Early July: Bull Talker Starts Making Sh*%t Up and We Eat Corn Chowder



Food Mood: Sausage Corn Chowder Equals Carb Comfort
Reno Ridiculouso: Well Let’s Just Throw Everything Out the Window Then!
So, a recap:

  1.   Pit dug, cistern removed
  2. Block Laid.  Not squarely as it turns out.  “It’s really hard to get things square!” Says Bull Talker Contractor.  Stage Carpenter Hubby looks at him blankly and elects not to speak.  It’s mostly square.  Sort of.   
  3.  Gravel put in and tamped, floor joists laid on dining room and back entry

From the beginning we have had our Architect on this project, because, well, it’s kinda’ big.  Generally speaking the way it works with architects is that they give you drawings, you give them to your contractor and then he/she follows them, for the most part, with the occasional adjustment for onsite conditions. Unless, of course, you’re Bull Talker and then you use them more as a jumping off point, an inspiration, a muse as it were.

Because the new addition attaches to our kitchen, we gutted our kitchen and opened up the back wall to connect them.  From before we hired him the Hubby and the Architect have been talking with Bull Talker about how he will support our second floor while he replaces the beam at the back of the kitchen.  From about the third week Bull Talker’s been all Listen, I think that you guys are overdoing it, we don’t need to replace that beam, just leave it, it’s fine!

Riiiight.  That beam there.  The one with the dodgy bend in the middle.  We’re leaving that?  Okey Dokey. 

But the Hubby has been patient and working with Bull to keep him moving, focused and doing it safely. Hubby is biding his team on the beam fight.

We’ve been clear that the beam question but be settled before the walls go up.  So it’s a bit of a surprise to come home from work and find two walls framed and upright.  It’s more of a surprise when we find that they’re taller than expected.  Like a good eighteen inches taller.  Yeah, it wasn’t really working the way the Architect drew it, so Bull Talker thought he’d just make it taller.  WHAT?  But… now that won’t connect on the flat to the kitchen…   
Yeah, I thought about that and thought that it would look really great if the roof rose from the kitchen towards the back windows.  Really dramatic like, right?

And neither the Hubby nor I can even figure out what to say.  We have never experienced someone just changing an Architects drawing.  We ask Bull Talker to take it down.  Nah, let’s just leave it and you can talk to the Architect.  He’ll love it!  You will too!  Let’s talk tomorrow!
And he leaves.

And we eat carbs and try to ignore the sinking feeling in our bellies.
Sausage Corn Chowder

About four mild or spicy sausage (whichever ‘ya likes) cut into rounds

Box of no salt chicken stock

Three potatoes, peeled and chopped medium

Spanish onion, chopped rough (everything was chopped rough, this was not a patient time)

Cup and a half of frozen corn

Spice as you like, some options that I’ve done include
1 tbsp chipotle powder
one chipotle chili in adobo sauce , then I take out the chili
some bacon and smoked sea salt if I have bacon lying about
But my favourite is just with three bay leaves in the pot

Cook it all in the crockpot all day.  If it’s too thick when you get home, add some water and let it heat another half hour.  Too thin, you can thicken it with 2 tbsp cornstarch shaken up with about 1/3 cup water.  Pour it in the pot and let it cook another half hour on high.


Hello! Thanks for stopping by to check out my recipes and commiserate with my (our) misery. Misery loves company! I live in Toronto with my husband and little girl. We have spent a year (yep, that's right, renovating our home) About seven months into this crazy renovation I thought to myself, this has got to be funny or it will be pathetic! And so, I have chosen for funny! This is my collection of mostly crockpot (although sometimes not) recipes paired with the days (weeks, months) that inspired them. Please share your best reno stories and crockpot recipes too.

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