Day Fifty-two: The perfect bread

The "Almost No Knead" bread I mixed up last night for raising, I baked this morning. It will definitely not last until my daughter, who loves olives, arrives tomorrow unless I go in there and freeze the half, or so, that remains. I waited for it to cool a little bit and then had a mid-morning snack of just the bread. While I like bread, particularly the homemade kind, and don't put a lot on more normal bread, this bread was made to be eaten by itself. Perfectly crusty. Delightfully soft inside. Tasty without being tart or salty. I got the split done right this time by wetting my knife with the water I had set to boiling before putting the pan in the oven with the bread to help its raising.

This bread snack allowed me to delay lunch while I was cooking wild rice for the Mango Black Bean Salad. I decided to make that salad as I was chopping up green onions for my flax oil base for my oil and vinegar salad dressing. Since it also takes crushed garlic, I ended up crushing a whole head, half for the flax oil and half for the Balsamic Vinaigrette I also made.

All this food discussion is just to say that I had more of the fresh olive bread in an open faced heirloom tomato sandwich, plus a large salad with radishes, "hot shot," some cherry tomatoes, and the Balsamic Vinaigrette I had just made. Then I went ahead and had some of my Mango Black Bean salad as well.

Then I had an early dinner, consisting of more Mango Black Bean salad, another slice of bread, and half a Tuscany melon. Half may have been too much but when I finished the quarter, I decided that it was so good that another quarter wouldn't be too much.

While I admit that I have spent a considerable portion of today either preparing or eating food, I have done some other things. I went to the store. Yes it was a grocery store but only one of three items was a food item. I also went to the Post Office to mail an item that was inadvertently left in my Prius to its rightful owner, presumably the person who left it. I have also spent a considerable time on three computers, one at a time, but at one time all three were on. At this moment I only have two on.

My trip to the Post Office compels me to make a special note. I like the Post Office because of its tradition of slowness. Today was no exception. When I arrived there was one clerk waiting on one person and two other people in line. Well, one was in line and the other one was finishing up a package in order to join the line. The package person went to join the line just as I did. I politely motioned her on ahead of me but she insisted I proceed ahead of her. The single person getting waited on was trying to buy 60 59 cent stamps, which the Post Office didn't carry. He ended up buying 60 58 cent stamps and 60 1 cent stamps. By this time another clerk came out from the back and started serving the person in line ahead of me. Then it was a race to see whether the multiple stamp person could complete his purchase before the new mailer could send his stuff off. The stamp person won and I stepped up for my turn.

I also like the fact that they also always ask if I want stamps. Since I have at least 200 of the forever stamps, I can say no.

Now, I didn't used to appreciate the Post Office traditions. In fact, I used to dread going to the Post Office. Admittedly, most of my previous trips were on large mailing days with much longer lines but just as slow service. The big thing that has changed is my appreciation for it. In my Life after Layoff, I am much more laid back. In my previous trips I always had something to get back to or on to. Plus, if it wasn't an errand at work, it was on the weekend and I really did want to get back to my wife or on to something fun with my wife. It's is much better now. I am much better.

Now my only concern is how I can continue this life, continue to be laid back. That is for another day, a day after September 20th. Until then, I still have a lot to do.