I gotta agree re: the dry rub vs. sauce. I prefer a dry rub over sauce any day.
Home!! 
We were on the road by 6:30 and we got to the diner in Annapolis a bit before 8. After we breakfasted, we had a lot of time to kill before the Sailrite store opened, so we drove first to a boatyard just to walk around and then to a boat junk consignment store to look at boat junk and buy some Cetol for our teak - it’s like varnish. By then, it was time to head to our main destination, only to discover that they didn’t have what we wanted and the store was closing anyway. All business with Sailrite will be on line from now on. Oh well. We were able to order what we wanted, which we could have done without driving 90 minutes…
**FCD **has gone to the boat to install a new float switch. It’s an important device that turns on the bilge pump when the bilge starts to fill with water. Our last one burned out… :eek: But in a little while, we’ll have a new one installed, so there’s that. I just got finished cleaning 2 more quarts of strawberries - I see another pie in our future. And the jam seemed to come out fine. I had to keep turning and shaking it as it cooled to keep the fruit from separating, but it looks pretty good now that it’s set up. I don’t trust my seals, so it’s in the fridge.
Scruffy is at he groomer’s, daughter is probably unpacking at her new place, and I’m going to stitch up the main seam on the sail cover in a little bit. Taz just peed on the love seat again, so it’s saturated with a cat pee deodorizer. I’ll drag out the carpet/upholstery cleaner in a bit.
That’s all I’ve got for now. I was going to volunteer to start the show on Monday, but I have nothing exciting to share. However, if no one else wants it, I’ll light the fire…
It’s a great day to marry off my faux daughter!
The CatKid’s maid (or matron, we’re still fighting that one out) of honor to be, and bestest friend forever is getting married today. Kristen is going to be a beautiful bride, marrying a nest guy that just weeks ago got to put M.D. after his name. They’re off after a quick honeymoon to where he’ll do his residency.
I say that even though she’s a gorgeous, 25 year old, and ‘matron’ sounds old lady-ish, that by tradition she’ll be a matron of honor in October because she’s married (or will be), am I right?
I agree with you swampus and taters…dry rub is the only way to go with ribs. mr ems makes gooooooooood ribs
LibbyCat woke me up early this morning by staring at me for a really long time. As soon as I opened my eyes the ‘I am staaaaarving and wasting away’ mews started. Good job the little booger is cute.
I pulled the washer and dryer out and scubbed the walls in the utility room last night as well as scrubbed the floor and got down on my hands and knees and cleaned the grout in the tile. So far this morning I have blue taped the hell out of the utility room - I paint but I am not the neatest painter during the process - been to Home Depot to pick up bathroom paint and a new roller, grocery store to get couple of things I forgot yesterday, got coffee, picked up round the house, ran the dishwasher, folded yesterdays laundry and Skyped my parents. Now I am about to unleash the paint! I want to get 2 coats done in the utility today and hopefully one in the little bathroom but we shall see.
I need music to paint to though or it aint getting done.
Today and tomorrow are painting days and Monday I plan to do nuttin
I am watching closely for gorillas, swampy, but have yet to detect any. It’s hot out. I’ve planted 3 containers and have 2 to go, I think. Also, I’ve pulled some weeds.
I think I’ma quit after the containers because it’s hot and I want to run some errands before going to the graduation open house that we’re invited to. If I decide to go. I don’t really feel like it; the family is really friends with my brother. They’re very nice and welcoming and all, but I’m not feeling very sociable. We’ll see how I feel later.
Now it’s back to the garden!
GT
I know you’ve all been waiting for the taste test - well, wait no more. The jam is mega-yummerrific! I don’t expect it to last long. And I do expect to be buying more berries. It looks like 2 quarts will make 4 pints of jelly, wow -what a concept!!
Laundry is done. I’m going to knit the evening away. So be good while I’m signed off. I don’t want any shenanigans in my absence! I’m looking at you, bear!!! 
It’s too hot here already. We’re breaking records! Go Houston! Blech.
I did take the pups to the dog park this morning, though. It wasn’t too bad with the breeze blowing, as long as I stood in the shade. I still got a bit of sunburn, but that’s ok. They’re all still crashed out. 
Dinner will be made indoors. We’re having Chicken marsala, cheese tortellini, and steamed broccoli.
I plan on grilling on Memorial Day. Hot dogs with chili sauce, and macaroni and cheese.
This is apparently “Buy A Lotta Shit” weekend at Chez Vunder.
Bought an outdoor table, tiki torches, and grill accessories so I can have a smokefest tomorrow.
Went to Fredricksburg today so VWife could buy more shtuff, handing me the tab.
Spent $700 for the Foomobile so it will pass a Merrylande inspection (brakes and muffler), and I still have 1 major gig to fix that I thought was minor. The driver’s seat rocks because the front of the slide track is loose; looks like the bolt broke. It’s beyond my skills and tool set to fix. :mad:
A trip to the freezer showed a lack of meat to smoke, so I’ll be headed to the grocery store soon to fix that.
It’s only money… :rolleyes:
The bat mitzvah was today!!
Today I’m exhausted. I’ll post later.
She was marvelous.
I’m so proud.
Yay for wunnerful Bat Mitzvah Soapy! Can’t wait for the pix.
Dindin is about to be consumed. Much partyage has ensued. Bear buzzed. Life good!
Food Time!!!111
Done gardening for today. Have walked around the 'hood and bought a fancy grilled cheese sandwich from the food truck du jour. It had bacon in it. It was yum. Should probably eat only veggies tomorrow in order to balance things out.
No gorillas were sighted.
Off to knit and find something mindless to watch.
GT
Wow, **Bobbio, **you did drop some coinage today!
I’m glad the Bat Mitzvah was wonderful, Soapy!
I did manage to get my Expedition to the emission inspection and passed, but then the car tab place was closed because it was a holiday weekend. Drat! I’ll have to be real careful come Wednesday. There’s no chance of me getting the tabs on Tuesday. I absolutely have to be at work because of the STOOPIT joint incentive funding project.
After finding out I couldn’t get my tabs, I stopped by PetSmart where I dropped some coinage on fish supplies, dog treats, flea medication, and a new collar for Brandi.
I came back home and was checking through Craiglist for a dog kennel/run and found a great deal on one that would be ideal. It looks to be in awesome shape, is large, and they only want 1/3 to one half what other kennels that size would go for. Even better, they live in this area.
I emailed them immediately (they didn’t have a phone number on the ad). I hope someone else hasn’t snapped it up, but I’m beginning to think they have already found a buyer. 
This whole thing has been an exercise in frustration. I just can’t drop the money on a new one; not for the size I need.
I want the dogs to be able to run a little and have room to play when we have to leave them in there. Anyway, wish me luck.
ems, I meant to say to you much earlier that I’m sending good thoughts to Mr. ems and his mother. I hope she pulls through.
Up early (thanks, Scruffy) - probably a good thing anyway. I don’t want to get used to sleeping in then have a crappy Tuesday when I have to get up at 5 again. So there’s that.
We’re going to breakfast, then **FCD **and I are going to his office to install the whiteboards he made. He used 4X8 panels from Lowe’s framed in oak. For less than $100, he made 2 whiteboards that would have cost his company about $700 each. Guess that’s why they keep him around…
Anyway, after we’re done with that, I’m going to WalMart for assorted stuff and he’s going to the boat. We’ll meet back at home and figure out the rest of the day at that point. It’s weird having daughter gone after 3 years. In another month or so, we’ll start disassembling the apartment and turning the basement back into ManLand. We’ve decided to hire someone to do the sheetrock work, since we both hate it and it’ll be cheaper than having a new workshop built.
Seems we’re always doing something to the house…
Anyway, Happy Sunday!
Good Mornin’ Y’all! Up and caffienatin’ YAWN 'Tis 73 Amurrkin out with a predicted high of 94, which, believe it or not, is slightly cooler than normal so guess I should be glad for that. Plans call for a lazy afternoon at the pool after deheathenization. Sounds good to me!
Yesterday was wunnerful! Good times. Good friends. Good food. Good adult beverages. Food leftover for N.O.L. today even. YAY!!! The last of the partyers left around nine thirty last night. I had loaded the dishwasher already so when I closed the garage door, I turned on the dishwasher and we crashed. OYKW is still crashed but I’ve been up an hourish now. I slept good and was ready to get up.
gt I’m glad you didn’t see any gorillas. They’re sneaky so ya never know!
Glad the Bat Mitzvah went well Soapy! Lookin’ forward to the pics. You startin’ us off tomorrow?
I trust there is now meat for smokeage BBBobbio.
MOOOOOOM of course there’s always sump’n to do in a house. It’s a house. They own us even though it’s us who pay for 'em.
Now I need more caffiene and need to figure out sump’n for brekkie. Also purtification for deheathenization must commence at some point. I get to ush today. Rah.
Happy Sunday Y’all!
Brekkied and purtified here. Waitin’ on OYKW to finish purtification, though I don’t know why. I know he ain’t wantin’ to leave as early as I need to due to ushin’ duties. Well, I do know why, cause I don’t wanna leave just yet myself. This is me ramblin’ on just cause I feel like ramblin’.
Been up since 5:00 because I was coughing my head off and couldn’t sleep. I guess it’s just allergies, but damn it gets old.
Breakfast has been et and I’m working on the grocery list and meal planning. No coupons in the paper! Grr…
Laundry has been started.
I think I’m gonna grill some shrimp skewers, along with some grilled veggies for pasta primavera. I need something for dessert. Maybe strawberry shortcake?
I’m up and have been for a bit. I’ve given Polar his meds, let the dogs out and back in after doing their bidness, and made some coffee.
The guy that was selling the kennel contacted me. We went out and looked at it and decided we wanted it. We offered ten bucks more than he asking to deliver it to our house. He only lives a few miles from us and he thought that was reasonable.
Anyway the kennel is in good shape and today, after the lawn is mowed, we’ll put it up. I’d like to get some kennel flooring, but boy howdy is that stuff expensive!
We’ll have to do it a few pieces at a time. The kennel is 14LX8WX6H so that’s a lot area to cover. For now, we’ll zip tie a tarp to partially cover it and give the dogs protection from rain and sun.
Hubby wanted to be up early today so we could dash to Home Depot or Lowes and get some pavers to put around the edge to prevent the dogs from digging out. He also wanted to pick up some propane. I don’t think we’re going to make it early anyway.
I’m supposed to go out to lunch with my friends, but I’d rather cancel and get stuff done around here. I want the kennel set up and the dogs used to it before I go to work on Tuesday.
I had a whole post ready last night and then my internet crapped out on me and I was to tired to mess with it. Anyways…
Utility room is painted with 2 coats, cabinet is sanded and cabinet doors are in the garage having also been sanded and are awaiting priming and painting. Little bathroom walls have been washed down, floor scrubbed & grout cleaned ready for today. I have put the utility room back together this morning and have a load of sheets that just finished washing and need putting in the dryer.
It is amazing how much I can accomplish when I am staying busy in order to avoid worrying about something else.
Thanks for the thoughts and wishes for mr ems mom. He called me early this morning - they rushed her to the hospital at 2AM as she had chest pains. They diagnosed her with pneumonia so she is back in the hospital for a while.
I had better get to painting…
Back from breakfast and shopping and helping **FCD **put up the 2 whiteboards. I got some half pint Bell jars and I’m trying to remember when peach season is. I also got a canning kit with the fancy funnel and the jar tongs and some other stuff I can’t remember. I’m thinking I’ll get another couple of quarts of strawberries and make preserves so we’ll have a good supply till next spring.
I also got a graham cracker crust - I’m going to try a strawberry pie in that, just to see how it works out, since I have 2 quarts that are just slightly too ripe for just eating. And I got the fixin’s for a coupla quiches - swiss and broccoli and mushroom.
{{{**ems **and fambly}}} - stay strong!
**Taters **- what is kennel flooring? I’m assuming a hunk of indoor/outdoor carpet will just become a chew toy.
Well, off to the kitchen with me…
**FCM, **there are many different types of kennel flooring.
What I wanted was something that’s similar to composite decking but made for kennels. It’s slightly elevated and liquids would run through the cracks, like a regular deck. You can simply hose it off (it’s treated with microbes), it keeps the dogs off the wet ground, and they won’t turn the area into a mudpit and track it in my house.
They have one piece flooring which is some sort of big synthetic sheet of material that is dig and chew resistant, but it’s $500.00!:eek: The composite materials come in 2X2 foot squares that are interlocking. Those squares run anywhere from ten bucks a piece to forty something a piece. Considering I’d need over fifty, that’a quite a lot of money too.
Here are some examples:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=kennel+flooring