On second thought...

Since I was a work-in appointment this morning, I had a bit of a wait.  Just before the doctor was to come, a nurse popped her head in the door and asked me to go ahead and take off my shoes and socks.  I told her that as soon as I did, my feet would turn blue(r), so she said to just be ready.

Then, I had a rather good second thought.  It would actually be a good thing for my doctor to see my blue feet.  She was only about five minutes more, but in that time, I had a deep blue in three of my toes, which made the two red ones really stand out.

The difficult news is that the medications used to treat Reynaud's are drugs that lower blood pressure ... a bad thing for someone with already low blood pressure ... when it isn't shooting sky high.  So, she prescribed a nitroglycerin paste to get the medication onto my feet with (hopefully) a lesser effect on the rest of my body.

Of course the medication requires a pre-authorization.  The pharmacist called whilst I was still in the doctor's parking lot—for a medical building, there is very little handicapped parking.  I trudged back across the lot and to the second floor to let them know there was fax awaiting them that needs to be completed and submitted.  SIGH.

I then went to pick up my third pair of glasses.  Charm was accomplished.  I can finally see distance in my left eye.

Then, I set out to try and spend my limited grocery money to get the things I chose for this month.  I did not make my goal.  However, if half of the items for the vegetable stock are in the freezer for when I make chicken stock, does that really count as going over?  My new goal is $75.  Given that I am short of milk and am in need of the fresh herbs for stew, I might have to allow $80.  Still, that would be $95 less than my new grocery budget and $145 less than my old grocery budget.

It was with much fear and trepidation that I set out to make my vegetable stock with the ingredients on my grocery list: "icky vegetables for stock."

The green onions are for a recipe on Friday, but I will not need all in the package, so I tossed in a few.  Whilst choosing "icky" vegetables, I studied the nutritional labels for each and chose things that had vitamin C, thinking that I couldn't go wrong there.

I thought the end result was much, much, much better than I expected.  The tiny bit of ... goodness ... that you see on top was a bit of butter and avocado oil.  I read through 13 recipes before I just started plucking things off the shelf, but Martha Stewart recommended a bit of goodness, so I added it.  She actually recommended using olive oil, but I had yet to try my avocado oil, so chose it.  Technically, though, are not avocado's fruit????

In the middle of carrying all the vegetables to the trashcan, I had another second thought.

Yep, I made a bisque with four of the "icky" vegetables!

Okay, carrots are not icky.  But certain turnips, rutabagas, and parsnips are!  I cannot really tell you how I made it, because I was not all that focused on measuring.  However, I decided to use those four vegetables, sea salt, McCormack® Peppercorn medley, ginger, garlic, and some stock.  It. Was. Heavenly.

One serving is in my belly and the other three are cooling for the freezer.  Imagine that!  Such a tasty fillip to stock-making!

Whilst I was being a stockmaker, I also cooked up another pot of Spicy Dr Pepper Pulled Pork.

This is what it looks like when you pull out all of the onions!

My final goal for the day is to do a double batch of Texas Flour Tortillas (one for me and one for Marie).  I have yet to start that.  Mostly, because I decided to start a fire.  Yep, Firewood Man tracked down some wood for me.  Since he worked so hard to find some, I did not have the heart to tell him that I did not have room in the super tight budget that is March 2014 for firewood.

Therein lies my real problem. I do not yet have enough fiscal discipline.  SIGH.  I am warm, though!


I am Yours, Lord.  Save me!