Good morning gals! We got back home and it was 98 degrees here yesterday, whew it was hot. It is a bit cooler this morning and has rained, but I don't hold out much hope it will stay cooler. It was hot in Indiana and even humid but nothing like this. I don't mind the temps but the humidity sure makes it hard to breathe.
I put a couple cornish hens in the crockpot to cook so it would keep the temp in the house down. I always look at them about 2 hours before serving and if I feel they aren't coming along well enough, I will stick them in the oven. I make them rotisserie spice style and they are pretty good. I skin them and it removes a lot of the fat that way.
Jean: Sounds like your little town has been busy busy with bikers. Hope you had a good time at Ian's game. I look forward to Jackson playing as I think they will be surprised how well he can play. He has a couple years yet to hone his skills in catching and hitting, but he does pretty darn good now. He has terrific hand/eye coordination.
Susan: I would love to have a bike, but living where we do bike riding is pretty strenuous. We live right in the middle of hils going all four ways. I could never ride around here the size I am right now. Hope the quilting is coming along. I have put aside the knitting for a few as it is so very hot here. I bought Sizzlin Sixteen and have been reading it today. She is so funny. I read some passages to Jack on the drive home and even he laughed. I told him you could be having your worst day but if you sit down and read her books you can't help but laugh.
Maggie: We had no clue where the seats were until close to the trip or we would likely not have gone. Jack and I buy expensive seats so we can be down front as much as we can. I love baseball and it is the only sport I really like so if I am going I would prefer not to watch ants play, but Jay had no choice in tickets. The company he used is a client of his and this guy buys blocks of tickets enough for a bus full of people and then sells them as bus trips. He buys the cheapest seats, which are way up high. We still had a good time and sitting on the step was actually fairly comfortable to watch the game. My only problem was Wrigley being an old ballpark doesn't have those big scoreboard picture things and such they just have the old fashioned scoreboard that is done manually and then an electronic strip running on the first base side that shows the player's number, balls and strikes and outs. So, if you don't recognize the player by his walk, size or whatever, and you don't know their numbers you are sunk. We have a bullpen pitcher that is 6'7" and you sure know him even being up in the clouds. In fact, I told Jack you sure can tell how tall he is in person versus on tv.
Well, I figured out the swelling issues. It is the heat and humidity here. I had no swelling the whole time I was in Indiana and I wasn't home but a couple hours and my feet and legs started swelling. Not much I can do about it as I take in plenty of water and limit my sodium. Just have to hang in there until the heat gets back down where it doesn't seem to happen. I am already on a bp diuretic so I can't take anything more.
You gals have a great day. I am going to sit and read for awhile as I did chores real early this am. I now have the house back to normal and all the laundry done and put away. Sometimes you wonder why you ever leave home as I think I put away laundry and hung it up forever! lol Faye
Good Morning, Flowers! It's a pleasant morning so far -- sunny with a slight breeze. It is supposed to get hot and more humid as the week goes on. Made the trip to Sioux Falls for Ian's game; he hit 2 beautiful fly balls out to the other team members who just happened to be good catchers. He was bummed and then struck out the next time. He always has a smile and said he had fun so that's what is important. We sat facing the sun so it was hot and sticky even with a breeze.
I have ironing to do and another load of laundry going. I'm debating on a casserole for lunch since I found a recipe online similar to what the church fed the bike riders -- pasta.
Maggie -- You will have the tiny gain gone in no time. Bob learned an interesting tidbit yesterday. There is a bike club that rides RAGBRAI together each year consisting of 90 big tents -- all the same color. They took up one whole park area near us which they reserve in advance. They had 3 semis -- one for showers, one is a bar, and one is used for their personal items, bike parts, and the tents. Their meals are being catered by a local restaurant at each overnight stop along the route, and there are other support people along who set up the tents according to a grid, put the personal belongings in each tent, then pack it all back up the next morning. All the bikers have to do is ride their bikes.
Susan -- I'm glad you enjoyed your weekend. I was sure you would. Thanks for sharing the McD coupon info; I will check it out.
Sitting here isn't getting my chores done so I'm off! Have a terrific Tuesday and remember to !
It is fixin' to be a nice day here in the Heartland. Not much on the agenda this day. I think possibly our young friend will be returning here this day. I do believe Will has a touch of what I had last week, poor guy. His is a bit different for his tummy hurts also. Must be going around. I sliced up quite a few cucumbers and have them in their brine in the fridge and we will have them in 4 days time. I have this great recipe that uses so much less sugar in it and it is a really good bread and butter kind of pickle. If anyone wants it I willl post it. The cukes turned out to be the pickeling kind after all and not the other English kind I thought they were. Life is good. So for the month of August we will have some good home made pickles to eat. They last a month because there isn't any "preservatives" in the brine. More healtful. Anyway if any of you want the recipe I will gladly post it. We haven't yet ordered the food dehydrator we want so we are air drying tomatoes even as I type. We have grates which we put the slices on and netting for cover. They dry nicely in the summer heat here and the netting keeps the bugs off. The apples on the tree are looking good and we can dry some of the slices.
SUSAN I just knew you would be having a great time at your friends. I keep telling Will I want a bike made by the shop here but he just looks at me. They sell for anywhere from 10 thousand to 15 & 20 thousand for the top of the line ones. A guy bought his wife one the other day that cost him $8500 for a nice ride around town bike and I think that is the cheapest one they sell. They build those real spendy ones for places like the Trour de France fellows. I do have that coupon and will spend it on a McD's berry smoothie.
DONNA FAYE I too am not a fan of humidity. Cooking your hens in the crock pot is an excellent idea. I have done that then finished them off in the oven and it works out great. OK now I understand how you got to sit up in the nose bleed section. I prefer the 3rd or 5th rows. And you know, baseball is my main most favorite sport also.
JEAN Wonder what that costs per biker. What a neat set up for them for most things are catered and they can just enjoy the ride. It is fun to watch those little league games but not facing the sun.
Good Morning, Flowers! It's a beautiful morning in my neighborhood with 70 degrees and low humidity. It rained sometime during the night so I don't have to water flowers today. I have a meeting at church this afternoon; I'm on the memorial committee and if money isn't designated by the family we can lump it all together and purchase something(s) needed for the church. I personally would like to see an eternal flame candle but need to investigate the options a little further before the meeting.
Maggie -- Thanks for sending the pickle recipe. How do you know if a cucumber is the pickle kind or English kind? I don't think I've ever seen them labeled except the greenhouse ones are seedless.
"Gma" -- I hope it is a bit cooler for you today. It's a good feeling to have everything back to "normal" after being gone. I hate the unpacking as it's not nearly as much fun as packing to go.
Susan -- Is today an "office" work day? I never can remember.
I cleaned out a drawer last night and found a receipt Bob has been searcing for. He normally doesn't put things in that drawer so we were both surprised. Maybe I'll check out another drawer -- I'm good at stashing things where they don't belong if I'm in a hurry to clean off the counters. I need to get moving!
Have a wonderful Wednesday! Four days and July will be history!
Good morning to everybody! It is supposed to rain here today and the temps are down a bit so it isn't so very uncomfortable. It is in the 70's right now and nice and cool in the house. I have to get going on my chores after breakfast (I am starting late this morning) and Jack has an ortho appt today at 2 so I may or may not go with him. I am making my calorie cutting lasagna and it needs about 1 and 15 minutes to cook.
Maggie: My grandmother made the best bread and butter pickles I have ever had. I think my younger sister has her recipe as she took Grandmas little book with everything in it. I don't have the space to put up any jars and Jack hates pickles of all kinds so it would be just me. Funny, he loves plain cucumbers and I hate them! lol Yikes, what are those bikes made of, gold? Sheesh, that is kind of ridiculous IMO to spend that much for a bicycle you can buy a small car for that much!
Jean: How close are you to that Delfi lake accident? I saw that and immediately thought of you and your family and how awful it would be for your lake to now be a mud pit. They said the houses around that lake are now at half their value since that happened. English cucumbers are long and skinny and the regular ones are shorter and fatter. A lot of times they will have the english cucumbers wrapped in like cling wrap or something when they are sold in your produce section. I know a lot of people really like the english cucs, but since I hate them all as cucumbers it is no difference to me. If we go out and have a salad with our meal, I get Jack's tomatos and he gets my cucumbers! lol
I finished my book yesterday afternoon laughing all the way. The main character and her sidekick do get themselves in some kind of trouble in each book and it is always hilarious. I need to get Kelly's sock done so I can give them to her, but it has been so hot to knit.
Do you ladies remember all the trouble I was having with billing with my doctor's office? Well the dummies just sent me a refund check for two doctors I have never even seen! Good grief, I wonder if they count using their fingers and toes? I sent them a letter awhile back when they had on my billing two doctors I had never seen, but I had never paid a co-pay because I had never seen them, but day before yesterday they refunded the co-pays. The only thing I can do is deposit it and wait for them to ask for it back when they figure it all out because sending it back to them will create another mess I don't want to have to deal with.
I need to get out of here and get something done. I hear the garbage guys coming around so as soon as they pass the house I am going to go out and get the can so the numbskull that wanders around here doesn't take that one as well. Faye
Another lovely day here in the Heartland. Will just got in from washing the Jeep which needed some mud removed. Not much going on here to speak of. We did go for a nice little drive last evening and I got one of the Berry Smoothies from McD's and added a packet of fiber to it which doubled the amount of fiber in it and brought the points down a tad. Instead of 3 fibers it had 6 in it and that was such a good smoothie. I got the small one which was plenty. I will get that smoothie again.
JEAN So you had the pitter pattey of the rain during the night. I like it when that happens. Our garden has been getting lots of rain watering and so we don't have to water it much. That is neat that you found that receipt that was in hiding. I hate it when one comes up missing and seems to be lost in the wind. Since Donna Fay anwered the cucumber question for you I won't repeat it but will say that the pickeling kind have little bumps on the outside and are not as sleek shaped as the English ones. More stubby.
DONNA FAYE That recipe doesn't make much so if you want go ahead and make it just for yourself. It fits nicely in one container in the fridge and you don't have to have jars and jars full of it with that recipe. It is amazing but they do have a steady group of folks that buy those spendy bikes. Keeps the folks at the plant working steady. That is a hoot about the refund for money you didn't pay in the first place. Wonder if they will ever discover their error. We had a wierd thing happen to us one time. The gal in the office sent my paperwork to the wrong insurance company. I got a notice from that company that I was not in their records of being one of theirs. I called the docs office and told them to send the "stuff" to the correct insurance company and they said they would. Couple weeks later I got a letter from that insurance company that I didn't have saying they paid the bill for they found that I was in their files after all. And my insurance company also paid it. I went to the docs office and they informed me that they had returned the money to the company I did not have. Well I was interested to know how they had decided I was in their records so I gave that insurance company a call ~ come to find out they found me with my first name only and that I was the wife of a secret service guy stationed at the pentigon and since I was on his insurance policy they paid it. Well I asked for that mans name so I could let him know that his insurance company was being reimbursed and it was not his wife that had been to my doctor. I asked to see if they would tell me and they hung up on me after saying they had already told me too much. It gets spooky when insurance companies do stuff like that. Found me with my first name only in someones records so paid the bill. OH ~ and to top it all off the papers that insurance company (that I didn't have) sent me also had that mans name and address, where he worked ~ and also had his social security number on it. His social security number. I shredded the papers.
SUSAN Having a nice day are you?
Well ladies I am going to see what I can get into. Type at y'all later.
Good morning, ladies! Only 88 degrees right now and so humid!
Yesterday was a work day and I worked over so I was really tired when I got home. I guess I'll venture out this afternoon. Since I didn't go to the grocery store last weekend, I'm now out of salad makings and milk. I also need some Gorilla Glue. My friends have been giving me tomatoes, hot peppers and squash until it's coming out of my ears.
Maggie, thanks for the pickle recipe. Do you think I could substitute Splenda for the sugar?
Jean, English cukes are what you referred to as hot house seedless cukes. I prefer them. The pickling cukes are about the size of a small dill pickle. I'm making progress on my clutter busting. I'm still "flying".
Faye, I'm going to the bookstore and getting that book over the weekend. I love those characters. It's too hot to quilt, too. Piecing is better. If you are really into biking, you want light weight and the best for that is titanium - hence the $$$$. One of my quilting buddies and her husband will be leaving Labor Day to bike across the country to CA where her family lives. They'll ship the bikes home. They have huge investment in bikes. They are both in wonderful shape and in their 50s.
Time to make some lunch so y'all have a great day.
Last edited by QuilterInVA; 07-28-2010 at 01:52 PM.
"Gma" -- Delhi, IA, is on the other side of the state from us. The news kept talking about Maquoketa being flooded so evidently the dam must hold the water beyond the little town. Storm Lake is a natural lake . . . no dams here. We are fed by natural field springs with an inlet and an outlet. I wonder if the insurance people working in the clinic will ever figure out your bill. Computers are only as good as the people who put the information in. Bob has had to untangle several messes because fathers and sons farmed together, some having the same first name. Is the book you mentioned in a series?
Maggie -- That is scary about your being "found" with just your first name. Not everyone would be as honest as you and shred the papers you received. I keep my fingers crossed that we never lose any of our credit cards nor driver's license. What is REALLY STUPID is the Medicare card has our social security # on it. My cucumbers don't have any bumps on them.
Susan -- It sounds like you are going to use Gorilla Glue on your vegetables. You will have to ask your quilting friend if they have ever heard of the Ragbrai ride across Iowa. There are people who come from other countries to ride. Riding across the state would be pretty tame for them if they ride across the U. S.
I'm heading for bed. I have lab work at 7:40 tomorrow morning and a chat with my doctor at 8:30. I will be glad when it is 9:30!
Good morning to you all! I am going swimming with "the boy" this morning later on so will get some good exercise. I need to start checking across the walk and see if they are opening up the pool again and go over and try to get some extra in when I can. My only problem is dealing with the kids jumping off into the deep end I can't swim laps that way.
Maggie: Thanks for the info on the pickles! I have had more insurance screwups than I can name in the last year. I have several bills stuffed on the side of my computer waiting to be solved so I can file them. I leave them there until I get a bill showing it cleared up. I was billed for my bloodwork because the stupid doctor's office sent my ss number instead of Jack's, who of course our insurance is under. I did send a letter to the place that actually does the blood testing and told them if they would refile under my husband's number they would get paid. I had the two doctor's I had never seen deal, then I have an ongoing issue with being billed for two appointments in full because Tricare wouldn't pay, why, because the stupid doctor's office didn't do an authorization for the gyn like they were supposed to and told me they had. That one is still snarled up! lol I did forget to tell her about the pickle bumps for cucs used for pickles, didn't I? lol
Jean: Yes, the first book in her series is One for the Money which they are actually making a movie of soon. They have already hired Catherine Heigl to play the lead I guess. If you like to read, get the first one and start the series, you won't be sorry. They are truly hilarious. It isn't imperative you start at the beginning, but you will find her relationships have progressed or regressed as you get farther into the series. I just felt so very sorry for those people to have 3/4 million dollar homes worth practically nothing now that the lake is gone. Boy, Bob would have a time of it if he insured my family and they were all living. My fil's name is Jack, then my Jack is Jack Jr, then my son is Jack III and then Jackson is IV. What a mess that could be! The Navy used to screw up medical stuff for Jay and mix him up with Jack all the time. You would have thought the birthdates would have given them a clue, but they were both born in Oct so the dunces probably never looked at the year. lol
Susan: Lula is at her finest in this book. You will enjoy the part about the alligator and that's all I am saying! Your "flying" comment reminded me of a success story I read on WW where the lady's final goal present to herself was to go skydiving, which she did. Sheesh, I think I would rather just spend the money on a nice expensive handbag and stay with my feet on the ground! Hope your, piecing is going well. I really need to get these socks done, but too sticky for wool yarn at the moment.
Well gals, need to go and unload the dishwasher, reload Jack's breakfast and my dishes and get ready to go across town to swim in awhile. Hope your day is great today. Faye
I have another tale to tell ~ this time it is about DMV. Went to renew the lisence on the Jeep which expires on the first of Aug. They wouldn't do it because they still ~ after 10 months when requested ~ haven't received our title from the lean holder. Will called the bank up and they said one was never requested for they never received the request. He asked if they were calling the state of KS a lyer for he has a copy of the request they sent back last Sept. He contacted the DMV and asked if they would re-request the title and they said they would. Well now we can't drive the Jeep after Saturday until that place sends the title to KS DMV so they can re-issue it and send it back. Then they will take our money and we can get a new lisence plate sticker. That may take some time and we didn't want to rent or borrow a vehicle. Will has been wanting an old truck to haul stuff in and now was a good time to get one. We found a 1999 Ford Super Sport Ranger for $1500 that is extremely clean inside and little damage to the outside and runs good. Was owned by a local ball couch that used it to haul the equipment around in so it has a nice bed liner in it also. It will work for what Will wanted one for and now we have something to drive while waiting for the folks to do the paperwork so we can drive the Jeep. I believe we got lost in the shuffle when Wells Fargo took over the bank we used to buy the Jeep in the first place. I call them Welch as Far as You Go. I wish that this local DMV had notified us that they hadn't received the document and we could have been tracking it down way before we went to buy the lisence. OH well, it will be what it will be at least we have a neat little truck now. The air conditioner works great in it also. And it has good tires. Plus an extended cab for a place for Ragg Mopp to ride. Real clean inside like new.
DONNA FAYE good for you going swimming. Those insurance employees are dumb as a box of rocks I have decided.
JEAN We fired Medicare because all they did was take our money and never, NEVER ever paid for any medical procedure we had done. It is cheaper in the long run for us to pay as we go which isn't often. Our major medical is through another carrier.
SUSAN I don't know why Splenda won't work on those pickles. I used the kind that measures like sugar and I will see if they turn out as good as the ones I made before with sugar.
Everyone have a lovely evening. Type at y'all later.
Bob learned an interesting tidbit yesterday. There is a bike club that rides RAGBRAI together each year consisting of 90 big tents -- all the same color. They took up one whole park area near us which they reserve in advance. They had 3 semis -- one for showers, one is a bar, and one is used for their personal items, bike parts, and the tents. Their meals are being catered by a local restaurant at each overnight stop along the route, and there are other support people along who set up the tents according to a grid, put the personal belongings in each tent, then pack it all back up the next morning. All the bikers have to do is ride their bikes. 
Thanks for sharing the McD coupon info; I will check it out.
!
from Iowa!
Titilating Tuesday
We have grates which we put the slices on and netting for cover. They dry nicely in the summer heat here and the netting keeps the bugs off. The apples on the tree are looking good and we can dry some of the slices.
I don't think I've ever seen them labeled except the greenhouse ones are seedless. 
Instead of 3 fibers it had 6 in it and that was such a good smoothie. I got the small one which was plenty. I will get that smoothie again.
Computers are only as good as the people who put the information in. Bob has had to untangle several messes because fathers and sons farmed together, some having the same first name. Is the book you mentioned in a series?
You will have to ask your quilting friend if they have ever heard of the Ragbrai ride across Iowa. There are people who come from other countries to ride. Riding across the state would be pretty tame for them if they ride across the U. S. 
