Take Anything but the Pizza Box

Monday morning and ugh. Terry and I sat through two episodes of Castle (TV show) last night. I have seen the show in its entirety a few times, but forgot how every episode leaves you wanting more. Castle is a show I could easily binge watch. Viewing the episodes with sweet man, a Castle virgin, is fun. Many episodes of the series have been easily forgotten from the past viewing, until at least 15 minutes in. Some I forget the ending, so it's all good and like watching it for the first time. 

It's Thanksgiving week. I absolutely have no patience when it comes to waiting for the big day to arrive, although it's not like I have control of rushing it either. The grocery list is written. Heading to the store tonight. We have everything planned. All that we need to bring is mentally noted. Look at us being all organized and shit. Although you know that once something is written down and set up before the trip, I will forget things. Big things. Things that matter. 

Last year it was the Cool Whip and I brought fruit salad or ambrosia as most people call it. What does ambrosia need? Fruit. Check. Coconut, check. Nuts, check. The entire group of items is covered in Cool Whip. No bueno. That beautiful, fluffy, sweet white cream is missing. I was so happy when I found the store down the road from my daughter's home was open. Hubby Mac and I ran up and grabbed the cream, along with a few cigars that he forgot to bring. Awesome. He is my people. 

Speaking of awesome, our Togo seems to have become attached to a pizza box. For the past few days, he has carried this box through the house and laid with it on the couch. Our dog is broken apparently. Not sure if this is an emotional thing or if it's because we touched it. I would say it's due to the odor of pizza emanating from within, but he doesn't open it or chew it in any way. There are no remnants of the meal leftover in the box either. He simply loves to carry it to the couch and place it where he is going to lay. 

If anyone gets too close, like us or the cats, he has to move his box to protect it. If someone broke in to hurt us, he would probably run to the couch to grab his pizza box and hide it. Nothing, and I mean nothing can get near his new buddy, humans be damned. 

When I moved in too close to take photos, I not only had the box moved away from me, but I got a side eye glance, I'm guessing as a warning. He even gave the box a pillow to lay on. Bless his little quirky compulsions.

We have to make sure the box is comfortable. The fatherly stare will ensure it is tucked into bed properly. Sweet dreams, pizza box. 

Yeah. Ahem. Notice the husky side eye there? That's what you get in our house when you get too close to a pizza box. Not just any pizza box, but his pizza box. I wonder what this entire process is about. Milk jugs and pizza boxes, kitchen mitts and oven pads. Garbage collection never seems to end. 

Since Thanksgiving is coming soon, I have brought Seymour, my sourdough starter, out of hibernation. It's time to wake up, be fed again, and begin making those beautiful boules. He is so bubbly and full of life that the bread has become a true sourdough in both flavor and texture. 

I don't have to make it quite as tangy if I choose not to. It's all a matter of allowing the hooch to remain in the mixture and how long it is fermented on the counter. For these boules, I will do a shorter fermentation and lose the hooch. I am feeding it bread flour at this time, to enhance the rise and fall trait in the starter. I want it to be perfect when I make these boules. 

Someone in one of my sourdough groups suggested putting some honey in a starter to really push it to the limit in being ready to bake some bread. The other day I tried raw honey and wow! What a difference! Seymour woke right up, took to the warmth of the kitchen after being refrigerated and really shows life. 

Now on Wednesday Seymour will be all set to make some boules for family members. Those bubbles will help give the bread a perfect lift during the baking process. I can't wait! I made a sandwich loaf recently, that turned out so good I might add, but have not baked up a boule in a while. This is the week I need it to go well. 

Anyway, as we mentioned in our last post, our Xterra needed a new battery. She was having a hard time turning over the large engine in the car. We had AAA give us a jump start and off we went to the local Auto Zone. With a new battery installed, she fires right up again! It was good to hear that engine turn over immediately. 

On the way home from Auto Zone, sweet man stopped in to get us a frozen yogurt at Level Up. Yum. Cannot get enough of that stuff! Once again, I had the raspberry/pomegranate with a topping of chocolate yogurt and Terry loves his chocolate and salted caramel combination. Awesome stuff!

This Monday is a good day. I completed files. We got the car going again. The animals are all healthy and doing well. Preparing for Thanksgiving. Feeling good. Loving life. Living life. Hugs and best wishes from the Macrae household to yours. Until our next post, take care!