10/9/09 Visit with the amazing Carl, Great pork chops

So today I got a call from Carl, the mysterious tree expert. He did some exploration among our trees yesterday, but he wanted me to be present and I wasn't. So, he offered to come by this afternoon. I want him to save one of our maple trees, and he believes that he can. Two years ago, the western med tree guys came out and wanted to cut our tree down. I'm so glad that I held out. It rained yesterday and it was still raining today. He didn't stress. He just put on his hat and went into the rain.

He is one of the most fascinating people that I've met in a long time. He has a curiosity and sense of wonder that children have. He's brilliant and quiet and he does what he sets out to do. He has three or four advanced degrees. He's about to teach a class in invention at I.U. He does Budhist meditation. He lives like a yogi. We talked and talked. I brought him into my meditation room and showed him my puja. (prayer alter). It was a deeply spiritual sharing.

After he left, I took the bank for NM. It was raining so hard and chilly. I hoped to get a close up parking spot but they were all taken. So I thought well I'm not made of sugar and I'm taking so much for my immune system right now. I parked across from the bank and looked to my right. An older man was trying to get out of his car. I knew that he was having a hard time with how closely I had to park. I pulled out of the spot and he waved thank you. In the time, a close up parking spot came available and I was able to dash into the bank.

No one even noticed that I hadn't been there for a month. My fav teller looked more tired than I did.

Then I went home and decided to fix a fav dinner for Luke. I haven't made pork chops in forever. So I defrosted 4 chops. I made a nest for them with foil, and warmed the oven to 375 .

Then I marinated the chops with Braggs Amino, brown sugar and and the juice of half a fresh lemon. I turned the chops often and baked them for 1/2 hour. Then, I put them under the broiler and crisped them--5 min on each side (a low broil). They were DELICIOUS. Soft and tender inside and crisp outside. The flavor--I can see the judges on "Chopped," giving me the $10,000 for this one. Well . . . they were so good.

Talked to MKate. She's going to Lafayette tomorrow to see Abby's gymnastic competition. I hope little Abby does great.