Wednesday, July 16

[zip2play]

Good morning gang,

Well I made it to 4:45 AM (such a restful night...LOL).
Anyhoo, when I'm in calorie restricting mode (and really only to 2600 now) NOTHING lets me sleep long except a hard workout. Even 10 mg Valium and BLINK, awake after 4 hours...I've done calcium galore and valerian and Benadryl (diphenhydramine)- NADA!
It's OK, I'm adjusted to it, like the seasons.

Sounds quiet but lovely doesn't it?
http://world.std.com/~jegan/plum.html
We're all set with the Audubon books, binoculars and telescope.
They're connected with civilization with satellite TV though, whew!

Bob out all day today and I'll do the finale setup on the two old computers I'm diddling.

Miserable 97% humidity, even bed gooey by morning; if it goes over 80 the windows will have to be shut and the air-con turned on.

Oh, I TRIED to get lucky with beef yesterday. I took the pointy half of the Bottom Round roast I bought a couple weeks ago and "stroganoffed" so successfully.
Well after 2 weekd damp marinade and aging, I thougt I'd London Broil it...I've had SOME luck with eye-round.
Seared it to a beautiful carmine red rare interior....rested the meat 10 minutes...sliced it razor thin with a sharp sharp knife. It was Martha Stewart beautiful to look at, with a delicious flavor......and TOUGH, TOUGH, TOUGH.
We ate what we could and I threw the rest into a pot, added some gravy and fridged it. I'll cook it 2 hours and add sour cream and serve with rice.
It's true: "You CAN'T make a silk purse out of a sow's ear."

Roger

Today is the first day of the rest of your life

[OrchidCactus]

Hey everyone,

I actually have time to do more than a run through here! Yesterday Tyke got her stitches out, so she's on the mend. Hoping the poor baby gets all healed up quickly now. Her ear isn't so ouchy, but we're still cleaning it regularly. She's gotten much more perky too.

Zip, your vacation sounds wonderful! I'd never be able to leave for that long...are you taking Phonecia with you or do you have a neighbor that will water plants?

Shawnee, attacking the yard again, huh? Those rests in the shade must have felt really good. I'm sure the best shade (and pool) were made use of by Pup!

Loretta, glad you survived the innundation of extra people! Your nest was a great idea, and glad you didn't have to really give it up. You're waiting on more to show up, right?

Linda, your trip west sounds like it's coming along now with the reservations made. I know you've got to be excited about it!

Susan, good deal on that speech! Talking about something you know well always makes it easier. Hope the weather settles down and the pool goes in quickly!

Pam, what you up to?

Julie, hope you had a safe trip...

Well, all, off to lurk for a bit, Y'all have a great day!

[Loretta V]

Hi to all

Zip that roast sounds like my .97 cent a pound Danish ribs. Tough, tough tough even after I cooked them in the slow cooker with some sauerkraut. You sure will be gone for a while. What do I do about my pc problems. Now DSD surfing has screwed up my task bar on the bottom of the screen. Not sure how to fix that. I tried the auto hide button but still cannot see that bar. I am so selfish wanting to be able to get advice from you and not thinking about your wanting to "get away". Yea what about Phonecia??

Ginny glad to hear that the pups ear is on the mend and will be healed in a little while. I had to do some ear irrigation on one of DS's ear he got water in it when water skiiing. Heard from the next wave this morning. She is in the city at her sisters and not sure when they will come this way. Today or tomorrow. I just worry about feeding all of them. Feeling like a resturant here. I was happy to have a days relief.

Linda I took the opportunity to make the flaxseed muffins. I put some blueberries in with them and also 1 tbs of Vital Wheat Gluten (did I do right Shawnee?) I just felt that the recipe needed it. They are good (I have eaten one of them, The smallone)

GOt to go company coming back I hear their motorcycle.

Later if able

Love Loretta

[zip2play]

Loretta,

Select AUTO HIDE and ALWAYS ON TOP, see what happens. Sometimes the taskbar is there but covered by the windows bottom bar. Maybe you have to first select Taskbar properties from the desktop with no windows open.

I think I'll give the small plants (mostly violets) and Phonecia (still in full bloom-10 weeks) to our neighbor to water. I have several in huge pots that can easily go three weeks with one drink.
Another method I've used when NOBODY could come in was to put everybody in the bathroom with the door closed and a couple fluorescent lights on. In the confined place all the plant respiration keeps the humidity at 100% and there's VERY little need for extra moisture. Some water in the tub and a towel as a wick can guarantee safety.
(With a Vapona strip in the room, you can kill any insects also but I think I'm CLEAN!)
When I return after that kind of bathroom moisturizing, I half expect to find sphagnum moss hanging from the ceiling. Usually the grouting has to be Cloroxed because fungus had such a ball!


Ginny, I can see you'd have a BIG problem with a long trip unless you had somebody who had a "feeling" for plants....or an automatic misting and drip system.

HELP! Just got an e-mail about the coffe maker at the house. WHAT in bejesus is a "plunge and filter" coffee maker. Is it that French method where you boil the coffee and the water together and press down???? If it IS, I guess, we'll be packing the BRAUN!

[LoveMontana]

Hi gang,

Roger, your plans for that wonderful trip seem to be falling into place nicely. Boy we all want to come too. The beaches in New England are so beautiful.

Smart move staying in a motel in Allentown. It's so much easier and much more comfortable than staying with relatives. We stayed with my aunt once and NEVER again. We are night owls and they go to bed early. The two BR condo in Myrtle beach was ok since my mother was very quiet , my aunt had her own room and I was able to enjoy the LR and balcony late into the night.

Hopefully you will find a beautiful and reasonable home in PA.

Well, at least you got 45 min. more sleep. Do you think the way you eat is the cause of those sleepless nights? Gerard seems to require less sleep now too. Humm, maybe it's just age.

Loretta, Sorry about the computer. It's sometimes a nightmare to figure out things. My yahoo e mail is still giving me fits!! I get and receive mail but keep getting an "error on page" notice if I try to use the bold, colors or what have you in the reply fields. Gerard's is just fine so I don't think it's the computer.

More company?? Motorcycle?? Are you going to take it for a ride? Years ago both G. and I had them. Mine was a little one but fun. We gave them up after I witnessed a fatal MC crash and dh had a med call involving a fatal. There is absolutely NO protection.

Those mufins are great aren't they? Humm, Hopefully Shawnee will share her opinion on the wheat gluten. I like the texture of the flax meal much more than almond flour. BTW the freeze very well and last longer too.

Ginny, it's good to hear that Tyke is doing well. Gosh they are worse than kids. Poor things can't tell us what hurts.

When are you taking more time off to enjoy your gh and kitchen?

Susan, hopefully your family will be able to use the pool sometime this summer. Are they heating it? It sure extends the swimming season. My son keeps his in the 80's and can use it from early May through Sept.

Shawnee are you still working in the yard today? Hopefully it cooled off a bit for you.

Wally world is on my things to do list tomorrow. Hopefully I can find a nuker muffin pan or a pyrex baking pan. LOL all of mine are metal.

Pam, Oh Atlantic City is fun if you don't mind throwing money away. Haven't been there in a long time myself but my favorite game is roulette.

June bugs won't hurt you. Just wack them with a swatter or newspaper.

Julie, we are anxiously awaiting your return and hope all is as well as can be expected. (((hugs)))



Back later.

[Loretta V]

All have shown up. Let the party begin.

L

[SuSUN]

Hi Guys!

Another wonderful day up here No work today, just reading up on L & D for Thursday nights Class. Still have to review this stuff haven't been in this area for over 30 years!

DD's pool is coming along fine, just a hiccup today about the heater, as it has to be run on propane gas cuz they are out in the country, although they have electricity for the house and propane gas for their huge stainless steel stove???? dont get it.

The guys that fill the tank for the house say the little one for the pool is too far back for their hose to reach, yikes! She has been a tad beside herself today, they've had a guy lay a concrete base for a shed and the heater. If they can go up on the neighbours driveway they can fill the tank from that angle. DD does not want to inconvenience the neighbours....too proud eh?

Her poor DH is not the practical type more into 'puters, realises the pool foreman is not a "project manager"...yadda yadda yadda! Feel bad for them both in a quandry right now! These projects always have a way of looming up something! There has to be a solution....dont know why they cant use electricity!

Roger, great tips on the plants in the bathroom. I had heard of folks putting plants in the tub with water. I did not realise about the humidity thing! Sorry about the tough beef! Do you have a pressure cooker!....nuf said! The coffee maker, I think they call that a Bodken or something like that... we had them in the UK. I did not drink coffee back them, just started about 2 years ago over here. Pack your own to be safe!!!

Loretta, I guess, " The Games" have begun! Try to have a good time! This is what you may remember of the Summer of 2003 to keep you goin thru the winter months!

LInda, Glad you have your trip planned! You and Gerard certainly deserve a trip after the last months ordeal! I've not made the muffins yet, but think I have all the ingredients now, so maybe Friday I can squeeze some Time. Got another follow up appointment with the B.Ca surgeon on Friday, so hopefully I will know when I will be scheduled for an open biopsy!

Ginny, thanks for the Joke! Wow, didnt see my mix on the list!
REd wine diluted with sf 7UP. A sacralige as my DSIL calls it!

Waving to Pam, Julie and Shawnee, gotta read yesterdays posts yet!

[shawneesioux]

Hi Y'all

Hot this afternoon. Worked outside this AM, but it was scrubbing moss, grunge off outdoor stuff...no yardwork. This is the Land of Mold and Mildew

Went to Curves this afternoon, and made myself work up a good sweat. The Mall our Curves is in will be demolished shortly, and rebuilt with some new stores we don't currently have...YIPPIE ! Our Curves will be moving to a new location in the center of town, not so thrilled about that.

Yup, Loretta...I do add Gluten to most recipes...Hell, if I ever followed someone's recipe as written, I'd feel like I was cheating...LOL..but actually, gluten is a GOOD thing to add to almost any baked goods..
I'd love to sneak into your Nest late tonight. Hopefully you will NOT need it. Have fun!

Montana, I made some Peanut Butter cookies in the Nuker today..experimented some. The first ones, I nuked at 50%...they were almost like flat muffins, texture-wise. Next batch, at 100% full power, had the firm texture I wanted. Any Nuker- proof casserole or Pyrex thing will work for cakes and bars. In fact, I dumped the last of the Cookie dough into a pyrex pie plate, and nuked it for about 4 minutes...DGBrat said its fashionable (according to the Cooking Shows) to serve muffin mixes nuked and in wedges...HAHA, they are copying me...

BTW, when nuking cakes, they seem to work best if you sit the Pyrex dish on something to elevate it.

ZIP, I went to the Plum Island site...WOW...*drool* Y'all will have a fantastic time. Biking around the quaint towns will be so fun. Sounds like you need to be a Homeowner : there's usually enough to do to make ya sleep soundly, if ya have a yard

I just HATE it for anyone except my DGBrat to touch my puter! She can fix my mess-ups. LOL..its my belief that all machines / mechanical things have Personalities with their own little quirks...and respond best to the one who knows them best.

Ginny, I can see where it would be difficult for you to get away for extended periods..not only the GH, but pups and ponies too. Glad to hear Tyke is doing well, bless her lil heart.

Hi to Susan and Tink, hope all's well in your worlds.

Hi to Julie, you are probably exhausted.

Shawnee

EDITED

ZIP, I have a French Press...NO filter involved..ya pour almost-boiling water into the glass container, over the grounds...Hmmm...anyhoo, the coffee sure tastes wonderful, better than from my regular coffeemaker.

Susan, good luck with the appointment Friday. WOW, what a quandry re the pool.. Back in the Seventies, we had a diluted wine drink as you described...called it a FLIP.

[shawneesioux]

NUKER RECIPES GALORE
This is NOT an LC site; however, lots of the recipes are LC, or can easily be transformed...

http://dmoz.org/Home/Cooking/Microwave/

I may never turn on that stove again,..LOL...at least, not til cooler weather comes.

Shawnee

[Jewels]

I'm exhausted tonight so am going to cut and paste my post from the Goldies bb.

Hi everyone,

We are home finally. Such a long trip in such short time. It only took us about 9 1/2 hours to drive vs 11 that DH thought. The funeral was such a nice one. My bil was quite a notable one. He owned Idaho Sporting goods and in his younger days, did a lot of traveling to schools as a salesman in over 3 states. He was always giving equipment and gear to anybody in Boise that needed them. Nobody went without if they couldn't afford it. There was about 800-1,000 people at the funeral. It was utterly awesome. The flowers had to have been sold out in all of Boise's florist shops. There were so many it was overwhelming. Such a grand display of affection for such a wonderful giving man. My one brother flew up from California and it was nice to visit with him along with my sister and all of her 11 children and spouses. She has 33 grandkids and 11+ great grandkids. Can you imagine what my sister's house was like during our time there? Some had been staying there, from out of town , for over 2 weeks. Luckily she stills lives in the same house she did when all the kids lived at home. 7 bedrooms were bulging. We stayed at a motel as it was just easier. FOOD!! Coming out of our ears!! People brought food right and left. It was a constant buffet. The first night, they ate chili w noodles in it so I waited until I got back to the motel to eat my food I had brought. I could've found something in the fridge but didn't want to draw attentions to myself. No one even noticed I didn't eat. After that, I just went to the kitchen and hauled out a cooked turkey and sliced it up. Cheese and sliced meats were plentiful. I didn't eat any of the dozens of desserts and couldn't believe it myself. I did eat a little too much ham but guess thats not too bad. It was quite an experience, believe me. My sister has the most increditable family. All so loving, well mannered, polite and thoughful people. The youngest is 37, the same age as my DS1. The oldest will be 52 on my birthday next month. Only 8 years younger than me. My sister is almost 14 years older than me. I guess I've rambled on long enough but it was so inspiring.

I will try and check back to tomorrow and address everyone. Have been unpacking, reading mail and newspapers and doing some laundry. No baby yet!! She is miserable and her feet and hands are so swollen. Guess they don't give diuretics anymore. God bess her!

Til tomorrow, Julie

[LoveMontana]

Welcome back Julie, What a fine man he must have been. You rest now and we will talk with you tomorrow. Sorry that poor girl hasn't had the baby yet. God!! I remember being LATE with one of my kids. It's not fun. Hopefully she will deliver soon.

Susan, Good Lord!! What a problem with that pool. How expensive are electric rates per kw up there? It's just about killing us in NYS. My son uses natural gas but I'm sure that will go up soon.

Shawnee, OMG what a great site! Thank YOU so much. I MUST get my self used to using the nuker in the summer. Tomorrow I'm getting some natural PB at the grocery and may just try to make some of those cookies in the nuker.

Mold and mildew THanks for the heads up. Mold is my strongest allergy trigger. Damn!! Thought about driving over to Washington state when we head to MT. in Sept.