Cool Change

It has been very nice the past few evenings...temps in the low 70's-upper 60's. I wish I could have enjoyed them more. We have left the windows closed and the A/C on due to allergies. We are at the front door to autumn once Labor Day rolls around in the US. The days warm up slower and the nights cool down quicker until before you know it, it is mid October and the overnight lows are in the 40's.

I spent the day yesterday cleaning, running errands, and helping my wife. Once I got the house vacuumed (sans the kitchen...my wife did that room), I cleaned out the attic, took out trash, and walked the dogs (twice). My wife spot scrubbed the couch (small pet stains) and while that dried, we stopped by our son's storage unit to drop off a small stack of boxes that he left at the house (we forgot on but my wife stated she will take it back Monday). Once we got there and found it, it turned out to be a) smaller than we expected @ $40 a month, and b) in total disarray. The parent in me cleaned it up some, just enough to stack the stuff in that we brought.

We got home and my wife began cooking a meal that we will have today with guests we are inviting from church. We do not entertain often and my wife is feeling especially generous this weekend. That prompted me to let her know that I wanted to ask a former manager over when it cools down some for a BBQ. He is a big meat eater and I have been meaning to have him over for about 6 years now.

For dinner my wife had some pork chops she wanted grilled so I took the opportunity to grill a flat iron steak. Flat iron is just the shoulder...not and expensive cut, but cooking it slower than a regular sirloin or filet makes it very flavorful. I marinated it in soy and Worcestershire sauce while grilling it over the lowest direct heat I could get for 15 minutes on a side or so. It was very good. I plan to buy more of those!

While my wife was finishing up I wrote the BSOB gang to give them the itinerary for my upcoming trip, just in case they were free. I have several things I wanted do while I am there and a lot of people I wanted to see.