Stray Thoughts 2.0

[Addie]

My county still has blue laws against retail stores selling goods on Sunday. So our malls are empty but you get stuck in monster traffic out of county because everyone is going to the malls in the other counties. Especially Sundays till Christmas.

I am afraid that Blue Laws are archaic and really need to be abolished. Our stores used to be closed also on Sunday. Bars had to close at midnight on Saturday, 2 a.m. on other days.

Our liquor laws were the very last to be changed to update for today's living styles. But in order for a liquor store to be open on a Sunday, each town or city has to get permission from the police department. And it has to be on an individual basis. Does that liquor store have a history of trouble? Have they ever had their license suspended? Have they been known to sell to minors? Etc.

Although our malls are open, a lot of stores choose not to open. They don't want to pay their help time and a half. And that law was put into effect when it was decided to allow stores to open on Sunday. Also a lot of the stores are closed for religious holidays. Again, the pay issue.

 

[CakePoet]

In Sweden you can only buy alcohol at a specialty government controlled shop, that cant have special deals at all, nor sales. It only open weekdays and Saturday and only for a short time on Saturday.
It used to be closed on Saturday, because back in the day when it was open on Saturday the crimes against spouses was high on Weekends. So they government shut the Alcohol store on Saturdays and the spousal beatings went down with 60%.
So many years passed and then they had a trail run on Saturday opens and also stores where you could go in and look around ( yeap that didn't exist either, just counter and you had a list) and the only thing that went up was "happy slapping", which isnt happy nor slapping but beating of a random person.

I remember this still, my home town wouldnt let me even though I was legal age buy over the counter because they knew my parents... yeah 20 years old and married and couldnt get a bottle of wine.
So I would head to the walk in store in the next town and get what I wanted.

 

[Dawgluver]

Last night I dreamed about coring apples with a spoon. I have no idea where that came from, other than the fact I have some mushy apples in the fridge that I plan to make into sauce.

 

[CakePoet]

Dawgluver, we used to core apple wedges with sharpen spoon when I was little.

 

[Dawgluver]

I must have been channeling you in my dream, CakePoet! I've used a spoon to scrape skin off a ginger root, but never for coring apples. It does sound like a safe way for kids to help though.

 

[CakePoet]

It was common way for making apple compote, a sharpened spoon and it was not fun when you by mistook that one for a normal one and licked it..

 

[Andy M.]

You could also use a melon baller. I use the tip of a paring knife.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGMbteKwpL4

 

[Dawgluver]

Thinking I may just haul out the whirlygig peeler-corer-slicer thing. Since my apple tree bailed on me this year and only the deer enjoyed the fruits of its labor, I haven't used it yet.

 

[Dawgluver]

Heh. Grabbed the taco seasoning instead of the cinnamon out of the fridge. Thankfully I caught myself in time. That would have made for interesting applesauce. Blech.

 

[dragnlaw]

I use my melon baller for many things.

Most notably pears. Slice in half, remove centre with baller, with tip of knife pull out the core. If you are keeping the stem for presentation, make a small nick just below where the stem enters the pear. this way the pull doesn't accidentally take off the stem. just pull down to the bottom core and remove with the knife.

Occasionally I find some apples are a little too firm for the melon baller.

 

[Dawgluver]

Feeling this massive need to bake tollhouse chocolate chip cookies. Except I despise baking and have no chocolate chips. I may have an issue.

 

[Addie]

Thinking I may just haul out the whirlygig peeler-corer-slicer thing. Since my apple tree bailed on me this year and only the deer enjoyed the fruits of its labor, I haven't used it yet.

I have had one of those for years and I love it! Specially now with my fingers all gnarled up with arthritis. I have the one that you suction to the counter. I used to have the one you clamped on the edge of the table or counter. More trouble than their worth. It was a present from one of my kids. I finally broke down and tossed it in the trash, but not before I got the one I really wanted.

If you have any kids in the neighborhood, get them to help. They think the whole process is a hoot.

A trick I learned many years ago, wet the counter before you pull that suction handle. You can do a bushel of apples before you may have to wet the counter again.

 

[Dawgluver]

I have had one of those for years and I love it! Specially now with my fingers all gnarled up with arthritis. I have the one that you suction to the counter. I used to have the one you clamped on the edge of the table or counter. More trouble than their worth. It was a present from one of my kids. I finally broke down and tossed it in the trash, but not before I got the one I really wanted.



If you have any kids in the neighborhood, get them to help. They think the whole process is a hoot.



A trick I learned many years ago, wet the counter before you pull that suction handle. You can do a bushel of apples before you may have to wet the counter again.

My apple tree was an abject failure. Many blossoms, many tiny apples. They all comitted herikari after a storm. We may need to have a talky-to. The deer and other critters were all very helpful with the cleanup! I can't find a single downed apple.

 

[Addie]

My apple tree was an abject failure. Many blossoms, many tiny apples. They all comitted herikari after a storm. We may need to have a talky-to. The deer and other critters were all very helpful with the cleanup! I can't find a single downed apple.

No bags left on porches this year. In the spring, take a pitch fork and loosen the soil around the roots. Then feed it some lime. Plenty of apples then. And they will thank you with a bountiful of sweet apples.

 

[Dawgluver]

No bags left on porches this year. In the spring, take a pitch fork and loosen the soil around the roots. Then feed it some lime. Plenty of apples then. And they will thank you with a bountiful of sweet apples.

I don't think anything I would do would have saved them, Addie. We had a big storm, and it took out the baby apples. I ended up with one. Actually, it was a relief, I was running out of porches!

 

[Addie]

I don't think anything I would do would have saved them, Addie. We had a big storm, and it took out the baby apples. I ended up with one. Actually, it was a relief, I was running out of porches!

I have a feeling that the husbands secretly want those bags of apples. Then the wife has no excuse to not turn out a home made apple pie. I wouldn't tell your female neighbors, but you are a favorite neighbor with the male population.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Feeling this massive need to bake tollhouse chocolate chip cookies. Except I despise baking and have no chocolate chips. I may have an issue.

I think you have an issue, not sure which one, but you do have an issue...

 

[Mad Cook]

You do know that Mash was on the air longer than the Korean Conflict lasted.

Yes, indeed. And, of course, we all saw it as an allegory for the Vietnam war which I don't think was intended.

 

[GotGarlic]

Yes, indeed. And, of course, we all saw it as an allegory for the Vietnam war which I don't think was intended.

Actually, it was.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

I. Hate. Leaf Blowers.