Common Ground Coffee House #105

Mornin, folks!

Jim, yes, I think we are three hours off eastern time. G'day and cheers to you, too! Hope you have a good day.

Sue, so glad you are recovering! Moderators are hard to come by here! Keep up the good work, by the way. You are very much appreciated.

Annsni, sorry you are feeling icky. Some days are like that. All in all, compared with what I went through, you seem to be getting off pretty lightly! Maybe I just waited too long. I waited until my entire arm was burning from pain....I think you were a little smarter :thumbs:

MK, my heart and laughter and prayers are with you. How well I remember those days! There was one winter, I can't remember when, when all six kids were sick at once. I don't remember what it was or when it was, but I do remember thinking, "This is impossible. This doesn't happen!" Hang in there. Stay rested and healthy yourself.

FoG, your remark about fresh squeezed orange juice brings back some childhood memories. My grandparents lived in a little area near Santa Barbara called Hope Ranch (long before it was the way it is now). Papa had a fairly large piece of property, as I recall, and there was a grove of citrus trees right outside his front door. He would tell us to go pick the oranges we wanted him to squeeze for us each morning when we were visiting them. A very special treat and a very special time.

Well, we're off to the video producers today for a confab on how the first video is going and the fact that Mike, the graphic guy, has some ideas for the front page of our website which they want to change to accomodate the video sales. Up until now I have kept our website purposely simple since Barry's work isn't, and I don't want to frighten people too fast! So I'm finishing my cuppa tea now and will get out to the beasts shortly and then shower and we will head off. Gina is watching Chris every Friday for us to give us much needed time to ourselves.

One note --and very important for you ladies who are in the private ladies forum. One of our members is having some very major surgery soon -- you will see the thread if you head down there. We are organizing a way to send her cards and walk her through this ordeal. So please check in downstairs. Thanks.

God bless you all and have a lovely, and HEALTHY, day!

 

Good mor---hey! How'd it get to be afternoon already!!!???

Oh well, chores are done. Cassie's new furniture came today and matches beautiful with the desk we bought off the floor at a different store and was made by an entirely different furniture company. The bookcase was quite a bit bigger than it appeared in it's picture, but still fit nicely where she wanted it. Now I'm waiting on the exterminator to get here! Then I'll decide if I want to go grocery shopping.

Helen, not only did we go to basketball last night, we went to karate too! Poor little Jenna was drooping by the time she got home last night and wasn't sure she wanted to get up for school this morning!

The older two are home today. Chris is just sick, poor thing. Cassie has a migraine and achy joints. Even in this there is a praise. Chris is sick without a migraine! Being sick is his worst migraine trigger. Further proof that the new meds we started at the end of September are working and working well. This is the first time we've had a med that kept him from having a migraine while he was sick.

Well, the exterminator has come and gone and my lunch is about gone too, so I guess I should go get some groceries!

 

Oh noooooo!!
5-9 inches of snow coming tomorrow.
I just got out for the first time in 6 days yesterday, and it was a struggle with all the stuff still on the roads.
41 and sunny right now, but that will be changing.
Off to get some supplies.

 

Good Afternoon Everybody,

We have about 2" of "snow showers" on the ground.

Many people questioned about the size of my pantry in an earlier post.

I couldn't decide what to have for dinner tonight between Salmon with Tarragon Butter or Salmon with Citrus Salsa, so I knew I had the fresh salmon but when I was looking in the pantry for supplies I couldn't find what I needed to make the salsa. So, needless to say, we're having the Salmon with Tarragon Butter. So to all you fine Ladies who were inquiring about the size of my pantry my answer is...not quite big enough or complete enough.:smilewinkgrin:

We're staying in tonight, and enjoying the fire in the fireplace.

 

Just like mine, Rob, just like, mine. The kids wanted chili last night. Now chili is a staple food in this house. It's like one of those that everyone will always eat, even if we just had it last week and I ALWAYS keep chili fixin's. Guess what I didn't have last night? Chili fixin's! There were no kidney beans to be found anywhere in this house, no crushed tomatos and only one can of diced!

I fixed that problem when I went grocery shopping, without a list, so who knows what else I forgot to buy.

LOL! You know this freeze has hit the California orange groves, right? But as yet know one knows just how much damage there will be to the crops. They only think it will be bad. Last week, oranges were 3 for $1.00. This week they are $1.00 a piece! They weren't selling many.

Now I'm tired and it is time for coffee!

 

You what? Anybody tell you that you were supposed to do nothing in the days immediately following surgery?

I want Ann's level of pain tolerance!!!

Seriously, don't you go doing to much with that hand until it heals.

Whew! What a week. Five more minutes and I'm :sleep:

 

Hello Folks,

It is only in the forties here, but there is a brisk wind. We're not used to cold, so it is really cold! I am thinking that the cold weather makes my back hurt where the bone mets (cancer) has planted itself. My right hip joint also hurts, but that's arthritis. What fun, what fun!:smilewinkgrin:

Ann, are you supposed to be driving so soon?

We're all healthy down here. Y'all make us sound boring. I want purple hair. Gonna go exploring the BB now.
:wavey: :type: :saint:

 

Good morning, everyone!

Sue, we had a movie night, too. We went to the dollar theater and saw "Facing the Giants." We really enjoyed it! No profanity at all, and a strong Christian message. When it comes out on DVD, I plan to buy it.

It's warming up here today to about 50 degrees. Then rain tomorrow and it will get cold again. But no snow or ice, thank goodness.

Just made a pot of English Breakfast Tea, if anyone wants a cup.

Have a good day!

 

sounds lovely, Gwen, I'll pour myself a cup....please don't get up!

Actually, I am sitting here at 7:15 a.m. with my cup of tea!

Took Mandy out for her 12th birthday dinner last night to a place we had not tried before -- Long River Steak House. Outstanding food, nasty prices, lousy service...But that food! And it's always fun to be with her. She is becoming a MOST delightful and balanced young lady with a caring heart and a cute sense of humor. Because Barry cannot handle shellfish, I almost always order crab or shrimp or something when we go out because I love it. Last night was grilled shrimp on rice with veggies and pineapple. Really, really, REALLY good! Barry had prime rib which, when I had a taste, was just a good. Mandy had chicken parmesan. Afterward she chose Fred Meyer's to get a new outfit and chose a really cute skirt and top. A little light for this time of year, but they will be adorable in the spring.

Today is a cleaning day. Change sheets, get the master bedroom and bath and the den tidied and cleaned and polished. Change the guinea pig and parakeet cages. Catch up on laundry and ironing. Will try to get a couple of the rose bushes pruned this afternoon. I figure at 2 or 3 a day I can make it before they start budding -- there are 44 of the things! But it sure is gorgeous when they are all in bloom! An old plum tree needs a bit of pruning, too.

OK, my energy level is high now....wonder how long it will last? :laugh:

Annsni, I'm so glad you have so little pain. For me, it is so great to have my hand back and useful again that the pain is only a memory now. Do be careful, please, about getting back into regular work too fast. That can really slow down the healing.

Weather here has become normal for January -- hovering a little below freezing at nights and warming up anwhere from 10 to 20 degrees during the day, which, by 3 o.clock or so almost feels like spring! In fact, I was patting one of the horses last night -- our 'white' Anglo-Arab, Snowangel, and she was starting to shed her winter coat!

And there have been a few V's of geese already heading north!
Are these animals NUTS?

 

Good Morning Everybody,

It is 18 degrees and sunny here this morning. I wondered what that bright thing in the sky was, I thought it was a UFO.

Thanks for the "Heads Up" Sue. Usually the weather you have today in about 12-24 hours we'll have in Michigan.

My Wife and I are having difference of opinion about what to do tomorrow. She wants to visit the church we were at last week again, because we liked it.

I, on the other hand, want to continue visiting different churches for awhile. One thing I don't want to do is make a decision too quick. Once we agree on a church we'd like to visit further, I want to visit there for an entire month. That way we get to see the whole spectrum of what they're like, and have to offer.

Once I get burned, I'm not in a big hurry to pickup another hot pan.

I'm like Groucho Marx, I don't know if I want to belong to something that would have someone like me for a member.

I brought in Raspberry-Stuffed French Toast with Custard Sauce, hot Double Cranberry Muffins, and Home Fries. The Coffee, Water for Tea, and Hot Chocolate are on the counter. Enjoy.

My Wife wants to discuss our disagreement some more, we'll see if we can reach a concensus after Eggs Benedict, hot blueberry muffins, and a pot of steaming cocoa.

 

FoG -- consider going with your wife to the same church tomorrow. It is hard to judge a church by only one Sunday anyway and going for three or four Sundays will help both of you know if this is a straight church. Getting to know a few of the people and how the church body operates is also not a bad idea.

If you can do that, then tell her that in February if you are still wanting to check another church, would she please go with you?

That might help...???

 

Sounds like a plan Helen. It's not that I don't like this church, I guess I'm just "gun-shy."


They announced last week that they're having a potluck after tomorrow's service. Several people asked us to come to the potluck, and all we'd have to bring is two passing dishes.


I don't know if I want to take Orange-Basil Chicken, and Sweet Potato Crisp [this is a SBC church, after all LOL], or play it safe and take Meatloaf with Tomato Salsa, and Molten Chocolate Cakes.

Your comments would be very welcome.

 

I'm late! I'm late! for a very important date............oh, it's just my visit here. I forget sometimes whether I have been or not.

Lovely and bright here to-day, but very, very cold. It's hard to believe this is near the end of January.

It is a sad commentary when we have so many choices of Baptist Churches in a given area. I would love to have just one Baptist Church in the village. My choice of church is not what I like, but where I can serve. The greater the need, the greater the opportunity to serve, in my opinion.

I still can't get into all the food stuff in chat. Food remains a necessary evil to me. I can't get all excited about it.

Cheers,

Jim

 

I hear you, Jim, but as much time as I spend and have spent in the kitchen, it is a subject about which I am interested.

I cook for 3 men, and they all greatly enjoy food. So a fair amount of my thought process, money, and time revolves around that. I am always fascinated by people like Sue and FOG, who enjoy and do well what I really struggle with.

 

Hi Karen,

Thought I would drop a couple of hints for you on the food thing, although you may already know them.

1. Prepare more than you need -- double or triple. Freeze the one or two other meals (soups, pot roasts, casseroles often work well here). That's a couple of nights' work saved...

2. Figure a few nights on one main course. When I was a single parent raising six kids, I could make a chicken last for three nights! First night was the pieces, but I would reserve half the breast away from them. Save all bones, even from the plates, and dump into boiling water for soup stock. Shred leftover meat and the half breast for either casserole or chicken tacos, or whatever. You can freeze it in a ziploc bag or use it the next night. Boil up bones and extra meat, if there is any by then, and strain and de-fat. Then use the broth as the base for all the leftovers you have during the week and add spices later and you have chicken-whatever soup. There are VERY few things that cannot be dumped into this kind of soup. Boil it up everyday (right after dinner when you dump extra stuff in), let cool and put the pot in the refrigerator overnight.

3. Let THEM cook whatever they want once a week!

 

Do well??? Thank you for the compliment Karen, but then you've never tasted any of my failures either have you? :smilewinkgrin:

Matter of fact you haven't actually tasted any of my cooking. Sometimes you might rather have a grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup. Even I can't mess that up. :laugh:

 

18 degrees? Well, I don't want to make anyone envious so I won't tell you that it's in the 70's F and sunny here in beautiful Florida.:thumbs: