We eat all kinds of meat, love vegetables and slow cooked meals, but I guess we get so busy eating chicken, fish, pork--bacon/sausage--that I just forgot about this delicious old standard. Several of us Piecemakers were discussing roasts on Tuesday night, because we had enjoyed the most tender, delicious roast beef we'd had in a long time at the Men's Bible study potluck down the hall.
Some of us do roasts in the oven, or simmer on top in a Dutch oven; others swear by the crockpot. So I thought I'd try the crockpot for this dish on Pat DesRossiers' and Christine O'Dell's recommendations. Before I put it together last night, I called Pat for some last minute tips. We woke up to the most luscious aroma!! Now I just need a timeframe from Heidi as to when it needs to be ready. And I guess I need to make gravy. Or is the gravy already made? I'll have to stir it a bit and see.
This was a day for taking care of errands and being responsible for the matters and property God has given us stewardship over. After all, we are only stewards of all we possess--everything belongs to God. I Corinthians 4:2 says, "It is required of stewards that a man be found faithful." We signed the form that allows for e-filing of our taxes at Patty and Jimmy's Tax Comp; and then headed to Home Depot to purchased replacement fluorescent light bulbs for our master bathrooom. We must have looked a bit silly carrying the burned out one into the store, especially when the SKU and other model numbers were written on the bulb and I could have jotted them down ahead of time!!
We had already had a difficult morning beset with confusion, with Steve having lost a piece of metal to be used as a tie-down for the batteries in the RV; and he left a bag of bolts he needed to refer to in our bedroom. He found the metal rod in the car where he left it; and thankfully I had written down the bolt sizes on a post-it. It's hard to believe that just a few months ago, Steve and I would discuss what he needed to work on a project, make a little note, and then he would just go and get his items with cash at one of a few local hardware stores.
My need to handle the financial transactions, one thing that we've instituted as his Alzheimer's confusion has advanced, is not that big of a deal. I have been in charge of the bills for at least ten years because of his struggle with even simple math skills, and the negative remarks and exaggerated accusations he would make because of his depression about non-existent, or very fixable, money problems. Hindsight tells me that the roots of his current condition were evident even then. Alzheimer's is just the final, tragic iteration...but I can boldly state, with all assurance, that despite Steve's illness, that God has always been "our refuge and help, an ever present help in trouble." (Psalm 46:1)
What is more of a test for me than dealing with money matters, is advising and helping on mechanical issues with which I have no familiarity whatsoever. It also is a tough realization that Steve's mechanical brilliance is just a faint glimmer now. I tend to use rationality and logic to figure things out, and definitely help Steve keep items and actions in order, but that's about it. This has generated a new thankfulness for dependency on the Lord: the Holy Spirit has been amazingly gracious to give me insights in our garage workshop that do not come from me!! With the emotional volatility of Alzheimer's victims, undoubtedly borne of frustration, a spouse's suggestions and "action plans" are not always well received. So a morning at Home Depot can only be handled by directly asking help from an employee, rather than promoting my own proposals.
It's the partnership we find ourselves in now: Steve works on formulating his ideas for a repair project; I keep us on task through constant prayer for direction. We did get a bungee cord for a temporary fix, and the right light bulbs, but it was clear that we needed our individual space after we got home. Steve worked on fabricating a new battery tie-down, deciding not to use what we'd bought at the employee's suggestion, so I put the package back into the bag with the receipt, and went out to the garden.
We'd enjoyed a few dry days this week, so it was definitely time to irrigate the rows and sprinkle- water the baby spinach plants. I had already determined to pull out the non-flowering wildflowers I'd planted a few months ago if they didn't bloom, so I got in some good upper body exercise, plus alleviated some stress, by yanking them out by the roots. After all, a plant that is not serving its God-designed purpose is just another weed!! I added a pretty big layer of plants to the compost bin, but probably got only half of them removed before I came in. Two entire rows --such hoped-for beauty! Well, the "flowers" will be contributors to the vegetable garden's nutrition at this point. I'm thinking of getting some tomato and pepper sets Saturday, as well as planting peas. My green onions, cilantro and carrots will stay in, along with the lettuce and broccoli, as long as these winter crops can last in next month's encroaching heat.
Back into the kitchen for more busyness, finally clipping and filing last Sunday's coupons. I made lunch and cut up the veggies I wanted for the pot roast, and worked on my Facebook Farm Town farm, always amusing. I just love to see how my FB friends are getting along, too! I mentioned to one gal who was tempted by some free dachshund puppies, that I am glad my daughter-in-law and son live in Long Beach, or there'd be a another new "baby" in the apartment aong with Penny, their new cocker spaniel!
After adding my cubed potaoes, onions and carrots from the garden to the crockpot, I went out to the garage, and voila! Steve announced that he got the battery affixed in its compartment and started the RV!! Given some time and prayer, he got his project finished. Now we can go about the rest of our afternoon and be relaxed when we serve dinner later. Will the meal go as planned? I don't know, but I'll do my best!
Let me just remember, Lord Jesus, what You said in Mark 10:27: "with God, all things are possible."
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