Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Balcony Construction, Debate, Colonising Mars.

Hurrah, we lost the beeping crane today. It has moved round the front of  the building so for a few months we will have some peace and quiet. There is still one crane, but it doesn't make that dreadful noise. (Just discovered they are not cranes, they are boom lifts) Of course, when they finally get round to doing our balconies, sometime next year? we will have to put up with it again. For the first time since we came here 16 years ago, I regret that we don't have blind instead of sheers. We will be having guys working on our balcony who will be able to see into our apartment. Oh well, we will just have to be careful, or I will I guess. Don't want to frighten them right off the balcony.

Talking of our apartment, we had a rent increase yesterday, effective January 1. I immediately
emailed the office about the really threadbare carpet in one of the bedrooms. I submitted a request to get it replaced about a month ago or a bit more, and had no response. Couldn't do much before as we had a treadmill in there as well as a bed so would have been difficult moving stuff out of the way. We keep speculating on just how much this construction work is going to cost the owner in the end. I'm glad I don't have to foot the bill although I guess we are helping, indirectly.

I see Donald Trump is complaining about his microphone after the debate and wondering if it was screwed up deliberately. Trusting guy Mr. Trump. Hilary looks relieved though.

I also heard today that Elon Musk is scheduling to begin the colonisation of Mars in 2024. Incredible man. He just might do it. Not only that, I might still be around to see it happen.

It is coming in to soup weather. In fact round here I found it pretty chilly the last couple of days. So here is a nice warming dish.

Black Bean Soup

This is a zippy Southwestern-flavored black bean soup. We make it with canned beans so it comes
together in minutes. If you have leftovers, pack them up in individual serving containers for lunch the next day.

1 Tbs canola oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 Tbs chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed
3 cups water
1/2 cup prepared salsa
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbs lime juice
4 Tbs reduced-fat sour cream, optional
2 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro, optional

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add chili powder and cumin and cook, stirring, 1 minute more. Add beans, water, salsa and salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in lime juice.

2. Transfer half the soup to a blender and puree (use caution when pureeing hot liquids). Stir the puree back into the saucepan. Serve garnished with sour cream and cilantro, if desired.

Servings: 4

Source: WebMD Recipe from EatingWell.com

Have a great day

18 comments:

  1. Hi Jo - soup looks good and yes it's cooling down ... but so far so good for us here on the south coast - it's still relatively warm. Glad the beep has moved, hope you get new carpet ... take care and cheers Hilary

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    1. Well you are in the right part of England for keeping warmer Hilary. Thanks.

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  2. I bet you're happy about the beeping going. Pity about the rent rise, though, and I hope the carpet replacement comes quickly.

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    1. Well, it's September so we usually get a rise Helen. You bet I am happy to lose the beeper. But will get it back next year.

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  3. I bet the renovations and your rent increase are related.

    That would be an easy soup to make.

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    1. Not really Diane, usually get an increase in September. They have to give us 3 months notice.

      I agree.

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  4. What a relief with the beeping noise gone for a bit. You wonder why they even have debates, so many people have already made up their minds on who they are going to vote for. I don't put much stock in polls either.

    Betty

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    1. It is a relief Betty. A lot of people say they don't make up their minds until they have seen a debate. I agree.

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  5. I'll have to try that soup. Sounds delicious.

    Is the mic to blame for his nasal sniffing? That was so annoying.

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    1. I hope it is delicious Liz.

      Nothing more annoying than sniffing. I agree.

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  6. So they can see right into your apartment? Heck, you need to mess with their minds then. Disturb them so much they finish as quickly as possible.

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    1. Well they wouldn't be able to see in that well Alex. I hope anyway. You have an evil mind, must be the Ninja in you.

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  7. Colonizing Mars? I don't like that idea at all. We've already ruined earth and left a ton of trash on the moon and in space. I don't see it happening. How in the world would they get up there? Wouldn't it take years? How would they get back?

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    1. I think it's great JoJo and maybe we won't make the same mistakes. Certainly for a while it will be a very select few who will make the trip. I assume Elon Musk envisages spaceships which can return. Also, Residential areas would have to be built before they could start shipping residents. Don't know how long the trip would take.

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  8. I think the beeping would have sent me bonkers. As far as Trump goes, only negative people blame their failure on others. I would have expected him to make feeble excuses.

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    1. It did Pinky I can assure you. There are all kinds of excuses now, Trump was ill prepared for the debate, that was his teams' fault, they say it was his fault.

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  9. What kills me is that after the horrible bed bug incident, their lacklustre care for the tenants and the Trouble dealing with the balconies, they have a lot of gall to increase your rent.

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    1. Gotta pay for stuff after all Birgit. The balconies must be costing a King's ransom plus they did pay for the exterminators which wasn't cheap.

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