Over the Fence Chat--Nov. 24-30, 2002

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Hey there, everyone! I'm gonna be brave and start this again!! Take the day off, Joy :-)!

I mostly wanted to start this 'cause I want to "brag" about my granddaughter. She had her first sleep over at our house on Friday night and she was perfect!! I bought the "Spirit" video thinking that the only way she'd feel comfortable enough to go to sleep would be to FALL asleep on the couch while watching this movie. But after watching about 20 min. of it she told me that she wanted to go to bed to see what it was like sleep at "Gramma's house"!! She went to bed at 7:45 p.m. Then the power went off at about 10 p.m. (typical for around here on Fri. nights when the Maine Maritime academy students are driving off the road hitting poles!!) Morgan woke up about 11 p.m. and had to go potty. She asked about the lights, but wasn't nervous at all when I told her what happened! She just went right back to bed. She slept til 6:30 a.m.!! She really enjoyed herself and felt very comfortable here. Made my whole year :-)!! I sure hope that she'll be a regular!!!

Still no snow here. The few inches we had a few weeks ago are gone because of the 40 and 50 degree weather we've been having. Just as well...I guess. I HAVE to get a load of hay and shavings tomorrow!!! Harry's and my "tobogganing" will just have to wait....!!

Hope everyone is well!!!!

-- Anonymous, November 24, 2002

Answers

Everything is pretty good over here, with some minor things pending. The weather is perfect over here, we should hit the low 80's today, but tomorrow, that's going to change. Front hits us and by Thanksgiving, drizzle with highs in the 40s - ugly to drive in, (but great hunting weather - if I get the chance).

Have a great Thanksgiving everybody - I hope that all of us have something to be thankful for. :^).

-- Anonymous, November 25, 2002


Marcia, I'm glad the sleep over turned out so well. You just never know for sure how they'll be until they give it a try.

Things are fine here. We're getting ready to go to the inlaws for Thanksgiving. Should be fun.

The weather is finally turning colder. And I don't like it one little bit. I am grateful though that we don't typically have much snow around here.

Have a great Thanksgiving everyone!

-- Anonymous, November 25, 2002


Want to hear something funny? I went to that Michael site of Kirks and left it up to show my son when I disconnected since we only have the one phone line. Well, after my son "enjoyed" the site, he closed off and tried to sign on to the net again and the computer wigged out, saying saying it was having a complete system shutdown. I couldn't get in touch with the tech support so I turned it off for the night. The next afternoon, the computer was okay as if nothing happened. Do you think it went crazy looking at Michael Jackson for so long???

-- Anonymous, November 26, 2002

Could be, Dee!! He IS pretty weird looking. Must have scared everyone off 'cause no one has been here all day :-)!!

-- Anonymous, November 26, 2002

'Nother bleeping sixty hour week. At least I get 22 1/2 hours off to enjoy Thanksgiving. Gonna have to "power eat"! You folks all enjoy the holiday, however you spend it. Many hugs to you all,

-- Anonymous, November 27, 2002


He's really more tragic than funny . . . but it made me laugh! :-(

I'm getting a "new" kitten today -- I'm supposed to find it a good home. Wish me luck! (and that it isn't MY home!) This is a MOST inopportune time.

COLD! A whole whalloping 20*F right now (9 am). I wish we'd go up above freezing for awhile. And I hope this isn't a sign of the coming winter.

A coyote was spotted in my neighborhood. I might even have seen it about a week ago after dark. It was either a very large fox or a small coyote. Julie says it was probably a stray dog, so I've been trying to think why I rejected "dog" -- then I remembered it had a full bushy tail. Anyway, no more long walks after dark for the dog and me! Dog could probably defend herself, but I just don't want to meet a coyote, period! Not a big deal to make sure we walk in the daylight anyway -- it's usually warmer then! This would be coyote paradise -- we have zillions of cottontail rabbits in the area. And this is quite a mix of residential and farm fields in this area.

Anyone heard any more geese? I hear a few from time to time, but nothing like previous years. Did they have some big "goose blast" that I didn't hear about?

-- Anonymous, November 27, 2002


Hey - I'm awake! How'd that happen?!

Woke up about 2 pm and couldn't get back to sleep, so I gave up and got up and headed for the kitchen - thought I might get some of the prep out of the way before tomorrow morning, so I could catch a nap before going to the family dinner. The scent of baking Chex Mix is wafting through the house, competing with the cinnamon smell of the left-over pie crust that I spread with butter, cinnamon and sugar and baked up crisp. The honey roll dough is rising in the big blue crock bowl on the counter closest to the stove; I'll be punching it down and forming it into the rolls here in a bit. Pie crust is cooling on the rack on the table, layered dip is chilling in the fridge, along with the salmon cheese ball and the dressing for the broccoli salad. Now if I can just get Hubs to chop the broccoli and put the salad together; and bake the rolls, and cook the chocolate custard for the pie (mixed and in the fridge as well)....Hmmmm, now which big, baggy jumper shall I wear tomorrow!?

I had this past Sunday off work, and it was a really beautiful day - just a bit of chill in the air, and a light breeze; but lots of glorious sunshine. So I grabbed a hold of Hubs and drug him out to the yard and worked his butt off!! We put down all the cardboard we had stashed in the west side yard around the blue spruce tree; then hauled wood chips to cover it up - got about half way around the tree; getting ready for my planned expansion of the perennial garden next spring. We cleaned out Bunny's hutch and the chicken palace and heaped them with fresh straw; and put straw in the dog houses as well. We raked all the maple leaves in the front yard; and I discovered that it was just as much fun as I remembered to rassle around in a leaf pile with a couple of dogs! After I wore out (long before the dogs did!), we raked the leaves BACK up and piled them in the perennial beds! Jes and Chad came out for a bit - but took one look at the "Honey-do" list and lit out back for town!

Today it's a bit chilly - was down to 18* with a wind chill of 9* when I got off work this morning. Pop says that it got up a bit warmer with some sunshine early this afternoon, but the temperature has started to drop already now that the sun has started it descent behing the woods on our west boundry line. We got a dusting of snow yesterday, but it didn't stick around. I forgot and left the last of my clearance bulbs out on the picnic table the other night, so I reckon they are ruined; I'll just toss them in the compost pile - maybe I'll have daffs blooming out there next spring!

Jes has started back at the nursing home, so between school and work and getting ready for the big move, her time is limited. We still have a bit of shopping to do; and I want to get some felt and make some new stockings for the tree - little bitty ones, about the right size for some earrings or lottery tickets. We're trying to coordinate a time to go pick out our Christmas trees - wish us luck!!

Dee, thank you for your concern about my getting too attached to Kaylee. I'm sure I'll get very attached; but over the years I've learned that people are a transient thing - you just can't hold on to 'em no matter how hard you try. They up and move on you, or they pass on, old friends grow apart, etc... So, I enjoy the heck out of them for as long as they're here; and think fondly of them when they're gone. I won't get to see Kaylee that often, as she and her Mama live quite a distance away; so maybe that will help a bit, eh?

Well, the oven timer is beeping - time to stir the Chex Mix; and probably time to form the rolls as well. Take care, dear friends; stay safe, and enjoy yourselves this week,

-- Anonymous, November 27, 2002


Just want to take a moment here to wish all my good "cyber-friends" a Safe and Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!

I spent most of the day today with my granddaughter. She and I went grocery shopping for goodies to make a party platter for Grampa. Morgan calls it a pu-pu platter :-)! Eats too much Chinese food, I guess!! Anyways, she spent most of the afternoon helping me put it together as a surprise for when Harry got out of work at 5 p.m. Of course, she ate as much as she put on the platter (especially the broccoli) and then ate again when Grampa came in. My "dear" DIL wasn't too happy that Morgan was stuffed with food before the big Thanksgiving dinner tonight with HER (Amy's) family...but I don't care. At least we got to spend a little of the holiday with her :-)!

Awwww, Joy! You HAVE to keep that kitten! I would have absolutely no willpower when it comes to giving up a "temporary" kitten!!

Polly...I can just imagine the delicious aromas drifting from your kitchen window! Everything sounds delicious. What kind of layered dip do you make? Is it a Mexican dip?

No snow here yet. Southern New England and New York got some, but not us!! Supposed to be cold tonight...in the teens. But we have a wonderfully warm comforter on the bed...and several cats...to keep us warm!!

Later folks!!!

-- Anonymous, November 27, 2002


Have a great Turkey Day everyone!!!

-- Anonymous, November 27, 2002

I too want to wish everyone a wonderful day tomorrow,be it with lots of folks or a quiet day at home alone, which aint always a bad thing! I still havent called my mom since she hung up on me; feel a teensy guilty, but I'm not as good at makin me feel guilty as she is! Lotus and I are going to deliver for Meals on Wheels tomorrow; I'm really lookin forward to it!

Bren and Ali are havin a gas in NYC; went to the Radio City Music Hall Christmas show and Aida; Friday they are going to Phantom of the Opera. Ali is a theatre and movie fanatic; she has a head full of stats and trivia about entertainment like Rosie O'Donnell does. A little tape recorder in her head. Sometimes I wonder about her madness for media, but its who she is, so I have had to learn not to criticize it and let her be her. I'm sure it will pay off someday in one way or another. She really is a good writer; I wish she would devote more time to it, but ya know how writing goes in streaks.

They rented a really neat room in Greenwich Village, used to be an apt so it has a full kitchen. Bren has a hard time eating out anyway cuz of her allergy to wheat; you never know where its hiding and any hint of it gives her terrible diarrhea, which is fun in any situation, much less when in umfamiliar surroundings. So they are cooking alot of their meals, which saves money, since they spent a fortune on Broadway plays! They plan on going to watch the Macy Parade tomorrow, and bought a turkey breast and trimmings for tomorrow. Thursday is Ali's day to cook anyway; wonder if she will do the whole meal?

Only time I've been to NY was exactly 20 yrs ago; Bren and I went for a concert at we wanted to see at Carnegie Hall , did all the touristy things, before starting our family in January. Seems like a hundred years ago.

I'm getting involved in lots of political stuff now; havent been this fired up since the Viet Nam war. Last two months were indescribably traumatic; I feel these things intensely, and cannot sit back and do nothing anymore. The kids are gettin pumped too. We are set to make lots of trouble!

Happy Turkey Day all, and blessings to you and yours. We do have much to be thankful for, do we not?

Peace,

It's gonna be a beautiful day here tomorrow; 40 degrees and sunny! NO SNOW! Good weather for folks traveling.

-- Anonymous, November 27, 2002



Happy Turkey Day to you all! I won't be back at the computer until later tomorrow. Going to friends' house for much fun and carousing. (yeah right)

Marcia, you are probably right -- the kitten would not have escaped me. Probably. But, they didn't bring him. Since there wasn't time for him to be seen by my vets before bringing him into the house, they got him an appt. up there (to check for parasites and test for FIV and FeLV). While in the vet's office, M noticed a poster looking for a kitten to keep a lonely only kitten company. A quick call made the connection, and Mr. Blackjack (the kitten) will be staying up north.

It's really a good thing because [a] the kids can go visit their kitty in his new home, and [b] I discovered that all the shelters in this area are full to the gills. They've even had to start euthanizing some of the less adoptable cats because there is nowhere to put them. Usually we have this problem when all the students go home for the summer, but this time of the year it's usually not so bad. I don't know WHAT is going on. But if this makes you sad, go adopt a cat in your area! There are always cats looking for homes.

I know someone who is fostering about 11 kittens, so I could go get one from her if I REALLY wanted one. Something will come up, it always does! Harry is about the only cat I went looking for purposefully. Well, Blanca too -- yes, she's a dog, but I was looking for a cat and ended up with her instead.

Gotta go, still lots to do before I go over to see my friends! I made pumpkin cheesecake. The batter was good. If I think it's really yummy, I'll post the recipe in the Healthier Living thread.

Be careful on the roads! I saw the aftermath of a horrible accident last night. Small car with an SUV sitting on top of it, rear wheels crushing the windshield! I think they must have already taken away anyone injured, as there were no ambulances, just the fire & rescue truck.

-- Anonymous, November 28, 2002


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