Larry, it's good to hear that you have a beautiful day started; maybe that will give you a boost in energy.

Tom came in a while ago and cheerfully said "The sun is shining".  We'll take it.

Larry if you can spare four minutes, you might enjoy the link in my previous post.  It is to a ship going through the Soo Locks.

I just checked what I had in B&T and discovered I had my correspondence with Marilyne showing too.  The link below should not show that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ow9DDqj-Hio

The above link is the right one for the Soo Locks.  I tried to change the other one, but I see the first link was posted.  I'm sorry the e-mail correspondence was included in the first one, but we didn't talk about anyone, so all are safe!

Mary Ann

Just to let you know that I am just running a little late today.  Had some chores to do earlier and then had a nap, and just ate a little bit of lunch.

Mary Ann, thanks for the link to the Soo locks.  That sure was interesting to watch.  Those ships sure don't have any wiggle-room do they?  I was surprised that it only took 25 to 30 minutes for the lock to fill up.  I thought it would have taken a lot longer. I can imagine how exciting that would be to watch it in person. 

We have a pretty sunshiny day today.  Temperatures up neat 70º.  Then,  tomorrow rain and getting cooler for next week.  However, so happy that we won't be seeing any of that terrible storm out in Colorado.  I am sure hoping that we have seen the last of the snow for this winter.

I ordered some of the delicious English Muffins from a place called Wolfermans and they arrived a little while ago.  So, that was my lunch . They are so good. They are about twice as thick as the ones you get in the grocery stores and come in all kinds of different flavors.  I had a Cranberry Citrus one for my lunch.  I order them every few months and share with my son and DIL.  I never had enough room in my freezer to keep them,  so I try to eat them for breakfast most mornings.  My DIL and son like to just grab one on their way out to work. 

I think I am going to get out the instruction booklet for my Instant Pot and see what I have to do try to make something in it.  I have been putting it off for a long time now, but I do really want to try it. I want to make a cheesecake, as they are supposed to be so good. However, I have been reading so many comments on Facebook......some good and a lot of them bad.  I sure don't want to spend the money for ingredients and then have it ruined.  I guess I am still a little intimidated by it.

Have a good day.

Joy

Mary Ann - I'm glad that others enjoyed watching the Robert Pierson, go through the Soo Lock, as much as I did.  Wouldn't it be a thrill, to be on one of the ships, and get to enjoy that unique experience?

Joy, Yes, it's the accumulation of the Frequent Flyer miles, that allows people to take these long trips to unusual places. My granddaughter, who is going to Bali, has already been to most of the standard vacation spots in the world, (Europe twice!), and now wants to go to countries that are less touristy.  She and her bf, have great jobs in high tech, here in Silicon Valley, so I guess they have plenty of money to travel.

I've seen the catalog for the Wolferman's Bakery, but I've never ordered   anything. It always seemed so far away from me, (I think it's on the East Coast?), that I was afraid the muffins would be dry by the time the package made it to California!  I'll take a look online at their website . . . I'm sure they have a way of packaging that keeps them fresh?

It is so nice out today.  I went to the library a couple of days ago and picked up a hold for a new book from one of my favorite authors.  So I have had my nose stuck in a book and didn't post for a couple of days.

My husband planted ten dwarf azaleas today.  Some are already blooming and they are so pretty.  Our other azaleas are finished blooming.  SUE I imagine your yard is really pretty now with your many azaleas blooming.

Joy, I used my Instant Pot one time.  I cooked a whole chicken but it was more trouble for me than just sticking it in the oven.  I wish I hadn't bought it, but I might use it again some time.  I've been watching a lot of cooking shows lately and haven't seen the instant pot even mentioned.  A lot of young people have videos on you tube showing instant pot recipes but they look like too much trouble.

Mary Ann, I'm looking forward to seeing that video you posted.  My husband has been through the lock and explained it to me, but I think by seeing it, it will be clearer to me

Have a good day, everyone.

I'm glad you were able to view the video, Joy.  One time we took a tour through the locks so I have been there, done that.  We not only went through an American lock, we also went through the Canadian lock.  On the Canadian side were people selling candy in those pretty tins.  I think they did a pretty good business, including from me.  I remember being in a lock with little or no water and we were way down.  As the water came in, we raised up and eventually moved; this would have been from the Huron side to the Superior level.  I don't remember the name of the boat we were on, but it was similar to the Nokomis that we see today.  I realize we're all older now, but if anyone finds themselves at the Soo, take the tour boat. 

I bought an Instant Pot with the idea I would use it some of the time.  I have not used it once.  Tom has fixed some delicious meals in it, a couple of times pot roasts and they were so tender you could cut it with a fork and they were very tasty.  He fixed a chicken dish the other night that was good too.  I think preparation takes longer than the actual cooking.  But regular cooking preparation takes time too.  I think Instant Pots are more beneficial to younger people who are working and they can do some of the preparation before they go to work, then they don't have to wait so long for their food to be ready after they get home. 

I'm watching golf now.  It's in Florida, but I don't know where but I think it's near Tampa.  I think someone just said Palm Beach.

Mary Ann

I was in the Bronte House a couple of times when back over in UK. My cousin who I stayed with had a cottage that they used part of the year just around the bend in road from the Bronte Cottage. I loved that part of England and so made every excuse to drive up there. I always though it would be nice living in one of the small English villages up in the Lakes area.It didn't even take long from where I was raised. One thing about UK. Small and can get most places in short time. Now with the bullet trains  better than driving. There Interstates are worse than the US. for traffic. I don't even try to drive. Never have. not use to driving on the other side of road and they are so narrow up in the north of UK.

Jeanne, from pictures I've seen of the small English villages, I think I'd like to live in one too.  I don't remember what we saw in England when I was there as I probably was talking and missed the views!  We were on a bus from London to Maidenhead to Windsor to Hampton Court and back to London.  That was in 1988, 30 years ago.  I liked what I saw in both Denmark and Germany too. 

Mary Ann

Mary Ann, I also enjoyed watching that ship go through the locks.  The earth.cam i have show the locks in a distance. got out a little while to day shopping in the $ store, had to buy towels for the class I am teach to morrow,  Use to call them finger towels now the are called Bar Mop. 

Gloria, that is quite a change of name for the towels. 

Mary Ann

Hi Everyone on a cloudy South Carolina morning.  Once again we are to get to around 75 degrees and then quite possibly have rain this afternoon. Scott contacted Apple Chat Support yesterday and after some work was able to restore my disabled phone and then it restored my phone exactly as it was in terms of apps and the other features.  I was greatly relieved.  This time we didn't set up a password to get into the phone which makes it much easier for me to use and eliminates the possibility that I will forget the password again. I have been watching a lot of basketball this week and today will be no exception.  I have seen some great games, often decided by one point at the very end.

Mary Ann, it is pleasant to finally see the sun after days of clouds and rain.  While we expect rain today then we are to have several days of dry weather with more sun.  Of course, all of that can change quickly.  I just now watched the video and it was very interesting.  I guess they have to build those ships but the right width of fit into the locks.  I will probably start watching golf after the basketball season, which has a couple of more weeks to go.

Jeanne, with all the tourists in the UK I expect there are a lot of car accidents by them not being use to driving on the other side of the road and the steering wheel being on the right hand side of the car.  Have your read any of the M. C.  Beaton books with Agatha Raisin as the main character and a character she is.  I have enjoyed many of them as they are set in a small English village.

Lindancer, it is always good to read you have been able to get out and shop a bit.  I think I like the name finger towels much better than Bar Mops.  I have never heard them referred to as such before. 

Joy, we have often had Wolferman's English Muffins but don't think they are sold around here as it is mainly the store brand or Thomas.  We like the Thomas muffins the best and Pat just got a package of them yesterday in the Walmart grocery order. She just fixed a half of one for me with homemade Apple Butter and it tastes good to me this morning. Pat has used her Instant Pot enough now that she is becoming more comfortable with it.

Marilyne, it sounds like your granddaughter is having a wonderful time visiting the many countries of the world. We have never traveled on a foreign trip.  To live in Silicon Valley I would think they have to make a lot of money.  I thought it was the case but Wolferman's started as a business in Kansas City before 1900.  Pat's grandmother baked the pies for year in a Wolferman's restaurant and she was a very good cook, especially her pies.  I see there address is now Medford, Oregon.  Apparently they have been bought out by a company that include 1-800 Flowers and several other companies. 

Jean, it is fun to get a new book that is current work of a favorite author.  It has been a long time since I have actually gone to our library but in years past was a frequent visitor as was Pat.  I expect our dwarf azaleas to start blooming anytime as they bloom in the Spring and also in the Fall.  Pat often cooks a lot of chicken in her Instant Pot and if she forgot to put it out to thaw it can go into the Instant Pot frozen.

Larry
 I think that tourist going to England use the metro trains .and the underground to get around. Best public transportation in the world. uK is smaller than this state of Illinois. Can get anywhere fast. Use to take about 4 hrs. London to edinborough scotland .now the express train takes less than 2 hrs. I buy passes here in the US to use over there. Seniors in u.k get free passes to go anywhere during certain hours of the day some times when on the buses with my Aunts who have them ,they just tell me to go ahead.

I I think I have read most of the books  written by that author. So good.
I need someone like your son here to redo all my tec stuff. I messes up wifi when putting in new desktop
My IPad. Amazon Fire ,another tablet not connecting. Have a new phone coming this week so I need that doing. I paid a company $140 to go from my w7 desktop to the new w10. Did a bad job. Wanted $100 more to come to fix the wifi stuff. And I got little mad.  I will call Comcast soon to see what the will do. I am taking a rest from messing with both the car problem and the tech stuff. Along with the weather.
Yes ,it is snowing a little again right now. At least wind died down.

Jane.. Was there a sale on at that book store?. You bought so many. Hope you will be able to get back home soon. Will someone maybe able to get down to help you drive back? That is quite a trip if you have to do all the driving.

Larry, it was good to see such a long, newsy post from you.  I think we will have a so-so day today with the temperature getting into the mid-40s.  It isn't sunny, but it isn't rainy either.  I'm glad your phone is fixed.  It isn't good to be without it.  Tom is subbing today, I think at the Skill Center.  He didn't have to be there until 11:30.

Tom has more friends to do whatever you need.  He has his friend, Robin, who needs the money, so she came this morning to clean and change my bed.  She did a very good job and will come back next week to finish whatever didn't get done.  If she comes every two weeks I can have my bed changed more often which I would like.  Anyway, I have a nice clean place and she worked downstairs too, so Tom is spic and span clean too!  She said she lives in a house that is nearly 100 years old and I said I was almost 100 years old too.  I love her house, but not the location.  Robin has an electrician friend who is going to come one of these days and install our new bathroom light fixtures which we have not picked out yet.  I have one fluorescent bulb that works in my bathroom and the others need new sockets.  Tom insists we need new fixtures and I'd be happy with new sockets.

I am watching the golf match, or will when it starts, and see that Kevin Kisner is on top now.  There now are two American golfers in the top ten of The Players - Kisner and Keegan Bradley. 

I have been buying Thomas English Muffins for my Eggless Benedicts but last time I bought another brand that was sourdough.  Thomas wrapping is so much easier to maintain; it did not tear when I opened the package that I will go back to Thomas.  It wasn't the cost, it was the sourdough.  The muffin is fine but I have to have something else to put around it.  Live and learn!

Mary Ann

Oh Larry Hanna, so good to see a lengthier post from you today.

Good morning from a rapidly warming Interior!

Larry, it was so lovely to see your post this morning and hope you're feeling more rested.

 They announced a Chinook for today last night and my back predicted it long before them! We are jumping from mid-thirties to mid-fifties in one fell swoop today, and the wind is snooping through the foothills.

I noticed last Sunday that the clarity of the light has changed, become sharper and while the small birds are gone, back to their individual flocks, so too have the Ravens to cooler climes and the owls to woodland haunts. While we wait for "the next big thing," nature has been busy all along if we care to stop, slow down and breathe.

Farrah has been flopping over for stomach scratches and back rubs any time I look her way so yesterday I found her brush and gave her a good brush out. She rewarded me by laying on her side and stretching her paws out directly while purring loudly. We all love a good scratch and massage!

I have been taking my, I guess you could say, midterms, and out of five classes of 160 lessons apiece, in my two-year journey, I have only about sixty left in each. I've been trying to turn in three lessons each day instead of one, so I would be almost finished this summer. But then I always plan for that but rarely succeed.

It is nice and sunny even tho a storm was supposed to hit us this morning.  It decided to go in a different direction and I'm not complaining as I love the sun on my new plants (at least until the heat comes in a couple of months).  Larry planted 11 dwarf azaleas and today he added mulch.  The bed looks so nice.

Larry, Good to see a long post from you today.  I don't use a password on my iPhone either. if I lose it (or it gets stolen) I can just wipe it clean from my computer as long as "Find my Phone" is turned on.   I keep my iPhone, iPad backed up to iCloud but I have my computer backed up to an external disk.  I have so much on my computer (graphics and photos) that I didn't want to spend the extra money on the monthly iCloud storage.  Anyway, I don't use my iPhone much.  It is just insurance for us in case of problems when away from home.

Mary Ann, I enjoyed that video on the Sou lock.  My husband has been through the Erie Canal lock and the Panama Canal lock.  I think the Erie Canal lock he was on a submarine.  It's been so many years ago.

Enjoy reading the posts.  Hope everyone is having a good day.

Good afternoon everyone.  Not such a good day here.  Lydia,  daughter Sandy's best friend for the past 30+ years, has suffered a brain hemorrhage/aneurysm.  She is now on life support, and Sandy drove up to Napa this morning, to say goodbye, before they turn off the machines that are keeping her alive. She is only 53 years old, and has a husband and an adult daughter. She has been such a wonderful and supportive friend to Sandy over the years, and will be missed, more than I can put into words.  The funeral service for Lydia, will be some day next week, and will be a Catholic Mass.  AJ and I will drive back up there with Sandy, and attend the service with her.

So that's about all that's on my mind today.  I did enjoy reading the messages from all of you . . . Larry, Mary Ann, Jackie, Patricia and Jean!  I'll come back later and respond to your posts.

Marilyn, that is too bad about Lydia's brain hemorrhage, yes, she is young.  My sympathy to Sandy who will miss her most of all.

Mary Ann

Marilyne...life can be so unpredictable and so cruel when it wants to be, and it doesn't even care who it targets...My sincere thoughts go with Lydia, her immediate family and her long time friend Sandy..

I am on an American MS forum ( run by Ed Tobias ) where I communicate with a Christchurch New Zealand cyber friend who posted these haunting words...
" D*mn. Our country has been infected now.  And join the rest of the world with this behaviour."
I think this sums it up, as of today, this was the one country that had been untouched - untarnished by these crazies of the world..

Good evening . they say it got up to 70 in NYC,out here it stayed in the 60's
Patricia, I brush Taffy every night and she love it. She got a hair ball a few years ago the bill was over $400. He said feed her some wet food and brush her.

FlaJean, When we went to Charleston in 1939, they use to have a very big Azalea festival Thousands use to come to the parade.

Marilyne, I meant to say, I am so sorry to read about Sanys friend. Prays for her family

Jackie, there is not any more words that can be said about to days world. How peoples minds are working, with such hate.  My mother never like me to use that world

Lindancer ( Gloria D ) ...yes, hatred - sick minded - dangerous -crazies..there are plenty out there walking our wonderful world that was created for us...They think they have the right to take it upon themselves on destroying it of its human beings...

This is a recent posting from my cyber friend, I hope she doesn't mind me posting it on our forum....

" I just want to tell yall, good things come from bad things.  A give a little page has been set up online for the victims and over 1.3 million has been donated so far in just over 24 hours.  That's awesome.  It's to help with funerals and the families affected.."
Update: " donations are over 3 million dollars now."

Where is everyone, where are our Norms Bait and Tackle posters? its turned 1.pm here in UK, you cant all still be tucked up in bed, or can you?..

Richard has just found out that his sisters grandaughter, (her mother emigrated with hubby to New Zealand some years ago ( previously she had been the partner of Richards sisters son, but sadly he passed away before they had a chance to marry, when they were engaged, she is his child. ) The granddaughter is living in Christchurch and was working in a garage near to one of the mosques, her car was parked away outside on the road, where now the police wont let her take it as the area is a crime scene..Her mother lives in a different part of N Z with hubby and their two children, or unless they too have flown the nest...

Hi Everyone.  It is suppose to be a cloudy day and is starting out that way with us getting into the low 60's this afternoon.  We are not suppose to get any rain.  About 4 pm yesterday we drove down to Pizza Hut and I am paying the price to getting out today as very tired.  As a result will just check in for today. I have read all the postings since yesterday and appreciate them.

I'm glad to see you are up, Larry, maybe not so much "atem", but you're up anyway.

Jackie, I stayed in bed until after 8:30 am EDT, showered, then came in here.  Your last post was at 8:15 am EDT, my time.  I should not say this, but S&F is not where I start my computer day so it takes a while to get here.  Bit by bit we'll get here.

Things look like a decent day but I have not looked at the radar yet but it is 33 degrees and may go up. 

I'm trying to decide what to do; I am blocked from my bank program and today I could not get into my Word program.  It seems apps are taking over the world and I missed my opportunity to get those I need.  I can get them OK but it will take some phone calls.  I hate to think my computer might have to be replaced - it isn't that old!!!

Mary Ann

Good Morning:  It's supposed to be 71 degrees here today . . . sunny and clear.  If it does warm up into the 70's, it will be the first time since November.

Mary Ann - I looked at Grand Haven, and it's still frozen, but looks like the ice is breaking up.  After I finish this message, I'll go on a "tour" of all of my other webcams.  There should be lots of activity at the Duluth boat launch today.  Also, the NYC Harbor cams are always busy on Saturdays. Lots of interesting boats, and sometimes a cruise ship or an ocean liner.

Jackie - The terrorist attack in NZ, is truly shocking. We never get over the initial disbelief, that incidents like this, continue to happen all over the world!  If only we could stop these crazy men, from planning and carrying out these mass murders.  I don't know what the answer is, as long as there is so much hate in the world.

Larry - We like to hear from you, whether you feeling like writing a long or a short message.  I look forward to seeing your name on my unread posts,   every morning.

Today it is overcast and cold in the 50s.  According to the radar we are going to get the rain that has been passing us by.

I'm sorry, Marilyne, to hear about Your daughter's friend.  So young and so sad.  My youngest daughter will be 53 in September, and you just don't expect something like this to happen at that age.

GloriaDe, when we lived in Maryland there was a park with hundreds of azaleas and rhododendrons.  We enjoyed them in late April and May.  Here they bloom mostly in March.

Mary Ann, most of our Goldfinches are gone.  You all should be getting spring days before long.

Jean, it's only 35 degrees here but the sun is shining and that makes it a nice day. 

Marilyn, I can see that Grand Haven is ready for Spring.  I think ice from further out is coming into the pier areas.  I'll bet the boat owners are ready too.

I have looked at the Boat Launch, but the fishermen have not been near; they may know how the ice is at this time of year.  It's almost time for the first ore boat to come through.  I think someone must be working on the Soo camera because it is not working. 

I am having computer problems, but it really is program problems, not the computer itself.  Tom had to leave and will be gone all afternoon.  It is frustrating.

I'm enjoying the sunshine outside.

Mary Ann

Good morning from the Interior where it is plus 46 and we are like that witch in the Wizard of Oz, melting.

I was sorry to read about New Zealand. It has simply joined the rest of the world where a person may be attacked and destroyed because of a color, a religion, a sexuality, or a people of this or that area. It is something not innate but taught, hate is encouraged and taught by others infected, a cottage industry brought by those feeling inferior and looking for scapegoats because after all, it couldn't be themselves but something or someone else causing their problems.

I spent yesterday taking tests in classes and went to bed about four PM with a migraine. Air pressure and attempting to use my brain simply took everything out of me. However, now I've only to wait and see how those tests came out and the ones left are only PSP and Photography.

Its strange now spotting June Drabeks name down the bottom among our active members as if she is in our forum, but now we know that she isn't, been almost three weeks since she last made any postings..