November 04, 2022 - Msg 118348:

Good Friday evening to all.
I caught one tags ep on me-tv tonight, and again one word will say
which one..."I'm ri-cheer!" :)
I really like Andy's explanation of the Romeo and Juliet play! (If you look real close,
you can see his eyes look off to where some cue cards must have been
out of the scene to help him get thru that whole talk.)
Also, for the first time ever, in the final scene, I noticed a set of
french doors to the left of the fireplace rocks in Andy's house.
Funny how I never noticed them before. But, after the first season,
several of the 'sets' had changes made to them, like that disappearing
courthouse inner door.
We had a good rain here yesterday, but today its back to sunshine.

RO and Boo, very cool that both of you have been to Gruene. I really enjoy
that Day Tripper show. We have about 10 feral cats in our neighborhood,
but a neighbor was able to do a catch, neuter, and release with about
8 of them so far.

We have a craft fair at church on Saturday...many unique homemade items for sale.

PRAYERS,
MDC
November 04, 2022 - Msg 118349:

I did a little porch cleaning for y'all! :)


November 05, 2022 - Msg 118350: Good Saturday morning all.

MDC, Yes, the sets on the show underwent many changes over the years. As you mentioned, the door inside the courthouse vanished after season 1. But a front window appeared. Being involved in the HVAC business for years I have always marveled at how often they changed out the heating system in the courthouse over the years. Initially it had a boiler, as evidenced by the radiator under the bulletin board. Plus in one episode Any references about the time the boiler leaked and flooded the courthouse. I always thought the boiler must have been behind the door in question. Then they went to a gas fired space heater that sat in the corner where the door used to be. That was used for several seasons. But later, nearing the end of the black and white episodes, in the episode with Newton Monroe, he is in the basement cleaning the furnace, and fails to open the flue pipe, suggesting some type of forced air system when we see smoke pouring out of the register. I always figured Barney's stray bullets must have damaged all the other heating systems. lol
And I always get a laugh at the store right next to Floyds barber shop. The one with no door to get inside. lol Some design.

We got our first snow of the year here on Wednesday. Got about 2 inches on the grass. Nothing stuck on the driveway. Supposed to get more next week, and my big cottonwood still has most of it's leaves on it. Oh well, not much I can do but watch.

Romeena, that event with the mulch in your car sounded terrible. I am glad they were able to get it cleaned up okay. I will be interested to hear what the garden supply folks response will be to your complaint.

Boo, so glad your ticker got a good report. And what are your plans for Thanksgiving? I love this time of year. So much fun and food and family. Did you see that they have just released a sequel to A Christmas Story? I always have such high expectations to sequels and am almost always let down. They just can't seem to do them justice. But my goodness, 40 years for a sequel? Could be interesting.

Well have fun at the fair MDC and don't buy to much stuff. Those events are always so much fun.

Off to do some work in the shop.

Asa
November 05, 2022 - Msg 118351: MDC, I really like Day Tripper, too. I just found out today that a friend's son, and my former sunday school student is moving to Gruene this month. He just got married yesterday. These kids grow up so fast. Sean and I actually had to drive to San Antonio and pick up one of the groomsmen who got stranded after his flight out of dallas being cancelled due to weather.

We will be driving to Houston tomorrow for Uncle's memorial service. I am not exactly looking forward to it. The Houston traffic is not to be believed and the service is in the morning so no matter what, I will have to deal with some rush hour traffic somewhere. I am just looking forward to being back home again but it will be nice to see some of my relatives.

Asa, doing the usual Thanksgiving here at the house with St. Susan and her family. I have invited a few young people who may need a place to go but not sure if they will be coming. I will cook the turkey, dressing, sweet and mashed potatoes and Susan will do the other sides. We will share the dessert duty. Susan's son Matthew is bringing his girlfriend, Grace. The first time I met her, the first thing she said to me and I kid you not, is "Oh Matthew has told me all about your thanksgiving food and how its the best in the world.". ha..the pressure is on.

Yes Asa, I have heard about the Christmas Story sequel and am hoping for the best but preparing for the worst. lol

Sean put in for a contract job for the government at the naval base in Corpus doing janitorial work but it is a good place to work with benefits and room for advancement. I think it would be good for him if he can handle the work.

Better go do some things to get ready for tomorrow.

Boo
November 05, 2022 - Msg 118352: Hey to the Porch.
--Jelsik The Bulkhead
November 05, 2022 - Msg 118353: Hey Jelsik, long time no see. Welcome back.
Everyone remember to roll your clocks back one hour tonight, except MDC who’s state has the good sense of not playing this stupid game every 6 months.

Asa
November 06, 2022 - Msg 118354:

Yup! (:


November 07, 2022 - Msg 118355: Good afternoon, porch! Cloudy, drizzly, and very cool here today. Sprinklers on rain delay, which makes me very happy.

Car no longer smells horrible, smells like new leather, thanks to the little fragrance thing from the carwash and the fact that there's no competing horrible smell anymore. Several people have advised me to really get after the garden center people - it cost me $$ to fix the problem, it ruined a jacket (an old one, never wore it), etc.
Sorry, that's just not my style, to chew somebody out over a mistake. What's done is done, it's fixed now, it was careless of the man who loaded the bags, but it wasn't intentional. I will mention it to them, but not in a harsh way. We have two garden centers in this town, and it's by far and away the best. The other one sold me bags of mulch that were brimming with weed seeds. Two weeks after we spread it over an 8'x25' flower bed, the weeds coming up looked like green hair. We had also put it in one end of another bed, and that part was sprouting green hair as well, but the other end had none. Hmmm! Two bags remained, I tried to take them back, along with a picture of the weed-sprouting areas, and the manager refused to refund on them. I told him goodbye, and walked away, telling them he could have them, and I suggested he use them on his nursery's beds. I really hope he did! So, that leaves me with one decent garden center. Home Depot has one here, but I can never get anyone to put heavy stuff in my car for me, and they're pricey anyway.

Jelsik, thanks for dropping by - hope it becomes a habit! We've missed you!

Arthritis has set up shop in both my right hand and wrist, to the point that I'm practically helpless, and in the left as well, so it's no help either. Not only do I have almost no grip in either hand (the right one is the worst), but they both are very painful. I've gone through half a tube of Voltaren, am taking Advil and Tylenol (alternating), and have made an appointment with the hand surgeon who did carpal tunnel releases on both my wrists several years ago. I hope he has some ideas and solutions. (Gripe, gripe, gripe!)

Trinket is in dire need of a good combing and brushing, and I absolutely cannot do that right now. She's going to look like a ragamuffin, and her groomer doesn't have another opening between now and the appointment we have on Dec. 22. She's going to be a big mess by then, poor baby.

Well, guess I'll go rustle up something to eat. Late lunch, early dinner, whatever. I've got a bowl of good fresh guacamole, made it this morning, and some fresh Ritz crackers. That might just do it. I'm not very hungry, and there's a fresh pineapple already peeled and chunked up. Sounds like about all I need. Blessings, friends! Keep looking up! --Romeena
November 07, 2022 - Msg 118356: Romeena, I'll bet your son would be happy to come help you with Trinket, especially if you offer to make him some pork chops and grave. heehee

Im happy to be home from Houston. The trip up there took five hours because there was a bad accident that required to halo flights on the interstate. We were in a line backed up for miles and sat there for about an hour and a half. I know it could have been longer. The fatal accident on the harbor bridge last week took six hours to clear! Anyway, the Houston traffic was fast and I had to be on high alert, as usual. Uncle's memorial service was in their beautiful Methodist Church. It had a grand pipe organ that I wish you all could have heard! The memorial service was a perfect tribute to my loving uncle. We spent a little time with the family at a reception afterward but then headed home. We were pretty tired and didnt sleep well last night.

Sure hope you get some help with that arthritis, Romeena. My poor mom had it so bad that she no longer had joints between her thumbs and forefingers. She had no use of her thumbs until surgery to attach some tendons.

Think I will go put my swollen feet up. We stopped at Buccee-s (you texans will know what that is) and got some sandwiches and chips and the salt didnt help.

Boo
November 07, 2022 - Msg 118357: Ooops, gravy not grave (sounds like a quote from Ebenezer Scrooge!). Hey Asa, maybe we should start the Christmas quotes early..

Boo
November 08, 2022 - Msg 118358:

Happy Monday evening to all:

I caught the episode tonight about the 'talent scout' shoe salesman.
I love the ending when he finds out he holds the record for the most daily shoe sales.

RO--I am so sorry that your visitor, Arthur Itis, is 'overstaying his welcome!'
Have you ever tried tumeric capsules? I have very good results with them to just help
with all my joints, etc. And I'm so glad that Tillie is happy again too!
When you get to reading my brother's book, i think you will find that my dad was a lot like yours. At one point, my brother (who wrote the book) wanted to buy a Pontiac Firebird
with funds that he had earned cutting lawns, but when he sought our dad's permission,
dad said "NO. Think of the temptation to drive fast, etc." So he didnt question dad's
advice, and he did not buy it. :)

ASA--the craft fair had 70 vendors, but I controlled myself! ha But I did buy a neat
cutting board made of scraps of 12 kinds of woods! very nice. :)

BOO--I finally looked at our atlas to see the AP town and distances to various
places, etc. and saw that Houston is a good trip without the delays! Our freeways here
are getting very crowded as this area continues to grow.
I'm happy that the memorial was nice. I love pipe organs too. The organist we had at
moved away recently, and I really miss hearing it, tho ours is an electronic organ.
I just like organ music in general.

I hope big maude, sterling, billy ray, PH and all are doing ok.

A big day on Tuesday for our country. I pray that all goes well.

Oh, I have an easy-peezy crock pot recipe for y'all:
First put in 3 center cut porkchops, and sprinkle them with a Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning packet.
Next add petite potatoes, peeled and cut up carrots, and cut up onions.
Then pour in a can of cream of chicken soup,
and finally sprinkle in some oregano (of course!:)) and some seasoned pepper.
Cook on high for 5 hours. You will not be disappointed!

Peace and prayers,
MDC

November 08, 2022 - Msg 118359: Yes, MDC, it seems like it takes forever to get anywhere from where we are down here near the bottom of Texas. The older I get, the more nervous I am about it due to the high speed limits we have here. It is 85 in some places, which means that people drive 90 on the interstates and in Texas a good percentage of folks drive big pickup trucks at a high speed and recklessly. It really gets my goat. I know you must be getting a lot of traffic in your area as people move there. The population of Texas has exploded in the last few years and I think that is going to eventually change the political climate here. There are a lot of Republicans that are not happy with Gov Abbott and the way some things are being done here. Most believe in a woman's right to choice and are in favor of certain gun laws (especially since Uvalde). There are quite a few Christians who didnt like the way Abbott shipped immigrants to Martha's Vineyard, either. We also werent happy when we nearly froze to death winter before last. lol You don't always hear it expressed but most Texans that I know are not staunch rightwing but somewhere in the middle and things are shifting left as people from other states move into the area. It will be interesting to see what happens at the poles. Anyhoo...enough political talk.

Thanks for the recipe. I dont eat pork but I think Bruce would like it. I'll give it a try. I have been pulling out the crock pot and using it more often lately. Pretty nifty device.

Better get back to the chores of the day.

Boo
November 08, 2022 - Msg 118360: Good morning, porch! Another gray and dreary day, looks like the heavens could open at any moment. Thank you, Lord! I'm just "pickled tink" when I can go put another 72-hour delay on my sprinklers. My last water bill was $301. Eeeek!

MDC, thank you for that recipe. After reading it, I promptly highlighted and copied it, then pasted it into my recipe folder in my Word program. As it happens, I have some beautiful pork chops, and three of them will be going into a pot of what I have named Steve's Pork Chop Stew.

Our local Tom Thumb grocery frequently runs a sale on pork and chicken. Big, beautiful boneless pork chops, at least an inch thick, and country style ribs (also boneless) and priced at the regular price, but get this. You buy one package, get two more free! When I found that, I spent $20 (about $10 a package, with two free for every one purchased, and went home with six packages, over $80 worth of meat! Went back a week later, they were still running the sale, and I did it again. I've got enough pork in my freezer now to feed a small army. And it's very good! (I've tried it, of course.) Has anyone else noticed that the traffic at the meat counters is very slow? The prices are so high that people are not buying, and I think the stores are getting desperate! The Tom Thumb is still running that sale, I noticed this week. Didn't buy any more though, because my freezer is full! Anyway, MDC, thanks for that recipe and I will be making it this week, for sure.

No, I haven't tried turmeric for my arthritis, but am going to get some today when I go to the store. My right hand is just barely usable. That fresh pineapple I mentioned earlier came at a price. It was a huge one, and I was nearly in tears with my wrist by the time I got it peeled (where is a pineapple skinner when you need one?) and chunked up. However, it is amazingly sweet and good, and once my wrist stopped burning and hurting, I enjoyed a bowl of the pineapple. I hate when I get a tasteless one, but this one is really good. A very light dusting of salt, and it's great!

Boo, your trip to Houston sounds more like a nightmare. Houston's traffic is always terrible, even worse than Dallas, but that was ridiculous. Unavoidable, but ridiculous all the same. I'm happy that you were able to attend your Uncle's service, and it sounds like it was lovely. I, too, really enjoy organ music. When I was a teenager, my family went on a car tour of the western states, and were privileged to enter the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City. At that time, there was a designated area where non-Mormons could enter and see the interior of that amazing structure. The acoustics are unbelievable. A man stood on the edge of the choir loft and actually whispered, (no mike) and we could hear him. I remember he said, "Can you hear me? Can you hear me now?" And we could. Clearly. From the very back of the room! Then someone began to play that magnificent pipe organ, and I could feel the reverberations in my very soul! There is a lot I don't recall about that car trip, (I was only about 14) but the trip to the Tabernacle is still strong in my memory, not to be forgotten.

Boo, there is a lot David will do for some fried pork chops, but I'm afraid trying to help me brush and comb a wiggly, energetic, and very strong little dog is not one of them. She will tolerate my efforts for a short time, but when she's done with it, that's it. I've learned to divide her body into designated areas - front body, rear body, left front quarter-panel, (shoulder and leg and part of chest) right front quarter-panel, head, and tail. One area at a time is her limit. By the way, if any of you have a dog with a lot of thick or long hair that defies you to keep it groomed, go to Amazon and order a spray bottle of ShowSheen. Originally intended to manage the manes and tails of show horses, and to put a glossy shine on their bodies, it has found its way into the dog world, and it's really good! Trinket's groomer, Karen, uses it and told me about it. You just spray it on, heavier in the matted spots, work it through the hair with your fingers, let it dry a little and start combing. It lets me turn her tail from a matted rope to a beautiful, glorious plume in about five minutes, instead of being a twenty minute battleground. Start at the outer edge of the mat, and work backward into the mat with little short strokes. You can see and feel the tangles just slide out, with very little pulling. Not one yelp from Trinket, she's not being hurt, but the need to be still is against her religion, especially when I'm near her face. Brat. One thing for sure, I'd never get it done without the ShowSheen.

Well, I need to go to the bank, the grocery store, and the pharmacy, guess I'd better get moving. Have a great day, friends. TV should be interesting tonight, with the election results. Pray, America!! Blessings, friends. Keep looking up! --Romeena
November 08, 2022 - Msg 118361: Tom Thumb probably got his meat from Diamond 💎 Jim ..
G-F
November 08, 2022 - Msg 118362:

RO--yes, boneless and about an inch thick center cuts are great.
Our Fry's has them 3 to a pak, and those 3 fit perfectly in the bottom
of our crock pot.

One thing I forgot to mention... pour a little of the cream of chicken
soup in the bottom first before placing in the chops. Also, since
Campbells is a 'condensed' soup, you can add water, but only about a half
can. (Oh, and I use the low sodium kind. The label has a little heart
on it.)

Qunal brand tumeric capsules are the best, but they are a bit pricey.
I usually mix them with a lesser brand, as I take 2 to 3 a day
for overall joint health.

Well, wouldn't you know it, our Maricopa County is the only one in
the nation that had tabulation problems today! I don't get it.
They had two years to work out problems, and for Pete's sake,
it's not Calculus, its ADDITION!

Well, may Jesus be the lamp before our feet. :)

MDC


November 08, 2022 - Msg 118363: I would love to try that dish MDC, but the dressing mix has corn starch in it and just about every cream of anything soup does as well. And that is not anything I can tolerate. Sounds good though. I love a good pork chop. You sell those DIamond Jim.

Well I. Think I’ll see what we are in store for for the next few years. I would think people have had enough of the last 2 years.

Asa
November 09, 2022 - Msg 118364: Diamond ♦️ Jim’s is running a “Carnivore Collection” Special this week...You never know what you’re gonna get!...Much like all the other stores these days you never know WHAT we are ALLOWED to have this week..It could be any of these tho.
.🦃🐓🐖🐂🐑🍤🍖🍗🥩🥓🥚

*But you DO get a “Free” jar of Kerosene Cucumbers 🥒 with every purchase! Just mention Clara Edwards 🥇

Diamond♦️Jim ..... aka G-F
November 09, 2022 - Msg 118365: With this big run on meat, I hope nobody has freezer problems. But if you do, be sure to call the man!

Billy Ray the Retired Postman
November 09, 2022 - Msg 118366: Romeena, Turmeric may very well help but do a little reading on dosage because it has been shown to be hard on the kidneys or liver (I forget which one). I read up pretty good on it a few years back. A little is good, alot is not, like most things.

Ro, you mean years back the Latter Day Saints let people go into the temple?..or is the tabernacle something different? I know when I visited back in the 80's I was allowed in the temple square, of course, and the museum but not anything else that I recall. How I would have loved to be able to see everything.

G-F, I was about to tell Romeena, "Good thing you didnt get those pork chops from Diamond Jim!". lol

MDC, I didnt have any pork chops but made Bruce a casserole in the crock pot today. I mixed a large can of cream of mushroom soup with about a tsp of worchestershire sauce, an envelope of onion soup mix, a little water, and some bullion. I fried up some ground beef with chopped onion, drained off all the fat and then layered the soup, sliced potatoes, the beef, more soup, etc, one more layer of all and topped it all with a little cheese. I wont eat it but I think Bruce will like it. It sure smells good right now.

Asa, concerning elections, I think the republican party had a problem with some of the extremist, conspiracy theorist candidate nutjobs that ran. It's really unfortunate because not only is there division between the parties, but division within the republican party. Most republicans are normal, intelligent, thinking individuals and you all are having to deal with the Marjorie Taylor Greene's of the world. I remember the days of compromise and parties working together. Those days are gone.

Well, better get off here. I have to drive St Susan and Emily to Hobby Lobby in a bit. Susan's cataracts have gotten so bad that she doesnt like to drive far. I dont know why she is putting off the surgery!

Oh, one other thing; My recently departed Uncle was married to my Aunt Rena for 70 years and she isnt doing well. She made it through the memorial service and ended up in the hospital yesterday. She has a hernia in her esophagus and has stopped eating or drinking. Her daughter said she is so anxious and depressed she isnt doing well. She is 92 but managed to get through the last few weeks and the memorial but now she is giving up I think. I hope my poor Aunt Rena just goes home to be with her husband and Jesus but I am so sad for her children. A prayer for them would be appreciated. Thank you.

Boo
November 09, 2022 - Msg 118367:

Hello all! We had a nice rain all day today. It was one of those days
where you could almost reach up and touch those low-hanging pewter clouds.
But all is clear now once again as they have moved on.
Boo- I try to honor floyd's request to not talk too much politics here,
but since were all adults, and since you brought up a few things,
I'll just say that the 'nutjob' thing really goes both ways, AOC for
example, is very extreme to the left thinking. Now, in a more non-political way,
if we look at the large civilizations of the past, ie Greeks, Medes, Romans,
etc; their declines began with a moral and spiritual decline. Now all we see
are their ruins. I won't go into all the details, but our civilization is
indeed going thru a moral and spiritual decline, and it is rapidly increasing,
with what we see going on. It pains my soul
to see this all around, especially to our children, IMHO.
Asa--you could try the crock chops with different ingredients that don't have
cornstarch. Maybe some other soup-like items like Boo did with her stew.
Any liquid that the chops can cook in should work fine. The pork is fall-apart
good! :)
Well, hang in there folks. I had my medicare wellness exam today, and all went very
well indeed. Very good bill of mental and physical health.
I did not get to watch tags tonight, but hopefully tomorrow.
Later gators,
MDC


November 10, 2022 - Msg 118368: Good morning, porch! It's gray, looks dreary, with a heavy cloud cover, but no rain so far. Temp is in the 70s, but feels colder. I'll be glad when the weather just gets cold, and stabilizes as "wintry" through the holidays. I'm a faithful Hallmark Christmas Movie watcher, but have to laugh sometimes. The actors are all bundled up in warm clothes, and there are "snowbanks" along the streets and in almost every outdoor scene, but you don't have to look very closely at the landscape. The "snowbanks" along the streets are obviously cotton batting, you can see the seams and the cut edges everywhere, and in spite of the intended illusion of cold weather, the actors' breath never is visible. When weather is that cold, you should be seeing little frosty puffs!

That reminds me of something I saw once, and enjoyed immensely. It was a film of a songbird on a frosty morning, just singing his little heart out, and his breath was quite visible in tiny puffs, that poured from his beak, looking like a little string of white beads! Absolutely adorable!

Not to get political (though I am tempted), but how about that Democrat who was elected, in spite of the fact that she had been dead for a month? And I believe there was a similar gaffe in another state where the elected party had died a week earlier. That's a little easier to understand, as there were probably a lot of early votes cast before the person passed, but is still an embarrassment to their party.

MDC, I'm thinking I'll make that pork chop dish tonight. I already had the pork, and bought the other ingredients (the carrots and the proper soup) that I didn't have on hand, yesterday. I had printed the recipe, and had it in my hand as I shopped. There was a friendly young man, stocking a shelf, and he thought the recipe was my grocery list. I showed him what it was, he read it, whipped out his phone and took a picture of it! Then he said he would be making it very soon! Then he really made me laugh when he said, "A guy would have to be crazy not to want to make that!" I think that applies to an old gal, as well.


Well, guess I'd better go get the crock pot out and get it started, as it's now 11:20. This little cool snap we're having makes that recipe sound even better. The pork chops are frozen, but I'll just put them in a ziploc bag, submerge it in a bowl of hot water, and they'll be thawed in less than half an hour.

Blessings, everyone. Keep looking up! --Romeena
November 11, 2022 - Msg 118369: This is ALWAYS worth a “Resend” on Veterans Day...https://youtu.be/AgYLr_LfhLo
As stated...Some people sure have short memories!...Be sure to Thank a Veteran today for all the liberties we enjoy!

To All the Porchsters who served...O’l Goob simply Says.. Thank You for your Service...🇺🇸

G-F
November 11, 2022 - Msg 118370: Thought I'd better check in before y'all get up a posse! I'm ok,just struggling through this crazy world like everyone else these days.

Tropical Storm Nicole paid us a visit yesterday & is still sorta hanging around but she'll be out of here soon & thankfully,didn't cause us any damage. Florida got beat up ,though,so sending prayers for them. They're still recovering from Hurricane Ian.

About 3 weeks ago, my daughter & Laci were t-boned in a car accident one night & it really messed up the vehicle on the left passenger side. Laci was in a car seat on the right passenger side & it didn't even faze her. My daughter cracked some ribs,broke her eyeglasses,and got a small fracture in her jaw but THANK GOD they weren't seriously hurt or killed. The Lord surely was watching over them.

Happy Veteran's Day & thank you to all who served our nation.

Y'all take care!

******************
possum under a rock
November 11, 2022 - Msg 118371: Good morning, porch. Cold, windy and heavy clouds here today. Switched over to furnace, and it feels better in here. Cold weather, 49° right now and raining, with nothing out of the 50s for the next ten days. Guess winter is finally settling in.

Possum, how awful for the girls, but so grateful that it wasn't worse. God was in charge. It could have been so MUCH worse.

Guess I'm going to have to break down and get some new speakers for my computer. The ones I have now are only about 3 years old, and I've been putting off replacing them, because I'm not sure exactly what the problem is. I disconnected them a few months ago when my computer was hit by one of those miserable "hostage/ransom" things, where the woman is screaming all sorts of warnings and demands at the sound level of a jet plane. I just disconnected the speakers to give me a chance to think of the best thing to do. I reconnected them a couple of days later, and they don't work. Hmmm. Distinct possibility that I hooked them up wrong. Or, considering that they only cost about $20, they may just be junk and have failed. Oh, and about the ransomware thing? I finally just shut the computer down, left it off for an hour or so, and fired it back up. Worked just fine. It has been hit again, about a week ago, and I just turned it off, waited, and now it's working fine. I need to find someone who knows how to get into the innards and root that bug out and kill it. My trusty friend Bruce, who did all that remotely for me, for years, passed away about two years ago, and I really miss him. Actually, I have learned that Best Buy offers that remote service, apparently at no charge. Guess I should call them.

Believe it or not, I once had the reputation among my friends and co-workers as being a "computer whiz". I could fix things! (I didn't tell them that usually all it takes is a re-boot!) However, since I retired from work, and have gotten older and slower and less involved, I'm really falling behind in the technology. A few years ago, those speakers would have been either fixed or replaced within about two days. Lack of motivation, I guess. However, G-F, that link may just be the motivator I've been waiting for. I recall that beautiful piece very well, miss hearing it, and may just fix the speakers so I can. Thank you.

MDC, I made that "pork chop stew" yesterday, and it was amazing! So good! And so easy! As expected, it filled my smaller crockpot to the brim, so I've got at least two more meals in the fridge. I did scale the amounts down somewhat (2 pork chops instead of 3, and veggies limited proportionally) but I tried to keep the relative proportions the same. I did use the pre-peeled baby carrots, as I usually have them on hand anyway. They make great little nibbly snacks. I also added about a teaspoon of minced garlic. All together, it was delicious! I've forwarded the recipe to my girls - expecting some positive comments from them. And being chips off the old block, they will come up with some additions themselves, and I promise you, they will be good! They're all excellent cooks, very creative, and adventurous, be they daughters, granddaughter, or daughters-in-law. Such fun we have!

Well, speaking of food, I think I'll have a "fruity lunch." I have a chunked-up pineapple, some Honeycrisp apples, blueberries, strawberries, grapes, kiwi, and part of a small watermelon, and a big container of cottage cheese, and some crumbled goat cheese for a tangy note. Mercy, that will all be so good, a little of each thing. I love fruit! I ate my only mango last night, darn it.

Blessings, friends! Keep looking up. --Romeena


November 11, 2022 - Msg 118372: Hahaha! I started thinking about my use of "proportionally" in the above post, (should it have been "proportionately"?)so decided to research it. Believe it or not, there's a whole site devoted to just such a question. And it is very close to "no help at all." Apparently the experts aren't too sure about it either. They finally give up and use one to define the other. Cowards! --Romeena
November 11, 2022 - Msg 118373:

HAPPY VETERANS DAY TO ALL OUR PORCH VETS!
Thank you for your service.
Also, glad that Possum is OK and hopefully Spot as well!
More later,
MDC :)
November 11, 2022 - Msg 118374:

I talked to Pappabear today (he's a Vietnam Vet), and he
says "Hey" to everyone. Doing pretty well at his smaller
place these days.
MDC

November 12, 2022 - Msg 118375:
Happy Saturday!
RO--glad you liked the pork chop recipe.
And yes, I should have added "Season to taste." ha :)
Any little additions, even some Tajin, can spruce it up a bit.
Also, interesting that that stocker liked the idea too.
BTW, I found it on-line whilst looking for various ways to prepare chops.
And those two words you mentioned above are similar to several
others where multiple spellings are acceptable. Sometimes I think
the English gurus just say ok, whatever! Haha

POSSUM--so happy that you are ok concerning Nicole!
Thank you for checking in. Also, prayers will continue for your
daughter and for Laci.

GF--thanks for that clip again. Always gets me right here(hand on heart.)
Yesterday I heard a strange sound, so i went out to investigate,
and eight WWI bi-planes were flying by, then followed by a WWII B-17,
and a few minutes later an F-18 hornet!! I think they were heading
to the Phx Veterans Day parade. Very cool.

Well, I'm heading back to watch some college football on TV.
And remember, Jesus loves you! :)
MDC


November 13, 2022 - Msg 118376: Good afternoon, porch! A bright and sunny, blue and gold day, here in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, but it surely doesn't feel like it looks. It's just 53° out there, and the low to mid-50s are predicted for the next week. Of course, it IS mid-November, so it's not unusual, but surely feels different from the blast-furnace temps we had all summer.

MDC, that must have been a thrill, to see all those heroic and historic old planes flying overhead. I wish I could have seen them. I'd have been in tears, absolutely. I don't directly recall the WWI bi-planes, except from newsreels at the movies, but I do remember the B-17. Not sure I'd recognize an F-18, but I might. I'd remember the plane, but might not know its name. Thank you for sharing what you saw, and calling up the memories!

I have such arthritis pain in my right wrist right now, that typing is difficult. For that matter, combing my hair is not easy! Driving is painful, unless I position my hand just so on the wheel. Nothing seems to help. I use Voltaren, even follow it with Arthricream, and they help a little, but very little. Advil doesn't faze it, nor does Tylenol or Naproxen or Aleve. I'm beginning to wonder if maybe it isn't arthritis, but a return of the carpal tunnel syndrome from about 15 or 16 years ago. I had bilateral carpal tunnel release surgery, (about a year apart, not both at the same time.) The wrists felt about the same as they do now, and I do know that carpal tunnel can return after a while. If that's what it is, I WILL have the surgery again. There's a touch of it in the left wrist, but nothing I'd have surgery for. The right one? A very different story! I'd grab my toothbrush and head for the hospital right now if the doc told me to do it. I know my cardiologist would never approve general anesthesia for me, but I think he might be okay with a Bier block, which numbs out the forearm, and the patient remains conscious. I guess we'll see. Meantime, I protect my gimpy old hand and wrist as much as I can, because it hurts to do otherwise.

Well, enough typing. Guess I'll round up something to eat. Fortunately, I've got some leftovers that just need a zap from the microwave. I can handle that. Blessings, friends! Keep looking up! --Romeena
November 13, 2022 - Msg 118377:

RO--I just heard about the B-17 crash at the Dallas air show.
So sorry to hear of this and the 6 who died in it.
Apparently a WWII fighter plane got too close to the B-17,
and hit it from underneath.
We have an air museum here and one air worthy b-17, but it was not
that one.
Btw, the F-18 is the jet pictured on the front cover of my brother's book.

I am so sorry to hear of your increasing pain. It may indeed be something
more that arthritis. As a nurse, I'm sure your hands and wrists took
quite a beating. You are in my prayers that the pain can be eleviated.

Well, Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away. We will have 8 family members
with us, and we made the big decision today to order a pre-cooked turkey dinner
from our Fry's grocery store...only $80 for turkey several sides, rolls, and
even pumpkin pie. But darn, we have to brew the coffee! Ha. With our inflation
the highest in the country, this seems like a good way to go.

Prayers for all,
MDC
November 14, 2022 - Msg 118378: Good morning, porch! Cold and drizzly, leaden skies, just generally a good day to stay in the house, in my recliner, preferably with a snuggly little Trinket in my lap! That's a given, she will not accept being anywhere else. Honestly, I can't imagine being without a "lapdog". I don't know how people get by without one, or if not a dog, a cuddly little cat. Something soft, warm, and furry. That spot was once filled for me by a large and very tame, housebroken and friendly rabbit! One of the essentials of life, in my opinion - a warm and loving critter.

MDC, thank you for the heads-up on the air show crash. Your post was the first I had heard of it. Sad, sad, sad! What a terrible thing to happen. Imagine how the spectators felt, watching all that happen! What a tragedy!

I spent yesterday in my chair, Trinket in lap, snacks at the ready, while watching Christmas movies, new and old, on TV. I love Christmas movies. Most of them are so predictable, and a little corny, but I love them. I do have some favorites, and make it a point to catch them, but my TV pretty much stays on Hallmark, Lifetime, and a couple of others from mid-November until after Christmas. I rarely watch the news any time of the year. It's always frustrating, irritating, over-sensationalized, and leaves me feeling like, as someone said, if God lets America continue in the path she's following, then he owes Sodom and Gomorrah an apology! Also, as I've always wondered - why do they only show bad news? Is it because that's all there is? I don't believe that. I guess it just "doesn't sell newspapers." I firmly believe that just as all the bad stuff is happening, at the same time some good stuff is happening. Why is that never featured? I don't understand that, so my response is to just watch corny, feel-good movies instead. And nature and animal shows. I'm a big fan of the incredible Dr. Pol, for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is the fact that he's a believer, and makes no bones about the fact that he and his family attend church regularly. The whole show stays on a positive note. The old boy is about 82 now, and and still quite capable of handling a cranky old bull when necessary. His positive attitude and take on life never fails.

Wow, the sky is dark and looks very threatening. I had a couple of small projects to tackle in the back yard today, nothing big, just the placement of a new lighted feature (a gift from my daughter) and some pruning here and there, but it can wait. I'm not leaving this warm house!

MDC, that sounds like a good plan for Thanksgiving dinner, but I just can't bring myself to do it. I love to cook a turkey, and it's finger-lickin' good, if I do say so myself! After the last 55 years or so, I've gotten it down to easy and delicious. I never have one of those whole, brown and beautiful turkeys to put on a platter for someone with skill and a sharp knife to carve. No, mine is cooked in a very large black enamel roasting pan, filled with stuffing and with a lot more stuffing packed lightly around the 16-18 lb bird, where it absorbs the juices (and the flavor) that come from the bird.

Everybody likes the dark meat best. White meat is wonderful the next day, in slider sandwiches made on King's Hawaiian bread rolls. I make tiny slits in the browning skin over the bre@st of the bird, and as the juices begin to pool on top of the dressing, I spoon it up and drizzle it down into those slits, which makes for some very juicy white meat. Also, since the dark meat is preferred, I buy four extra thighs and lay them on top of the surrounding dressing, settled in so that just the skin is visible, which results in crispy skin and tender meat. My son David is the official "carver", which involves a pair of tongs as well as that sharp knife. It really means he's pulling chunks and strips of dark meat off the bones and piling it on a platter. So, as I said, there is no beautiful, magazine-cover worthy, brown bird on a platter, but so far, I've heard no complaints.

I make a cranberry dish, a big bowl of ambrosia-style fruit salad, giblet gravy, and the stuffing from the roaster, and maybe an Angelfood cake for David. The rest of the women in the family will bring their specialty - Brittany brings green bean casserole, which she does very well, and brownies. Eloise brings a potato and cheese casserole, and a green salad. Terri (Brittany's sister) brings some fabulous, beautiful dessert, and Lucinda (my sister-in-law) brings sweet potatoes. If she and my brother go to Houston to their son's house, I make the sweet potatoes. So, as you can see, I have a lot of help.

The turkey is a snap - the oven does all the work. I have two full-size, very large ovens (over and under) and a big microwave. When I make a casserole, I can fit a 9x13" dish in there on the turntable, and it gets started cooking, even in the middle, in the microwave. I finish it in the oven, so it browns or whatever it needs, and it's done in the middle as well. Works great! I have always loved to cook, and the Thanksgiving and Christmas Day meals are my favorites.

Well, Trinket is nudging my ankle, she's ready for us to get in the recliner, and so am I. I guess I should apologize for the length of this post, but I just got started and couldn't find a stopping place. Actually, I've got another short story rattling around in my head, maybe if I write it, it will quiet my busy fingers for a while. Blessings, friends! Keep looking up! --Romeena
November 15, 2022 - Msg 118379: Well, good morning again, porch! I just re-read yesterday's post, and today I can just pretty much say "ditto." Clouds, drizzly rain, cold. Not much to add. Still don't have that light feature set up, that my daughter sent me. However, it wouldn't work if it was set up, as it's solar-powered, and the sun is nowhere to be found. As I said yesterday, it can wait.

Squirrels are amazing, and I love them! At this moment, there is a fat and fluffy squirrel sitting on a twig - yes, a twig, about as thick as a knitting needle - on a crape myrtle tree in my yard. That twig is the farther-most tip of a small limb, and how it's supporting that chubby little squirrel, I don't know. It's bent down quite a bit, almost straight up and down, but still he perches with no difficulty. Amazing. I know, squirrels can be pesky little things, but they're so cute and clever, I just can't resist them. I just walk the perimeter of my house now and then, looking for weak spots where they might get into my attic, and if I find one, I get it fixed immediately. My Dale liked the squirrels too, and he always maintained the integrity of the soffits beneath our roof. One day, we heard a squirrel in the attic, so Dale began to check the soffits, and sure enough, he found a spot where the soffit was sagging just a little bit right at the edge of the roof. He repaired it, and then set up watch from the front corner of the house, just at sundown. He had called me outside as well, and we peeked around that corner, just as Mr. Bushytail came home. He made the leap from the top of our backyard fence to the roof of the house, ran along the edge to the spot where the loose soffit had been, and the rest was comic history. He hung on with his back feet, swung his limber little body underneath, and patted the soffit with his front feet. Back and forth, up and down, searching for that opening, which no longer existed. Meantime, Dale was keeping up a running chatter, very quietly, saying things like "Drat! Mama must have heard me coming in late last night, and now she's locked me out!" "I thought I got away with it, but I guess not!" "If she finds my stash of pecans in there, I'm a dead squirrel!" He could, and did, make me laugh all the time. After he passed, I forgot about checking the soffits, but after Ted (my handyman and good friend) began fixing things around here, he continued the practice. He was here last week for a minor repair on a drain pipe, and I saw him walk the perimeter of the house, checking for any signs of a squirrel entryway. He didn't find any.

Well, I don't usually eat breakfast, but am a bit hungry this morning, so I think I'll "Just Crack an Egg" and call it brunch. Those little "omelet in a cup" things are really quite good! You can make them with one egg or two. I usually do two eggs, and they're so easy and are just enough. No dirty pans, no prep, you really do "just crack an egg." Five "flavors" so far, and I like them all. I noticed that Jimmy Dean is now making a similar product, but I haven't tried it yet.

OK, off I go. Blessings, friends. Keep looking up! Trinket says hey! --Romeena