[A] computer is a stupid machine with the ability to do incredibly smart things,
while computer programmers are smart people with the ability to do incredibly
stupid things. They are, in short, a dangerously perfect match.
– Bill Bryson, in I'm a Stranger Here Myself –
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I went up to the country house Tuesday, returned Thursday. I actually managed to get some stuff done this time. I cleaned out the little desk in the living room, and started on the kitchen pantry. Man, I'll never have to buy another envelope in my entire life! I can't believe how much stuff was in that tiny desk!
The pantry also revealed some surprises. I guess once upon a time I actually cooked. There was some delicious-looking stuff in there. Unfortunately, it all probably predates Jay's illness, so even if it escaped the mice, it's probably no good. There's like six different kinds of dry pasta and several types of rice in glass containers, and I seriously considered just bringing it all home, but Daughter says that even macaroni has a bit of wheat oil that would have gone rancid, so no. It might not kill anyone, but probably would taste "off". So I dumped loads of dry stuff into a garbage bag and set the containers aside for recycle or reuse. I brought home four boxes of roasting bags, five in each box, gave two to Daughter. There are several bottles of flavored vinegars still there. I wonder if they'd be still good. Vinegar never goes bad, right?
That pantry is wonderful. It has sliding doors like on a very large closet, and there are six or seven shelves on each side, packed solid. I managed to clear two and a half shelves. I'm going to have to get faster.
I had taken the little car, so I was limited in what I could bring back, but I met my goal of two large bags of garbage, one bag of paper and containers for recycle, and two bags of "keep" stuff. I'm still overwhelmed by the amount of work, but at least I'm making progress. And with real A/C, I'll be more likely to get some real stuff done this summer.
(Damn Daughter. She doesn't think I am capable of making decisions. She met me when I pulled into the driveway and helped unload the car. She took the recycle and garbage bags away from me, said she'd put them in her cans. She thinks I'm unaware that she's afraid that between now and garbage collection on Monday (recycle on Wednesday) I'll go through the bags and save stuff. Sheesh!)
Oh, speaking of summer and A/C, the country house is expecting snow this weekend. I keep saying that our last snow had always been the first week of April. True again.
.
The pantry also revealed some surprises. I guess once upon a time I actually cooked. There was some delicious-looking stuff in there. Unfortunately, it all probably predates Jay's illness, so even if it escaped the mice, it's probably no good. There's like six different kinds of dry pasta and several types of rice in glass containers, and I seriously considered just bringing it all home, but Daughter says that even macaroni has a bit of wheat oil that would have gone rancid, so no. It might not kill anyone, but probably would taste "off". So I dumped loads of dry stuff into a garbage bag and set the containers aside for recycle or reuse. I brought home four boxes of roasting bags, five in each box, gave two to Daughter. There are several bottles of flavored vinegars still there. I wonder if they'd be still good. Vinegar never goes bad, right?
That pantry is wonderful. It has sliding doors like on a very large closet, and there are six or seven shelves on each side, packed solid. I managed to clear two and a half shelves. I'm going to have to get faster.
I had taken the little car, so I was limited in what I could bring back, but I met my goal of two large bags of garbage, one bag of paper and containers for recycle, and two bags of "keep" stuff. I'm still overwhelmed by the amount of work, but at least I'm making progress. And with real A/C, I'll be more likely to get some real stuff done this summer.
(Damn Daughter. She doesn't think I am capable of making decisions. She met me when I pulled into the driveway and helped unload the car. She took the recycle and garbage bags away from me, said she'd put them in her cans. She thinks I'm unaware that she's afraid that between now and garbage collection on Monday (recycle on Wednesday) I'll go through the bags and save stuff. Sheesh!)
Oh, speaking of summer and A/C, the country house is expecting snow this weekend. I keep saying that our last snow had always been the first week of April. True again.
.
