Gardening in a Kilt (Buzz Kidder Canvas)

[string]

I had chronic inflammation in the gallbladder, I was completly unable to process fat. ANY fat. It's not generally a huge deal, but since I was not quite the typical patient (most people with this problem are in their 40's and overweight, I'm 20 and underweight) I had to go through a ton of tests and such before they took care of the problem. I had my gallbladder removed back in June, I still have issues with things from time to time, because I still can't process fats well, but overall I am much better. The worst thing about not being able to have fat was the protein cravings, everything with protein it seems, also has fat.

[Bugbear]

I had chronic inflammation in the gallbladder, I was completly unable to process fat. ANY fat. It's not generally a huge deal, but since I was not quite the typical patient (most people with this problem are in their 40's and overweight, I'm 20 and underweight) I had to go through a ton of tests and such before they took care of the problem. I had my gallbladder removed back in June, I still have issues with things from time to time, because I still can't process fats well, but overall I am much better. The worst thing about not being able to have fat was the protein cravings, everything with protein it seems, also has fat.

Yes... I think fat gives the protein texture and something for the flavor to float in. It seems that it is the same for sugar and salt with fat too.

It also seems like I have heard a lot of older-than-me type people talking about having blown their gallbladders out by drinking twelve cases of soda or diet soda a day for years and years and years...

Thankfully I don't usually drink soda like that; I just have soda when I go into town to shop every couple of weeks. I do, however, drink cranberry juice... don't think that is a problem though.

I Do want to add, String, that I am glad you are doing much better, and do not have too much trouble. I hope that your gallbladder-less-ness continues to work out alright with out too much trouble.

[Bugbear]

Well, there's a little bit of excitement going on in the neighborhood today. The gas company found a gas leak in the line down at the other end of the block from me. They were hand digging it, but then they brought in a backhoe on a flatbed. Of course the backhoe snapped the water line coming in from the city right away, so now there is no water service out here until the water line is fixed...

Thankfully, I was out working in the frontyard when this happened and was able to run in the house, fill a stock pot with water and another pot with soapy water before they could find the main water valve and shut us all off... until the water line is fixed.

My bunny instincts were telling me to stay out side, but now they are telling me to stay and hide inside... Also, to switch the breaker to my electric waterheater, and shut the water line valve off to it... I don't know what they're doing out there, but it is noisy.

** I'm surprised, they were able to get the water back on in about two hours... They're still working on the gas line down the way. I guess everything's ok now here in the brier patch.

[Bugbear]

Tried putting orange peals in with the beef and rice again today. I am sure now that the orange peal goes quite well with beef. It adds a bitter flavor on the same line as rosemary, but it also adds a tiny sweet, sharp orange zest to the flavor. All that being said, I think it is also better to chop the peal up or perhaps grate it, so the flavor isn't all in one bite. I can see putting the orange peal on a steak or a roast.

On the other hand, they are still working on that gas line down the way. They were using a very noisy machine, but they shut that off and it's fairly quiet out there.

[string]

Tried putting orange peals in with the beef and rice again today. I am sure now that the orange peal goes quite well with beef. It adds a bitter flavor on the same line as rosemary, but it also adds a tiny sweet, sharp orange zest to the flavor. All that being said, I think it is also better to chop the peal up or perhaps grate it, so the flavor isn't all in one bite.

I can see putting the orange peal into steak or a roast.

most of the recipes i know of with citrus peels in them say to grate the peel.

[Bugbear]

Thanks String. I have tried putting strips of peal in and it is just too strong all for one bite. It needs to be spread out through the whole dish... It might help to throw a dab of lemon juice in there after it is done cooking...

I didn't know. All these years I've been throwing the peals in the compost pile, or having them marmalized. Oh well, they didn't go to waste...

* And as a report, they are still working on the gas line down the street. They started up that noisy machine again a while ago. Guess they'll get it done eventually. That nois is a bit... noisy, LOL.

** They're still working on that gas line down there, and it's 10:30. The people on that end of the block must be going nuts because that machine is very very loud. I'm guessing they're running lights and stuff off the electrical on that machine or something.

It brings back memories of a couple of years ago when the rental house next door to me got it's electrical service shut off. The power pole with the main breaker thingies had rotted and the owner wouldn't replace it. Anyway, the owner kept renting the trailer out to weird people (weird in a bad way), and they had a gas powered generator running all the time. This was almost outside my bedroom window. Day and night with the generator until someone stole the generator. The owner had people living in there all summer with no electrical service and no generator! Strange neighborhood...

*** They're still working on the gas line with that machine... It's coming up on midnight... This is just soooo exciting.

**** Ok, it's a little past one in the morning, and they are still working on the gas line. A little while ago I realized that I had unlocked my front gate, in case they needed to come up on my property or tell me something, so I went out there and put the lock back on the gate. That machine is so loud when I was outside... I think it's been about nine or ten hours sense this all started; it's kind of crazy... I guess they are replacing all the gas line from the leak on down to somewhere or something like that. Guess it's kind of silly of me to post about this; on the other hand, I don't think many people even read this thread, so it doesn't really matter...

[Bugbear]

Well, when I got up to feed the cats about five this morning, they were still working on the gas line and running "The Machine." They're still working on it. I think they're using a different machine, and at one point everything was quiet... for a little while... Oh isn't this a gripping drama...

I did find out this morning that my belted plaids are all on hold because the sewing lady's husband is going to have to have open heart surgery. That's OK, just hope everything goes OK for them.


I have this robe made from thick cloth that has a little bit of a tartan like patern on it, and I have been using it for a blanket over the last couple of nights. It's not too good of a blanket, not big enough, and it's not anything like a belted plaid, no pleats, but it does make me wonder if I should go to the fabric store... And look at fabric other than twill weav wool for a belted plaid... What do I know... They have cream and brown zebra patern fabric... Thoes cheat pleat belted plads, with the sewn in pleats, do remind me of a robe kind of sort of... I should know better than to think about these things.

* They're running that machine again; it's loud again.

[string]

I read this thread, sorry about the machines. I will trade machines for frat boys across the breeze way being annoying.

[Bugbear]

I read this thread, sorry about the machines. I will trade machines for frat boys across the breeze way being annoying.

Thanks for reading this thread, String. I guess the machine is OK, it's just a little different, and they have been working in the same place for so long... I'm not sure what the deal is down there. It does sound like they are running the backhoe now, so maby they are filling the hole back in...

I've been thinking about starting a new thread, but I don't know what it should be. I don't seem to have any ideas.

Anyway, String, hope you are doing well. Also hope all your knitting and stuff, and the fabric stuff is going well.

[Bugbear]

It's been over twenty-four hours, and they are still working on the gas line with THAT MACHINE! THE MACHINE IS TAKING OVER MY LIFE, AAAAAAH!

That being said, I put a dab of honey from the plastic bottle of squeeze-bear honey on my citrus peal, beef and rice today. MMMMMM, yummy.

* Machine Report: they're still working...
Beef tastes good with a little honey on it.
I transplanted a bunch of citrus trees from one patch to another patch, then did laundry, so I could water them in... with the wash water that is.

** It's past ten now and the work still goes on on the gas line in the same place with the same machine... Although, they did shut the machine down for about ten minutes a while ago.


I did go out back and dig out a dwarf boxwood that I had allowed to grow it's roots out of the one-gallon container into the ground... I'll find a place for that tomorrow when I transplant some more of the citrus, and plant more of the fig tree cuttings...

*** I guess they will run that "THING" again all night. That must have been one heck of a problem in the line... Didn't go kabooy! thankfully. The guy who lives next door to me said he could smell the natural gas every time he walked his dog by there, but thought it was a bad septic system or something.

Oh the drama, the drama!