The urge to cook on Sunday afternoon was rather strong. I did not want to use my oven, as I was uncertain as to how much life it still had left, and I thought it might be fun to try something new, in one of my other appliances. I wanted to preserve the energy left in my old range, as my new oven was scheduled to arrive on Wednesday, but I was uncertain as to the time. Any time between one and eight had read the message received. As I generally expect at least one guest for dinner on a Wednesday, I had to consider what I could make using one of my other appliances. Sponge pudding in the Instant Pot should be simple! All I needed was a pudding basin. I searched my kitchen, knowing that at one time I had half a dozen, but remembering that over the years they had chipped, cracked or both, and I had finally discarded the last one a couple of years ago. I followed the instructions I had printed for the Instant Pot and found it not to be as easy as using the stove top. "Put the just boiled water into the pot. Place the trivet in the pot. Place the containers containing the mixture on the trivet. Put on the lid. Do not close the vent. Time for twenty minutes. (Use a time as it will not time.) Close the vent. Put on manual for ten minutes. Let steam release naturally". What could be simpler? How about, boil water, put containers in the pot, cover and let simmer for 90 minutes. Longer, perhaps, but so much less pressure! Perhaps that is why it is called a 'pressure' cooker! However, the result was quite delicious. I used a small 'bundt' cake tin and a small Pyrex bowl. I would have to find a pudding basin!
"I can't make a 'Mrs Sainsbury's' on the grill!" (Barbeque) I said to Dana, who had suggested that I could use my wonderful, circular object that I had won a couple of years ago. "Oh. I guess not", was the answer. If I have not mentioned it, a 'Mrs Sainsbury's' is a dish first bought by me, many years ago, in the British supermarket, Salisbury's, which consists of large pasta shells, bolognaise sauce and white sauce. I can't remember exactly how it was all 'put together', but Samantha once had a craving for 'that thing you used to get at Sainsburys', and when I made it, I was given the title 'Mrs. Sainburys' which I, in turn, gave to the dish. However, I digress. A 'Mrs Sainbury's' on a grill cannot be made! Hopefully, the oven would arrive earlier in the afternoon, and I could cook the said delicacy before my guests arrived.
Monday was a holiday. A day off 'in lieu' for Veteran's Day. The courthouse was closed and, therefore, we were officially closed. It would have been a good opportunity to take off for the weekend, but we did not plan ahead. I was not convinced that everyone would be taking the day off, firstly being so close to Thanksgiving, and secondly because it was a day off in lieu. Schools in our area do not close whether the 'eleventh of the eleventh' is a day off in lieu or a day off! Dana went into work later than usual, and was bombarded by telephone calls, and emails, from the moment he walked through the door. "I thought you were closed today", clients told him. "Why are you calling, then?" he responded. I offered to come into work, but he was adamant that I should not.
Samantha called me and said that she and her father were going to the outlet mall. I told her I was in search of a pudding basin. I considered going to the mall, but thought there must be a place nearer to home that would accommodate my need!
I drove north and went into two 'bitsy' shop. I am a great fan of the 'outlet' stores under one roof! I purchased two pairs of gloves and a box of vacuum space saver bags that were on special! Neither shop had a pudding basin. I crossed back over to Walmart.
The cord on one of my favourite toys, my mini steamer, is not very long, and as I wanted to steam clean the carpet on my stairs (my life is so exciting is it not!) I required and extension lead, with a three pronged outlet! I found one in Walmart, but alas, they did not have a pudding basin. I checked along the aisle with the mixing bowls, to no avail! I did not ask an assistant, as 'pudding' here is more like what we would call 'custard', and would be in a dish rather than a bowl. It was not the day to cause confusion! I left with my extension cord, but no pudding basin!
My next port of call was Costco. It was 'sample' time, and I was fed quite satisfactorily on morsels throughout the store as I checked their aisles for possibilities. I bought potatoes. I did not find anything that remotely resembled a pudding basin.Rather than go to the mall, I thought I would venture to the Domain, and see if Macy's would have the answer to my dilemma. They do have rather an outstanding range of kitchen 'knick knacks' and quite often rather good sales! I put my 'old lady' mini through the paces, and we whisked across the highways to get to the location. Parking was not an issue and I left my trusty steed outside Dillard's and walked through, stopping briefly at their kitchen shop, which did not qualify as adequate for my needs. Along one section and through the sports shop I walked, and across the road and car park I went to my destination. I spent a good deal of time wandering around the area where I thought I might find something but again my specifications were not to be found! I nearly purchased a dozen objects which I did not need but was remarkably retrained.
Steph had asked me to look for some running trousers on line last week. Online they were extremely expensive, but as I strolled down the last section of the 'original' mall, I saw the shop bearing the name of the brand. I entered. Big mistake! "What are you looking for?" I was asked in a less than polite fashion. I had picked up a pair of long shorts from one of the compartments, and was having trouble replacing them. Like a child caught with my hand in the sweet jar, I was looked down upon by a teenager! "I think they are called 'half marathon' pants. Let me look", I said to the condescending child. "We don't have anything called 'half-marathon', so you probably need to look somewhere else"! Game on, thought I! I stood my ground. "Young lady; adjust that attitude", I said not, but I think my stance and eyes suggested that I was not amused! (Although, actually, I was amused!) "Hmm. Let me look and see if I can find what they are called". Shifting from one foot to another, the girl became quite uncomfortable. She sighed heavily as I looked on my phone for the message which, thankfully for her, was found. "Oh. You don't want those for running. You want ....", and she listed a catalogue of new items which would be ideal for running marathons. At this point I did not think it right to tell her that I had made a mistake with the 'marathon' comment and let her continue. At around $130 per pair, I decided that I would have to consult with my daughter in law, and maybe return. Horror flashed upon the juvenile's face! I later told Steph that I had considered telling her I would rather go and see what they had in Watford Market, or give up running altogether! She probably would have been delighted at the prospect of the latter part of the comment!
Without a pudding basin, and having walked back the way I came, I left the Domain and headed back across the highways to the Arboretum. I was quite tickled at how well I negotiated the 'back streets' of Austin. One would think, would one not, that if the word 'Pottery' is in the name of the shop, 'pottery' may be one of the items on sale. Apparently not. The 'Pottery Barn' had an array of absolutely beautiful accessories, but a pudding basin was not one of them. Perhaps a pudding basin is not considered a beautiful accessory, but at this point in my quest it was becoming so unlikely that I would find one, that beautiful is exactly what I would think if I found it!
The time was two o'clock, and I was rather shocked. I thought it was much later. It did mean that I had time to go to a few more places! Across the highway I drove again, and went to another 'Outlet' store, where I found a Pyrex dish that might suffice. I also purchased a forty eight slot cake pan! Pudding basins were not available. It was time to head to Hobby Lobby with the hope that someone's 'hobby' would have 'lobbied' them into stocking my item!
"No", was the answer to my unasked question. They did not have a pudding basin in Hobby Lobby. They did have two aisles of autumnal items on an 80% discount. Suddenly, I became very 'native'. Having lived here for fourteen years, I have resisted a lot. However, I have enjoyed some traditions more than others, and thought it was time to do some 'seasonal' decoration! After all, we have started to partake in the Christmas Tree decoration along the highway. Why not join my neighbours and do the 'fall' thing. I bought a variety of boxes filled with golden acorns, and silver pine cones, as well as jars of cinnamon scented objects, and pumpkins galore. I saved a fortune! In fact, taking into consideration these items would probably have been marked up at 50% off their original price, originally (most decorations are marked up at 50% off as they go on the shelves) I still saved in excess of $100. Of course, I could have actually saved myself in excess of twenty bucks and not bought anything! The 'you have saved' on the receipt always prompts me to say, "No. I spent .....". Oh well!
It was time to go home. I was still without a pudding basin! However, my fireplace looked amazing!
Dana arrived home shortly after five, and was unmoved by my purchases. "I call it my 'fall-out', I said, feeling quite pleased with my amusing description. "Very nice", he said, unconvincingly, adding, "You know, if you had not shown me, I would never have noticed them". Sometimes that is a good thing, sometimes not! I am used to him saying, "Oh come on!" when the reply is "About two years", to the question, "How long has this been here?"
We went out to dinner at the Golden Corral. I had a hankering for fried okra, liver and onions, and (wait for it) chicken fried steak! It must have been the transition into embracing another tradition. It was the one place where we could get it all! Unbeknownst to us, the restaurant were still honouring veterans, and Dana was given a sticker, and a free dinner! We were asked if we wanted to 'share' a table or sit alone. We opted for alone, not realising what they meant by 'sharing'. In the middle of the restaurant was a long table, covered in flags and 'red, white and blue' regalia. There were families, individuals and couples, all seated together, with servicemen and veterans. It was quite a sight, and Dana became very emotional. They took everyone at their word and did not require 'proof' of service. Everyone was thanking everyone else for their 'service', and the atmosphere took patriotism to a new level. I enjoyed my dinner, and we thanked the manager for this recognition as we left. "No. Thank you, sir", he said to my veteran husband, which caused Dana's eyes to tear yet again!
Back to work on Tuesday, I waited to hear what time my oven would be arriving the following day. "Between one and eight", shouted Dana during the afternoon. This was less than helpful!
Joe was out of town on Wednesday and I did not have a nail appointment. Dana sent me a message to say that the window of expectation for my new stove was now between 1:30 pm and 3:30 pm, a time I could work with. I prepared my 'Mrs Sainsburys', and made a cheesecake! Once again, I went 'off piste'. I had taken some sponge cake out of my freezer, to use as a base for the cheesecake, but found out it was actually Eve's pudding! (for which I did not need a pudding basin!) Eve's pudding is an apple base with a sponge top (for those who are not in the know) and rather than bemoan my lot, I went with the flow. It may work! I drove myself to work.
Around a quarter to four I received a message from Edward. (We used his loyalty card.) "Your delivery is delayed". I called the number I was given, and told that there had been a delay and they were going to have to reschedule. "If there is a delay, why reschedule? Surely they are just running late?" I was then put through to 'upstairs'. 'Upstairs', it appears had all the details. It appears it was not a delay. It was more of a cancellation. Or a non-event. The lady who had originally rescheduled the delivery had not checked to see if the item was in the warehouse. The item was not. I was just a little more than peeved at this stage. "We can't offer delivery if the item isn't there, ma'am. The person who you spoke to should have checked. It will be there Saturday and delivered on Monday. I know it's confusing". I responded that it was not confusing at all. (Pudding basin is confusing.) It was bad management (not mentioning irritating). A clearing of the throat was followed by, "Um. Yes". Perhaps compensation should be applied was her next offer. I didn't even correct the grammar, ("With whom I spoke", probably would have added insult to injury. Perhaps it would just cause more confusion! I am not perfect, unless I am behaving like the child who did not want to sell me running pants!) I just wanted my oven!
To add insult to injury, Dana received a text to say the delivery would be in ten minutes (around four thirty) and then received a call to say our television would be delivered in five. He told them that we did not have a television order. No. We did not! Oops!
Thankfully, my old range managed to survive and cooked Mrs Sainsbury's to a 'T'. The individual sponge puddings (chocolate, lemon and traditional syrup) were made in small coffee cups, and devoured. The cheesecake was beyond a success!
Work was manic on Thursday and quiet Friday morning. Friday afternoon turned out to be a lot busier than the morning, and we left later than anticipated.
Alone again, I ventured out Saturday morning. I went to all my usual haunts, bought my Thanksgiving essentials, and was given a big hug by 'my friend' in Costco who had not seen me for weeks. I was asked to return to sample one promotion by a demonstrator, who said that he would 'value my opinion'. The item was not yet ready but he wanted me to try it! I was rather bemused. He told everyone else, "Not ready yet. About ten minutes". Perhaps it is because I 'dissect' the ingredients. Perhaps it is because I don't care if it contains gluten. (Another subject matter!)
I returned home a little before three, and fell asleep for about thirty minutes. After dinner, we watched UT win their football game, and then watched the end of a few more matches. Saturday night is football night on both sides of the pond, it would appear, despite the 'football' being vastly different!
It is Sunday, and I am still pudding basin-less. Thanksgiving Day is coming up this Thursday, followed by Black Friday, and then my son-in-law's favourite day of the year, 'Moaning mother-in-law' Saturday, where he gets to drive me around and tells me to behave myself when I suggest I want to go home! However, this year I have a mission. Somewhere on our vast travels, I must be able to find a pudding basin!
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