# Tales of a Louse - Tall Tales in the MMP **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Tags:** mmp\ **Created:** [February 27, 2006, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tales-of-a-louse-tall-tales-in-the-mmp/346303 "2006-02-27T12:53:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Taters](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/taters/32/2845_2.png) [@Taters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taters)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2006, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tales-of-a-louse-tall-tales-in-the-mmp/346303/141 "2006-02-28T23:52:59Z")
I can’t find my friend’s cell phone number. She just changed services so I can’t remember it. Aggh! I called and left a message on her home phone and on her work phone. I even sent her an e-mail. Hopefully, she’ll get them and can call me back. I’m hoping that someone was able to contact her husband’s brigade so they can inform him of what’s going on. He’s down at NTC in preparation for his deployment to Iraq sometime in June, probably. He’s supposed to come back sometime in the next couple of weeks, but my friend isn’t sure if he gets to come back with the advance unit or has to wait. The school called her almost immediately this morning and she dashed to pick up her son. He was throwing up in the parking lot of the ER. I just wish I could reach her. I’m very worried and hoping the appendix didn’t burst. I can’t really call the ER and ask for her because of HIPAA. Besides, they have better things to do than track her down for me. I guess I’ll just have to wait for the call. It’s killing me because I know she needs all the support and friendship she can get right now due to her husband not being here. **Lissla** , \*\*27 \*\* pounds of flour?! Good grief! Are you opening a bakery? **FCM,** tater soup sounds lovely. Is **FCD** having a better day today? ---
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2006, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tales-of-a-louse-tall-tales-in-the-mmp/346303/142 "2006-03-01T00:13:48Z")
The great thing is this is the _second_ 27 pound bag of flour in a month and a half. I am single-handedly keeping all my friends and family in baked goods. I think this week I will make skordalia and hummus, and no one has made my decision about what to cook tonight yet. Come on, people! Tomorrow I’ll be baking and caramelizing onions and garlic- although I might do the garlic tonight. I still feel weirdly tired. I think I’ll have some caffeine and then get started on all the work. ---
**Author:** ![gardentraveler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gardentraveler/32/3576_2.png) [@gardentraveler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gardentraveler)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2006, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tales-of-a-louse-tall-tales-in-the-mmp/346303/143 "2006-03-01T00:33:02Z")
Just finished my peach-blueberry pancakes (frozen peaches, dried blueberries). Also, bacon. With real maple syrup, warmed and with a few more peaches and blueberries. I blame **swampy**. And **Drae**. And anyone else who mentioned pancakes upthread. 😃 I’m guessing that I’ll be making soup for dinner tomorrow, as there seems to be a heavy soup emphasis in the rest of the thread and, like **monica** , I am pretty much controlled by this place. Oh, except for the dreaming about lice part. No louse dreams for me. Yet. Don’t seem to have quite caught the bakery bug just yet, though. Probably only because I don’t own a Matilda-equivalent. Still thinking about you **picunurse**. And hugs to you too, **Ellen**. I don’t have children, but just the thought of anything happening to any of my godchildren (who include my niece and nephew) makes me ill. Hope all the sickies are feeling better by now. And hope your friend calls you, **Taters**. I’m sure it’s awful for her to have to face her son’s illness without her husband. **Lissla** , I think broccoli and cauliflower soup sounds nice. Also, one of my standard comfort food items is creamed spinach on toast, with chopped hard boiled egg on top. I usually wilt the spinach in the microwave with a little bit of garlic, then puree with a little bit of milk, cream (sweet or sour), or even Greek yogurt. Add a little bit of nutmeg, salt and pepper. The puree should be pretty thick. I spread it on the toast and then strew it with the egg. Had it just the other night. Yum. I’m full. Guess I should see about freezing the extra pancakes. And then do some cleaning up. GT ---
**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2006, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tales-of-a-louse-tall-tales-in-the-mmp/346303/144 "2006-03-01T00:36:31Z")
Just reporting in to say pancakes and bacon (even if I really wanted sausage) make for one yummmerific supper. Specially if they’re those little silver dollar pancakes that you can eat a ton of without it looking like you really did eat a ton of pancakes. Good Night All! ---
**Author:** ![Taters](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/taters/32/2845_2.png) [@Taters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taters)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2006, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tales-of-a-louse-tall-tales-in-the-mmp/346303/145 "2006-03-01T00:42:15Z")
> [@swampbear](#): > > Just reporting in to say pancakes and bacon (even if I really wanted sausage) make for one yummmerific supper. Specially if they’re those little silver dollar pancakes that you can eat a ton of without it looking like you really did eat a ton of pancakes. > > Good Night All! Goodnight?! It’s only 4:39 pm, well 7:39 where you live I guess. You _are_ an early to bed person aren’t you? I need to think of dinner for everyone here, but I’m not hungry. **Mr. Taters** shouldn’t be, he had three huge pieces of chicken parmesean (however you spell it) just as he was leaving work. ---
**Author:** ![Taters](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/taters/32/2845_2.png) [@Taters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taters)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2006, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tales-of-a-louse-tall-tales-in-the-mmp/346303/146 "2006-03-01T00:59:43Z")
Good news! My friend’s son does not have appendicitis! They were very worried that’s what he had, but they think it was just gastroenteritis (sp?). He has a follow-up appointment tomorrow. The poor kid spent all day in the ER hooked up to IVs and had to drink some sort of icky stuff every hour for three of those hours. They just got home and the poor kid is exhausted. Whatever they gave him to drink made him lose control of his bowel movements, but fortunately, that didn’t happen until they got home. My friend did get to speak to her husband, and couple of my other co-workers would popped on down to the ER throughout the day to cheer my friend up and make sure she didn’t need anything. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/22080_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2006, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tales-of-a-louse-tall-tales-in-the-mmp/346303/147 "2006-03-01T01:07:15Z")
> [@Taters](#): > > Is **FCD** having a better day today? He had a good enough day that he cleaned the kitchen and vacuumed and did some general tidying today. His pain is gradually lessening, but his meds are narcotics, so even when he takes a low dose, he gets dopey. But he is getting better slowly and surely. I know he’ll be glad when he can shed his collars permanently. At least he’s free to shower now - no more staples, no more bandages. Little victories… ---
**Author:** ![Bumbazine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbazine/32/362_2.png) [@Bumbazine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbazine)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2006, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tales-of-a-louse-tall-tales-in-the-mmp/346303/148 "2006-03-01T01:16:06Z")
> [@Taters](#): > > Yikes and yeesh! :eek: ☹ I’ll be happy with my piddly return and not gripe. The news about the hospital is great. As an aside, and admittedly I don’t know a damn thing about this stuff; but wouldn’t some of the medical bills you may have already paid, um reduced your taxable income? If you feel it’s none of my business, ignore my silly question. I could understand that. Well, we didn’t pay anybody anything at the time of the heart attack. All of those bills actually came due this year, so we’ll get to write them off our taxes next April. And we did have a lot of deductions last year, being self-employed. But the largest portion of our tax bill is Social Security. Most people forget that their employer pays half of their SS payments. Self-employed folks have to pay both halves. **Welby** : 😃 Soup sounds good. Hmmm… ---
**Author:** ![Taters](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/taters/32/2845_2.png) [@Taters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taters)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2006, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tales-of-a-louse-tall-tales-in-the-mmp/346303/149 "2006-03-01T01:20:32Z")
> [@Bumbazine](#): > > Well, we didn’t pay anybody anything at the time of the heart attack. All of those bills actually came due this year, so we’ll get to write them off our taxes next April. And we did have a lot of deductions last year, being self-employed. But the largest portion of our tax bill is Social Security. Most people forget that their employer pays half of their SS payments. Self-employed folks have to pay both halves. > > **Welby** : 😃 > > Soup sounds good. Hmmm… Okay, I see now. At any rate, I hope you and the IRS can work something out. I know there is no way I could come up with that amount. I swear I can see my daughter just about tweaking. I’ve been on the computer and she can’t get on. I imagine I’ll have to get off the 'puter soon. ---
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2006, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tales-of-a-louse-tall-tales-in-the-mmp/346303/150 "2006-03-01T01:38:52Z")
Huh. Last year (have I mentioned this already somewhere?) I got a tax cheque for 46 cents. It cost them slightly more to mail it than the sum of the fortune enclosed. 46 cents! I can retire and live a life of luxury! Yay! Soup is almost done. When it’s finished I will package it up in freezer containers, label it, and stick it away in the freezer. I’m so organized. After that I’ll make pancakes and bacon, and clean the kitchen up. And then I’ll try to get all the frikkin’ vegetables I just bought into the fridge. This will be an epic struggle. ---
**Author:** ![Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spatial_Rift_47)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2006, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tales-of-a-louse-tall-tales-in-the-mmp/346303/151 "2006-03-01T01:53:18Z")
Taxes? What? 😕 Ah, the joys of being young. I don’t make anywhere near enough money to have to pay income taxes of any sort. Hee hee! 😃 :: dances a merry jig :: Don’t you worry, within a few years I’ll have to start paying taxes. Fortunately my dad’s a CPA, and a comptroller at a very large real estate investment company, so I’ll have good advice when the time comes. I’ve decided that each day this week gets a cheese of the day. Here’s Monday’s and Tuesday’s: > [@](#): > > Brie \BREE\ noun > Definition: Acclaimed as one of the world’s great cheeses, brie is characterized by an edible, downy white rind and a cream-colored, buttery-soft interior that should “ooze” when at the peak of ripeness. Brie can be made from raw or pasteurized, whole or skim milk. Once ripe, Brie has a short shelf life and should be used within a few days. > Example sentence: To brie or not to brie, that is the question. > [@](#): > > Gouda \GOO-dah\ noun > Definition: Holland’s most famous exported cheese is gouda, with its characteristic yellow interior dotted with a few tiny holes. Gouda can be made from whole or part-skim cow’s milk, and aged anywhere from a few weeks to over a year. The younger the gouda, the milder the flavor. When aged over a year, it takes on almost a cheddarlike flavor. It comes in large wheels ranging from 10 to 25 pounds, and usually has a yellow wax rind. > Example sentence: G is for gouda, that’s gouda 'nough for me! Stay tuned for Wednesday’s installment! ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2006, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tales-of-a-louse-tall-tales-in-the-mmp/346303/152 "2006-03-01T01:57:36Z")
so much to comment on! 1. What’s tweaking? I thought that was when you freaked out on ecstasy (the things I know!) 2. the spinach thing sounds divine. It also sounds like something I’d like, but never make (does anyone else do that?) 3. Glad to hear about the boy in the ER-kids and ER–I don’t like the two of those words together in the same sentence. It sounds like they gave him a bowel prep of some kind, but that sounds odd with gastroenteritis. He may have been given some antibiotics and they often cause diarrhea. 4.I am back from the wake—it took me 1/2 hour just to get into the building. It was just so sad. I saw his baby girl–so cute with her curls and ankles you want to nibble. His boys are just so Boy. Ack, I’m gonna cry again. (and I am mad at myself–I got all teary eyed when shaking the wife’s hand–I never met her–I HATE that I am overemotional at times like these. I want to be somber and classy and dignified. Instead I’m all wadded up Kleenex and running mascara. phooey. 5. I would think you would need to use up 27 lbs of flour fairly quickly to prevent critters (boweevils or whatever) from moving in. I thought I was the Woman with 10 lbs in my pantry!\* - I dont’ have a pantry–# 35 of what is wrong with my kitchen. I use some steel shelving I put up in the basement. ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2006, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tales-of-a-louse-tall-tales-in-the-mmp/346303/153 "2006-03-01T02:17:47Z")
tweaking can mean different things in different contexts. But, I believe, the most frequent usage is to finagle/finesse a project/picture/hairdo/etc to get it _Just Right_. ---
**Author:** ![gardentraveler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gardentraveler/32/3576_2.png) [@gardentraveler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gardentraveler)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2006, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tales-of-a-louse-tall-tales-in-the-mmp/346303/154 "2006-03-01T02:22:53Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#): > > …1. What’s tweaking? I thought that was when you freaked out on ecstasy (the things I know!)… Tweaking is kind of like fine-tuning. Fixing something just a bit so that it works right. > [@](#): > > 1. the spinach thing sounds divine. It also sounds like something I’d like, but never make (does anyone else do that?) Yep; about 99% of the recipes that I save fall into this category. Only reason I make this is that I have a stick blender, so I can blend it without making too much of a mess. If you have the right kind of container, you can steam the spinach and blend it all in one thing. Somehow, cleaning a stick blender seems much easier than cleaning a conventional blender. > [@](#): > > I HATE that I am overemotional at times like these. I want to be somber and classy and dignified. Instead I’m all wadded up Kleenex and running mascara. phooey. It’s not unclassy to be emotional. Makes it very evident that you care. For some reason I’m freezing tonight. Think I’ll crawl into bed… GT ---
**Author:** ![susan\_foster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@susan\_foster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan_foster)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2006, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tales-of-a-louse-tall-tales-in-the-mmp/346303/155 "2006-03-01T02:42:23Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#): > > 1. I would think you would need to use up 27 lbs of flour fairly quickly to prevent critters (boweevils or whatever) from moving in. I thought I was the Woman with 10 lbs in my pantry!\* I have three kinds of flour in my freezer (bread, rye, and whole wheat) + regular unbleached all-purpose on the counter - so I might have close to 20 pounds of flour on hand. And I definitely always have containers of assorted meals all organized and labeled in my freezer (today’s lunch from the freezer was whole wheat penne with chicken sausage and provolone. Yum.). And of course, there have been a couple times when I have opened the freezer and containers have dropped out and broken, which is always a pain. No exciting news here; work is work, life is life. Wedding dress is gorgeous; hugs to pic, and all who need them. I’m a hugging fool! But not a work. 'Cause that’s what I learned today. I took a class on Managing within the Law. Was okay. Susan ---
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2006, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tales-of-a-louse-tall-tales-in-the-mmp/346303/156 "2006-03-01T02:54:07Z")
I have a sealed container, and I usually freeze flour for 24 hours to kill any eggs. I’m not sure the bag will fit in my freezer, but I’ll be doing a lot of baking tomorrow, so I should blitz through enough to make it fit. The soup is made, and I’m making pancakes. I’m starving. I’ve been starving all day. It’s weird. I’ve just started and MMP recipe file so I can save all the recipes. i’m gearing up to go back over the MMPs and copy. Wish me luck! ---
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2006, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tales-of-a-louse-tall-tales-in-the-mmp/346303/157 "2006-03-01T02:56:17Z")
Aerin is trying to fit herself into a coke box. One of the long, thin twelve pack ones. It’s pretty cute. ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2006, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tales-of-a-louse-tall-tales-in-the-mmp/346303/158 "2006-03-01T02:58:52Z")
Lissla Lissar - would you consider baking’freezing/shipping some of you lucious baked goods? ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2006, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tales-of-a-louse-tall-tales-in-the-mmp/346303/159 "2006-03-01T05:30:57Z")
Happy Shrove Tuesday! Mm… Pancakes. We did not have pancakes tonight, alas. It was homeburgers, and they were delicious. I manage to stop myself at one. Mm… Home grilled burgers, with green onions and fresh pepper. I really could have eaten two. This “restraint” concept is difficult. We shall have to have a “breakfast for dinner” night one night. When we have some good sausage, and leftover potatoes. We have no homemade baked goods here, but I maybe bought some cute little [meringues](http://missmeringue.com/about_us/nut_tables/nt_vanilla_rain_2.html) at the store yesterday. Get that! 13 for a mere 110 calories! Whoo! Whoo! Good thing I actually really like them. When one gets a craving for something “a little sweet”. ---
**Author:** ![SurrenderDorothy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/surrenderdorothy/32/1221_2.png) [@SurrenderDorothy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SurrenderDorothy)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2006, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tales-of-a-louse-tall-tales-in-the-mmp/346303/160 "2006-03-01T09:13:18Z")
Tomorrow is my mom’s birthday. And I, being extremely broke, thought I would make her a nice big breakfast. I went out and bought buttermilk and eggs and everything. I made my own pancake mix and put it on a high shelf. I forgot that tomorrow is Ash Wednesday. ☹ which means we’ll all be fasting. ☹ which means no big breakfast, no pancakes, no eggs… which means all I have for her birthday is the bit of housecleaning I’ve already done and whatever I can rustle up with the $3.00 I have left between now and morning. ☹ it’s not enough. I’m the worst daughter ever. I could still get her something from 7-11 that isn’t candy or food or magazines… um… aspirin? trash bags? :mad: I suck. Anyone have any ideas? I thought about making dinner (I’m a vegetarian. I know how to cook a meatless meal.) but I have school, work, and dance tomorrow and won’t get home until late. I don’t think my family wants to wait til 11 PM to eat dinner. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tales-of-a-louse-tall-tales-in-the-mmp/346303.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tales-of-a-louse-tall-tales-in-the-mmp/346303.md?page=9)