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@Quartzsite Cruiser and @Cruising-along it makes sense that messy painters would also be messy bakers. I used to bake for Christmas but haven't done any in recent years. My mom always talked about the cookies her grandmother made, so I tried to make some of the same. She didn't have the recipes, so I did my best. She loved springerle, so I made those. I also made a German spice cookie. Each year I tried another butter cookie recipe, but none were as good as her memory of Nanny Huener's. Maybe since I don't have to drive anywhere over the holidays, I'll toss some flower on the kitchen floor and make some cookies. Hopefully, @marshhawk will come through and provide us with the cardboardeaux so needed to have the baking turn out as well as the painting.

I didn't bother to check them all. Some had a little bit in them and others looked empty, but there were too many to bother with.

Good morning, everyone! It is a chilly start to the day in mid-Michigan, but it is supposed to warm to the 40's. That will be welcome. That is good news! Any idea what caused the outage? Busy morning planned here. I have to stop by the credit union and write checks from my Ohio account to my Michigan account. I can transfer funds electronically but the Ohio credit union only allows a transfer of $750 per day. I want this done a little sooner than that would allow. After that I am taking my brother in for blood work and seeing if I can get an appointment. I dropped off my paperwork three weeks ago and they said they would call me, but haven't. I'm running out of medication. Then, I'm stopping by the grocery store for the last minute shopping before Thanksgiving. I figured DB would want to stop there on the way home as well. We seem to be focused on butternut squash lately. I love the squash as well as acorn squash. The first recipe is a Thai red curry. Remember that curry doesn't have to be really hot. https://littlespicejar.com/thai-butternut-squash-red-curry/ Today's meal should be a pleaser for the vegetarians/vegans in the family. https://www.noracooks.com/butternut-squash-curry/ If you have carnivores among you, you can have a bowl of shredded chicken or shrimp for them to add to the curry. https://healthynibblesandbits.com/vegan-butternut-squash-curry-with-spinach/ Time to get moving! Wishing everyone a wonderful day!

That is exactly what we used to do. We were going from Midland to Binghamton, NY. To go around the lake was several hundred miles longer and with 6 active kids in the car that was a no go. We always cut across Canada and were delighted to know we were international travelers. Niagara Falls was a highlight of the trip. I forgot to mention that they, like the previous owners of my Ohio house, left us enough paint to open a paint store. They could have used some of that kitty litter to dry it up and put that out on the curb. Next month! The neighbor lady next door found it quite entertaining to watch them walk the cat. I am curious about DS and DDIL's house. It is always fun to remodel and decorate when you first move in. We will be doing some painting here, but I don't think we need to remodel. Just freshen up. Previous owners put nails in where ever they could find a space, so we need to take care of those and then paint. @JazzyV When is your trip? I hope these issues resolve before then. @0106 Tina, I am glad you had a great cruise! You certainly earned it. @rafinmd I'm glad you made it to your destination safely tonight. Safe travels the rest of the way home.

Charles de Gaulle is no picnic either. I was in an aircast and on crutches. The Frankfort airport arranged for wheelchair transport to the gate and also said they had put in a request for a wheelchair at de Gaulle. On the plane the flight attendant confirmed the wheel chair request on the ground in Paris. But, when I got off the plane all the wheel chair attendants stood there with a smile on their faces shaking their head no. I barely made my next flight. I had to go through security again and the woman there was horrible. She took away my crutches and took off the air cast and left me standing there on one foot. Then she got mad when I said I needed help to stand there on one foot with my arms straight out so she could wand me. That experience provoked a letter writing campaign on my part.

@Cruising-along The previous owners left a lot of curious things behind. I found a file - the kind you use to break out of jail - in the front coat closet. There were empty Pepsi cans here and there. I found out from the neighbors that the woman used to walk her cat around the backyard on a leash. The first thing Sue and I did was scrub down the bathrooms - it was obvious they had not been cleaned. Then we scrubbed down the kitchen and the fridge. Technically they met the requirement of broom swept clean because they didn't leave behind piles of trash all over the house. Just stuff in the garage and out on the front lawn. I've been missing you and Henry. I really enjoyed getting to know you both better on our cruise. @Sharon in AZ so sorry to hear you've been so sick. I sure hope you do continue on the path of recovery. Don't do too much! @Crazy For Cats Last summer our Norway trip was booked under one booking number but we still got our free bottle of champagne the 2nd week. It was technically a b2b. Donna and I had a glass for sail away and then we shared it with the neighbors.

Welcome home, Jacqui! Thanks for sharing your pictures with us. Madeira is certainly beautiful.

Sounds like progress to me. Let us hope it continues in that direction. I was thinking the same thing. I guess the cat was pretty upset with the inspector when he came through. The house did have a slight cat pee odor, but our realtor had the carpets cleaned as a closing gift. I don't smell it anymore. Or maybe I'm nose blind to it now. I'm just wondering why they didn't dispose of them on a regular basis.

Good morning, everyone! It is a frigid 15F here in mid-Michigan. Right now it is sunny and bright, but it is supposed to cloud over by noon. HIgh temp today is 26F. Once a month the city has large item pickup. You put what you need to get rid of on the curb and they take it away. So, today's job is to move the 300 kitty litter containers to the curb along with some boxes. The kitty litter is courtesy of the previous owners. Today's meal looks really good to me. Probably too high in carbs for me, but it still looks good. These butternut squash/black bean enchiladas are very versatile. Switch out the squash if you like. Do the same with the beans. You can even add chicken it you'd like. Make it vegan using a vegan cheese. https://www.feastingathome.com/butternut-mole-enchiladas/ Here's one with chicken if you're a carnivore like me. https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/mole-enchiladas/ Now this sounds really interesting. The filling is the butternut squash and black beans, but the mole sauce is made with Guinness. That I have to try. https://eatingaway.com/2020/03/03/marriage-of-convenience-butternut-and-black-bean-enchiladas-with-guinness-stout-mole/ All that gooey cheese is calling my name. Wishing everyone a great day and here's hoping our travelers returning have had a safe trip home. And for our travelers setting out, take lots of pictures and check in often.

@GTVCRUISER

Good morning, everyone! It is a cold but beautiful morning here in mid-Michigan. We got a dusting of snow overnight, but places north and south of me got dumped on. The storm split to go north and south of Midland and then reconnected to go on to dump on Buffalo. I'm making a list of what I still need from the grocery store for Thanksgiving. I have the turkey ordered and it will be picked up Wednesday. I like the fresh ones I can get at the local butcher shop. I just need the fresh stuff - the rest has been purchased. Today's meal is a good one for the vegetarian members of the family. The mushrooms are coated on one side with panko and muenster cheese is filled in the cap of the mushroom. It doesn't take much to make them. https://weareliferuiner.com/crispy-mushroom-muenster-sliders-2/ This next one doesn't include the cheese, but it could easily be added. https://www.kosher.com/recipe/mushroom-sliders-8066 This last one is a variation on a mushroom swiss burger. https://iambaker.net/mushroom-swiss-sliders/ Sounds like a great menu item for watching football. Bon Voyage to @summer slope and @StLouisCruisers. @Cruzin Terri I'm glad you have a cruise coming up to take you away from the house woes for a while. I'm hoping @kazu has an easy disembark and trip home. @rafinmd Roy, thanks for your reports from your cruise. @Crazy For Cats I'd trade this meal for the Tamarind any day of the week. @marshhawk I think you are lucky to be rid of that awful boss. Move forward and best of luck.

So glad you enjoyed them. I may whip up a batch for the day after Thanksgiving.

Good morning, everyone! It is cold! It is 27 F right now with a high of 33 expected. I don't think I'll be walking outside today. Today's meal is quite interesting. I know I'd like the peperonata part. I generally like sardines, so I'd give this a try. Peperonata is a side dish from southern Italy that features sweet summer bell peppers cooked down in plenty of olive oil until they're meltingly soft. https://www.seriouseats.com/peperonata-bell-pepper-italian-recipe Those peppers could go with just about anything! For the sardine part, look for sardines that are on the bigger side. What you buy in the tins in the grocery store are a bit too small. https://www.copymethat.com/r/MiFUPgfbA/baked-sardines-peperonata/ A serving suggestion is this one served on toast. https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/sardines-peperonata-wholemeal-toast I can taste the peppers now! Wishing everyone a wonderful day. For those traveling, please be safe.

This is the kind of weather that inspires me to make soups and stews. We had several bursts of blizzard type snowfalls. They didn't amount to much, but it was nasty out there. So, I make this: This is the soup from yesterday's meal of the day. It was quite tasty! My other project was finding someone to plow my driveway this winter. I finally found a company and signed them up. I had a nice chat with the guy on the phone. Yesterday I enjoyed my chat with the woman from the county refuse collection services. Once a month they have large item pickup. You put large items that don't fit in a trash can out on the curb and they pick them up and take them away. I commented on how we had moved in on Saturday, had someone do the leaves for us on Sunday and the city came by and picked them up on Monday. She said they were waiting just for us. The deadline to get them out to the curb had been the previous week. I did rustle around in some boxes today and found my slippers. I still haven't found my alarm clock, but I have no need for that right now. It is here somewhere.

From one mover to another, wow! You'll need the cruise after all that. The next move for me will be on a gurney. They'll tell you it is just a cold, but frankly, I don't appreciate them sharing that either! This is an instance where there is some responsibility to the people around you. Wear the mask!!

Good morning, everyone! We had another dusting of snow overnight, but I'm sure it will melt off shortly. It is supposed to stay cold over the weekend and then warm up to more seasonable temps next week. Sue is not coming down this weekend because she is deer hunting with her son. She did get a deer yesterday and is processing it for the freezer. She does that herself and she uses this as her meat source for the winter. It is all hers. Panzanella [pantsaˈnɛlla] or panmolle [pamˈmɔlle] is a Tuscan and Umbrian chopped salad of soaked stale bread, onions and tomatoes that is popular in the summer. It often includes cucumbers, sometimes basil and is dressed with olive oil and vinegar. It is also popular in other parts of central Italy. The 16th-century artist and poet Bronzino sings the praises of onions with oil and vinegar served with toast and, a page later, speaks of a salad of onions, purslane, and cucumbers. This is often interpreted as a description of panzanella. The name is believed to be a portmanteau of "pane", Italian for bread, and "zanella", a deep plate in which it is served. Our first selection comes from A Taste of Home. The use of horseradish intrigues me. https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/roasted-butternut-squash-panzanella/ In this next one you can use any root vegetables you like along with any number of squash selections. It need not be butternut. And then, of course, you want a good crusty bread. https://food52.com/recipes/84407-squash-panzanella-with-bagna-cauda-recipe Here's a panzanella with butternut squash and brussels sprouts. I love brussels sprouts! https://lidiasitaly.com/recipes/butternut-squash-brussels-sprouts-panzanella/ I'm in! And this one has brussels sprouts and creamy lemon dressing. Can you get any better than that? https://www.labreabakery.com/recipes/fall-panzanella-roasted-squash-and-creamy-lemon-pepper-dressing @Seasick Sailor I did get the ingredients for the brussels sprouts and cauliflower. I'll let you know what I think. Wishing everyone a wonderful day! Prayers for those in need and cheers for those celebrating.

Yes, Bruno. I moved from Ohio to Michigan almost 2 weeks ago. I am now close to my family. I found the QR code on the computer and scanned that with my phone to get it to upload to Verifly.

Good morning, everyone! We got about an inch of snow last night. What we got yesterday during the day was pretty much gone by last night. I did enjoy a walk around the neighborhood yesterday after the snow let up some. It was still snowing, but very lightly. The neighborhood is so nice and peaceful. Yet, a 12 minute walk up the street brings you to a main street and tons of traffic. So, secluded and peaceful, but still close to everything I need. Today's weather is perfect for today's meal. I don't have the ingredients on hand, but I can get them easily! Kale is one of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-proven-benefits-of-kale Inspired by caldo verde, a soup traditional in northern Portugal and served with corn bread called broa, this satisfying winter soup features tender potatoes and spicy chorizo sausage. Collard or mustard greens can be substituted for the kale. https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/252761/chorizo-potato-kale-soup/ This one has me thinking seriously about stopping at the store on my way home from the gym. https://tastespace.wordpress.com/2010/11/12/brazilian-potato-kale-soup-with-sizzling-chorizo-caldo-verde/ Caldo Verde is a traditional Portuguese soup that is packed with flavor, with only a few simple ingredients, This hearty soup is chock full of kale, Portuguese Linguiça (smoked sausage), potato and aromatics. https://www.delishdlites.com/type/gluten-free-recipes/caldo-verde-portuguese-kale-chorizo-soup/ This super simple Smoky Potato and Kale Soup is the perfect cold-weather dinner…great for nights when you’re craving something warming. Spanish sausage simmered in a garlicky smoked paprika broth with potatoes, kale, a touch of lemon, and Manchego cheese. https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/potato-and-kale-soup/ I don't know if it will be this soup or something else, but soup is definitely on the menu. Healing thoughts and hugs to all who are battling health issues. Cheers to all who are celebrating and those getting ready to board a BHB. Wishing everyone a good day.

Warm thoughts and prayers to you, Bruno.

It sounds like he's going further before the BP drop. Or am I wishing that? Anyways, if he is, perhaps the BP issue is resolving itself? I hope so!

Try leaving questions for the Wound Care people with the nursing staff. I used to do that when my dad was in rehab. I didn't always get answers, but I kept bugging them. If they didn't get the answers, I resubmitted my questions with "Second Request" noted on them. Rehab can be a scary place. In my dad's case they had written him off as an old man with dementia who was going to die soon anyways. They couldn't have been further from the truth. He was having a reaction after surgery due to his use of lithium for bipolar disorder. I recognized his symptoms and they were classic. I brought that up with the doctor at the rehab place who dismissed it and said he was the doctor, not me, and he said Dad didn't have that. I asked him why he thought that and he said that he didn't know anything about the condition I had mentioned. That was when my brother physically removed me from the room. I think he thought I would flatten the doctor. A trip to the ER later confirmed my diagnosis and as soon as they started weaning Dad off the lithium he began getting better. Advice from a physician friend was to make sure someone was with him each day and to vary the time of our visits. He suggested stopping in for a while, taking a break, coming back, take another break and always stop in during the evening. We were lucky because the rehab place was right in town. Now it seems that they try to place them as far away as they can. The fact that you are more comfortable is a major improvement. Oh, that sounds good! I will definitely be trying this. When my sister lived in France they picked up the paper, tin cans, cardboard and plastic at the curb. For the copious number of empty wine bottles we produced, we had to walk them down to "the point" where there was a big recycle bin for glass and a little one for batteries. Every night after dinner I would leash up Moose, the dog, and we'd do a run to the point to drop off wine bottles. One time when she was traveling for business I almost got the bottles totally cleared out before she came home to generate more.

I haven't had the cauliflower and Brussels sprouts, but I'd sure love the recipe. Brussels sprouts are my favorite. Why do they have to make it so hard? I had no problem with my annuity. Went right through.