dfish

I love Ann Rule as well. Jonathan Kellerman is good. She would also help @marshhawk do the paint and wine runs for us. But she would also criticize our mess. 😁

Had a talk with my realtor and he said I could finish up the hallway and then cease painting operations. He suggested packing up stuff I don't need and just making things look fresh. Photographer is coming Friday and we may be listed by Friday evening.

Good morning, everyone! It felt good to be home and sleeping in my own bed. I have a little bit of painting to finish up here. I think the rest has to go as is so we can get this place listed. I only have to do the hallway upstairs. Today's meal sounds good to me! Cauliflower has many health benefits. It is great for gut health. That seems to be the rage these days, but it can help gut health which makes things flow smoothly. Ok, it might make you gassy, but just let 'er rip. Cauliflower may have anti-cancer benefits. All the research on the cruciferous vegetable aren't in yet, but eat them anyways. Cauliflower also is a good source of fiber, Vitamin C, and Vitamin A. And, the biggest thing: cauliflower may boost your immune system. So, in addition to limiting exposure and getting your boosters before a cruise, eat cauliflower. You want all the help you can get to avoid that nasty virus! The best way to prepare cauliflower to preserve the nutrients is to eat it raw. For those with digestive issues that may cause problems. When cooking vegetables to preserve the most nutrients do not use water. I prefer to roast the vegetables. For this dish you are putting the cauliflower into a sauce, so leached vitamins will go there. A curry is a dish with a sauce seasoned with spices, mainly associated with South Asian cuisine. In southern India, leaves from the curry tree may be included. There are many varieties of curry. In traditional cuisines, the selection of spices for each dish is a matter of national or regional cultural tradition, religious practice, and preference of the chef. Such dishes have names that refer to their ingredients, spicing, and cooking methods. Outside the Indian subcontinent, a curry is a dish from Southeast Asia which uses coconut milk or spice pastes, commonly eaten over rice. Curries may contain fish, meat, poultry, or shellfish, either alone or in combination with vegetables. Others are vegetarian. Dry curries are cooked using small amounts of liquid, which is allowed to evaporate, leaving the other ingredients coated with the spice mixture. Wet curries contain significant amounts of sauce or gravy based on broth, coconut cream or coconut milk, dairy cream or yogurt, or legume purée, sautéed crushed onion, or tomato purée. Curry powder, a commercially prepared mixture of spices marketed in the West, was first exported to Britain in the 18th century when Indian merchants sold a concoction of spices, similar to garam masala, to the British colonial government and army returning to Britain. From Healthline: The combination of spices found in curry powder makes this seasoning a great way to add flavor and nutritional benefits to your dishes. The spice blend is rich in anti-inflammatory compounds and consuming it may help reduce oxidative stress, boost heart health, and improve blood sugar levels, among other potential benefits. The best part is that curry powder makes an excellent addition to a wide array of recipes. Try adding it to your favorite dish for a healthful kick of flavor and color. Though curry powder is widely available in supermarkets, you can also find a wide selection of products online. This first recipe is easy to make and perfect for the vegans and vegetarians in your household. https://cupfulofkale.com/vegan-cauliflower-and-chickpea-curry/ This next recipe does contain turmeric. For those concerned about the lead, the amount is only 1 tsp. You can choose to omit it or substitute one of the following: 7 Substitutes for Ground Turmeric (That You Can Find In Your Kitchen) Saffron. Ground Ginger. Ground Cumin. Curry Powder. Dry Mustard. Paprika. Galangal Powder. You can also adjust the level of spice to your tastes. https://minimalistbaker.com/1-pot-yellow-chickpea-cauliflower-curry/ Doesn't that look wonderful! Wishing everyone a wonderful day!

We'll be persistent! Sister Sue is meticulous in her work and is definitely not a messy painter. There is some work to do, but nothing major. Mostly stuff we want to do, but some of the outside maintenance didn't get done. The trees over the roof are the most worrisome and I would want them taken care of before they get laden down with snow. Most are fir trees that I love. The decks can wait and get cleaned next spring.

I remember it was that long when my dad's water heater leaked all over the basement. Carpet had to be replaced and many things being stored were just thrown out. I'm so sorry. @StLouisCruisers

Thanks, everyone. The realtor agrees with us that the asking price is out of line. It is two siblings selling their dad's house. I know what they are going through as we did the same three years ago with my dad's. However, they slapped some paint on the walls and doubled the value of the house for listing. They've already done one price reduction and have had no bites. Not sure how long they are willing to carry this house. I made a list of reasons the price should be lower. Nothing horrible, but thinks like needing to restain the decks, trim trees, change out the cheesy electric fireplace, etc. That kind of thing. With laminate floors and electric fireplaces, the value goes way down. Hopefully their realtor can talk sense into them.

Good afternoon, everyone! It is great to be home. I did miss you guys and it looks like you missed me with all that went wrong. @Seasick Sailor Joy, I am glad to read that Allen feels ok. I hope his recovery continues at warp speed. @Cruzin Terri Oh, my! I am so sorry you had such a mess to deal with. I hope it goes quickly. @ger_77 I am so glad that you and your DH are safe. I feel so bad for the victims. We had a good weekend looking at houses. There is one we are interested in and hopefully we can work out a deal. WE shall see. Off to unpack.

You certainly can! Hey, none of that cheap stuff for me. You're hired!

The more the merrier! And messier!

She has no idea how much wine I can drink. Happy Birthday! We paint with the wine. Join in the painting with us. If we're drinking wine, we won't mind painting. Lenda, we don't need wine to be messy. I don't think it would make me any messier than I was today. These conversations make the painting worth the effort. Now I'm glad I'm painting. Maybe I'll do the last two rooms by myself. Time for dreamland.

I don't have a painting partner, but I bet I could match you there. I match everywhere else. If you saw me right now you'd think I did get down and roll in the paint. My legs and feet are covered in it. I need to go back and do some touch up. I left the hallway for next week. Under the blue painter's tape. Yep, check that one off. Thankfully, the paint is coming up off the wood floors pretty easily with a fingernail. Yes, @Cruising-along Carolyn would.

You want to hire a messy painter? I'll have paint all over everything. I am so talented I can get paint under the drop cloth! That's what I thought! Great minds. I've called three painters so far and no one has called me back.

Messy painter checking in! Another couple hours of work and I'll be done. I read that a professional painter takes 3-4 days to do a room with prep included. I'm right on target! I have learned something from this project. Spring for the expensive paint. It is so much easier to work with!

Good morning, everyone! It is a cool start to the day but should be sunshiny bright and warm up to a reasonable temperature. One more day of painting and then I take off to Michigan to go house hunting. Tortellini are pasta originally from the Italian region of Emilia (in particular Bologna and Modena). Traditionally they are stuffed with a mix of meat (pork loin, raw prosciutto, mortadella), Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, egg and nutmeg and served in capon broth. The origin of tortellini is disputed; both Bologna and Modena, cities in Italy's Emilia-Romagna region, claim to be its birthplace. OxfordDictionaries.com traces the etymology of tortellini to the diminutive form of tortello, itself a diminutive of torta ("cake" or "pie" in Italian). The recipe for a dish called "torteletti" appears in 1570 from Bartolomeo Scappi. Vincenzo Tanara's writings in the mid-17th century may be responsible for the pasta's renaming to tortellini. In the 1800s, legends sprang up to explain the recipe's origins, offering a compromise. Castelfranco Emilia, located between Bologna and Modena, is featured in one legend, in which Venus stays at an inn. Overcome by her beauty, the innkeeper spies on her through a keyhole, through which he can only see her navel. He is inspired to create a pasta in this shape. This legend would be at the origin of the term "ombelico di Venere" (Venus' navel), occasionally used to describe tortellini.[4] In honor of this legend, an annual festival is held in Castelfranco Emilia. Another legend posits that the shape comes from Modena's architecture, which resembles a turtle. This first recipe is a lightened up version, meaning it only calls for 1/3 cup of heavy cream. The crushed red pepper flakes give it a little bite. https://www.aspicyperspective.com/creamy-chicken-tortellini-soup/ This next one takes out the heavy cream and red pepper flakes and simply has a nice, rich broth. https://www.saltandlavender.com/easy-chicken-tortellini-soup/ This next recipe has a different blend of seasonings making the flavor more complex. https://thecozycook.com/chicken-tortellini-soup/ Here are directions for making the soup in a slow cooker. https://therecipecritic.com/slow-cooker-chicken-tortellini-soup/ This last recipe has a tomato broth. https://www.nospoonnecessary.com/easy-chicken-spinach-tortellini-tomato-soup/ On to painting! Wishing you all a wonderful day.

I am so sorry to hear this. May she find peace and comfort. When one of my sisters was living in France I spent the summer with her. One Sunday we decided to go for a hike. I picked out a tres facile trail from a guide book for the Vosge mountains. We loaded her dog, all 135 pounds, in the car and set out. Somehow we lost our trail and our 2 hour tres facile hike turned into a 5 hour torture. Normally Moose loved to go for walks and for a long while he was out in front acting like a trail guide. When we realized we didn't know where we were going, Moose decided he had had enough and laid down on the trail and refused to budge. It took a bit of coaxing to get him to continue on. We found him a lake to swim in and then he was happy. The ceiling is all done and tomorrow I start on the walls. Besides the living room I have to do the staircase and the upstairs hall. If I can find someone who can do it, I am paying someone to finish the last two rooms.

This is one of my favorite beach pictures. An evening stroll along North Beach in South Haven.

I booked Rowe's water taxi the last time we were in Boston. I called them as they requested and told them we were leaving the ship. They said call back when we had our luggage. Ten minutes later I called and said we had our luggage. They replied that they had just left without us and it would be at least an hour before they could come get us. And, they do not refund what you paid when they leave you behind.

Good morning, everyone! Right now it is a pleasant morning but storms are moving in shortly. At least it has cooled down a bit. It was so warm and muggy yesterday that I broke down and turned on the air. Today I'll finish up the ceiling in the living room and hallway and then start on the walls and trim. I want to get this painting project done before I head up to Michigan to look at houses. I am happy to announce that Tina @0106 will fulfill the Meal of the Day responsibilities while I am in Michigan. I am staying with my sister who shuns technology and does not have internet. She actually likes it and uses it when she is at other people's houses, but won't get it for herself. Today's meal was a tough one. The recipes were all identical. I kept searching and pulled up one recipe that had a picture of a nicely roasted turkey. Hmm, not what I was looking for. While the recipes were identical, the pictures weren't. You can get a dark pink sauce or a light pink sauce depending on how much half and half you use. One recipe called for heavy cream. That is not one for those watching calories! This first recipe is the one you'll find on most sites. The only variation is the amount of half and half and whether you use white wine or chicken broth in the sauce. I'd go for the wine myself. https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/blushing-penne-pasta/ This next one is a totally different dish, but uses what the author calls sun blush tomatoes. https://simons-sauces.com/2012/09/11/spinach-and-homemade-sun-blush-tomato-pasta/ Ok, so what are sun blushed tomatoes? They are really quite easy to make. I love the measurements in this recipe. A glug of good olive oil. That's the way I cook. https://thegreeneyedgirl.co.uk/2014/06/08/homemade-sunblushed-tomatoes/ This last recipe calls for heavy cream but you can substitute something lighter if you wish. https://simplegraytshirt.com/pink-sauce-pasta/ Wishing you all a wonderful day!

The problem does need a solution because it could morph into something more serious. It is causing my body to harvest calcium from my bones. There are other symptoms I am dealing with but they are more annoyances than serious. My recent bone density scan did show a noticeable decrease in bone mass in my right hip. So, the sooner I get it taken care of, the better. It isn't a difficult surgery at all. Outpatient and done quickly. Recovery is a couple days.

I think that someone doesn't like it when patients aren't meekly submissive. All I wanted to do is be sure it was covered by insurance. Why is that such a threat? My endocrinologist agrees with me. He said this is not someone I want treating me. We decided that I would wait until I moved to Michigan and got established with someone up there and they would forward my records. I think it sounds like good news, too! Let's celebrate!

Well, I just had an odd thing happen. I was supposed to have an appointment with an endocrine surgeon on Wednesday. He wanted a bone density scan of my forearm. The reason I was given was because he requires it. Huh? Why does he require it? No answer. So, I called the insurance company to make sure it would be covered since I just had a scan in June. Insurance said they would need a preauthorization request for an additional scan. So, I called the surgeon's office with that information and they claimed they did have preauthorization. Last week they said they didn't and the insurance company had to record of it. So, she sent me over to the department that has the preauthorization information so I could get the confirmation numbers and call the insurance company back. Well, less than 5 minutes later, while I was still on hold with the preauthorization department, the surgeon's office called back and said the surgeon had reviewed my case and determined that I did not need surgery. She added that they would be referring me to a medical endocrinologist. I said no thanks to that because if the surgeon had reviewed my records he would see no need to make that recommendation as I had been referred to them by my medical endocrinologist. I'm not sure what to make of this. I have a call into my endocrinologist to see what he thinks.

We visited Montreal on the Rotterdam in 2018. It was a b2b Boston/Montreal/Boston and Montreal was our turn around day. We didn't take any excursions as they all were airport transfers. One of the things we did do on this trip was explore the cuisine. Montreal was smoked meat sandwiches and poutine. We did like the gardens we saw. And, we enjoyed coffee at a sidewalk cafe.

Good morning everyone! Today has dawned with abundant sunshine and abundant heat and humidity. Thunder bumpers are supposed to roll in this afternoon and cool us down a bit. That would be a good thing! The only thing on my agenda is painting the living room. The room is bigger, but there is more room to maneuver around than in the kitchen and dining room. I think that will help make it easier. Today's meal is pure comfort. It is thick, rich, and creamy. It would be wonderful on a cold night in January. It is not for the calorie or carb counters. https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/chicken-gnocchi-pesto-soup/ This next one is a little lighter on the calories and the carbs. More broth used helps do that. https://thekitchengirl.com/10-minute-pesto-chicken-gnocchi-soup/ This is a vegan version. The chicken is left out, but could easily be included. https://www.delishknowledge.com/gnocchi-pesto-soup/ If you want to skip the soup version and just go for the chicken gnocchi pesto, here's the recipe. https://www.chiselandfork.com/chicken-pesto-gnocchi/ One last version: https://www.healthyfood.com/healthy-recipes/pesto-gnocchi-and-chicken-bake/ Wishing you all a wonderful day!