Weekend Update 8 MAR 2015

Saturday 4 PM

NC State Basketball



The Syracuse game was a great way to end the regular season. We played about as solid a game as we have all year and (mostly) dominated a top team. Every game we play - we can win. Not a lucky win - but a solid win. We can also play baffling (bafflingly? - is that a word?) awful too - like the BC game last week. In fact, I think I'll just pretend that BC game didn't happen.

I don't care about the ACC Tournament anymore. It used to be fun when there were 8 ACC teams - and only the winner (and for a few years the winner plus 1) went to the NCAA Tournament. Now, I just don't really care. I don't even watch it. I'd just soon lose early, go home, and rest up for the NCAAT.

This year we're solidly in the NCAAT. The last 3 years we've been one of the last teams in. And in Coach Gott's first year - THE VERY LAST. We are likely an 8 or 9 seed. Which, assuming we win our first game, will get us a match up with a number 1 seed. Gee - what a reward for playing well. LOL

The team is headed in the right direction. In true NC State fashion - wait till next year! If everything goes the way it should, we'll be a top 25 team and a 4, 5 or 6 seed. Or maybe even . . . . .

Next year, if the top ACC teams are Dook, UNCheats, Virginia and State - well, that's kind of like it was during the Valvano days - when Ralph Sampson was at UVA. And Maryland was coached by Lefty Driesell and also in the mix. I guess Louisville or ND will take UMD's place.

Later on tonight is Dook at UNCheats. I'm pulling for The Great Satan.

Picked up Chick-fil-A on the way home. I think I will have mine after I finish this Saturday part of the post.

Work

Work is about the same. Nothing new or really that interesting to write about.

Cooking

Have a roast beef to cook tomorrow. With red potatoes and carrots and onion. Got a real good cut so I'll roast it in the oven rather than using the crock pot. Hope it turns out good (and not dry). Darn thing cost $14 (1.6 pound) so I don't want to mess it up.

Sunday 4 PM

When I got up this morning I made a fire in the fireplace. It looks like the weather forecast is finally turning warm so this morning was possibly the last fire of the season. I read and did some office work and enjoyed the fire till about noon when I let it finally die out.

I had a load of wood delivered about 3 weeks ago - it's stacked and will be nicely seasoned by this fall.

Later I changed the water in the hot tub. I keep a close eye on water conditions and test it regularly. The water was fine but I typically change some of it every couple of weeks to keep it as fresh as possible. The afternoon was so nice, I decided to change it completely.

Cooking Part 2

Just put the roast in. I'm letting it brown under the broiler first, then I'll cover it and let it roast at a much lower temperature, probably around 300, for about an hour or until the thermometer / temperature says it's done medium well. The potatoes and carrots are in a separate dish and I'll add a complete stalk of sweet onion later.

I put a little bit of red wine in the bottom of the roasting dish to add a little flavor / moisture. Otherwise, it was just kosher salt and ground pepper. We'll see how it turns out.

Sunday 7 PM

The roast turned out OK. I overcooked it - so it was very well done. I checked it too late with the thermometer and it was already well past medium. I think I'll use the slow cooker in the future. It's hard to mess up pot roast in the slow cooker - it always comes out 'fall apart' tender.

If I want Prime Rib or similar - best to get it at a restaurant from someone who does it all the time and knows what they are doing.

The potatoes turned out great. The carrots - overcooked.

So - pretty much a typical weekend.