Post a good thing that happened in your life today

[gvallee]

On 16/08/2023 at 13:00, Betty LaRue said:

Don’t allow that horrible thought stay in your mind!
I’ll say, though you have more guts than I. When our steps on our RV quit working, I hated it. Then something mechanical went wrong on the way home, & we spent hours & $500 getting it fixed. Then when we parked it in a paid RV fenced yard for the winter, vandals broke a window, climbed in, stole electronics, put out cigarettes on the carpet….and generally trashed it, color me done. Sold by spring.

 

You might be right about crocs after all Betty. I'm preparing the trip and reading reviews on a bush camp where we intend to stay. The review says there is a 3 metre resident saltwater crocodile. It was in 2019. By now it's probably 4 metres !

 

[Betty LaRue]

11 hours ago, gvallee said:

 

You might be right about crocs after all Betty. I'm preparing the trip and reading reviews on a bush camp where we intend to stay. The review says there is a 3 metre resident saltwater crocodile. It was in 2019. By now it's probably 4 metres !

 

That’s hilarious! Watch your toes! 😁

[Bryan]

On 17/08/2023 at 12:43, Ed Rooney said:

 

 

 

 

This is the M&S fresh tomato and basil that I take home and add a swirl of olive oil. That's the Italian way. The cafe in the new store is almost an afterthought, tiny and pointless.

 

Not tried that Edo, although it looks tasty !

 

We called into the M&S cafe within the Newcastle store today, with our granddaughter in tow. Surprised to find that they have an incredible offer on children's meals, they are free if you spend £5 on an adult meal.  So while she enjoyed a small bowl of cheese and tomato pasta, along with a packet of crisps, we had our soup with ciabatta, followed by a shared free banana, part of the children's menu, but unwanted !  So we three ate for a combined total of £10.50,  I do love a bargain !

[Ed Rooney]

 

The M&S cafe at their store that just closed was a large proper restaurant with 2 big light-filled rooms. Most bistros here offer that free meal for kids deal. The cafe at Liverpool One is the size of a closet. The Foodhall is 3-times larger than on Church Street. Remember when M&S was mostly known for their jumpers? (sweaters, pullovers) 🙂

Edited August 19, 2023 by Ed Rooney

[Betty LaRue]

I just had a steak, baked potato & Brussels sprouts at Outback Steakhouse. My son bought our dinner in celebration of his new job. He moved to Kansas to take care of me after my back surgery & worked here for awhile. He’s going back to Tennessee. I can’t say how much I’ll miss him. He’s been living 3 minutes away from me since I recovered 1 yr 4 months ago & he moved out. He’ll be gone by the end of August, I suppose. 😭

I've taken care of his dog when he flew to visit other side of his family, his grown stepchildren. He’s going to miss that, because Sophie loves me, & my house is her second home that she is comfortable in. Sophie is 12 years old but very healthy & spry. I’m sad.

Jeff lived in Tennessee more years than he lived where he grew up, so that’s like his home now.
Did I say I’m sad?

[Michael Ventura]

2 hours ago, Betty LaRue said:

I just had a steak, baked potato & Brussels sprouts at Outback Steakhouse. My son bought our dinner in celebration of his new job. He moved to Kansas to take care of me after my back surgery & worked here for awhile. He’s going back to Tennessee. I can’t say how much I’ll miss him. He’s been living 3 minutes away from me since I recovered 1 yr 4 months ago & he moved out. He’ll be gone by the end of August, I suppose. 😭

I've taken care of his dog when he flew to visit other side of his family, his grown stepchildren. He’s going to miss that, because Sophie loves me, & my house is her second home that she is comfortable in. Sophie is 12 years old but very healthy & spry. I’m sad.

Jeff lived in Tennessee more years than he lived where he grew up, so that’s like his home now.
Did I say I’m sad?

 

If it wasn't for the steak, baked potato and sprouts dinner with your son, I would say this should have been in the "Bad Thing" thread.  I know how you feel, I've had my son with me the whole summer but went back to live with his mom today....I REALLY enjoy his company and he likes my cooking!  My daughter has been away, at the beach, this whole week and comes back tomorrow, but when she is here, I don't really see much of her due to her night shift work.  It is nice to have kids close by!

[Cecile Marion]

Yes, very true. Almost a "bad thing" topic. It’s so nice to have family close by. It sounds like you’ll miss your son terribly, Betty. I can relate. My four and their families are all on the other side of the US now, though one should be returning back to my town in a few months. We stay in close touch via electronics, but it’s not the same.

[Betty LaRue]

1 hour ago, Cecile Marion said:

Yes, very true. Almost a "bad thing" topic. It’s so nice to have family close by. It sounds like you’ll miss your son terribly, Betty. I can relate. My four and their families are all on the other side of the US now, though one should be returning back to my town in a few months. We stay in close touch via electronics, but it’s not the same.

I still have my daughter & her family nearby. But she’s busier. Jeff popped in to see me a lot, took me places. I do have a new great grandson, born after three girls. My grandson is a missionary in Mexico. They came back to the states for the birth, & will be going back to Mexico in about 6 weeks, once they get a passport for the new baby.  So everyone is ecstatic about that. Another grandson in town also has 3 daughters, then a son born 18 months ago. Those boys will have it hard, each with 3 bossy older sisters! 😁 Strange how two brothers each had 3 girls then a boy.

A cool thing is my daughter always has a dream telling the sex of the expected baby a couple of months into her daughter-in-laws’ pregnancies. 8 times, now, & she’s not missed once. She always asks them if they want to know, & they always say YES!

[Betty LaRue]

4 hours ago, Michael Ventura said:

 

If it wasn't for the steak, baked potato and sprouts dinner with your son, I would say this should have been in the "Bad Thing" thread.  I know how you feel, I've had my son with me the whole summer but went back to live with his mom today....I REALLY enjoy his company and he likes my cooking!  My daughter has been away, at the beach, this whole week and comes back tomorrow, but when she is here, I don't really see much of her due to her night shift work.  It is nice to have kids close by!

It’s always nice to have a kid like what you cook. I’ve always told my kids my love language was cooking for them, but these later years, they prefer not to eat my good old home cooking…fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy & a veggie or salad…or roast with potatoes, carrots & onions. Beef stew, Goulash…ham & beans & cornbread with onions on the side, spaghetti & meatballs with garlic bread & salad, many other things. They've cut out potatoes (except sweet potatoes) & bread. Still eat meat. Won’t eat the beans & ham with cornbread or spaghetti in spite of loving them. They love my pies but gripe at me for tempting them into eating them, except at the holidays when they solicit them!  They all were raised on the above & still love it but won’t eat so much of it.
Mainly they’ve cut out carbs. I cook carbs & am still slender. Sheeeesh. I don’t know how to cook for them anymore.

Meat & salad & a very few vegetables, I guess. And we all know how expensive meat is these days if that is what you need to eat enough of to fill your belly without filler things like bread & potatoes.

Edited August 19, 2023 by Betty LaRue

[Michael Ventura]

Just watched the movie, "The Fabelmans", sort of a biopic about Steven Spielberg's life.  There was a great line (or quote) from the legendary director, John Ford.  Speaking about art (but could be about photos or movie scenes, "When the horizon is at the bottom, it is interesting, when the horizon is at the top, it is interesting, but when it is in the middle it is BORING!"  So true.

[Steve Hyde]

Good news for me is that I saw the hospital consultant yesterday for my six week check up in relation to my recent knee replacement. I wondered how I was doing as the knee is still really swollen and the movement lifting my lower leg backwards is still quite restricted. Having said that I’m able to walk ok, if a bit slower than normal, and managed a couple of miles on it last week. 
 

The consultant was really pleased with my progress and doesn’t need to see me again until this time next year. He told me to just be patient and not to expect a recovery like I had with my previous hip replacements (I was cycling on my smart bike within two weeks of those ops but I still can’t turn a full revolution, sitting down, on the bike at present).
 

The good news is I can drive again and my other knee isn’t as badly worn as I thought, although there is some arthritis behind the knee cap that may become more problematic in the future. The consultant said they’d review that when I return next year. It’s going to have to be causing me some real issues though,  because I’m not in any hurry to go through the procedure again. I’ve bought a new Fujifilm X-T5, as an upgrade to my X-T2, since the op so I’m looking forward to getting out and about with that now I can drive and travel again 🙂

Edited August 22, 2023 by Steve Hyde

[Cecile Marion]

Sounds like great news, Steve! Congratulations. The really difficult part seems to be all over and done with.

[Betty LaRue]

9 minutes ago, Steve Hyde said:

Good news for me is that I saw the hospital consultant yesterday for my six week check up in relation to my recent knee replacement. I wondered how I was doing as the knee is still really swollen and the movement lifting my lower leg backwards is still quite restricted. Having said that I’m able to walk ok, if a bit slower than normal, and managed a couple of miles on it last week. 
 

The consultant was really pleased with my progress and doesn’t need to see me again until this time next year. He told me to just be patient and not to expect a recovery like I had with my previous hip replacements (I was cycling on my smart bike within two weeks of those ops but I still can’t turn a full revolution, sitting down, on the bike at present).
 

The good news is I can drive again and my other knee isn’t as badly worn as I thought, although there is some arthritis behind the knee cap that may become more problematic in the future. The consultant said they’d review that when I return next year. It’s going to have to be causing me some real issues though,  because I’m not in any hurry to go through the procedure again. I’ve bought a new Fujifilm X-T5, as an upgrade to my X-T2, since the op so I’m looking forward to getting out and about with that now I can drive and travel again 🙂

Sorry you’re not on the top of your game, yet. It will get there, I’m sure. I thought I’d recover from my back surgery a lot quicker, too. The right mind-set is good, but when the old bod won’t listen….
It’s nice you have a new bit of kit, that always revs up the blood. I have the X-T4. I’ve kept my T-1 but gave my T-2 to my daughter.

I’ll be interested in how you like the T-5. Instead of cooking up deserts, you can cook up new images. ☺️

I’m looking forward to autumn with we don’t have 105 plus temps. (40.55C)Just getting out to water my plants is like a blast from a metal-melting furnace, let alone shooting new images. This next weekend, it’ll drop to 35C. Big woo. Shoot me forward 1 month.

[Steve Hyde]

12 hours ago, Cecile Marion said:

Sounds like great news, Steve! Congratulations. The really difficult part seems to be all over and done with.

 

Thank you Cecile 🙂

 

12 hours ago, Betty LaRue said:

Sorry you’re not on the top of your game, yet. It will get there, I’m sure. I thought I’d recover from my back surgery a lot quicker, too. The right mind-set is good, but when the old bod won’t listen….
It’s nice you have a new bit of kit, that always revs up the blood. I have the X-T4. I’ve kept my T-1 but gave my T-2 to my daughter.

I’ll be interested in how you like the T-5. Instead of cooking up deserts, you can cook up new images. ☺️

I’m looking forward to autumn with we don’t have 105 plus temps. (40.55C)Just getting out to water my plants is like a blast from a metal-melting furnace, let alone shooting new images. This next weekend, it’ll drop to 35C. Big woo. Shoot me forward 1 month.

 

Thank you Betty. I’ve only had the camera for about a week but there are a few little things I’m already appreciating. Less buttons on the back, I was always hitting those when I didn’t mean to. The larger dials on the top plate are good but the built in body stabilisation, higher res files and longer battery life will be good. I’ll keep the X-T2 for my vintage lenses when I’m out and about. On our last holiday I had to clean the sensor twice because, however careful I try to be, I always seem to pick up spots on the sensor when I’m swapping lenses a lot.

 

I hope the weather turns for you soon. We’ve been spared the hot weather that’s been hitting the rest of Europe this summer, we’ve had a good old soaking instead. 
 

Cake wise we made NYC Cookies with the grandchildren yesterday. The girls I follow, from the bakery in London, conjured up their own version based on a NY Bakery called Levain..

 

 

Edited August 23, 2023 by Steve Hyde

[NYCat]

How much behind the times am I? I thought NYC cookies were the black and white ones. Those chocolate chip cookies look dangerous.

 

Paulette

[Betty LaRue]

17 hours ago, Steve Hyde said:

 

Thank you Cecile 🙂

 

 

Thank you Betty. I’ve only had the camera for about a week but there are a few little things I’m already appreciating. Less buttons on the back, I was always hitting those when I didn’t mean to. The larger dials on the top plate are good but the built in body stabilisation, higher res files and longer battery life will be good. I’ll keep the X-T2 for my vintage lenses when I’m out and about. On our last holiday I had to clean the sensor twice because, however careful I try to be, I always seem to pick up spots on the sensor when I’m swapping lenses a lot.

 

I hope the weather turns for you soon. We’ve been spared the hot weather that’s been hitting the rest of Europe this summer, we’ve had a good old soaking instead. 
 

Cake wise we made NYC Cookies with the grandchildren yesterday. The girls I follow, from the bakery in London, conjured up their own version based on a NY Bakery called Levain..

 

 

I use pecans in my chocolate chip cookies. They are as important as the chocolate for flavor. But, of course, more expensive than English walnuts. Your recipe end results are very different than my recipe. The big flatter cookie they showed? Closer to what mine are, but mine aren’t quite as thin or nearly as humongous! 😁 Still chewy though.

[Steve Hyde]

21 minutes ago, Betty LaRue said:

I use pecans in my chocolate chip cookies. They are as important as the chocolate for flavor. But, of course, more expensive than English walnuts. Your recipe end results are very different than my recipe. The big flatter cookie they showed? Closer to what mine are, but mine aren’t quite as thin or nearly as humongous! 😁 Still chewy though.

 
Ahh, as a newbie to all this then, if I used pecans would I have to remove the skins first, as per the video? You’re right,  pecans are a lot more expensive over here but we do have some we haven’t used that I could utilise. We made a variation on their cookie, from another cook book. This one is a peanut butter/white chocolate/fudge cookie. We made eight on Monday and have one left which speaks for itself really…

 

Edited August 23, 2023 by Steve Hyde

[spacecadet]

Finally got a screen protector on the phone without any bubbles.

Oh, and we visited the family in NZ and the granddaughter we hadn't seen in the flesh for 44 months, since she was 10 days old. 

Deffo a Good Thing.

Edited August 23, 2023 by spacecadet

[Ed Rooney]

20 hours ago, Steve Hyde said:

 

The good news is I can drive again and my other knee isn’t as badly worn as I thought

 

Steve, does this mean you will be at home less baking those tasty cakes? Hmm.

[Mr Standfast]

19 minutes ago, spacecadet said:

Finally got a screen protector on the phone without any bubbles.

Oh, and we visited the family in NZ and the granddaughter we hadn't seen in the flesh for 44 months, since she was 10 days old. 

Deffo a Good Thing.

👍👍

[spacecadet]

11 minutes ago, Mr Standfast said:

👍👍

Appreciated- I take it this is a thumbs up or equivalent, as I only see two squares- do I need a new character set or something?

[Mr Standfast]

43 minutes ago, spacecadet said:

Appreciated- I take it this is a thumbs up or equivalent, as I only see two squares- do I need a new character set or something?

Yes thumbs up! Our little Granddaughter is now in the 2nd grade and waiting for two front teeth!

[Steve Hyde]

2 hours ago, Ed Rooney said:

 

Steve, does this mean you will be at home less baking those tasty cakes? Hmm.

Hi Ed, I’ll still be trying new cakes. I get a hard time from my mum and Mother in Law if I turn up on a visit to them with no cake 🙂

[Betty LaRue]

9 hours ago, Steve Hyde said:

 
Ahh, as a newbie to all this then, if I used pecans would I have to remove the skins first, as per the video? You’re right,  pecans are a lot more expensive over here but we do have some we haven’t used that I could utilise. We made a variation on their cookie, from another cook book. This one is a peanut butter/white chocolate/fudge cookie. We made eight on Monday and have one left which speaks for itself really…

 

No, you don’t have to remove pecan skins. And whenever I’ve used English walnuts in cookies, I’ve never removed the skins & never thought, “oh, those are bitter.” I’ve often grabbed a bag of them out of my freezer, scooped out a handful, and munched on them for a snack. I can’t imagine anyone over 1 in a thousand people thinking they needed to remove skins for any reason. That time-eating step would cause me to never use English walnuts.

I think it’s wonderful that you bake. I would have loved having a husband like you obviously are. I hope you are appreciated.

I also use pecans in my candy. Chocolate fudge & divinity. Although I do love chopped black walnuts in my divinity. Many people don’t like them because they are somewhat bitter, but I love them. They have a stronger flavor. Whenever I get a shake or malt, I order a black walnut one. Cuts the sweetness a bit. I buy black walnut ice cream also.

And then…there’s pecan pie…. I just might make the same pie & substitute black walnuts instead of pecans. Yum. 😋 They are more expensive than pecans, though & seem to only be sold in small packages.

[NYCat]

I successfully clipped two of my cat's claws. Progress. I think I now only have one really sharp one to deal with. It's tricky to do it without making a big scene. She is my first long-haired cat and the long fur between her toes makes it hard to see the claw. 

 

Paulette