What are you doing?

[buckytom]

not even vinnie barbarino?

 

[GotGarlic]

One of my favorite movies...

 

[Addie]

One of my favorite movies...

Lost count of how many times I have seen it. As a kid, Poo and his friend knew the whole movie by heart! Including all the moves to the dances and other parts.

 

[bakechef]

YEA! That is wonderful! And no, you are not a sexual deviant. I watched a great show on PBS awhile back on the DNA associated with homosexuality. BTW, homosexuality strengthens the family tree. If it wasn't on PBS, the show was on TVO. There's the evolutionary justification for homosexuality.

I wish my brother could come out to our parents, but I understand why he doesn't. Our dad is 83 and has very fixed prejudices about homosexuals (and our mother has dementia and probably wouldn't understand--but maybe she would). I'm just glad my brother came out to me--even though I knew before he finally did. I love him to the moon and back. Nothing would have ever changed that. It hurt me that he thought he couldn't come out to me. But then, I think he thought that being that we are Scandinavian, he didn't have to come out to me, I'd catch on eventually. Or, maybe he's hoping I'll break the news to our Dad. Not going to happen. I don't want to cause either of them pain--our Dad's reaction would hurt my brother, and I don't want him hurt. Dad's too old to hope for him to change and have an open mind (he uses the "q" word). Glad you are going to be able to make those important decisions, but hope that those days are far in the future, bakechef. I also hope that your MIL will accept that you are the most important person in her son's life and with you, he is happy and complete.

Thank you so much for the kind words and sharing with us the love that you have for your brother. I just wish that everyone had the capacity to love without conditions.

 

[bakechef]

At drag bingo in Pittsburgh, so much fun, and no I'm not in drag!

 

[Cooking Goddess]

Recovering. After 12 apples, five pounds, two hours of peeling (I was watching TV and like my fingers), six hours of simmering, two (or three - lost count) of cooling in the sun room, and scrapping the crock, this is all I got:

 

[Mad Cook]

I am just about to go to bed.

But this evening a very odd thing happened.

For the first time in about 9 years, I got asked out on a date!

I said yes (of course), and I have met the guy before - about 2 years ago at my dad's funeral. (Romantic huh?)

So we are going out on Saturday evening.

Jolly good. Are you going out for a meal? DC will require an essay.

(Grandma Henri speaks) Remember, you don't have to "sing for your supper" as my grandmother once delicately put it (unless you want to, of course ) Or as a friend used to say when we were poorly paid young probationer teachers, "Go out with anyone who'll feed you, just be picky about who you stay in with" which, when we stopped laughing we decided was good advice.

Seriously though - Have a good time.


.

 

[Mad Cook]

Recovering. After 12 apples, five pounds, two hours of peeling (I was watching TV and like my fingers), six hours of simmering, two (or three - lost count) of cooling in the sun room, and scrapping the crock, this is all I got:

Crikey! It would have been more economical in time and fuel to buy the stuff ready made!

 

[Mad Cook]

I had a de-cluttering day today too, and am happy with how much I got done. Well, at least in the 3 bedrooms. Once I got going, I was on a roll! Three boxes of stuff are in the trunk of the car for the Salvation Army. The kitchen is cleaned up from dinner, laundry is done, I'm tired, and ready to settle in and find a good movie.

I was awakened at 4:30 this morning by a mild earthquake (3.7), not a biggie but enough to rattle the windows and shake my bed a bit. I laid there listening to the rumble deep in the earth and waited for it to stop, then went ahead and got up since I was awake.

De-cluttering is all very well but I can guarantee that the minute I declutter something that I haven't laid eyes on for 10 years, I will instantly need it!

This is probably not the time to tell you that I have 32 coffee mugs in my kitchen cupboard!

 

[Mad Cook]

Thanks, Addie. I was just feeling wistful about the scooters I enjoyed in the past. Now it really isn't feasible because I wouldn't be able to take my cart with me, plus I don't have the space to store a scooter.
,
I've changed my way of shopping to buy enough to get me through the month. I like havingk. a variety of foods to choose from. I may try to get a scooter later if my legs don't improve with the medication I'm taking. I'd love to be able to get to the library. It's not far and would help cut down my books costs. I read constantly, usually 4 or 5 books a week.

Just an idea (or two) if it's any help.

My neighbour has a lightweight mobility scooter which folds up and goes in the boot (trunk?) of the car. Stores in a corner or a cupboard when it isn't going out. I've also seen a lady in the village with a small trailer thing for shopping, etc., attached to the back of her mobility scooter. No point in me asking them about suppliers as we're overseas, sorry

 

[Mad Cook]

I prefer the Salvation Army over Goodwill. The only problem is that neither one will do pickup anymore. That makes it hard to donate good, still usable objects. We have a SA in the town over. They have been there for years. You used to be able to leave your donations there. Not anymore. Now they want you to leave it at the center up on the Route #1. So if you don't have a car, you are out of luck and they lose. Over to the dumpster they go.

We don't have a Goodwill anywhere near us.

OOps, I always thought "goodwill" was a collective term for charity shops. I didn't know it was a business.

Charity shops are missing out badly when they don't collect.

The "Sally Anne" (Salvation Army) here do a lot of setting up of homes of the homeless which requires furniture but they will only accept brand new stuff donated by shops and manufacturers. They say it is wrong to expect people to live with other people's cast offs however poor they are!

Hmm! My house is furnished with other people's cast off furniture (aunt, grandmother, great grandmothers and even GREAT GREAT grandmother!) I originally received it with gratitude when I needed furniture for my first apartment and didn't have much money but I've always loved it- especially the chairs (c1860) that were rescued from a de-cluttering bonfire in the 1960s - and never felt the need to "modernise". All I've ever bought new since have been a sofa (in a style to tone with my "antiques") and a bed.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

Crikey! It would have been more economical in time and fuel to buy the stuff ready made!

MC, it would if good apple butter were more widely available to me where we live now. Those in the grocery stores have sugar added. It's too sweet! The smaller jar (8.5 ounces, U.S.) is from a gift shop just under 20 miles from our house. They charge $3.95 last time I bought it a few years back. We try to get it when we're back home in Ohio. The grocery store there carries it since the company that makes it is about an hour away from them. That's where we can get one of those larger jars for the same $3.95 price. It's an 18 ounce jar.

It was a bit of work to peel apples, but the 5 pounds cost me $5 with apples running 99 cents a pound. The crock pot doesn't use much power, so considering I made the equivalent of 5 of those smaller jars, somehow I think I didn't spend near to $20 for my home made beauties.

 

[bakechef]

Went to the Fiesta factory today. They had their tent sale this weekend but still had a lot left. They had AMAZING deals on less than perfect Fiestaware most at least 75% off our more. What a great day, got lots of pieces to compliment existing dinnerware and other Fiesta that I already have. I got 8 or 10 pieces for $35!

 

[vitauta]

somehow, despite my age, i entirely missed out on the fiesta craze! no one in my family, nor any of my friends growing up and later, owned or displayed fiesta ware in their homes. all i know about fiesta is that is comes in vivid colors and has a distinctive classic/modern style. would someone kindly fill me in on its history and the reason for its enormous popularity? how is it different from corelle, for instance, what is it made of, and why does it cost so much?

 

[PrincessFiona60]

somehow, despite my age, i entirely missed out on the fiesta craze! no one in my family, nor any of my friends growing up and later, owned or displayed fiesta ware in their homes. all i know about fiesta is that is comes in vivid colors and has a distinctive classic/modern style. would someone kindly fill me in on its history and the reason for its enormous popularity? how is it different from corelle, for instance, what is it made of, and why does it cost so much?

It's a long history, Vit...for your reading pleasure: Fiesta (dinnerware) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Cooking Goddess]

Went to the Fiesta factory today...

I did not realize they had moved their discount store. Or maybe they had a second location along I-70 in Ohio. I remember driving from MA to Columbus in the early 2000s, stopping at the outlet and having a fun time getting a few items cheap. Glad to hear you were able to pick up some bargains.

Also, too bad you hadn't posted this about 4 months ago. When we went to the Pittsburgh area for a family funeral, we drove pretty much along the route that this location is near on our way to Canton. Dang, I could have shopped! Or not...Himself was driving.

 

[LPBeier]

I'm trying to catch up here and at the same time ignore Violet who is trying desperately to not beg for some cheese I have while really wanting it. I am trying not to laugh as I can see from the corner of my eye that she is looking all sad eyes. But when I turn towards her she closes her eyes as if she is a sleep. She is such a character!

Dad used to feed her and Joie a little bit of cheese every afternoon as he had it with his beer. He would give them a couple of small bites then rub his hands together and then palms out saying "no more" and they would retreat to wherever they were playing or sleeping! This has become our signal when they beg - hand signals and "no more" or "sorry".

 

[bakechef]

I did not realize they had moved their discount store. Or maybe they had a second location along I-70 in Ohio. I remember driving from MA to Columbus in the early 2000s, stopping at the outlet and having a fun time getting a few items cheap. Glad to hear you were able to pick up some bargains.

Also, too bad you hadn't posted this about 4 months ago. When we went to the Pittsburgh area for a family funeral, we drove pretty much along the route that this location is near on our way to Canton. Dang, I could have shopped! Or not...Himself was driving.

Oh too bad, you would have loved it! This is their original store attached to the factory where it is made, they even give tours, but we didn't do that. They have awesome deals on seconds every day, but this weekend they had even deeper discounts outside. It was so much fun!

 

[creative]

I saw mum's medical notes (at the foot of her bed in the ward) and, just as I started to read them I was told not to by a nurse. I knew this was not allowed by never ascertained the reason. The only one given was that it was their "policy" which brings me closer to knowing/respecting why. (I am one of those that likes to understand a rule if I am to respect it). The ridiculous thing being I was told that the doctor would be informing me what was in the notes later....so...??

Incidentally, whilst the pinning of her hip bone operation was a success, they discovered she has a blocked valve (inoperable and her age) and so I was tactfully told today that it was "unlikely that she will be leaving hospital".

 

[Dawgluver]

So sorry to hear this, Creative. We will keep you and your mum in our thoughts and hope for the best.