I made an absolutely lovely, all natural, low sodium chicken stock the other day. I wish I had made more. I finished the last two helpings at work today. Consequently, I planned to pick up another rotisserie chicken on the way home from tutoring. They are available from tiny shops and street vendors practically everywhere here, including the tiny restaurant across from my flat. Unfortunately, said tiny restaurant has not had any chickens for the past week and the closest place is about a half mile away. When you are tired (and lazy) from your first day back to work after winter break (and lazy) and have spent three hours after work tutoring (and lazy), the last thing you want to do is walk a half mile to the little shop that sells rotisserie chickens, just to have to walk that half mile back home and stand in your kitchen picking piping hot chicken that you cannot eat off of a carcass to use said carcass to make more homemade chicken stock! And I'm lazy. Did I mention that?

Fortunately for me, I have cartons of all natural, low sodium vegetable stock that I was able to procure from the one grocery store in this country that deigns to carry such a creature, and it actually tastes pretty darn good. Of course, I think anything three days into a clear liquid diet would taste pretty darn good. Although not as good as actually getting to eat chicken would taste...

But I digress. I wanted to add some protein to my vegetable stock so I could be certain to get enough in for the day, so I poured a scoop of Isopure into a couple cups of stock, stirred, and set the microwave to heat the stock. THIS is what NOT to do with Isopure. Apparently, when you microwave whey protein you turn it into CHEESE. Thick, rubbery, smelly CHEESE. I tried stirring it. I contemplated whipping out the emulsion mixer for it. I hate wasting food (this is part of my problem), but finally had to make the decision to pour the curdled conglomeration down the drain.

At this point very hesitant to try anything further with the Isopure (did I mention this was my first Isopure adventure?), I mustered up the courage to try again from scratch. This time, I found that heating the stock FIRST was much more successful and resulted in a lovely glass of what appeared to be a heady beer. Wishful thinking in this country for one, on a pre-op diet for two, and in the life of a bandster for three. Ah, well.

One more day before surgery. I am so excited (and I just can't hide it - too corny?) about how things are unfolding. I only have a million things to do before Thursday, including writing lesson plans for Sunday because I will be taking off for recovery. At least Thursday's plans are ready, but I've still got photocopying to do. And this weekend holds yet another audition to cast Arsenic and Old Lace at Kuwait Little Theater and our first rehearsal Sunday night, and then I start right back in with work and tutoring and rehearsals. I'm amazed I ever found time to eat. That's not true. I always made time to eat, but ate the wrong things (everywhere delivers to your door in this country, even Hardees and KFC) and too much of them. But that is all in the past. I am committed. This is my year!