Well, I will be heading over to my brother’s for Thanksgiving and Xmas, but the next planned trip probably won’t be until June.
Laundry is done, will dress appropriately for Sunday dinner and head out in a little bit.
I have mulch/vac’d the front yard - start to finish, it took all of 45 minutes, and that includes changing my shoes before and after, fueling both tanks, then putting a tarp over them against the rain we might or might not get tonight. I’m now having a little lunch. Not sure when I’ll start the corned beef - since FCD and I are both having lunch, dinner at 3 doesn’t make sense, so guess I’ll shoot for the usual time, which means I’ll get started around 2 or so.
That gives me a few hours to crochet and watch more cruising in the Cut. MIL got up, dressed, made her bed, had her meds and breakfast, and she’s now sleeping on the couch. I hope she doesn’t dream - she always gets confused, bordering on upset by her dreams. She sleeps really soundly, so I can watch TV without disturbing her. Still overcast and dreary, but rain isn’t expected till late afternoon/early evening. Definitely a good day to stay inside.
Woke up this morning to an odd smell in the flat. Smokey, barbecue, with a hint of leaves. It was stronger in the hall. Couldn’t imagine anyone cooking something that early, but perhaps a slow cooker thing for after church?
Turns out it is fires from south Jersey. We have had a very dry Oct… there are rain rumour for today.
It is a bit chillyer today, drumstick slippers are needed.
Yes, I do drink straight tap water. Phila has good water. Today’s ice is oak leaves and acorns. We could move on to snitchs if ness…
A quiet breakfast of scrambled eggs, sausage and half an English muffin with Trappist seedless raspberry jam.
Sunday’s local paper has a complimentary WAPO insert. Today’s had a photo of a victorious Trump on the front page. I promptly threw it in the trash after obliterating his stupid face with a pen. Not how I wanted to start my Sunday.
Going to a play later today to zone out and damp down the evil thoughts. “All The Devils are Here” is far from being light fare, but it’s a distraction from the news.
Sadie wanted to be fed at 0400 this morning and wouldn’t be denied. Then used her box and really stunk up the joint, requiring turning on the exhaust fan to evacuate the miasma.
Please, tell me about the mustard glaze. Also do you cook the pork loin in the oven or? I make pork tenderloin often and your recipe sounds like a good thing to do with it!
Started Typing: 11:42 AM ET
Clicked Reply: 1:10 PM ET
A belated “Happy Doperversary” to swampy! 
I’d planned to catch up with y’all yesterday, but my personal trainer texted me at 9am to say he’d had a cancellation and ask if I could possibly meet him at 10am instead of 12pm. I could, and actually didn’t mind, but by the time I finished my workout and went to the grocery store and took Bailey for a walk I just wanted to eat lunch and read my book and not get back on the computer. 
After reading for a while, I started watching TV (of course): one of the things I saw was a Netflix documentary called The Remarkable Life of Ibelin. When a Norwegian gamer died of a degenerative muscular disease at the age of 25, at first his parents mourned what they thought had been a lonely and isolated life: soon, though, they were inundated with messages from his online community, and learned that he’d had friends, had positively affected the lives of several people, and had even fallen in love. It was touching, and more engaging than I’d expected. I mention it by way of recommending it*, but also because watching it has prompted me to tell every Mumper – every Mumper – that I value and care about each of you more than you’ll know. I’m quite grateful for this diverse group of interesting, hardworking, clever, talented, witty, and (mostly) good-hearted people. 
*FWIW: It’s mostly in English, but with some subtitles.
On Friday evening I had a moment of panic about the peony bush that the landscapers cut to the ground on Tuesday: I mentioned it to Wife BFF – who enjoys plants and gardening – and sent her a photo, and she said the flowers wouldn’t come back for several seasons! I was beside myself! (In addition to the obvious, who knows if I even have several more seasons in this house?!) But then she said she wasn’t entirely sure, so I consulted both Facebook and The Internet: luckily, a few other friends in my area said they cut their peonies to the ground every fall and they always come back in the spring…and The Internet agreed. One friend said the “several seasons” thing might be true if the peonies have been moved or divided, and The Internet added that it can also happen if they are pruned too early. But, the consensus is that cutting them to the ground in November might actually help with the spring flowering. Phew!!
Last night I made the mistake of looking at retired Lego sets on Amazon, and now a London double-decker bus, the White House, and a small Charles Dickens (A Christmas Carol) holiday set are on their way. 
It’s been almost a month since I finished my last one (the Statue of Liberty), but it feels like longer! This coming Saturday I’ll be going to a “bricks and brews” event with my BFFs’ son: it’ll be fun to build a small set with him. Then, by the following weekend all of the new sets should have arrived. I’ll have 3 quick holiday sets to build, and will likely also tackle the double-decker before Thanksgiving. The White House might have to wait: once I start decorating for Christmas any Lego assembly gets paused for a month, because my only table gets used for decor until shortly before New Year’s.
Time for some replies, then lunch (a banana, the last of the leftover pizza from Friday night’s order, and cookies) and more book-reading!
There is such a position; called exactly that here!
In my county, election officers rotate through all of the positions – the only ones who don’t are the provisional specialists, because that role requires extra training (when there are no provisional voters in the polling place we act as “floaters” and can help with any other position, but we can’t actually be assigned to another role because we always have to be available). Our Chief had everyone else change positions every two hours: she had a spreadsheet to help with efficiency and fairness, but was also open to requests. So, nellie, if you only wanted to be a greeter or hand out stickers/help people scan their ballots, that could be an option (but would be up to your Chief).
Holy cow…I’ll say. 
I’ve had it for many years. For as long as I can remember I’d notice it at night in bed, before falling asleep in a quiet room, but in the summer of 2018 I suddenly started experiencing dizzy spells (sometimes severe) and the tinnitus became amplified – and became audible all of the time. The dizziness came and went for the next five months, but despite tests nothing was ever diagnosed (e.g., it wasn’t Ménière’s) and to this day I have no idea what brought it on. I went to an audiologist that fall: luckily, my hearing wasn’t affected. It still isn’t, which I’m inexpressibly grateful for (because my singing would be impacted). All in all I have a mild case, but it’s a strange thing for silence to no longer be an option.
I have four big trees in my back yard, and when it’s windy at this time of year I often think/tell the dog that it looks like it’s snowing leaves.
I noticed that while walking Bailey yesterday, and had the same thought.
Ha! 
My mom’s dedicated wooden spoon was for threatening my brother and me if we misbehaved.
It’s an Italian thing.
Um, I would be freaked out if I found a random pile of dirt in my house…and more so if it wasn’t local dirt! Do you have any ideas?
I’m so glad that you were! 
Sounds like a solid plan.
No greeters here.
At the election before this one (a local primary) I was a generic “poll worker” – basically a spare body to cover for people who were on break.
Sounds like a plan! Both the ‘keep it’ and ‘swat intruders with it’. A dear neighbor gifted me a pink ‘women belong in the White House’ sign, I’ma keeping that one too.
Apparently also an Irish thing, judging by our neighbors when I was a kid.
FCD and MIL are both napping - she’s barely been awake 10 minutes in a row today, he just had a bad night, so the house is quiet and mine!! I just put the corned beef on to start and I peeled and chunked the spuds to be added later. For now they’re in a bowl of water with the carrots. So I’m about to go back to TV and crocheting.
That’s how we do it too, except we don’t have a provisional specialist-our Chief does that unofficially although any of us can handle it if we aren’t slammed. Two clerks, two judges, one Inspector. At any one time, if one clerk or judge is a democrat the other has to be a republican or independent, so we tend to rotate in pairs. People willing to declare themselves as democrats where I am are at a premium so I often end up being reassigned at the last minute to keep some other than my home precinct legit.
Years ago we bought a set of Noritake “Homecoming” dishes at an estate sale. It was service for 12. I paid about $50.00 for it I do not have a very large kitchen so I just found room for it all. Out of all of those dishes we used the dinner plates, the soup bowls and sometimes the salad plates.
The dessert plates, cups, saucers, salt, pepper, cream, sugar and two serving pieces were never taken down out of the highest cabinet shelf. I have often thought about doing something about this but never got around to it.
Today we were at Supertarget. We found some nice stoneware dishes, service for 4 with dinner plates, salad plates and nicely sized soup bowls. I bought two sets. We also bought a set of glassware.
We have spent the last three hours in the kitchen boxing up the old dishes and emptied every shelf. We sorted stuff down and boxed up most of the old coffee mugs, the travel mugs and miscellaneous glassware. All of this is sitting on a table in my garage waiting to be loaded up tomorrow for the trip to Goodwill.
The new dishes and glasses are in the dishwasher. When they are done we will start re-arranging everything in all of the kitchen cabinets. We have a lot of free space now.
We did that in the June primary. This election the chief never really brought it up unless someone needed a break then we worked it out among ourselves.
T
Basically, just put an appropriate amount of prepared mustard (your choice of yellow, brown, dijon, German, etc) and add whatever sweetening that you have on hand (I used up some local honey today, but you can use molasses, maple syrup or even brown sugar). It’s pretty much the glaze that my mom always used for ham or pork roast. I generally don’t put it on until about a half hour before the roast comes out of the oven so’s it doesn’t burn.
The peonies beneath my dad’s kitchen window have been mowed off in late October every year since ~1967 and they produce beautiful blooms every year.
I had a set of good china that I hauled around from place to place for years, mostly wedged into small kitchens. The last move (8 years ago), I boxed it up and donated it to ARC (they are the only outfit around here who does pick up). Now, I use the everyday dishes all of the time, even on the rare times that I entertain here at home.
Sunday dinner was quite tasty. Instead of frying the cabbage, I cut it into wedges and surrounded the poke roast with it. I should have given it a head start in the oven, given that once the poke and sweet taters were done, the cabbage was still needing more cook time. I put it into a dutch oven with a little bit of broth and finished it on top of the stove. Now for KP and chillage.
Hmm. I think a few people vote at the elections office, or at least they did until TPTB moved it to Tumwater, for some weird reason. I wonder if I could just stand outside the doors and say, “Hello! Welcome to the 2028 polling place for the federal election!” I wouldn’t wear anything partisan or hand out anything, and I’d smile equally at everyone. I’d probably get arrested or yelled at.
I believe patience is required for the 45 minutes part. At least, it would be for me.
swampy, you’re a good bear. Hope OYTW recuperates pronto.
doggio, do you get exhausted working a physical job 6 days a week? And does Spot behave himself while you’re gone, or do you come home to the TP strewn about? (“I was celebrating National Cat Day by throwing myself a ticker tape parade.”)
shoe, I’m SO happy you got a random act of kindness! Or think of it as the universe saying, “I see you, and I like you.”
What IS it about this area and rats? I’ve never known so many tidy people who have to fight off rats.
Cat Glove, kudos for continuing to breathe after a helluva year.
Whoops! Almost time for the phone call with the kids.
Howdy Y’all! I deheathenated and verged. I spoke with the other verger afterwards about the need for additional training for some folks. The kids do pretty well, it’s some of the adults that need reminding of things. Especially the two serving this morning. We don’t and wouldn’t single anyone out, so it’ll be a general get everyone together for general reminders and so forth. However I will make sure those two are in attendance.
When I got home OYKW was heatin’ up soup so we had chikin noodle soup and cheese toast for N.O.L. Then nappage occurred. He’s feelin’ a lot better today but I will still sleep in the guest bedroom tonight.
Now ‘tis time for Netflix, chill and popcorn.
Not only do I have MIL’s Wedgwood china, but there’s a couple of boxes with the everyday stoneware they used for the last dozen or so years. I don’t need or want any of it, but we’re hesitant to dispose of anything while she’s still alive (not quite sure why.) But unless we find someone who needs dishes, it’ll all go to the thrift store.
While MIL was napping earlier, she managed to open up a cut from yesterday and came out holding 2 bloody tissues against her hand. For some reasons, she said she’d wait till FCD woke up, but I persuaded her to go sit in the bathroom and I cleaned and bandaged the boo-boo. It wasn’t deep, but it skinned across several capillaries, so it bled a lot. Plus her skin is so thin, it doesn’t take much for her to bleed. Then she sat up for about 15 minutes, before going back to bed. Every time she does, I remember my mom’s sister who ate a little breakfast, went back to bed, and died…
I just pulled the corned beef out of the pot to rest while the veggies simmer a bit longer. Supper will be yum!!!
According to weather radar, we should have rain moving thru over the next 2 hours - hope so! Glad I did leaves yesterday and today - they’re so much easier to dump when they’re dry. And I’ll do a mulch/vac again later this week.
Speaking of later this week, Tobias turns 3 on Firday!! Hard to believe…
The phone call with my kids was great. I can’t wait to see them! I thought daughter and SIL had changed their minds and were coming that Thursday, but nope, still Friday, leaving Sunday. Son, wife, and dogs are all coming Thursday, will spend the night, and return home Friday evening. I already told them that we’ll have lasagna or cacciatore on Friday.
Now, do I do a turkey breast for Thursday? I mean, it IS Thanksgiving. OTOH, herbed pork roast sounds good. Could I still serve dressing/stuffing?
I’m very happy.
Evening all. Spent most of the afternoon watching tackleball at the gym while either walking or pedaling machines that remained in one place. Mucho calories burned, so despite the extra helping of meatloaf at Logan’s my weight should remain good come weigh-in day tomorrow. Need to call brother and finalize plans for the holiday, sometimes they head out to one of their kid’s locations when they (the kids) can’t get time off of work. Hope it’s in driving distance, this is the first year I have not been on an airplane in probably 35 years and I’d like to keep it clean, just because I can. Rain due late tonight and on Wednesday, so should see cooler temperatures soon.
rocky, when I think fire in Jersey, smelling BBQ and leaves are not my first thought; tires and industrial smells are more my thinking…but I may be wrong.
Cookie, well, at least her internal plumbing seems to be working; hope the smelly stuff isn’t a continuing issue.
Amen!
Oopsie, glad the peony bush will return come summer (appendages crossed). And have fun with the Lego-mania.
Hippie, only dishes I have are a 8-piece ‘set’ I bought at Wal-Mart many years ago. Have broken a few but in general they have served well. Brother and Sis-in-law got both families ‘good china’, have no idea what they did with and don’t much care.
nellie, doesn’t matter what you fix, the kids will know it was made with love and appreciate it. Stay happy.
And need to get on the phone now. Take care all and if i don’t make it back for the late night report, catch y’all on the next MMP.
I get it and it’s wonderful. I’m so happy that happened to you
Grins proudly.
Most under the sink R/O systems don’t require a plumber and they don’t damage the existing pipes. If you get one, you can take it with you when you leave to avoid losing your deposit over illegal modifications.
Oh, I hope you have fun. Will the piping be an issue? My piping skillz are not great, I can’t imagine how bad they would be after having shoulder surgery.
Do you cut the windows out before baking? TIL, thank you. I made a gingerbread house years ago and the windows were just a mess. Mine didn’t go on display, we just laughed at it and then proceeded to eat it. Still tasted good.
Oh, how dare he!
Hubs once used my stitching scissors to cut a piece of paper. That was over 40 years ago and he has never forgotten, LOL!
I’m glad you had such a fun and productive day. Also happy the drive home was deer free!
That’s where the sniks went, they ate poison rodents and died, we lost a lovely kingsnik to a neighbor’s poisoned rodent. I’ve never seen a tree frog in CONUS, I was kinda hoping to be able to hear them by the river but no joy.
I would not use croutons for stuffing only because they are so pricey. If I was in your shoes, oh hell yeah, that’s going to be some good stuffing if someone doesn’t let it get soggy and mushy!!!
Thank you so much!
Ya’ll been so close. Bikes, booze and booty.
The only place I’ve ever had good tap water is Big Bear, CA. The water in Scottsdale was so bad, it stained my linen canvas (I was dabbing water on the threads because I was doing drawn and pulled work). Our vet told us to stop giving our cats tap water over 30 years ago and we haven’t looked back since.
You are already well trained, what a lucky kittah!
I wrap the loin in bacon, then put it in our slow cooker. Sprinkle a package of French Onion soup over it and add half a cup of water. Cook on low for 8 hours. Plan to use a spatula and slotted spoon to get it out, it will be fall apart tender when done.
Oh good. I was upset over them whacking your bushes so harshly, I’m glad they didn’t do any lasting damage.
Will the White House also have history like the Notre Dame? If so, please remember to photo-document for our viewing pleasure.
You are valued and looked for as well.
My mom had a spatula for that!
I was and am pretty freaked out as well. We have NO idea how it got there. The doors were locked, nobody broke in just to leave a pile of dirt on the floor and then lock up on their way out.
We used to have to step into mud after a storm and the mud would sometimes get stuck in the treads of our shoes. Usually we wiped our feet good and then took our shoes off when we came inside, but sometimes a line of dried mud would end up on the floor and crumble just like that line of dirt.
We don’t have mud here. We have grass and concrete. We don’t really have summer and winter shoes so neither of us put on a pair that hadn’t been worn since we moved.
I do know that the woman who lived here last year died in our driveway, and it seemed like her kids and grands let her die alone and in squalor with no working fridge or HVAC. She might still be mad at them, but I wouldn’t expect an angry ghost to manifest by dropping dirt on the floor.
I will keep you posted!
How satisfying! I’ll bet your cabinets look great!
Good news about him feeling better, not so good that you are sleeping alone again, but at least one of you needs to be well so you can take care of each other.
Geeze, we are getting OLD!!!
Your table, you can put whatever you want on it!
It sounds like you are going to have a lovely visit, I’m happy too!
Things here were so much the same. There was a U-haul in the new neighbor’s driveway yesterday so I put chocolate chips on our shopping list so I can make some welcome cookies. I really hope they don’t have allergies or weight problems.
Hubs has asked that I don’t bake sweet things because he will eat them all. Back in AZ, I could give cookies away to many people, but all of our current neighbors are old and have food restrictions and just flat do not eat that much anymore. I’m excited about having kids living next door and hope that the Mom lets me bring things over often.
I do still hate everyone, though. I don’t even like kids that much, I just want to bake some cookies.
Due to my concerns about the upcoming 4000% tariffs, I’m buying electronic things now while we can afford them. I just ordered a new laptop, a food processor, two kitty fountain pumps and I’m in the process of ordering ceiling fans for the entire house. I should probably also order another litter robot, we bought our current one in 2017 so it is probably getting close to the end of its useful life.
I was in the mood for some tamales tonight and sent hubs to the sto for poblano peppers. He came back with three good sized jalapenos that looked and smelled very nice. I tossed them in the oven to roast, figuring that I’d only need half but could freeze the rest for later.
When they came out of the oven, they were so bland tasting that I used over twice what the recipe called for. Hubs took a bite of the finished product and asked if I had remembered the peppers. 
We got a nice little bit of rain today. Hubs has a fancypants weather station that reported a whole .3 inch. It was small but mighty.
The oven beeper just said it was hot, so my first batch of cookies in this home is going into the oven. @purplehorseshoe would you like to start putting half a dozen per batch aside again? You said that they were a hit in the breakroom.
Well, tomorrow dawns a new MMP. Its Veterans Day and 11/11.
I know someone will come up with a good title.
My phone was free for a long time ( affordability program) but now it is 50 a month.
Its only 15 to keep it working and that gives me 2gb, which, thanks to The Dope, only lasts me 4 days. ( I’m hooked).
Just had an egg salad sandwich and brownie.
See you on the other side.