How can it be August already? Where has this year gone? I mean I know it’s the middle of the year because my skin is dry and cracked and I’m in discomfort every day. I also feel less productive because I seem to always be striving to warm up whether I’m at work or at home. I know at home I could increase the thermostat on my heater, but that means greater expense, and the cost of electricity in Canberra is ridiculous. At work, I can’t do anything apart from wearing more layers of clothing.
How can it be August already?
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I have the thermostat set to 16 °C (60.8 °F) and I wear two T-shirts and two thin jumpers, plus a polar fleece top inside. When I’m outside I add a coat.
It really is hard to accept that it is August already. I feel like the year has just sped by. January in Brisbane as well as July I suppose too. I was in Québec City in February and saw so much snow.
To be fair, this Canberra winter has been mild when compared with the winters of 2017 and 2018. It’s just like when I was living in Darwin, sometimes the wet season didn’t have much rain and there was no relief from the fine skies.
Ichthyosis vulgaris
The mildness of the winter, however, doesn’t stop my Ichthyosis vulgaris from playing merry hell with me. I’ve already been through one 100 pack of bandaids this year because the skin on my thumbs and fingers keeps cracking open. It is motivating me to consider changing from my current smartphone to one with facial recognition. I have been regularly resetting the touch identification because the cracks on my fingers leave scars and it means the touch identification doesn’t work.
Productivity
I really feel like my productivity could be better if I felt warm. At work, my mind is always thinking, do I need a cup of tea, should I walk up some stairs, will eating a spoon of peanut paste help me feel warm. At home, I just want to go to bed because I know I will be warm under my covers.
It may be August already, I want it to be November.
Should I live in the tropics?
It may be August already, but I’d love to be in the Top End in November during the Build-Up.
I know many friends have said I should look for jobs in the tropics. The thing is I really like what I do. I like the people I work with and the people I work for. I feel like I make a good contribution.
Anyway, I should stop whinging. Mum advises me to smear my hands with vaseline and put them into gloves before I go to bed. I really don’t like the greasy feeling and I don’t want my sheets smeared with vaseline.
What have I watched this week?
Veronica Mars
I was listening to Lauren and Matt on the “Ex-Podcasters Podcast” on Saturday morning and they reviewed the TV show, “Veronica Mars”. I’d never really heard about it and didn’t know back in 2004 when the first series aired that it was a thing.
Veronica is the daughter of an ex-sheriff for the town of Neptune. After her old man got railroaded out of the police service by the local power brokers because of what the local townspeople thought was an error on his part, he became a private investigator and bounty hunter. Veronica was in high school and after school, she’d help her old man.
Who knew a teenage high school drama could be appealing? Anyway, I’ve watched two episodes on Stan and I’m enjoying it. I’ll see how far I go with this.
Avengers: Endgame
Spoilers
This week, iTunes released Avengers: Endgame (I know right, it’s August already). I rarely go to the cinema now to watch a movie. While I know the video and audio would be an order of magnitude better than the video and audio from my LG TV from 2007, the cinema doesn’t offer me the convenience of toilet breaks, being able to pause and go to the refrigerator for a drink, and being able to pause so I can empty the washing machine.
As I get older, the toilet breaks will become more important as my prostate grows larger and my urinary frequency becomes worse.
Anyway, this was the end of the Avengers. I enjoyed the movie. I thought the plot was okay. I don’t know why Natasha had to die. She was one of my favourite characters. I don’t mind that Tony died. I didn’t mind that Steve basically died too. I thought giving the shield to Sam was a bit of a wank. Given they defeated time travel, almost anything can happen if the Marvel Cinema Universe requires more money.
At one stage I thought they forgot Groot but it was good to see him in the end. I know that whenever I saw Gamora I thought she was Uhura from the Jar Jar version of Star Trek (Kelvin timeline) playing an Orion.
The complexity of Clint, Natasha, and Clint’s wife will never be resolved.
I may have missed it, but the only reason to watch Spiderman, i.e., Marissa Tomei didn’t seem to make an appearance but she was credited at the end. I’ll have to watch it again.
The good thing about watching movies like this via iTunes is the packaging of extras like a gag reel plus extra photographs of the actors and characters.
Stargate SG-1
Stargate SG-1 Season 1 Episode 22 “Within the Serpent’s Grasp” End of season 1.
There’s a lot of defying orders in this episode. I look forward to starting season 2. With it being August already, I’m not sure how long it will take to complete season 2.
Farscape
I did not watch this week
Star Trek: The Original Series
I did not watch this week
Star Trek: The Animated Series
I did not watch this week
Star Trek: Deep Space 9
S6E06 “Sacrifice of Angels”
The Changeling cannot maintain its grip on Odo. It seems Odd prefers to be intimate with Kira.
The USS Defiant returns triumphantly and Damar shoots Ziyal. Gul Dukat is distraught as is Garak.
National Rugby League
The Brisbane Broncos were defeated by the Melbourne Storm. I don’t want to discuss this.
LAW & ORDER
I did not watch this week
What have I listened to this week?
Meet the Microbiologist
Bacteriophage interactions in the gut with Jeremy Barr
This week, Julie Wolf from the American Society for Microbiology, spoke with Jermey Barr from Monash University about bacterial viruses known as bacteriophages. I remember learning about bacteriophages in high school biology and the role phages play in bacterial genetic recombination. Not only that, phages may become part of the future approach we have to manage patients infected with bacteria which are resistant to all the common antimicrobials.
What have I eaten and photographed this week? It’s August already.
Videos
Photographs of food and it’s August already
This is a gallery of photographs. Click on one image and scroll through the rest of them.
Monday tea. Salmon curry with kale sprouts, red cabbage, and peanut paste. #yummylummy #foodphotography #lowcarb #salmon #curry #peanutpaste #peanutbutter Blood limes, Cabbage, Coconut cream, Coriander, Curry, Kale sprouts, Limes, Peanut paste, Salmon, Tomatoes G’day food lovers, Tonight I made a salmon curry with kale sprouts, red cabbage, and peanut paste. I wilted the kale sprouts and cabbage and then added the salmon with a tablespoon of water. I put a lid on the frypan for three minutes and then added in some blood lime juice followed by a few tablespoons of coconut cream and a tablespoon of peanut paste. After mixing everything through I turned the heat down and added the cherry tomatoes and the chopped coriander. This was a quick and easy meal full of flavour and low carb. Have a good night. Bye. 
Monday tea. Salmon curry with kale sprouts, red cabbage, and peanut paste. #yummylummy #foodphotography #lowcarb #salmon #curry #peanutpaste #peanutbutter Blood limes, Cabbage, Coconut cream, Coriander, Curry, Kale sprouts, Limes, Peanut paste, Salmon, Tomatoes G’day food lovers, Tonight I made a salmon curry with kale sprouts, red cabbage, and peanut paste. I wilted the kale sprouts and cabbage and then added the salmon with a tablespoon of water. I put a lid on the frypan for three minutes and then added in some blood lime juice followed by a few tablespoons of coconut cream and a tablespoon of peanut paste. After mixing everything through I turned the heat down and added the cherry tomatoes and the chopped coriander. This was a quick and easy meal full of flavour and low carb. Have a good night. Bye. 
Monday tea. Salmon curry with kale sprouts, red cabbage, and peanut paste. #yummylummy #foodphotography #lowcarb #salmon #curry #peanutpaste #peanutbutter Blood limes, Cabbage, Coconut cream, Coriander, Curry, Kale sprouts, Limes, Peanut paste, Salmon, Tomatoes G’day food lovers, Tonight I made a salmon curry with kale sprouts, red cabbage, and peanut paste. I wilted the kale sprouts and cabbage and then added the salmon with a tablespoon of water. I put a lid on the frypan for three minutes and then added in some blood lime juice followed by a few tablespoons of coconut cream and a tablespoon of peanut paste. After mixing everything through I turned the heat down and added the cherry tomatoes and the chopped coriander. This was a quick and easy meal full of flavour and low carb. Have a good night. Bye. 
Monday tea. Salmon curry with kale sprouts, red cabbage, and peanut paste. #yummylummy #foodphotography #lowcarb #salmon #curry #peanutpaste #peanutbutter Blood limes, Cabbage, Coconut cream, Coriander, Curry, Kale sprouts, Limes, Peanut paste, Salmon, Tomatoes G’day food lovers, Tonight I made a salmon curry with kale sprouts, red cabbage, and peanut paste. I wilted the kale sprouts and cabbage and then added the salmon with a tablespoon of water. I put a lid on the frypan for three minutes and then added in some blood lime juice followed by a few tablespoons of coconut cream and a tablespoon of peanut paste. After mixing everything through I turned the heat down and added the cherry tomatoes and the chopped coriander. This was a quick and easy meal full of flavour and low carb. Have a good night. Bye. 
The Owl Statue on Monday morning 
Celery, Carrot, Coon cheese, and Dates 
Tuesday tea. Corned beef curry with kale, red cabbage, and peanut paste. #yummylummy #foodphotography #lowcarb #cornedbeef #curry #peanutpaste #peanutbutter Blood limes, Cabbage, Coconut cream, Coriander, Curry, Kale, Limes, Peanut paste, Beef, Tomatoes, Cucumber, Avocado, Spring onion G’day food lovers, Tonight I made a corned beef curry with kale, red cabbage, and peanut paste. I emptied a tin of Coles corned beef into a frypan and started heating it up. I then added the green part of the spring onions, green kale, and red cabbage to wilt with the lid on for three minutes and then added in some blood lime juice followed by a few tablespoons of coconut cream and a tablespoon of peanut paste. After mixing everything through I turned the heat down and added the cherry tomatoes and the chopped coriander and the white part of the spring onions. I garnished with slices of cucumber and avocado. This was a quick and easy meal full of flavour and low carb. Have a good night. Bye. 
Tuesday tea. Corned beef curry with kale, red cabbage, and peanut paste. #yummylummy #foodphotography #lowcarb #cornedbeef #curry #peanutpaste #peanutbutter Blood limes, Cabbage, Coconut cream, Coriander, Curry, Kale, Limes, Peanut paste, Beef, Tomatoes, Cucumber, Avocado, Spring onion G’day food lovers, Tonight I made a corned beef curry with kale, red cabbage, and peanut paste. I emptied a tin of Coles corned beef into a frypan and started heating it up. I then added the green part of the spring onions, green kale, and red cabbage to wilt with the lid on for three minutes and then added in some blood lime juice followed by a few tablespoons of coconut cream and a tablespoon of peanut paste. After mixing everything through I turned the heat down and added the cherry tomatoes and the chopped coriander and the white part of the spring onions. I garnished with slices of cucumber and avocado. This was a quick and easy meal full of flavour and low carb. Have a good night. Bye. 
MEATER™ made sirloin steak with kale, kale sprouts, and cabbage 
MEATER™ made sirloin steak with kale, kale sprouts, and cabbage 
MEATER™ made sirloin steak with kale, kale sprouts, and cabbage 
MEATER™ made sirloin steak with kale, kale sprouts, and cabbage 
MEATER™ made sirloin steak with kale, kale sprouts, and cabbage 
Sliced sirloin steak MEATER™ 
MEATER™ graph Sirloin steak 
Kale, Kale sprouts, Cabbage 
Resting sirloin steak MEATER™ 
Kale, Kale sprouts, Cabbage 
Sirloin steak seared 
Sirloin steak seared 
Sirloin steak 
Leftover corned beef curry kale and cabbage 
The Owl Statue on Wednesday morning 
Thursday tea. Speck with kale sprouts, kale, and red cabbage. #yummylummy #foodphotography #lowcarb Speck, Kale, Cabbage, Kale sprouts, Parsley, Coriander, Spring onions, Tomatoes, Blood limes, Avocado, Coon cheese, Parmesan G’day food lovers, I got home late tonight and wanted something light and easy. I diced a small block of speck and rendered it in a hot frypan. I then tossed in green kale stalks to soften. Once the stalks were soft, I added in some spring onions, kale sprouts, green kale leaves, and red cabbage. Once everything had wilted, I tossed in a handful of grated Coon cheese and Parmesan. When the cheese melted, I turned down the heat and stirred in cherry tomatoes and coriander. I served it with diced avocado and halved blood limes. Have a good night. Bye. 
Thursday tea. Speck with kale sprouts, kale, and red cabbage. #yummylummy #foodphotography #lowcarb Speck, Kale, Cabbage, Kale sprouts, Parsley, Coriander, Spring onions, Tomatoes, Blood limes, Avocado, Coon cheese, Parmesan G’day food lovers, I got home late tonight and wanted something light and easy. I diced a small block of speck and rendered it in a hot frypan. I then tossed in green kale stalks to soften. Once the stalks were soft, I added in some spring onions, kale sprouts, green kale leaves, and red cabbage. Once everything had wilted, I tossed in a handful of grated Coon cheese and Parmesan. When the cheese melted, I turned down the heat and stirred in cherry tomatoes and coriander. I served it with diced avocado and halved blood limes. Have a good night. Bye. 
Thursday tea. Speck with kale sprouts, kale, and red cabbage. #yummylummy #foodphotography #lowcarb Speck, Kale, Cabbage, Kale sprouts, Parsley, Coriander, Spring onions, Tomatoes, Blood limes, Avocado, Coon cheese, Parmesan G’day food lovers, I got home late tonight and wanted something light and easy. I diced a small block of speck and rendered it in a hot frypan. I then tossed in green kale stalks to soften. Once the stalks were soft, I added in some spring onions, kale sprouts, green kale leaves, and red cabbage. Once everything had wilted, I tossed in a handful of grated Coon cheese and Parmesan. When the cheese melted, I turned down the heat and stirred in cherry tomatoes and coriander. I served it with diced avocado and halved blood limes. Have a good night. Bye. 
Thursday tea. Speck with kale sprouts, kale, and red cabbage. #yummylummy #foodphotography #lowcarb Speck, Kale, Cabbage, Kale sprouts, Parsley, Coriander, Spring onions, Tomatoes, Blood limes, Avocado, Coon cheese, Parmesan G’day food lovers, I got home late tonight and wanted something light and easy. I diced a small block of speck and rendered it in a hot frypan. I then tossed in green kale stalks to soften. Once the stalks were soft, I added in some spring onions, kale sprouts, green kale leaves, and red cabbage. Once everything had wilted, I tossed in a handful of grated Coon cheese and Parmesan. When the cheese melted, I turned down the heat and stirred in cherry tomatoes and coriander. I served it with diced avocado and halved blood limes. Have a good night. Bye. 
MEATER™ made sirloin steak, celery, carrot, and dates 
Friday takeaway tea. Takeaway roast chicken, coleslaw, and potato scallops. #yummylummy #foodphotography #notlowcarb Chicken, Coleslaw, Potato scallops G’day food lovers, It’s Friday night and I didn’t feel like cooking. At work today I was chatting with a friend who is contemplating a move to Melbourne. I warned him they speak a different language like they have no idea what a potato scallop is. I said if you walk into a fish and chip shop and if they don’t understand what a potato scallop is, walk out, and don’t spend your hard earned there. You’re better off going to Queensland or even New South Wales and spending money there rather than wasting it in Victoria. Have a good night. Bye. 
Friday takeaway tea. Takeaway roast chicken, coleslaw, and potato scallops. #yummylummy #foodphotography #notlowcarb Chicken, Coleslaw, Potato scallops G’day food lovers, It’s Friday night and I didn’t feel like cooking. At work today I was chatting with a friend who is contemplating a move to Melbourne. I warned him they speak a different language like they have no idea what a potato scallop is. I said if you walk into a fish and chip shop and if they don’t understand what a potato scallop is, walk out, and don’t spend your hard earned there. You’re better off going to Queensland or even New South Wales and spending money there rather than wasting it in Victoria. Have a good night. Bye. 
Friday takeaway tea. Takeaway roast chicken, coleslaw, and potato scallops. #yummylummy #foodphotography #notlowcarb Chicken, Coleslaw, Potato scallops G’day food lovers, It’s Friday night and I didn’t feel like cooking. At work today I was chatting with a friend who is contemplating a move to Melbourne. I warned him they speak a different language like they have no idea what a potato scallop is. I said if you walk into a fish and chip shop and if they don’t understand what a potato scallop is, walk out, and don’t spend your hard earned there. You’re better off going to Queensland or even New South Wales and spending money there rather than wasting it in Victoria. Have a good night. Bye. 
Friday takeaway tea. Takeaway roast chicken, coleslaw, and potato scallops. #yummylummy #foodphotography #notlowcarb Chicken, Coleslaw, Potato scallops G’day food lovers, It’s Friday night and I didn’t feel like cooking. At work today I was chatting with a friend who is contemplating a move to Melbourne. I warned him they speak a different language like they have no idea what a potato scallop is. I said if you walk into a fish and chip shop and if they don’t understand what a potato scallop is, walk out, and don’t spend your hard earned there. You’re better off going to Queensland or even New South Wales and spending money there rather than wasting it in Victoria. Have a good night. Bye. 
Pork chops and chef’s special sauce Garran Kitchen 
Garran Kitchen 
Garran Kitchen 
Saturday tea. Sous vide pork cutlet with coleslaw. #yummylummy #foodphotography #lowcarb #porkchops #sousvide Pork, Coleslaw, Cabbage, Carrot, Red onion, Celery, Mustard, Iodised salt G’day food lovers, Tonight I seasoned a pork cutlet with iodised salt and mustard powder and then cooked it sous vide at 55 °C for two and a quarter hours. I shredded some red cabbage, celery, carrot, and red onion and mixed it with some mayonnaise to make coleslaw. I seared the pork in a hot frypan. It was delicious. Have a good night. Bye. 
Saturday tea. Sous vide pork cutlet with coleslaw. #yummylummy #foodphotography #lowcarb #porkchops #sousvide Pork, Coleslaw, Cabbage, Carrot, Red onion, Celery, Mustard, Iodised salt G’day food lovers, Tonight I seasoned a pork cutlet with iodised salt and mustard powder and then cooked it sous vide at 55 °C for two and a quarter hours. I shredded some red cabbage, celery, carrot, and red onion and mixed it with some mayonnaise to make coleslaw. I seared the pork in a hot frypan. It was delicious. Have a good night. Bye. 
Saturday tea. Sous vide pork cutlet with coleslaw. #yummylummy #foodphotography #lowcarb #porkchops #sousvide Pork, Coleslaw, Cabbage, Carrot, Red onion, Celery, Mustard, Iodised salt G’day food lovers, Tonight I seasoned a pork cutlet with iodised salt and mustard powder and then cooked it sous vide at 55 °C for two and a quarter hours. I shredded some red cabbage, celery, carrot, and red onion and mixed it with some mayonnaise to make coleslaw. I seared the pork in a hot frypan. It was delicious. Have a good night. Bye. 
Saturday tea. Sous vide pork cutlet with coleslaw. #yummylummy #foodphotography #lowcarb #porkchops #sousvide Pork, Coleslaw, Cabbage, Carrot, Red onion, Celery, Mustard, Iodised salt G’day food lovers, Tonight I seasoned a pork cutlet with iodised salt and mustard powder and then cooked it sous vide at 55 °C for two and a quarter hours. I shredded some red cabbage, celery, carrot, and red onion and mixed it with some mayonnaise to make coleslaw. I seared the pork in a hot frypan. It was delicious. Have a good night. Bye. 
Sardines, avocado, olives, triple cream brie, and cherry tomatoes 
Sardines, avocado, olives, triple cream brie, and cherry tomatoes 
Steamed eggs and wilted spinach leaves 
Sunday lunch. Prawns and triple cream brie with a salad of red cabbage, fennel, carrot, and dates; dressed with olive oil and lemon juice. #yummylummy #foodphotography #lowcarb 
Browning shin beef August already, slow cooker 
Browning shin beef August already, slow cooker 
Browning shin beef August already, slow cooker 
Browning shin beef August already, slow cooker 
Uncooked (raw) shin beef August already, slow cooker 
Uncooked (raw) shin beef August already, slow cooker 
Uncooked (raw) shin beef 
Uncooked (raw) shin beef 
Sunday breakfast. Steamed eggs with wilted spinach, Coon cheese, and speck. #yummylummy #foodphotography #lowcarb #baconandeggs 
The Owl Statue on Sunday morning August already cold Belconnen Owl
Yummy Lummy this week. It’s August already.
MEATER™ made sirloin steak
This week I wrote about a thick-cut sirloin steak which I cooked with the help of my MEATER™ wireless meat thermometer.
The cookbook
So, not much activity this week. I converted one blog post to text and I’ve started editing the words.
This is going to be slower than I thought. It’s not a high priority at the moment. It’s August already and this will take until at least the end of 2019.
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Final thoughts
- Have you found that 2019 has flown by? Do you believe it’s August already?
- Do you prefer the cinema or the comfort of your living room for watching movies?
- Have you heard of Veronica Mars?
My heater is usually on 20 degrees and as I have to heat up quite a big area downstairs so it usually goes up to 21 or 22 in the extreme cold. I love it and have it on a lot when I am home. However today it wouldn’t work…have borrowed friend’s small heater until I get it fixed…so cold!! Would Paw Paw ointment work on your hands…if you rub it in then it’s not greasy?
That sounds most inconvenient Sue.
I tend to use a lot of sorbolene cream and QV hand cream. That seems to work the best for me.
Good to hear that you have something that works Gaz.
Nice and inspiring post as ususal, Gary 🙂
This year has been running fast, I feel too.
Have you ever tried to use bee wax at your hands? It is closing fast and the skin sucks it very fast. Only use a thin layer and use it several times a day. It is natural and works very well.
Thanks Irene, I have tried bees wax. It’s good but my hands got really slippery.
Then you used too much, Gary. You only need a very skinny layer and then better to repeat later at the day.
You can also try another lotion called snake liniment. You can find this in a health shop. It is also effective for people with psoriasis. Again only a skinny layer.
Thanks Irene. I’ll give it another go.
Wish you all good luck 🙂