Unfortunately, I’m already not meeting the goal of a daily post.
Update on lunch: everything kept very well, even the avocados. No pictures of today’s lunch. I had some Progresso clam chowder and French bread.
I used my pressure cooker for the first time today. I cooked a batch of pinto beans, and am attempting to mash them like I’ve been shown in the past, but am not having much luck with the mashing part. The cooking part was a lot less scary than I expected. Kes did his best to find the safest pressure cooker he could, and it seems pretty good so far.
For dinner, I made chicken curry. I just used an S&B medium hot curry brick, carrots, peas, potatoes, chicken and water. Not too complex, but I like the taste.
Reading-wise, I’m a few chapters into the first Dresden Files book. I’ve read this far before, but never got to finish it. I’ve always liked mystery books, and adding a dash of the supernatural is definitely appealing. I think some of it is a little overly silly (did he really have to name it the “Nevernever?”), but on the whole, I’m enjoying it so far.
Since I didn’t get to finish re-listening to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on CD on the drive to and from my parents’ house, I’ve been listening to it off and on. I had forgotten how depressing it is. I also discovered that JK Rowling is fundamentally against publishing her works as ebooks when I went looking for a written copy for my Nook.
It sounds like Rowling’s dislike of ebooks is a mix between her love of the physically written word (apparently she wrote all the Harry Potter books in longhand), and her fear of pirates. Regarding the latter, I would have to say I agree with a lot of people that if you deprive the market of a legal version of something it’s clamoring for, the demand isn’t going to disappear, and her decision has likely driven more people to piracy than if she had just allowed ebooks of her works to be released. Regarding her reverence of the physically written word, I think that’s pretty cool. I remember seeing pictures of her handwritten copy of The Tales of Beedle the Bard. I do think it’s a little short-sighted not to publish ebook versions of her work nonetheless. After all, there are audiobook versions of her work, and that’s certainly not handwritten (yes, I know reading aloud, different medium, etc.). Anyway, I would like for there to be [legal] ebook versions of Rowling’s books.
Demon Grocer 
Funny how you mention the Dresden Files. I’ve read the first three books and I was looking at my unread books on my shelf and book 4 is staring at me, calling me. For some odd reason these books have been on my mind lately. It started with a desire to watch the entertain, campy and short lived Sci-Fi (SyFy) series. After that was done it wiggled around in my brain for a while. I think after I finish what I’m reading now, I may have to pay Mr. Dresden a visit.
I’m nearly current on the series (they just released a new one this week and I haven’t gotten it yet). My main complaint about the first books are they are pretty short, to the point that I finished but 3 in a weekend. Later in the series they get longer, and his writing style improves as well. This is countered by the ever increasing weight of the 10ish book long narrative. It’s just a lot to keep track of and he likes to use every character from the series in every book (it feels like). Also, there’s a bit of power creep. Anyways, this has all been a wordy way of saying that I hope that you like the book and keep reading the series so we can compare notes further later. Best of luck.
Why are you mashing pinto beans? I am unclear on this concept.
@Irene
Refried beans don’t only come from a can 😛
Specifically, though, Joe showed me how to make “bean paste” which is like refried beans, but not fried… so tastes pretty much the same but is healthier. He always mashed them, so I didn’t realize how difficult it was.
If you’re really worried about your pressure cooker exploding or something, a lot of the Cooperative Extension Service offices will pressure test them for you! I didn’t know about that until my mom replaced the seal on hers and wanted to make sure it was going to work right. I know they do the test at the office in Conway, so it’s worth asking around at your local Cooperative Extension office! 🙂 (You could bring soil in for analysis while you’re there, too, if you’re wanting to grow a garden.) Most of their services are free, but there may be a nominal fee, not sure.
Also: I’ve made red beans and rice with the beans being mashed before and it was really, really easy to mash the beans. Maybe they weren’t cooked long enough?
I think you’re right. Also, I’ll check into the Coop. 🙂