It’s hard to believe, but I spent all last week in New Orleans eating, roaming around the French Quarter, attending a work conference and eating some more. I actually walked 4.5 miles one afternoon to get a highly coveted po’ boy from Mahoney’s – I mean look at the thing! Can you really blame me?
Grilled shrimp, fried green tomato and remoulade sauce po-boy
I also enjoyed some world-famous beignets and café au lait at Cafe Du Mond.
Mini doughnut + powered sugar = beignet
This post would be a rambling mess if I detailed all of the culinary wonders of the Big Easy that I ingested, so lets just close by saying that I gained about 6lbs in a week and would do it all over again! I was also there for St. Patty’s day, which turned the town into the Big Sleezy. Check it:
When I got back to Missoula on Friday, I decided that I needed a little wholesome activity time to offset last week’s gluttony….What’s more wholesome then gardening and building stuff in the backyard?! Let me apologize in advance for my incessant blogging about this tiny piece of land over the next few months, but that’s what happens when you turn boring (old) and it’s springtime.
Our plan was to erect a few raised garden beds, but we got so ambitious we added the construction of a compost bin to the mix. The first two raised beds were a total breeze – especially for me because I mostly watched.
Blue and Matt buildin'
Bored Blue in her dirty sleeping hole
The compost bin, which we started at 1:00 on Sunday, was another story. I am having trouble writing this post because I’m suffering from drill and hammer induced limp wrist syndrome – lets just say I have a new-found respect for construction workers.
In the early hours of the project I was only allowed to haul rocks and flatten out a place for the bin (which took me hours), I guess Matt has figured out my technical skill level. When the daylight started to fail, I was drafted to help with drilling, hammering in staples, and snipping chicken wire – I am obviously still not allowed to use the saw…baby steps.
Stone hauler and placer extraordinaire
The expert at work
Old (sad) compost bin
Done!
The inaugural dump
We finished around 7PM, much to Blue’s relief. Our little McNab was diagnosed with kennel cough last week (read: a doggy cold), so we have had to quarantine her from other dogs and not let her get exercise. While she pretty much hates us and her life at the moment, I think that she is at least enjoying the liver flavored cough syrup, eww.
Big Sky Bound 