Thoughts during the apocalypse, Part 17.

It was a very productive day. I got my taxes done!

Two days spent with Turbo Tax on the screen.

Yes, I know that the government gave us an extension to file this year, but I’m a creature of habit. And I don’t want to miss the April 15 deadline even if I don’t have to make it. Does that make sense?

Anyway, I was glad to get it out of the way. It was a two-day affair, with Tuesday devoted to putting together all the pieces of my yearly income total, and Wednesday devoted to trying to find enough deductions to lessen the damage.

I won’t let the cats out of the bag here, but ever since our orange-faced leader got his tax bill passed a couple of years ago, I have not been very happy with the refunds (if any). Like much of the middle class in this country, I’m not benefitting from something that has feathered the nests of the ultra-rich. But since we’re in the midst of a pandemic, I’ll save the rant about the worst president this nation has ever elected and just relish having this sword no longer dangling over my head by a thread.

We have enough to worry about right now, of course. But there are a few signs. The stock market has rallied a bit since last week, and anyone that has investments (especially those dedicated to retirement) has to feel just a little better about the world because of it. And the news reports have been a little more encouraging in the last couple of days. 

And the grass continues to grow. Indeed, I may actually haul the lawn mower out of the garage this weekend if the weather holds up and I’ll mow the front yard. The back yard is still lagging behind a little, but it will be good to get out in the air and walk around with a sense of purpose.

I know, I’m just rambling. There’s not much of a sense of purpose to these ramblings, probably because I expended all that purpose earlier in the day. It felt good.

Now, some other thoughts along the pandemic highway:

** I got a little inspiration in the kitchen today, so I made a couple of pizzas for the first time in a few weeks. I don’t do them entirely from scratch, although I can if I need to. But the Boboli pizza shells work just fine for starters.

Two homemade pizzas (half of one saved for breakfast).

Here’s how I make them, in order of ingredients — two small Boboli shells, each with 1 1/2 slices of sliced whole milk mozzarella at the bottom. I then open a can of San Marzano plum tomatoes and brush on a little of the packing sauce. I then chop up several tomatoes and squish them down into paper towels to drain out some of the juice, otherwise it will boil up too much during the cooking. I sprinkle with oregano and grated Romano cheese, and then add fresh mozzarella on top. I like the “pearl” style mozzarella that is easily dispersed around the pizza shell. 

At that point, I sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and more oregano, and I add one last cheese sprinkle of ground cheddar and American cheeses to help add taste and browning during the cooking. Finally, I add a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil to each pizza before sticking the pan in the oven.

I cook for nine minutes at 450 degrees, and once that’s done, I turn the oven to the broil setting at 500 degrees to cook for two more minutes. The results can be seen to your left.

** I’ve been very busy with the podcasts since the start of the pandemic, and I’m proud of them. I really wish you’d listen to them if you haven’t yet. Episode 19 is the latest, featuring Adelphi University women’s basketball coach Missy Traversi, but I also recommend 18 (with Bruins’ voice Jack Edwards), 17 (with Norwood High boys’ basketball coach Kristen McDonnell), and 16 (with NFL Network producer Lisa Edwards). Click on the Podcast Central link to the left of this page to find all “The Owner’s Box” episodes.

** The only really good thing to come out of this long layoff (other than my Friday-night runs to TABLE by Jen Royle for weekend food) has been my binge-watching of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” with Larry David from the start. I only started watching it this year, so it’s like having something entirely new unfold at super-speed. I’m now into Season 7. And to think, I never knew that he drove a blue Prius just like the one I used to own.

See you all tomorrow.