Un-retired

 

Sunday, November 25, 2012 – Un-retired

This was a blissful Sunday, relaxing but productive.  Immediately after breakfast, I got out my cleaver and hacked that turkey carcass into meaty pieces that went right into the big stockpot.  Making flavorful broth is so simple.  Just cover the roasted turkey bones with filtered water and toss in an onion, a carrot, a celery stalk, a couple of parsley and thyme sprigs, and some peppercorns.  As soon as the liquid came to a simmer, the house was filled with a mouth-watering aroma that lingered all day.  Keeping the Thanksgiving theme going, I added dried cranberries to the muffins I made.  I also made another batch of fresh cranberry relish (the uncooked version with chopped apples and oranges).  With plain Greek yogurt, it makes a delicious snack or dessert that you can enjoy any time of year. 

All of the laundry (sheets and towels from houseguests) is done and put away, and I even made an early morning dash over to Trader Joe’s to make sure I wouldn’t run out of hummus.  But there was also time to take a walk, to read The Washington Post, and to sit down in the afternoon with a cup of ginger-peach tea and watch some skating on TV.   We had turkey soup (with shirataki noodles) and salad for dinner.  By 7 p.m., I’d finished up the dishes.  That means I have another couple of hours to relax before bedtime, which is perfect because my alarm is set to ring at 5 a.m. tomorrow morning.

This is going to be my week of un-retirement.  I’m subbing at Annandale High Monday through Thursday.  Four days in a single week is more than I prefer to do, but it just worked out that way.  And I’ll finish up at 2 p.m., so I’ll still have most of the afternoon free.  However, I remember what it was like when I was teaching, so I anticipate being exhausted and not eager to do much once I get back home.  Of course, Elliott is already making afternoon plans that require my chauffeuring services – Home Depot, Lowe’s, medical appointments, etc.  Oh, no, I’m starting to feel a rising sense of panic that I must overcome.  I’ll take a deep breath (actually, several deep breaths) and remind myself that I can do this, as long as I focus on doing one thing at a time.