Common Ground Coffee House #116

[Gina B]

It's a late night! I stumbled out of bed because a poem was running circles in my brain and wouldn't let me sleep until I wrote it.

Today was nice. A composer wanted to turn one of my poems into a choral piece a while back and last night, she sent the finished studio version to me, so I listened to it a couple times today and now have the nuances and such. It's cool to hear.

On an off note, did you ever spend a lot of time making something for a pot luck type thing and it went over like a lead balloon? ROFL That has never happened to me before. It was kinda funny and a lesson in humility. And that people want sugar, not onions. :laugh: (I have a freezer full of bialys, any takers?)

 

[Melanie]

I too bombed with a recipe. I attempted to make scotch eggs,but they turned out looking like cannon balls......scratch that off my recipe list!

 

[annsni]

Hey all! I'm checking in from our boat vacation. We are on day three and will be picking up my big girls tonight to continue on our trip to Newport and ultimately Martha's Vineyard. I'm hoping to meet an online friend on Friday in Newport, weather permitting! I'm so looking forward to that! The weather has been unusually cool but it makes sleeping wonderful! :thumbs:

 

[Gina B]

I had to look up Scotch eggs. They sure look interesting! Now I'm tempted to think of different things to do with eggs to make them pretty and add layers like that, things that will stick. This sounds like a good challenge!

I also had to look up Martha's Vineyard. LOL I've heard the name many times in my life, but never asked about it or looked it up in more detail. Now that I did, I'm not sure what it's about. It sounds very crowded, but the food sure did look wonderful!

 

[Melanie]

Martha's Vineyard sounds very romantic doesn't it.

I have always wanted to sail by Zanzibar, which sounds so romantic. There is a poem about it somewhere in my head which will percolate to the conscious part at about 0200hrs.



A place I would dearly love to visit is Edinburgh of the Seven Seas which is the capital of Tristian de Cunha.

I had to look up what a bialys was.....I have never heard of the word, would be happy to try one....sounds yummy.

 

[Melanie]

The poem....Cargoes by John Mansfield.

 

[annsni]

Now checking in from Newport, Rhide Island. We will be heading to a little island called Cuttyhunk, Mass. which we love. It is very small but has a seafood boat come around the harbor every evening with clams, mussels, shrimp, chowder and you can order cooked lobster too! Then it is off to the Vineyard. MV is a beautiful island that has a lot of history. You can look up info on the Campground and Tabernacle, the movie Jaws being filmed Menemsha, Ted Kennedy and Chappaquidick and the fact that the Preaident of the US will be there when we are there. I have a list of things from friends to say to him if we see him. LOL. But best of all are the beaches and boats (there is a 12 meter regatta when we come in tomorrow.

So far the trip has been good mhad a few days of rain but now it looks clear for about a week!

 

[Melanie]

Sounds wonderful Ann.....make sure you say "Kia ora" to any kiwis you run into.

 

[annsni]

Sounds wonderful Ann.....make sure you say "Kia ora" to any kiwis you run into.

Will do! It is a cloudy day today so I'm not sure what we are going to do. My kids and I were planning to run but we have some storms on the way. We will see if we can fit it in between the drops!

 

[Gina B]

Sure, just swerve between the raindrops. It will make it more interesting! :laugh:

I'm in a foul mood, which doesn't explain why I've got steak prepping for dinner.

My oldest moved out today, so it's a weird day. I'm happy for her heading in the right direction, but I'm very crabby! I didn't expect the range of emotions that started hitting last night.

It's been a very odd year. Okay, life. It's been an odd life.

 

[annsni]

Gosh, I can imagine the range of emotions when a child moves out!

Well, we did end up running yesterday and it was dry. The kids went to the movies while hubby and I went out to dinner. Today is going to be very wet so we are sitting in the library getting wifi and power.

 

[Melanie]

Gina, I have you in my prayers......it must be hard having your child move out after having spent what 20 odd years nurturing. Exhilerating too, to be free in a sense.....no wonder the emotions are a roller coaster.....

 

[Gina B]

Oh, what an interesting week! I switched Doggie to a different food and expected her to have a problem because she is SO sensitive, and she is happier than ever and just loves it. Weirdo dog! :laugh:

Then for the unexpected, I have grown super sensitive in my allergy to latex and didn't realize I was being exposed, reacted, and nobody knew what was happening, including the doctor, and it could have ended up much worse had I not cared for someone going into anaphylactic shock myself once and been able to connect the dots before it was too late. I was safe in my own home and hadn't THOUGHT of it coming through the vents via a latex based spray they were using as a sealant next door. Now we ALL know.

Up note: I'm getting back to normal and making...DONUTS! Yay! Plus my one daughter is coming home for a night and I have to harass her because I came across her online talking about how she's in college now and free to do as she pleases with her Friday nights, so I kept reading, all worried to see just what her plans were, and her plans were to finish an essay, read a few chapters, and catch up on homework that she doesn't have time for during the week because of her work schedule. BRAT! She's definitely got my sense of humor. How dare she!

We woke up this morning to a flat tire. It was like it scheduled itself for the one exact day when we could go get it fixed. Not that we wanted it, but if it was going to happen, it was the most convenient timing, made more convenient in that I left a hairbrush in the car last night and hubby went to get it this morning and that's how we found out, instead of finding out when we needed to actually drive somewhere.

 

[Melanie]

Spring apparently has sprung, but we are getting weather from the South Pole.....oooooh it is COLD:flower:

 

[Gina B]

We're finally starting to get cooler nights here, which is nice.

I can barely see straight today, got some type of illness going on, so praying it goes away real soon. Thankfully I get little breaks, but man am I hungry! I learned really fast to not eat, but am trying to drink water. Lost 3 pounds in under 24 hours though...weird but that part is not a problem, right?! LOL Good in everything, definitely.

Gonna go dream of anything pumpkin flavored. Can't wait until the fall season is in full force, I feel better, and can get into the spirit of toasty socks and zucchini bread and all those wonderful things that come with November!

 

[Melanie]

Gina, hope you are better. I have been having a few problems. Firstly, I managed to sabotage the computer.....then I have not been very well, my gastrointestinal system has been giving me gyp.

It is warm here, with the wretched wind that accompanies this time of year. I have survived Guy Fawkes Night, as fireworks are available for purchase for a few days prior, and the drongoes frighten my elderly neighbour by their poor aim.....firing into her house is NOT funny.

The Melbourne Cup (on the same day) as Guy Fawkes did not see me a grand winner, I was not well enough to put a bet in my annual flutter.

We have had several big events at church with first communion, confirmations, H.E. bishop Fellay visiting, and Feast of Christ the King where we trotted about town .....the whole congregation does this, so it is a grand parade with about 450 people to honour Christ.

 

[Gina B]

I'm with you on fireworks near home. They're a pain! It's been crazy windy out here, but today is calm so that is nice. Perhaps you'll catch a break out your way and get a calm day. :flower:

Today is pretty peaceful. We stopped by the store, so now there's a chicken in the oven for later. Two of my daughters have solo parts coming up, so both have been playing music for over three hours straight. One on flute, one on violin. Very pretty!

 

[Melanie]

I have been on taxi duty, taking 2 girls who board at college for their piano lessons, and speech and drama. Their exams are looming...both are Asian girls who were in Germany last year and attended music with German tuition. I must say I am impressed with anyone who is able to bend their brains to linguistic paths. I am a monoglot!

The weather has been humid and hot (for here) tearing along at 21C .The disgusting sewerage treatment plant continues to PONG the town....so the wags call Wanganui, Ponganui. It is truly frightful when the wind is in the direction to waft the stench my way.

I am looking forward to spending Christmas in Brisbane, as my wonderful brother has underwritten my travel costs....how generous of him!!! No doubt I will find the weather appallingly humid, but who am I to look a gift horse in the mouth eh?

MissDaisyMae (the cat) loves the weather and as soon as twilight is over around about 2100hrs she is out and about, running up the lemon tree and no doubt visits the sheep down the back.

I enjoyed a very noisy 9yr old birthday....where the boy adored the joke candles on his cake, had about 15 eager kids helping open his presents. He loved my pencil case, one of those wooden things with a sliding lid, and of course the penknife. Another highlight was all the boys and men went off to slaughter a sheep.....Tom adores telling me in graphic detail the whole gory horror. I escaped before I was threatened with a gift of sheep kidneys....

Hope all is well with you Gina:wavey:

 

[Gina B]

Melanie, I read "The Thornbirds when I was around ten years old and found the details of the contest with the boys seeing who could "fix" sheep quickest - with their teeth - most disturbing! That is NOT an appropriate book at that age (now that I think about it, it's not an appropriate book at any age!) but I always read anything in sight, and it was in sight.

Hopefully you'll enjoy your Christmas holiday and get a nice break from the sewage smells! Yucky! I'm rather jealous of your lemon tree - I've thought of getting an indoor banana tree. The adverts say they're good and grow well indoors, but it just doesn't sound right. However, it seems worth a try, just to say we gave it a go.

We do plan on celebrating what many are fondly calling "Thanksgivukkuh," as Thanksgiving and Hannukah happen to coincide this year and that will not happen again for any of us breathing now. We have been discussing different ways of trying to blend the two together. Nobody liked my idea of stuffing a turkey with matzoh balls. :laugh:

 

[Melanie]

Hi Gina.....firstly, I will have to google up what a matzoh ball is? I too read "The Thornbirds "many years ago which I recall enjoying at the time....the theme of sheep castration was not a memory at all. The truly appalling television series of the film wrecked Colleen McCullough's image rather for me, also unfair to blame her for the sloppy production.

I have a number of family members in the banana industry which thrives in between cyclones in North Queensland. I would be interested in hearing if you end up with a tree inside.....they are rather tall, very messy plants, dropping their trash untidily about, and be careful harvesting the thing as the sap makes a horrible mess and stains black. That is the sum total of my knowledge, you won't be troubled by fruit bats:smilewinkgrin:....but an indoor variety may have modified some of the messiness.

My lemon tree is an old lady but prolific, the soil about here is very sandy ( the beach is not far away) and therefore rather sterile.

I am experimenting making my own talcum powder which is fun. My neighbour is a rose fancier and I benefit from the abundance of blooms this time of year. The beautiful cabbage roses so heavenly scented seem to dry well, and I am using small pieces to pretty up the blend. I plan to give this as Christmas presents to my mum and sisters when I fly to Brisbane. There is a small niggling worry that customs may get excited over plastic bags of white powder......