O Say, Can You See ... - The USA thread 2025

24

Comments

  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    @Graven Image - I should have read your post here before I responded to Stercus Tauri's post in the Quotes File.

    Of course you didn't mean to eat that piece of CAKE ... :mrgreen:

    Moral of the story - buy some freezer-labels.
  • jedijudyjedijudy Heaven Host
    Many years ago, I was going to take frozen strawberry sauce to a friend who had shortcakes, so that we could just have a nice dessert together! When the container thawed, and we put the sauce on the shortcakes, we were unpleasantly surprised to find it was actually cranberry sauce!

    I'd rather be surprised by cake! :joy:
  • I'm curious @jedijudy - is cranberry sauce too tart? Is that why the surprise? I would have thought any fruit sauce would be good, would love to know more!
  • jedijudyjedijudy Heaven Host
    It was very tart, @Cheery Gardener! I really enjoy my homemade cranberry sauce, but when my mouth was ready for something sweet, it was a shock!
    My friend and I had a good laugh over it, though!
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    I can see your difficulty, JJ - if you'd been expecting cranberry sauce (and presumably eating turkey with it), it would have been fine ... :mrgreen:
  • That makes perfect sense @jedijudy, a real surprise for the old taste buds!!
  • I’m a happy camper this morning. One of the foods of my childhood that I haven’t encountered in decades is salt-risen bread. I have very fond memories of it—and of the funky smell of it.

    It’s impossible to find anywhere, but it occurred to me that perhaps I could try baking it myself. (Extra time in retirement really is nice). The challenge was that I didn’t have a good spot where I could ensure a constant, appropriate temperature for the very long proofing/fermentation times—around 100° F for 15–24+ hours, depending on the stars. So, I asked for and got a foldable proofing box for my birthday.

    Baking was a nice distraction yesterday. And I’m now enjoying salt-risen bread toast with my coffee. Life is very good.


  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    Good on you, Nick - enjoy! :)
  • We'll be heading to Pensacola, Florida at the beginning of next month to spend a few days with my wife's brother, looking forward to some warm weather and strolling on the beach. They just sent us a photo from their front door showing what looks like four or so inches of snow over everything. That's more than we have in southern Ontario! But surely it won't be -24C as it will be tonight here?
  • RuthRuth Shipmate
    19F tonight, so merely -7C.

    You should come to southern California. It was 73F at the beach here today, and will be 78 tomorrow.
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    I saw something about snow in Florida on Farcebark this morning, and thought "cor blimey!".
  • SarasaSarasa All Saints Host
    A friend from my town is in Pensacola at the moment. I was wondering if she'd had snow. Her pictures from earlier in the month were of sunny beaches.
  • @Nick Tamen so glad to read that you've received a gift that you're making good use of. I agree with you extra time in retirement to do things is just lovely. When our kids were young if we chose to do something like helping others or even just having a family outing it meant that something at home was being left undone and now not having that pressure to try to be on top of things all the time, is just bliss!
  • After a three-week wait for a part, the washing machine repair man is coming in the morning. The machine will not cycle through unless I bang on the lid or move the dial. Today, I did a load of washing, and it performed flawlessly. I am sure I still need it repaired, but really?
  • IGeekIGeek Shipmate Posts: 10
    Former SoCal-er (Long Beach & various bits of San Diego county ending up in Poway before we parted for parts East) so I can relate to the fire fears. There was one in Poway a couple of days ago in a neighborhood adjacent to where I used to live. Eek.

    Now I’m in the foothills of the Sangre di Cristo in a home bounding on landscape with flammable foliage so knowing that it could be us and keeping a defensible perimeter becomes so important.

    My Cali-siblings on my heart and mind.
  • After a three-week wait for a part, the washing machine repair man is coming in the morning. The machine will not cycle through unless I bang on the lid or move the dial. Today, I did a load of washing, and it performed flawlessly. I am sure I still need it repaired, but really?
    :lol:


  • I’m far enough south to not be getting snow in my part of Florida (Tampa Bay), but it’s still very cold for me—41 degrees F, which is (checks) 5 degrees C. Summers are brutal here, though.
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    ... The machine will not cycle through ...
    Have you considered getting it a bigger bicycle? :mrgreen:

    I'll see myself out.
  • The washing machine is up and running. ( No Piglet, it has not left the building). Now I am having strange electrical problems. The overhead light in my hallway is flickering, as is the lamp in my bedroom. I find that very worrying, but I can not contact an electrician until Monday. In the meantime, I am not going to turn them on. Does anyone on the ship have any guesses about what might cause that?
  • They are sending someone over ASAP to make sure I am safe from fire and of course the lights have now stopped flickering.
  • They are sending someone over ASAP to make sure I am safe from fire and of course the lights have now stopped flickering.

    Checking in. ❤️
  • Good News: no more blinking lights for two days. Loose connection in the breaker box. Nice young repair man. He said it may have been loose for some time, but washing machine repair may have triggered it. Interesting.
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    Glad to hear it's sorted, GI.
  • Rain has returned to the West Coast USA, much needed and a big help for fires; however, for those who have naturally curly hair and need to walk their dog in the rain, I feel your pain.
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    edited February 1
    Are you channelling Frieda from the Peanuts cartoons? 😃

    ETA: my hair is naturally wavy, so I feel your pain too.
  • RuthRuth Shipmate
    No rain in SoCal till mid-week though, and then the forecast is just for showers with a less than 50% chance.
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    That's definitely less than you could do with!

    What about your new apartment, @Ruth - are you in yet?
  • RuthRuth Shipmate
    Thanks, @Piglet, we got it all done in exactly three weeks - eviction notice Jan 3, closed the door on our old place Jan 24. Got our security deposit, city-mandated relocation fee (equivalent of one month's rent) and pro-rated remainder of January rent the next day. Now the unboxing ...

    One unexpected blessing: the cats have settled in really well. We're guessing that being on the second floor and not having people walk by with their dogs all the time as in our old place allows the cats to feel more relaxed.
  • DoublethinkDoublethink Admin, 8th Day Host
    Congratulations :)
  • BroJamesBroJames Purgatory Host
    Very pleased @Ruth that things seem to have worked out well for you all.
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    Glad to hear it, Ruth - wishing you, your partner and the pussycats health to enjoy it! 🙂
  • Fantastic, @Ruth. May you, your partner and the cats all enjoy your new abode.
  • RuthRuth Shipmate
    Thank you!
  • NenyaNenya All Saints Host, Ecclesiantics & MW Host
    Very pleased to read this, @Ruth .
  • SarasaSarasa All Saints Host
    That is great news @Ruth.
  • jedijudyjedijudy Heaven Host
    I'm so happy for you all, @Ruth!
  • Ruth wrote: »
    Thanks, @Piglet, we got it all done in exactly three weeks - eviction notice Jan 3, closed the door on our old place Jan 24. Got our security deposit, city-mandated relocation fee (equivalent of one month's rent) and pro-rated remainder of January rent the next day. Now the unboxing ...

    One unexpected blessing: the cats have settled in really well. We're guessing that being on the second floor and not having people walk by with their dogs all the time as in our old place allows the cats to feel more relaxed.

    Awesome! Happy kitties make me happy especially. 😸😸
  • My son and I toured our town's outdoor light art show last night. What fun. It's amazing what artists can make that glow. It was cold, but thankfully, I had many layers on. The hard part was the wonderful smells from all the food carts, as I am on a medical diet that does not include hot dogs and all the trimmings.
    Nevertheless, a tiny cheat of a small warm hot chocolate with whipped cream took care of the cravings. Art, theater, literature, and music are so important now to soothe our souls in these troubled times. I am thankful for all who create. I am also starting to do my amateur stuff again for my mental health as well.
  • Sounds wonderful, @Graven Image!

    And I’m all for the tiny cheats. :wink:

  • As I no longer drive, I do my shopping when my son comes to help me. Blessing on my children who look after me as I age. So, knowing my friend has a Saturday birthday coming up and seeing a lovely pot of pink tulips on sale, I grabbed one. The problem is when I bought them they were not open. Over the last few days, they are now in full bloom. I hope they stay in bloom until the weekend. I have moved them out on my covered porch, which is cooler.
  • -8F this morning. I had to return a car to Enterprise Rentals this morning. The young man that took me back home said he was from Fairbanks Alaska. He said he did not realize how cold it could get in Pullman WA. I told him it is only for a couple of days. Next week, it will be up to 45F during the day. One small problem, a major snowstorm is scheduled for the weekend.
  • I'm going and getting some vaccines right now because that horrible man has been appointed head of the NIH. Walgreens lets you do walk in.
  • I washed my hair with Dawn dishwashing liquid today. Not what I planned. I had my head in the sink, soaking wet, and reached for my shampoo, and oh no, I forgot to bring it with me. Dawn was there; they use it on oil-soaked ducks, which might work. My hair looks great.
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    At least you won't have greasy hair ... :mrgreen:
  • CaissaCaissa Shipmate
    A 1978 Palmolive commercial. I remember Madge from my formative years.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dFlJikh0PY
  • It's day two, and my hair is still looking good. I may be on to something. It would cost a lot less than the fancy shampoo I have been using.
  • NenyaNenya All Saints Host, Ecclesiantics & MW Host
    I was at university with a girl who always washed her hair with washing up liquid. It always looked beautiful - thick and glossy.
  • SarasaSarasa All Saints Host
    The only time I tried washing up liquid, due to the fact I'd run out of anything else it looked grim. I once tried putting an egg in my son's hair ahead of a photo at his nursery school. It did make his blond hair look even more yellow but it smelt awful and it was a stiff as a board.
  • NenyaNenya All Saints Host, Ecclesiantics & MW Host
    I've never tried the washing up liquid on my hair thing myself and have only ever met that one person who did it.
  • jedijudyjedijudy Heaven Host
    Puppies! Kittens!!!

    I feel better now! :blush:

    Is anyone going outside to view the Planetary Parade this evening?
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