What I learned today:

[Chef Munky]

Sorry, I meant spiders in the UK are well-trained and don't bite people and mozzie bites don't usually get infected. Mind you I was targeted by every horse fly in Derbyshire a few weeks ago and that was pretty nasty while it lasted but I'm a bit allergic to the bites.

My post was partly tongue in cheek. I haven't visited the States but we get nature and travel programmes on television and I agree that it's a beautiful and very varied country. Sadly, most Brits who visit the USA for holiday tend to go to Florida to "do" Disney and fail to see the big picture. I'm probably a bit old for the riding holiday out west that I always fancied when I was a girl but on my bucket list of "Things to Do Before I Die" is New England in the fall - very hackneyed and touristy, I know!

As for the animals, an old friend of mine used to be married to a keen amateur mountain climber and used to traipse all over the world with him. Sometime in the 1970s they were camping in the Yosemite when they heard a noise outside the tent, stuck their heads out of the tent and looked straight into the face of a bear. They were very lucky as it just looked at them and turned and walked away.

We used to go camping in Yosemite all the time. Mostly in the High Country. In the Valley if we absolutely had to. Desperate city dwellers that we were. I remember us being woken up in the middle of the night by one miffed bear. What no food!? We could hear it outside of our tent. Feel the weight of it's body walking around our site. I didn't dare move or look out to see what it was. Already knew what it was. So no big surprises. Had a feeling though if it heard me breathe I could be dinner.

Once in the Valley a few guys next to us visiting from the Bay Area were rudely woken up. I still laugh at his screams. OMG!! OMG!!! Must have been one sight to see your fancy car crushed, trashed like an aluminum can. They were warned.

 

[taxlady]

My mum told me that they went on vacation in Yosemite when I was a baby. She says she looked out the kitchen window of the cabin to see a bear hovering over the baby buggy in which I was sleeping. The bear stood there, looking at me for several minutes and wandered away. My poor mum was terrified of what would happen if she disturbed the bear. She watched and waited with a cast iron skillet in her hand, in case she needed to run outside and confront the bear. But, it turned out fine.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

~~Nice pictures GG!

~~chopper, we drove through CO from west to east. I bet I never blinked! Really breathtaking sites.

~~Addie, you're calling a friend of ours crazy. He's an avid hiker - the friend who stayed with us as he was walking the Appalachian Trail. He just posted a bunch of photos online from his most recent hike at Kings Peak in UT. Beautiful! Himself and I used to hike before we got old and furty, but our hiking was minor-league compared to what Larry Boy does.

 

[Addie]

~~Nice pictures GG!

~~chopper, we drove through CO from west to east. I bet I never blinked! Really breathtaking sites.

~~Addie, you're calling a friend of ours crazy. He's an avid hiker - the friend who stayed with us as he was walking the Appalachian Trail. He just posted a bunch of photos on line from his most recent hike at Kings Peak in UT. Beautiful! Himself and I used to hike before we got old and furty, but our hiking was minor-league compared to what Larry Boy does.

Not really. My son has done the Appalachian Trail. He started in the Caroliners with his new bride and made it up to Maine. He has also hiked through the back country at Yosemite. I just ache all over thinking about it. I love the outdoors, but hiking for me, no thanks. One time a friend I was dating took me up to Loon Mountain in NH. We headed out on a trail at the top. I look and I find myself out on a ledge. OMG! One misstep and I was going to be rolling down the side of that mountain. Once my heart slowed back to normal, I sat on that ledge with my legs hanging over and ate the sandwich I had in my pocket. What a beautiful view. No, my hiking days are over. But for those that are still able to do it, I envy them. They get to see what only I can dream about.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I live right in the middle of the mountains on the Pacific side of the Continental Divide. All I see are beautiful views. And lately lots of smoke and fire...

 

[Addie]

I live right in the middle of the mountains on the Pacific side of the Continental Divide. All I see are beautiful views. And lately lots of smoke and fire...

I was thinking of you last night as I watched the documentary. The hiker had to go off trail due to fires. The trails were closed. I was wondering what would the pioneers have done if those trails were closed due to fires.

I have to admit there are some breath taking sights in your part of the country. In Washington there is Mt. Ranier. I was able to see it every morning when I opened my drapes. I had the Cascades on one side and the Olympic Mountains on the other. So I know what you mean when you say you see beautiful views.

 

[Addie]

Live and Learn. I had a couple of Swanson Chicken Pot Pies in the fridge so I could grab something quick to eat. Heated up one today. I don't like the white meat on chicken or turkey. So I take the first bite. The crust was horrible. Not flakey at all. Absolutely no salt. And the filling was even worse. No salt there either. I spit out the pieces of chicken and the veggies were only half done. Into the garbage. And I went into the freezer and got the other one for the garbage can also without even opening it.

 

[Aunt Bea]

Live and Learn. I had a couple of Swanson Chicken Pot Pies in the fridge so I could grab something quick to eat. Heated up one today. I don't like the white meat on chicken or turkey. So I take the first bite. The crust was horrible. Not flakey at all. Absolutely no salt. And the filling was even worse. No salt there either. I spit out the pieces of chicken and the veggies were only half done. Into the garbage. And I went into the freezer and got the other one for the garbage can also without even opening it.

When I got my first place I lived on those pot pies, five for a dollar!

 

[Addie]

I used to buy them and served them on Wednesday. Girl Scout day. I always got home late. The kids loved them. Of course I popped them in the oven then. Maybe that is the difference. You won't see them in my shopping cart again.

 

[taxlady]

I used to buy them and served them on Wednesday. Girl Scout day. I always got home late. The kids loved them. Of course I popped them in the oven then. Maybe that is the difference. You won't see them in my shopping cart again.

They probably have different ingredients nowadays. They probably don't taste the same as they used to.

 

[GotGarlic]

Live and Learn. I had a couple of Swanson Chicken Pot Pies in the fridge so I could grab something quick to eat. Heated up one today. I don't like the white meat on chicken or turkey. So I take the first bite. The crust was horrible. Not flakey at all. Absolutely no salt. And the filling was even worse. No salt there either. I spit out the pieces of chicken and the veggies were only half done. Into the garbage. And I went into the freezer and got the other one for the garbage can also without even opening it.

Get Marie Callender's next time. All the flavor and calories of homemade

 

[Cooking Goddess]

GG, we were underwhelmed the first time we tried Marie Callender's. We thought they weren't worth it when you considered the price difference between them and Swanson's even though Marie's were on sale AND I had a coupon. When we tried the first one we followed the micro directions. But when we had the second I first defrosted it, then baked it in the toaster oven. Definite taste/texture improvement! Still not enough to buy them again though.

Addie, you might want to go fish that unopened one out of the trash and try it baked in the real oven. You might end up with something edible.

 

[GotGarlic]

Actually, I think we switched to Stouffer's. Can't remember - it was something we used for quick, lazy dinner nights during the winter, so haven't bought it for a while.

Yeah, we always make them in the toaster oven. They definitely need that dry heat to crisp up, and a lot of time to defrost and heat through.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I partial cook in the microwave and finish in the toaster oven. As close to perfect as I can get with frozen dinners.

 

[MrsLMB]

My Dad worked for Campbell's soup. They make (or made at that time) all Swansons frozen meals. They also made all Pepperidge Farm products as well as a few others plus Campbell's soup.

Anyway .. we grew up eating all that stuff.

The first time I tried a Marie Callendar pot pie I loved it. It was not as salty, it had a better ratio of meat to vegies and the vegies were not "rubbery".

I've never tried Stouffers - in fact, I didn't know they made pot pies.

I have learned to make my own pot pies and only rarely purchase frozen ones, but it's always Marie Callendar.

BTW .. I never cook them in the microwave .. always the oven. To me they just taste better.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

The Stouffer's Factory Outlet was about 10 miles from our home when I was growing up. Mom had a small deep-freeze. When I got home from school or work I could always tell if she and Dad had made a Stouffer's run that day just by lifting the lid on the freezer. Got sooooo tired of "French Bread Pizza".

 

[Addie]

Having spent most of my childhood growing up in an Italian neighborhood, it was hardly my favorite pizza.

 

[Mad Cook]

It's actually one of several continental divides, it's toward the west coast, and doesn't stop at the borders. It divides all of the North and South American continents. I went horseback riding along the Continental Divide in Colorado and it's breathtakingly beautiful.

Lovely photos. Perhaps it's a good job I'm too old for a riding holiday like that. I'd look a bit out of place on a side saddle with a velvet safety helmet .

(I've ridden all my life but only took up side saddle 15 years ago. Had a lesson to see what it was like and was hooked. Contrary to what most people think, it's a really secure seat.)

 

[Addie]

Last night I learned something that could very possibly save me from hours of dry heaves.

I was sitting at the computer last night and all of a sudden I got hit with a violent episode of vertigo. This is not the first time. But every time it has happened, it happens when I am at the computer. I have an overhead lamp that swings out over the keyboard. I never swing it out. But Spike does. Mostly when he is entering the numbers from the tickets for the "Second Chance" win. He often forgets to swing it back against the wall. When it is swung back I can't see the squiggly light bulb. Those light bulbs are fluorescent. And the ones in my sockets are the white daylight ones. I was so sick, I couldn't even reach for my pills. And they are right next to my bed. Now I don't mind the dry heaves. but I do become concerned with the strain on my heart when they continue for any length of time. And that is what happened last night. Finally I was able to get my pills and took one. That helped a tiny bit. So an hour later I had to take a second one. I keep my nitro and inhaler on the computer desk as well as other areas I usually am. It looks like I am going to have to keep some on my vertigo pills there also. Since it is the area that sets off the episodes.

I learned to make sure that lamp is back against the wall where I can't see the bulb. And to keep some of my vertigo pills at the computer desk also. It took me long enough to learn what was bringing on the episodes. I am just glad I did. I am a slow learner I guess. I wouldn't wish vertigo even on an ex husband.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Last night I learned something that could very possibly save me from hours of dry heaves.

I was sitting at the computer last night and all of a sudden I got hit with a violent episode of vertigo. This is not the first time. But every time it has happened, it happens when I am at the computer. I have an overhead lamp that swings out over the keyboard. I never swing it out. But Spike does. Mostly when he is entering the numbers from the tickets for the "Second Chance" win. He often forgets to swing it back against the wall. When it is swung back I can't see the squiggly light bulb. Those light bulbs are fluorescent. And the ones in my sockets are the white daylight ones. I was so sick, I couldn't even reach for my pills. And they are right next to my bed. Now I don't mind the dry heaves. but I do become concerned with the strain on my heart when they continue for any length of time. And that is what happened last night. Finally I was able to get my pills and took one. That helped a tiny bit. So an hour later I had to take a second one. I keep my nitro and inhaler on the computer desk as well as other areas I usually am. It looks like I am going to have to keep some on my vertigo pills there also. Since it is the area that sets off the episodes.

I learned to make sure that lamp is back against the wall where I can't see the bulb. And to keep some of my vertigo pills at the computer desk also. It took me long enough to learn what was bringing on the episodes. I am just glad I did. I am a slow learner I guess. I wouldn't wish vertigo even on an ex husband.

I had severe vertigo in Costco...I was walking by the books fast and reading titles/authors as I walked by. Almost knocked on my butt! I realized it happens when I walk and try to focus on peripheral things going by. It never bothers me in the car.

Take care Addie!