Are We Done Yet? Tanktimus Endures Yet More Uncertainty

[Elastigirl]

1 hour ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

A meat thermometer is your friend.

Truth. One of the great things about being on NF, was that I finally broke down and bought a meat thermometer.  But thick porkchops still taste dry. Maybe I need to go for a lower temperature?

[Scaly Freak]

7 minutes ago, Elastigirl said:

Truth. One of the great things about being on NF, was that I finally broke down and bought a meat thermometer.  But thick porkchops still taste dry. Maybe I need to go for a lower temperature?

 

Of the oven or pan, yes. Of the pork, not necessarily. 

 

Do you cover them while you cook them?

[Elastigirl]

3 hours ago, Scaly Freak said:

 

Of the oven or pan, yes. Of the pork, not necessarily. 

 

Do you cover them while you cook them?

I don't cover it. Can't remember the oven temp- 350, I think I actually haven't cooked thick pork chops in a while, as a gave up. I bought these thinking they were thinner then they were

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

10 hours ago, Snarkyfishguts said:

 

I'm glad you were there for this, and that the uniform fit.  It sounds like he was one of the best of people. Running out of gas seems normal, even when a funeral is a healing event that goes well, it's exhausting too. Grief is tiring, even if hope and love overshadow it. *hugs*  You added to that hope and love today. 

Thanks.

10 hours ago, Elastigirl said:

Truth. One of the great things about being on NF, was that I finally broke down and bought a meat thermometer.  But thick porkchops still taste dry. Maybe I need to go for a lower temperature?

I know pork tenderloin can be taken off of heat at 145 degrees. What temp are you going for on your pork chops?

10 hours ago, Scaly Freak said:

 

Of the oven or pan, yes. Of the pork, not necessarily. 

 

Do you cover them while you cook them?

That can help.

6 hours ago, Elastigirl said:

I don't cover it. Can't remember the oven temp- 350, I think I actually haven't cooked thick pork chops in a while, as a gave up. I bought these thinking they were thinner then they were

With the Rona I am doing curbside pickup on groceries a lot more often these days. However, it's a crapshoot when it comes to meat and produce. I would not have picked the porkchops in question either.

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Today is a good day. I did some minimal stretches again. With Sra. Tanque going back to work it's affected routine again, necessitating another adaptation to my workout rhythm. After my MIL got there, I ran to the grocery store for a couple of things I left off the order. I also made lunch. I took some rice (not microwave this time) and cooked it for about five minutes in melted coconut oil with salt, turmeric, and rice vinegar. I then added water, brought it to a boil, covered it, and turned the heat down letting it simmer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile I cooked some minced garlic in coconut oil, then added some shredded rotisserie chicken,  curry powder, paprika, salt, pepper, and stir fry veggies. I let it cook for a bit, stirring, then added 2 cans of coconut milk and approximately 3/4 to 1 c of chicken broth. I let that come to a boil, then turned the heat down and let that simmer. It was very good.

[deftona]

Are your teachers back in classrooms now?

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

2 minutes ago, deftona said:

Are your teachers back in classrooms now?

Yes, but not the way you think. The first week back is in-service (Professional development and the like) before students return. However, while this would normally involved a bunch of teachers in a big room, it has involved everyone on zoom calls, except instead of work-from-home, they are in their classrooms. The first few weeks back will be online-only, but teachers are required to be physically in their classrooms during the time school would normally have students. 

[deftona]

1 minute ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

The first few weeks back will be online-only, but teachers are required to be physically in their classrooms during the time school would normally have students. 

 

.... but why

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

33 minutes ago, deftona said:

 

.... but why

[Red1263]

23 hours ago, Scaly Freak said:

 

Of the oven or pan, yes. Of the pork, not necessarily. 

 

Do you cover them while you cook them?

I also agree with this method. If I cook while covering them, the steam/juice goes back into the meat instead of evaporating and the result makes it nice and juicy

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

22 hours ago, Red1263 said:

I also agree with this method. If I cook while covering them, the steam/juice goes back into the meat instead of evaporating and the result makes it nice and juicy

Make sense.

 

Today is a good day. I did some KBs, one round of the workout and change. I cooked, but don't really feel like writing it out. I'm at work and kinda tired. Not sick or anything, just kinda run down.

[Sloth the Enduring]

 
.... but why

While regular people trust and respect teachers, bureaucrats and politicians don’t. They don’t want to risk that teachers might not work a full shift or have their focus shared by their own children.

[deftona]

3 hours ago, Sloth the Enduring said:

While regular people trust and respect teachers, bureaucrats and politicians don’t. They don’t want to risk that teachers might not work a full shift or have their focus shared by their own children.

 

I was talking to a primary school teacher yesterday and she said when they go back (in a couple of weeks when the new school year starts) they aren't allowed to wear visors or masks, and they're not allowed to show the kids they're scared or anxious so the kids don't get anxious. 

 

Which of course I understand to a point, it must be awful for the children. But nobody should be expected to put their job ahead of their health in this way, when there are very simple workarounds that would offer an element of protection. 

[WhiteGhost]

On 8/15/2020 at 4:48 AM, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

Yes, but not the way you think. The first week back is in-service (Professional development and the like) before students return. However, while this would normally involved a bunch of teachers in a big room, it has involved everyone on zoom calls, except instead of work-from-home, they are in their classrooms. The first few weeks back will be online-only, but teachers are required to be physically in their classrooms during the time school would normally have students. 

That don't make no sense

[NightWatcher13]

9 hours ago, WhiteGhost said:

That don't make no sense

I don't even want to know how many times I've said that about stuff this year... but babysitting teachers by telling them they need to be in the classroom when no one else is is definitely a few more levels of "what the heck?!"

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

16 hours ago, Sloth the Enduring said:

While regular people trust and respect teachers, bureaucrats and politicians don’t. They don’t want to risk that teachers might not work a full shift or have their focus shared by their own children.

That, and the general bias against work from home from people to stubborn to see new ways of doing things.

12 hours ago, deftona said:

 

I was talking to a primary school teacher yesterday and she said when they go back (in a couple of weeks when the new school year starts) they aren't allowed to wear visors or masks, and they're not allowed to show the kids they're scared or anxious so the kids don't get anxious. 

 

Which of course I understand to a point, it must be awful for the children. But nobody should be expected to put their job ahead of their health in this way, when there are very simple workarounds that would offer an element of protection. 

There are a lot of people for whom their job is their whole identity, and it never occurs to them that others might want this thing called a life, nor do they believe in these things called boundaries.

10 hours ago, WhiteGhost said:

That don't make no sense

Somebody's butter done slid off their biscuit. 

1 hour ago, NightWatcher13 said:

I don't even want to know how many times I've said that about stuff this year... but babysitting teachers by telling them they need to be in the classroom when no one else is is definitely a few more levels of "what the heck?!"

Yes, yes it is. To make matters worse, they aren't allowed to congregate, so even though they are in the same building, they can't hang out in person. It's the worst of both worlds.

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Today is a good day. I got to spend a lot of it with the baby so Sra. Tanque could get ready for the first day of "School" tomorrow. I made some chicken salad for lunch, and for dinner I made something good.

 

I made mashed potatoes with 2 lbs of red potatoes which I boiled, then mashed with butter, milk, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

 

I also roasted some asparagus with salt, pepper, avocado oil and white wine vinegar.

 

I also fried some chopped bacon and a chopped onion in a skillet, then removed the onion bacon mixture and set it aside. In the grease I cooked some chopped chicken thighs with salt, "Poultry Seasoning" (it's what the mix was called) and garlic powder. When that was cooked I added 1 c half and half and 1 c chicken broth. I let that come to a boil and simmer for a bit, adding in some cornstarch to thicken it. After a while I added the bacon and onion mixture back in. I served it in a bowl and put the mashed potatoes on top, we mixed the potatoes in with the chicken dish and it was amazing. 

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Today is a good day. I did KBs in the morning, and went off to work. I've cooked so much over the weekend, that each of us took leftovers to work for lunch, had leftovers for dinner, and have yet another round of leftovers for lunch tomorrow at work. Please note each of these three sets of leftovers are from different meals. A coworker came back to work after being gone for a month with a sick family member in another state and he said there was a dramatic change in my appearance, that I was slimmer.

[Snarkyfishguts]

14 hours ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

Today is a good day. I did KBs in the morning, and went off to work. I've cooked so much over the weekend, that each of us took leftovers to work for lunch, had leftovers for dinner, and have yet another round of leftovers for lunch tomorrow at work. Please note each of these three sets of leftovers are from different meals. A coworker came back to work after being gone for a month with a sick family member in another state and he said there was a dramatic change in my appearance, that I was slimmer.

 

It's nice knowing that your hard work is becoming visible to others! I'm really happy for you! 

[Harriet]

14 hours ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

A coworker came back to work after being gone for a month with a sick family member in another state and he said there was a dramatic change in my appearance, that I was slimmer.

Excellent work. 

[Starpuck]

Caught up now.  Mostly.  Phew.

I came hungry -- because it's almost lunch time, damnit.

I knew it was a mistake, but it had to be done.

 

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

1 hour ago, Snarkyfishguts said:

 

It's nice knowing that your hard work is becoming visible to others! I'm really happy for you! 

Thank you!

1 hour ago, Harriet said:

Excellent work. 

 

22 minutes ago, Starpuck said:

Caught up now.  Mostly.  Phew.

I came hungry -- because it's almost lunch time, damnit.

I knew it was a mistake, but it had to be done.

 

You know better  

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Today is a good day. I did some stretching in the morning before getting ready for work. It was what I needed. I was feeling pretty sleepy, but the stretching perked me up. I went and got subs after I got home from work and determined there would be no cooking tonight. Things are going really well, which means there isn't much to write about. I'll take it.

[Sylvaa]

On 8/15/2020 at 10:33 PM, Sloth the Enduring said:

On 8/14/2020 at 4:50 PM, deftona said:

 
.... but why

While regular people trust and respect teachers, bureaucrats and politicians don’t. They don’t want to risk that teachers might not work a full shift or have their focus shared by their own children.

 

I'm actually surprised where I live didn't go to a system like this. There is a horrible lack of community support in our area for any kind of plan that did not result in children being back at school full-time day one. To be honest, there is a significant lack of teacher support in my area across the board. So this would counteract the whole, "Teachers have it easy and they are complaining about having to go back to work" mentality that is pretty pervasive.*

 

*To be clear, I do not share this mentality. It's just really prevalent.

[Scaly Freak]

15 minutes ago, Sylvaa said:

I'm actually surprised where I live didn't go to a system like this. There is a horrible lack of community support in our area for any kind of plan that did not result in children being back at school full-time day one. To be honest, there is a significant lack of teacher support in my area across the board. So this would counteract the whole, "Teachers have it easy and they are complaining about having to go back to work" mentality that is pretty pervasive.*

 

Sounds like you live in my area, or at least one very similar to it. We also have a lot of grumbling around here that essential workers have no right to complain or be stressed since they've been allowed to keep working throughout this whole pandemic, especially the healthcare workers.  I just can't even.