booklovers! whatcha reading? weekend~ 11/18-11/19

Karen and Gareth, I did have a lot of stuffing left over, but I love stuffing, so that's always good for me. If I remember the cornbread stuffing went over well, I honestly think they liked everything. I will admit, I don't think there is anything I have ever made that people did not like. My DB is also a very good cook, so his things are usually very good, and his wife makes 2 things I love, broasted potatoes, which I am not even sure how they are made but for some reason I love them, and Waldorf Salad. A cousin of mine often makes things I don't think are great, but she makes a great mashed sweet potatoes with pecan topping. DDIL's DM makes a corn pudding that I love, but it turns out it is a pretty common recipe, so I have made it too. 

Karen, good idea to keep that meeting short, but 8 am would not be the start time I would pick, I would rather sleep later. Of course if it were a later meeting, you would feel like the day is over by the time you get home.

Gareth, was it your sister who lived somewhere near a river, where they had problems years ago? I haven't heard you mention her recently.

Anngie, when someone lives to an older age, which so many people are doing these days, it is easier to say they lived a long happy life than to be sorry they died. Although these days living until 90 is not unusual at all. Have a great trip. I think you said you are going  down on Tuesday, which is good because there might be rain Wednesday. I just hope we make it easily. As far as DDIL's parents go, we did get really mad at them about something that went on at the wedding, but I am more or less over that. What was really funny was when their son got married, and she finally realized what being the groom's family meant.

Carol, I was wondering also, why your DH and I both have a rash. It's not common for me to have at all, I don't know if I ever remember having something like this, so who knows. If you hear of any explanation, let me know. 

DS2, DDIL and Leo are coming about 3:30. One of DS's best friends bought a house not far from us, and they are going to visit there first. The things I ordered Leo came, these are belated birthday presents. Next I will have to think about Chanukah. Interesting thing about DS's friend. DH's youngest brother had 3 very close friends from high school. One year, when we went to visiting day at our DS's sleep away camp, we are waiting on line for lunch, and someone says to DH, "aren't you Gary's brother?" It was one of those friends. It turns out the boys were in the same bunk, but they hated each other. By the next year, they became friends (that was when they were 11), and have been BFF's ever since. They lived about 10 minutes or so from us, but different school district, but they have maintained the friendship. Also, DDIL went to camp with them too, so knew him.

I have been trying to get into Iona Iverson's Rules of Commuting, but really haven't been able to. I am going to start Hang the Moon, by Jeanette Walls instead. Iona is amusing, but just not sucking me in, but maybe it's the cold. 

Robin, yes DSIS lives in a year round cabin on the Mississippi River that was my Dad's. When he died she bought out my half of it. I had no desire to have it. She loves it there even with the occasionally flooding. I'll be curious how you like Hang the Moon. I love her books especially Glass Castle.

I love stuffing. My favorite is done in the bird. My DM's was the best. It had sausage in it but there wasn't big chunks like I've had in others. You couldn't pick pieces out and wouldn't even really know it was in my DM's but it sure added something to it. I don't think she cooked it before preparing the stuffing. Wish I had her recipe. DSIS makes a good dressing except for the fact she puts chopped up giblets in it that I have to eat around. My DSIS is a really good cook and loves cooking but it's been years since I had her cooking. 

With the two pies and dressing I’ll make for Thanksgiving dinner, I picked up what I can transport down there and then sent a short list to DDIL to add to her weekly grocery list. The apple pie I’ll make Monday but the pumpkin needs refrigeration so I’ll make it down there. 

I’ll also make the dressing there. Like you mentioned, Gareth, I make my dressing with sausage too. I cook it ahead and break it up into very small pieces. While I’m cooking it I also cook the celery. Then mix it all together with the slightly stale bread and broth. You’d never know the sausage is in it but it adds so much flavor and moisture. I can’t add the onions as DDIL doesn’t like them. If I were home I would certainly add them. 

Yes, we’re following the weather for Tuesday. We might miss the rain for the first couple of hours, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we run into it somewhere in PA and possibly all the way down. Rain isn’t a problem as much as freezing rain is and going south this time of year I doubt the temps will be so low as to freeze. But then, look what happened to us last Christmas!  NEVER expected that trip. 

Good morning.
28, clear, with the temp going up to 43.

Gareth, I think it is a good thing that I am the only one in the family that likes pecan pie. I whine that I do not get my favorite, but it is all for the better, as I know I would have a big piece. On top of the food, I will eat for dinner; you know, all the heavy food, having dessert is just better left off my tracking for the day. 
How did your DH do with the shot...any reaction? Hope all is well.

Robin, I too love stuffing. We all loved my DM's recipe, or I should say loved how she made it, as I have her recipe, the one she wrote out herself, but I feel it does not taste the same. As with others that mentioned gizzards and the liver, she also put those in, but I refuse. I just can't work with those.
I put the sage sausage and ground round in, all ground up very tiny, and cooked before it goes in the stuffing, along with other things, such as celery and onions, with a little bit of the herbs. I use the Brownberry sage and onion cubed stuffing mix. 
I read something the other day about bringing the taste of mashed potatoes up a bit, with adding things like a TBL of lemon juice or vinegar; I guess it brings the taste up, or some parmesan cheese, which sounds interesting. Also the thing about adding to mashed potatoes was said that when getting them started in the pot of water, ALOT of salt should be added. I have always put salt in it, but not a lot. 
I love Zelle! My credit union has it, right along with the other functions I can do in my account, and my DD2 has it too, so (unfortunately, lol) it is easy for me to send her money, if she needs to borrow some, but then it is very easy to pay me back. She had borrowed some money the beginning of this month, with the promise of paying me back by the end of December, so I was very happy when I got a text from the CU that she had deposited the money through Zelle a week or so ago. She wanted to surprise me, since her and her DH had gotten paid and had a ton of overtime on the checks, and the first thing they wanted to do was pay Grandma back. Very nice surprise. 

Carol, so sorry about the migraine. Do you have any idea what sets it off? I read something about migraines (part of it was about the ocular migraines like I have) and they said that certain things can set off a migraine. Even saying an ocular migraine can be predicted, which I disagree with it. I can be just sitting watching TV, and it starts. Of course, they blame caffeine, which is another I disagree with, as I can drink decaf coffee, full strength, or 50/50 and I still can get it. And stress, as usual is a culprit. 
Oh no, about your DH's rash spreading! I am surprised by the diagnosis. I would bet hives, more than poison ivy! But of course, I am not a doctor.
I understand our parents putting the giblets and liver in the dressing/stuffing, as they had to use everything from the bird, with the depression and all, but I have never used those. I remember what it smelled like while my mom was cooking them, before putting it in the stuffing, not a nice smell. 
Thank you, about having to run to work Wednesday morning, I don't mind too much, since it is early and just 2 hours, but yeah, I really don't want it to run late. I think I talked to every single person that will be at the meeting, about Grandma's rule of NO QUESTIONS!!! Hahaha. 

Anngie, oh wow, you are way better than I am, as I feel so weird cooking/baking in someone else's kitchen. But I am sure you and your DDIL have a very nice and comfortable relationship. I would not be able to do that in DD1 kitchen, but maybe in DD2. I do feel comfortable doing dishes wherever I am, so there is that, lol!! The thing you do with the sausage for your dressing is what I do, with ground round mixed with it. (1/2 pound of each). Then add the celery and onions. Oh, my craving for all that is kicking in!! I think a lot of what gets us excited for the dinner is all the smells, while it is all cooking/baking. 
I am embarrassed to say I do not recall what happened to you last year, with your travels. Could you refresh my old brain? 
Have a safe trip there and back, this year, please. Have a wonderful time!!

Stuffing question: I was rereading my DM's written recipe for the stuffing, (her handwriting at that time was ok, but still a bit hard to read), and for the first time I saw she listed an egg to go in it. That threw me off, as I have never put that in. I texted DS about it, and she said whatever I wanted to do as my stuffing has been just fine all the years without it. Do you all think it needs that binding of the egg? I personally think it is weird! But I want to hear your thoughts. If the majority think I should add the egg, I will.

Yesterday was really slow going. Sure thing, the foot started aching, but I tried to ignore it. I also have a cold trying to be a pain in the butt, glad I got another box of the Zicam lozenges. Plus, the cough and congestion pills. All I need to do now is vacuum the living room which I will do Tuesday afternoon. I did end up doing 3 loads of wash, along with the apartment cleaning. The sheets just about walked themselves to the washer! And I decided to wash the blanket too. 
I need to get the a/c's covered. Not in the mood to do that. I guess I could have DBIL do it Thursday, but I hate to always have a chore for him to do when he comes here.

News in our area was the nazi group that marched for 2 hours in Madison, our state capital yesterday. I have very strong feelings about that, but won't say anything more, as I know politics is dicey on here, but REALLY??? A nazi group??? Didn't our parents fight to stop that, in WWII??? This crap has to be stopped!!! Rant done.

Karen, I had not seen anything about that march, as we were so busy yesterday getting ready for DS2 to come, then them leaving around 7, and us just watching TV after that. I agree no politics, but someone who shall remain nameless gave people permission to be hateful towards others. A very big contingent of out of state students at UW Madison are Jewish kids from the NYC area, so I would not be surprised if their parents want them all to get out of there. Not that it hasn't happened at other schools. One of the most popular schools that kids go to around here is Cornell, that had kids barricading themselves in their dorm rooms. 

As far as migraine's go, I find it interesting to say coffee, because one thing they add into Excedrin Migraine is caffeine. I don't get migraines, but when I used to get bad headaches, I would take that and it helped. Come to think of it I have not had that kind of headache in quite a while

As far as Carol's DH having that rash, and me having that rash, that is getting better but still not gone, I was starting to wonder if there was something going around in the country that gave people this rash. It was nothing that really made sense. Hives are more like welts, which is not what I have. 

Gareth, glad your DH did not have a reaction to the shot.

I am going to have to be very careful with what I eat on Thanksgiving, as I have gotten very bad stomach pains when I overeat lately, which is great for my weight, but not very comfortable. We will eat on the early side, so even if I try some of the desserts, it should be early enough not to bother me. 

I just read an article about that march, and as terrifying as it is, there were only about 20 people taking part. 20 people might be 20 too many, but it is not like there were even 100. I think colleges are also being more verbal in terms of condemning these kind of things because of the fact that there are people who are cutting off funding to schools that don't have a rapid enough response.

DS2's favorite toy when he was young was an Easy Bake Oven. DS1 even joked about it in his wedding toast. We realized that Leo would probably love an Easy Bake Oven, so I looked online. I could not believe it is now $169.