August 17 - Counting Fish

Morning brings aching, aching... but by the time I have my first cup the pain is very much diminished.  And by the time I finish my cheerios I am ready to try the pond again.  Gingerly stepping, and using one crutch for support, I make it to the bench.  Sitting next to Buddha, I concentrate on the swirling fish colors just beneath the surface until I account for each and every fish.  The black one requires patience because he can't be seen until he breaks the surface for a bite of food.  I've named him ghost. I refuse to name the others.


Hubby leaves for town, and I wrestle with the freezer door.  The freezer has a little vacuum which I find challenging at the moment.  I dig short ribs out of the freezer.  Within a half hour they are braising in the oven.  That means I have stood on my two feet (with occasional counter props) for one half hour. Yay!  They'll be ready near 5:00, giving me a lot of time to put my feet up and ice everything down.  


I must be feeling better because my mind is now turning back to my new self-improvement project: learning about wine.  I created a database and am entering in each bottle I drink with general information about it, what food I paired with it, and how it all went.  This will let me think more about what we are getting when we purchase next time.  I'm also picking the wine based on the menu, reading a little about what wines might work with what, rather than just opening red with beef and spaghetti, and white with chicken and fish.  I'm a slow learner...


So I held off on the painkillers.  None all day.  Dinner: Wine braised short ribs with Montebuena Rioja 2009 - google results say this is a "classic Spanish wine."  This is the first time I've had a rioja, and first time I actually could honestly say "black cherries" - nose reminds me of my mom's cherry sherry dessert.  YUM. 


Asleep at 9:15 - no drugs, but seriously wiped out.