what are you doing right now?

[Sharon]

May 20, 2023 13:58:12 GMT -5 countrygirl2 said:

Need to order grandson something else for his birthday. I got him a nice rod and reel for his birthday, but need to add something to it.

He needs his own tackle box with some lures, weights, a bobber etc. 

[NancysSummerSip]

May 20, 2023 13:57:59 GMT -5 toomuchreality said:

May 20, 2023 9:17:21 GMT -5 NancysSummerSip said:

Did my long swim and big shopping at Walmart. Got myself some nice, bright T-shirts just because. Everything else was practical stuff; either cat food, human food or health and beauty.

Doing a load of laundry; will wash and wax the car tomorrow. I need a free weekend - the next two have my last two races for the season. I am doing a chicken casserole tonight.

I read that wrong. I thought you said you are going to wash and wax the CAT tomorrow! 😄
Even though I slept well, I am super tired today and a little cranky. Ugh. I hate feeling cranky.

Oh, Hell No to getting the cat near water. Not that much into inflicting pain on myself.

[susana1954]

I didn't get far on my to-do list.  I straightened the linen closet, which is actually an entire bedroom closet with shelving and bins.  You'd think with only one person here, they'd stay neat, but they don't.  Oh, and I went through a lot of my furniture paint, throwing away what was no longer good and moving it all to the basement.  But then my back started hurting.  The pain isn't terrible, and sitting down for a quick check on here always helps it.  But it does interrupt my work flow.

[andi9899]

Went to Aldi once I felt human again after last night. I hadn't been to the grocery store in 3 weeks. I spent $190 at freaking Aldi. I still have to finalize my Sam's order.

[giramomma]

May 20, 2023 15:51:23 GMT -5 andi9899 said:

Went to Aldi once I felt human again after last night. I hadn't been to the grocery store in 3 weeks. I spent $190 at freaking Aldi. I still have to finalize my Sam's order.

That's not bad for three weeks.

We're down to $150 a week (from about $200) and it feels like damned windfall.

[countrygirl2]

Well, I didn't get moving but the day isn't over.

I have my tackle box up there but getting him one is likely a good idea. I thought about some minecraft legos too. But he needs things to get outdoors with and play.

DD and I are going to try and eat all we can from the pantry and freezer. Of course I will need to buy fresh fruit and veggies, but going to see how well I can do, not buying food. We have plenty here to eat.

[NancysSummerSip]

Just mapped out a six-mile run for tomorrow morning. Will wash my car (leave the detailing for the afternoon; we will take DH's car to Costco after breakfast).

[Deleted]

May 20, 2023 15:51:23 GMT -5 andi9899 said:

Went to Aldi once I felt human again after last night. I hadn't been to the grocery store in 3 weeks. I spent $190 at freaking Aldi. I still have to finalize my Sam's order.

So I'm guessing last night was fun, if followed by a painful morning

[weltschmerz]

May 20, 2023 15:58:02 GMT -5 giramomma said:

May 20, 2023 15:51:23 GMT -5 andi9899 said:

Went to Aldi once I felt human again after last night. I hadn't been to the grocery store in 3 weeks. I spent $190 at freaking Aldi. I still have to finalize my Sam's order.

That's not bad for three weeks.

We're down to $150 a week (from about $200) and it feels like damned windfall.

My friend called me this afternoon and asked if I wanted to go to our favourite grocery store. It's quite far. Yes please, because I'm really tired of being cooped up indoors. I didn't really need anything except for avocados.
I spent $110.

[raeoflyte]

Dc and I have had a fun 24 hours. Dh and ds went to Nevada for the Journey concert. We'll pick them up tonight but dc and I had dinner, shopping, dessert last night and pampering today with hair and nails. We're going to try to stop chewing/picking.

[alabamagal]

May 19, 2023 10:24:55 GMT -5 NomoreDramaQ1015 said:

May 19, 2023 10:13:11 GMT -5 soupandstew said:

And, in words I never thought would spring forth from my keyboard, Cocaine Bear is very good.  It uses every possible stereotype and a good dash of slapstick to make a movie that is funny while putting forward some interesting perspectives on love and loyalty

Cocaine Bear is freaking awesome.

The stuffed cocaine bear is in a store here. It is on our to do list to go see. Plus see the movie.

[Pink Cashmere]

It rained last night and very early this morning, but the weather is awesome right now. The sun is shining, it’s not too warm or too cool, and the birds are chirping away while I sit outside.

Mister has been weird(er) ever since his Uncle told him they are bringing his Dad home next week. Right now he’s holed up in his wanna be man cave with some music blasting, piddling on his laptop, and I am leaving him alone. When he hangs out in there, it’s usually because he needs some space and time to himself. I understand that, so I leave him be.

When I sit on the deck now, I can look over at the elevated garden bed on the deck and see my beans and herbs growing. That makes me happy. When we were deciding where to put the bed on the ground, I didn’t consider that where we put it, I can’t see it from my favorite spot on the deck. That’s ok though, I need to go down there regularly and see how everything is doing up close anyway. 

[finnime]

You know, it would never have occurred to me that Cocaine Bear would be worth seeing. At all. But now, I'm intrigued. I'll add it to the list for after we get back stuff to do.

[Deleted]

May 20, 2023 17:45:21 GMT -5 finnime said:

You know, it would never have occurred to me that Cocaine Bear would be worth seeing. At all. But now, I'm intrigued. I'll add it to the list for after we get back stuff to do.

Same here and I was pleasantly surprised.  I like quirky movies and this is definitely in that category

[finnime]

Good recommendation. I like quirky, too.

[Deleted]

The gumbo is done and hanging out.  I'll serve after DH watches the Preakness.  

Tomorrow is, of course, fix breakfast followed by the weekly floor mopping and yes, finally spray the weeds.  I also have to write out the menu for the week.  Maybe run a load of laundry too.  DH is following me to the dealership Monday for my 8:30 oil change and annual inspection.  

I'm going to try to schedule a dental cleaning for July.  I never heard back from my doctor about getting a mammogram authorization so I'm blowing that off for the year.  And I still need to find and schedule an optometrist as well.  

[Pink Cashmere]

May 20, 2023 17:54:51 GMT -5 soupandstew said:

The gumbo is done and hanging out.  I'll serve after DH watches the Preakness.  

Tomorrow is, of course, fix breakfast followed by the weekly floor mopping and yes, finally spray the weeds.  I also have to write out the menu for the week.  Maybe run a load of laundry too.  DH is following me to the dealership Monday for my 8:30 oil change and annual inspection.  

I'm going to try to schedule a dental cleaning for July.  I never heard back from my doctor about getting a mammogram authorization so I'm blowing that off for the year.  And I still need to find and schedule an optometrist as well.  

Random tangent…..

Over 20 years ago, my first cousin married a man that was from New Orleans. When his Mom, Miss Jessee, would come to visit, they would host gatherings because Miss Jessee would bring everything she needed with her to cook New Orleans style food. That is when I first started loving how people from New Orleans talked, and appreciating their food. I loved his Mom’s accent and the way she phrased things so differently from what I was use to, including asking a question and answering it herself. Like she would say “You’re going to make groceries today, yes?” “Make groceries” meant go to the grocery store. And she said all our names with her accent and added “bebby” (baby) on it, as a term of endearment. To this day, I sometimes add “bebby” to my cousin’s name when I talk to her.

She told us they don’t cook gumbo in the summer, because it will “sporil” (spoil). I guess maybe that was tradition from years ago, before a/c and such was common.

One day they had us over for a gathering and she had a huge pot of gumbo simmering. My cousin’s son walked past the pot and said “UGH! Somebody STANKS!” lol. It was the gumbo he was smelling. Everybody raved over the gumbo, but I didn’t eat any, because like my little cousin said, it stinks lol. Everything I ever ate that she cooked though, was deeeeelicious! She is the reason I fell in love with red beans and rice, and all these years later, I’ve still not had any as good as hers

Just a trip down memory lane with good memories of family and good food.

[Deleted]

May 20, 2023 18:18:57 GMT -5 Pink Cashmere said:

May 20, 2023 17:54:51 GMT -5 soupandstew said:

The gumbo is done and hanging out.  I'll serve after DH watches the Preakness.  

Tomorrow is, of course, fix breakfast followed by the weekly floor mopping and yes, finally spray the weeds.  I also have to write out the menu for the week.  Maybe run a load of laundry too.  DH is following me to the dealership Monday for my 8:30 oil change and annual inspection.  

I'm going to try to schedule a dental cleaning for July.  I never heard back from my doctor about getting a mammogram authorization so I'm blowing that off for the year.  And I still need to find and schedule an optometrist as well.  

Random tangent…..

Over 20 years ago, my first cousin married a man that was from New Orleans. When his Mom, Miss Jessee, would come to visit, they would host gatherings because Miss Jessee would bring everything she needed with her to cook New Orleans style food. That is when I first started loving how people from New Orleans talked, and appreciating their food. I loved his Mom’s accent and the way she phrased things so differently from what I was use to, including asking a question and answering it herself. Like she would say “You’re going to make groceries today, yes?” “Make groceries” meant go to the grocery store. And she said all our names with her accent and added “bebby” (baby) on it, as a term of endearment. To this day, I sometimes add “bebby” to my cousin’s name when I talk to her.

She told us they don’t cook gumbo in the summer, because it will “sporil” (spoil). I guess maybe that was tradition from years ago, before a/c and such was common.

One day they had us over for a gathering and she had a huge pot of gumbo simmering. My cousin’s son walked past the pot and said “UGH! Somebody STANKS!” lol. It was the gumbo he was smelling. Everybody raved over the gumbo, but I didn’t eat any, because like my little cousin said, it stinks lol. Everything I ever ate that she cooked though, was deeeeelicious! She is the reason I fell in love with red beans and rice, and all these years later, I’ve still not had any as good as hers

Just a trip down memory lane with good memories of family and good food.

Miss Jessee sounds like a wonderful woman and great cook.  Yesterday at a group lunch, I said I was cooking gumbo tonight and the woman next to me (60-ish, paralegal, Louisiana born) whipped her head around and said "you're making gumbo in the summer?"  A bit ago I joined a Cajun and Creole cooking FB group and learned that there as many versions of gumbo as cooks and the question of how to make a roux can get to fighting words fast.  DH's mother is probably rolling in her grave because I put okra, chicken, shrimp and sausage in my gumbo.  And I make my roux with butter, not oil.  In her house, it was only chicken ever, but she would cook shrimp or oysters separate and you could add them to your bowl at the table.  Okra never happened in her house, not in any way and it's one of our favorite veggies.  

[countrygirl2]

My mom made home made dumplings, never knew anybody else that could. And wouldn't you know dumb me didn't learn how. She would say put lard the size of an egg in flour and I don't know what else, milk maybe? But she would roll them out, they were thick and fluffy so maybe some baking powder in them. My hubs loved them to, they were to die for. But she never totally told me or showed me how to make them. I knew you had to boil a hen to get broth. Now even boiling a chicken doesn't make the best broth. Growing up you could smell chicken frying clear out in the yard. You were so hungry by the time you got to eat. Damn good eatin'.  Fried chicken, mashed tators, gravy, sometimes corn on the cob or fresh green beans cooked. And sliced tomatoes and bell peppers plus cukes from the garden. I already miss my garden this year.

I did go downstairs and I vacced the sewing room and the bedroom. The rest is clean. I didn't mop them yet. I put a lot more books in the bookcase but I need another bookcase down there. I don't think I can get the one from up here downstairs by myself.

I dusted and cleaned all the exercise equipment, moved the cutting table and ironing board out of my sewing room. It just isn't big enough for all that, also the 3 way mirror. When I get the bedroom mopped, now it has lots of stuff in it instead I need to pull the bed and bed frame in there from the big room. Need to mop my sewing room too.

I bought 4 cheap shirts from Walmart, $3.78 each and found coordinating fabrics downstairs to make shorts. I have lavender, pink, blue, and a floral with orange flowers in it to match an orange shirt. I  may make a few tops too. I brought it upstairs to wash it as I'm sure its dusty from the work he has done down there.  The fabric has some age on it, why it's such good quality, but its been stored out of the light, was washed before being put away so has no fold lines or marks where it has faded or anything. I'm sure there will be a piece or two down there that does, just so far so good. I have a pair of shorts I was working on, just needs a zipper and the band. If they fit well will use the pattern again. When I find a pattern I like I remake it.
 

[finnime]

These are wonderful stories.

I cook often and very well, people say. I've never made gumbo, but I have made beignets. And I've eaten gumbo, with okra in it. Good stuff.

[Pink Cashmere]

May 20, 2023 18:55:41 GMT -5 soupandstew said:

May 20, 2023 18:18:57 GMT -5 Pink Cashmere said:

Random tangent…..

Over 20 years ago, my first cousin married a man that was from New Orleans. When his Mom, Miss Jessee, would come to visit, they would host gatherings because Miss Jessee would bring everything she needed with her to cook New Orleans style food. That is when I first started loving how people from New Orleans talked, and appreciating their food. I loved his Mom’s accent and the way she phrased things so differently from what I was use to, including asking a question and answering it herself. Like she would say “You’re going to make groceries today, yes?” “Make groceries” meant go to the grocery store. And she said all our names with her accent and added “bebby” (baby) on it, as a term of endearment. To this day, I sometimes add “bebby” to my cousin’s name when I talk to her.

She told us they don’t cook gumbo in the summer, because it will “sporil” (spoil). I guess maybe that was tradition from years ago, before a/c and such was common.

One day they had us over for a gathering and she had a huge pot of gumbo simmering. My cousin’s son walked past the pot and said “UGH! Somebody STANKS!” lol. It was the gumbo he was smelling. Everybody raved over the gumbo, but I didn’t eat any, because like my little cousin said, it stinks lol. Everything I ever ate that she cooked though, was deeeeelicious! She is the reason I fell in love with red beans and rice, and all these years later, I’ve still not had any as good as hers

Just a trip down memory lane with good memories of family and good food.

Miss Jessee sounds like a wonderful woman and great cook.  Yesterday at a group lunch, I said I was cooking gumbo tonight and the woman next to me (60-ish, paralegal, Louisiana born) whipped her head around and said "you're making gumbo in the summer?"  A bit ago I joined a Cajun and Creole cooking FB group and learned that there as many versions of gumbo as cooks and the question of how to make a roux can get to fighting words fast.  DH's mother is probably rolling in her grave because I put okra, chicken, shrimp and sausage in my gumbo.  And I make my roux with butter, not oil.  In her house, it was only chicken ever, but she would cook shrimp or oysters separate and you could add them to your bowl at the table.  Okra never happened in her house, not in any way and it's one of our favorite veggies.  

Ahhhh, so not cooking gumbo during summer really is a thing lol.

Miss Jessee really was a beautiful soul and an awesome cook. Idk what she put in her gumbo, but ever since then, in my mind, it’s not real gumbo if it doesn’t smell a certain kind of way (bad) . That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. LOL!

Now, in hindsight, knowing her was yet another lost opportunity to learn to cook from someone that knew what they were doing.

[countrygirl2]

There was a place in Houston called The Boat. They served seafood and always had gumbo on the menu. That stuff was to die for. Noone liked it but me so I would stop and eat some and get or fix the rest something else. It was hot, but I still liked it. DD did like the shrimp they had so she would eat those. It was actually made like a boat in a pool of water and the bow and all, so pretty neat, wonder if they are still around.

Well, I'm full. DD got her fill of spaghetti and me of smelts. I usually don't cook them, but a couple times a year and I've had them more than that this year, so kind of done with them for a while.

I also carried up empty boxes and empty totes. Then I brought up a supply of TP. I can only make so many trips up and down stairs. And I brought 2 feather quilts up and put them in the car to have cleaned. I need to go down one more time and turn off the telly and lights. My fabric is washed and ready to dry. I should mop my sewing room so I can sew tomorrow. But then I can put a fan on it to dry it quickly so that should work, and I can still cut out and sew.

Smoke was down there following me all over, trying to nip me. Laying on the couch when I was trying to put the clean cover on and talking to me. Just generally being a pesty little kitty that I love. I will miss him and Tigger. 

[countrygirl2]

She likely picked up the way of talking from cajuns, I've heard some of that in Louisiana. It really is a different type of speech. This coming from someone whose profs in college said suffered from southern Indiana english, sigh.

[Deleted]

May 20, 2023 19:06:15 GMT -5 countrygirl2 said:

My mom made home made dumplings, never knew anybody else that could. And wouldn't you know dumb me didn't learn how. She would say put lard the size of an egg in flour and I don't know what else, milk maybe? But she would roll them out, they were thick and fluffy so maybe some baking powder in them. My hubs loved them to, they were to die for. But she never totally told me or showed me how to make them. I knew you had to boil a hen to get broth. Now even boiling a chicken doesn't make the best broth. Growing up you could smell chicken frying clear out in the yard. You were so hungry by the time you got to eat. Damn good eatin'.  Fried chicken, mashed tators, gravy, sometimes corn on the cob or fresh green beans cooked. And sliced tomatoes and bell peppers plus cukes from the garden. I already miss my garden this year.

I did go downstairs and I vacced the sewing room and the bedroom. The rest is clean. I didn't mop them yet. I put a lot more books in the bookcase but I need another bookcase down there. I don't think I can get the one from up here downstairs by myself.

I dusted and cleaned all the exercise equipment, moved the cutting table and ironing board out of my sewing room. It just isn't big enough for all that, also the 3 way mirror. When I get the bedroom mopped, now it has lots of stuff in it instead I need to pull the bed and bed frame in there from the big room. Need to mop my sewing room too.

I bought 4 cheap shirts from Walmart, $3.78 each and found coordinating fabrics downstairs to make shorts. I have lavender, pink, blue, and a floral with orange flowers in it to match an orange shirt. I  may make a few tops too. I brought it upstairs to wash it as I'm sure its dusty from the work he has done down there.  The fabric has some age on it, why it's such good quality, but its been stored out of the light, was washed before being put away so has no fold lines or marks where it has faded or anything. I'm sure there will be a piece or two down there that does, just so far so good. I have a pair of shorts I was working on, just needs a zipper and the band. If they fit well will use the pattern again. When I find a pattern I like I remake it.
 

It's hard to find the old hens to boil up now-most chickens are raised only to 3-4 months old at best to be fryers and they don't have the flavor of the old hens.  Of course, we couldn't do much with the old hens (and roosters) except boil them because they were just as tough as they were tasty.  Here in Houston you can still find the old tough and tasty ones in some of the ethnic markets.  

[Deleted]

May 20, 2023 19:18:35 GMT -5 countrygirl2 said:

There was a place in Houston called The Boat. They served seafood and always had gumbo on the menu. That stuff was to die for. Noone liked it but me so I would stop and eat some and get or fix the rest something else. It was hot, but I still liked it. DD did like the shrimp they had so she would eat those. It was actually made like a boat in a pool of water and the bow and all, so pretty neat, wonder if they are still around.

Well, I'm full. DD got her fill of spaghetti and me of smelts. I usually don't cook them, but a couple times a year and I've had them more than that this year, so kind of done with them for a while.

I also carried up empty boxes and empty totes. Then I brought up a supply of TP. I can only make so many trips up and down stairs. And I brought 2 feather quilts up and put them in the car to have cleaned. I need to go down one more time and turn off the telly and lights. My fabric is washed and ready to dry. I should mop my sewing room so I can sew tomorrow. But then I can put a fan on it to dry it quickly so that should work, and I can still cut out and sew.

Smoke was down there following me all over, trying to nip me. Laying on the couch when I was trying to put the clean cover on and talking to me. Just generally being a pesty little kitty that I love. I will miss him and Tigger. 

We still have Sam's Boat on Richmond near Chimney Rock and it sounds a lot like your place

[Pink Cashmere]

May 20, 2023 19:06:15 GMT -5 countrygirl2 said:

My mom made home made dumplings, never knew anybody else that could. And wouldn't you know dumb me didn't learn how. She would say put lard the size of an egg in flour and I don't know what else, milk maybe? But she would roll them out, they were thick and fluffy so maybe some baking powder in them. My hubs loved them to, they were to die for. But she never totally told me or showed me how to make them. I knew you had to boil a hen to get broth. Now even boiling a chicken doesn't make the best broth. Growing up you could smell chicken frying clear out in the yard. You were so hungry by the time you got to eat. Damn good eatin'.  Fried chicken, mashed tators, gravy, sometimes corn on the cob or fresh green beans cooked. And sliced tomatoes and bell peppers plus cukes from the garden. I already miss my garden this year.

I did go downstairs and I vacced the sewing room and the bedroom. The rest is clean. I didn't mop them yet. I put a lot more books in the bookcase but I need another bookcase down there. I don't think I can get the one from up here downstairs by myself.

I dusted and cleaned all the exercise equipment, moved the cutting table and ironing board out of my sewing room. It just isn't big enough for all that, also the 3 way mirror. When I get the bedroom mopped, now it has lots of stuff in it instead I need to pull the bed and bed frame in there from the big room. Need to mop my sewing room too.

I bought 4 cheap shirts from Walmart, $3.78 each and found coordinating fabrics downstairs to make shorts. I have lavender, pink, blue, and a floral with orange flowers in it to match an orange shirt. I  may make a few tops too. I brought it upstairs to wash it as I'm sure its dusty from the work he has done down there.  The fabric has some age on it, why it's such good quality, but its been stored out of the light, was washed before being put away so has no fold lines or marks where it has faded or anything. I'm sure there will be a piece or two down there that does, just so far so good. I have a pair of shorts I was working on, just needs a zipper and the band. If they fit well will use the pattern again. When I find a pattern I like I remake it.
 

I had no idea what I was missing out on in regards to my Grandmother’s cooking, and what she grew in her garden. I wouldn’t even eat greens that she grew in her garden when I was a child, and now not only do I eat greens, I wish I knew how to make the pepper sauce she use to make for her greens, with peppers out of her garden. I use to eat cabbage only if I added sugar to it and she use to fuss that I was making cabbage pie, adding sugar. 

She also loved to bake, and I’ve never been big on sweets, so I didn’t eat her cakes either, even though people raved about them. When she made banana pudding, she would make me my own little bowl without the bananas because I didn’t like the texture. She did that with several dishes, made me my own…… when she cooked chicken, she would hide a breast just for me, because I didn’t like dark meat. All of that was mostly our little secrets, that she did those things to cater to me.

And I never took the time to learn as much from her as I could.

[countrygirl2]

Yes, I think there were 2 locations. This one was north by the mall near Greens Road? It's been a long time, it was north of that on the west side of I 45. 

I sure did like that gumbo though.

[countrygirl2]

Yes, we had a lot of good food to eat growing up. My mom learned a lot of her cooking from my dads old aunt from Kentucky. She sure cooked up good food and did it all on an old cook stove. I sure wish I could eat some of it nowadays, it would be a real treat.

[Pink Cashmere]

May 20, 2023 19:20:28 GMT -5 countrygirl2 said:

She likely picked up the way of talking from cajuns, I've heard some of that in Louisiana. It really is a different type of speech. This coming from someone whose profs in college said suffered from southern Indiana english, sigh.

To this day, I love listening to people from New Orleans talk, and I can easily recognize that accent. They aren’t a,ways the most friendly people when you visit, but I love them anyway lol.

The only Black adult I’ve ever met with blue eyes, was the Grandmother of someone I knew in high school. Her skin was as dark as mine, if not darker, and she had blue eyes. She was from Louisiana. The history is interesting to me.

I specified “adult” because my children’s Aunt had a baby that was clearly Black, but she had startling, bright blue eyes until she was maybe 4 or 5 years old, when they turned gray. When she was a baby and a toddler, stupid people use to ask her Mom if they were contact lenses.  Whyyyy would somebody put colored contact lenses on a baby and toddler?!

Her Dad is Mexican and I’ve never met him, so idk what color his eyes are. I just ASSume she got her eye color from him. But when I say her eyes were a bright, brilliant blue the first few years of her life, I’m not exaggerating.

[countrygirl2]

I read that all people with blue eyes comes from one common ancestor. I mean when you think about it we are all related when you go back far enough.

Wouldn't you really like to be able to see how man really evolved and the history of the peoples of the world? Lots of speculation and likely a lot of it is factual but to go back to the beginning and forward, wouldn't that be something.