Well, as I admitted to Joy, I've been sneaking over to Countryside now and again. While there is a lot more volume and lot more newbies than there were back in the dark ages while we were all still active over there; it seems like there is a pretty good bunch of folks on there now.

I've just gotten into a small sparring match with Ken on the thread about meals for $1. Y'all go over and see what you think - I don't think he's gonna give up and I may need some help here!

-- Anonymous, August 25, 2001

Answers

Pretty funny repartee on the thread you mentioned....!

-- Anonymous, August 25, 2001

He simply didn't have a chance Polly!! That was a fun thread..Kirk

-- Anonymous, August 26, 2001

I've been reading your difference of opinion with Ken over there. You know, I thought that was a very valid point about how Dirt Therapy reduced the need for Psychiatric. I've often used it and Stall Therapy (mad? frustrated? Go fork some manure!!! You can be as harsh to it as you want!) for just those reasons, but also because I get something done at the same time. I'm the kind of person who can't just go lie out on the beach and get a tan (tan? I've got a Farmer Tan), no, I've got to be DOING something while at the beach, be it collecting shells, picking up trash and putting it in bags to dispose of, or building a sand castle.

You know, if you followed Ken's argument to the extreme, you can't AFFORD to grow your own food and such, you should give it up and go on the dole and make a profit. But that is territory where I'm not prepared to go over on CS!! Okay, so some of my crops are piddly, and some have to be written off to a learning experience, and when the radishes don't grow any useful roots I will feed them to the rabbit instead.

I used to like watching The Frugal Gourmet back when he was on PBS. He made a very good point that being Frugal doesn't mean having to do with the poorest of the poor, it has to do with using what you have to the best effect. I buy big bottles of burgundy wine and will use a little splash here and there in cooking to improve the flavour. I don't think that that is extravagant, and for some recipes it improves the whole flavour so immensely. Just a small example.

I have been noticing that there are a lot of names I don't know over on CS anymore, I usually stick to just the cooking/horse/garden questions. I'm glad to see some names are conspicuously missing there now, but there are other ones I'm wondering about like Gerbil. Has anyone heard anything from her?

-- Anonymous, August 26, 2001

Gee, I never stopped checking the posts at CS. Just because some folks are buttheads doesn't mean others don't still have good info. Just take what you need and leave the rest, just like everything else in life.

-- Anonymous, August 26, 2001

Yeah, Debra, I still go to CS all the time and most of the rest of us do to. Polly was just referencing something from a different conversation.

-- Anonymous, August 26, 2001