I can finally claim my Adulting badge

[Backroads]

Today was lawn-mowing day. Husband wound up having to stay very late with the client. I was playing with my girls in the yard, musing about a recent desire to learn how to use a lawn mower after watching some 9-year-old girl with the sturdiness of a stalk of celery mowing the lawn.

So... I pulled up a PDF of our lawn mower's user manual... and I mowed the lawn. 

I feel so empowered.

[Jamie123]

13 hours ago, Backroads said:

I feel so empowered.

I take it it's a power mower then, not one you have to push.

We had a push one when I was a kid - you had to give it a good hard shove and then keep the momentum going until you had come to the end of a strip. Then repeat. It took a long time. I remember when I was about 10 mowing the lawn on a Saturday and I was so pleased I went inside to tell my mother that the lawn was mowed. My mother was asleep, and I got the dickens from both parents about the wickedness of going inside talking about lawn mowing when parents might (possibly) be having a siesta. "Try to be a bit more thoughtful!" they told me. Well I had thought I had been thoughtful by mowing the lawn, but I guess that didn't count.

Helpfulness isn't always appreciated. Just this afternoon I've been ejected from an exam hall by an irate chief invigilator who didn't appreciate my idea of "being helpful". I've a nasty feeling he's now going to make complaints about "academics" (by which of course he'll mean one particular academic - me) "interfering with and disrupting his work" - or at least write nasty things about me in his report and get me into deep, deep trouble. Which on top of all the other cock-ups I've made recently might be the straw that breaks camel's back. Anyone would think I didn't have enough to stress me out right now...

Maybe if I worry about it enough it won't happen

Still I mustn't complain: a colleague of mine has had a complaint made against him because he told a particularly obnoxious student who had his feet on the table: "We don't do that in this country!" Seems that you can't say that to a Muslim without it being considered racism.

Edited April 28, 2017 by Jamie123

[NeuroTypical]

I know how you feel Backroads.  I drove my teen daughter to school for the first time the entire school year today, and she managed to not die of embarrassment!

[Sunday21]

Proud of you! @Backroads! Today I try to use a pressure cooker!

[Backroads]

Just now, Sunday21 said:

Proud of you! @Backroads! Today I try to use a pressure cooker!

I'm going to try that next! Let's compare our results!

[Sunday21]

2 minutes ago, Backroads said:

I'm going to try that next! Let's compare our results!

Yes let's! http://m.wikihow.com/Use-a-Pressure-Cooker

must always have liquid in it to cook. Lift lid away from face!

[Maureen]

My lawn mower is over 30 years old, gasoline with the cord that you pull. In my 20s I could pull that cord all by myself and mow the lawn but now in my 50s I just don't have the right amount of force to start the mower anymore. I can still mow the lawn but hubby needs to start it for me. ?

M.

[Sunday21]

54 minutes ago, Backroads said:

I'm going to try that next! Let's compare our results!

Using this video. Corresponds to the make of pressure cooker. 

[askandanswer]

16 hours ago, Backroads said:

Today was lawn-mowing day. Husband wound up having to stay very late with the client. I was playing with my girls in the yard, musing about a recent desire to learn how to use a lawn mower after watching some 9-year-old girl with the sturdiness of a stalk of celery mowing the lawn.

So... I pulled up a PDF of our lawn mower's user manual... and I mowed the lawn. 

I feel so empowered.

Congratulations Backroads. No need to rest on your laurels though, its time to quickly move on to the next big thing like using the trimmer/edger/whipper snipper to trim the edges. Sadly, I have to report that the minimum requirement to claim an adulthood badge involves two lawn mows, to prove that the first wasn't an accident, raking up any loose grass, refilling the fuel, checking the oil, and cleaning the mower afterwards.

Edited April 28, 2017 by askandanswer

[Sunday21]

@Backroads Pressure cooker. 5 cut up precooked chicken breasts in frozen chunks. 6 cups frozen California mix. Put frozen chicken in bottom of pot with 2 tablespoons oil. Browned frozen chicken a bit. Defrosted frozen veg in microwave for about 10 minutes. Added to pot with 1 cop go water. Put on 'meat setting' for 20 minutes. 

20 minutes later, turned button on lid to release vapor. No vapor. Concerned.

unplugged unit. Left for a couple of minutes and unlocked.

chicken burnt on bottom. But rest looked nice and mushy so...ate a serving. Even though chicken burnt still tasty. Hmmm. Will look for more recipes.

Verdict: hopeful. Need more water?

on line says not to put frozen food in pressure cooker but not doing so requires organization! 

Even with burnt chicken tasted a lot better than crockpot version. Crockpot version is really watery and bland

Edited April 28, 2017 by Sunday21

[Sunday21]

Pressure cook from frozen! https://www.hippressurecooking.com/how-to-pressure-cook-frozen-meat/

[Vort]

1 hour ago, askandanswer said:

No need to rest on your laurels

Given that she's earned her Adulting badge. I think that's probably "No need to rest on your Relief Societies".

[Backroads]

1 hour ago, askandanswer said:

Congratulations Backroads. No need to rest on your laurels though, its time to quickly move on to the next big thing like using the trimmer/edger/whipper snipper to trim the edges. Sadly, I have to report that the minimum requirement to claim an adulthood badge involves two lawn mows, to prove that the first wasn't an accident, raking up any loose grass, refilling the fuel, checking the oil, and cleaning the mower afterwards.

Then by summer vacation I shall earn my badge!

[Backroads]

1 hour ago, Sunday21 said:

@Backroads Pressure cooker. 5 cut up precooked chicken breasts in frozen chunks. 6 cups frozen California mix. Put frozen chicken in bottom of pot with 2 tablespoons oil. Browned frozen chicken a bit. Defrosted frozen veg in microwave for about 10 minutes. Added to pot with 1 cop go water. Put on 'meat setting' for 20 minutes. 

20 minutes later, turned button on lid to release vapor. No vapor. Concerned.

unplugged unit. Left for a couple of minutes and unlocked.

chicken burnt on bottom. But rest looked nice and mushy so...ate a serving. Even though chicken burnt still tasty. Hmmm. Will look for more recipes.

Verdict: hopeful. Need more water?

on line says not to put frozen food in pressure cooker but not doing so requires organization! 

Even with burnt chicken tasted a lot better than crockpot version. Crockpot version is really watery and bland

Tomorrow I'm going to try to cook beans in it. That seems... easy?

Perhaps we have to give into organization...

[Mike]

18 hours ago, Backroads said:

Today was lawn-mowing day. Husband wound up having to stay very late with the client. I was playing with my girls in the yard, musing about a recent desire to learn how to use a lawn mower after watching some 9-year-old girl with the sturdiness of a stalk of celery mowing the lawn.

So... I pulled up a PDF of our lawn mower's user manual... and I mowed the lawn. 

I feel so empowered.

I can relate to that satisfying feeling.

[Sunday21]

Rhttp://www.thecreativebite.com/10-healthy-chicken-recipes-in-a-pressure-cooker-or-crock-pot/

has instructions for frozen and defrosted chicken. 

MAybe I should try more water and less time? 

[Sunday21]

@Backroads  Give into organization! Are you suggesting,....gasp...reading instructions! Surely Not!

[Backroads]

4 hours ago, Sunday21 said:

@Backroads  Give into organization! Are you suggesting,....gasp...reading instructions! Surely Not!

On second thought,  no. A study once showed reading the instructions slows things down... and these our pressure cookers, not crock pots.

[askandanswer]

On 4/28/2017 at 11:52 AM, Backroads said:

I feel so empowered.

Ni doubt the lawn mower did as well, once you actually started it

[askandanswer]

7 hours ago, Backroads said:

Then by summer vacation I shall earn my badge!

Just a suggestion @Backroads: Next time you feel this strange urge, you might want to restrain your enthusiasm: one-off acts of service can so quickly become life-time obligations, 

[zil]

11 hours ago, Backroads said:

Tomorrow I'm going to try to cook beans in it. That seems... easy?

I do this frequently - pinto beans - and not with one of those fancy electric things - just a regular pressure cooker.  They come with instructions, follow them and you'll be fine.

[Sunday21]

Use oven mitt to open pressure valve.

20 minutes, 1 cup water - burnt chicken

15 minutes, partially cooked chicken to start, 1.5 cups water- result too watery, not that tasty 

further research required.

[Backroads]

You are making me lose my confidence.

[Sunday21]

21 minutes ago, Backroads said:

You are making me lose my confidence.

Now, now. We can do it! Have you tried anything yet?

[Backroads]

18 hours ago, Sunday21 said:

Now, now. We can do it! Have you tried anything yet?

Not yet!