Ten or so years ago, my husband got into homebrewing. I love cooking, so homebrewing really became a hobby for me. At the time, I didn't drink beer, so while I loved making a batch of beer for my hubby and his friends, I never sampled it.
Now I am drinking beer regularly and am finding myself branching out into what I enjoy and what I can't stand - apparently lager is my thing. I love lager. I just finished up our very first mead - it took 4 months to ferment - FOREVER - but we sampled some before bottling it yesterday and I can say that it is extremely potent and tastes like the mead we used to get for Christmas from my sis-in-law who worked for a meadmaker up in Stowe, VT. They've since shut their doors, so it was interesting to return to the world of mead. I'm not sure I'll do it again because it does work forever!
Anyway - Amstel Light has become my beer of choice, but it's not cheap. $13 a twelve-pack here. So I've decided that a clone of Amstel Light is my next goal. My basement is great for lager making as it is 55 down there year round. Now my problem is that I can't find a clone recipe for Amstel anywhere. If anyone has one, please share!
Monday, January 30, 2006
Friday, January 27, 2006
My weekly LOST thoughts...
I'm behind...
So how many others think that Locke is connected to The Others? I keep watching him and he gets creepier and creepier. Now I've been trying to remember what role he played on Millenium (another show I liked that was cancelled, but that is a whole other topic...) Terry O'Quinn was on this neat show called Millenium and I want to say his character was bad. So I'm trying not to typecast, but every time I see him, he just makes me cringe.
I really want that baby to be stolen. I want Charlie to get to thumb his nose at everyone and do the "I told you so..." bit. He needs to do it. All of the castaways are too infatuated by Locke, and other than Jack, they all seem immune to Locke's charms. I really want to see that come to an end!
So how many others think that Locke is connected to The Others? I keep watching him and he gets creepier and creepier. Now I've been trying to remember what role he played on Millenium (another show I liked that was cancelled, but that is a whole other topic...) Terry O'Quinn was on this neat show called Millenium and I want to say his character was bad. So I'm trying not to typecast, but every time I see him, he just makes me cringe.
I really want that baby to be stolen. I want Charlie to get to thumb his nose at everyone and do the "I told you so..." bit. He needs to do it. All of the castaways are too infatuated by Locke, and other than Jack, they all seem immune to Locke's charms. I really want to see that come to an end!
Friday, January 20, 2006
Wacky Weather
Okay, I really don't want to complain, but... While I have enjoyed the warmer temperatures Vermont is seeing this winter, I'm also a little frustrated by the weather that the warmer air brings.
We've had a couple below zero days, which for mid to late January is a miracle around here. Usually by now we've had at least of week of 20 below nights and we are all wondering when the January thaw might grace us with its presence.
This year, we had a very brief below zero spell in December. And then January hit. We bounce between average temperatures to insanely warm temperatures. We've been in the low 50's which is amazing and extremely kind to our heating bills, but it also brings a down side. We've had TONS of rain. Flooding is our new weather warning. We don't get the typical blizzard watch, instead we get flood watches. Going ice fishing means risking your own life heading out on the lake - no one will do it. The ski slopes are taking a major hit.
Tonight a new issue reared its head. Years ago, the guy across the street was moving out and he arranged it so that drainage tiles would be put in for the purchasers. Unfortunately, he pointed the drainage down the hill right into the yard of the couple below him, and into my and my neighbor's yard. So as our yards fill up with water, it soaks into the water table and eventually if the water level gets high enough, it comes into our basement. Our neighbor had the foresight to tell us tonight that his sump pump had turned on. So immediately we went downstairs to check ours and sure enough the bucket was filled to the rim. Our problem comes from the fact that the "good friend" of our former neighbors who gave us a wicked deal on the pair of sump pumps almost a decade ago did a crappy job. He used a ten-inch bucket as our sump bucket and finding a new pump isn't easy. Our old pump hasn't been used in 5 years, so it wasn't working. Immediately a frenzy insued as we tried to figure out what we were going to do. The good news is my husband got the sump pump running. God bless the inventor of WD40!!! We're pumping out about 5 gallons every two hours right now, but I know from the past that that pace will pick up to 5 gallons a minute by tomorrow or Sunday.
So I guess getting back to my complaint--- Hey Mother Nature. I love the warmer temps, but could you slack up on the rain and snow now and give us a good dose of sun???
We've had a couple below zero days, which for mid to late January is a miracle around here. Usually by now we've had at least of week of 20 below nights and we are all wondering when the January thaw might grace us with its presence.
This year, we had a very brief below zero spell in December. And then January hit. We bounce between average temperatures to insanely warm temperatures. We've been in the low 50's which is amazing and extremely kind to our heating bills, but it also brings a down side. We've had TONS of rain. Flooding is our new weather warning. We don't get the typical blizzard watch, instead we get flood watches. Going ice fishing means risking your own life heading out on the lake - no one will do it. The ski slopes are taking a major hit.
Tonight a new issue reared its head. Years ago, the guy across the street was moving out and he arranged it so that drainage tiles would be put in for the purchasers. Unfortunately, he pointed the drainage down the hill right into the yard of the couple below him, and into my and my neighbor's yard. So as our yards fill up with water, it soaks into the water table and eventually if the water level gets high enough, it comes into our basement. Our neighbor had the foresight to tell us tonight that his sump pump had turned on. So immediately we went downstairs to check ours and sure enough the bucket was filled to the rim. Our problem comes from the fact that the "good friend" of our former neighbors who gave us a wicked deal on the pair of sump pumps almost a decade ago did a crappy job. He used a ten-inch bucket as our sump bucket and finding a new pump isn't easy. Our old pump hasn't been used in 5 years, so it wasn't working. Immediately a frenzy insued as we tried to figure out what we were going to do. The good news is my husband got the sump pump running. God bless the inventor of WD40!!! We're pumping out about 5 gallons every two hours right now, but I know from the past that that pace will pick up to 5 gallons a minute by tomorrow or Sunday.
So I guess getting back to my complaint--- Hey Mother Nature. I love the warmer temps, but could you slack up on the rain and snow now and give us a good dose of sun???
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
What is it with girls?
Today we had a snow (more like freezing rain, icky weather) day. So I had my son, daughter and my friend's daughter here. My daughter is 9 and my friend's daughter is 5 and usually the pair get along, however today they were like pitbulls in a dog fight!
I'm still getting use to two girls together I guess. I never had a sister growing up, so I missed a lot of that, and now my sis-in-laws and I get along fine, so we don't fight at all. These two girls today however had to argue over the dumbest things from paint getting onto clothes to who got to sit on what side of the sofa and in what position. It was absurd that two intelligent beings could find the most ridiculous subjects to argue about.
I had to turn into the evil Mom. Not something I like doing in front of any one but my own kids who have grown up to it and are well used to my dropped voice bellow. In this case, the words were simple - "SIT. WATCH THIS MOVIE. DO NOT MOVE, LOOK AT EACH OTHER OR TALK TO EACH OTHER OR TOUCH EACH OTHER." It felt a little more like commanding a dog than disciplining children. Maybe there is not that wide a difference between the two?
I still can't understand though--what makes females so much more evil when it comes to getting along. If my son has issues with a friend, he'll walk away and ignore. These two girls, however, took more to deliberately trying to ignore each other and see who would cry "Mom/Tracy" first. I know as we are older hormones play a big part of this but at 9 and 5 there are not the hormonal mood swings yet? Are there????
I'm still getting use to two girls together I guess. I never had a sister growing up, so I missed a lot of that, and now my sis-in-laws and I get along fine, so we don't fight at all. These two girls today however had to argue over the dumbest things from paint getting onto clothes to who got to sit on what side of the sofa and in what position. It was absurd that two intelligent beings could find the most ridiculous subjects to argue about.
I had to turn into the evil Mom. Not something I like doing in front of any one but my own kids who have grown up to it and are well used to my dropped voice bellow. In this case, the words were simple - "SIT. WATCH THIS MOVIE. DO NOT MOVE, LOOK AT EACH OTHER OR TALK TO EACH OTHER OR TOUCH EACH OTHER." It felt a little more like commanding a dog than disciplining children. Maybe there is not that wide a difference between the two?
I still can't understand though--what makes females so much more evil when it comes to getting along. If my son has issues with a friend, he'll walk away and ignore. These two girls, however, took more to deliberately trying to ignore each other and see who would cry "Mom/Tracy" first. I know as we are older hormones play a big part of this but at 9 and 5 there are not the hormonal mood swings yet? Are there????
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Today's 2nd post - LOST, I have questions now!
So we started watching my first season DVD set with a notepad in hand and I've been studying every intricate detail I come across.
Immediately, the first episode brings a question to mind. Jack lands in a bamboo patch a good distance away from the beach. However, he was sat next to Rose on that beach. Why did he land so far away? Was he really on the plane at all? I'm still studying, but I need Rose to confirm that she talked to Jack on the plane because otherwise, Jack and that other doctor Desmond, the one in the bunker, could have been on the island together before the plane even crashed and that opens up a whole new realm of ideas for me. Desmond gave up medical school because he believed in "miracles", maybe the island is purgatory and the black thing is what decides if you have made it to the other side???
Second, Jack is shown with a tattoo on his shoulder. It's the number five with a big triangle over it. In the bunker they show a symbol for The Dharma Initiative - the one in the film - now the symbols are not the same, but the triangle in Jack's tattoo looked like it was formed with a series of lines, not a solid shape, much like each "petal" in the Dharma Initiative's octagon, is there a connection there?
In the first episode, the thing in the jungle makes a whirring sound, much like a helicopter or possibly hovercraft? I don't think that thing and the black cloud which roars are the same thing. It's the whirring thing that kills the pilot, so it's as tall as a medium tree - so a hovercraft works for me...
Immediately, the first episode brings a question to mind. Jack lands in a bamboo patch a good distance away from the beach. However, he was sat next to Rose on that beach. Why did he land so far away? Was he really on the plane at all? I'm still studying, but I need Rose to confirm that she talked to Jack on the plane because otherwise, Jack and that other doctor Desmond, the one in the bunker, could have been on the island together before the plane even crashed and that opens up a whole new realm of ideas for me. Desmond gave up medical school because he believed in "miracles", maybe the island is purgatory and the black thing is what decides if you have made it to the other side???
Second, Jack is shown with a tattoo on his shoulder. It's the number five with a big triangle over it. In the bunker they show a symbol for The Dharma Initiative - the one in the film - now the symbols are not the same, but the triangle in Jack's tattoo looked like it was formed with a series of lines, not a solid shape, much like each "petal" in the Dharma Initiative's octagon, is there a connection there?
In the first episode, the thing in the jungle makes a whirring sound, much like a helicopter or possibly hovercraft? I don't think that thing and the black cloud which roars are the same thing. It's the whirring thing that kills the pilot, so it's as tall as a medium tree - so a hovercraft works for me...
Like this is something to be proud of???
I came across this story today in Yahoo news. We all know this means he raped and pillaged throughout his lifetime, so why is this supposed to impress people????
~~~~~~
DUBLIN (Reuters) - Scientists in Ireland may have found the country's most fertile male, with more than 3 million men worldwide among his offspring.
The scientists, from Trinity College Dublin, have discovered that as many as one in twelve Irish men could be descended from Niall of the Nine Hostages, a 5th-century warlord who was head of the most powerful dynasty in ancient Ireland.
His genetic legacy is almost as impressive as Genghis Khan, the Mongol emperor who conquered most of Asia in the 13th century and has nearly 16 million descendants, said Dan Bradley, who supervised the research.
"It's another link between profligacy and power," Bradley told Reuters. "We're the first generation on the planet where if you're successful you don't (always) have more children."
The research was carried out by PhD student Laoise Moore, at the Smurfit Institute of Genetics at Trinity. Moore, testing the Y chromosome which is passed on from fathers to sons, examined DNA samples from 800 males across Ireland.
The results -- which have been published in the American Journal of Human Genetics -- showed the highest concentration of related males in northwest Ireland, where one in five males had the same Y chromosome.
Bradley said the results reminded the team of a similar study in central Asia, where scientists found 8 percent of men with the same Y chromosome. Subsequent studies found they shared the same chromosome as the dynasty linked to Genghis Khan.
GENGHIS KHAN EFFECT
"It made us wonder if there could be some sort of Genghis Khan effect in Ireland and the best candidate for it was Niall," Bradley said.
His team then consulted with genealogical experts who provided them with a contemporary list of people with surnames that are genealogically linked to the last known relative of the "Ui Neill" dynasty, which literally means descendants of Niall.
The results showed the new group had the same chromosome as those in the original sample, proving a link between them and the Niall descendents.
"The frequency (of the Y chromosome) was significantly higher in that genealogical group than any other group we tested," said Bradley, whose surname is also linked to the medieval warlord. Other modern surnames tracing their ancestry to Niall include Gallagher, Boyle, O'Donnell and O'Doherty.
For added proof, the scientists used special techniques to age the Y chromosome, according to how many mutations had occurred in the genetic material over time. The number of mutations was found to be in accordance with chromosomes that would date back to the last known living relative of Niall.
Niall reportedly had 12 sons, many of whom became powerful Irish kings themselves. But because he lived in the 5th century, there have been doubts the king -- who is said to have brought the country's patron saint, Patrick, to Ireland -- even existed.
"Before I would have said that characters like Niall were almost mythological, like King Arthur, but this actually puts flesh on the bones," Bradley said.
When international databases were checked, the chromosome also turned up in roughly 2 percent of all male New Yorkers.
~~~~~~
DUBLIN (Reuters) - Scientists in Ireland may have found the country's most fertile male, with more than 3 million men worldwide among his offspring.
The scientists, from Trinity College Dublin, have discovered that as many as one in twelve Irish men could be descended from Niall of the Nine Hostages, a 5th-century warlord who was head of the most powerful dynasty in ancient Ireland.
His genetic legacy is almost as impressive as Genghis Khan, the Mongol emperor who conquered most of Asia in the 13th century and has nearly 16 million descendants, said Dan Bradley, who supervised the research.
"It's another link between profligacy and power," Bradley told Reuters. "We're the first generation on the planet where if you're successful you don't (always) have more children."
The research was carried out by PhD student Laoise Moore, at the Smurfit Institute of Genetics at Trinity. Moore, testing the Y chromosome which is passed on from fathers to sons, examined DNA samples from 800 males across Ireland.
The results -- which have been published in the American Journal of Human Genetics -- showed the highest concentration of related males in northwest Ireland, where one in five males had the same Y chromosome.
Bradley said the results reminded the team of a similar study in central Asia, where scientists found 8 percent of men with the same Y chromosome. Subsequent studies found they shared the same chromosome as the dynasty linked to Genghis Khan.
GENGHIS KHAN EFFECT
"It made us wonder if there could be some sort of Genghis Khan effect in Ireland and the best candidate for it was Niall," Bradley said.
His team then consulted with genealogical experts who provided them with a contemporary list of people with surnames that are genealogically linked to the last known relative of the "Ui Neill" dynasty, which literally means descendants of Niall.
The results showed the new group had the same chromosome as those in the original sample, proving a link between them and the Niall descendents.
"The frequency (of the Y chromosome) was significantly higher in that genealogical group than any other group we tested," said Bradley, whose surname is also linked to the medieval warlord. Other modern surnames tracing their ancestry to Niall include Gallagher, Boyle, O'Donnell and O'Doherty.
For added proof, the scientists used special techniques to age the Y chromosome, according to how many mutations had occurred in the genetic material over time. The number of mutations was found to be in accordance with chromosomes that would date back to the last known living relative of Niall.
Niall reportedly had 12 sons, many of whom became powerful Irish kings themselves. But because he lived in the 5th century, there have been doubts the king -- who is said to have brought the country's patron saint, Patrick, to Ireland -- even existed.
"Before I would have said that characters like Niall were almost mythological, like King Arthur, but this actually puts flesh on the bones," Bradley said.
When international databases were checked, the chromosome also turned up in roughly 2 percent of all male New Yorkers.
Sunday, January 15, 2006
The past rears its ugly head and raises a question
Throughout my high school life, I was ridiculed constantly by a number of the "popular" girls. (Most of us were, so you know where I am coming from.) Anyway, when I'd started high school, I was wearing a size 16, I lost a good deal of weight and wore a size 12 from my sophomore year on. Despite that weight loss, the "fat" comments never stopped. One of the biggest offenders was one of the female jocks-we'll call her "Sue" for the purpose of this exchange.
Today is Sunday, so it is the one day of the week that we'll actually buy a newspaper. In my thirties now, I'm getting old enough that few people that I know are in the wedding/engagement announcements anymore. Sadly, I tend to see more former friends and acquaintances listed in their parents obits. Today was one of those days. One of my former classmates, and one of the people who taunted me the most, was listed as the loving daughter, but it was the next statement that caught me off guard - it said that "Sue" lived in Jericho with her Companion "Cynthia". This immediately caught my eye... "Sue" is obviously a lesbian. I'm not sure when she realized it, but after all the harassment she gave me over being "fat", I can't help but wonder, if she knew then WHY did she (knowing full well how the insults can hurt) keep the harassment up on her end. Often, her friends had to put an end to her taunting because she'd be over the top with her comments. I know I was not the only person "Sue" liked to verbally harass, but it makes me angry. I'm betting she KNEW what it was like to be on the receiving end of stinging comments, so why didn't she put an end to it? If she wanted to be respected for her differences, why not start by accepting others?
I'm sure she has her side to this little drama, but it really does make me wonder now with the intolerance she faced/faces, if she really regrets the way she treated a large number of people back in high school.
Today is Sunday, so it is the one day of the week that we'll actually buy a newspaper. In my thirties now, I'm getting old enough that few people that I know are in the wedding/engagement announcements anymore. Sadly, I tend to see more former friends and acquaintances listed in their parents obits. Today was one of those days. One of my former classmates, and one of the people who taunted me the most, was listed as the loving daughter, but it was the next statement that caught me off guard - it said that "Sue" lived in Jericho with her Companion "Cynthia". This immediately caught my eye... "Sue" is obviously a lesbian. I'm not sure when she realized it, but after all the harassment she gave me over being "fat", I can't help but wonder, if she knew then WHY did she (knowing full well how the insults can hurt) keep the harassment up on her end. Often, her friends had to put an end to her taunting because she'd be over the top with her comments. I know I was not the only person "Sue" liked to verbally harass, but it makes me angry. I'm betting she KNEW what it was like to be on the receiving end of stinging comments, so why didn't she put an end to it? If she wanted to be respected for her differences, why not start by accepting others?
I'm sure she has her side to this little drama, but it really does make me wonder now with the intolerance she faced/faces, if she really regrets the way she treated a large number of people back in high school.
Friday, January 13, 2006
Media Likes To Spark Panic?
I was looking through the local news last night and came across this news story from our local CBS station.
South Burlington, Vermont - January 12, 2006
State officials are preparing for a widespread outbreak of influenza in Vermont.
They say a deadly new type of flu is coming, it's just a matter of time.
Right now, they fear the bird flu. A summit was held Thursday in South Burlington about planning for the next pandemic. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt met with more than 2-hundred Vermont health-care professionals and state leaders.
"Preparing for pandemics is an uniquely local task, it has to be, and at last that preparation works, it saves lives," said Leavitt.
We'll have an exclusive interview with Secretary Leavitt, a lot more information about the Bird Flu, and a look back the flu pandemic of 1918 on the Channel 3 News at 6.
~~~~
Okay, so now they have some people good and scared I'm sure. The truth is - NO ONE knows. There might be a major flu outbreak, but then there might not be. They truly have no way of knowing until it hits. In the meantime, I'm sure there are many people out there who are now frightened. In an already stressful world, what good have they truly accomplished now?
South Burlington, Vermont - January 12, 2006
State officials are preparing for a widespread outbreak of influenza in Vermont.
They say a deadly new type of flu is coming, it's just a matter of time.
Right now, they fear the bird flu. A summit was held Thursday in South Burlington about planning for the next pandemic. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt met with more than 2-hundred Vermont health-care professionals and state leaders.
"Preparing for pandemics is an uniquely local task, it has to be, and at last that preparation works, it saves lives," said Leavitt.
We'll have an exclusive interview with Secretary Leavitt, a lot more information about the Bird Flu, and a look back the flu pandemic of 1918 on the Channel 3 News at 6.
~~~~
Okay, so now they have some people good and scared I'm sure. The truth is - NO ONE knows. There might be a major flu outbreak, but then there might not be. They truly have no way of knowing until it hits. In the meantime, I'm sure there are many people out there who are now frightened. In an already stressful world, what good have they truly accomplished now?
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Lost
Okay, who has a guess as to what that black cloud thing is?
I'd heard that one of the show's writers made a comment about "Notice we've never stated just WHEN this plane went down. We've given no clues as to what era it is... Think of a passage to another dimension as being what the project was about..."
So having heard that, I begin to think that Walt and the others are in a different dimension and that somewhere on the island is a passageway. I at first thought the black cloud might fit, but then it moves so oddly. I'm no longer sure.
I'd heard that one of the show's writers made a comment about "Notice we've never stated just WHEN this plane went down. We've given no clues as to what era it is... Think of a passage to another dimension as being what the project was about..."
So having heard that, I begin to think that Walt and the others are in a different dimension and that somewhere on the island is a passageway. I at first thought the black cloud might fit, but then it moves so oddly. I'm no longer sure.
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Local News Board
I was just in reading our town's "discussion board" and there is this huge battle going on between the owners of a local bar and restaurant (The Docks - I happen to frequent them) and the fact that 90% of their business is or shall I say "was" smokers. Vermont passed a law stating that smokers are no longer allowed anywhere now. The Docks has suddenly lost more than half of its clients because they had to make the bar end of that restaurant non-smoking. I've been in there numerous times and the smoke/ventilation system was more than adequate. I feel really bad for the owners now as their profits are no longer covering their expenses and they've had to put up a for sale sign.
I don't smoke and yes I am well aware of health concerns. However, I look around me... So when does the ban on diesel exhaust come into play? That stuff is gross and could choke an elephant. There are plenty of things that annoy, there are health dangers out there everywhere. Is banning all smoking bars the solution? No. How about this for an idea. Designate bars for smokers and then bars for non-smokers. The owners can decide which bar best fits their patrons. If you don't smoke - DON'T go into a bar designated for smoking only. Why has today's society made that so impossible? Women fighting like crazy to get into male establishments... I can just see the outcry if a man were to sue to become a member of say La Leche - the breast feeding organization. And for the record, supposedly with the right hormone cocktail a man can produce milk so why not men in La Leche???
So while I'm at things that bother me and are hazardous to my health:
1. Plumbers who can't pull up their pants as they work. Okay, every time I see plumber's cleavage I want to hurl. I might choke on my vomit, so that's a huge danger. Let's get all plumbers suspenders right now!
2. Teenagers wearing pant waists around their knees. They might trip and fall when I'm walking behind them and then I'd trip and fall too. Potential injury there - so I say all clothing designers need to redesign the fashions just because I say so!
3. Rap Music. That stuff is nasty and threatens to deafen me, so I say out with the rap music right now. Ban it!
Shall I go on?
I don't smoke and yes I am well aware of health concerns. However, I look around me... So when does the ban on diesel exhaust come into play? That stuff is gross and could choke an elephant. There are plenty of things that annoy, there are health dangers out there everywhere. Is banning all smoking bars the solution? No. How about this for an idea. Designate bars for smokers and then bars for non-smokers. The owners can decide which bar best fits their patrons. If you don't smoke - DON'T go into a bar designated for smoking only. Why has today's society made that so impossible? Women fighting like crazy to get into male establishments... I can just see the outcry if a man were to sue to become a member of say La Leche - the breast feeding organization. And for the record, supposedly with the right hormone cocktail a man can produce milk so why not men in La Leche???
So while I'm at things that bother me and are hazardous to my health:
1. Plumbers who can't pull up their pants as they work. Okay, every time I see plumber's cleavage I want to hurl. I might choke on my vomit, so that's a huge danger. Let's get all plumbers suspenders right now!
2. Teenagers wearing pant waists around their knees. They might trip and fall when I'm walking behind them and then I'd trip and fall too. Potential injury there - so I say all clothing designers need to redesign the fashions just because I say so!
3. Rap Music. That stuff is nasty and threatens to deafen me, so I say out with the rap music right now. Ban it!
Shall I go on?
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Differences between men and women
You know, we recently started doing some updating to our bathroom. I am a HGTV junkie and had plenty of ideas that my husband was willing to go along with. However, work details make us completely different people. Plumbing is not anyone's friend usually. What amazes me is that my cool, level-headed husband took to cursing at anyone and anything that got in the path of his slow leak. I understand the frustration, but to go to that extreme with the grumpiness-factor seemed so out of character. It was a simple leak that in my opinion could be fixed with silicone stuff, yet he turned it into a major production of pulling the entire drain apart three times to make sure it was perfect.
So I ventured into asking him why it bothered him so much. His response - "it makes us feel less of a man if we can't complete a simple "manly" task. Is that really it? I can't sew to save my life, but does that make me feel like less of a woman? Hell, no! I don't understand the intricate details into a man's pride now. We've been married for almost 15 years, and granted I've never seen him deal with a leak after a plumbing job, so maybe it is just that it was a new situation to him, but it still strikes me as very odd.
In the end, the leak is fine. He discovered that the washer that went with one of the gaskets (I think that's what he called it) had tiny threads so that the washer was supposed to be screwed onto the pipe not pushed on.
My bathroom is complete - except for the tub which is a whole different story. (Bathroom is exactly five feet wide and 8 feet long, so I haven't decided how on earth you are supposed to remove the old tub and put a new one into place in such a small area. We're going to save up and leave that to a professional!
So I ventured into asking him why it bothered him so much. His response - "it makes us feel less of a man if we can't complete a simple "manly" task. Is that really it? I can't sew to save my life, but does that make me feel like less of a woman? Hell, no! I don't understand the intricate details into a man's pride now. We've been married for almost 15 years, and granted I've never seen him deal with a leak after a plumbing job, so maybe it is just that it was a new situation to him, but it still strikes me as very odd.
In the end, the leak is fine. He discovered that the washer that went with one of the gaskets (I think that's what he called it) had tiny threads so that the washer was supposed to be screwed onto the pipe not pushed on.
My bathroom is complete - except for the tub which is a whole different story. (Bathroom is exactly five feet wide and 8 feet long, so I haven't decided how on earth you are supposed to remove the old tub and put a new one into place in such a small area. We're going to save up and leave that to a professional!
Friday, January 06, 2006
Things I want in 2006
1. Restrooms right off the individual movie theaters with loudspeakers so that if you have to go in the middle of a movie, you can still at least hear the action! That would be great!
2. Speaking of movies - some cities have this, but Vermont gave it up years ago. I still remember going to the movies as a Junior in high school and sitting down at this table where you could order food as you watched the movie. That theater is long gone - it's now a "concert" type club, but I really miss the format they tested back in that 1986-1987 era. Why not dinner and a movie together. You sit at tables with the movie playing as you eat? With the age of computers, you could silently press a button to alert the waiter/waitress that you need another drink of choice. The closest we have now is a gem of a restaurant, Niccos, that is next door to the theater. Spend $15 and they sell you a discounted movie pass for $5 and you can have a few beers or some wine before you go to the movies. I love it, but being able to drink as I watch the movie would be even nicer! Kind of like home!
3. While I'm still on movie theaters... if you can have neighborhoods for residents 55 or older, why not a movie theater that bars teenagers and children? I've been to R movies and had 13-14 year olds talk the entire time. Let's make it a grown-up only environment periodically. You can have your "family theater" or a "Grown-ups only..." Of course, there are some grown-ups who are just as obnoxious, so I guess in reality that would never work. So how about a movie theater that actually WELCOMES its clientele to bring their own snacks. I'd happily pay $10 a ticket if I could skip the concession stand and bring my own food and beverage!
4. Express Lanes in Costco?????? I can't name the number of times I have had one or two items or seen someone else with one or two items and had to stand in a lengthy line for hours.
5. A dome that you could have installed over your house with a door that opens with a remote to your driveway so that you wouldn't have to deal with a snowy lawn! I hate snow. Even more, I hate the neighbor's dogs and cats that feel my yard is their personal potty. (Note to the neighbor across the street. When you start finding dog poo scattered in front of your mailbox and the bottom of your driveway, it's something I've been saving up just for you since you go to work and don't feel it necessary to leash up or put your dogs inside first.)
2. Speaking of movies - some cities have this, but Vermont gave it up years ago. I still remember going to the movies as a Junior in high school and sitting down at this table where you could order food as you watched the movie. That theater is long gone - it's now a "concert" type club, but I really miss the format they tested back in that 1986-1987 era. Why not dinner and a movie together. You sit at tables with the movie playing as you eat? With the age of computers, you could silently press a button to alert the waiter/waitress that you need another drink of choice. The closest we have now is a gem of a restaurant, Niccos, that is next door to the theater. Spend $15 and they sell you a discounted movie pass for $5 and you can have a few beers or some wine before you go to the movies. I love it, but being able to drink as I watch the movie would be even nicer! Kind of like home!
3. While I'm still on movie theaters... if you can have neighborhoods for residents 55 or older, why not a movie theater that bars teenagers and children? I've been to R movies and had 13-14 year olds talk the entire time. Let's make it a grown-up only environment periodically. You can have your "family theater" or a "Grown-ups only..." Of course, there are some grown-ups who are just as obnoxious, so I guess in reality that would never work. So how about a movie theater that actually WELCOMES its clientele to bring their own snacks. I'd happily pay $10 a ticket if I could skip the concession stand and bring my own food and beverage!
4. Express Lanes in Costco?????? I can't name the number of times I have had one or two items or seen someone else with one or two items and had to stand in a lengthy line for hours.
5. A dome that you could have installed over your house with a door that opens with a remote to your driveway so that you wouldn't have to deal with a snowy lawn! I hate snow. Even more, I hate the neighbor's dogs and cats that feel my yard is their personal potty. (Note to the neighbor across the street. When you start finding dog poo scattered in front of your mailbox and the bottom of your driveway, it's something I've been saving up just for you since you go to work and don't feel it necessary to leash up or put your dogs inside first.)
Thursday, January 05, 2006
Favorites
I have a good case of the winter blahs going. Usually it hits me earlier, so I'm quite happy it held off until the time of year when the days begin getting longer again. However, I'm also finding myself turning more to baking as a release - not a good thing for the waistline!
Years ago, my mom and her neighbors/buddies started this thing called "Herman." Now Herman was in essence a sourdough starter that they passed around, kept chilled, fed daily and then spent more time coming up with recipes to use him up. We ate Herman bread, Herman pancakes, Herman waffles, Herman you-name-it.
So a few months ago, I was handed a copy of this cookbook that I truly have come to adore. It was a "gift" from Marlboro to smokers - now you have to pay $20 on Ebay if you want to get a copy. I lucked out and was given a copy that I am wearing thin. This cookbook is exceptional and I want the second, only that means I have to bid and win for the Blue one. Anyway, this cookbook is all cowboy cooking. Chilis, stews, campfire cuisine. I LOVE IT.
In this book was a recipe for creating your own sourdough starter. I decided to give it a shot - sourdough bread is a favorite of mine. I now have the most fragrant, tangy starter out there. I'm caring for this starter on a daily basis and have run out of recipes in books, so now I'm exploring the web for more. Anyone want to share?
I'm convinced that anyone can create a starter. I have a clay crock with a lid (former crock pot dish, but the actual heating part of the crockpot died, so I only have the removable crock left which works perfectly for my starter. Take 2 cups of water, 2 cups of flour and a teaspoon of yeast. Mix it, cover it and then leave it alone. Give it three or four days and you end up with this mixture that smells like hard cider. It's incredible.
Then if anyone wants - in this cookbook is a recipe for quick and easy sourdough biscuits that is foolproof! I'll share later.
Tracy
Years ago, my mom and her neighbors/buddies started this thing called "Herman." Now Herman was in essence a sourdough starter that they passed around, kept chilled, fed daily and then spent more time coming up with recipes to use him up. We ate Herman bread, Herman pancakes, Herman waffles, Herman you-name-it.
So a few months ago, I was handed a copy of this cookbook that I truly have come to adore. It was a "gift" from Marlboro to smokers - now you have to pay $20 on Ebay if you want to get a copy. I lucked out and was given a copy that I am wearing thin. This cookbook is exceptional and I want the second, only that means I have to bid and win for the Blue one. Anyway, this cookbook is all cowboy cooking. Chilis, stews, campfire cuisine. I LOVE IT.
In this book was a recipe for creating your own sourdough starter. I decided to give it a shot - sourdough bread is a favorite of mine. I now have the most fragrant, tangy starter out there. I'm caring for this starter on a daily basis and have run out of recipes in books, so now I'm exploring the web for more. Anyone want to share?
I'm convinced that anyone can create a starter. I have a clay crock with a lid (former crock pot dish, but the actual heating part of the crockpot died, so I only have the removable crock left which works perfectly for my starter. Take 2 cups of water, 2 cups of flour and a teaspoon of yeast. Mix it, cover it and then leave it alone. Give it three or four days and you end up with this mixture that smells like hard cider. It's incredible.
Then if anyone wants - in this cookbook is a recipe for quick and easy sourdough biscuits that is foolproof! I'll share later.
Tracy
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Holiday Television Hiatus Time
I have to admit. I kind of like when TV goes on their Christmas/New Years hiatus of new shows. I have spent the past week catching up on my boxed sets - Tru Calling has been my show of choice this week and I still curse Fox for canceling the show over moving it to a different time slot and giving it another chance!
However, before falling asleep, I've been curling up to repeats of "House". Now this Doctor House is a bit of a jackass. He's very self-important, snotty even, but oh boy am I loving this show. Last night's repeat--the one with the little girl who is dying--cancer, House grew a heart. I almost swore he did the Grinch thing and that you could hear his heart grow three sizes. I'm off to watch tonight's repeats. :-)
However, before falling asleep, I've been curling up to repeats of "House". Now this Doctor House is a bit of a jackass. He's very self-important, snotty even, but oh boy am I loving this show. Last night's repeat--the one with the little girl who is dying--cancer, House grew a heart. I almost swore he did the Grinch thing and that you could hear his heart grow three sizes. I'm off to watch tonight's repeats. :-)
Monday, January 02, 2006
Happy New Year!
This year, I've come across the following types of people and have realized that there are people who really need a change in 2006!
1. The supposed "buddy" who up and announces that he/she cannot come over to share an occasional drink anymore because his/her spouse/significant other will get pissy if that party goes out drinking while the spouse/significant other is out with his/her friends hitting the local bars. Obviously, I don't see the point in that argument. He/she can go out and have a good time, but the person left at home can't? Sounds a little to controlling to me. However, I have seen enough of controlling relationships to know they are doomed and will crash and burn or remain and leave a person miserable for life. I hope the people in these relationships find it within themselves to realize that a change is needed.
2. The loving parent who is afraid to leave their child at home with a sitter so they bring that child to the movies. We sat through King Kong with a two-year-old girl screaming in terror throughout the entire island segment. When her infant sister joined in, the parents finally opted to leave. I just don't get it.
3. The teenager who comes to the movies and leaves their cellphone on despite the numerous posters, on-screen displays, etc. that tell you to turn off your cellphone during the movie. Yet, during The Chronicles Of Narnia, the group of teenaged girls sitting right behind us had their cellphones ring three times during the movie. I wish management would do something about that!
4. This is my favorite! The now "too-old to still be a foster child with the State of Vermont, but I really really don't want to work, so I'm going to sponge of anyone in the neighborhood that I possibly can so that I can have free rent, free meals, and still not have to work." I've heard rumors that this kid sells pot on the side to afford his car and his gas, police have no firm proof yet, but they are looking into the complaints. Meanwhile, I remain baffled by "parents" who would let their teenage daughter share a bed with this slacker, offer to support him because they feel guilty tossing him onto the street, and in the end of it become his enabler. Free rent, free food, why should he work? More so, I wonder about the mental state of this adult-wannabe who would rather start his car, gun the engine with the horrible muffler for a few minutes to drive four houses down the street, pick up whatever it is he picks up from that house five or six times a day (again, this fits the rumors) and then come back, park, and go back inside. I have a suggest there too - WALK. God gave you working legs, so why don't you try using them!
5. The Walmart employees (three of them yesterday) who blocked an entire aisle with their cart for stocking merchandise. When asked to kindly move so that shoppers could get through, all three refused and said they needed to do their job. That's customer service for you!
6. Parents who can't or don't care to control their children. For the New Year, we offered to take our children out for breakfast. So we all went to Friendly's. Now I expect noise and kids at Friendlys as it is not an upscale establishment. Did I expect a group of ten year old boys (four of them) with their parents (six of them) to go crazy? No. These boys ordered the waitress around like seasoned pros. First, one of the boys said he couldn't eat pancakes without hot syrup. He wanted his syrup heated in the microwave. She did it, came back about 30 seconds later, and warned him it was hot. So at that point, the boy announced, "I'm done my pancakes anyway so it doesn't matter." After she returned, another boy announced his toast was cooked too much. It was crunchy and he hates crunchy toast. (I'm not sure myself how you can "toast" something and not have it crunchy!) She had to go back and have his toast redone. She returned with a new, much undercooked, version and he seemed happy enough. So the other two announced they wanted more water and one of them said he didn't get enough homefries with his meal, that the cook skimped him. So this poor woman went back to the kitchen for two glasses of water and more home fries. She was back at that table within two minutes and those little brats never said thank you. Instead, they got up announced they were done with their meals and then went over to an empty table and began squirting ketchup all over the napkin dispenser. At this point, I made a comment to the grown-ups. So what does this supposed "mother" to one of the boys say? "Hey guys. Someone has to clean that mess up and it's not you, so cool it." I mean what the hell was that? Had that been my child, I would have been asking the kitchen for a washcloth and making my kid clean up the mess he/she'd created. It was just absurd and it didn't stop these boys. The proceeded to squirt ketchup all over while proclaiming that it comes out just like "runny crap." Their behavior was horrid and all I could say to my own children is THANK GOD they know how to act in a restaurant. These little spoiled brats are part of the future of this country. Someone stop the planet now so that I can get off and take my children to a saner environment!
1. The supposed "buddy" who up and announces that he/she cannot come over to share an occasional drink anymore because his/her spouse/significant other will get pissy if that party goes out drinking while the spouse/significant other is out with his/her friends hitting the local bars. Obviously, I don't see the point in that argument. He/she can go out and have a good time, but the person left at home can't? Sounds a little to controlling to me. However, I have seen enough of controlling relationships to know they are doomed and will crash and burn or remain and leave a person miserable for life. I hope the people in these relationships find it within themselves to realize that a change is needed.
2. The loving parent who is afraid to leave their child at home with a sitter so they bring that child to the movies. We sat through King Kong with a two-year-old girl screaming in terror throughout the entire island segment. When her infant sister joined in, the parents finally opted to leave. I just don't get it.
3. The teenager who comes to the movies and leaves their cellphone on despite the numerous posters, on-screen displays, etc. that tell you to turn off your cellphone during the movie. Yet, during The Chronicles Of Narnia, the group of teenaged girls sitting right behind us had their cellphones ring three times during the movie. I wish management would do something about that!
4. This is my favorite! The now "too-old to still be a foster child with the State of Vermont, but I really really don't want to work, so I'm going to sponge of anyone in the neighborhood that I possibly can so that I can have free rent, free meals, and still not have to work." I've heard rumors that this kid sells pot on the side to afford his car and his gas, police have no firm proof yet, but they are looking into the complaints. Meanwhile, I remain baffled by "parents" who would let their teenage daughter share a bed with this slacker, offer to support him because they feel guilty tossing him onto the street, and in the end of it become his enabler. Free rent, free food, why should he work? More so, I wonder about the mental state of this adult-wannabe who would rather start his car, gun the engine with the horrible muffler for a few minutes to drive four houses down the street, pick up whatever it is he picks up from that house five or six times a day (again, this fits the rumors) and then come back, park, and go back inside. I have a suggest there too - WALK. God gave you working legs, so why don't you try using them!
5. The Walmart employees (three of them yesterday) who blocked an entire aisle with their cart for stocking merchandise. When asked to kindly move so that shoppers could get through, all three refused and said they needed to do their job. That's customer service for you!
6. Parents who can't or don't care to control their children. For the New Year, we offered to take our children out for breakfast. So we all went to Friendly's. Now I expect noise and kids at Friendlys as it is not an upscale establishment. Did I expect a group of ten year old boys (four of them) with their parents (six of them) to go crazy? No. These boys ordered the waitress around like seasoned pros. First, one of the boys said he couldn't eat pancakes without hot syrup. He wanted his syrup heated in the microwave. She did it, came back about 30 seconds later, and warned him it was hot. So at that point, the boy announced, "I'm done my pancakes anyway so it doesn't matter." After she returned, another boy announced his toast was cooked too much. It was crunchy and he hates crunchy toast. (I'm not sure myself how you can "toast" something and not have it crunchy!) She had to go back and have his toast redone. She returned with a new, much undercooked, version and he seemed happy enough. So the other two announced they wanted more water and one of them said he didn't get enough homefries with his meal, that the cook skimped him. So this poor woman went back to the kitchen for two glasses of water and more home fries. She was back at that table within two minutes and those little brats never said thank you. Instead, they got up announced they were done with their meals and then went over to an empty table and began squirting ketchup all over the napkin dispenser. At this point, I made a comment to the grown-ups. So what does this supposed "mother" to one of the boys say? "Hey guys. Someone has to clean that mess up and it's not you, so cool it." I mean what the hell was that? Had that been my child, I would have been asking the kitchen for a washcloth and making my kid clean up the mess he/she'd created. It was just absurd and it didn't stop these boys. The proceeded to squirt ketchup all over while proclaiming that it comes out just like "runny crap." Their behavior was horrid and all I could say to my own children is THANK GOD they know how to act in a restaurant. These little spoiled brats are part of the future of this country. Someone stop the planet now so that I can get off and take my children to a saner environment!
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