At the lumber yard, Uruguay

I’ve been on a bit of a roll lately, refinishing kitchen cabinets, fixing and cleaning things, and looking at the ugly kitchen light fixtures I threw together 15 years ago, thinking, “What if I did that right?” So off to Aserradero Rocha, ten minutes away, to buy 1 x 10 x 240 cm clear pine –that’s less then 1/2″ thick and almost 8 feet long.

It’s a “take a number and wait” place, so there’s time to wander around. The rough bits always stoke my creativity. Elsewhere they have larger pieces – two inches thick and a couple feet or more across – that are obvious tabletops. Much less imagination required.

I see a clear pine eight foot 1 x 20″ board. No immediate need, but duly noted. Certainly not something I ever saw at Home Depot as I picked through their tortuous-but-cheap 2x4s.

I further note that, if a fella’s willing to put up with a knot or two, the same is available in 4-meter (13 feet) lengths.

No, we’re definitely not in Kansas anymore.

Well, duh.

I’ve settled in for not being a connoisseur. Cheap red wine here turns out to be very drinkable (white much more dubious) and if you ask me how it is, I won’t be saying the nose is decadent but not overdone with plum liqueur, Christmas cake, cedar, Chinese spices, licorice, tea leaves, tar and hot stones….pretty acidity and a long finish. Rather chewy and needs time.

Ain‘t it funny how the experts never mention the taste any non-drinker will identify most strongly: alcohol?

But I digress. I’ve never wondered about the name of the brand, Faisan. Probably a family name, right?

Only recently did I actually look at the label.

Guess what faisan means in Spanish?

Shrinkflation?

Both packages said 310 g. Both are long gone. Did one weigh less?

Odd to think that when I took this picture, I actually had a kitchen scale little more than an arm’s length away, but it didn’t occur to me.

It’s that time of year…

…when Tienda Inglesa prepares for the busy summer season and lots of visitors…

…by eliminating a third of its outdoor parking for additional sales space.

Ah, Walmart

Yesterday, using my franquicia, an up to USD 200 3x per year tax-free import, I placed an order with Walmart. Not that I like Walmart, but I didn’t want to order everything from Amazon, because Amazon. Alas, within six minutes of placing the order , Walmart cancelled it.

No appeal, no explanation.

Rather than get upset with Walmart, I decided I should try again today.