☯ ... both sides now ....

 ☯  ... I've looked at Love from both sides now .... ala Joni Mitchell.
recently [ two years b / c I am always slow on the uptake ]. the Icelandic singer and everything music, Laufey performed the JM standard, to a new standard. Comments were rave. I enjoyed and admired her performance - however, how much better is she than anyone else ....
to me, the epithets are fresh and vibrant and piquant

loved it

' boro is going to above freezing for today, then, we rise for five days. A cold night or two but we are headed Spring - > nice spring.

I need a rest day. Oh, alright, today will do, just fine

follow up: the flushmate toilet fill time review. The average is 40 sec c.f. the 4 min that was the situation for the last three weeks or so.

backyard looks remarkably cleaned out after the lumberjack work of Friday.

battle of the bulge -et. Yes. For about a month now, I have been careful eating. Back in Feb, I started at 182.2 lb. Today, the number is 175.2. There is always a Uh -o part. I don't look any slimmer or better. My pants fit awkwardly. I am down to reasonable girth, the size 36 are comfortable.
We need to be aware that last year, over the same time frame I did lower my weight pre - trip to UK. BUT as 2025 wore on, yes, everything went back.

The pattern is way less bready stuff and rice and veg / potato and veg. I surmise that bread is too easy - pick up a slice and add meat / jam etc

 

⚛ on Mars 27

 ⚛ a return to sunny cold in the ' boro. Wearing the plaid lumberjack look - I lumberjacked the backyard to clear a dead tree that toppled AND crashed the wall 

What was the greater tragedy 😭. Using the reciprocating saw plus pruner blade the victim was trimmed and tossed ( oh, the ravine is right there )

Topic : the flushmate power toilet. Yesterday I reported that I picked up the duckbill valve which prevents backflow of water and air out of  the pressurizing bladder. Today I installed the new valve. Actually I was a little concerned, I didn't want to tear the old one. In case ,  I needed a spare but I was able to ease it out with a pair of long forceps. Well actually they're pliers but we use it for fishing to de-hook fish. The duckbill goes in atop the air intake opening  and is held in place by the inducer cap. Finger tight connection. However, the suction of the process ' glues the duckbill to the cap '

we are claiming  a success, on the two trials, that is flushing - we have times of just under a minute and also 50 seconds which is 3 minutes faster than the worst that's been happening for about the last 3 weeks.

further reportage. all flushes thus far are under a minute. FYI. A cartridge replacement is $ 180 [ time and parts ]. AND according to the online checklist system, waterline and screen first, second adjust the lever position, third replace the cartridge AND then the duckbill. 
The info says ' for noise or irregular flushing ' check / replace the duckbill. NOT long full time.

BUT I found a YouTube vid that had a veteran plumber and he said ' check the duckbill first b /c 80 % of the problems could the valve failure or clog.

📲 and now the 26 th

 📲 ... accept the now. now.  ' boro is partly, cloudy and that's all day. Temperature is headed N of 40. 

big deal. maybe, headed for Great Sox, yes, selling socks. no not stocks - socks

Okay so I get to the corner where the store supposed to be? Can't find it, so I ask around. Finally I figured it out on the map, that it's the other way (  it's it's crazy the numbers go backwards on this street. Can't figure out why  ) 

so get inside. Do I find the socks I want? Yes $16 a pair. However it's buy 3 pr get one free. So 33% off. I guess it's a deal. Anyways, took a chance. It's high percentage Merino wool, guaranteed antimicrobial blah blah blah blah blah and they're supposed to fit really well. So what the hell? I took a chance for $48.

so that's part of it then. The second thing this morning was I was supposed to find a duck bill valve for our power flush toilet so I pass a home Depot and decide I'll drop in but they don't stock it. But as we're talking I blather out something about Amre had it and the guy goes well. You just have to go up the street. I said what. Yeah he said it's just up the street

 so that's where I go get lined up for what 10 minutes  Guy said. No problem $7 later I walk out with the duck bill valve that's going to solve our problems with the power flush toilet

Oh while heading to plumbing supply. Drive by our fav Italian bakery ( had a fire in Dec ). The cardboard sign says ' pick up orders, use side door '. Took a chance, ' Do I have to order ahead ? '

Yes. But ask and maybe I can help you, veal sandwich 

" that I can do " yeah 👍 

verdict. Sox are exactly as advertised. Lite wool socks [ summer hiking ]. Comfy, easy to put on. And one size fits all, did fit me [ rare that ]. The Great Sox store had a sign ' all sales final '. Figured I'd take a chance - brand name, and reputable store.
Get home. The packaging from J.B. Fields [ ? ] says satisfaction guaranteed for one year.
Come on, who warrants socks for 1 year. Really

veal cutlet - winner as well.

duckbill valve still in the package b /c the toilet is flushing properly

At the Sox box, there were cheaper socks some merino wool [ expensive ones were 70 % merino ]. Heavier and anti microbial for 10 - 15 washes. 

🈵 25 days in the III month

 🈵 in the ' boro, as the rest of the city, potholes is the hot topic. on the watch, a neighbour got quick results and a large, enlarging tire gobbler was filled in last night

ahead, we have 40 F < then a big drop for 24 h. rain or whatever, a constant likelihood

report, I soaked the navy beans overnight [ not 2 cups but one ]. the rationale is ' if it goes wrong, at least a whole whack of foodstuff isn't wasted.'. Besides, there are two of us. I need some molasses and also while there, dishwasher powder. 
I'm not buying those dishwasher pods anymore.

shopping was productive but expanded just a tad. also, bought house brand Mayo and unsalted toasted almonds 

on the baked bean adventure. cooked the beans for an hour. prepared a baking liquid of chicken stock, packet of ketchup, brown sugar, molasses and a touch of red wine vinegar. poured over -   sauteed bacon and the pre cooked onion mixture from yesterday [ see, really comes in handy ]
into the oven for an hour.
OK most recipes use 1 lb of dry beans or 2 cups, as mentioned.
I mistakenly, poured out the cooked bean water [ hence chicken stock ]
I figure the long baking time is to incorporate the flavours into the beans. 
So, my version is shorter [ less flavour ??? ]

taste test. first trial rated a good. flavour right, beans are cooked but not soggy

Winner, first try. Hoping that re - heating the beans prior to serving amplifies the taste profile.

They also serve who only stand and wait[ a little Milton ]

㊗ on Mar 24

 ㊗   Sun is up

Cool out there but 😍 beauti. 

As a prep ahead, to use up leftover s, I pan fried onions, carrots and celtuce. A smashed garlic bud was slightly sauteed for a touch of piquant - cy

anyway, was a solid move. complimented the left overs.
even w / dinner tonight, bacon and eggs - a nice little side dish for flavour

the weather in the ' boro is fickle [ you know that ]. we got to > 40 by a tiddle and warmth is coming
BUT we drop to 32 and of course, much colder at night.

Celtuce ??? come on, for real ??? yes, its a lettuce grown for this stalk, mainly. Leaves are lettuce - y but sparse. Thus, you eat the stem. A supposed nutty [ gingery ] taste. Mine was OK, celery, maybe, a veg, that' s it.

overall, this has been a quiet set of days. I can tell you - very necessary, like recovery. like sleep. 
OK. celebrate the quiet

🛍 ... on reflecting .....

 🛍 perspective is everything...... 
when you realize how limited that you are .....

' boro got it all. wet. snow. sunshine
near freezing, tho ' all day

well, the type of day where you'll get no credit if you survive. I did 

Dinner turned out to be the 2 and best burger in the ' boro. My fav and if I say ' the best ' someone always argues.

M ... got soulvlaki and enormous Greek salad and fries. And the Mojo burger did not disappoint ( a masterpiece)

A .. and I discussed my aging worries and worries about worrying about aging 

Starbucks for 1 1 / 2 h 

🖨 the saga of the 22 nd

 🖨 here in the boro the story is wet. rain coming down and ground is soaked. Temperature is Spring ish but on the low side. What s coming, more of the same. Not freezing but close.

breaking - > gas price rises but that is same old same old [ two weeks and on going ].
such is the world and the inter connected commerce such as oil and gas

updating : the rain ceased and left a dull day out there. Let me tell you that the white is going fast. Parking lots still have mounds but those hills are flattening out

on the health front. about two weeks ago, I gave blood for general health indicators and PSA for prostate. The results are online. All seemed in normal range, WBC and RBC might be a tad suspect - in the zone but on the low side. Prostate indicator seemed to say ' relatively low chance ' of prostate cancer. And since Doc hasn't been in touch, likely a good sign