A rough waking?

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Just not in the typical way.  My legs got overlapped, to the point the my left lower leg was sort this morning.  Must have had a longer sleep period, and it just hurt.  Mostly over it, an hour later.  Still, that was an odd thing.  Doesn't happen almost ever.  Not never, not usually that bad when it does.

Then I called Sassy.  Usually, by that time, she would already have been up, planning how to wake me so as to feed her.  I called again.  She just didn't arrive.  I thought to let her sleep.  Then I feared she was dead.  That... was rough.  When all you have is one critter, for companionship.  Your world shrinks a bit.

She did arrive, about fifteen minutes later.  Still, shaken from that, a bit.  Odd what can sneak up on you when still half asleep.  It seems warmer in here.  Being more careful with the doors, the blanket in front of the front door, and it is a bit warmer, at 5 F out there this morning.  Not great, but beats twenty below or more.

Still full, from yesterday.  I won't be able to eat as much as I had hoped.  It's amazing how full I can get on just a bit of meat.  Probably just one meal today?  We'll see.  If you ever are curious what kidneys taste like, in my opinion they taste like mild liver, with much better texture albeit.  There... may be (I think) uric acid odor, but that doesn't exist in the taste, just in the smell.  Either you eat it or you don't.  Just remember, the early hunters go dibs on this meat, and took it over any fattier protein cuts even.  Liver, heart, and such.  Not sure if kidneys topped the list until cooking such, so as not to waste, became more of a thing.  That was probably more settled lands, widows, and cattle, than bison... where they field butchered and brought the stuff back to camp.  Too much risk of certain organs going bad?  But heart and liver, at least, were often eaten right there, at the place of butcher, by the hunters.  I'd have to look more, but that is my guess.

It wouldn't surprise me if kidneys were given to the poor.  Who had to learn to cook it?  About ten to twelve minutes of boiling will do.  If you like it slightly more rare.  Twelve to fourteen if you want it more done.  Fourteen to sixteen if you want it absolutely done.  I do about twelve, and it's... still pretty medium rare... if because of the higher altitude.  I'm thinking of doing the next one for fourteen minutes.  But at this altitude it will be more like twelve minutes at sea level.

Today?  Not sure.  Gizzards, most likely.  Not sure if they have as extremely good of a nutritional value.  But they are tasty.  A good bite, a mild flavor, steamed for twenty to half an hour, crisped in butter, and they are a good, probably rather healthy, meal.  My mother used to make them.  It took a lot of years for me to be patient enough to do them right.

I am amazed how, even out here in the country, so few eat... offal, or else.  I guess the country just isn't the country anymore?  Then again, I may have been a bit of a foodie, long before the term ever existed.  I remember trying earth worms, as a kid, if on a dare.  No thank you, to those, certainly not raw.  I think that got me thinking about what might actually be good though.  Some things I won't eat, mostly out of principle.  But that still leaves a lot of foods yet to try.  Oh, I found squid, at a reasonable price.  I've been wanting to try that, beyond calamari, at some point.  In a stew, or steamed, or a variety of ways.  Just... to say I did.  I love calamari.  I like the bite of it, chew.

Anyway... today?  Trash and recycling out.  It isn't a recycle pickup week, but there will only be one bag out so no problem.  Trash?  Probably only one bag out too, so it might not be put to the curb.  Clearing and washing the freezertop, doing dishes, getting a shower, and working on the small kitchen to bathroom hall?  That's the idea.  But, two days of getting out has me tired.  I'll do what I can.

Get up, and to church, if you can.  I'm getting closer.  If I will most likely be going to Saturday masses.  Though, when my schedule flips or flops, the good thing is Sunday is available.  Having options will help.  If... I can just... get this one thing done.  Once I start going, I'll stop in here locally from time to time.  Dancing with death, but have been doing that for a long damned time.  Be doing it for a long time to come.  It hasn't stopped me.  Though, when they shut the church, that did throw me a bit.  Still a bit unsure if they are really open, any of them.  Takes me a while to adjust, to changes.  One way, and the other.

But?  It allows me to be pleasantly grumpy, and a bit gun-shy, about everything.  :p  I enjoy, mostly.  Even when it hurts.  A good chuckle, then get on to things.  Later.