The brush and forest fires that raged in our area last week are finally under control and 60-70% contained. The fire department volunteers can get well-deserved rest, and the military (Army) has been dropping water from helicopters nonstop.
They’ve done a fantastic job, worked tirelessly, and saved the community. No house or property was damaged despite the fire licking road and looking for opportunities to jump the fire line. The defenses held! Thank you to everyone involved in fighting the fires
The burn ban (red alerts) is still in place until the end of November. The weather has been warmer and drier this time of year, so the risk of other fires starting is high.
The weather is perfect for relaxing around the fire pit with a cold beverage. I recently discovered the Voodoo Ranger spiked tea (with various flavors) but have had limited opportunity to enjoy the fire dance.
It feels a bit odd starting a fire when a wildfire is causing havoc 10 miles away. Not to mention that I’m surrounded by my private (tiny) forest.
I read the safety guide, and using a fire pit is permitted, so I started a fire Sunday evening and had a Voodoo Ranger Tea. I felt guilty, but not too long.
Worship Date Night
Date nights are fantastic, and I love spending time with my wife and listening to great music.
Ever since my heart failure some years ago, I have started listening to Christian rock and pop bands. I grew fond of listening to Zach Williams, as many of his songs and lyrics speak about surviving, being rescued, and trusting Jesus to save us.
We saw Zach Williams five years ago and met him in person, and that kicked off our Christian rock/pop journey.
I’m awful at praying. I find it awkward, but I use the songs from Christian bands as my prayers. They convey messages of love and hope.
When we get the opportunity, we try to attend Christian concerts. The atmosphere is phenomenal, and all the spectators are happy and friendly.
Last week, we saw a few of our favorite bands, MercyMe, Toby Mac, and the excellent Zach Williams. Granted, we had to drive almost two hours North, but we had a blast.
Upskilling Car DIY
Being a man comes with expectations, and when you can carry out new skills, you beam with pride and look for recognition from your wife.
I’m not shy about bragging to my wife about new skills or challenges I have accomplished.
You can argue that certain mechanical attempts might be foolish, as you could cause more damage if not done correctly. Secondly, do you even save money?
Saving money is one thing, but the most significant achievement and ego boost is doing something you didn’t think possible. You proved your worth and removed your doubts.
I recently took on the challenge of changing the oil on my truck, including replacing the oil filter. It is perhaps not a big challenge like changing brakes, but it is still daunting.
After driving the truck up on small ramps and securing it, I bravely crawled underneath it with a few tools and a large bucket to catch the oil. I constantly glanced at the metal ramps holding up a 4500+ lb Chevy Silverado, afraid that they might collapse and trap me under it.
Final Destination kept playing over and over in my brain!
After a few tries, I loosened the plug for the oil pan, and the dirty brown oil started flowing wildly into the plastic pan. Five quarts later, a little less than five liters, the dripping stopped, and I could attempt to remove the oil filter.
One thing to note is that the oil filter also contains oil, so you have to be careful when removing it so as not to spill oil all over yourself as you gently unscrew it. I failed and poured a few ounces over my hand and Apple watch.
I replaced the oil filter with a new, clean filter. I inserted and tightened the oil pan bolt.
Then I poured in eight quarts of new clean oil. It was odd that I removed five quarts but poured in eight quarts. I guess the beast was running low on oil.
My last achievement was navigating the car menu and resetting the oil sensor.
Although I invested personal time in changing the oil, I might have saved $40-50. A mechanic would’ve done this faster, but I walked away with self-gratification and pride.
Week Forty-Seven Meals
We have a bus week ahead of us, and I wanted to make pulled pork for lunch and dinner.
I smoked a 5-lb pork shoulder for more than 8 hours. We have pulled pork that will last us for weeks. I will obviously freeze some, so we don’t lose anything.
School Lunches
This week’s school lunch was relatively simple. I made various sandwiches with pulled pork, grilled some beef sausages, and made super-sized pigs in blankets.
To spice up the week, I made a serving of dumplings with a soy dipping sauce.
Dinner Time
I’m clearing the freezer of some chicken meatballs I made a month ago. I only need to prepare lemon orzo to serve with the chicken.
I’m excited to make a delicious and healthy Vietnamese Pho using homemade beef broth and thinly sliced steak.
We will feast on pulled pork once or twice this week.
Lastly, I made a delicious Chinese fried scallion chicken with boiled white rice.
Meal Plan
| Lunch | Dinner | |
| Monday | Superior Pigs in Blankets | Beef Pho with homemade beef broth |
| Tuesday | Cuban Sliders (with homemade pulled pork) | Scallion Chicken with Rice |
| Wednesday | Cuban Sliders (with homemade pulled pork) | Meatballs with Lemon Orzo |
| Thursday | Dumplings with Soy Sauce | Pulled Pork Feast |
| Friday | Monte Cristo Sandwich | Friday Night Over the Fire Cooking |
One day, I might get so organized that I will link the meals below to my recipes. We can only live in hope!
Have a fantastic week, my friends. I hope you enjoy these meal plans. It is much easier to make food in advance, although you must invest several hours preparing meals during the weekend.
Meal Prep Party Pictures
Here are a few mood pictures from the previous week since I did not prepare dishes this week.
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The Viking Heart Within 