October 05, 2015 - Msg 102926: No return postage needed here, Sterling. Just let those prayers stay there, in reserve. We all need them from time to time, every single one of us. --Romeena
October 05, 2015 - Msg 102927: A-whoosh! The phantom porch sweeper strikes again.
October 05, 2015 - Msg 102928: Sterling...in the words of that eminent philosopher, Forest Gump..."life is like a box of chocolates..." No return postage needed here either. My prayers continue for you and yours.
POSSUM swimming under a rock, just saw and read about So Carolina...oh my...two feet in some places!! My prayers are with your dear state also.
Take care all,
MDC

October 05, 2015 - Msg 102929: I think Possum will need to change her "handle" to Possun on TOP of a BIG pile of rocks.... Really rough in the Carolina's right now. Prayers for those folks.... G-F
October 05, 2015 - Msg 102930: Thank y'all for the prayers. My poor state..I'm feeling so many different emotions,ranging from gratitude (that my family made it through fine) to sorrow for what my fellow South Carolinians are dealing with.Columbia is SO wrecked. So is Clarendon County,which is not far from where Laci lives.It's just unreal.

Again, from the bottom of my heart,thank y'all for the prayers.

**********
possum u.a.r.
October 05, 2015 - Msg 102931: We are glad you and your family are safe Possum, and prayers continue for you all.
And if I could ask you for prayers for my Daughter Stacey and my Grand daughter to be Charlotte for tomorrow. They are going to induce her labor, and although we don't anticipate any problems, I do believe in the power of prayer and in being proactive. Thanks much.

Asa
October 05, 2015 - Msg 102932: You got it Asa!.... Or should I say.... GrandDaddy, GrandDaddy, GrandDaddy!!...G-F
October 05, 2015 - Msg 102933: Aw,thanks, Asa. Prayers for all to go well for Stacey and Baby Charlotte.Keep us posted on things.

Hey, G-F!

possum again
October 06, 2015 - Msg 102934: Good morning, porch. Just a quick run-by. My friend Ted was here all day yesterday, installing lights along one side of the house, and I hear him out there now, working along the other side. By the time he's finished, this place is going to look like a Choctaw Casino, and will be really pretty. Security and beauty too - who could ask for more?

Better get out there and start assembling light fixtures - that's my job.

Prayers for Stacey and Charlotte today. I'm praying for an easy and safe delivery, and robust good health for little Charlotte. What a pretty name! One you don't hear often anymore, and I love it. Blessings, friends. --Romeena
October 06, 2015 - Msg 102935: .. Romeena, is Ted a Certified Clark W. Griswold exterior home illumination expert? Yep, it sounds like you and Ted are King & Queen's in the world of exterior home illumination! 💡💡💡
Better be careful to much lighting could confuse pilots landing at Dallas International, they may land in your back yard!

G-F.....
October 06, 2015 - Msg 102936: The sun is shining on South Carolina!! Thank you, Lord!

*****************
possum under a rock
October 06, 2015 - Msg 102937: Good evening, porch. I'm a pooped pup - worked harder today than I have in a while. I whacked rose bushes back to give Ted access to that side of the house, fought with a big old jasmine "thing" that grows on a fan-shaped trellis out front, and will be highlighted by one of the lights. It had gotten completely out of control, wands and tendrils had grown up and were clinging to the brick wall behind it, and had even made their way up and beneath the boards along the top. Next thing I know, it will be in the attic! So, I sheared it down and back into shape. Very messy. It oozes a sticky white sap when you trim it, and I got it all over me!

This little project has taken much longer than Ted or I expected. We thought two days, but two days have gone and we're just about half finished. Talk about cost over-runs! Ted just puts in about a six hour day, though. He starts around 7 a.m., takes about a half-hour lunch around 11, then works until about 1:30 and quits for the day. When he leaves here, he goes to give estimates on other jobs, goes by the suppliers and picks up what he needs, and gets home around 3:30, worn out. He has absolutely horrible arthritis in both knees, and it hurts me to see him walk. Still, he's always cheerful and smiling, never complains, and always figures his hours "short." He's really a good guy.

Yep, G-F, at Christmas, I've often been accused of attracting 747s to my driveway! I can't imagine what it's going to look like around here this year, with all this permanent lighting, and then the Christmas lights as well. A friend asked me how I expected to pay the electric bill, so I put it through a calculator, and was astonished at the results. All these lights are LED, so they run cheap, cheap, cheaply! We're installing 24 small LED floodlights, lighting up the entire back and side fences, with more in the shrubbery out front, and shining upward into trees. They each pull 3.2 watts/hr. Then there are 11 larger floods, in colors, along the sides of the house, one on that jasmine, and one in the back highlighting a beautiful old stump and a birdbath. They pull 3.5 watts/hr. Figured out the watts/hr being used, times twelve hours per night, converted to kw hours, times what I pay per kwh, and it comes out to just under 15 cents per night, for all this pretty light and its inherent safety factor. If these lights were incandescent, or even CFL (which I hate), it would be a different story. I love LED! I switched to LED twinkles out back, and LED icicles along the eaves, last year. This year I'm changing to LED twinkles out front, and retrofitting the roof lights with LED - I've already got the lights and bulbs. David is doing the same at his house. With everything being LED now, I don't expect to even feel an increase in my electric bill. Usually, it goes up at least $40 to $50 at Christmas.

Well, guess I'll hunt up something to eat, wash off the dirt and jasmine sap, and maybe turn in early for a change. Any word on Asa's granddaughter? Praying all goes well.... --Romeena
October 06, 2015 - Msg 102938: Good evening all, and thank you so much for the prayers. Please join me in welcoming Charlotte Mcdonald into this world as she begins her mortal journey. She arrived at 3:42 P.M. M.S.T. at 6 lbs 4 oz, and 21" long. Both baby and Mother are doing well after a long and somewhat difficult labor. Again, thank you all for the prayers. I am pooped so off to bed for me.

Asa
October 06, 2015 - Msg 102939: Thanks for checking in... Glad all is well!...Now get some sleep GrandDaddy!...And Congrats!...G-F
October 06, 2015 - Msg 102940: Yay!! Wonderful news,Asa! Congratulations and God Bless.

possum again
October 07, 2015 - Msg 102941: CONGRATULATIONS Asa!! I love the name Charlotte too!
Possum, glad you are finally seeing some sunshine!
Wow, a 1000 year storm they say.
Anyone heard from BIG MAUDE? Her area may have been affected too.
SPOT--how did Atlanta area fair?
ROMEEna--those lites sound great! You'll have to post an FB pic when its all done, then like GF says, we'll see how it matches up to to Clark! ha
God bless,
MDC
October 07, 2015 - Msg 102942: Hey Asa, Thank the Lord, and congratulations!

Possum, glad you are finally seeing the sun! Prayers for all those affected by the storm. I read that that area hasn't seen rain(or flooding, or something) like this for about 200 years.

-Sterling Holobyte
October 07, 2015 - Msg 102943: Or maybe it was 1000. I don't know, it was on the internet somewhere. ;-)

-SH
October 08, 2015 - Msg 102944: Wow, very slow day here today. I hope Possum continues to
dry out.
Prayers continue.
Amazing times!
MDC
October 08, 2015 - Msg 102945: Morning all.
Yes indeed MDC, very quiet on the porch. I might have to start barking like a dog to get things riled up! :)

I hope you are drying out Possum. Prayers for your State. I feel almost guilty. Our weather here has been so delightful. Cool 50's at night, upper 60's to low 70's in the afternoon. Perfect is what it is.

Well Stacey and Charlotte come home today, well if Charlotte behaves. She is not eating to well yet, so they are going to put her on formula. Nothing serious, but she has lost nearly a pound, so they are just being mindful.

Well better get moving. First day back to work. Lots to do for sure.

Thanks again for your prayers everyone.

Asa
October 08, 2015 - Msg 102946: Good morning, porch! Asa, how's Charlotte this morning? I'm glad Stacey is permitting a temporary or partial switch to formula, and not fighting it. Many times a young mother has read all the books and listened to her friends, and will refuse anything but "natural" feeding for their babies. That all sounds as fine as can be, but meantime, the baby is hungry, screaming constantly, and losing weight. Many babies just don't take to the "natural" feeding right away, and once in a while, there will be one who just never does. so you have to shift gears.

I remember one such case, and the mother was absolutely determined that there would be no bottles, no pacifiers, nothing - just "herself." Her own mother was ready to wring her neck. In a very defiant tone, the new mother challenged me, and said, "Just what do you think they did in the old days, before there were bottles and formula?" OK, she asked me, so I told her. I asked her if she had ever heard the term "sugar-t#t". Her mother started to smile, and settled back to watch. The girl said yes, she'd heard the term, but didn't know what it meant.

So, I told her. In the "old days", the mother of an uncooperative baby would mix some fresh butter and some sugar, and a little flour to give it substance, into a thick paste, put a blob of it on a square of cheesecloth, which every home had in those days, and would twist it into a nipple shape. When that sweet, buttery thing went into a baby's mouth, the reaction was instantaneous! Yum! It was perfect, and could save a baby's life. It delivered fat, sugar and a little protein, which the baby needs. Mother's milk is very high in fat content, necessary for growth and development, and temperature regulation. The butter provided that, and the protein, the building blocks of growth. Sugar gave the carbs the baby needed to keep their blood sugar levels from bottoming out, which can happen rapidly in a newborn. After a few sessions with that little device, the baby was feeling better, less hungry and frustrated, and more cooperative. The new mom would smear some of that concoction on herself, and the baby would latch on and all would be well. I learned this from my grandmother, and it works. Today, we don't make the cheesecloth thing, but the principle applies. Give the baby a bottle with an easy-flowing nipple on it, and watch his eyes light up when that formula hits his tongue! He'll be ready to eat "naturally", once his panic and frustration settles down in response to some groceries getting inside his tummy. OK, that's an old nurse's lecture for the day.

We're not finished with the lights outside, but Ted probably won't be back until Monday. His mom passed away yesterday evening. It was not unexpected, she had been in the grip of dementia for a couple of years, didn't know anyone, just mostly sat and stared, and got combative if anyone bothered her. Ted is greatly relieved, not grieving, but still, he needs a few days.

Well, I'd better get busy. We're having a chili cook-off at the church tonight, and I'm supposed to take a pot - guess I'd better get on it! Blessings, friends! --Romeena
October 08, 2015 - Msg 102947: Hi Romeena. Stacey and Charlotte are doing great. I just talked to Stacey and they will be headed home in a little bit. They made Charlotte do an hour and a half test in a car seat to assure her breathing would be ok, and she passed with flying colors. So she is glad to be going home and her other kids will be glad to have her home. They are such a cute family. But I am biased. :)

Asa
October 08, 2015 - Msg 102948: Texas Chili Cook-Off.....Sign me up!.... Now that's good eat'in!...That's good News Asa, I think Romeena is giving good advice, so no worries....G-F
October 08, 2015 - Msg 102949: That sounds wonderful, Asa. I'm so glad everything went well, and I absolutely love the baby's name. It's kind of an old one, and it's beautiful. I'm glad to see some of the old names coming back these days.

My pot of chili is simmering nicely, smells good, and even in its just-put-together state, it tastes great. Give it time to simmer and the meat will be tender, the flavors will blend, and it will knock your socks off! I love homemade chili, don't know why I don't make it more often. I guess it's because I don't know how to just make a small amount. I start out with a small pot, but have been known to upsize two or three times before the chili is finished. This time, I just started out with the biggest pot I own. It's that big old Le Creuset Dutch oven, enormous thing, and heavy as lead. I can't lift it when it's full, so will be ladling the chili out into my slow cooker to take it to the church. They'll have power strips lined up beneath the serving tables, so everyone can "plug in." Mind you, I didn't buy that Le Creuset pot. Those things are crazy expensive and I would never pay that for a pot. I received it as a gift from the hospital for my 30th anniversary as an employee there. They gave me a catalog of things and told me to choose. When I saw that pot, I pounced! I wanted one, but knew I'd never buy it, so there was my chance! At 25 years, I got a beautiful world globe, mounted in a lovely wooden stand, with an axis running through the globe, so it spins and everything! Something else I would never have bought, but really appreciated it as a gift. The hospital was good to me, no question.

Well, back to stirring my chili. Blessings, all. --Romeena
October 08, 2015 - Msg 102950: Hey y'all- just a quick check in to let you know that the sun is still shining in SC! We have a LONG way to go,however. Please keep the prayers going,and if you are so inclined,donate whatever you can to the relief efforts.

I was able to go over into my hometown yesterday & check things out. The roads were fine,the floodwaters (19.8 inches!) had receded,and things looked pretty good.

I knew that my former home,which is a mobile home that I rent out to a young family,weathered the storm fine,because I'd been in touch with my tenants. However,on that same property is a small block house which was my grandmother's home. I use it for storage & have all of my furnishings from my mobile home in there. I went in to check & found pieces of ceiling all over the place in one room. Looked up and could see the rafters in the attic. A huge chunk of the ceiling fell. Some of my furniture is probably wrecked-oh well.It was hard to tell in there in the semi-darkness. I am so thankful that this happened when it did and not years ago when we lived in that house.That was my daughter's bedroom as a baby & later as a young girl.

I'll get it fixed somehow. No complaints,my loved ones are fine, I'm blessed!

So happy to hear that all is well with Charlotte & she got to go home-yay!

Y'all take care! Enjoy that chili,Ro-sounds good!

*****************
possum under a rock

October 08, 2015 - Msg 102951: Hey, Possum. Glad things weren't any worse, and hope the damage to the furniture is minimal. Hang in there, baby!

Well, guess what! I won second place in the chili cook-off, out of 18 entries! I couldn't believe it. I hadn't even planned to make chili, on an impulse this morning I checked with the church office to see if they had enough people signed up, and was told they thought so, but might use one more. So, I went to the store and got chili meat and stuff and came home and threw it all together. I rarely use a recipe (never on something like chili) so I probably couldn't duplicate that batch, but apparently it was well-received. I've been told I'm an "instinctive" cook, whatever that means. Quite often, if I'm making something just on a whim, I season it by smelling of the spices and things in the pantry, and if it smells like it ought to go in what I'm cooking, well, in it goes! For the chili though, I drew on what I learned from a Mexican cook years ago. Mexicans make a dish called "molé". It's a dark, rich, pungent sauce, usually ladled over poached white boneless chicken. You can buy little jars of the thick paste, which you thin down with chicken broth, and it's pretty good, but the homemade stuff is best. There are as many ways to make molé as there are cooks who make it, but one thing I know, a lot of cooks add peanut butter to their base. Yes, peanut butter. So, I dropped a big old glop of peanut butter in my chili pot and stirred it in, and it was pret-ty good!

Toye Starr and I have a little houseguest for the weekend. A friend from church has a little male Maltese, named Oh!Reilly, and he's coming to stay with us until Sunday night. His mom is taking a quick vacation with her daughters, so we're keeping Oh!Reilly. Toye Starr will probably be in a snit, but she'll get over it.

Blessings, everyone! --Romeena
October 08, 2015 - Msg 102952: Humm, peanut butter in chili, who'd a thought! I think it would be one of those tastes that has folks wondering what the "secret" ingredient is, and it's NOT "oregano"! I'm always up for new tastes to try, so I may just give it a whirl. I sometimes put a little cinnamon and nutmeg in mine to give it a different taste, sorta like Cincinnati style chili..... I think Chili cook-off's are fun, you get to try a lot of people's different interpretations of a simple soup... That's one good thing about cold weather, it brings soup to the table... Ya know, soup IS good food as the commercial say's....👍

G-F....
October 08, 2015 - Msg 102953: ....As far as soup goes, my go to soups were always, potato, chili, and stuffed green pepper soup were always popular at work on a cold day. My co-workers say they miss those days, so I have done some retirement soup luncheon's for them since I've been retired.... G-F again
October 09, 2015 - Msg 102954: Hi everyone...just checking in before bed. Hope you are all well. Congratulations on the new grandbaby, Asa! How sweet. I want a grandbaby, but I'll just have to wait. ;)

Its still in the 90s here and I am really looking forward to some cool fronts..they will have to come sooner or later.

Work is still going well, the family is good. Not much in the way of news. I am thinking that the year is going by so fast and before you know it Thanksgiving and Christmas will be upon us again. So much to do!

Sean hooked up a regular keyboard to the laptop for me so that my posts wont disappear like they were doing so I look forward to being on the porch more often now.

Think I'll hit the ironing board..have to work tomorrow evening and Friday is always my busy day. Love to all!

Boo
October 09, 2015 - Msg 102955: RO--you can feed me chili anytime! Love the stuff!
Yours sounds really good.
BOO--good to see you back on the porch. We miss your posts about family, etc. Hopefully it will cool down soon.
Another APB for BIG MAUDE...hope she is OK.
PH--are you gonna have turkeys for Canadian Thanksgiving on Monday??
ASA--congrats to you! Glad all went well. Charlotte is almost like Charlene! ha
Folks.. things are getting a little crazy in Israel and Syria. I don't like the way the Bear of the North is acting! Stay alert.
Prayers for all,
MDC
October 09, 2015 - Msg 102956: Good Friday morning all. I hope the new day finds you all fine and dandy.

So great to see you Boo. I look forward to seeing you here more often. We have Christmas movie quotes to do you know! :) Glad to hear you are all doing well. Thanks for the congrats. Your time will come all to quick for being a Grandma.

I think there is something to that "instinctive cook" idea Romeena. We had a fellow who worked in our office, who was one of the better cooks I have ever seen. He always cooked at our shop dinners, and it was always fantastic. And every time I would ask for the recipe, he would say he really didn't have one. He would just add this and that until it tasted right. I always thought he was shining me on, but what you said makes perfect sense. And I have heard about the peanut butter thing in chili before. I would like to try making a pot this fall. I don't care for super hot chili. Mild works fine for me. What meat and beans do you use? I have been accused of being an inSTINKtive cook before. That's the best I can muster. GF, that's good of you to go back and cook a bit for your friends at work like that. But doesn't surprise me a bit. You just seem like an ok kind of feller.

MDC, I hear there was a shooting at NAU last night. Yep, the world is going crazy. Lord help us.

Glad you are ok Possum. Things can be replaced, but it is hard to lose them still the same. Glad none of your rocks washed away.

Well better get working. Much to do.

Asa


October 09, 2015 - Msg 102957: Good morning, porch! It's beautiful here today, just 82°, but warming up. I've got little Oh!Reilly here, and he's so sweet! He's a little bigger than Toye Starr, about an inch or two taller, and maybe three pounds heavier. His mom keeps his Maltese coat in a puppy cut, and it's really cute. I'd try it with Toye Starr, but her coat is not as dense as his, and I'm afraid she'd just look "nekkid." He's a sweet little fellow, very well behaved. At the moment, he's curled up in a little ball next to my feet, and Toye Starr is in her accustomed morning place - sitting in the entryway, staring at the mail slot, hoping to ambush the mailman. She's never seen him, but she knows that every morning that little door in the wall opens and someone pushes envelopes through it! She considers it an invasion, and resents it greatly. Once the mail has come, she abandons her post, and goes on about her business.

They have played together some, but Oh!Reilly is a little more barky than Toye Starr, and he has a surprisingly big bark for such a little dog! Starr will look at me when he barks, and seems to be saying, "Mama, he's loud, and I think that's rude!" Their little play sessions don't last long, just a few minutes, then they settle down. After all, she's eight, and he's ten, so they're not spring chickens anymore. He sure is cute, though. Cuddled up next to me last night just like Starr does, and I slept well. Guess it was a "two-dog night."

Well, guess I'd better get dressed. Eloise is on her way over to help me eat some of that chili. I had a fair amount left that didn't even go to the church. The pot I cooked it in held a lot more than my slow cooker, so I left some of it here, and I brought home about two servings left in the bottom of the slow cooker. That's more chili than I'll eat in the next day or so, and I don't want to get tired of it. So, I called Eloise and told her I needed help to eat this chili, and she said that was what friends were for, and would be right over!

Blessings, folks! --Romeena
October 09, 2015 - Msg 102958: Eloise has come and gone, ate some of the chili, and took a big bowl home to her husband. What a good friend! Now I don't have to eat chili for the next two days.

I learned something about Oh!Reilly. As I said, he has a big bark, but I discovered that I can put a finger to my lips and say "Shhh!" and he switches to a tiny bark! Hilarious! I wish I could teach Toye Starr that little trick. Her bark is not very big, in fact it's pretty cute, but it would be so funny to teach her to do that.

I've suddenly developed a sore and scratchy throat! Haven't had anything like that in a long time, and it's getting uncomfortable. I hope it doesn't develop into anything worse. I can handle this, but I don't need a chest cold. Haven't had one of those in years! I think a glass of juice and a nap sounds good right now. Blessings, friends! --Romeena
October 09, 2015 - Msg 102959: RO--sometimes letting an aspirin "melt" in the back of the throat will help soothe it, and "arrest" the issue before it gets full blown.
MDC
October 10, 2015 - Msg 102960: ASA- yes there was. One person was killed as a
brawl in a parking lot turned real ugly.
Very bad for sure.
I hope your week back to work went OK.
Hang in there. Set a spell in your wheeler this
weekend.
Prayers for all,
MDC
October 10, 2015 - Msg 102961: Well its 4 am gang...im on the weekend duty this month breakfast?...SPOT
October 10, 2015 - Msg 102962: Good morning, porch! I hope everyone is fit as a fiddle this morning. As for me, that scratchy throat has gotten scratchier, I have a little bit of fever, and generally feel a little rough. I called another nurse to see my home health patient today. The patient is an extremely frail 94-yr-old lady, and she doesn't need whatever this is. I feel well enough to go, but don't want to risk exposing her to something that could get really ugly in someone as fragile as she is.

Breakfast sounds wonderful, Spotty. You always do my bacon just right! Got any grits this morning?

It's absolutely gorgeous here today. Just 63° at 9 a.m., not a cloud in the sky, light breeze, squirrels running all over the place, burying stuff here and there. No telling what will be popping up in the spring, in odd places. I will never forget that lone red tulip that appeared in the exact center of my rose island, and I know perfectly well I never put it there. It was so funny!

Do you ever wonder what goes through a person's mind, just before they pull a trigger and kill another person? I know, the mass shootings are the result of a sick mind, but that NAU shooting was just a case of anger boiling over. What exactly did the shooter think he was going to accomplish? He was angry with the members of another fraternity - some sort of misguided group loyalty, maybe? Whatever it was, how could he think it was worth taking another life? Actually, he tried to kill four people! How could he have seen that as a solution? Fortunately, three lived through it. What could have been so important that he would think killing someone would make his point?

Then there was the killing of an 8-yr-old girl by an 11-yr-old boy, because the little girl wouldn't let him play with her new puppy. I truly believe that it's possible that an 11-yr-old doesn't yet understand the finality of such an act. After all, in all the video games the kids play today, you get killed, but then you get another "life" so you can keep playing. A child of eleven probably has a fair grasp of the reality, but you can't be sure. In this case, I wonder what the parents were thinking, to keep a loaded shotgun in their bedroom closet (according to the news story) where it could be accessed by a child. There is talk of charging the parents, and I think that's probably the right thing to do.

It's no secret that I believe we have the right to "keep and bear arms". I have a gun myself, and because I'm alone, it's kept beside my bed, loaded and available. However, when children are coming over, it's put away. I believe that the right to own a firearm is much like every other right, every other freedom. With rights and freedoms comes responsibility, heavy responsibility. I have the right to own that gun, but I have the responsibility to keep it secure and away from children.

I'd like to see all of the energy and money and time that's being spent on trying to disarm the American people, instead spent on education, teaching people the principles of responsible gun ownership. Even more important, we need to spend a lot of resources on identifying and helping people with mental illness, but exactly how that's going to come about, I don't know. You get into the area of invasion of their privacy, and that's a slippery slope. I've decided that about all I can do is keep my own house in order, and pray that others will do the same.

Blessings, friends! --Romeena
October 10, 2015 - Msg 102963: Romeena, I don't know if I'm fit as a fiddle, 🎻 but I AM as fine as a 🐸 frogs hair though..... Lol It's been a beautiful day around here today to get the yard mowed and some yard work done too. I like fall, but I hate doing leaves so I keep them mowed over into mulch for the garden.

Spot, I'm watching your Dogs and "T" play, so far so good!...
Ohio State did play more like the should today, if they don't do better they will have a hard time holding on to #1 status but they do have a lot of talent, just need to mesh better....

Possum, you still drying out? Hope all is well.....

G-F....
October 10, 2015 - Msg 102964: Sorry SPOT.... No free meals for Reggie Davis at "The Varsity" this week.... Good game tho.... G-F
October 11, 2015 - Msg 102965: Good morning, porch. Obviously, I didn't make it to preachin' this morning. My "scratchy throat" has turned into something much more significant, if the way I feel is any indication. I feel awful, and am just wallowing in self-pity this morning. My throat hurts, my eyes burn and are all watery, my nose runs like a faucet (I'm considering corks, but then I'd probably drown) and I'm cold one minute and hot the next. Did you ever hear anything so pitiful? Honestly, I'm sick so seldom, that when I do come down with something, I think the whole world should be on alert! Oh well. This too shall pass.

Sure hated to miss this morning. Pastor has really been on a roll lately. Also, my Sunday School department was having a group lunch after church, and I hate to miss it. I'm sure it will be fun. Instead, I suppose I'll have a bowl of soup, or some leftovers. That's okay, I like soup and I like leftovers.

Sure is pretty here today. One of those green and gold and blue days. Everything is still green, the sun is shining and the sky is so blue it's hard to believe. The American Beautyberry bushes are loaded, and evidently the berries are ripening, because the robins have been hanging around, acting very interested. In a few days, a squadron of them will attack suddenly and strip both bushes in about an hour. It's a sight to see. I only planted one of those bushes. The other one came up last fall, apparently planted by bird droppings. That's fine, except it's smack in the middle of my re-blooming iris bed, and will overwhelm the whole bed. So, I promised it to my daughter, who will dig it up and take it home with her when she visits at the end of the month. She has a perfect place for it. Such a pretty bush. She'll probably just plant it in a pot to get it home, and will let it ride out the winter in her little greenhouse, then put it in the ground in the spring. I'd love to have one of those greenhouses, but don't really have a place to put one.

Well, I think I'll go cook up a pot of grits. Some hot grits with butter in them sounds really good right now. I'll eat what I want of them, then chill the rest, and tonight I'll make them into little patties and griddle them in a bit of butter until lightly brown. Yum! Blessings, friends. --Romeena
October 11, 2015 - Msg 102966: Romeena, hope those grits get ya to feelin a bit better!. Grit burgers sounds a lot like making a batch of mush. I love them cooked to a golden brown and a little butter and syrup on them.....
I got som apples yesterday, so I think I'll make a version of cobbler, I have some apple cinnamon muffin mix I think I'll spoon on the top, I may have to make a run to the store for some ice cream if they turn out good.

Hope everyone has a great day..... G-F
October 11, 2015 - Msg 102967: GF, Hey, if you need a non biased opinion of that cobbler, I'm your feller. I will taste said cobbler, multiple times if necessary, and provide you with honest unbiased judgment. (burp)

Sorry you're ailing Ro. Hope it ain't the flu. I got my flu shot on Friday. I guess you didn't see my question about what kind of meat and beans you use with your chili?

I just got back from Preachin. Had a great lesson in Sunday School about the challenges Paul faced during his Apostleship.

Well I am going to Stacey's house in a little while for a Birthday dinner for her 4 year old Madison. Madison gets to pick the menu because it's her day, so who knows what we will have. But I suspect mac and cheese will be in there somewhere. And that's fine. I like mac and cheese.

Gosh the weather here is just delightful. Around 70 in the afternoon, and 50's at night. I have not had to run a/c or furnace now for a couple of weeks. I can dig it.

I hear you are getting more rain Possum. Hope it doesn't get carried away.

Well better go do my back stretches. It has been feeling a bit tight the last few days. Not sure why, but I hope it relaxes.

Asa
October 11, 2015 - Msg 102968: Good evening, porch. Wow. Whatever this bug is, it's beating me up. I feel like two miles of bad road! I don't have a thing in the house to take to make me feel better, because most things that are supposed to do that just make me feel worse. I usually just ride stuff like this out. Guess I'll hang in there, maybe tomorrow will be better.

Asa, I'm sorry, I did miss your question. Here in Texas, most butchers produce "chili grind" beef. It's ground beef, but the blade used is the most coarse blade on the grinder. It produces meat ground in small chunks, about marble-size. I also add a package of regular hamburger, to provide a little fullness and "body" to the mix. Sometimes, if I'm cooking chili for the family, I'll get a package of stewing beef, which is cut in large chunks, and then I just cut the chunks into smaller pieces, but I don't always do that. Makes for good chili, though. As for the beans, I just add a can of regular old Ranch Style Beans, the one in the black and white can. I just used one can in a big old pot of chili. I want some beans in it, but not a lot. If you like your chili pretty thick, not soupy, you can use a little flour. When the meat has browned, before you add the rest of the stuff, just sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of flour over it and stir it in. Later, when you add liquid, that bit of flour will thicken it a little.

Well, I need to go lie down for a while. I feel like I've been beaten with a stick! Blessings, friends. --Romeena
October 11, 2015 - Msg 102969: We got quite a surprise at preachin,.. Instead of a quaint little "homily" on the three readings, our pastor went into the state of the world today,
quoted Matt 24, "when you see all these things happening...know that I am near, even at the door!" Wow he talked about how Noah warned the people for 125 years about the coming flood, but how most scoffed at him, then boom, there it was!
Look at SC in the middle of a dought, then boom,
two feet of rain! He said we are being warned, and we better take it seriously, especially with everything going on in the world. There wasnt a fly-catcher or a 'nodder' in the place. I think he also warmed up some dangly earrings! :)
GF--Cleveland got it done today, even with that one weird catch! My Birds did good too. Fitz was even blocking.
RO--take care of yourself, and as you said, hold off on any old folks visits. Lord knows their immune systems are not in tip-top shape.
BTW, RO, lately on Emergency (apparently later eps) Dr Early's name not only has F.A.C.S, (WHICH YOU AND ph EXPLAINED), but now it also has A.C.E.P. Any idea what that means??
Prayers for all,
MDC


October 11, 2015 - Msg 102970: Yep, MDC it was a surprise today. They will be talking about the "butt" catch all year, whatever it takes, a win is a win. I have watched more Football this week-end than I have in a loooong time. I normally watch very little.

Asa, I still have a BIG spoon for you to evaluate the cobbler!
I went wild and used Granny Smith apples this time...
G-F...
October 12, 2015 - Msg 102971: Good evening, porch. MDC, A.C.E.P. stands for American College of Emergency Physicians.

I had forgotten how rotten a plain old cold can make you feel. (Sniffff, snort, wheeze, honk, koff koff, honk, bark, wheeze, whiiiiine!) I'm getting seriously tired of this. I'm headed for the bed. Heck with the ironing board, I can do without the adventure-sleepin', I want comfort! I'm hoping to wake up feeling a lot better, because Ted will be back when dawn makes a little crack in the morning, and we have lots more lights to get installed. Of course, he does all the work, I'm just the gopher, but my get-up-and-go has got up and gone!

I'm going to miss little Oh!Reilly when his mama picks him up tomorrow night. The only thing I won't miss is standing by the back door, waiting for him to get his pottying done. That's why I love female dogs. They squat, and it's done. Little boys wander around, with a squirt-squirt here and a squirt-squirt there, here a squirt, there a squirt, everywhere a squirt-squirt, and you never know when they're finished. It's not so bad in the daytime, because I can see him better, and I can stand outside to watch him, and call him in. At night, I have to stay inside and keep opening the door to yell at him. If I go outside, the mosquitoes attack. Toye Starr is much easier. She doesn't even go outside, period! She has her potty box, I change the little disposable pad every day, and the problem is solved. She doesn't even want to go outside, is perfectly content to stay in here. Much easier, but I guess it doesn't work with the little boys. Anyway, I'll miss the little guy. He's definitely a cuddler, wants in my lap, or alongside my in my chair (it's wide) and follows me like he was on a string. Toye Starr has been nice to him, and doesn't object.

Well, off we go. I guess it will be a two-dog night again. Kinda comforting, actually. --Romeena
October 12, 2015 - Msg 102972: Good Monday morning all. Goodness sakes, what happened to the weekend? Those two days fly by I declare. Before you know it, Monday is back, and back to work. But I am grateful for a job to go to and the health to work, so I best quit bellyaching.

Ro, I hope you are doing better this morning. I am a terrible patient. I tend to really let everyone know when I'm ailing. I am glad Toye Starr is ok with company. My Barney is a one dog kind of feller. He will tolerate a visiting dog for a short while, but he don't cotton to much to us showing any affection to the visitor. He pretty much feels he's the one and only in our lives. LOL

Sounds like some good preachin you had MDC. These are days that try mens hearts for sure and we have been warned about. We should take comfort in knowing who is in charge, but also have a sense of urgency in being prepared in all things, and trying to help others in those preparations.

GF, I am also having a hard time watching a football game anymore. I used to live eat and breathe football. But I seldom watch it anymore. I did catch the end of the Browns/Ravens game. Pretty big win for your "Dawgs" in hostile territory. And them Bengals are off to a great start. I appreciate that BIG SPOON for sampling. I do need an ample amount to sample with accuracy you know. :)

Well it looks to be a "Rooftop" day for me. I need to cover all the evap. coolers and service all the rooftop units. It's easily a full day, maybe more. But ideal weather to do it in. I just wish I had a "Wheeler" up there to relax in on occasion. Hmmmm, I wonder....?

Well off to work. Prayers for all. And Happy Columbus Day!

Asa
October 12, 2015 - Msg 102973: Hey Asa, here's what ya need to run you're service calls in http://youtu.be/rNjd9BFh-7Y

Where's PH been? He must be studying is what I'm guessing....

Poor Floyd is on the Mayberry Cruise.... Hopefully he & Mrs. Floyd don't have to deal with any hurrycanes and can enjoy their week of sailing. ⛵️ I'm guessing it brings back a lot of good memories right Romeena?

One more beautiful day before a blast of cold rolls thru.... Just a heads up Auh2o.

G-F....
October 12, 2015 - Msg 102974: "Columbus sailed the ocean blue in fourteen hundred ninety-two." Only thing is, he landed in the Bahamas! ha Maybe he was just trying to be the very FIRST Mayberry cruise.:) Speaking of such,
Don Knotts was a guest star on Matlock this morning.
Well, I have to do some yard work today, but I am
also still thinking of all our pastor said,
especially as I read the paper this morning...Iran tests a long range missile, Turkey
in turmoil, etc.
RO--I hope you are feeling better.
ASA--wish I could stop by to help you out.
GF--I'd like to sample that cobbler too.
PH--Happy Thanksgiving!
ALL-- have a good day and week, give it all to Jesus!
MDC
October 12, 2015 - Msg 102975: MDC... Jump right on in, I got the spoons to swing it!...
Thanks MDC, now I remember why PH isn't around, he has to be a Turkeyterrion,...lol Hopefully he got a good price on one that hasn't done a lot of flying...haha Or one of those "deals" that Klinger came up with....G-F 👍
October 12, 2015 - Msg 102976: Alright GF. I had a pretty good idea what that link was gonna be before I even opened it. And you didn't let me down buddy. LOL

Thanks for the chili tips Romeena. I saw some pretty good ideas on the interweb. My biggest concern is not getting it to hot. I just don't cotton to too much spice. Neither does my tummy. I figure if it's too mild I can kick it up when I eat it. But if I get it too hot while cooking it, not much I can do then. Kind of like the old adage "measure twice, cut once".

Asa
October 12, 2015 - Msg 102977: Good evening, porch. Well, my little houseguest just went home. My friend Nancy came and picked up Oh!Reilly, and now Toye Starr is just walking around looking lonely. They got along well, played and shared toys, and she didn't object when he got in my lap. He's a cuddler, and stuck to me like velcro. I wasn't sure how she'd handle that but she was very gracious about it. I'm going to miss the little guy.

I know the Mayberry Cruisers are having a good time. Eloise and I went on five of those cruises, and had a lot of fun on each one. I finally had to quit going, because I just can't handle walking long distances anymore. I didn't even leave the ship on the last cruise. They are fun though, and if anyone gets a chance to go, then do. You'll enjoy it a lot, and meet some really nice people.

Well, Ted was here today, and got the lights installed along the east fence. He'll be back tomorrow, to get the west fence illuminated. We're running out of light fixtures though, so I'll be running to the Depot in the morning, to get about ten more. I got two of those multi-outlet extension cords, and will use them to put lights in the shrubbery along the back of the house and in the front as well. No need installing power sources there, when the extensions will work just as well, and they'll be movable. The main thing is to tape the connections, and loop them into the shrubbery so they're not lying on the ground. It's all going to be so pretty when it's finished, and will provide a definite uptick in the security level around here.

I'm still feeling pretty rotten, can't quit coughing and sneezing, and having hot and cold flashes. I don't know where this cold virus has been hiding all these years, but evidently it's one I hadn't met yet. Well, now I have, so once this is over I shouldn't get it again. (Whiiine!)

Blessings, friends. --Romeena