Just need to talk to my friends ,(193)

harshedbuzz

@Sayra enjoy your ride in the country.

@JeriLynn66 your description of milky coffee brought back memories for me. My mom's mother was French speaking from Northern Maine; she always gave us coffee that was half milk/half coffee is we asked. But she never let us have sugar-- she said if you're old enough for coffee, you're too old to put sugar in it. To this day, I cannot abide the taste of sugar in either coffee or tea. It's funny how something like that sticks.

@ronald71111 I hope your test goes well and you get some good-to-hear answers soon.

It's damp and ugly here today. It's supposed to stop raining soon, but no sun in the forecast until next week. Ick.

Mom tested negative for COVID yesterday, so she'd out of quarantine. I don't have plans to take her anywhere until Monday when she has a doctor's appointment and maybe lunch/pedicure. I expect she'll stay home today but knowing she's allowed out should improve her mood. The girl who is my substitute driver is going to do her blinds in a week. It's nice to have someone who knows what they're doing take the lead on this.

I made a massive Costco run yesterday, but I still have to hit the local grocer for a few things. Off to make some granola for the week.

HB

jfkoc

Finally got my Covid shot yesterday. No reaction at all.

JeriLynn66

@harshedbuzz tell us your granola recipe?

Mint

I have been wondering about that granola recipe too.

Made it to the country. Did buy a few things. Got garlic since they will be out of it soon. Bought a dozen of eggs and evercrisp apples since i was there. Asked if they had anything started in green houses. She smiled and said tomato seeds. She said they were trying something new this year. Their customers always come looking for tomatoes early and they always have to bring them in from southern Ohio. She said we’re putting some heat out there and we’re starting them to see if we possibly can have our own early tomatoes instead of getting them from southern Ohio. I hope it works out for them. I feel like they’re a blessing, I’ve been able to get a lot of my food from them and not have to buy it at the store. That helps them and that helps me.

harshedbuzz

@JeriLynn66

This is the master recipe and it can be switched up to suit your likes and what you have on hand. I made 2 batches-- one with a blueberry maple syrup and almonds and dried blueberries and the other with maple syrup, pecans and raisins. Sometimes I swap out the vanilla extract for almond if adding almonds. I always use avocado oil in mine while my niece uses olive oil. The friend who gave me the recipe doesn't add salt; you don't need it but it's a nice contrast to the sweetness. You can swap out almonds for any nut or combination you like; walnut and fresh bananas are great together with honey.

Basic Granola Recipe

3 cups rolled oats

2 TBS brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup canola oil

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 chopped almonds

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1. Preheat over to 300F and line a baking sheet with parchment
2. In a large bowl, mix oats, sugar, cinnamon and salt.
3. Combine the wet ingredients and pour over the oat mixture until completely mixed
4. Spread mixture in an even layer and bake for 20 minutes. Stir, add the nuts and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes
5. Allow to cool and toss in the dried fruit. It stores in an airtight container 2 weeks-- my family finishes a batch in 2-3 days.

ronald71111

Had my gastroscopy with ultrasound and a dilation this morning looking again for the 2cm nodule found from pet/ct scan. Again, nothing found! Dr said what the pet scan was probably picking up was from my achalasia surgery. Where they wrapped the fundamacation was more than likely what they were seeing.

Ron

telinde

Good good news Ron. I’m so happy for you. Maybe you won’t have to worry about it anymore. I’ll be back later.

BethL

Thanks for the granola recipe, @harshedbuzz. It sounds good, and pretty simple too. It'd make a very nice breakfast or even snack.

Snow is melting, still a lot left; there was over 20" so as you can imagine, it takes awhile. Roads are all clear now which is good.

Enjoy your day! Beth

Lorita

Afternoon,

Great news, Ron. Glad nothing was found - now you can stop worrying about it. I should talk - I'm the world's worst worrier. So glad everything's okay and glad that test is over for you. Now you can eat, rest and make those cookies.

Sounds like everyone's been busy this morning. Sara, glad you got to go to the market - the vegetables may be less expensive and for sure much better than the ones you get in the grocery store - and you got to go for a nice ride in the country. Do you have snow up there? No snow or rain here - yet. Supposed to begin raining tonight and into tomorrow. It's gray and cool today. We haven't seen the sun since Saturday and looks like it'll be sunny and much warmer all next week.

I did a load of laundry and it's in the dryer. Also cooked some mac and cheese - really Kraft dinner. I've never made the baked mac and cheese. I'll open some English peas and that will be my supper. Called and sorted out my auto ship from Chewy. I'm stocked up on catfood but almost out of canned dog food so that should be coming in two or three days.

Wrapped my ankle with an ACE bandage and left it on for about l 1/2 hr. - sort of started bothering me so may have gotten it a bit tight. Bathed my foot in very warm epsom salts water this morning and will do it a couple more times before bedtime.

Judith, I don't recall ever having a sprained ankle before. Hyperextended my knee when I was playing softball in school, then hurt it again about 40 years ago doing exercises. Took a long time for that to get better and it still bothers me. Can't kneal down on that knee at all. My ankle isn't nearly as swollen and feels better - my foot close to my toes is still bruised but most of the other bruising is gone. Carol broke her ankle two years ago and had surgery for it - then PT at home. She's told me a lot of exercises the therapist had her do. If I go see my doctor I'll see what he says about the exercises. I have some ankle brace socks without the toes that fit up over the ankle but I think they may still be too tight. Coincidence - this morning when I called Chewy the girl who answered the phone asked how I was and I mentioned the sprained ankle. She also has an ankle that has torn ligaments and will require surgery this summer so we had a nice visit about that. She's wearing a boot. The nurse who called me said my doctor may put on a boot - we'll see.

I haven't been outside except on the porch this morning to fill the birdfeeders. I thought I might go out to the car today and get the window sticker they say is supposed to be in the glove compartment but it's muddy so doubt I will. I want to see what exactly is on the car - automatic headlights, etc. The book explains those things but I don't know if my car has some of those things or not. I don't think it has remote start. In fact, I think they said it didn't. My key fob doesn't look like the one that has it. It does have on-star and the other day when I drove it I pressed the button and it (someone) asked if I had an emergency. I don't think it's all set up. When the men delivered the car we were going to get that done but I told them I didn't have time so when I go to town I'll drop by the car dealership and get it done. I probably need to go to the mailbox but that can also wait - not expecting anything.

Iris, I think I have all the information I need to get to work on my taxes. I remember we were doing ours about the same time last year. This year I want to get them done earlier (I always say that).

Joan, I hope things are going better for you. I was hoping the deep muscle massages would help. I was thinking last night about you and how you always liked to go for walks. You'll be doing that again before you know it.

As usual, I have to stop and charge the laptop. I should check it before I start to post. I'll be back later. Hope everyone's all right.

JeriLynn66

@harshedbuzz Thanks for the recipe! I’ll make a batch Monday. Have everything except the cranberries

Lorita

HB,the recipe does sound good - much better than you'd buy. Have you all gotten your RSV vaccine?

Caro_Lynne

HB your recipe sounds so good! I have never had homemade granola. I had a Texan friend that used to make something called Texas trash around the holidays. It was sooo good; any of you heard of it or had it? I lost the recipe.

Ron, glad to hear they found nothing! Hope you are feeling better.

Lorita, is there a reason you don't keep your laptop plugged in while you are using it? I have three that I use for different purposes and they are mostly plugged in while I use them. I'm refurbishing two of them to donate.

Wow Beth, 20" sounds like a lot of snow! Do they put salt on the sidewalks? In my previous working life I travelled to different parts of Europe several times a year. I remember my first trip to Austria during winter. I packed really cute boots LOL. Found out fairly quick that leather soles while wearing thick socks is not the way to go. It felt like I had frostbite, my toes were numb! Lesson learned.

Yesterday had to take LO to dentist for cleaning. I let the doggies out back while I was in the bathroom getting ready and LO was in living room with TV on (he doesn't really watch but I keep it on for him). Anyways, I come back out and LO is gone! Mind you my house is on lockdown 24/7, he has no way to get out since I have latches on every door that has outside access. Of course, I didn't think in the 7 minutes I was in bath and let doggies out he would escape through the kitchen door and patio fence. Jumped in car and found him walking down the street; stopped and asked him to get in car. He said no thank you. I'm so fortunate to live in a city of approx. 10,000 with it's own police force. They were there within minutes and helped me get him home.

Appreciate you all xo

Mint

Lorita we have had an inch or so of rain past couple of days. All the snow has melted. Just been gray, wet and foggy.

Ron so good to hear that maybe they have things figured out.

If i ever made granola was many years ago. May try tomorrow if i have time, we’ll see. Im going to use maple syrup, raisins and pecans.

Don’t know if I’ve told you guys or not but i got a Nesco electric canner. I have never pressure canned before. Have found two You Tube channels that i feel are trustworthy and 3 books. These will be my guides. I have attempted to educate myself about botulism and the theory behind how a pressure canner works. Tomorrow if it is the good Lord’s will Im going to can carrots. I think I can do this.

Caro_lynne sorry about your adventure. Things can happen so fast.

Good evening JoC

Good night everyone

Lorita

Caro, I've heard of Texas Trash but have never eaten it. Guess I could keep the laptop plugged in but I charge it in the bathroom away from mischievous cats. The outlet I'd use in the LR is sort of hard to get to and those cats are into everything. Last night Sammy knocked my eye drops off the table - I swatted at him and knocked my thermometer into my Epsom salts water. Ruined it, of course. Just safer away from them. I'll try to check it for power before I post.

Sorry about your furbaby getting out. Know that was scary. Glad it turned out okay.

It's raining here but not too hard.

Sara, glad you got your canner. Never used an electric one. Mother had a big, heavy one you used on the stove. Kind of scary. Still have it in the storage building. Be careful and have fun. Love carrots.

ronald71111

Caro Lynne, you talking about LO getting out had me thinking hiw lucky I am. I'm sorry she hurt herself, but being confined to a wheelchair when going out makes it easier on me. I wish she still was able to get up and move around without me, but at least I don't worry about her getting out. I'm up early so I take my shower while she's still asleep. Good thing it's just Lou and I; I get all of my shower stuff together, go check on her, take clothes off and wrap a towel around me, go check on her, take a shower and wrap a towel around me and check on her, get dressed.

Just had scrambled eggs for supper, but at least something on my stomach. Throat still sore and diarrhea which I don't understand how the scrambled eggs upset my stomach.

Ron

Lorita

Ron, eat some dry toast. That might help the diarrhea and upset stomach. Ron, gargle with warm salt water to help your throat. Old family remedy.

Getting out can be a problem. Charles took off a few times. Luckily I knew it. Darwin brought him back twice, at least. Our yard is fenced with six gates (Judith, more gates- they're everywhere). Mike told me to get locks for them and keep them locked. That worked perfectly. I saw him trying to get the gates open but couldn't. I kept the key closeby but he didn't know it. It can be a problem in town and country, both.

NUMber2

Hi Lovely People-

Screamed at the caregivers today... feeling extremely embarrassed and remorseful this evening!!!

Mom's disease seems to be getting much worse -very quickly.

Had a fun game of scrabble with my husband this evening- we really needed that after all of the fighting we did today over my mom. I'm finally relaxing in front of the tv watching a nice mystery on PBS. (I might even indulge in some ice cream)

Peace to all of you!

Lorita

Caro, I just thought of something that might give you a little more feeling of security in your husband not getting outside without you knowing it. I found some alarms at, I think, the Dollar Tree. One side goes on the door frame and the other part on the door. . If it's turned off nothing happens but when you close the door and turn it on if the door is opened and connection is broken a really loud alarm goes off. I put it on the bathroom door that goes into the LR and Charles opened it twice and when the loud alarm went off he c!osed the door left scared him, I guess. It really works and is really inexpensive.

Hi Number 2. Welcome to the porch. My mother had alzheimers so I kind of know how it is. After we lost my daddy she lived by herself (we were about a quarter mile away on the same farm). She left the house during the night and the next morning I came down to take her to the doctor and she was gone. Finally found her caught in a barbed wire fence a mile from home. She had her dogs with her but was cut up some from the wire. After that we had to place her for her safety. Lost her a few months later. I lost my parents 13 months apart and still miss them after 29 years.

Again, welcome to our porch.

Lorita

Sara, of course you can do pressure canning. You're so good at trying new things and accomplishing them. Are you going to slice the carrots or can them whole? I think we like to try new things, recipes, etc. When we're younger. As we get older or live alone. it's not as important or we get stuck in a rut. When I was your age we tried lots.of new recipes and enjoyed it. I still write them down and still try some occasionally. When I need to make another loaf of bread I'm going to try to make brioche. Hope that works.

Time for bed. Seems you all tomorrow. Rest well.

Iris L.

I have not been able to read much. Ron, it's great that your gastroscopy showed nothing unusual!

HB, I just finished reading an enjoyable and thoughtful book. I don't know if you are a reader. It's a novel about a professor with unusual habits and perceptions who was searching for a wife, told in the first person. In the Discussion Questions in the back of the book we are informed that the protagonist has Asperger's Syndrome. I thought you might be interested in reading this book. The book is titled The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion and is set in Australia.

Iris

Mint

Lorita an electric canner is much less intimidating. For the most part it is in charge once jars in canner. You do not have to babysit it.

Im going to cut my carrots up for soup etc.

harshedbuzz

Good morning porch-peeps--

@ronald71111 I do hope your stomach settles soon. You deserve a break for sure.

Your shower routine reminds me of a story about parents. Back when he was clearly late middle stages, but they were fighting me on an eval, mom developed autoimmune liver failure and dad was completely unable to advocate for her. The hospital in FL got a hold of me and I flew down the next morning and went straight to the hospital. Around dinnertime, I took a cab to their home and walked in on dad wearing only a towel and hosting "happy hour" with a dozen neighbors. A few months later, after mom had recovered and we'd finally gotten dad diagnosed, I related the story to her in a "how could you not know something wasn't right" way and the woman looked at me and said "It was a bath sheet." as if that made it OK.

@Iris L. Thanks for the book suggestion. It sounds interesting. I'll look for it when I get through my Christmas pile. Between books DH bought me and those lent me by a friend who reads 2-3 a day, I have quite the stack.

@Lorita My son's last cat was a darling boy but nothing tabletop was safe from him. He loved people-- he used to sit on the top of my computer monitor back before they went flat screen and would sometimes even perch on the arm of my sewing machine loaf-style until he outgrew it. Every morning he's leap up on my desk, put his head in my mug and sneeze in it-- it was like he was cleaning his sinuses. I used to make a mug just for him and keep a lid on mine.

HB

Mint

HB made your granola today and it is tasty and my house smelled so good. Thank you for sharing with us.

This is my first batch of carrots

jfkoc

Lorita...what I posted was from Mayo's (Ithink). It is a warning that future problem can arise when sprains are not taken care of. Please get to the Dr!!!!!

Lorita

Morning, Thanks, HB, for posting that picture. It gave me my laugh of the day. In my LR I have serapes on the seats of the divan and one chair and throws on the back and on another chair I have an afghan. Every morning when I come into the LR I have to straighten everything. Also two big dog beds on the floor are all crumpled up together. What in the world they do during the night I don't know. It's aggravating.

Sara, your carrots are so pretty - just think how good those will be. See, I told you that you could do it.

Judith, my ankle is much better - only swollen some on the ankle bone and I'm walking much better. If it is still swollen I may go next week. Right now it's doing all right. The epsom salts baths are doing the trick. I wrapped it for a while yesterday and that helped stabilize it. Thanks for the information - really appreciated. It's odd - I worked with and around doctors my whole career and I really like my doctor, but still hate to go to them.

The roads are probably impassable - this morning Toad fed with a big tractor so they may not even be able to feed with their trucks. Someone, probably Sidney, was in an enclosed Gator along to open gates for him. We had rain all night - not heavy but steady. I don't have my rain gauge up so no idea how much but there's water everywhere.

A lot of the girls were down by the house this morning, bawling - ready for feed. Didn't see the new baby until another group came down and I think I saw him with them. They're all back up by the hay now. I think they just gave everyone enough to last until the weather's a bit better - which should be next week.

Ron, do hope your throat is all right today. Are you still sore from your fall? It takes a while to get over one. When I fell I think I must have had my left arm underneath my side because it's been a little sore this week. I heard on the news that in one day EMSA had 80 slip and fall calls from people falling on the ice - 50 had to go to the hospital. You're just down before you know what happened. It's supposed to be in the 60s next week with sunshine. Won't that be nice? Enjoy your Saturday - hope it's sunny where you all area. It's cloudy with a north wind here and sooooo wet.

jfkoc

Your roads are not passable??? How do you get your mail? How does Toad get there? You have a new car and it won't get you to town???????

You may not want to go to the Dr but you may pay a price for that later. Hope not.

Lorita

Judith, Toad came this morning on a tractor to feed. . Sidney came in a Gator. Some of the roads are really bsd, I'm sure. FedEx didn't deliver yesterday but is supposed to today. If she does I'll ask about the roads. Not sure about the mail because I haven't been down there in a while.

I'll call Monday and get an appt. Need to go in anyway. Not sure how this car will do in the mud but there is a shorter way to get out. I've driven on these roads my whole life and been stuck on all of them. But I had knobbies or mud tires then. You've convinced me. Thanks, I know it's for my own good.

JeriLynn66

Good afternoon Rockers!

Sayra, those carrots look delicious. I’m ordering a canner today.

DH said we’ll have raised beds this year. I’m already planning for vegetables and and flowers to emulate @BethL ! Looking forward to making HB’s granola.

Making chicken tacos for the local grandkids and daughter tonight. We’ve had a very productive day: treadmill in the office and sofa out to the garage. Garage is CLEAN 🤩. Emptied a cedar chest. Housework done. Laundry done. Got a little progress on the spring/summer clothes closet.

Granddaughters will install new printer. Great Granddaughter will help make cookies and play with her new toys. My daughter the minimalist is going to make suggestions to further declutter my living room. I’m spring cleaning in January lol. Not sure why but I’m really feeling the need to purge.

Marginal chance of severe weather this afternoon but hopefully not. Lots of geese on both ponds today. No goat babies yet.

jfkoc

I am fearful of leaving mail in te box even overnight. Guess mail will indicate no one is home and they would rob me.

Toad came in a tractor all the way from town? How long would that take.

Covid shot update. 24 hours after the shot I got really tired so quit what I was doing and watched Netflix. I am addicted.

Just watched about Jane Grey who was queen of England for 9 days...age 15.

Lorita

Judith, they fed in a dozen pastures north and one place west of me this morning. Ours is the last place they feed on this route. Tomorrow they'll feed east and south of us. They probably have tractors at different places they can use. Toad only lives about two miles east of me so the tractor he was in may have been at his place. Those big old John Deere's can really move fast.

FedEx didn't show. Delivery delayed because of weather the WM website says. Wind chill about 30, cloudy, windy and not a nice day all around.

I've never had anything taken from our mailbox that I know about. I'll try to get down there tomorrow- I know a couple of stocking caps I ordered are down there. Monday is trash day but not sure I'll do that because there's lots of boxes plus the trash bags I'd have to get out to the PU or Gator. Weatherman just said more fog in the morning- Are you feeling all right now? Did your arm get sore? Still wondering if I'll take the RSV vaccine or even if it's available in our town.