1. It's been since November and December that we had demolition going on in our house and today we lived with the sweet sounds of tile being torn out, carpeting removed, pipes being cut and capped, and bathroom fixtures being ripped out as the next phase of remodeling got underway.
2. The Deke and I took a walk together. First we took care of some business at the Furniture Exchange and then we ambled over to Best Shots where the Deke met Liz to knit. I then scaled Depot Hill and dropped in at the bank to deposit Mom's federal income tax refund in the estate account and then lumbered on home.
Once home, I decided to leave again to get groceries for dinner, but, before going to Yoke's, I dropped in at the Hill St. Depot Pub. As I anticipated, the lunch crowd had emptied out. It was quiet. I brought my Joseph Mitchell book with me. I ordered a Dark and Stormy and curled into a corner spot by a window and proceeded to learn more about Staten Island than I'd ever known. Mitchell loves wildflowers and he used to go to cemeteries on Staten Island to enjoy the variety of foliage. On one trip, he met a priest who recommended he look up a local African-American in his early nineties if he'd like to learn more about a graveyard nearby and the black community this man has lived in most of his life. Mitchell immediately contacts Mr. Hunter and what ensued is some of the most absorbing storytelling I've ever read -- and I'm not done with this particular piece yet. I'll leave it at that for now.
3. I returned home and Christy and Debbie were having a party in Christy and Everett's backyard. I'd just purchased, for old times' sake, a bottle of George Dickel Rye Whisky, so I grabbed a four oz glass out of the cupboard and some ice out of the freezer and joined them for lively conversation, largely centered on the two big events of the day: the remodeling that got started at both of our houses and Tucker's first day of dog obedience school in Hayden. Christy was very happy about the work done in their house so far and with her experience with the dog trainer. It was a clear evening, warm, but not hot; a refreshing breeze kicked up from time to time. This evening we experienced our reward for having endured, without much complaint, the gray, snowy, rainy, damp, icy, short, claustrophobic days of November, December, January, February, and March in the Silver Valley.
I braised four whole chicken thighs atop onion slices and lemon slices in coconut milk flavored with green curry paste, soy sauce, fish sauce, and brown sugar and, about twenty or so minutes before the thighs were done, I added red pepper slices, sliced mushrooms, and broccoli crowns to the Dutch oven. Once the vegetables were tender, the Deke and I enjoyed a really smashing dinner together.
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