What are you up to today? This week?

[woodland_miniatures]

Gotta say, the ham baked up really nicely, and I got some beautiful gravy makings out of the pan it was baked in - which was the bottom half of my oven's broiler with a rack on it. I'd always heard of "Red Eye Gravy" but don't think I ever had it before, and was really surprised that it involves coffee of all things. Anyway, I thought what the heck, I'll give it a try, so I brewed up some pretty strong coffee and used it to deglaze the broiler pan and got some really gorgeous, dark brown and TASTY gravy to go with the ham. Of course this simply must be served over rice, or grits (sadly I don't have any of those at the moment). All it needs is a pile of steamed greens to make it a perfect dinner.

Though I am a Yankee born and bred, it's funny how my Southern heritage shows up in the kitchen. It must be bred in the bone is all I can think, since the last time I was "down South" I was eight years old, and certainly wasn't paying attention to what went on in the kitchen. Though I do remember having some absolutely heavenly fried green tomatoes and fried okra....

Of course, none of this is good for my weight loss regime, but again, what the heck, life is short and it all made a very sick man (my neighbor) very happy and I'll admit I really enjoyed doing this kind of cooking again.

[havanaholly]

Mary, do you want me to pick you up & send you a bag of Jim Dandy quick-cooking grits? How's about a recipe for jalapeno cornbread or a can of mixed greens? One of things I really, really despised about living up Nawth was not being able to find proper grocery items in the stores.

In all our running about yesterday my tenonitis decided to flare up, and weightbearing on the right leg just isn't happening today, even with the cane.

[woodland_miniatures]

You tempt me, Holly - though I didn't grow up on them, I do really like grits.

Neighbor loved the ham, not so sure about the red-eye gravy, but what the heck, he's a Yankee LOL. He brought me the ham bone this evening, so I imagine I'll be making a pot of split pea soup in the next couple of days. Since it's cold, windy and pouring rain here, hearty soup and biscuits with butter sounds awfully good to me - going into "winter food" mode a little early here, I guess. But it does just feel like we've got a whopper of a winter coming this year, don't know why. And ya gotta have fuel to stay warm, right? That's my story and I'm sticking to it. :jumping:

[KathieB]

But it does just feel like we've got a whopper of a winter coming this year, don't know why. And ya gotta have fuel to stay warm, right? That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

I'm getting the same feeling. The robins disappeared weeks ago, and the Canada geese have been heading toward their Florida condos in fair numbers. Good thing I have a pile of house kits to keep me busy while we're snowed in. :jumping:

[Momof2Moos]

Hope that whopping winter will apply down here in our Florida Condos too. I am sick and tired of the sticky hot! Early today wasn't too bad, nice actually as long as the breeze was blowing. Come on, October!!!

Today, I plan on sleeping and mini-ing to my hearts content. A fabulous beginning to my birthday extravaganza!!!

[Gayle]

I saw about 2 dozen Canadian geese flying in their usual V formation Monday, trouble is, they were heading NORTH!

[Wolfie]

Just hoping it rains hard and that it doesn't turn to snow......and will be working on my usual.....dolls.

[Sherry]

Still hot here, although not in 3 digits anymore. I am ready for fall, not for winter!

[havanaholly]

Let the Canada geese fly somewhere ELSE! We already have so many that have decided to stay year-round and make nasty messes that I'm not sure there's room for more, and our poor sandhill cranes are running out of their own room! I wonder if they're any good for foie gras?

I have the house to myself today, DH has to take DS#3 to run errands today to get ready for next week's trip he's taking with us. I'm moving slow, BUT I'm MOVING! The flare has already begun to die down in my right hip and I don't need the cane yet (which is handy). I think I want to start building mini (1:24) furniture today.

[Sherry]

TGIF!! Ready for this weekend, maybe I'll get to work on the trading post some. We still have one bathroom left to finish, but I know DH will be in front of the tv watching football most of the weekend. I've tried to keep the laundry and cleaning caught up all week, so I have some playtime!

[heidiiiii]

It is much cooler today. May even turn the AC off! Earl is going to pass us on the east here in CT. Phew! Dodged that bullet. Natalie and I are going to clean her room this weekend. She is officially a Buddhist and she has to have her Gohonzon placed in there inside of an altar. So it has to be nice and pretty and un-stinky..ROFL

I want to sneak over to Mystic today and pick up some apple cider. Oh the cider mill opened up on the 1st. We are going to be indulging in it for weeks and weeks until they close at Christmas time.

[havanaholly]

We're spending the weekend getting ready for the three-week road trip starting Tuesday, going out for groceries to feed three and then bringing DS#3 out on Monday. I'm going to work on cutting out the rest of the 1:24 dining chairs.

[woodland_miniatures]

That good old Social Security deposit hit the bank this morning, so I'll be spending the day passing all that wealth around as best I can. Chasing around to pay the pharmacy, phone & internet, buy a few more groceries, oh yes and pay the rent, of course. It's always funny how, by the afternoon of the third of the month, I'm down to a small handful of cash and nuthin' left in the bank....

This weekend is Coal Miner Days here in Roslyn and in addition to the last farmer's market of this year, there will be a parade on Sunday and a picnic and band in the park, which is always kind of fun. The rain and cold seems to be letting up for the weekend and it looks like it's actually going to be nice those two days! This is always our biggest weekend for tourists come to see the town (home of "Northern Exposure" and one of the earliest coal mining towns in WA state) and campers passing through - so I'm hitting the grocery store EARLY!!

[MellyGabs]

Kathie like you I am getting ready to get all my dollhouse projects ready to go for long winter! I usually get snowed in for days so I need something to keep me occupied! I have one month left here in DC then back to Alberta! Although I love seasons so its nice to look outside see the snow falling specially at Christmas!

[Muriel]

I've been sitting on the sofa most of the day catching up on the 160 odd threads that were started in the last 3.5 weeks or so. Lots to read! Did get the shopping delivered today, so we've got food to eat again. Also made a yummy curry. Chris likes his chicken pieces in plain smooth curry sauce, I like mine with fruit and veggies in it As I was cooking I did it my way. I really didn't fancy much chicken at all in mine, so browned and spiced the chicken first, then kept most of it on the side for Chris' plate and added the veggies and fruit - onions, cauliflower, potato, nectarines and apples. Had spiced the chicken and onions with tikka spice, then added korma spice to the sauce (light coconut milk and regular milk). I loved it, chris said he'd prefer less other bits next time please, but still was ok for him.

Now I'm wondering where the measuring tape is to see if the yet to be renamed Village Hall will fit on the book shelf... and if so, where will I put the books??

Also wondering what to do next. I've got my Franklin to build, but don't feel like that right now. It is a big project and don't have the space where I want to work yet. So, I've got the outside of the Willow to do - so far haven't been inspired, but haven't thought about it in a few months. Don't like how it is now.

I also have the red and black dream studio to do. I've got a shell and quite a bit of furniture for it, but shell isn't tall enough, so will have to extend it somehow, and furniture is all the wrong colour So this project would require quite a bit of work and patience painting the furniture (isn't sounding so exciting to me right now)

Or, I have the shell that a former colleague gave me which will have whatever colours and rooms I fancy - ie not really a coordinated house, just somewhere to use the pretty and funky wallpaper I've found over the years, and somewhere to put furniture I currently have saved for no particular project. Fun, but the house is already built - mdf glued and nailed together - so will have to make lots of templates for the rooms. Could do it one room at a time though and so can take a break again when one rooms done.

Then there's the conservatory to fill and landscape that I got last year...

...(and the Fairfield that I snuck into my suitcase home from the USA!! (I think it will be a christmas house, aiming for christmas 2011))

[Sherry]

I'm glad you managed to sneak your dollhouse through customs..I don't think they want you carrying off our real estate!

We are trying to finish the second bathroom. Nothing left on ours but finding a decent bathmat and scrubbing the grout on the tile...I planned to do that this morning, until Larry had to turn the water off to put in the new toilet. We are so close to having the interior of this house done. Living room to paint and then new floors in it and our bedroom. It's been a long process, but when I think about how it looked 2 years ago when I first saw it, it's sure come a long way! Then we paint the exterior trim and start on the new patio and fish pond in the back!

[heidiiiii]

Another nice cool day today.

Mary, that stinks about it being the last day of the Farmer`s Market for you. The ones here in my area last until almost Halloween. This is when all the nice winter squashes come up for sale. I am thinking I am going to do burgers and dogs on the grill today.

My sister called the house this morning just now..again. I am really REALLY not in the mood for her right now. I have not spoken a word to her since our Mom passed away..8 years ago. Too much bad blood. She was a very mean sister to me growing up and did not change as she got older. She has called a few times this past couple weeks. I have a real idea that she may be going through a manic just from how she sounded on the answering machine. No do not come here. I dealt with enough of her manic in my life to last my lifetime.

You would think when I told her to take a hike, she would stay away.

I guess she figures I have softened but I have not. I am much happier without her in my life and I want to keep it that way. I hope she does not waste her time driving over here cause I am gonna speak to her after 8 years..and it is not going to be nice.

This is not holding a grudge. This is Heidi not forgetting what she has done to me. Not letting her get back into my life so she can do it again. And I certainly do not want to deal with her or her husband now that I have way more pressing matters on my mind.

Wow..this turned into a rant didnt it? LOL

Going to clean carpets today, can the last batch of strawberries I have in the freezer, have a nice grilled dinner, and relax away the rest of the evening.

[havanaholly]

...Wow..this turned into a rant didnt it? LOL...

It's OK, and always a good decision to remove toxic people from your life. You have enough right now.

[grazhina]

This is not holding a grudge. This is Heidi not forgetting what she has done to me. Not letting her get back into my life so she can do it again. And I certainly do not want to deal with her or her husband now that I have way more pressing matters on my mind.

Heidi, I had to do the same thing with a relation too. Every time we met she'd twist anything I said or did into something else, giving herself more fodder for her hate. I decided the best thing to do was to shut her out of my life, and it worked fine.

[heidiiiii]

Thanks you two but I learned that it was okay to let someone go even if they are your sibling. I never had a problem dropping a friend if they were not a good fit for me. That was easy. I had a bit of theraputic help with letting go of her.

I do not hate her. I do not wish her ill will. I just choose not to have her in my life.

Oh! but now Chelsea has decided (in all her 21 yr old wisdom) that maybe I made a mistake. She feels badly for her Aunt. I told her some tidbits of my life and told her that if SHE wanted to have contact with my sister, I have no problem with that.

I will just not be here if the woman comes to the house.

Back to happier things.

Brunch is already underway (bacon is sizzling) and after that we are going to clean and then I am going to mini. Going to be a good day!

[woodland_miniatures]

I'm just getting my heart rate back to normal here after being scared awake out of a very sound sleep a little while ago - by an ear-splitting cat wail! Of course, my first thought, as I levitated out of bed, was OMG, Koko's hurt! Had the lamp still on by the bed and saw, not Koko, but the bob-tailed, blue-eyed ginger neutered male from several doors down, in my bedroom and wailing his terrified head off. Shoo-ed him out of there and finally out the open living room window, with detours into the bathroom, kitchen, all around the living room, and this poor, disoriented cat yelling the whole time he was trying to find his way back out of a strange place.....Thank heavens Koko wasn't even indoors at the time or I hate to think what would have happened. :o

This cat is a sweety, I'd met him before and noticed the very unusual blue eyes - nothing else about this guy looks in the least bit Siamese. But I can now testify that he has the full-blown Siamese voice, oh, yeah, he does indeed. :lol:

Now for a nice, quiet, peaceful rest of the night....

P.S.: Heidi, I have disowned my father and the half brother and half-sisters he produced with his second marriage. It was the safest thing for me to do, and allowed me to heal at long last, and live my life in something other than abject terror. My half-sister wrote me a letter about ten years ago, and my half-brother phoned me about a year later, with my father calling a couple times then as well. They wanted to know if I had any idea where my step-sister was - no, I didn't and I can only hope she's all right, AWAY from those sick, twisted people, and living a good life on her own. I made it very, VERY clear that I never wanted to hear from any of them ever again. So far, so good - at this point I don't even know if my father is still living, and don't care much, either.

You do indeed have to take whatever steps are needed to gain or to preserve your own peace of mind, and cutting off relations with genetic family is sometimes exactly what you need to do. The family we pick, such as the lovely folks here at Greenleaf, is SO much better!

[Momof2Moos]

Barring rain today, we will be doing oodles of yard work and some roof patching at the barber shop. The last storm that rolled through revealed a rather large leak above DHF's office at the shop. I am so tired of making sure buckets are positioned just right when it rains. *sigh* We really need to put a new roof on the building, but don't have the money to do it... not to mention a job like that would probably mean closing for a bit.... and apparently, in order to get a loan to fix these things, you need to already HAVE money. Um, if I had the money to begin with, why the $&#^($ would I be here asking for more????? I hate money. :lol: With all the business and family issues going on, I feel like I am playing the worlds largest game of Twister. Glad I have mini's to keep me sane!

[Sherry]

Cleaning up while DH finishes the bathroom. Scrubbed the tile in the completed bathroom, but need to replace grout in a few places. Cleaned appliances, counters, mopped floors, and still doing laundry. Why do we celebrate Labor Day only once a year? It happens several times a week!

[heidiiiii]

I am in the mood for spaghetti but Fred cannot eat tomato sauce anymore. So I am going to a small pot of spaghetti sauce and I am going to make him Calabrese style. Garlic, olive oil, parm cheese, a little margarine, pepper. He will love it and it will love him..LOL

Tomorrow we leave early to drive to New Haven. He has to be there at 830am but traffic can be a nightmare on I-95. So I want to leave early (like 7am) so that I do not get stuck in too much of the traffic and make him late.

So I am going to cook and clean today to ward off the nervous energy. It is another gorgeous fall like day. Not too hot, Not too cold. Baby bear just right!

[Starfire]

Hope all goes well with Fred, Heidi! Will keep you both

I have been working a bit on the Montclair again. Wound up tearing out over half of the electrical I had done and redoing a bunch of the old kitchen cabinets. The gorgeous new ones I had found down at Ron's last year just would not settle in well. Not sure where they will find them selves but do not think it will be in "Monti".

Also redid both staircases, sanding and repainting, Never did like the quality of the finish of them. Had to replace a bunch of spindles so will put them all back together today after a final sanding.

Decided I would try painting the kitchen cabinets for the quarter scale English Cottage in red. After checking the wallpaper I used there is a bit of red and with just a few pieces, it should be OK.