Good morning every one a brisk 21° now at 6:30. When I think of when I was working I went out every morning in weather like this in the winter. Of course I was younger and had more pounds on my body to help hold heat in and moved a lot faster than I can now. Just wondering if it is this cold now how cold will it get when winter gets here.

JANE  4  hours down yesterday and only  40 more to go. Only a normal full work week. Yippee.

LLOYD  sunny here this morning and the roof of this building is white with frost. rather see snow than frost like this. I hope things went great for you yesterday.

PHYLLIS  when I used to go to the hair dresser I always told them not to get me too flat for the shampoo and my dentist and the lady who cleans my teeth also does not put the chair flat. I don't get dizzy but always feel like i am going upside down and cannot take that feeling.

JOY  ouch but better than them spreading. My SIL has had some removed and has more to be done. He is very far with blond hair and always spent a lot of time in the California sun and now the Arizona sun. My daughter kept telling him to put sunblock on but was too much work so now he does put some on before he goes out and every time he goes in the house puts more on before going out.

MAY ANN  I never liked having a fuss made over me and I never let my co-workers even get a card for me. I just went into the office and then went and said my goodbyes.

LLOYD  hooray, so glad you had a good judge at that trial and your once good friend lost. Just be careful who you trust from now on. Best friends can turn on a person they think they can take every thing you own.

SHIRLEY  have you still got  Cox? Have  they started upgrading there? Mine was upgraded a couple of weeks ago and I have had problems since. Even getting hard to send email, have to type all the addresses in now and I don't remember all of them. Good thing I have a folder on the desk top with all of them in. The box is different and so is the remote. It is smaller and has Contour in it so you can tell it to change the channel.

AMY  loo like you have a busy time planned for today, Enjoy every minute of it. They have a fair in this town every fall and I have a SIL who sets up every year. She has a lot of material about the history of this town and she almost sells out every year.

JANE  when I moved here t here were a lot of cats around. The maintenance man's wife volunteers at the pound and got them to cage the cats and fix them and clip an ear, bring them back and release them, no more kittens and now there are only a few around.

Have a good day.

Gloria, I remember getting out in all sorts of weather when I was young, but I'm 30 years older now.  But I also don't walk as good as I used to and I don't drive so I grin and bear it.  I wondered in Norm's B&T this morning if we are setting cold records now, what can we expect in January?  Brr!

I don't like fusses made over me, but I didn't have a choice.  Even now, some people celebrate certain birthdays at church after a service, but not I!  I had those memorable birthdays with my family, not with church members.

Jane, should the young girl who feeds the feral cats be told to stop?  It's a nice gesture, but 30 cats is too much.  Shirley has only three cats and she gets a lot of pleasure from those cats and they are almost domesticated.  It sounds as if the 30 cats are not that tame.  I don't know, asking the girl to stop could create more problems, but they'd have to find their food elsewhere.  I have all I can handle with one cat!

Mary Ann

Jane, had to laugh, not just grin, at your complaints about the cats. For sure when we first moved here & noticed feral cats hanging around, we knew it was a good thing because they kept the mice down. When a mama showed up that the coldest winter with 3 babies, and would eat the dry bread we fed the ducks & geese, we felt sorry for them & put out "scraps" of food. We gave up trying to find homes (even if we had to trap them), no "shelter" takes feral cats. We bought a trap & would call Animal Control to pick up, knowing they would be put to sleep that day. I cried every time. Later we admitted that we had both freed the runt of the litter... so tiny & terrified of everything. and we didn't know that she was already pregnant until later. Vet said we had to let her have the babies & then get her fixed. By that time she had fallen in love with my husband & followed him around the yard like a dog. One day she disappeared and when she came back a day or so later, she was skinny and lay around the pool the whole day, crying like a real human. Lady on the next street over said she saw some babies one day & next day found a huge snake in the same spot. The vet was shocked that she had babies and so tiny.

After he did her surgery & said she should just go on outside like normal. She would come inside & like any well trained dog, when she needed to "relieve herself" she would go to the door to go outside. She never had one accident in the house, even though she started spending nights inside. When she was a few years older she had something cause a tear on her back, long story, but I thought I was taking her to the vet to be put to sleep & he convinced me she could be fixed. I have the photo of her stitches & shaved off back.

Next day when I went to pick her up the vet insisted she stay in the cage, was large enough to put a small litter box in it & he guaranteed she would use that litter box by the 3rd day.  She did and from that time on, she would go outside for the day & come to the door to come inside to use the litter box... guess she figured she'd better or might have to go through another surgery!

Shirley, I love your cat stories - past cats and present.  Kendrick does nothing that would compare with your feral cats.  I see a stray cat around here occasionally but I don't think they're feral, just house cats that someone lets out.  I do not see them often. 

There are times I wish I did not have Kendrick but I know I'd miss him if he were not here.  If Annie had a place of her own, she'd have him, but he'd get about the same treatment he gets here because she works all day and he'd be alone.  Here, he is not alone, but I can't play with him as he needs.  Right now, Kendrick is resting in between a couple pieces of furniture where the sun shines. 

There are big whitecaps at Grand Haven and a kite is flying.  Good weather for that.

Mary Ann

GOOD MORNING EVERYFRIEND! It is going to be a beautiful day here, in the 70's then tomorrow a storm moves in with cold and snow😡😡. We hope to accomplish a lot while the day is so nice, but then understand it is college football day and Bob does ❤️❤️ his 🏈!

I have really been enjoying the posts....you all have been doing great at posting!

I have noticed several of you stated that you would not like to see the SS and Norm's Bait and Tackle join together as one folder, however I would find it better as I post in both and know that sometimes I post things in here that I read in the other one, and etc.  sadly, there are so few of us anymore that I do not see it as being that much more to read for 5hose that only post in one or the other!  I think this discussion WAS in the B & T folder😤🤪. Just my thought! 

OK, I must get busy.  Have a great rest of your day.

Jenny

Jenny, I posted a similar message in Norm's B&T that I prefer the two folders be separate.  I do post in both places, but I find the subject matters are different in the folders.  This had not entered my mind, but I would hate to lose Norm's name for a folder and I know many would prefer to keep SS. 

I just had a visit from Tom's DIL and his granddaughters who will be three in February.  They talk up a storm and I can understand some of what they say.  They are very well behaved and we've noticed when all of us are out to eat that they almost never cry or whine.  I think the fact they have each other for company contributes to that.  They are not over-indulged by grandparents because none of them live close.  James and Alicia live in Holland, Tom is here, Sue is north of Traverse City (way north) and Alicia's folks live in Milwaukee. 

Boy, do I need a nap!

Mary Ann

Good Afternoon,

It's been a Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood and I spent more than an hour this morning filling the bird feeders, sweeping up leaves on the patio and scooping them into a trash bin,  and putting away hoses and some small pots.
Surprisingly, I wasn't all that tired when I finished and I think all the moving around was good for my squeaks and creaks.

The unit across the street is for sale and I noticed a sign on the lawn announcing Open House tomorrow  Afternoon.  So I went to Walgreen's - in case I couldn't get in my driveway if I tarried after church.

Owner of For Sale unit was in the garage there when I came home and I went over to see how they're liking the retirement place where they moved.  (They like it a lot).  We ended up visiting for almost half an hour.

So it's not only been a productive day but also a socializing one. 

That's it from this corner.   

Well, today I made Callie's Sliders!  They are scrumptious!  However, I had to make a few minor changes.  First of all, the slider buns that I bought are made by a bakery called Maiers out Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.  That's what the store had.  Then, when I got all the stuff out to make them I had the ham slices and the swiss cheese but the other meat I had was Lebanon Bologna (also a product of PA.  It originated in Lebanon, PA.) And the other cheese I had was one called Jumpin' Jack.  It had a little hot stuff in it.  The mustard was Honey Mustard but it was Amy's Hot Mustard with honey in it.  So maybe I can't say they're Callie's Sliders but PA version of Callie's Sliders.  Anyway, they were deeeeelicious!  And I'm sure I'll make them again.  I shared them with my friend, Mavis because she didn't grow up in PA and when I mentioned Lebanon Bologna, she didn't know what I was talking about.  Now she will.

That an a load of laundry and sweeping the porch are about all I did all day.  I also took two short naps and took the doggies for a couple of walks. 

SHIRLEY, the dash blasted cats have decided to use the mulch in my gardens for litter boxes which is the reason I have to take the dogs for leash walks in their own yard.  The mulch has become a drawing card for the dogs and I don't like that.  I used to be able to let them out and not worry about what they were doing, just go out and clean up after them.  Now I have to keep them tied to my side.  It just seems like the township should be able to do something.  And I'm thinking if I see that girl go over there with her food another time, I'll have to run out and trip her. 

Tomorrow, I have to find my garden gloves and start raking leaves.  The last of them are on the ground.  I stood out there yesterday and it was like it was raining leaves on me from the last holdout.  They just kept coming down

I'm one who hopes the Soda Shoppe stays as it is and gets more posters.  I wish we could advertise for new people.  There must be people out there who would like to do this kind of thing. 

Now it's time to wish you all a peaceful night's sleep and a happy tomorrow.  And may God bless us, every one!

Bedtime but watching a movie I've seen before & can't remember the end!!! I'm listening, anyway. I can't sit long so will go to bed soon.

Gloria, I do still have Cox with all it's problems. May drive me nuts eventually but from all I hear, AT&T isn't any better in this area. I quit the cable TV so just phones & wi-fi & both cut off constantly. I really don't think I can handle having them upgrade or de-grade one more time.

Mary Ann, you would miss Kendrick so much if you gave him up now. I really don't know what I'd do without these fur people to talk to, and I do talk to them like humans, surprising how many words they understand.

Well, can't believe I have another battery going out & not sure if it's a portable phone or the clock above (battery powered). This has a louder honk than the 9v smoke alarms but too close together to catch which it is... they never beep when you are waiting for them, do they?  I replaced the batteries in the clock not too long ago but when I did, don't know how I did it, but an alarm goes off every morning at 6:00 am... and it yells for a full minute so figured the batteries would wear down faster than the normal year. It is called an "atomic" clock & gets it's time from a satellite (so I'm told) but does also have days of the week & indoor/outdoor temps. I can't get the outdoor part to work right last couple years.  As my father used to say, "the more stuff you have the more stuff can go bad!"

Callie, guess tomorrow will be cooler but the bottom drops out tomorrow night & Monday. Think it's heading your way. Was shirt sleeve weather here today, was working out in the yard & got hot. The couple came to cut tall grass & that worked into raking leaves & such, running leaves through the shredder.... & since his wife was supposed to be the other pair of hands to get the job done, and "she wasn't feeling well" so sat in the pick up the entire 2 hours... I did her work. Still can't figure why she bothered coming along instead of staying home... unless she wanted time away from the kids. When we finished the jobs needed most I asked him if he didn't want to stop with 2 hours instead of the 4 I'd planned on... the agreement was 4 hours work that could be 2 hours for 2 people. Either way I'd planned to pay $80... but since he only worked 2 hours I gave him $40 & told him "I don't pay for her to sit in the vehicle." Not sure I'll be having them back again. I am disappointed, he is a hard worker but not sure what to make of her.

By the way, Jane, when the powers that be in this city told me that "if YOU FEED the cats, we consider them yours and if they scratch someone it will be YOUR responsibility to have them quarantined for rabies, etc..."  And that is why we allowed Animal Control to take the cats away that we weren't willing to have fixed & rabies shots every year. Old LaurenKat was 18 when she got out in CO & do hope she died & didn't suffer, nothing I could do about it. She was the first that adopted us. Cas was so limited in what he could do by the time the others came along, I just made it happen because they gave him so much pleasure, I didn't think about having to take them with me after he was gone. I do think the city should come up with laws to protect property owners from wildlife breeding out of control & people making it possible to extend their natural life. I hated seeing them starving but knew we couldn't adopt them all. Right now we don't see any others in the neighborhood & the 3 I feed are "fixed". 

SHIRLEY, the girl that's feeding them will never take any of them into her house.  She owns a large Golden Retriever.  But as long as that abandoned house stands and she feeds them they'll stay there and breed and that's not fair to anyone...including the cats.  There must be something that can be done. 

Jane,  the PA version of the sliders sounds delicious!  I should call my directions a "Suggestion" instead of a "Recipe" because it really doesn't matter what you put between the buns or what kind of mustard you use.  So glad you tried them and like them. 

Shirley,  the HOA takes care of general yard work and the leaves should be blown away and picked up the next time the workers come.  If Monday's forecast is right - the ones out in the yard and still on the trees will end up on the patio and I needed to tidy things up a bit, anyway.

I've been watching the OU/Iowa State game in bits and pieces. Last time I looked, it was the 4th quarter and they were ahead.  Off to see if they stay that way.

Sleep well, Everyfriend and have pleasant dreams.

OU eked out the win!

Good Morning Everyfriend!  I'm just marking my place for later.  The doggies have had their pill and we're waiting for the boinger for breakfast but I have to get my shower before that boinger goes off so I'll be ready for church in time. 

Thanks, CALLIE for the vote of confidence and the RECIPE.  I would never have tried them if you handn't posted it.  Now I have something easy and delicious to have on hand.  I'm going to try them out on Frankie the next time she stops by.  If your grands like them, maybe mine will too. 

Be back later!

Good morning everyone..
Yesterday was fun met  a lot of folks I know and even my neighbour was there selling her Pampered Chef! Came home and loaded the clothes line again, first they freeze dry then the wind blows them dry. Tell people I use my solar dryer.

Today is a day of rest but I will do  my apricot fruit cake
 
Jane you made my mouth water with Callie's sliders.....will have to stop for the ingredient today. Jane can you call an animal control officers to deal with this problem?

Shirley, I know how difficult it can be to find the right alarm. Just when you think you have the right one it goes off in another area. Good advice to Jane about the cats, maybe that might stop the lady from feeding them.You pay for what was done and by whom..no work , no pay..

Jenny, please keep your snow. I am so happy with no dances yet..

Gloria, it was a nice day out yesterday, even bought a spray bottle of ointment that is to help neuropathy  and other pains so we shall see.

Callie between you and Jane you have me humming It's a Nice day and Get to the Church on Time. .

Better move it

Enjoy your day everyone..

good morning everyone. well I slept in this AM, just got in here @ 8:18 A M. I am going to kitchen and cook me some oatmeal. sun is up very bright 49º and calling for 59º for high. do not know what the boss  has in store for the day. see you all later.

Lloyd

Good morning everyone, this is the latest I have slept is several weeks, almost 8 hours with not waking all night. Feels good this morning. 33° now but cloudy. Yesterday when I went outside it felt warm, sun shining and no wind so it felt so nice out, was just above freezing then but without the wind chill it was a good time to walk around.

MARY ANN  without my rollator or the kitchen counters to hold onto I would not be able to walk with a cane.

SHIRLEY  if not for the lady here who volunteers at the pound getting the ones in charge trapping the feral cats and fixing them and clipping an ear there are no more baby feral cats around. Only a few left now and they are skittish around people and if the witch sees any food put out for them she sends a notice around forbidding anyone from feeding them because the food will draw rodents. As it is we have a river flowing down the bank in back of this property. We have never seen a mouse around with the feral cats around.

JENNY  at times I am so glad I live alone, I do not have to listen to football, baseball or hockey on TV. I never was into those sports.

CALLIE  glad you were not sore after all you did the other day. Nice to do some outside work on a warm day.

JANE  there are a few in here with computers and I have told them about our "home and family" here and invited them to come in and look around and possibly join but none are interested. I am always happy when we see a new name here or someone who posts seldom but posts elsewhere. Like you, keep the SS as it is.

SHIRLEY  the Cox man who installed the new box said the old ones are obsolete now. This is the first time I think this has happened. I know all these senior housing places have Cox and we cannot have any other carrier. They sure have a monopoly.

AMY  always nice getting out and meeting people. Hope that ointment helps you. I know that Hempvana has helped my back a lot. Don't have the constant pain anymore and that makes me feel happy.

LLOYD  I am ready to go and cook my oatmeal. Been sitting here long enough to get hungry.

Have a good day.

Hello-o-o-o-o!  I think there's and echo in here!  No one's been here since GLORIA this morning at 9:30.  How do I know what to say if there's no one around to talk to?

I made more fruit cake today but this time it doesn't have any candied fruit in it.  It has dates, crushed pineapple and maraschino cherries in it.  I don't know how it is but my daughter, Cathy said that it's the candied fruit that she doesn't like and that same day, I ran across this recipe and decided to try it.  It looks delicious.  I just took it out of the oven and it's cooling on the racks in the pans.  I have to go take it out of the pans and brush it with corn syrup.  Then we shall see!

I hope you are all having such a good day that you just didn't have time to come by and say "hello".  Keep it up!  But don't forget this place or we might not have it.

Jane, I haven't made a fruitcake in years and I did make mine with citron in it.  I liked it and gave some away so I don't know how it went over with others.  What you put in your fruitcake sounds similar to that of the Collin Street Bakery in Texas.  Their fruitcakes are expensive, but the ingredients you put in yours are not cheap.  The Collin Street cakes have pecan halves on top.  You might go to their site to see what they put in their cakes - they have several varieties.  I am not suggesting you buy one, although I have in the past - just for comparison.

Mary Ann

MARY ANN, my regular fruit cake, the one I've been making most of my life and the one my mother made before me and passed down the recipe, also has candied fruit (citron) in it.  That's done and aging.  This one doesn't have to age.  When it's finished, it's finished. I made six small loaves.  My plan is to take one over to Cathy's on Saturday when the kids are all there and see if they like it. I'm going to freeze the rest of them and if the verdict is good on Saturday, they'll each get one for Christmas.  I know none of them like the regular old fashioned one.  This new one also has pecans and dates in it.  And you brush it with corn syrup (Karo) while it's cooling.  I thought that would make it sticky but it just made it shiny.  I might have to cut one before Saturday.  It looks delicious.

I'll be off to bed soon.  I wish Everyfriend and peaceful night's sleep and a happy tomorrow.  And may God bless us, every one!

I posted a photo of Callie taking on the pit bull next door. I was laughing so hard I couldn't get the phone out of my pocket to catch all the action. Dog always comes to the corner of the fence to bark at the cats when we go down to the river.. & I was surprised tonight when we came back up Callie went to the corner to sniff.. so must have been some animal around she needed to check on. Anyway, dog came running to the fence & she looked up, put her ears back & swatted at it. It looked shocked & backed up...she stood her ground & it backed up more. She even stepped through the fence & checked the grass on that side & I was yelling at her to come back. I was afraid dog would realize it is MUCH bigger than she is & pick her up, but it stayed away in disbelief. How dare that cat!!! Anyway, photo over in Photos if you want to see it. When I send from my phone the file gets small so not very good.  She is one tough little cookie.

well it is time  I bid you all sweet dreams and goodnight. been a ease day for me. even got a couple short Naps while watching T V. Hope to see you all tomorrow.

Lloyd

Good morning everyone, 37° this morning. supposes to be warmer today, hope so, would like to sit out in the sun for awhile later.

JANE  your new fruit cake sounds like something I would eat. It is the candied fruit I dislike. I do like the cherries and pineapple and dates. If I thought I could make it I would make a fruitcake for my son. I know it would make him happy. I would want your recipe if I could make it. I know I now seem to post only in the morning and don't get back in the evening. By that time of day I am ready for bed and laying on the couch watching the tube. At times I doze and suddenly am watching a different show on the TV.

MARY ANN  all the fruit cakes I have seen are expensive. With all that is in them it  is expensive to make, too.

SHIRLEY  I know some cats will protect their "territory" and go after any critter that interferes.

LLOYD  I had a good sleep last night but woke too early again.

JANE  I am with you. You, Mary Ann and Lloyd are the only ones since I posted yesterday.

Come on posters WHERE ARE YOU?

Have a good day.

Good Morning Everyfriend!  Today is a WM day!  I guess I won't be saying that much longer.  The doggies have had their pills and we're waiting for the boinger for breakfast.

GLORIA, if you lived down the street, I'd share the new fruitcake with you and your loving son.  Sometimes the distance between us seems great and sometimes it seems like you are all right next door.

Today will be a busy one.  After work, I'll be hurrying home to tend to the doggies and then get ready for an appointment with the eye dr.  It seem Monday is the only day this new one is in this particular office so it has to be Monday or never. 

I wish you all a lovely day!
Make it your own in every way!

Good morning everyone..
 I don't mid the weather guesser being wrong but one of these days we will get snow.

Yesterday I did cakes also..13 of them. Made Apricot Fruit cakes and Gumdrop cakes. Today is Cherry cakes and clean up about the house.

Kyle wants to pick up some lumber for a trug that he is making .

Jane hope all goes well at your appointment today. Lots of happy customers through your line today.

Gloria, I was up to my ears in cake batter Today will be no different other than I am just doing one kind today. I really like this one as Cherry cake is ONE of my favourites.

Enjoy your day everyone..

Just want to thank those past and present for their service.

AMY, what the heck is a "TRUG".  And what do you use it for?

Can you direct me to the recipe for CHERRY CAKE?  It sounds like something I might like too.

well I think I am up for the day. Is Light rain here calling for change to snow. Is 30º calling for 39º for the high and accumulation of snow. after morning Meal I am going to go to shop and work on a couple of recipe Boxes. I mainly make them out of red Oak 1/2" thick. but I have some wield cherry lumber I cut from large timbers that were over a 100 years old. I think I will build a couple from it. On the front I do 5 head wheat head Pattern. I make a cube then take it to the Band saw and tilt the table to 4 degres and cut the top off making the front taller than the back of the lid. then use julery box hinges and latches and lid stop so wont get swung too far back and broke. I have always gave them away but think I am going to start selling them mostly. Have a great day see you all later. as Jane says have a great day just as you like It.

Lloyd

JaneS cake sounds Ok but my favorite is Cherry Pie. only two kinds of pie are good, hot or cold any flavor.

Lloyd

Quote from: JaneS on November 11, 2019, 07:39:34 AMAMY, what the heck is a "TRUG".  And what do you use it for?

https://www.youtube.com/embed/MQ0gAFRDXCY?rel=0&autoplay=1

Making a Trug

I know what a trug is!  But, I'll let Amy tell you when she gets a chance. 

Amy, is Kyle making it for you or is he giving it to some one as a gift?

EDIT:  Oops!   Bubble spilled the answer.  All I will add is that some trugs are very simple and utilitarian but some are beautiful and real works of art.

The only "Christmas" cake I ever really liked was a nut cake.  White cake with all kinds of nuts in it.  It was made by a friend of mine who was born and raised in the North Carolina mountains.  I begged her for the recipe but in true "old time" Southern Cook's fashion she would never give it out to anyone.  She said it was a "family secret".  I've searched for years to find one that I thought was similar to hers and never found it.  Now it is too late because I no longer bake cakes.  My local bakery makes wonderful cakes and I'm happy to let them do the work. 

Sunny today and a little warmer than yesterday but winter is coming to us this week.  Rainy and much colder tomorrow.  Of course, I have a lab appointment and have to get out in it but don't plan to stay out very long.

Remembering all of the veterans today and thanking them in my heart.