Coffee and ... for Thursday, August 3

Sarv, I think that's beautiful! But I like sage, so I am biased. Bonnie, that pool looks so refreshing I'd even put on a bathing suit to jump in it. Didn't do much today except check traps, move some furniture and read. Couldn't possibly keep up with Bonnie....she's smokin' !!

LOL about the books!! My stepmother got primmer and properer as she aged. I used to send her my books, mostly mysteries, but once I threw in one of those bosom rippers, you know, with Fabio on the cover. She said she was so embarassed to read it she threw it in the wood burner before she finished it. And it was one of those that doesn't even have steamy descriptions, don't even know how I got it, those aren't my style!! Then, later , when she was getting terribly forgetful, she would bring out a book I had sent her and ask me if I wanted to read it when she was done!!

Suzi our cooler wether arrived just with rain, so maybe you'll be lucky too.

Darius, great story about the aunts!! My stepmother had an aunt who used one of those horn kind of things, really couldn't hear a thing through it but insisted on commenting regardless. We kids would hang around until we got thrown out for giggling, and then we would go sit under the window and listen, and laugh some more. She couldn't get offended because we were out of sight. You didn't say anything about the Vet visit to Gracie did you? Every time I bring out the cat carrier they are all very interested until it's time to leave, then they all disappear. Olivia didn't go in for her shots today...I dillydallied too long and missed the appointment so I called them to apologize. Turns out the girl who made the appointment made a mistake and put the 3rd on the reminder card, and it should have been the 7th.
I suppose if I had gone, they would have squeezed me in somehow, shots are fast.

Elaine, butter has almost the same amount of fat, etc. as lard, but lard makes better pastry, IMHO. And we don't want to be putting lard on our veggies or our bread. It's good to be reminded of these facts, but they never seem to affect my eating habits.

When one of my aunts passed away, Sarv, my sweet uncle made me come over so he could give me some of her towels........and bras. Bras made for Brunehilda the Viking Queen, four hooks, multiple boning, body armor....and I wore a teeny little 34a, poor dear man, I took them and donated them to the Goodwill box. How he even thought I could fit in them is beyond me....but he meant well.

After that hot spell, I need some real food. Chicken Cacciatore on the stove. I used to tell my kids if you didn't have spaghetti of some kind once a week, your teeth would get loose and fall out. When my youngest lost one of her baby teeth, she brought it to me and said I better make spaghetti before the rest of them fell out!

Speaking of, I better go stir the pot....and chase Olivia out of my file drawer, and take away the pencil she's trying to steal......and I really should clean off that desk, shouldn't I?

Sheila

Sheila, you are SO funny!

No, I didn't tell Gracie she is going for a ride tomorrow. Good thing I have a truck with a topper... she can go in the back and I won't hear the squawks. She DID show up for supper, I just have to remember to pick up her food and water before midnight. I'm a bit nervous about tomorrow.

Bonnie, I want your pool, to go beside Ernie's gardens at my house!

Elaine, I meant to ask you if you had read my thread in the Healthy Living forum called "The Rise and Fall of Crisco" although Crisco is not lard. Some recent studies are showing that a small amount of animal fat is actually good for you. Bring on the biscuits!

Hi all! i'm alive, boy was today nice, it was overcast and 80's. Yesterday the horses didn't run at Saratoga for the first time in its 138 yr, history - too hot. I sponged my horses down every hour or so and kept a fan on them in the barn. I probably worry too much, but sheesh, they stay out in 30 below zero they're north country horses!

DD1 comes home late tomorrow from Nicaragua, so we'll get the report. We heard a little news about the group's activities. Things are getting worse for the people there...if one can imagine worse....I don't know why. It will be interesting to hear what Emily says. I cry when I see the pictures.

Bonnie-I'm so jealous. I swore up and down no pool again, but I would've paid dearly to have one this week!! Lucky you! Course you deserve it with your crazy schedule and canning and all.

molly-the house looks beautiful. Is that elastomer paint just for shingles? Can it go on old metal roofing? I want to keep the farmhouse roof a few more years and it needs paint. Eventually I'll probably put on a new standing seam metal roof. I can imagine the light color will save bucks down there.

IO1- was it you who asked? We stilll need a firm estimate and game plan from the guys with the big machines who will pick the house up. Gives me more time to get used to the thrill!!

darius-congratulations on A/C!! Cukes are just starting and I'm reading the Harsch pot book. Did you use whey? Where do you get it?

Mary-Hopefully I'll be back in the saddle as it cools. Sounds like you're getting miles in! Glad Breezy and Patch are doing better. The size of that fire is unimaginable to me. Glad you're not getting smoked!

sarv- the quilt is gorgeous. Sage green is probably my favorite color. What doesn't go with green?
It's the neutral of the garden.

I spent the day trekking around Middlebury Vt. with a friend. We went to the co-op to get all sorts of wonderful organics I can't get here. She gave me eggplants and zucchini, I stopped and bought farm fresh sweet corn (ours isn't ready quite yet) , came home and picked cukes, wax beans and lots of tomatoes. SO I'll be getting busy preserving soon.

Have to run~~~~hi to everyone I've missed.

Here I have a brand new generator, the electricity went off and no generator, boy was I furious, did the electircian called back? NOT. Just wait till I get a hold of him, he is going to get a piece of my mind!!
Also the computer went to some where else certainly not here but came back with lights after many hours.
Have not baked a thing, too hot!!! Daughter and husband were here for dinner last night, cooked five maine lobsdters for real New England salad on a toasted New England hot dog roll , was yummy

Here with Samson he is happy to be home again

With my younger daughter she is 53 years old

When I got home from work at 6 it was still 96 out. Now it's down to 83. There is some light rumbling in the sky, but no storm. Might be able to sleep without the AC tonight.

Sarv - the quilt is beautiful!

M5 - Olivia is growing sooo fast.

Maria - Sampson really missed you! He's such a sweetie!

DH has the tv so loud! I thought he had "selective hearing", but I'm beginning to think he might need a hearing test. At least he isn't watching something with the surround sound. That's just way too loud for me.

Going to bed soon so I'll say goodnight. ~~~ nighty night

Grrr- I am sooo ticked. I haven't been able to get on line again!!!! For 2 cents, I would change carriers....

Gave everything another shot of messenger. My brugs look fantastic. I've been trying to resize a pic to show you all, but of course I cannot do it. Sometimes I just feel like a dunce...

DS just called and wants me to show him how to can venison tomorrow. I am going to the casino to win some cashola (Maria...is there a secret?) He wants to come over to my house to do it NOT>>>>he can have the mess and stink at HIS house!! I'll go over early on Sat and help him.

We're all going to a wedding reception 2 hrs away on Sat. It's a second wedding for both- they got married this spring and always have a pig roast in the summer. They are combining reception and pig roast. What's the proper thing to do gift wise??? I hate second wedding stuff...they aren't registered anywhere...

Darius - good luck with the new helper. Five bucks is pretty cheap...I'd give him a raise too. Have plenty of cookies on hand...

M5- I love sage too - it's the other color she used which is ghastly. In the pic it looks nice, so I'm hoping it will look good on my bed too. I have to repaint the bedroom before I use it - that may take years....I hate painting!! The bedroom where I will use it has real cheapo paneling that we wallpapered over. I have to tear down the wallpaper....another job I detest... I think I need a new house!!

Maria, that Samson is a real card. He is so big!!! What is wrong with the generator?? Oh that lobster meal sounds out of this world....I may have to go to Subway and get a seafood sub....LOL

I made some cookies and left them to cool while I went out to the gardens. When I came in, half of them were gone....DH ate them. I screamed and told him they were to take on my casino trip tomorrow. LOL, they really weren't, but I wanted him to feel bad- maybe he'd give me some $$ to use....LOL sometimes I even laugh at myself....

Sarv------ we just switched from dial up to DSL could never go back to that stuff again. &0 times faster than dial-up loading.

Oz, I probably should consider going to dsl =I"m just too cheap right now. DS is getting new cell phones (I'm on his plan) and the price is going up on that too. Gas went back up to 3.19 today and of course I need a fill up... How come my pension doesn't keep up!!

Molly, what do you sell on your internet store?
I haven't had many hummingbirds this year, but all of a sudden they're here in full force. Several at each feeder most of the day. A lot of fussing and chasing to make us laugh.
10l, I think there are 2 major reasons for all the obesity, especially in children. 1 is that so many mothers are working and picking up burgers or pizza on the way home. Very little veggies and fruit is eaten in a lot of homes. And most cooks don't know how to cook veggies so they are tasty and not mushy and bitter.
The other reason is kids don't get out and play and bike around the neighborhood like they used to. I think one reason are Mom's fear they will be grabbed but the other is that they let them sit in front of the T.V. all the time. I remember when Moms just kicked kids out of the house when they got underfoot.
Maria, the dahlias are beautiful. I had a beloved uncle who raised them and showed them. I had his slides of them; they were so old that some of them were made of glass. I recently sent them to the N.Y. Dahlia society.
darius, do you realize how happy you sound despite all the work?

Hi, All...

dmc, whey is not needed for pickling cukes, but you can strain buttermilk or kefir through fine cheesecloth to get whey. Mine will be ready to open the crock tomorrow. Wonder if I will have pickles or rot? LOL. If rot, that's okay for the first time around but I'll not be too happy.

Maria, that's a p***er about the generator not working. I'd sue the electrician after all the $$ you spent for it. Your daughter is cute, Samson is too. What's a "New England salad on a toasted New England hot dog roll"??

Betty (woodspirit), Yes, I am relatively happy despite the work. I love being here!

Gracie came home, had supper, and I just now took up her dishes, NPO. Hope she's still around in the morning for her trip to the Vet. The new boy I have hired told me he has been under this house 3X to retrieve cats with kittens. He also told me the wife was supposed to be some kind of a preacher but was really an old prostitute. LOL.

Have a Great Evening, Everyone!

Sarv, I love the quilt. What a treasure. Hope you win at the Casino tomorrow.
Re the wedding, if it's a second wedding, they aren't registered and you sense that they really don't need stuff, you might consider a charitable donation in honor of the marriage in their name so that they get the tax receipt.

Darius - hope the new young man you hired works out. He sounds like a good worker. Crisco is full of trans fats isn't it? We grew up on the stuff though. Canadian flour is a harder wehat flour than American and I could never make a decent pie crust here until I started using lard. But DD#1 is vegetarian.

Dorothy - look forward to the report about your DD's trip. Talking heat, the Changing of the Guard Ceremony on Parliament Hill was cancelled on Tuesday because of the heat.

Maria - have enjoyed all of your pictures. Hope it cools enough for you to bake soon. Also hope you get that generator working.

Woodspirit, enjoy your hummers.

finked out on concerts today. Worked at noon. Skipped the others till 8 and only stayed until intermission at that one. Flute and guitar - well played. I just didn't feel like more of the same after intermission. Have actually run into several people this year who go to a lot of concerts, but only stay for half of each. Tomorrow, I work the 10 am and will take the bus. Hope to attend part of a noon hour and I work the 8 pm. Depending on how I feel and how hot it is, I may take in all or part of the 11 pm. (If I do that, the thread will be started really late for Saturday.)

Well I thought it was too early to start the new thread, but I see it is nearly 11 here. I'll be back in a few minutes to start it.

Ann

The thread for Friday is now up and DH is reminding me it's bed time. Have a good night everyone and see you in the morning over at http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/635297/

Evening all,

Bonnie, nice pic! I haven't even thought about getting into a swimsuit in years and if I ever did, I certainly wouldn't let anyone get a picture of it.

darius, hurray for being legal --- so glad that you can sell your products without any difficulty from the legal standpoint. Good luck with Gracie tomorrow.

Molly, glad to hear that the new roof color has already paid off in terms of a cooler interior. You might want to check to see if there are any of those free newspapers in your area that take advertising. They usually sell space pretty cheaply and are left in supermarkets, banks, etc. so that people can pick them up. Sometimes regular local newspapers have pretty low advertising rates as well and might be a good place for you to get jobs in the neighborhood.

Maria, those are lovely pictures of you, Samson, and your daughter. I'm hoping that we'll both get the relief from this horrid weather that they've been predicting. I've definitely had enough of sweltering.

I01, don't know whether or not you saw my previous post, but I was just wondering if your Moonflower has blossomed yet (if, indeed, it is a Moonflower and not one of the morning glory tribe.)

Dmcd, sounds like the weather there has finally broken. I have fingers and toes crossed that it will do the same here tomorrow.

M5, Olivia has perfected the "Who, meee?" look, hasn't she. D,K. is still up to her usual baiting of the older cats, but has also discovered the wonderful world of insects. She's been going around meeping and obviously wishing that she could fly so that she could reach that intriguing moth on the ceiling, etc. She finally managed to shinny up the stair rail to the banister only to find that she STILL wasn't tall enough.

I know that I haven't addressed everyone, but now I have to beg your indulgence so that I can whine for a bit. We just heard today that DH has been "let go" from his job because he has been out on disability a disproportionately long time compared to the time that he has worked there. So, here we are, back at square one ---- no job and no health insurance (it ran out on July 31st) DH says it 's just a day in the life in America. The manager at the store where he's been working told him that he should have no problem being re-hired once he's fit to work again, but even if that happens, it will be another three months before the insurance program can kick in again. If it turns out that DH would need those special prescription shoes in order to do that kind of work again we will well and truly be caught in the typical "Catch 22" situation where we can't possibly afford them without insurance which we can't afford unless he's already working there (which he may not physically be able to do without the stupid shoes!) Okay, enough of that, just needed to vent a little.

Mary, glad to hear that your horses both seem to be getting better. Hope you don't end up in the way of any more of that smoke --- or, worse yet, the fires themselves. I know that living under that kind of threat would make me a nervous wreck.

Ernie, from the evidence of all the recent pictures, I'd say that you definitely deserve the title of Master Gardener whether or not you officially have it. The flowers are gorgeous and I'm glad to see that you also grow edibles.

sarv, apparently the Fast Stone photo re-sizer didn't work for you. I don't know why since I'm certainly no computer geek or photo expert, but have found it very easy to use. (I'd be lost without it as the pictures that I take are altogether too large for my web pages in most cases.) Good luck at the casino! At the very least, I hope you have fun. Sorry that the colors in the quilt weren't to your liking. The photo makes them look great.

Twyla, sorry that you haven't been feeling well. I had a hard time trying to understand your last post. What was your cat chasing through the house? By the way, did her last kitten survive?

V-ann, congrats on your daughter's engagement! Whatever and wherever they decide as to a ceremony, I hope that both families thoroughly enjoy it.

Hi to cece, ves, suzieq, woodspirit, oz, somermoone, and anyone else that I might have inadvertently left out.

Good night to all. Time to seek the bed (and air-conditioned comfort!)

Darius, the Salad is the true Maine lobster salad and the rolls are the ones that have no crust on either side, they can be nicely toasted, I uderstand one can not get them any where else but here so I haver been told

Goodnight all sleep well

Well, I know it is late, and probably everybody with any sense is in bed, but the one with little or no sense, is just starting to get caught up with this thread.

I loved the stories about the hard of hearing, and no I am not making fun of anyone who is disabled. My DF was hard of hearing, and handled it very well with a hearing aid, my DM has two hearing aids, gets up, puts them in every morning, but forgets to turn them on, or adjust volume. So our phone conversations are funny at times. Me yelling at the top of my voice, she saying "honey I can't hear you". One day, I laid the phone down, hopped in the car, drove the 1/4 mile to her house, turned up her hearing aids, drove home, and had a phone conversation with her!! She said, I wondered what you were doing, telling me not to hang up the phone when you left.

Ernie IS THE MASTER GARDNER, at this site no contest, no contenders. Please post some more pics of your gardens please.

Whoever said, Ernie's garden's with my pool, I will vote for that also. Ernie, why don't you just come down to Ky, plant and plant and plant, then I will have Ernie' gardens and my pool all on the same site!!

Darius, I too, have caught your good mood, and the humor coming back, through your posts. Glad that you are happy and contented to be there. You sure do have good luck finding people to work for you. Just keep the young man with plenty of treats and drinks, and he will be your slave, until he meets some sweet little thing who deflects his attention to other things. Hope Gracie shows up in the morning for her appointment.

McCool, sorry to hear your depressing news. But remember, a door doesn't close, but a window will open. Take heart, and know that something better may be in store. Please don't apologize for sharing your problems/worries, as that is what this "family" is here for.

Sarv, that quilt looks beautiful. Now if you can get the paper stripped from the paneling, and the paneling painted to just the right color, that will make one fantastic room. If you need help this winter, I will work for a plane ticket and meals.

I hear you about not being able to get on this site. Of course in my very primitive rural area, I only have one choice---dial up which stinks. There was an article in the county newspaper this week about a "study to determine the need of DSL in this area. Of course they were talking in terms of commerce and local development. Where have these idiots been for the past 10 years. I want DSL and I wanted it yesterday.

M5, Olivia is growing so fast, I don't see how her body has time for the fur to cover the growth. Don't even think about cleaning off that desk, it has not gotten to the critical point yet.

Viann, can't imagine you "wimping out" on concerts. Since it is near the end of this series, maybe there is just a little "burn out?" Do the lesser musicians get pushed to the end of the series? Maybe they are not as good/well known?

Sommermoone, can't imagine that many reunions in that short period of time. All I can manage is one reunion in about 5 years. No seriously, my DF's family was small, my DM's brothers and sisters are all dead, but the DH's families make up for my small one. I think there is a reunion on his side on Sunday, don't know if we will go or not.

Maria, give Samson a big hug from me. I don't know if he will remember me or not, but I shall never forget him. Such a regal fellow. That supper sounds so so good. I still am ranting to friends about the lunch you treated me and DTS to. It was delicious, and I shall not forget it and the tour of providence. We had a grand time, and would love to return.

susieq, glad your temps are lower. Hope that you soon get some permanent relief. DGD and I went in the pool after we got home tonight, and there was lightening in the distance, so hope we will get some cooler weather. They are predicting some rain here tonight and tomorrow.

Okay, so to report on the fish fry, it was great. Glad I made the executive decision to have it at the church rather than here and outside. I don't think anyone would have enjoyed it with the heat. We furnished the fish and hush puppies, and the rest was pot luck. Somebody made a cheesecake, and that is my very favorite dessert. Sorry to say, I have a very large piece, and probably gained 5 pounds with that.

Tomorrow brings some more canning, tomatoes this time around. Don't know how many I will have, just know that there are many ripe red things sitting there in the garden.

Okay, I am going to check out some other forums, and then try to get in bed. Never get there at a decent hour.

Good night Gracie