The pain is nearly gone.

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Odd.  As pains end, I go through a minor fever.  It's how I know.  There is still a pain, about the size of a nail, and as if driven in.  But as if that had been done some time ago.  The fever is... something else.  Perhaps a decrease in the level of natural painkiller solution?  It's not like a regular fever, more like a body fever, emanating from the source of the distress.  I can't be absolutely sure that the suffering is finished, just that at least my body thinks at least a major decrease in dosage is warranted.  My body has to... get used to being without whatever the stuff is.  Bleh.  Now I'll have to go out and make a new pain.  :)  Then again, I would rather have aching muscles from working, or hiking, than a silly sprained shoulder blade.  I've only had three of those in my life, I would guess.  But they are memorable.

I have been trucked down a bit lately.  I was hoping the pain would... get me going.  It has not done as well as I had hoped.  Oh, I have tried to get to more.  But confusion comes flooding in and I end up... sitting... looking at a screen, drifting, listening to music.  So, to switch things up a bit, I'm going to get the grill going.  Sure, it's 2:00, here.  But... and?  I have chicken thighs, freshly thawed, that can go in at higher heat.  And I want higher heat to get the thing going.  Then I have a brisket that I thawed as well.  Love me some slow cooked brisket.  I might even experiment with the softer smoking woods... apple or cherry.  I have both.  And, should I make it to town tomorrow, as an incentive, I will pick up some buns or bread or some such.  Hmm, you know what would go really well with brisket?  Cole slaw, with carrots and currants or dried sour cherries.  I did say I dreamed of beef.  No flowers, but beef will do.

Hmm...  After I get the grill and chicken going, I'll dig into my pack, and get that ready.  After I get the smoker to the temp I want it, then I'll probably tinker around in the garage.  I really ought to get the weights going.  I just want rubber mats for under it, to protect the concrete.  I've been looking.  That stuff isn't cheap, but...  It's... doable... this month or next.  When I first moved in, and looked, what I saw available was... well out of my league.  I am not sure if new stuff has come onto the market, prices have dropped, or I see more clearly and more options.  Rolls of the stuff, say two 4'x7 1/2', would give me a nice tidy little work out area.  Chipping concrete is not a happy thing, for many reasons.

Then, since I'll have to be awake at least until 8:00, with the brisket... and probably 9:00 or 10:00, given the startup, and chicken first, then getting the smoke action going... sneaking into town before I realize I am pushing it might be possible.  Just... a few things on the list.  While I was at it, I put what wasn't already on my list into the list.  And plugged my phone in so it doesn't die on me.  Yum!

One of the writers suggested cotter pins.  Well, there is another type, and name, all interchangeable to a degree.  And, yes, there have been a few times in the last few years where I could have used some of those.  My snow blower uses them for a number of things.  I think a few were lost, but there were extras.  I never did replace those.  In any case, I added a mixed group of those to my Amazon cart, of several different styles, just as a good thing to have.  He is right, you can mock up your own.  I have done that too.  It's just not as sure and takes more time to find what might work and try to fit it than to just have a few on hand.  Yeah, nice add.  I think I have a number of bobble cabinets around, too.  The type with clear drawers, though with labels as well, if you want to go that route.  That would work for these.  And for the bolts, nuts, and nails I have around.  I won't go with labels, at first, until I figure out just what I do want to keep on hand and make sure I have those in stock.  Just a thought for you others.  Cotter, or hair (I think) pins.  Of course, not real hair, or bobby, pins... though... come to think of it, a variety of those have come in handy in the past, if more as a provisional fix, a temporary thing.  Bailing wire...  Hey, it works... the duct tape of metal.

I best get to the grill.  I am going to try out the tinder that I made, since I forgot to take it to SMan.  Later.