(Old) Who, me? I started the MMP today!

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
121

Farmhouse buttermilk cake

3 cups of flour
2 teaspoons of baking soda
1 teaspoon of salt

1/2 cup butter at room temperature
2 eggs at room temperature
2 cups buttermilk at room temperature
2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Dash of almond extract

Turn on oven to 350. Butter a 9 x 13 cake pan. Mix together dry ingredients and set aside.
Using mixer, cream together butter and brown sugar until smooth and fluffy, then add eggs. Mix until smooth, then add buttermilk, vanilla, and almond extracts. Mix until smooth, then add the dry ingredients and mix until smooth.

Pour batter into buttered cake pan and bake for 40 minutes. Towards the end of this first baking time, prepare the topping:

6 Tablespoons of melted butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/8 teaspoon table salt
1-1/2 cups of pecan halves
1 teaspoon rum extract

Mix all together. When the cake comes out, it won’t be done, but the top should be set a little. Pour the chunky, thick topping all over, and carefully spread it so that the cake top is mostly covered. Put the cake back in the oven for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

The cake will look a mess, all runny and soft on top. That’s okay - just let it cool down and the brown sugar glaze will soak in a bit and set up.

122

Started Typing: 11:14 AM ET
Clicked Reply: 12:09 PM ET

Happy birthday, Dicey! :partying_face:

We had a few days of really nice weather, but today we’re back to mid-March: it’s currently overcast and 44°F, on its way to only 58. We’ll bounce around in the 50s/60s (with brief forays into the low 70s) for the next couple of weeks, with thunderstorms expected on Sunday. I’m definitely ready for “no jacket needed” weather, but I don’t really mind this transitional stuff. Mostly I’m just really happy to be done with freezing temps. :slight_smile:

Still no word from the program manager I was supposed to start helping this week. Grrr. I sent him a Teams chat on Monday – which I can see that he read – and have included him on two “I have an appointment and will be out of the office for a bit” emails this week, but nada. Luckily I’m not counting on that work, but it’s still frustrating that he was so gung-ho on Friday yet has been ignoring me all week. I keep thinking about about sending him one last “what’s the word?” email, but so far I’ve been landing on the NOPE side.

This afternoon I have tattoo removal appointment #14. It had originally been scheduled for last month, but got cancelled due to snow. These are always super quick sessions, and I’m looking forward to it (but only to keep fading this tattoo…the laser hurts).

The Yellow Submarine set didn’t make it to Friday evening:

https://i.ibb.co/HDk638xW/Yellow-Submarine.jpg

It took less than two hours to put together. A bigger version of this photo, plus a picture of the updated “Lego Corner” where this set lives now, are available in my Lego album. Now I’ll start reassembling my nephew’s Batwing sooner vs later. :grin:

Ha! I do have memories of needing to do that, but it’s been quite a while since I regularly used file drawers at work. And I haven’t worn a lanyard regularly since 2020 (when my job went remote): if I wind up with an onsite position, though, I’ll have to get back in the habit of grabbing it whenever I go to lean over a desk!

I was gonna ask! :slight_smile:

I kind of love that idea!

“I’ll gladly bite you on Tuesday for a treat you don’t give me today…” :joy:

(reference)

123

About a week ago, I watched a Scottish lady on youtube make Toad-in-the-Hole, using English bangers, which is traditional. I made this myself, only I used little smoked sausages, as that was all I had on hand.

It was a big hit with Mr. brown, as it’s pretty much a big Yorkshire pudding, which is a favorite of his. It’s a favorite of mine, too, and the smoked sausages tasted just fine in it.

124

Well, I’m angry beyond words (nearly). One of my sister’s kids has been mentally challenged from birth. She is functional, can drive a car, shop for herself, and has a job. She has been a GS1 for 40 years and does fairly menial tasks around her office like making copies. She’s very proud of having this job. Until now. The Doge-bags have decided that she is unnecessary and that the rich people need her salary to make them richer, so she is being bounced. Her brother, who is her guardian, is going in to do battle with the supervisors tomorrow (I almost pity them, as he is formidable), but it’s doubtful that anything can be done.

This is catastrophic for all involved. For one thing, Lucy doesn’t understand what is happening and will think she’s being fired because she isn’t doing her job properly. For my nephew and his sister, things are going to get very bad very quickly, as Lucy will be constantly at their doorsteps. If you have never had to cope with someone like this, it can be trying and challenging to the point of exhaustion. Lucy without a job is at least a hundred times more problematic than Lucy with a job. Fuck you, Trump. Just fuck you and everyone around you.

125

And now I am angry beyond words too. How cruel, but then that is the point. I’ll be holding a good thought for her brother and her.

Taking away someone’s dignity is horrific. I am right there with you on the “f**k you, trump and DOGE”.

126

I think that’s cool looking! However, I feel like it looks like a mutant chicken robot ship more than a submarine.

Oh, I am so, so sorry to hear this. When I worked at my first car dealership we had a crew who came in and helped with things like washing the cars. It was life giving to them. I hope a better resolution can be met.

I just got up from a short nap and am back in my chair with the poodle. I actually have been making a bit of progress today. I sorted through all of my first floor clothes and got rid of the ones that are too big. And I’ve started tackling some paperwork, too.

The funny thing, though, is that none of this was what I wanted to come in here and talk about, but I’ve forgotten what that was!

ETA: I just remembered!

We have a security system here and when you open the kitchen door it says, “Main Door.” Well, probably since we got the system installed if MusicMan ever goes out that door he says, “Hello, Main!” Now that he’s home all the time he likes to be the one to get the mail so he can talk to Main. So, today I am expecting my new glasses that I ordered and MusicMan has already asked if he can be the one to check the mail. Sadly, he was denied because of my glasses! I offered to leave just his mail in the box, but that wasn’t good enough for him. Lol

127

I have been texting my boss for almost a week, asking about onboarding and training.
It shows they are read but no reply even to the one that said Can I get a reply.
Tomorrow will be 70 but Saturday is predicted storms, rain, winds and tornado.
Fun.

128

There’s a puzzling button on my microwave - it says “Steam Clean” - Why?? It doesn’t generate its own steam. You still have to put a cup or dish of water in there. So, fill a coffee mug about 3/4 with water and push “3” for 3 minutes. Then open the oven, take out the mug, and wipe down the insides. Right? Does it really need a dedicated setting?

I have done roll-sucking and I loaded the dishwasher. It’s too dreary to work outside, plus it’s still below 50°. Maybe I’ll find something to watch on TV… well, after I wipe out the microwave, since there’s a mug of water boiling in there… Can you tell my motivation is severely lacking?

129

Seems like your motivation to clean the microwave is working just fine.

130

The microwave is now clean - lots of crumbs or crumb-like bits in there. But it’s much better.

131

How heartbreaking! I hope your formidable … nephew? … can help her find a new job that suits her abilities.

Keep in mind the quantity (and variety) of drugs involved in that album & movie.

Will that make him your MusicMain?

Oh, you gotta add that to the “dumb design” thread; that’s friggin’ stoopit!

I’m guessing you got your reply, sorry to say. I think an actual phone call might be an appropriate last-ditch effort, but after that, I think you’ll hafta let this one go.

Rather shitty of them to ghost you like that, though.

132

Any chance this will help?

… https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/13/us/politics/trump-federal-workers-rehire-ruling.html?smid=url-share

Announced a minute ago.

133

Except, of course, for when it’s “Pay me now and pay me again later.”

134

“Only four sorted on a table”, so I was the 5th person on the 100 almost all shift. We were visited by the Random Preload potato during the sort:

I did my Senior Day shopping, stocked up on beer, and grabbed fixing for Sunday’s Guinness stew. Spot is running around like an unhinged maniac. I asked him if he was smoking meth again.

Hope the lurgy gets off one stop before you do, boofae

:champagne::partying_face::birthday:HAPPY BIRTHDAY DICEY!!!:birthday::partying_face::champagne:

I agree. And fuck the “Empathy is bad” Muskrat.

If it was in Stephen King’s house it would say “Maine Door”

135

Crisis in Casa de la Shoe!!

I set up Monkey’s new :poop: box, and discovered to my dismay that there was far less (clean) litter left than I thought. So now he has, well, a half a fresh poopin’ box.
Which must be rectified immediately.

Guess who’s also almost out of human T.P.?

(Narrator: “It was this dumb bitch. That’s who.”)

Plus I’m on my last roll of paper towels. Less of a crisis, but as long as I’m in the “rolled up paper to wipe up … messes” aisle, amirite?

Ratties can’t live on Pizza Rat Crackers :trade_mark: alone, so I need to get them some oatmeal, maybe some birdseed mix.

Also, I need to buy new furnace filters - turns out you’re supposed to change those, like, more than once every coupla years, oops LOL, but that explains why I sometimes wake up with stuffy sinuses - so there shall be Serious Procurement Soon.

And then, figuring out how the hell to change the furnace filter.

Dafuq?

That’s a sweet sentiment, and nicely put.

There’s a nearby bird singing at the top of his lungs. It sounds ezzactly like, “Peter, Peter, Peter, Pete!”
… and a while ago I happened across a video compilation of common U.S. suburban birds & their calls, and immediately recognized what I call the PeterBird.

But do I remember what species it was? Noooooo.

I’m one of those nerds who enjoys hearing a bird call and saying, “Ah, a red-breasted woodpecker!” oh so casually to anyone close enough to put up with my insufferability.

Dammit. :frowning:

Decided I’d lolled around enough for one day, got up plunked back down in my chair for a few minutes started a load of laundry, had a coupla-three peanut M&Ms for breakfast … I know, right?!? How productive am I right now?

Opened the side door for Monks, who strangely shows zero interest in going outside, but having it open is an incentive to me, to get the last of the damn trash outta the house.

… which I absolutely would never do while wearing a bathrobe. Me? Nooooo.

If I really get productive, I oughta strip … the bed, you pervs.

Cuppa tea for procrastination purposes sounds good, though.

Oh! I got my big-ass tax refund! Which means, I get to turn around and hand every penny over. (The refund is from the state & I owe the feds … or possibly vice-versa, I can’t be arsed to look it up right now, tho the paperwork is sitting on top of a basket of clean laundry maybe six feet away from me. Not joking. Including the laundry part.)

Plus I gotta pay the city a coupla hundred.

Beats hell out of last year, but { whine } I HATE administrivia!!

136

Lucy is now 63 and has no skills that relate to most work environments.

137

I sure hope so. I sent an email to both Senator Klobuchar and Senator Murkowski, asking them to intercede.

138

First, make sure it wants to change…

I crack me up!!!

Unsettling goings-on at Tobias’ school. Someone saw a teacher get into a kid’s face, then throw him to the ground. Needless to say, it was reported and the sheriff is now investigating. Daughter got a message from the head of the school saying the teacher has been reported to the licensing authorities. As it happens, it was Tobias’ teacher, but he wasn’t the victim of her ire. Still, scary.

Between my two grands, we’ve been associated with that school for about 4 years, and this is the first such incident. I’m pretty sure it’s a fluke - all the times I’ve been there (and they don’t require you to notify them if/when you’re coming) the kids are all happy and engaged and the staff have been attentive and involved. Maybe this teacher was having a bad day, or maybe something else, but I’m guessing she’s no longer employed.

Daughter will be talking to both of the kids about what adults should and should not be doing to kids, and to make sure they know to tell her anything, especially if an adult tells them it’s a “secret.”

I got one of those, then realized I’d failed to report some $$$ which pushed us into another bracket, dammit. So I got a bill from the state from the amount of taxes plus the “refund” they’d sent us. Dammit. It’s sitting on my desk mocking me. All I can say is I’m glad we’ve been good about tucking money in savings. It’s about to get untucked.

OK, back to chilling. I’m thinking it’s a forage-for-supper night.

139

Thank you, this sounds delicious. It’s my birthday tomorrow and my mom’s birthday is next week, so I have the perfect excuse to make this!

Chefguy what a terrible situation. Are there any levers they call pull involving the ADA or something similar?

FCM sounds like your daughter is taking the right approach to that (scary) situation.

140

Still no word on the job I interviewed for on Friday that isn’t visible anymore (the hiring manager was out of town Mon-Wed), but I applied for another position this afternoon and will be interviewing tomorrow! Completely different jobs, but oddly similar skillsets; it could be a really good fit for me, in a totally different way. And it would also be a promotion/a bit of a stretch. If the interview goes well and I get an offer before I’ve heard about the first interview – and I’m interested – I’ll reach out to the first recruiter before taking any action. Here’s hoping that one of these interviews pans out! :crossed_fingers:

:face_with_symbols_on_mouth:

That only affects probationary employees; it sounds like Chefguy’s niece has been in her job for way more than a year. (Good for those folks, not-so-good for Lucy. :frowning: )

Well, it is from a fantasy cartoon. :grin:

I was thinking “MainMan”… :joy:

:rofl: