and the colour's so vibrant, they could be made from  silk.

I could spend hours, just looking at these flowers.  (Actually, I do.)

Chasing the beams...

When there's a sunbeam, she'll be in it.

I think....

That oil sands and drilling under water should be banned, period.  When the consequences of something going so wrong is so great, the end doesn't justify the means.  If fossil fuels weren't so readily available, we'd be putting our heads together to making more environmental choices like solar power and wind turbines achievable for the common man. Instead, we're destroying the environment so that the oil companies can make a quick buck.

That's all.  I try not to be too political here, but that needed to come out.