dfish

Good morning, everyone. It is a cold one here today in mid-Michigan. The expected high is 23F. It is currently 9F. We'll warm up to the 30s or 40s starting on Saturday. I'm planning to finish the bathroom today. Bathrooms are a royal pain to paint, but this messy painter will persevere. It is already an improvement, so I'll be happy with it. Today's meal is a good one. I love halibut. It is good enough that all you need to do is put it on the grill and serve some veggies to go with it. The first recipe comes from Bon Appetit, but they keep wanting money from me to see the full recipe. Pinterest had the ingredient list and I don't think it is too hard to figure out what to do with it. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/125749014579100600/ That looks really good to me! Next up we have one that omits the pumpkin seeds, but sounds really good. https://lukeslobster.com/blogs/recipes/baked-halibut-with-summer-squash Mmmm. I may try this one. Last up is halibut encrusted with pumpkin seeds. There was no picture included, but I found a picture of tilapia encrusted with pumpkin seeds. You can really use any fish you like and can use walnuts or pecans in place of pumpkin seeds. https://lukeslobster.com/blogs/recipes/baked-halibut-with-summer-squash That looks pretty darn good! @rafinmd Roy, if today is your birthday, Happy Birthday! And for @RMLincoln Maureen and family: Wishing you all a wonderful day!

Have a wonderful cruise. I remember all the Mary Tyler Moore shows where the snow was a major character in Minneapolis. I am truly talented in the Messy category.

Greetings, all. I would like to inform you that the Messy Painters Guild is alive and well. Today I managed to get paint inside my gloves. I have to do another coat of paint tomorrow in the bathroom and then it will be done and I can put it back together. Thank goodness there is a second full bath in this house.

We didn't get a foot, but close to it and it shut most of us down. I didn't get plowed out until mid afternoon. I told the plow guy to do those with more urgent needs first, I wasn't going anywhere. Most of the time my tests are back the same day or the next morning. There are some tests that I had lately that were sent to the Mayo Clinic that took longer and one that had to grow a culture and took 10 days. Freedom! Enjoy! Happy Birthday! Good news. I have a friend who lost power and won't get it back till Saturday.

Deal! You can send me your Brussels sprouts. Back to painting.

Good morning, everyone! @JazzyV My condolences to you, your BFF, and BFF's family on the passing of his uncle. According to the weather channel we received 9 inches of the fluffy stuff. Fortunately, I have no place I need to be so I can sit tight and wait for my plow guy to come dig me out. I shoveled twice yesterday, but you'd never know it this morning. I should paint the bathroom today. We'll see. Today's meal is one I would pass on as a meal due to the high carb count. A small amount as a side or lentils in a soup would be ok. But just lentils? I don't think so. This first recipe is an easy one and the seasoning sounds good. I'm sure there would be good flavor from them. https://www.aheadofthyme.com/easy-20-minute-one-pot-lentils/ This next dish is a bit more involved, but I bet the flavor is great. https://iheartvegetables.com/simple-spiced-lentils/ This one is super simple and has directions for the slow cooker and the insta pot. https://www.slenderkitchen.com/recipe/simple-stovetop-lentils If I could handle the carbs, this is probably the recipe I'd go with minus the carrots. I'd send them to @Quartzsite Cruiser Lenda. https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/hearty-lentil-one-pot Wishing you all a wonderful day!

Well, the doctor deserves his vacation time as well. They said it was a family thing in India, so maybe a sibling getting married or something like that. I just checked the weather again and it looks like the weather will clear out of A2 around 1-2 am. That leaves lots of time to treat the roads before your DS flies in tomorrow night. I think he'll be ok. We are counting down the days. We are on the cruise before that as well, so we board 5 months from today! Yay!!! I looked up Djupivogur and there are some nice hikes around there. I think Sue and I will stop by the visitor's center and see what we can find out. Maybe grab a map. I don't lift the snow when I shovel, just push it to one side or the other. It isn't too taxing. And I can daydream about our cruise while I'm doing it since it isn't heavy on the mental taxation either. Well, Glory, Glory! Sorry you were a shut in today, but tomorrow you have freedom! I'll still be snowed in. Thanks, Carolyn. We are so, so excited! I'm happy to hear you're having a good time and enjoying shipboard life. I can't imagine being aboard that long. We'll do a month this summer. It is still coming down outside. I'm leaving the rest of the snow in the driveway for my plow guy. He'll come tomorrow morning some time. We will end up with 8-10 inches total.

Greetings from a snowy mid-Michigan. The roads got messy early. I just came back in from the second round of shoveling and we are not going to escape at the lower end of the snow estimate. I've already shoveled more than that out of the driveway. I'm thrilled to see the pictures of Djupivogur as we will be there this summer. I think we are going to do much as @Cruising-alongdid and just walk around. I guess there are some hikes there that are pretty nice. We'll find out. Now, what is with so many of us being up at 3:00 am? My mother would say we have a guilty conscience, but I don't think so!! I should sleep well tonight knowing my DB does not have to drive to Saginaw for work tonight and that my DS is home early from work because things got so bad. I doubt she'll make it in tomorrow either. Stay safe, everyone!

The surgery was postponed until the end of March so the surgeon can go on vacation. It is now scheduled for March 29th. I hope your DS can get home as well. Detroit and Ann Arbor are going to take the brunt of the ice portion of this storm. It should be over by mid day Thursday, so there is a glimmer of hope. The roads are a mess already and the really heavy snow hasn't started. I skipped the gym and shoveled the drive instead. What a heartwarming story, Melisa! Stay warm and safe during today's storm and tomorrow. What brand is the curry soup? I realized I have never really had curry and should probably try it and see what I think. I think I would like it with all the flavors in it. This is a very hard decision that you have made, but you are thinking of Neko and not yourself. Hugs to you and I will be thinking of you on Friday morning. @ottahand7 I read with interest your comment about going to Medical to pick up your weekly refrigerated prescription. Did you make those arrangements beforehand? We will be on the ship for 32 days this summer and I have a med that needs refrigeration. We won't have a fridge in our cabin (inside cabin on Zaandam), so I need to figure out something to do about it. If I could leave it with Medical and only retrieve it once a week, it would be ideal.

Good morning, everyone. I guess we are all ready for the big snow. Schools are all closed in anticipation. We got maybe an inch last night and the big stuff is supposed to start around noon. I plan to fill up the car on the way to the gym and pedicure this morning as well. Today's meal looks yummy. @Crazy For Cats Jake, I see no reason you couldn't substitute chicken for the shrimp. The only problem would be that it wouldn't agree with Juan. I think it sounds nice, smooth and creamy with a touch of a bite to it. https://food.theffeed.com/2022/09/12/coconut-curry-shrimp-peas/ Oh, I could eat that! This next one includes potatoes in the curry. And, if you're not into heat, leave out the chili powder. https://www.sidechef.com/recipes/281/coconut_shrimp_curry_with_peas_and_potatoes/ This recipe says if you're not into peas, use whatever vegetable you do like. And, if you don't want the rice, use whatever you do like. Spaghetti squash? https://peasandcrayons.com/2019/10/thai-coconut-shrimp-curry.html I hope all in the path of the storms this week stay safe. For those traveling, safe travels and stay out of the path of the storms! For those who aren't sleeping, relief. For those who are ailing, better health. Wishing you all a wonderful day!

Oh, my, Roy. If it isn't one thing...... You know the rest. I think @cruising sister has a point and it might be worth all the annoyances in the long run. Said the woman who spent most of the morning in the lobby at the hospital waiting for different imaging tests. And they probably do have to set it up for use. Your window for drop off reminds me of a pet peeve. We always hear about how busy they are and how important it is to be on time and not waste the time of those who could be saving someone else's life. But, they have no problem wasting our time. I have sat in the waiting room at various doctors offices for hours. There was one doctor where I knew it was an all day event, so I took books or sewing projects along with me. My time is important, too. Revised forecast has in the region getting 3-7 inches of fluffy stuff and a possibility of some sleet, but I think that will be further to the south. I have a pedicure tomorrow that was originally scheduled for 1:30 pm. The pedicurist contacted me and it is now at 9:30 am so we can all beat the snow. I should be able to hit the gym first, go to the pedicure and stop by the store on the way home.

Good morning, everyone! This is a quick post as I have an early appointment for testing before my upcoming surgery. It is always something! Flank steak was always a family favorite for dinner and it was one thing that my dad was able to grill without burning it. The chicken always came off the grill a little on the black side. That earned him the nickname of Colonel Cinders. But, back to flank steak. It can be a tough cut of meat and marinating works wonders on tenderizing it. The acid in a marinade helps reduce the toughness and marinades add such wonderful flavor. Marinate it for 12 hours or up to 24 for maximum flavor. Flank steak also benefits from high heat cooking so you can use the barbecue grill (yes, even in the winter) or the broiler. The variation in recipes will be the marinade used. Here's our first one: https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/grilled_marinated_flank_steak/ In this next recipe the flavors of balsamic vinegar and basil stand out. https://ohsweetbasil.com/flank-steak/ This one leaves out the sugar and lets the balsamic shine through. https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/grilled-balsamic-and-garlic-flank-steak Dad's recipe for flank steak marinade: 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1/4 cup dry sherry 1/4 cup soy sauce juice of one lemon 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced Combine and use to marinate flank steak. Marinate overnight, turning several times. Broil 3 inches from the heat for 5-6 minutes, then turn and broil the other side for 5 minutes. Dad suggests that you let the meat stand at room temperature for an hour before cooking and that you slash the edges of the steak to prevent curling. Enjoy everyone! Wishing you all a wonderful day!

I remember when the snow stuck for a long time as well. This winter it has been too warm for that to happen. Storms like the one we are supposed to have were pretty common years ago. You have to remember that Michigan is surrounded by water on three sides. No place to escape the lake effect snows. So far this winter it snows and then melts. It snows and then melts. We'll see how long this next one sticks around. Last week's snowfall is almost all melted. Just the snow piles from the snow plow left. Now, I do remember one Christmas in the late 70s or early 80s when it was 70 degrees out. That was not normal. Every once in a while we'd get a day like that in the middle of winter. It is a shame that it has been this warm. The toboggan run at City Forest hasn't opened up yet. They have only been able to hold one snowshoe hike at the Nature Center. And the cardboard box sled races were cancelled. Frankenmuth had to cancel some of their snow festival activities because they were lacking snow!

Good morning, everyone! Today is gym day and then I'm heading to the grocery store. We have a winter storm coming in Wednesday into Thursday. This morning they had updated the forecast to 1-3 inches of snow Wednesday during the day followed by an additional 8-12 inches Wednesday night into Thursday and finished off with freezing rain and sleet on Thursday. Generally they over promise on the precipitation and I am really hoping that is the case here. Should be fun! Today's meal is an interesting one. Birria is a Mexican dish from the state of Jalisco. The dish is a meat stew or soup traditionally made from goat meat, but occasionally made from beef, lamb, mutton or chicken. The meat is marinated in an adobo made of vinegar, dried chiles, garlic, and herbs and spices (including cumin, bay leaves, and thyme) before being cooked in a broth. The dish is often served at celebratory occasions such as weddings and baptisms and during holidays such as Christmas and Easter. Preparation techniques vary, but the dish is often served with corn tortillas, onion, cilantro and lime. I'm thinking you can substitute any kind of noodle you like for the ramen. The star in this dish is the birria, not the noodle. You could put the birria over zoodles or riced cauliflower if you prefer and are watching the carbs. If you're not a fan of spicy food, this probably won't be your dinner tonight. Here's our first recipe: https://inmamamaggieskitchen.com/birria-ramen/ I'm thinking this would be perfect for the slow cooker. Long, slow cooking tenderizes the meat and makes for a flavorful broth. https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/birria-ramen/ And here is one for the instant pot. https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/birria-ramen/ Healing thoughts and hugs for all in need and cheers to those celebrating. Wishing you all a wonderful day!

Probably, yes. I want to paint the guest room as well. There is one wall in the family room that needs painting because Previous Owners left holes from something they had attached there. There is no paint that matches this in the 100 paint cans they left behind. I think I'm just going to hang a picture over it. I did that to the hole in the dining room. I spackled them first, but they can wait to be painted now until we decide we want to change the decor.

I have no idea what has possessed me. I dug out the rollers and blue tape and gloves and brushes and tarps. I wanted to paint the door to the closet and the trim in the bathroom. However, the bathroom will probably become a full job.

Good morning, everyone! @grapau27 My condolences to Sarah on the loss of her friend. I know she will find comfort with you and Pauline. Not much on the agenda today. Last night's Farkle party and dinner was great. Every time we get together it reminds me that my decision to move back to Michigan was a good one. I am happy here. Today's meal sounds very refreshing. Last week DB Bill and DSIL Lauren brought me some oranges from their granddaughter's band fund raiser. Oh, my they were good! So, the mandarin oranges in the salad sound really good. I'm thinking of making this salad when friends come up from Toledo for lunch one day. The orange dressing sounds really good to me. https://www.aheadofthyme.com/radicchio-and-mandarin-orange-salad-with-walnuts-and-currants/ This one uses spinach as a base and has a slightly different orange vinaigrette dressing. https://www.cuisineathome.com/recipes/side-dishes/spinach-salad-with-radicchio-and-mandarins/ This next one has endive and radicchio to add some bitterness, but the oranges and the maple syrup in the dressing balance that out. https://www.thefullhelping.com/radicchio-salad-with-endives-orange-and-walnuts/ This next one includes cranberries in the salad and tops it with a walnut vinaigrette. https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/cranberry-mandarin-salad-with-walnut-vinaigrette/ This salad uses kale as the base and has a tangy orange vinaigrette to top it. It also uses candied pecans instead of the walnuts. It looks beautiful. https://www.farmfreshtoyou.com/recipes/684/mandarin-orange-and-kale-salad-with-candied-pecans That gives a lot to choose from and I hope one of these sounds good to you! Healing thoughts to those who need them and cheers to those who are celebrating. Wishing you all the best day ever.

@Seasick Sailor and @57redbird In celebration of Whale Day, here are a few pictures from Sitka 2015. Couldn't resist these guys. They were so cute. And this is the light fixture I bought. It is much nicer than the UFOs we currently have.

Good morning, everyone! We are supposed to warm up to 40F today after yesterday's cold high of 24F. I'll take it! My plans for today are to hit the gym this morning and then go buy a dining room light. Still haven't actually done it. It was a good idea that I measured before I went last time and then talked to my niece's husband. He's agreed to install it for us and told me what to look for to make it sure it can do what we need it to do. Fun, fun, fun. Today's meal is a good one for a winter's day. It is also very versatile. If you want to make it a vegetarian dish, leave out the beef and load it up with mushrooms. Use the vegetables you like and leave out the ones you don't. You can make it a creamy soup with heavy cream or leave it brothy. It is all up to you! Here's the first recipe: https://www.aheadofthyme.com/beef-wild-rice-soup/ This next one is super easy and relies on cream of mushroom soup instead of heavy cream. https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/beefy-wild-rice-soup/ This next one has several suggestions for tweaking the recipe to make it fit your needs and desires. It is also a great way to use up left over beef. https://thefamilyfoodkitchen.com/beef-wild-rice-soup/ Special thanks to all who help make this place a home for so many of us. That is from those who post the daily drinks, port pictures, lists, to those who post to let us know how things are going with them. And especially to those who understand that this is a safe place for us all and respect those boundaries. Wishing you all a wonderful day!

Wow! That is incredibly beautiful. That's pretty spectacular! Thank you for sharing it. So glad the new cast is working out better. The previous one sounded like it would cause problems rather than help the healing. Wishing you the best. Isn't that the truth! February has been a good month so far. I wonder if that rabbit thing had anything to do with it. Thanks! I'll try early in March and then early in April.

Oh, yes. Last summer on The Best of Norway we ended up going to Eidfjord twice. I know it is a tiny fjord town with mostly a waterfall and power plant to look at. But, it is a beautiful little fjord town. There is some great hiking in Eidfjord and we took full advantage of it. The RIB adventure was a great one as well. I went and got my 8 Medicare provided test kits after exercise class this morning. Haven't checked the expiration date yet. Next time I go upstairs. I do have a question. Do I have to wait until March 17th to get the next month's allotment or can I pick those up anytime in March? The pharmacist said they had not gotten any directives about the program ending yet. The plow guy came and since the garbage pick up hadn't come by then, I took mine out. They picked it up while I was at class. So, no stinky garbage in the garage.

Although Rich's shorts were gone, I would still fill out the forms for lost items. If your friend fills out the forms, he may get those items returned and he may not. If he doesn't report it, he definitely won't get those items returned.

Good morning everyone! It is a cold, snowy morning here in mid-Michigan. The plow guy hasn't been here yet and I didn't get the trash out so I guess it will wait until next week. Thank goodness it is cold out! The only thing on my agenda today is exercise class at 11:00. I signed up for the later class to give the city time to clear the roads and my plow guy time to show up here. I think I agree with @Crazy For Cats Jake about today's meal sounding like salad in a bun. Some of them sound like good salads, but I'd leave off the bun. I like the artichokes in this first one. I often put them in salads. https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/252443/vegetarian-italian-hoagies/#nutrition This next one has roasted eggplant in it and it reminds me of a sandwich I had in Florence, Italy. I bought it at a corner market and sat on the curb to eat it. It was so good I would have bought a second one but they were all out. https://scrummylane.com/roasted-eggplant-pesto-bocconcini-panini/ This last one sounds interesting with the olive mixture, roasted peppers, roasted eggplant, etc. https://vanillaandbean.com/italian-pressed-sandwich/ I'm not sure these are all vegetarian Italian subs, but the last two look like very tasty sandwiches. Wishing you all a wonderful day!

At first we were supposed to get the ice as well, but that didn't happen. From what I see outside, we will be on the lower end of the snow predictions. I hope! When Spectrum bought Time Warner my rates went up. I called about a special offer they had sent me in an email, but they said I wasn't eligible for it. So why did they send it to me. They looked and said the best they could do was to increase my rate by another $10. I said thank you and hung up. I next disconnected the cable box, got in the car, and went to the office. I gave them back their cable box and said I no longer wanted that service, just the internet. They processed the termination very quietly and immediately tried to court me back as a new customer. I told them they didn't want to deal with me when I was a customer, so I didn't want to deal with them now that I wasn't. Thanks for that information. I think I'll go get some tests when the weather clears.