I am impressed back at 'ya. I saw a post from Kiwi and I says to myself, "Well, here comes a smart alecky answer." Now I am ashamed.

The bottom is a steamer. It has holes in it. The liquid is gone. Potatoes remain. Can't force it anywhere.

Remember those computer pets? Kitties, doggies, sheep? I have a pet box of cereal.

Howza 'bout poking a couple of wire clothes hangers through the holes in the steamer from the bottom and pushing the bottom side of the lid? I love my pan w/ the steamer basket too. You're right. This is a real problem.

Painty, before you nap at least put in one load of clothes. It's not so bad once you start and you'll be glad tomorrow when you have to work and your laundry is piled up. Besides, the sound of the washer is good background noise for napping. I want to go home and wash clothes. A nap would be nice too.

I'm lifting 10 pound dumbells now. Pretty good for a weakling. I'm starting to feel muscles in my arms. You all need to go check out this - www.agelesstraining.com Apparently we have until 72 to get this right.

Wabby, I have a while to go. But not much...I'm turning 50 in June...do you believe it???? I could use a fitness program. I'm finished with Bulges. It got boring.

I would fill the tub with water and submerge the whole thing. Maybe it will float out.

I like the sound of the dryer for napping, too.

Where have I been? Beat's me. But I'm here now with advice for everyone.

First things first. I have no idea how to get that lid unstuck. I've done things like that many times. Usually hot/cold water ice cubes worked, but we're talking old potatoes here. I'll have to think about this for a bit.

Wabs, our elliptical was under $400. We had a REALLY cheap one first, the kind where the wheel is driven by a nylon belt, and that broke really fast. This one is a bit better and works just fine for our purposes. I've never really used a treadmill so I can't compare it. You can watch tv when you're on the elliptical but it'd be too bumpy to read. They say the arm movement exercises your abs and entire upper body so that's an added bonus.

Peachy! You need a giant group hug. Everyone's advice has been impeccable. I personally think going shopping with your mom would do both of you more harm than good and I don't think you have an obligation to do it if it makes you feel at all uncomfortable.

I've been feeling entirely too hormonal to even think about exercising plus the lady who thinks she a dentist has been fiddling around with my teeth and making them hurt. She's nice though. Pictures of St. Tropez and Disney World on the walls. BUT I am still under 150 which is truly a miracle.

sugar is all hyped up on uppers--------COOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!---------now,wabby,i wonder how she can get the coathangers throught the bottom of the pot??? is the bottom of the pot still attached??? how do you put the steamer on the burner with the holes showing???I AM CONFUSED--------------I would take it and throw it off the balcony so it hits the pavement {we have no pavement,only snow drifts}OR i would slide my slenderinas down the sides and jimmy the top off ---likely i would throw it down the cellar stairs until it bounced apart on the cement floor---------IS IT TRUE THERE ARE NO BASEMENTS IN FLARIDER?????-----------no school for the elementary kids----highschool kids had to go===exams are this coming week----dd17 is in grade twelve and THESE are the exams that make all the difference !!!--they are sent with university applications and scholarship applications and all of these important life changing events-----------------EVERYONE PRAY SHE DOES WELL CAUSE IN A FEW YEARS WE WILL HAVE ALL FIVE GIRLS IN COLLEGE AT THE SAME TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!! NEXT YEAR THERE WILL BE THREE OF THEM----------------DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH THIS COSTS NOWADAYS?????????????//AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH----MAYBE I WILL THROW MYSELF DOWN THE CELLAR WITH THE CAT{she is still mad about the new baby cat} gotta go watch Martha before she disappears!!!!

Here's what the Home and Garden e-mail subscription led off with this morning:

[SIZE=5]It takes patience to appreciate domestic bliss; volatile spirits prefer unhappiness.[/SIZE]

Well, apparently I'm not patient OR lethargic. Still trying to decide if that's a good thing. Thanks for the encouragements. Read most of DaVinci Code, and talked to a window replacement guy. For a mere $32,000.00 we could replace all the windows in top form. That's 3x what my parents paid for there whole @#$%^ing house. Jeez. Will probably go with 2nd class windows AND only replace the ones on the West side of the house that have "popped" and begun collecting moisture between the panes.

Re potato pan/steamer... somehow there's vapor lock there and it's sucking the lid in tight. I am a faithful believer in soaking... surely water could sneak it's way between lid and pan bottom and eventually (before Easter) float the lid away...? Good luck.

Off to window sales guy #2

Painty, windows R us, you know. Are you replacing existing windows w/ wood, vinyl, or woodclad fiberglass? Get a bunch of estimates, because there are lots of companies that charge a fortune for essentially the same windows as half the cost. You should expect a lifetime warranty on windows. Do not go to someplace like Sears for windows. Choose a reputable company with an actual business address, not someone who advertises w/ a phone number only. Ask about the ease of glass replacement. Some windows like Pozzi windows have to have the entire sash replaced if a window gets broken. Not good. This is a subject that I have good advice for, even if you didn't ask for it.

Sugar, thanks for the eliptical advice. The ones I've looked at are in the $400 range. Do you actually use yours or is it a clothes hanger? I've never been able to read on a treadmill anyway, so that's no problem.

Bagzie, if I'm picturing the pot problem correctly - the lid is stuck in the steamer basket portion of the pot. I have one that is like a double boiler, except that the inner pot has holes in it so that the steam can go in it. Am I right about this scenario, Peaches? Otherwise, nevermind the last advice.

We have basements here. They always leak. Our's was always dry until we had an earthquake about 10 years ago, and it seems to have stirred up an underground spring. We had to spend big $$$'s to have a drain and sump pump system installed. The pump runs every 15 seconds in the rainy season, which makes my electric bill $200 for most of the year and that doesn't include heat because our furnace is gas. No basements in FL. Florridder ppl don't even bury ppl underground, do they?

I just finished reading The Secret Life of Bees and also The Master Butcher's Singing Club, both excellent. Now I'm on to Shutter Island, by the guy who wrote Mystic River(also good book) and In Her Shoes by the same woman who wrote Good in Bed. I'm on the library list for Amateur Marriage by Ann Tyler, who I love. I love to read. I should have been a librarian.

Yup. I read at work. Only thing that keeps me from going insane.

Hey, Seattle Garden Show is first week of February. Anyone interested? I found an online 2 for one train fare coupon. You just have to get to Portland first.

Gee, Portland's only a few hour's drive from here. Oh. That Portland.

Don't know where my post just went. Grrrrrrrrr.
Wabby... thank you for window advice. Can I invite all the bidders/contractors over at the same time so I don't have to invest 10-15 hours watching them count windows and listening to their pitches? I suppose 10 hours time on an expensive decision might be worth it... but there's other stuff I'd rather do with that kind of time.

Reading is good. Had a buying binge financed by DH. Just finished DaVinci Code... Probably the next to the last person on the planet to read it... who IS going to read it anyway. More exciting than I expected. Will start either "East" or "Scipio's Dream" next.... or knitting.

Longevity being what it is in my family, I'll NEVER be buff. but we might move. I wish I had a cat still.

And a garden show, for that matter. Just chores. Drat. Grumpy. Better get the knitting needles, I feel the need for a stiff drink coming on.