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Post by nov21987 on Nov 18, 2018 2:46:09 GMT
I'm glad I'm missing the cold and snow back home!
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Post by holly2007 on Nov 18, 2018 19:24:58 GMT
Hi all,
We did well with our Art Sale. 30% goes to the Art Club to help fund outings. The rest we use to buy books for the library. I took the rest that I didn’t sell to the local Handmade for the Holidays event at the Arts Council. I think those will be my causes each year, and do scaves, blankets, etc for local charities and the church youth Valentine’s fundraiser in the winter.
Sue, NZ is at the top of my bucket list because of the variety of natural beauty.
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Post by nov21987 on Nov 19, 2018 1:40:34 GMT
Glad your art sale went well, Holly.
Today we walked around Auckland and did a red bus tour. Definitely need to come back someday and spend multiple days exploring. Did not get a chance to meet up with my cousin who lives in Christchurch. My mom's brother moved out here many years ago with his family
This is now the 3rd leg of the trip and many people have left the ship, about 350 new people got on.
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jmg44
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Post by jmg44 on Nov 20, 2018 3:22:11 GMT
Very jealous of your seeing NZ, too, Sue—DH wants to go there and then do Australia—I want to just do NZ first and do it well—save the big continent for another trip. Too bad you couldn’t have connected with your cousin—-I did not realize you had relatives there.
Thanks for the suggestion about the eggplant—I bet I could extract some of the liquid in the zucchini that way as well—I loved the calorie count of that lasagna and the taste was good.
Last night I had our traveling friends over (she from Netherlands) for dinner—I made the shrimp chow mien—did it just right—OMG, it was so, so good, and they just loved it. I served a plate of persimmon slices after and they’d never had them and liked those as well. We played a card game and had a tea and some of my Vegan zucchini bread and a couple salted peanut butter cookies. Scott, our friend, loved the cookies so much I sent some home—they are really good. Gluten free—anyway they are always fun to have over—they are going to Sudan the week after Christmas and next summer to South Africa and Angola.
Holly, glad the sale went well—better than last year it sounds like—it’s probably sort of catching on.
Did body sculp and dance today and then spent the day prepping food for TG—made my rib rub and barbecue sause and made a huge pot of vegan chili. Did butternut sq soup yesterday to take. Still have to buy a couple more things—will make pies there—DDIL is bringing spaghetti sauce she made for Friday night—I’m hoping it isn’t loaded with meat—they are total carnivores and she may have forgotten. DD and I will simply load up a baked potato for TG—also roasting some cauliflower.
Has anyone had jack fruit before? I had jackfruit tacos Friday night—they were good. Then came home and watched YouTube videos on how to make “pulled pork” mock sliders out of green jackfruit. Some of them at the Asian market weigh about 40 pounds! DH is going to buy one and wrap it up for DS for Christmas—as a joke sort of but also because we want to try making something for fun. Sue have you had it?
DGD14 leaves for NYC in the morning—have to call her in a minute and wish her a safe trip—her first alone flight this long —has only flown here alone or home from here. She and DGD18 will watch the Macy’s parade Thursday morning!
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jmg44
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Post by jmg44 on Nov 25, 2018 3:55:33 GMT
Just home and unpacked and re-moved-into kitchen again (at least it feels I moved out and back in!). Am exhausted. Had a nice time—very nostalgic for me as the area we were in was very similar to where I lived in Montana as a child/teen. Same flora, total fall mode—no leaves on trees but the pretty monochromatic fall colors. And the smells—just like being “home”.
Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving—my ribs were big hit==DD and I had baked potatoes with lots of veggies and salad and a vegan pumpkin pie which we liked better than regular pumpkin pie.
Played a new game and our old marble card game and taught the little 9 year old how to play spit. DD from CA did not come—-storm moved into Tahoe area and they have no chains or 4 wh drive vehicle.
i am wiped out—just wanted to post before I zone out! JoAnne, know you made a huge dinner for a huge group—hope you survived and found some time to enjoy the day as well. Holly, I assume you were at your folks? Did your brother and sister come home? Did you make a coconut cake?
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Post by holly2007 on Nov 25, 2018 21:13:46 GMT
Hi all,
Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving. My brother came home and brought shrimp, fish, and oysters. My dad made collards from his garden, and my aunt made rice filled acorn squash. We also had a few other odds and ends. A nontraditional, but good Thanksgiving.
Joan, my sister lives here now. She’s working as a CNA in a nursing home and is trying to get into nursing school at the local university.
I have been struggling a lot to stay focused on non work stuff when I’m off. I wish I could make work stay at work.
Thisbyear I am going to try to either make my gifts or buy handmade gifts. There are a lot of local artists that sell stuff around here, so that shouldn’t be too hard.
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jojowo
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Post by jojowo on Nov 27, 2018 5:13:23 GMT
Happy after Thanksgiving all! We had a great time with family- 23 people in my little house. All went smoother than expected and everyone seemed to have a good time. The weather even held out for us and we were able to open up the deck and some ate out there. There were seven in my house for six days! It seemed quiet after everyone left. I Fried the turkey but I think this is the last time I will do that . The actual frying is simple but it’s the carrying the turkey down and up the stairs to the garage where I have the fryer and carrying the fryer up the stairs to wash it that got me. I wish I knew someone who would like to buy the fryer. It is like new only used twice.
Holly glad your sale went well!
Have a terrible cold and cough. Seems to be getting worse than better. Might see someone tomorrow about it.
Trying to empty out our bedroom and bathroom so the remodeling can begin Mon. Week. I am having our Lufe group from church over for a social the day before the remodeling begins
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jojowo
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Post by jojowo on Nov 27, 2018 5:15:59 GMT
Sue your New Zealand adventure sounds so much fun!
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jmg44
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Post by jmg44 on Nov 27, 2018 17:01:14 GMT
JoAnne—wasn’t there someone amongst those 23 people who could have carried that big turkey?? Since my back surgery about five or six years ago, I am really adamant about not carrying things that throw weight into my back—awkward to carry stuff is the worst. I do fine with heavy grocery bags that I carry by handle.
It looks as tho we will have six in the house for Christmas—it will feel pretty tight! Wanted to get a room for DS and his SO but he wants to stay here—With his concussive symptoms still popping up I worry that he won’t have a “get away from it all” spot by staying here. But I guess he wants to risk it.
We were going to keep DGD14 for a few days and drive back with her before NY’s but now she may have to be home on the 27th and if so, we will drive back on the 26th as we have no flight for her and now they are a fortune—might be a better time for us to go anyway. will hope I can rearrange the cat sitter if that is the case.
Yesterday I had a total cooking fail—tried out a Vegan quiche recipe—ugh, it sounded good but tasted horrible—tofu just is not a substitute for something that is basically all egg. I like the crust tho—might try it with my other quiche recipes—it was 1/8 inch sliced sweet potato rounds all layered in a pie plate and sprayed with oil and salt and pepper and baked ahead of the quiche. I like that idea for upping the healthfulness of quiche! The filling sucked!
Doing three classes at the gym today as we leave tomorrow for Los Angeles for four days—will only get walking in then—going to some deal tomorrow night—two guys that do a You Tube car talk show that DH likes—will see them in person doing the show. Then Thursday is free exploring and hope to go to LaBrae tar pits—then Friday we go to the LA car show—DH has wanted to do this for a while. Sat we drive home and Sunday I fly to Sac to surprise DD and DGD14 for the Nutcracker Tea—crazy busy weekend!
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jojowo
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Post by jojowo on Nov 28, 2018 0:59:26 GMT
I fried the turkey ahead and packaged it up for TG day. I didn’t want to be doing it with everyone here- there was so much going on. Good thing I did-we did not stop all week!
Joan what is jack- fruit? Never heard of it! So sorry about the quiche.
Holly - making the items for charity is very generous of you. I know how much work they take.
I went to the urgent care today and got antibiotics, prednisone. And tessalon perles. I have to be very careful with my age and asthma. I have 2 commitments this weekend that I don’t want to miss. One of the Bridge ladies is having us and spouses for dinner and cards Saturday Sunday night we are having our Life group social at my house.
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jmg44
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Post by jmg44 on Nov 28, 2018 3:59:37 GMT
Look up jack fruit on the internet—it is a huge tree fruit that can reach up to 50 to 80 pounds! It grows in India and Indonesia—very interesting fruit—Asian markets carry it. It’s spiny and pokey on the outside—green but gets blotchy brown and softer when ripe—my traveling friends said it has a terrible odor when it’s ripe and is first cut open—but the fruit inside is supposed to be really good. When you get it green you can cook it down and its texture will resemble pork so you can make vegetarian pulled pork sandwiches with it. I watched some YouTube videos about it with DH—was interesting! I think we are going to buy one for DS from SLC for Christmas—DH always likes to get him something funny—it would make a very heavy gift!
Did not realize you cooked the turkey a day ahead.
How is your digestive tract doing? Are you feeling fully recovered ?
We leave in the morning—have not even packed a bag—seems so easy not having to take “the kitchen”!
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jojowo
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Post by jojowo on Nov 29, 2018 4:18:55 GMT
Jack fruit- very interesting! I’ll look it up!
Hi appt tomorrow. Still having issues. Will see how the appt goes.
Prednisone has really helped the respiratory issues but still coughing a lot. Had little sleep and rough night last night. Hope it is better tonight. Had to prop up tp sleep which I don’t like to do.
Jain have fiun on your trip! I enjoy cooking for my children ( DDIL IN California doesn’t cook) but I’m always glad when they want to go out to eat.
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Post by holly2007 on Dec 2, 2018 18:42:17 GMT
Hi all,
Rainy weekend here. I am working on a blanket for my sister. It is going pretty quickly with big needles and bulky yarn.
We start our exam schedule tomorrow. I don’t workany unusual hours this year. I’ll be glad when this semester is over. A new person is coming in after Christmas, so we will be grateful to have the help.
Looking forward to catching up on reading! Never have enough mental energy to focus on reading during semesters.
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jmg44
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Post by jmg44 on Dec 4, 2018 0:17:34 GMT
Holly, pick up The Girl with Seven Names—-OMG, it’s so good—all true—this is the NK girl who escaped and did a TED talk about her years in hiding her identity in China, getting her family out, etc.==it is really an excellent read and so educational! I have not yet finished but it’s amazing.
I’m noticing a lot of cold weather headed to you and JoAnne!
Had an awesome day in Sacramento—back to body sculpt and dance and cooking—-did type up DD’s new resume for her today—she is feeling awful, had oral surgery and they think she may be getting an infection—ugh—has to miss work again tomorrow. Feeling bad for her.
It’s chilly here—high was only around 50 or so past couple days—felt cold in CA too.
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jojowo
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Post by jojowo on Dec 5, 2018 4:20:59 GMT
Joan-so sorry about your DGD and the infection- I’m sure she is miserable
Had Life group from church Sunday night for dinner. Was warm enough that we could eat on the porch- but will be very cold by Friday , I hear.
Demolition of our bedroom and bath completed. Project under way full tilt.
My bathroom scale is Somewhere sodon’t Really know how DH is coming with the wt. seems to be controlling his eating still so far.
Still not totally recovered from bronchitis but better
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