Tuesday, February 13, 2018

Three Beautiful Things 02/12/18: Dump Run, Surprise Hug at St. Vincent's, Leftover Heaven

1.  Early this afternoon, I sauntered over to Christy and Everett's and pocketed the keys to Everett's pick up and drove the cardboard and bags of discarded things to the dump. Christy had some other things to go to the dump, so I returned, loaded them up, and made another trip.

The dump has instituted a sticker program. Using the county dump (well, transfer station) is covered by a solid waste fee and the sticker confirms that one has paid the fee.

When I arrived with my first load, the woman who checked me in thanked me very enthusiastically for having the sticker on the windshield. It kind of fired me up that she was so excited and I smiled broadly and said, "You bet!"

2. Christy also had donations ready to go out to St. Vincent de Paul's collection center in Osburn. The first load included two large dog crates -- Christy and Everett had just bought new ones. I arrived at St. Vincent's with the crates and some other things, lifted the crates out of the bed of the pickup, and suddenly the guy who works in the collection area charged me and wrapped himself around me in a big hug.

He was moved to hug me by the fact that a guy my age could lift the crates out of the pickup all by myself. He was fired up. When he saw my Lane sweatshirt, he told me he always thinks of Eugene as the first place, when heading south, a person sees palm trees.

"Isn't that right?"

"Well, I don't think so. I lived there a long time and don't remember palm trees."

I made one more trip to St. Vincent's and the guy who'd hugged me earlier told me he almost sold the dog crates already and that it was a great donation to make to a second hand store.

"That's great. I'm glad it's such a good thing!"

3.  I pulled the leftover braised round eye roast and vegetables out of the fridge and put a helping into a pan to warm up. I dipped into the beef stock that's been bubbling away since Thursday and added some to the leftovers, making them into something like a stew or a soup.

This was one of the best bowls of anything I've ever eaten. The leftover sauce that the beef and vegetables had been resting in had matured, especially the ginger. The added stock complimented the sauce, increasing its depth. The meat and vegetables absorbed the salty gingery garlic-y flavors of the sauce and stock and I found myself wishing that I'd never finish this meal. But, I did, and I greedily returned to the kitchen and heated up the still remaining leftovers with stock again and indulged in my last helping of this most satisfying meal.


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