Yum on the apples.  Thanks for sharing, Marilyn!

jane -  lucky you, getting some rain. I hope it's not bad for the farmers, though.  Hope you get good cards.

MaryPage, I love the honey crisps, too.

Usual Wednesday - swimming and coffee.  We had a good lunch today.  We got a new chef about 2 weeks ago, pulled out of retirement.  The food has definitely improved.  Now if they could just get the server situation fixed.  Somehow many of the regular servers seem to have disappeared, and members of the staff are doing a lot of it - nursing, maintenance, management.  It's good they're getting a chance to see how the dining room actually functions (good AND bad), but I know we'll all be glad when they get a full complement of regular servers working again. 

Good morning, Buddies (although it is exactly noon here right now).  I stayed up late reading a mystery and didn't get out of bed until almost 10:00, the mail lady has already been here, and I'm still not hitting on all cylinders!  I just signed in and did a search to be sure my computer is clean and here I am.

I have no plans for today except a bit of weeding and choosing a new book for reading.  I still have lots that Tim brought to me while at the assisted living where I stayed for a month.  I didn't read as much there as I had to toddle to the dining room 3 times a day.  If I was a bit late, one of the dining help came to wake me up and/or remind me it was meal time.

Mary, are you on eastern daylight time?  It's just 12:16 here as I write this.  We're in the Central daylight time zone here in Auburn.  It sounds like your new chef is a winner.  The one at Morningside was not that great, but OK, I guess.  At least I ate most of what was served.

Wow, Marilyn.  Four kinds of apples!  How are you using them?  I know you like to bake and apple pies are usually pretty yummy. 

Hi Bubble!  I'm with you, I'd like to see a photo, too.

Jane, enjoy your lunch and bridge.  How about sending some of that rain over here?  I can't remember when we last had rain, but it is very dry here this summer.

MaryPage, what's going on in your neck of the woods today?  I'm guessing you'll have a busy day planned--isn't your family celebrating something this weekend?

I may do a little weeding this afternoon when the shade gets on my large flower bed next to the driveway.  I have lots of trees on my lot, but mostly in the back yard.  I did weed a while yesterday and hope to get more done today.

Have a good day, Buddies.
Sue

At the moment having some problems on Computer but seems like Comcast worked on it as it does seem to be better.  Just a couple more thing to do.

SUE.  Made a quick read though the posting.  Boy are we all proud of you.  You are getting back to feeling like you self again it seem.  Other than driving doing all your usual things.  Fact making me feel like I am being to lazy.  Keep up the exercising and you will be back walking you 3 miles again soon. Just don't overdo.

For the rest of the group. You all seem to be keeping well and busy.
Weather still hot here.  90 again today.  At least the nights going down to 60s and humidity not as bad.

Sad to read about the people and the flooding.  This time it seems like they have not mentioned it on the TV like they did the others.  Hope all those families are helped a little better than the Katrina flooding people got.  Some did O.K getting new homes but others still remain in the areas had to move to.  Lots still in Texas my Daughter says.  Living in those Federal trailer homes.

Sue, I'm in the eastern time zone (currently on DST).  My home county borders the line between eastern and central, and then the line goes south along the AL/GA border.

I am in the Eastern zone, as well and all.  It is 2.26 in the afternoon as I begin writing this.
Another grey day, but without rain, here.  The sun TRIES to slip out from behind the humongous cloud cover and do a little shining, but it is a weak attempt at best.
Yep, Sue, I am hosting a small birthday party on Saturday.  Only six (6) of us: 5 of my children and me.  We will celebrate Rob turning 70 on September 7th and Elizabeth turning 68 yesterday.  Each will have a small cake.  Rob will do a slide show lecture of his adventure tours since this time last year, we will spend intermission at Sam's having a noisy lunch, and then Rob will finish the slide show and everyone except Chip is supposed to go home by four so I may enjoy my Old Lady's Nap.

Just a quick note. Not much going on around here. Same stuff, different day.   My cleaning girl did come today. That's always a plus.

Marilyn, wow, what a windfall with all the apples. I'd have  a hard time using that many, but with you cooking and baking as much as you do, you probably won't.  I saw a recipe for apple cream cake on FB this morning that really looked good. And there's always apple butter and apple pies! There is a restaurant in a touristy-type town near where we lived in IN that is famous for their apple butter and biscuits. So yummy.

It is gray here today too and the birds are feeding heavily which usually means we'll get some rain, but who knows.

Mary Page, your party sounds fantastic!

Mary, I hope they do get the server situation straightened out for you. I imagine it is hard to get people to do that when there are no tips involved.  Good about the new/old chef though.  I was never very thrilled with the food at my aunt's retirement home when I visited her, but she didn't complain.  Usually though, I took her out to lunch which she loved.

Jane, have fun at bridge and lunch.

Sue, I would think weeding would be next to impossible with a leg brace.  Do you take it off for that?  Or have you been able to do away with it?  Did your church find someone else to take over your secretary scheduling duties and your SS teaching?  Don't be too quick to take them back up.
I'm sure they have been missing all the things you do at the church.

Hi to all I haven't mentioned.  Sharon

With all the apples I will be making some apple sauce, apple butter and nore apple pies. It looks like I will be perfecting my pie crust skills that are so sadly lacking at this time. I sure would link to have one of those Tupperware  pastry sheets. They have all the measurments right on themannd the recipes as well. One of my clients had one and I really liked it.

Freckles and I went to BayCrest, residential and Rehab facility this morning, We visited on the 2nd floor where the people ;live. Most of them are ambulatory pone way or another and most of them are crazy for the dogs. However today there were several empty rooms and others that had name tags but were locked. They lock those doors when the people are someplace else, maybe the hospital or downstairs doing rehab until they can return to their living quarters.

Happy Thursday, Buddies!

A lovely day here  in the SE corner of Tennessee.  I got the whole newspaper read out on the deck, watching the hummingbird (only one now) at the feeder.  Low humidity and not too hot (although it will be around 90 this afternoon.  Silver Sneakers, and now just computer time before lunch.

Marilyn, I'd love to have some of your apple butter - one of my favorite toast spreads.  Enjoy it for me!

Good morning, Buddies.  I've been up since 7:30, but showered and dressed to go to Kroger.  However, that was my mistake.  My volunteer ride is planning to take me tomorrow.  I just (as is becoming pretty usual) wrote it down incorrectly.  At least it gave me time to take my neighborhood walk while the shade was still on the street.  In the afternoon, it's pretty much full sun.  I will be subbing for Lue's  old bridge club and one of the players will pick me up about 12:45. 

Jeanne, I enjoy the walks, but it isn't easy with a heavy brace on my right leg.  However, if I'm ever going to be able to drive again, I really need to do this.  I hate having to call on people to pick me up to go anywhere.  This local organization of volunteers is great, though, and they seem to enjoy doing it.

Mary, we're just inside the Central time zone.  Phenix City, AL and Columbus, GA are in the Eastern Zone.  I think part of Phenix City might be in Central Time, too. 

MaryPage, your birthday celebration for Rob and Elizabeth sounds like fun.  It's really nice that the siblings living nearby can attend the party, too.  Enjoy the party and the post party nap!

Sharon, I keep the leg brace on when weeding (and for everything else until bedtime).  It's not easy, though.  I had a yard man clean up everything in the front yard last week so just a few weeds can be pulled fairly easily.  I will admit that my yard is not in a pristine condition!  The brace fits inside an old comfortable pair of sneakers and has a metal support under my foot and outside the shoe up almost to  my knee.  I don't mind how it looks at home, doctors' appointments, or the grocery store, but I hate having to find something to wear to church.  I've worn one full denim skirt for the past 3 Sundays!

Marilyn, after my grandmother retired from the post office, she and a group of her Sunday School class (she taught a senior women's Bible Study class for 55 years) would somehow get several bushels of apples and would cook the apples outside in large pots which I think might have been made of iron like old fashioned frying pans still are.  Then they would bottle the apple sauce in glass jars and split it up so everyone had enough for the winter.  I think she then processed hers in a water bath pot.  We loved apple sauce on biscuits on chilly winter mornings.

I'm hoping to finish this morning's crossword puzzle before lunch.  Yesterday we got the New York Times puzzle and it's much harder than my regular puzzle.  Thank Goodness it's back to our usual which gets progressively harder during the week, but is not impossible.

Have a good Thursday, Buddies.
Sue

Ah, Sue; so good to see you!

Beautiful, sunshiny, cool day here on the bay.  We are supposed to go up to 84°, but I doubt we'll get out of the seventies.

Went off to an early morning appointment with my rheumatologist.  She says my left knee pain is from bursitis.  So it is not at all the same as was the right knee in 2009/2010.  Interesting all the different things that can cause us grief in our old age.

Then we did a good shopping at Safeway and came home.  I put the topical gel the doctor gave me on the painful knee; so far to no noticeable response.  Well, we will see what 4 times a day does.  Let's see: that's every 6 hours.  Something MORE for this failing brain to try to remember!  Hey, if I write it down, then I have to remember WHERE I wrote it down!  12/6/12/6.  Y'all remember that and tell me if I ask, okay?  That's noon, six, midnight, six!  Shoot!  Six o'clock in the morning is For The Birds!

Mom.... try the  9 and 3 oclock version...
that way you can put it on before bed 9 and again when
you get up to go to the John at 3 AM.... 
Every six hours,  four times a day... 

You will figure out what is the best time for
you....  especially if it helps.

Sandy

Hi Buddies.  I'm moving kinda slow today. Having intestinal problems    Back in a minute.

Rain,rain,rain....one place north of us got 9"!  They're evacuating the town. I'm sure the cardboard bot regatta will be postponed again....river will be much too high and too swift.

I rode i to Dbq with Ray's this morning, and we'll go back tomorrow for lunch with our Ia friends who also are in our condo in Tx. 

I got my flu shot this morning, and the cute little nurse checked on my pneumonia shot.  People were saying we were to get shots two years in a row.  She explained it to me....

For those who haven't had the pneumonia shot, apparently it works that way...and age gets mixed in there, too.  Anyway, I had the Pneumovax in 2005, so just needed the Pneu...Pcv 13 and had it in 2015, so she said I was uptodate.  They apparently do them in reverse order now. 

http://www.cdc.gov/features/adult-pneumococcal/

Explains it all....and tat one that isn't the PCV 13 is the one called Pneumovax.

For those you who watch QVC, this is a new product developed by my chef nephew.  Definitely worth a try (if it's your sort of thing).  It's called MacaRollin'.

Wednesday September 28th between 7PM and 9PM on "In the Kitchen with David" we will be debuting our (my recipe) Mac and Cheese in four varieties:
1.Calssic Mac
2.Buffalo Chicken Mac
3.Philly Cheese Steak Mac
4. Loaded Potato Mac

I've never watched that channel, but am dying to know about this product, Mary.  Watch Lester Holt do news on NBC at 7:00 o'clock every night, then Chris Matthews at 7:30, then get ready for bed at eight so as to catch Rachel Maddow at nine.  Think I would probably perish in front of a sales pitch, as that is alien to my nature.  Am not now, and never have been, a shopper; albeit think I would adore to browse the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul (one of the many things on my Bucket List that never got checked off), and quite enjoy checking out small shoppes in new (to me) places. But PLEASE let me know how and where I can obtain and try out a new form of macaroni & cheese.  Been having fits lately, because all of a sudden like cannot find the cheese I use for my cheese & macaroni casserole in ANY of our local grocery stores!  It is those semi-wheels of Longhorn Colby.  Is it still in stores where you are?  Here is my idea of died and gone to heaven goodness:
two ( 2 ) packages of LONGHORN COLBY cheese
8 oz of small elbow macaroni
this does not seem to be available in many places in 1 box or package these days, so if you must, get the 16 oz box or package and divide it into 2 parts, saving one for the next time you make this.
A stick of butter or, if you must, your favorite margarine.  Yes, you may use a spoon of what comes in a tub instead of a pat cut off a stick.   
A small carton of cream or of half & half.  This dish is not fat or calorie free.
I use a very old PYREX casserole.  A yellow glass rectangle, it does not have a mark telling its volume.  It has a glass top, but I do not use this except to store the leftover dish in the fridge.  Think it is about a quart and a half.  Got this dish in 1948.
cook the macaroni.  Drain it.  Put 2 pats of butter in the bottom of the casserole and very thinly cover with macaroni from edge to edge.  slice the cheese: slices much thicker than in a normal sandwich, but not what you would call thick, thick.  About double the thickness of a slice of deli cheese.  Cover the macaroni from edge to edge with this.  A whole layer of cheese.
Divide the remaining macaroni into roughly 2 parts and put one part on top of this layer of cheese.  Add a couple more pats of butter.  Cover with another edge to edge layer of cheese.  Add the rest of the macaroni.  Do a final edge to edge blanket of cheese.  Pour in some cream or half and half.  How much?  How would I know?  I do about a glug, glug, glug, glug.  That should do it.  We want to moisten the dish and make it all come together, but we do not want to drown it.
Put the casserole, with no top on it, in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes.  Maybe 25, maybe less.  This is the thing:  when it starts to get a little brown on top, it is done.  It does not have to be brown all over.    Just a little brown on a couple of edges and here and there on top.  Take it out. Enjoy!
Have written down Wednesday, September 28 from 7 'til 9 on QVC.  Will have to check what channel that is.  Are YOU going to be on?  Or just your nephew?  Will he be on for the whole two (2) hours?  Or do you not know yet when they will call him on?  Is this a cooking segment of the shopping channel?  I don't want to miss this, but am totally unfamiliar with the format.  Have never watched a cooking show in my life! Up until this, that is!

Congrats to the Chef Nephew, Maryz.  I understand getting on QVC with a product is tough!

RAIN, RAIN, RAIN.....9" north of us...so rivers are flooding....an area downtown by the river is under water this morning, Ray said.  So...he had to use another route to the Clinic for his flu shot.  Some towns up north of us on the Shell Rock and Cedar Rivers are being evacuated.  We had heavy storms all night and lost power a couple of times.

More rain expected this weekend, so we're going to be very wet.  Farmers will have to delay harvest until the fields dry out....way too muddy for the heavy equipment.

We're off to Dbq to meet Ia Friends from Quad Cities we met at the condo in Tx. 

Rest of day to just relax and "chill out"....even though it's still very warm and muggy.


jane

Hi Gals, I don't think I ever got in yesterday. Kind of a busy one. Had our routine dental checkups at 10:00, then did the grocery shopping, then lunch, then John had to jumpstart my car as the battery didn't want to fire. Once we got it running we drove to the AutoPro store and had them check it. They said I just need to drive it more, that all my short trips put a strain on the battery and never gives it a chance to recharge fully.  So guess I will have to make some trips south to Lancaster occasionally to rev it up.  Then Ms Frances called and wanted me to come over for a glass off wine with her daughter and her. By the time I got home it was dinnertime. Fortunately, all I had to do was heat up the leftover potroast and vegetables from the night before.  Today, no plans except for one load of laundry.

MaryZ, how exciting to have your nephew and your recipe on QVC. I don't often watch David, but will tape that show so I can see him.  I never make macaroni and cheese, but will certainly watch. So glad you are able to read your paper on your deck. Our hummers are thinning out too.  A while ago, I was watching our bird feeders and we had about 15 birds flying in and out, including 2 bluebirds.  It is cooler here today too. Yesterday, we actually got a little rain, maybe 1/4 inch, but every little bit counts.

Jane, you've got way too much rain and we've got too little. Wouldn't it be nice if it would even out?!  Enjoy your luncheon.

Mary Page, I'll have to check to see if we have longhorn or not. We certainly used to.  Your recipe is certainly different but sounds good. BTW, you can ck QVC.com after the show to see what was on. They usually have a video too.

Ginny, take an immodium if diarrhea is your problem.  I always keep some handy and it is OTC.

Sue, I know you will keep exercising to get that leg strong enough to drive. I gather it is the right one.  Your tale of your grandmother making applesauce reminds me of my mom and my aunt doing the same. Every other year, my aunt's transparent apple tree bore a bumper crop and she would have mom and dad come over to pick and core the apples and cook them down in her basement that had an old stove. Kept the mess out of her kitchen.  We always had homemade applesauce on hand that they had canned.  So good.  I can't stand what you buy in the stores.

Hi to all.  Sharon

Just a quick note, then off to duplicate.  I have nothing to do with the mac and cheese - it's just my nephew.  He's the chef and it's his recipe, but he won't be doing the sales pitch on camera.  He says he'll be backstage cheering them on.  It'll be his business partner on camera.  Thanks for the hint about recording it.  I'll do that, too.  I've never even looked at QVC, so will have to see if I can find the channel.  Back later.

Good morning, I have Apples in the Crock pot that I am cooking down for Apple Butter, I think ther will only be about 3 pints by the time they are cooked down. I have at least 30 more lbs too cook and can. Some will be Apple Sauce, More Apple Butter and perhaps some Apple Crumble pies for the freezer, it is going to take time for me to get this all done but I don't have any visits  next week until Saturday.

I have noticed over the many years that apple butter seems to come in brown and almost black.  I haven't a clue as to what the difference is, only that the almost black tastes like back home in the Shenandoah Valley, and thus is the only kind I like.  I have to go clear down Forest Drive to the far off Safeway to find a brand, as the Giant in this part of Annapolis only carries the brown.  Bah humbug!
Shoot, MARY, I thought maybe I'd be turning on my telly Wednesday night and seeing YOU!  Well, we'll be in Tennessee and Maryland watching the QVC for the first time each!

I used Red Delicious, Granny smith, Fuji and =go;lden delicious apples however, well that  half of a crock pot only  made 2 pints of Apple Butter, Next time I need to add a lot m ore than 5lbs of apples. It is not one o0f the smaller Crock pots it is very large digital pot and MaryPage it is very dark, I added 1½ Tbls of Cinnamon., and left the peels on. Then  blended it all  into the butter with an immersion blender. It was too hot to put into the food processor and the blender did a fine job of blending it all  smooth.

MaryZ.  Oh! I thought you would show up at the Station to help Nephew along.  Become a star.  Tell him to at least Pop his face out of the Kitchen.  Are those shows already done or recorded Live.  I have a hard time watching some of the Long Sales pitches  those people on QVC and Home shopping network. Lots of people do buy. I am not sure if I didn't get my Amazon Fire reader off QVC one time they had a One Hour Special on. About 8 months ago. Couldn't beat the price. Not been on since but get lots of E-M from then now.

Jeanne...did u get your BP times figured out?  I'm only taking a very low dose every morning and my BP has been really low...so will talk to my Dr about it when  I go next month...also next thurs I go for the big squeeze...prayers please for a good report and mamagram. Hi to all lookin in..have a great weekend.   Candy

Hi Buddies.  My body is just about back to normal.     Actually ate spaghetti for dinner. It is a favorite for Ray and Me.  I had to reschedule my appointment with a grief counselor. It was scheduled when my stomach was still questionable.   Need to get better because we are meeting our very good friends at a local chain restaurant for a turkey dinner. Both guys LOVE turkey dinners, but only if it is 'real' not deli turkey.  This chain has been advertising this meal. I only like white meat turkey or chicken so may not have it. Instead I will have something off the menu. 

Hello Buddies.  This morning one of the Village Friends, a gentleman I'd never met, came to my house at 10:00 to take me to Kroger.  I had my grocery list made and he had his ready so we used different small baskets and were able to finish up about the same time.  He took me to my bank prior to Kroger, so I have some "walkin' around" money now.

My new GP's nurse called me yesterday and asked me to change my next Tuesday a.m. appointment to next Thursday which is good with me as I will be able to go to my one a month bridge lunch and play afterwards.  I hope to catch a ride with my neighbor Brownie (who doesn't drive anymore) and her younger friend who will drive us in Brownie's car.  I also hope Tim will be free to go to the appointment with me.  He likes to hear what the doctor has to say and not depend on me to recall all the details.

Not much else to report today.  I had a nice nap this afternoon and will watch the Friday evening news programs.  And then a TCM movie with Gene Hackman.  I don't recall the name right now, but it's one I haven't seen. I really like his movies.

Have a nice weekend, Buddies.
Sue

I remember watching Julia Child and learning to cook. She was such fun. Public tv ran her program.They also had Sesame Street and Mr Rodger's Neighborhood scheduled when I was cooking dinner. Both boys loved to watch them which gave me a chance to cook without them under foot. I still have my copy of Julia's cookbook. It is written in a different format than most of my cookbooks. At one time I collected cookbooks and still have them   

Just like you, Ginny Ann, I will only eat chicken or turkey freshly cooked and right off the bone.  The REAL THING!  By the time they have processed it for the deli, it is tasteless and nasty chewing.  I was probably spoiled in growing up, because Grandma had chickens, and both meat and eggs were fresh, fresh, fresh.  In the long run, I think all eating preferences are a matter of what you are accustomed to from childhood.
Oh, and like you, I prefer white breast meat.
I collected all of those Time Life cookbooks with cooking from around the world, thinking I would make me a great cook.  Never opened them after they arrived and I skimmed through, looking at the pictures.  Up on the shelf they would go, and became quite impressive after there were about a bazillion of them.  I finally gave the whole bunch away, when I sold the house and downsized.  I've forgotten who was the lucky recipient of that like new set!
I got a Fanny Farmer when I was married in 1948, and learned to boil water.  Could not have managed at all without that book!  Finally had to discard it, with so many pages failling out, and buy a new edition!
Ah so!  No man ever married me for my cooking, that's for sure!

Good morning from soggy Iowa.  Downtown area near the river is still flooded and so a lot of streets that go to the river area are closed.  Thankfully, there's an alternate route over the river to the hospital and stores on the west side. 

Ray and I are to go down to neighbor's house and check their basement for water.  They are on the backwater, and that has risen, of course, with the river, and are enroute home from their 5-6 week RV trip out west. 

We're high and dry.  More rain tomorrow, so river won't drop much.  Same two businesses get flooded over and over.  One's a car dealer who just moves all his cars out to higher land, and raises the shop equipment, I guess. 

Quiet Sat and Sunday planned here.

Jane

So sorry to hear about all the flooding in your area, jane.  What's the name of your river?  I really feel for Iowa's and Louisiana's (and all others) flooded out folks.

Ginny Ann, I hope you're feeling better by today.  A queasy tummy is not a fun thing.

MaryPage - no weather report from the Chesapeake this morning?

It's a gorgeous morning here - cool-ish, with low humidity.  I've just come in off the deck so I can start with my laptop.  Plus I slept until nearly 8 this morning - amazing for me!!  I plan to do very little today.  I have a tendency to sit on my whatever all day and just knit, read, or be on the computer.  I'm trying to get into the habit of getting up at least every hour and taking a short walk.  While we've got this lovely weather, I'm going outside, off the deck, to walk on the walkway behind the building.  It's nothing like the walks that jane and Sue do, but it's plenty for me.  I hope I'll stick with it - I know I need to do it. 

Enjoy your ballgames - and may your team win!