Soda Shoppe for June 1, 2021

[Amy]

Good morning.

Bright cool morning ,temp is 46° at the moment and no humidity! Woke to the cry of the loon, we were told they have not one but TWO babies this year.

Yesterday went well, but we didn't score on the strawberries. There will be lots in a few days so will drop in again and get two flats.

Today, we are taking a gift over to SIL for her birthday ,then home to work about. There are some weeds growing in the back garden that need to be pulled .Lots to do without going looking for work here.

Jane, I love raspberries and would saddle my horse and go picking the wild ones. I would leave Echo at one end and go pick only to find out she had picked raspberries within her reach!

Gloria, we can pickle wild leeks so I don't see why one couldn't pickle garlic. I may try to dry some also. I don't see why you couldn't freeze it like you do your onions .

Better get ready ..

Enjoy your day and stay safe.

[JaneS]

Some of us around here are up and attem and some of us (Cooper) joined us for breakfast and then rejoined his mother in bed.  She brought some stuff for breakfast but I can't wait for her.  Her breakfast is closer to my lunch time.

I have to make a quick WM run this morning.  I need 2 items and I know exactly where they are in the store and it shouldn't take me too long to get them.  Then I'm starting the new relish to can.  Report later!

Good to see everyone around...except you Rammel!  Where are you? 

I'm off to get my day started.  I hope you all have a good day...better than yesterday but not as good as tomorrow!

[Amy]

Jane, I keep forgetting to ask you...can you get canning lids or are they in short supply again? I can get them here but they are soon off the shelf ,waiting on another shipment.

Patricia, we are having your burgers tonight for supper...just have to pick up buns.

[phyllis]

It's a bright sunny morning and the humidity is down....thank goodness for that!  It's been really oppressive for the last several days.  Our Red Shouldered Hawk, that lives in the woods back of our house, is being even more noisy than usual this morning.  Such a beautiful bird and I love to see him/her glide over the yard so often.  I can see where the nest is but the trees are too thick to actually see the nest.

Not much to talk about here but thought I should let you know I'm still around.

[patricia19]

Thank you, Jane, but those odds and ends you mentioned yesterday, never stay finished! Cooper sure has his doggy priorities right!

My mother and sisters used to pickle garlic, and I was too busy then and never learned, but I know vinegar was part of the process. You can freeze garlic just as you freeze onions, peeled and chopped beforehand.

We have strawberries and raspberries everywhere here, but the wild ones are one-third sized of the manufactured commercial ones. Many people prefer purchasing the commercial ones because it's simpler but not as tasty. There are in-season blueberries, rosehips, and others too. We have low lands along the river that are full of berries and others in season.

Our weather remains the same, slowly inching up in both the morning lows and evening highs of the mid-eighties. Our heat isn't wet as in the south but drier, so it's more comfortable.

Anchorage on Alaska Gulf and the rest of the southeast expect strong winds, rain, and storms today coming up from Washington and Oregon. We might end up with some of that if it makes its way over the Alaska Range.

[Vanilla-Jackie]

Phyllis...glad you " are still around "...been very hot today here in UK, 29c now back to lower temperatures of 19c rain, with possible thundery showers-heavy rain over the next 7 or 8 days...

[Shirley]

There is a little puddle out in the middle of Kansas.... that's Shirley. Says we are at 100°, hot wind blowing & nary a critter stirring. Don't know where any of the cats are, had to go to my bone scan this morning & they were all outside. I would invite them in but would have to open the door, like an oven out there. Give me winter ANY time! I have more laundry to do but will wait until after dark to help with the power problems I'm sure will develop. Goodness, this is awful and just the start of summer!

Okay, everybody check in!!! Like I used to tell my kids, "call and let me know if you are going to be late so I don't WASTE my worrying!" 

[patricia19]

Shirley, the National Weather Service, said the US holds the title of the hottest place on earth, at least through the next seven or eight days.

[Amy]

Shirley, I have just come in from tucking the garden in. We are to get frost tonight so covers for most and I did bring the 4 pots of squash in the garage. I must admit I love this cooler weather but know all too soon we will be back at frying.

[Amy]

Patricia, the burgers were delicious!! I am going to mix chopped bacon bits in the next batch to see how that goes.

[Shirley]

Okay, I went back 4 pages to find the recipe for those burgers.... and never found the link I thought I remembered seeing. HELP! I'm always interested in new versions of hamburgers... and think bacon bits in anything is good. Please and Thank You for the link....

Went to Sam's after my bone scan this morning, they are still showing ONLY the pre-packaged hamburger, not the packages they grind themselves. My cats will walk away from that, and they love raw meat! What Walmart sells is also pre-packaged and cats won't eat that. I bought more eye of the round roasts so will cut that up for them. Since one butcher told me they "grind all the steaks & roasts out of date, for hamburger"... what will they do with that meat now?  I also bought them a rotisserie chicken, and served all 3 a bigger than usual portion. I'm sure this heat is hard on them, even though they prefer being out over inside AC.

Now, Amy, I'm ready to move north if you'll keep those temps for a while.

Patricia, I just heard weather news about the SW being so hot... thanks for warning to stay inside!  I was seriously wanting to drive to MO to visit my sister (her husband just died) but no desire to be on the highway with those conditions. Can you imagine having a tire blow out or car/RV leaving one stranded in that/this heat?  I'm already worrying about my sons driving back from CO this week end. One trip to MO when I was taking some wisteria to Bunnie, I couldn't drive a car length (was in the Rialta) without a shredded tire to avoid. The concrete was so hot the tires were everywhere. It really was a nightmare trip but I didn't mention it because I didn't want Bunnie to feel bad.

I'd better get me something to eat. I did lay down for a little while after I got home, but the phone woke me up. I've been getting phone calls lately (different numbers) but they hang up. It just now crossed my mind that this was one of the things the police told us the gangs do when checking out a neighborhood to rob. This way they know which houses have someone to watch for various times of day. Hummmmmmm...

[RAMMEL]

OK, OK.   Checking in.
I've been super busy with some legal things and daily visiting. Much of my time is not mine lately. I try to keep up with the daily chores of life and some added ones.
I look  in daily but an not much of a chatterer.
My wireless keyboard seems to have a mind of its own tonight. Have to keep going back and redoing.

[patricia19]

Shirley, in the "What's for Dinner, recipe site it's post #414. The recipe is put out by the makers of McCormick Spices, but I don't use that brand. I buy my spices online and grind them myself. Hamburger nowadays is a little fresh mixed in with a lot of older meat.

 I'm on an anti-inflammatory diet that I'm not happy about as it's restrictive. It's not the ones you see online trying to cash in on a new trend, but one my allergist and nutritionist have used for years. It is fish, white meat, and plant-based but coffee isn't restricted. Green tea is fine but black tea isn't due to caffeine. I don't use hamburgers in my burgers but if you can find it, caribou, Dall sheep or bear are good.

https://www.seniorsandfriends.org/index.php?msg=199313

My other favorite is post 410.  https://www.seniorsandfriends.org/index.php?msg=199307

See Above link: Creamy Cucumber Salad with Yogurt and Dill

[patricia19]

I noticed that the skies became cloudy and smelled smoky. The Haystack fire north of us has gained 500 acres, and more crews are requested. Evidently, it started Monday, near Manley Hot Springs, and exploded June 15th.

https://news.yahoo.com/wildfire-explodes-major-blaze-north-030707249.html

Now we're having a thundershower...what's next?

[JaneS]

Day is done,
Gone the Sun....

I think it's time for me to head for the haystack.  The slamshuts have taken over my eyes and the tireds have invaded my body.

I made the Jalapeno Pineapple Relish and canned it today and it's really gooooood!  I have a jar's worth that didn't fit in the canner so I guess I'll have to eat it.  It says at the end of the recipe that it's really good with pork chops.  Maybe I'll make some tomorrow and try that.  Or maybe I'll just have it on a hotdog.  We'll see how the day goes. 

AMY, I don't have a problem with lids right now.  On our last trip to the Amish store, they had lids in both sizes.  I bought a pack of thirty of each and it turned out that Cathy saw them too and she got me a box of each for my birthday.  I've had her looking for them at WM every time she shops and they are always out of them.  Amazon had them but they were twice as much as any of the grocery stores and I just couldn't bring myself to buy them. 

PATRICIA, I don't think I've ever seen Caribou, Dall Sheep or Bear meat in the stores around here.  But now I want some!  I love venison and my one SIL is a hunter.  He goes in two different states and he always gets a deer.  And I get a cooler full for Christmas.  I love it.  Back in the old days, my husband used to go to Wyoming to hunt Mule Deer and Antelope and I like both of those, too.

PHYLLIS and RAMMEL, It's good to "see" you dropping by.  Come on back soon!

My grandniece, Bethany is doggy sitting at my daughter's house and tonight she and the dog stopped by for a visit.  It was nice to see them and we had a nice chat.  She's a junior in college and she's a bit of a talker.  I learned a lot.  Sunday Bethany, Frankie and I are going to lunch at THE FENCE!  I hope it's a nice day because it's outside and right by the river.  And they have good food.

Now I'm going to go find the haystack and the zzzzs and conk out for the night.  I wish you all a peaceful night's sleep and happy tomorrow.  And may God bless us, everyone!

SHIRLEY, I forgot to say Central PA was gorgeous today.  the low was 64 overnight and the high was 74 today!  This is my kind of a summer day!

[patricia19]

Jane, you can't find them in the stores here either. You have to either have a hunting license or know someone who will give you the game free. You would have to substitute local game such as venison.

[Vanilla-Jackie]

Rammel...keep dropping in, as much as your computer will allow you with " its mind of its own " I hope some positive news on the home front, re, your visiting..safe travels..

[Amy]

Good morning.

Another cool morning with temps at 36° and sunny. Will go and uncover all the plants once the dew is off.

We have a phone tech coming today and they are very explicit on the time.... between 8 am and 4 pm. So, it will be a wait and see day..

My friend had to say good bye to their dog yesterday, a sad day in their house for a while. He was a therapy dog ,nothing frazzled him a very sweet dog. He would go into the nursing home and folks just loved petting, hugging and just being with him.

Jane, no shortage here on lids but once they hit the shelf they are gone. Jars seem to be plentiful so far this year. If you get a chance try moose meat, it too is delicious!

Patricia, I hate hearing about fires. They go where they want and destroy so much in doing so.

Shirley, I was lucky enough to get lean ground hamburg for 2.99  most of the times it is 3.69 and higher!

Best get moving..

Enjoy your day and stay safe..

[phyllis]

That's the same way I make my hamburgers, Patricia, and a little heavy on the Garlic Salt.  We like it here in our house.  If you like Worcestershire Sauce, poke a couple of small holes in the burger while cooking and pour over a few drops of W. sauce.  I use approx. 1/2 tsp.,  I guess.  Gives a little extra kick to the burger.

Amy, ground chuck here is $7.07/lb (US dollar) or higher.  The price seems to go up every week.

[Gloria]

Good morning everyone, nice and cool and low humidity. Will be a good day to go out for a walk.
This PC will drive me crazy if it keeps up. Every day it does an update and every thing on the PC changes again. T his morning things look like they did before this trouble began. I would t ry talking everyone out of buying an HP. I am beginning to dislike new changes very much.

PATRICIA  this is my second HP but the other one was great. ith al the graphic work with PSP I had a full hard drive so needed a new one. I think they sent me onw built on a Monday when no one was happy to get back to wor k. I have no t coked a burger in ages, cannot stand to cook anything anymore. Odd I can walk with my rollator but cannot stand. Maybe from all the years I worked standing all day on cement floors.

JANE  we are supposed to get to the mid 70's today. I can take that all year. Where my daught er lives now in Arizona it is in the low 100's and they are cooler up on the mountain than it is in Kingman.

SHIRLEY  there  is a bird bath on a pedastal in front of the porch and we used to see the birds stopping for a drink or a bath. This year the witch did not want water put into it and we have not had enough rain to fill it up either.

AMY  never thought about chopping garlic and freezing it like the onions. I sure have thrown away more garlick over the years than I used.

PHYLLIS  good seeing you. I was AOL quite a lot lately with this dumb HP excuse for a computer.

RAMMEL  I have to kee back spacing to bring the letter in a word together. At times I think I miss some so words are broken up. Darn keyboard and it is plugged in.

JACKIE  add me to the list of having computer problems.

AMY  there is only one store I will get hamburg from, an indpendant one, not a big chain market-they gring their  own meat and do it where the customers cans see it. More expensive but the quality is worth it.

Time to get my breakfast so TaTa for today.
Have a great day and be safe and cool.

[JaneS]

I'm up and attem.  Cooper arrived at about 6:30 this morning because Frankie had to be to work at 7.  Mickie had a bad night.  She got me up about a half hour after I got in and she really NEEDED to go out.  Then she got me up for the day around 5:30 and she really had to go out then.  I took them both for a walk after breakfast and I was no longer back from Cooper's walk and Mickie needed out again.  It's gonna be one of those days!

AMY, I can understand your phone tech being so "explicit" about the time of his arrival.  Our water supply company notified all the customers that they would be flushing the pipes in the area and we would notice that the water was brown coming from the faucets.  They indicated that they would be beginning on June 13 and ending on June 25.  When I called to see if they knew when they would be in my area, they didn't!  So for 2 weeks, we have to be careful what we're drinking, using for cooking, washing dishes, taking a shower, doing laundry, filling the dogs water dishes, brushing my teeth.....and whatever needs water!

I guess I better get back to work.  I have a list and I'm not making good progress! 

I wish you all a good day...better than yesterday but not as good as tomorrow

Today is another of my kind of summer day.....in the high 50s over night and the mid 70s during the day!

[Amy]

Jane, I need to make an appointment for Jesse but will wait till I know I won't be disconnected. Have you tried giving Mickie pumpkin in her food?  After reading what you have to wait for on the water,guess I am lucky they gave me a day!

[patricia19]

Good morning from a damp, smoky Interior with two more lightning strikes caused fires. The perils of living in a boreal forest with what some call a fire ecology.

The Bureau of Land Management Alaska Fire Service is increasing its response to two lightning-caused fires that started near Manly Hot Springs Monday evening. The Dry Creek and Zitziana River fires remain very active and are burning through tundra, black spruce (Black Spruce has much sap and goes up like wax candles.), and hardwood trees. Together, the two have burned roughly 3,000 acres. Wednesday's thundershower brought on two more fires in the same afflicted area, south of us on the Tanana River. They're hoping that today's steady rain will affect as long as there is no lightning.

I'm stiff this morning either from all I did yesterday or from the weather change, but that will settle down. I'm coming up to the down stretch, (if that makes any sense?), of all I've wanted to do since January. After that's done, the only remaining task will be implementing a new folder system in my files and folders.

Hi Gloria!, I know I have issues with all those years and cement floors. I don't think I sat down for more than the bus rides. Even my lunches were interrupted by some staff/customer dispute!

Jane, I can certainly understand your frustration. Last year they put in a new boiler and turned off the water for a Tuesday and then the following Thursday to work on the water system, to the point of going through the walls on some floors.

Phyllis, Worcester sauce sounds good, and I just purchased a bottle, so I'll try it.

Amy, I forgot I have moose as well. Since I've started with the summer garden allotments, they deliver twice monthly, and with the meat from friends, I do not need grocery stores.

I have yet to make Farrah's annual appointment. During the early pandemic, the way they used would have involved four taxis, and with the taxi companies' erratic scheduling, not viable. Since the dental tech comes up from Anchorage and with Farrah now having suspected periodontal disease, I need to get that done.

It seems our pets are in the same position we are!

[RAMMEL]

KEYBOARD PROBLEM --- I use a wireless keyboard that came with my HP Computer. It has been quite a while now so I just changed the batteries. That helped. But I discovered that a metal flashlight that I keep at the computer desk happened to be right between the keyboard and the computer box. I moved it to another spot and my problem just went away.    The flashlight must have been reflecting some of the signal from the keyboard and causing the unwanted results.
I have found the same thing happens with the TV when a walker is between the remote control and the TV.

[Tomereader1]

Rammel, you had keyboard problem, I have a recently occurring mouse prblem. It is a wired mouse, no batteries. When I am playing solitaire, and try to move a card/cards, it seems to flicker and I have to go back and do it twice.  Any ideas?

Joanne

[RAMMEL]

Rammel, you had keyboard problem, I have a recently occurring mouse prblem. It is a wired mouse, no batteries. When I am playing solitaire, and try to move a card/cards, it seems to flicker and I have to go back and do it twice.  Any ideas?

Joanne

If it is an old "Ball Mouse" you need to undo the bottom and clean the ball and thin rollers. They tend to get "gunky" and stick.
If it's one with red light coming from it I'm not sure what to do, but make sure the bottom (underside) is clean and clear. You might try unplugging it from the computer and then re-inserting it

[patricia19]

This burger is for Jane and Shirley;

https://www.seniorsandfriends.org/index.php?msg=199440

[JaneS]

Time to wish you all "Good Night"

I left a message after the "hamburger bowl recipe"

I'm so tired I could crawl into bed in my clothes.  I sure hope Mickie doesn't have to get up in the middle of the night tonight.  I'm heading for the haystack!

I wish you all a peaceful night's sleep and a happy tomorrow.  And may God bless us, every one.

Another gorgeous day in Central PA.  The sun shone and the temp never got above 76.  My kind of summer!

[Shirley]

Oh, that sounds delicious, Patricia. I only ate some cheese & Ritz crackers tonight. For lunch I pulled one of my "ZipLoc" tubs out of the freezer, had the "other side" of a rib eye steak & gravy so baked a potato in the microwave & lumped it all together, bread & butter & that was it. I planned to eat my veggies tonight, have some of the frozen BirdsEye that cook in the bag, can't think of the latest catch phrase they call the veggies that are NEW... haha & what my mother cooked all the time. I think I'm too tired tonight to even chew.

Cut off some of the tree branches hanging low, so the mowers don't get knocked off their speeding mowers. They sail around so fast I hardly get a chance to wave at them, but they are slowed down when I go out with money! Thanks for the link. I had planned to check the Sam's Club at the other end of the city to see if they still grind their hamburger, but didn't get around today.

The people next door are having a pool put in, had to take out a big tree to make room. Lots of equipment still parked on the street so will have to ask them to move some so I can get the elephant out of the driveway to get that 4th tire put on the back. Crazy me, don't know why I let them convince me that one tire was still okay when it doesn't match the other 3 for even how many pounds pressure to put in.

I wasn't thinking, had been trapped in Dodge City trying to get someone to put the spare on for hours. Really upset that my auto club call center is in Mexico.... and one call was all they would answer & that service didn't show up. Nightmare, and I'm going to renew again because others don't service RVs.  Will be the last time/year, I'm pretty sure. The 2 front tires were put on last year so have made 2 trips to CO & I had the RV aligned, etc. when I put them on. It's been fun for 7 years but I'm not up to all the problems any RV creates.

If the place that has been doing work on it actually can get the E150 Ford used for those van conversions we had years ago, I'll get one & get rid of my car & RV. I'd like just one vehicle that will fit in the garage! The sun ages any of them too fast. So, that's the plan.... and you know what happens to plans!

Joanne, I play solitaire on a very old Kindle Fire.... have to use a stylis because my fingers do not work on the phone or iPad without stylis.  I'm wired wrong.    I do have the same game on this laptop but use a mouse that plugs into the computer. Got tired of replacing batteries when busy. I haven't had a regular computer since buying the first laptop.

And now I'm heading to bed. Hate this 100° weather & no sign of let up... terrible thought that this could go on for several MONTHS! It has even been hot out in the mountains so glad I didn't go this year. Since only commercial places have power & I'd rather stay home than be in a commercial campground & hear the neighbor snoring. At least the Corp of Engineer campgrounds in MO are far enough apart and enough shade summer is tolerable. I've only been in the mountains one time that it was so miserable hot we went from one tree to another for a bit of shade. No AC in those campgrounds, even though we could turn on the generator to cool, I hate that noise.

So shut up Shirley, and quit griping! Sweet dreams to all and God Bless. Thinking of you, Jenny and a prayer in my heart for all of you.

Jane, your high was about the same as our LOW. Do hope Mickie is okay. Any idea what her problem was?

[JaneS]

Good Morning Everyfriend!  I hope you all slept well and are ready for the new day!

SHIRLEY, Mickie has done this on occasion before and I always put it down to something she picked up off the ground to eat.  But this lasting longer and she doesn't kick it soon, I'm calling the vet. 

Frankie and I had a good supper last night.  I did two pork chops, some of my canned potatoes (thanks to AMY) done in the Air Fryer and frozen peas.  There wasn't much left.

I have my bed clothes in the washer and I think I made it before 7 just in case the water guys get to flushing my lines today and the water turns brown. 

It's time to get breakfast for the doggies....me too!  I hope you all have a good day...better than yesterday but not as good as tomorrow.