Norms Bait and Tackle

[Marilyne]

Late afternoon here, and I'm just home from getting my hair cut.  My hairdresser, (who has become a friend over the past 20 years),  is having family problems and wanted to talk, so I was there much longer than usual.  My new haircut is much shorter than I usually get, so will take some getting used to.  I've always kept it at about chin length, but it's become too hard for me to manage, so I had her cut it about an inch-plus shorter.

Mary Ann - I'm so glad that Tom, is sticking to his diet, and that he's under the doctor's supervision.  I'm sorry that all of his friends are not encouraging him!  I hope that Robin, and his lady friend in Holland, understand how important this weight loss is for him, and that neither one of them are the tempting him with Holiday goodies.  Christmastime, is a difficult time for anyone trying to stick to a diet.  I had never heard of the Roosevelt Diet, either, but it does sound like it would be okay, with maybe some fruits and veggies thrown in?

Patricia - You are certainly doing well with your weight loss program!  I agree that Ensure or Boost, are both very palatable, and supposedly contain the protein a person needs for energy.   I also smoked, back in the day.  I knew I would never be able to taper off like so many smokers try to do, and that, "Cold turkey", would be the best method for me.  It was hard, but it worked. 

[Mary Ann]

Marilyn, as I type, I'm listening to Christmas songs.  There are some in the collection I don't care for, but I don't have a choice.  The program is on TV and is called Music Choice.  There really are several channels, each with a different type of music.  I usually listen to Light Classical.

Both Robin and Mary (in Holland) are big supporters of Tom's attempt at weight loss.  He goes out to lunch once or twice with others and once with me.  With me he eats wisely.

The Roosevelt Diet is liquid and probably similar to Boost or Ensure.  I drank a glassful which probably was the equivalent of a bottle of the others.  I drank it for breakfast or lunch but not every meal. 

I am looking forward to my hair cut next week when I have a new stylist.  My former stylist was not fully to blame for my bad haircuts because of the fact I sleep on my left side and it has made my hair unmanageable on that side.  But I honestly think she gave me the worst haircut I have ever had.  Hair on the left side sticks out and really looks like half of a haystack!

I'm proud to say that I never smoked; I haven't tried my first cigarette.  I have had plenty of second-hand smoke because Dad smoked a pipe but he was not a chain smoker.  Mother did not smoke. Both Norm and his first wife smoked like chimneys but when Norm had his bypass surgery, he quit smoking and to my knowledge never picked up a cigarette again.  Joyce continued to smoke and eventually that is one of the things that took her life, among other things.  Tim smoked, but neither Terry nor Tom smoked.  Tom's kids do not smoke.  I think none of the other of my great nieces and nephews smokes.  Someone got the message!

Mary Ann

[Johann Mc]

Sorry I have been so delinquent in posting here. Life has gotten fairly complicated and I spend so much time meeting Windell's needs that there isn't much left over for the computer.  He is 90 now, is blind in his right eye and almost blind in his left so I have to read his mail to him, double check when he takes his meds, and help him find things.  I have had helpers coming in for a half day for about four months now and because he likes seafood so much, I try to take him out at least once a day for a meal. I also periodically try to get out myself while the helper is here. 

About a month ago I fell in a parking lot here when I went to pick up a take out for him (after dark) and bumped my forehead on the right side and also my right shoulder. I still have a small bruise on my forehead and underneath my right eye but I had an MRI a week later and they said that my brain is OK, thank goodness!  Not sure what happened - just sort of tripped over my feet.  Sure going to try to avoid THAT again! 

Good to see that many of you are still posting here!  Will try to get back more frequently!

Not doing a lot of decorating this year, but I LOVE Christmas music so play a lot of it in December!  Hope you all have a good Christmas season filled with love and peace! 

[Joy]

Good morning.  Just making an early appearance.

I have to get myself moving as I am going to the Amish Market with my son and DIL this morning.   Lots of goodies and I need to pick up a few little gifts.  We will have lunch there as they have a lot of nice food vendors with lots of good food.  Might even bring something home for dinner.  Need to get a move on.

Hope everyone has a great day.

Joy

[Mary Ann]

Joy, I also am making a brief appearance because about 9:30 Tom and I are heading for Holland again to care for the twins while Mom and Dad work on getting the third bedroom ready for Alicia's parents.  Tom has decided to take them to Barnes & Noble again where they'll (maybe) listen to a story or two read by women employees at B&N, after which we'll take them to McD's to play in the playground. 

Johann, it's awful getting old.  I feel for Windell as my eyesight is bad, not as bad as Windell's, and my hearing isn't good.  I have new hearing aids which help my hearing but there is nothing to be done for my eyes.  I can read text on the computer when it is bold or in larger print, and reading books is out!  I'm glad you are able to do what you can do, both for Windell and yourself.  I have Tom here to help me and if he wasn't here, I'd be elsewhere.

My nephew's widow fell in a parking lot, also at night, and broke a bone in her left wrist so she can't work and cannot drive.  She will not see a doctor until Monday (first appointment available).  A nephew is available for a week or two to drive her wherever necessary.  And she's not old - 60 years.

To everyone who follows in here, I hope you have a good day and I hope the weather cooperates in whatever you want to do.

Mary Ann

[CallieOK]

Good Morning,

Yesterday was sunny and warm enough that DIL and I only needed sweaters as we were out running around.....Well, actually, she took me to a "maintenance" doctor's appointment and then we went "running around".    We do enjoy our time together.

Today, however, is gloomy and cold.  I need to go to Walgreen's and Braum's (local dairy store) but am glad I don't need to go anywhere else.

The doctor became concerned about my blood sugar test score about 15 years ago and suggested I consult a diabetic dietician.  She put me on a "controlled carbohydrate" food plan (not a specific diet) and I was able to lose 35 pounds as well as get the blood sugar under control.  Portion control was a big part of the plan and I didn't have to cut out any foods.

Not sure why I had a package of Hersey Kisses around - but, when I discovered that 7 pieces would fit into the daily carb count, I began to enjoy indulging.  About half-way through the package, I stepped on the scales and found I had gained 5 pounds! 
Turned out 7 chocolate kisses had 250 calories!!!!  So much for that indulgence! 

Wishing Everyfriend Everywhere an Enjoyable Day.

[Sandy]

Hi Johann !

  Good to see you.  I  imagine that
being a caregiver is a difficult and time
consuming job.  Even when you have
help,  care giving never leaves your mind.  But it is good that you can 
find some relief and get out alone
some times each week.

Mary Ann ... 
  Having to wait to see a doctor about
a broken bone is really shocking to me. 

I am so lucky to live in a city where
someone somewhere is there to help
and I only have to wait until the next
morning to get help for broken bones. 

My Cardiologist's office has 20 Doctors
on staff... So waiting is never necessary
and of course living in a city with 2 major Hospitals a 5 minute ambulance
ride away,  makes waiting  unheard of. 

I know that I am very lucky to be
so well situated ...  This took a lot
of planning on my part and I had to make
the decision to live in the city when needing to do that wasn't necessary at the time. But today, of course,  it is.

End of life decisions are very difficult and it is  often impossible to find an ideal spot for everyone to live. 

We do the best we can,  when we can.

It is pouring rain here on the rocky coast of Maine.....  but I think that I am going to get dressed up for it and
and head for CVS  and Rene's department
store..  just a few hundred steps away..

Have a good day,  Everyone !
Sandy

[Marilyne]

Good morning everyone.  Nice to see so many messages, since I was here last night,

Johann - Good to hear from you, but sorry the Windell is having such a hard time with  his sight.  My husband AJ, has lots of troubles with his eyes also.  I do too, but he is worse off than I am, and has a hard time now, with watching a hockey game on TV.  It starts out fine, but by the end, has deteriorated into a blur.   It's the constant fast moving action on the ice!  Nonetheless, he loves it, and continues watching!   I'm sorry you took such a hard fall in the parking lot, but good that you didn't break any bones.  Please come back often, and let us know how you both are doing?

Sandy - I also live within a five minute ambulance ride, to two excellent hos[itals, so in the event that I would have to call for help, it would not be a long drive or wait.  An injury like a broken bone, would be taken care of immediately at the ER in either hospital.  My youngest daughter fell and broke her arm roller skating, when she was about 12.  I took her to the ER, and they x-rayed, and then called in an orthopedist to set it and apply the cast, etc.  It was all taken care of in a matter of hours.  No waiting.

Callie - your weather sounds exactly like ours.  Temps have been in the mid to high 60's the past couple of days, requiring only a sweater when going anywhere.  However, it's predicted to be much cooler today, and I can already tell the difference at 8:30 in the morning.  If I go anywhere today, I'll need a jacket.   I know you're looking forward to your Christmas trip to Wisconsin, to watch Miss Ellen's performance!  Will the entire family be going, or just parents and grandmothers? 

Mary Ann - I'm sure that you're having a nice day today in Holland, regardless of the weather.   I'm hoping the girls have better storybook readers at Barnes and Noble, than they did last time you were there?   Let us know how things went, and if you and Tom had a nice  meal, after your baby sitting chores were over? 

Patricia - I keep meaning to comment on the links you posted about the Norwegian Forest Cats.  Lily doesn't look a lot like any of them, except for the calico shown in the first link.  Her colors are very distinct  - black, ginger, and white, with no stripes or gray blending them together.  I'll try to get a good picture of her when they're here for Christmas. 

JENNY and BEVERLY - I hope we hear from you today!?

[CallieOK]

Marilyne,  parents, 2 siblings (Miss Emily and Sir Carson  ) and grandmother are going to Wisconsin.  Uncle (#2 son) and dil cannot go because she had her second hip replaced earlier this week (and she isn't even 50, yet  )

Mary Ann,  I hope story time at Barnes & Noble is better today than it was last week.  I used to do Story Times at the local library.  Once, hubby and I were in line at a local cafeteria when I heard,  "Hi, Spider Lady!" and saw a pre-schooler waving at me.  Her mother explained that she loved story time and, particularly,  the "Itsy Bitsy Spider" finger play that I almost always did with her group.. 
Hubby and others in line got a big kick out of it - as did I.

"Turn around, Callie, and get this work table cleared off!!!!" 

[SCFSue]

Good morning, Callie.  I was also a school teacher who loved seeing my former pupils when I was out shopping.  Most of the students I had during my last 6 years were all African-American students.  Most of the white children were sent to (inadequate in my Humble Opinion) private schools.  When my late husband retired from the Navy we bought a 40 acre farm in Bullock County, built 2 homes there, and grew WAY TOO MANY vegetables which were always ripe near the end of the school year.  I'd come home from school and Bob would have the tomatoes washed, laid out on the freezer top, and the water boiling!  And I had test papers to grade, paper work to complete, etc!  I managed to get it all finished, but I was pooped at the end of the day--and facing more paper work for the end of school! 

Oh, and prior to that he had planted lots of cabbage and I had to make sauerkraut to can.  He was born in Wisconsin but he was an only child and his parents moved south when he was in Kindergarten during WWII.  As they drove through Montgomery, they had a flat tire, had already used their tire ration and ended up in a trailer park for a year or two prior to buying a 2 acre lot in a new housing development.  He attended Kindergarten through High School in Montgomery.  Then he won an ROTC scholarship to the U. of South Carolina where I was a new freshman and dating one of his fraternity brothers.  It wasn't long before the "brother" and I broke up and Bob and I started dating.  We married the day after graduation from U. S. C. and drove to Norfolk Virginia where he had duty.  He was only home on weekends until we finally were able to move to Pensacola where he entered flight training.  He had to wait until all the Naval Academy grads who were to take flight training there completed their training.  In the Navy, RHIP (rank has it's privileges!).

That's the life of a U.S. Navy wife!  But it was a happy one and we raised 3 sons during his career.

Sue 

[JeanneP]

Maryann.

I found a small fruit cake at Meijers yesterday. Their last one. Use to make big ones and they were good. This is big enough for me.
You look like you are very small in photo. No reason to loose weight.

[Mary Ann]

Good heavens, Jeanne, where did you see a picture of me online?  I haven't had a picture posted in a long time.  I am short - less than five feet and I'm not going to tell anyone what I weigh.  As it is, I am trying to maintain my weight and if I lose a pound occasionally that is OK, but I really am not trying to lose.

It was good to see the long messages when I signed on this afternoon. 

Sue, you know the song "I joined the Navy to see the world and what did I see, I saw the Atlantic and the Pacific" and I don't know the rest of the words.  I hope you saw more than just Maine, interesting as it is (I enjoyed it when there).  And I hope Bob helped you with the vegetables he grew.  My mother was born in Wisconsin (Lake Mills) and I have many relatives (distant) in Wisconsin from both sides of my family.  We're transplants to the state of Michigan.

I think we had the same woman reading at Barnes and Noble this morning.  The kids were very attentive, while moving all over the place.  At the end, she had things to pass out that had to do with the stories she read.  I think Tom was more bored than anyone else.  I just sat there!  Following B&N we got in the car and drove to Holland State Park on Lake Michigan (Holland is south of Grand Haven which is shown in the link at the bottom of my posts).  The girls fell asleep as Tom planned and then we drove to McD's so they could play in the play area.  The room was crowded and I found only a single table, but someone left and I took over the booth where they had been.  I don't know how long we were there but the girls had fun.  Tom bought Happy Meals for the girls and he and I had salads.  Tom had something else but I didn't pay attention to what it was.  The girls are very good and I think people enjoy seeing the two red heads playing in the area.  About 1:30 we left for Jamie's and unloaded (they put the car seats in Tom's car) and left for home.  Both of us were tired and took naps after we got in the house.  Tom has now left for Holland again to see Mary. 

Callie, that is a cute story about the preschooler recognizing you in the store.  My dad was a teacher, of older kids, but he enjoyed being recognized on the street or in a store. 

I was surprised it is taking until Monday with Jan's broken bone, but there may be more to the story that I don't know.  Jan is a triage nurse for Spectrum Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids and it was on the way to her car in the parking lot when she fell.  I can't believe she drove home, but I do know she works until late at night.  When I fractured my wrist in the Chicago airport, no way was I going to miss my plane and when I told my neighbor what had happened, she suggested we go direct to the Med Center.  The doctor there diagnosed my problem, put a cast on the wrist, then said I should see my PCP.  I called the next day and he told me to call Orthopedics Associates which I did, got in right away and they took care of things from then on.  I don't know if Spectrum has an orthopedics department or not, but I think it is Jan's connection to the hospital that made her do things as she did.

Grand Rapids has four large hospitals - Spectrum Butterworth, Spectrum Blodgett, St Mary's, Metro.  Butterworth is where people with heart conditions go, otherwise we can choose whichever one we want.  Metro started out as an Osteopathic hospital, but now handles everything.  Ambulances come at the drop of a hat and I'm not sure of the time element.

I think I've taken up enough of everyone's time.  I'll have to see what there is to eat - probably half a sandwich left over from last night - then I will take my shower and shampoo that I missed this morning.

Mary Ann

[Denver]

How nice to see so many nice posts in here.

It has been a rough couple of days.  Michele's Gamma Knife treatment was long and quite uncomfortable for her as the mask was much too tight and it kept giving her terrible headaches.  There was nothing the6 could do for her other than release her from the table and get the mask off of her face for a bit.  We were shocked to read that they had to treat 13 tumors! All of which were new ones😩😢😭. The last ones they did were gone, than God, and now we just hope and pray that these will be too and that no more present🙏🙏

Son in California called this AM just devastated after hearing that a good friend was found dead after a grand maul seizure.  We have known him for years and it was quite the shock to hear the news.  I did feel so badly for Mark.  Mark and Family are going to Arizona early next month and were going to stay with this friend.  The friend was looking forward to meeting Jonah😩😢

I must get off to bed....pleasant dreams to all. 

Jenny

[angelface555]

Crows could be the smartest animal other than primates

"Intelligence is rooted in the brain. Clever primates – including humans – have a particular structure in their brains called the neocortex. It is thought that this helps to make advanced cognition possible. Corvids, notably, do not have this structure. They have instead evolved densely packed clusters of neurons that afford them similar mental prowess.

The specific kind of brain they have doesn't really matter – corvids and primates share some of the same basic capabilities in terms of problem-solving and plasticity, or being able to adapt and change in the face of new information and experiences. This is an example of convergent evolution, where completely different evolutionary histories have led to the same feature or behaviour.

It's easy for humans to see why the things corvids can do are useful. From identifying people who have previously posed a threat to them or others in their group to using gestures for communication – we too rely on abilities like these.

Rutz is unequivocal. Some birds, like the New Caledonian crows he studies – can do remarkable things. In a paper published earlier this year, he and his co-authors described how New Caledonians seek out a specific type of plant stem from which to make their hooked tools. Experiments showed that crows found the stems they desired even when they had been disguised with leaves from a different plant species. This suggested that the birds were selecting a kind of material for their tools that they knew was just right for the job. You wouldn't use a spanner to hammer in a nail, would you?"

https://tinyurl.com/thgby39

[Mary Ann]

Patricia, I've always heard that crows were smart.  I think some mimic human sounds too. 

Jenny, that is such sad news for and about Michele.  It will put a damper on the family Christmas, however, the fact she is still here is encouraging.  I hope the next test will show the tumors are gone.  I'm sorry to hear about Mark's friend.  Such sad news, especially just before Christmas.

I finished addressing my Christmas cards and I'm happy to say there were quite a few less than last year and previous years.  I'm not done yet.  I did sign the cards and I have printed labels (thanks, Tom) to put on, and I put pictures in some of them, but I want to run off a message for some.  Then I put return addresses and stamps on the envelope. I want to do that yet today so Tom can take the cards to the mailbox before he goes anywhere.

Dot and I did our usual - Pie and Tuna Melt.  Ummm, good!

It is a nice day here - 30 degrees with the sun shining.

I need a nap!

Mary Ann

[Marilyne]

JENNY - So good to hear from you!   The gamma knife treatments for Michele sound painful, what with the tight mask that she must wear.  Also, it's disheartening, that they have found 13 new tumors.  The good news is that the ones they zapped before, have not returned!   Michele is one BRAVE lady!  I have so much admiration for her determination to do everything in her power, to beat this evil cancer.  She is always included in my prayers.  I'm so sorry to hear about Mark's friend.  It seems like so many bad things happening to young people in today's world.

MARY ANN - Sounds like you had a good day yesterday with Tom and the girls, in Holland.  It must be closer to GR than I thought, if Tom turned around and drove back, after bringing you home?   I looked on my map a while back, but will have to look again.  Anyway, it must be a fairly easy drive, if Tom is willing to make a two round trips in one day.  Glad you had your usual fare at The Cholesterol Pit, this morning!  It always sounds so good to me, and I have a visual picture in mind of the tuna melt, and the pie.  Do they have lemon cream? 

PATRICIA - Interesting information on crows. I used to dislike them intensely, and was always shooing them away from my birdbath in the back yard, and occasionally even throwing tennis balls. (Never aimed to hit one - just a scare tactic.)  However, I've changed my mind in recent years, after reading online about how smart they are, and I started watching them in the backyard, and found them to be most interesting to observe. I have much more respect for them, and no longer shout or clap my hands at them! (Also, I couldn't throw a tennis ball now, no matter how hard I tried!) Ha ha!

[CallieOK]

Patricia,  interesting info on crows.
There are three big ones who regularly come to the big trees behind my back fence.  I call them Heckle, Jeckle...and Clyde.  Have no idea which one is which; the first one to show up is Heckle, etc.
My neighbor and I like to have patio time in the summers and we enjoy listening to them "talk" to each other.  There really is a difference in the pattern of their "caws" and it sounds as if they're having a conversation.

Jenny,  I am very sorry that Michelle had so much trouble with the Gamma Knife procedure - and that there were more tumors. What a shock for Mark and his family!  Will they still go to Arizona?
How about you and Bob?

Today is foggy, drizzly and freezing cold (literally - temperature is just above freezing; wind chill is several degrees below). I didn't even think about going to church.
 I procrastinated yesterday about going to Braum's and Walgreen's - then decided to "get it over with" and, now, I'm really glad I did.

Mary Ann,  my Christmas card list has also shrunk considerably.  I've used some cards left over from previous years for most of them and didn't do a "generic" letter this year...just personal notes to a few friends with whom I'm not in contact all year.

Count-down is on for family trip to spend Christmas with Miss Ellen and see her perform in "Holly Jolly Christmas".  Videos of a few numbers on the theater Facebook page have included her. Can't wait to see her singing/dancing in person. 
 I'm keeping up with 10-day weather forecasts both here and there; so far, it looks like things should be okay.  I don't care about cold temperatures but don't want us to have to deal with surface problems.

The recliner is calling.....

[Mary Ann]

Callie, I have not bought Christmas cards for a few years, thanks to the American Lung Association and DAR.  Both have supplied me with nice cards and while donations and dues are more than I would pay in a store, they save me from having to go to a store and decide.

I don't send notes to everyone, but my handwriting has deteriorated along with my hearing and eyesight.  It is easy to run off a few messages on the printer.  My main problem is deciding what to say and I feel my messages are not nearly as interesting as the ones I receive.  I don't want to tell about my aches and pains but I did want others, especially relatives, to know about our two new boys, born this fall.

Callie, if you want to, mention again when you will be in Wisconsin. 

Marilyn, Holland is about 40 miles from here and it took us 45 minutes to get home yesterday afternoon.  We travel on I-196 and James and we are near the ramps to get on in our areas.  I'm not sure where Mary lives, but the highway skirts the edge of Holland so it is not a bad drive.  Besides, Tom loves to drive.  Holland is south of Grand Haven, also on Lake Michigan.

We're talking another car after the first of the year.  He bought this one in 2016 and will have it four years in April; it has 280,000 miles and he'd like to get 300,000 on it.  He takes good care of his cars and always buys used.  I will contribute to the cost of a "new" used car.  He prefers Camrys and his dad (Norm) was a car salesman, always US brands, and would be horrified that his son prefers Toyotas.  We never could convince Norm that the US cars had foreign parts and the only US thing was the name.

Marilyn, I don't know if the Cholesterol Pit (aka Mr Burger) has Lemon Cream pie or not.  Dot always picks them out and we prefer a cream pie but she's never brought Lemon Cream.  I know they have Lemon Meringue, which I love, but I encourage her to bring the cream pies.

We have a unique arrangement there; Dot has trouble managing the tray as with two coffee cups, filled, and a pie which we split, it is too heavy.  She asks one of the people at the counter to carry it to our table.  Today they didn't even call our number, one of the men brought the Tuna Melt to the table where we split that  too.  Dot gets two plates for the pie and they also furnish two plates for the Tuna Melt.  They cater to us!!!

Time for me to shut up!

Mary Ann[/b]

[wjoan]

Want to wish you all a very MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR.

[Mary Ann]

Joan, the same wishes to you.  I hope your health improves but I know as we get older things don't go as fast as we would like.

Mary Ann

[JeanneP]

Maryann
Now I. Think the last picture of you was in  when you were sitting with some  of the family It .was after the babies born. Would that have been about 2 years ago?

[Mary Ann]

Jeanne, I think you're right, it was 2017 and the girls were not quite a year old yet.  I think I asked Bubble to post the 2018 picture which included everyone.  It would have been in December or January. 
 

Mary Ann

[Vanilla-Jackie]

Strange day yesterday, my daughter had phoned asking for my address and I asked her if she was sending me a Christmas card as i was not doing Christmas this year ( due to my Richards death, i just cant.) I had also asked her if she with her ( newish partner ) if he was bringing her over some time before Christmas so i can get to meet him, as she had mentioned to me they may be coming, she said " not sure," so i thought no more of it, then i was on the phone to someone and i heard my front door open, i always leave it unlocked through the day just incase i get any visitors from my parkhome site ( i never do ) then a face popped round the door, it was my daughter then a man, they were both already on their way when she said " I'm not sure, " she had played a trick on me...They had travelled a good 130 plus miles to surprise me, well they certainly did do that...a very pleasant surprise and certainly boosted my spirits being with family, my family, as she and my grandson with great grandson, is all i have got left, that mean anything to me now.....

[Marilyne]

Hellooo out there!!  Do I hear an echo?     Only a little past 10:30 here, so I'm just getting started on the day. 

Jackie - I'm happy for you, that Vivienne, dropped by to see you!   That was a nice Christmas surprise, and I hope that it happens again soon! 

[Mary Ann]

I'm glad to see someone posting.  I did see Jackie's post but I was up at 3:30 am and I didn't want to post then.  I don't know what I wrote last because I haven't looked.

I finished my Christmas cards last night, late, then went to bed.  Doing the cards was not hard and other than family, there were less than 25 to be signed, address sticker put on and return address.  I put pictures in some and a Christmas message in some.  It all takes time.  I just finished cleaning up my mess.  I get a lot of free Christmas cards during the year and that saves me from going to a store or having Tom pick some out.  He does not send cards, but e-mails or calls people.  I had Christmas music on during the session and I have it on again.  I don't like a lot of songs played today, or I should say I don't like the versions, but my radio with a CD player is in the dining room. 

The cat is asleep in his bed and I think I'll join him, but not in his bed.

Mary Ann

[Amy]

Mary Ann, I wonder how long he will stay in his bed if he knows you are also going to cat nap in yours

[wjoan]

MARY ANN, Since my plumbing  will NOT get better,  I know things will not improve.  Just a matter of time now.  Thanks.

[FlaJean]

Helooo Marilyne and everyone else!

It is warm here today and the sun is shining!  Since Jeff and Gigi will be here for our Christmas dinner, Larry and I put up a few Christmas decorations.  The last several holidays Jeff has cooked so we are doing the honors.  I'm not up to cooking a big dinner anymore so we are going with a cooked Whole Foods turkey dinner.  All we will have to do is warm it.  Jeff says his sister has done this several years and they enjoyed the meal.

Can't believe this beautiful weather.  Wish it would stay like this for a few more days but it will be back in the 50s by Wed.

I think of every one of you and each post is special.

[angelface555]

Good morning from the Interior, where it is a chill minus four, and we had a low of minus fourteen. Now, this is dry without humidity, so it is warmer than those of you in wet climates understand.

 Think of it this way, instead of the snow melting and sinking wetly into your clothes, you can brush it off and still be dry underneath. That's the difference between a wet and dry climate. We had a horrible fiery and or wet spring and summer with winter being warm and mild. However, January and February are traditionally our coldest months with March full of fresh snow.

Farrah has gone back for another nap and I've had coffee and a snack, so we're all set for another day.

It sounds as if many of us, myself included, have had trouble sleeping. I'm hoping that all of those issues get better soon for all concerned!

MaryAnn, I've been falling asleep on the couch or in bed the last few days between three and four in the afternoon which, plays havoc with my sleeping. Sometimes I'm not aware of a nap until I awaken. I need to get back on a regular schedule soon! Naps are not good for me.

Sometimes the air coming in from around my balcony doors is terrible enough that I retreat under the covers with my kindle. I'm going to have to dig out my space heater. I'm #8 on the list for fresh weather stripping. I could go downstairs, but I'm not very social with those who stay there each day all day.

My Ensure diet is going well. I'm now back to my February weight.

It was good to see posts from both Johann and Joan! You've both been in my thoughts lately. Marilyne, Amy, and Jean, it's nice to see a post from you!

[angelface555]

What is Chocolate?

Meet the Whole Chocolate Family

On a stroll down the baking aisle, you're most likely to see the following chocolate products. But the labeling system (white, milk, dark, "Kisses") is confusing and vague. What you really need to understand is the cocoa percentage: how much of the chocolate is made up of cocoa solids—that is, roasted cocoa beans that've been ground into a liquid. So a 60% bar is 60% cocoa solids, 40% other stuff (usually sugar, vanilla, and soy lecithin, to hold it all together). The other thing to know? That it's okay to love milk chocolate more than dark.

    Dark chocolate: A big umbrella category with no meaningful standards, it includes bittersweet, semisweet, unsweetened, and all of that pretty-packaged chocolate we think of as "adult."

    Milk chocolate: Lots of milk and sugar, and then a small percentage of cocoa solids, usually around 32% (though 10% is the legal minimum). Soft and creamy. Eat at the movies and in bed.

Semisweet and bittersweet: Interchangeable terms. It has to be a minimum of 35% cocoa solids (which is, ironically, very sweet), but in the test kitchen, we like to bake with and snack on 60%–70%.

White chocolate: Haters will say it's not "real" chocolate since it's made from cocoa butter (the fat extracted from cocoa beans), milk, and sugar. If you're looking for cocoa solids, you won't find 'em.

Cocoa powder: Big chocolate flavor with less fatty cocoa butter. The powder should be unsweetened and 100% cocoa. Anything else is hot chocolate mix.

Cacao nibs: 100% pure cocoa, these tiny pieces of roasted cocoa beans are cute but potent. Use as an ice cream garnish or mix into brownie batter for crunch. May even be healthy?"

https://tinyurl.com/u5cuu56