One thing that was absolutely wonderful for me was a moisture/PH meter. So helpful. You can pick them up for $20, and then add a pretty gardening journal to it.

I am in the midst of making simple scarves for all the adult kids, including the honorary adult ones we have accumulated. These are just long, flannel scarves, nothing special, that go in their stockings. I made matching one for each set of couples. In this photo, book themed for C and our daughter in law. And the freshly cut flannel for P who wanted something that represented all the critters he took care of as a farmhand in his teen years. Also featured is the fabric I am just about to cut for camping boy, A. This afternoon I need to cut the magic/fantasy themed purple flannel for R and M, and R and A. Those two couples have some of the same passion, DnD, Harry Potter, Magic. Then the green snowflake flannel for C and E, followed by dog print fabric for A and T. When I get that done, I still have a simple, lap quilt to finish.

Yesterday: Blackbeans and salsa on scrambled eggs. It was probably 1 full cup of beans, and 1/3 cup salsa. I looked it up and 1/3 cup is a full serving of veg. - 2 servings. Lunch - 2 cups broccoli soup, probably a cup worth of broccoli. - 1 serving Supper - Spaghetti made from my home canned tomatoes. 1.5 cups (sauce had one whole sweet onion in it as well), and 1 cup roast brussel sprouts, 1 cup roast green beans. Small side salad. Definitely 7 servings of veg.

Not really. I just throw it together. If I had to approximate a guess, I would say: 1 large sweet onion peeled, and finely diced. 1 package of baby portabella mushrooms (crimini) sliced and saute` with a large, finely diced celery stalk, add some shredded fresh spinach to wilt, three or four minced garlic cloves, 1/3 cup asiago, and basil. Salt to taste, mix with 1-1.5 cups cooked wild or brown rice. Brown the outsides of and bottoms of hollowed out peppers under the broiler, just lightly. Then fill the peppers and put back under the broiler to toast well. I don't use recipes much anymore. LOL, I think I watched too much Beat Bobby Flay. Now I kind of make it up as I go, tasting along the way.

Normally in most states in the US, if the major appliance comes with the rental and is deemed a working unit, then the landlord is required to maintain or replace for the duration of the lease. No matter what, the landlord liable for the maintenance of the duct in the wall and the vent outside as that is structural, part of the building.

Thank you!

Would it be better to sell it and then buy a used couch in NOLA?

I feel like this latest drama needs finger foods and cocktails, not just popcorn. Sarah, just sit back and let it unfold. Rehearse this phrase, "Not my circus, not my monkeys" and let it go. Do not engage in ANYTHINg if the fur hits the fan.

I think it will taste bland even if it is safe. It has been 4 years, and the herbs and spices will have lost a lot of potency.

Garlicky roasted green beans would be a favorite of mine along with carrot slaw. Another option might be stuffed red peppers if you keep the amount of wild rice very low, and use Asiago parm plus sautéed veggies and mushrooms to fill them.

I totally understand that.

Wait! There is a theme too? How is someone supposed to find something like that? And the money! I think you should fake coughing up a lung so you can skip the party.

No. But we saw an epic ugly Christmas sweater when we were at the Nutcracker. It was this pale blue that looked like faded denim, and had a knight in armor, and armor was covered in "blood" but the droplets were shaped into ornaments, a santa hat on the knight, the neck and wrist bands were like a mustardy, lime green, and then there was some red on the sleeves. It was so bad! 😂

I really hope everything is okay with your DH!

Our digestive tracks are finally back to normal. Yesterday we had two boiled eggs and a celery stick a piece for breakfast. Lunch was large salads and steamed broccoli. Supper was homemade mac n cheese from my GF, brown rice pasta with gruyere cheese, and then roasted Brussels sprouts and green beans. We each ate a clementine orange a little later. The salads were big so I would guess we each ate 3 cups of veg, plus a cult of steamed broccoli, and a cup each of Brussels and green beans. So six veg, and then one serving of fruit plus the celery which was maybe half a serving. My kitchen scale has stopped working - digital and VERY old and well used due to all our rocketry - so weighing isn't an option right now.

It also occurs to me that the actual vent to the outside and whatever duct runs to the house should be cleaned by the landlord as part of maintenance. So maybe Heart could ask him to look at it. The only part Heart is responsible for is the actual hook up to the dryer which was either done by the previous owners of the dryer or by a delivery man/installer when they bought the unit. Worth a shot to ask him if he could vacuum the duct.

Just responding to the idea that my idea might not be good in districts not my own.

Is this an upper income area? Our school district is low income so I am used to seeing a lot of homemade options, some of them quite funny and creative. Parents are really striking back and protesting against the insanity. Inflation is kicking everyone's tushes. Yes, I suppose if everyone else is spending a tidy sum, it just makes him stand out in a bad way. Sigh. I didn't think of the fact that they probably are in a more affluent area.

Pretty well. I have two people yet to make decisions about, then place the orders. Of the scarves I am making for the kids and their spouses/so, I only have two done. Six to go.

Kwanzaa - 7 Spools of Thread by Angela Shelf is good. If memory serves....been a bit since I explored Kwanza with anyone. The Longest Night by Marion Dane Bauer has delightful artwork. (Winter Solstice)

All of this makes my day!

Christmas Eve I am putting on a Danish Smorrebrod: Pulled pork, roast chicken, prime rib, seafood spread, smoked salmon Blue cheese spread, Danish Havarti, Danbo cheese, Smoked Gouda, baby swiss Sourdough bread, pumpernickel rye, honey sandwich bread, GF crackers and GF pretzels Huge fresh fruit bowl Rismalande (Rice pudding) Ham and potato balls Dill pickles, cherry tomatoes, deep fried thin onion rings, butter lettuce greens, thin sliced radishes, and alfalfa sprouts Dill butter, plain Irish butter, honey butter Vaniljekranse Honinghjerter Peppernodders Finskbrod (thumbprint shortbread cookies with homemade raspberry-thyme jam for filling) And new to this year, a GF chocolate two tier cake in a Nordic woodland theme if I can figure out how to make the trees, and also frost mini-moose and reindeer cookies properly. Christmas morning, Mark will make Aebleskivver for everyone who is staying with us. I will make a pot of beef stew with the leftover prime rib, but all the rest of the food for the day will be leftovers. We will graze and play games after opening gifts. At some point, I will likely take a nap as the Smorrebrod preparations tend to really sap my energy. So much multi-tasking! But everyone loves and appreciates the efforts to move towards our Danish roots, and I am the one with the most time for pulling it off. I also make a special meal (though not as elaborate, and usually only Mark and I, C and dil G, four people) on the winter solstice, and even if it is cold and snowing, we sit around the chiminia outside for a while burning a leftover log from the previous year. For fun, we toss a straw goat into the fire, and toast to Odin's success on the wild hunt. No one here of course believes any of this, we have become pretty set apart from religious adherence of any kind. It is just fun, and a nod back to our ancestry. So ya. From the 21st-25th, I am a crazy kitchen elf, and then collapse. This year youngest son, an excellent cook, is hosting New Year's and doing the cooking.

I agree about Christmas. If they just made a stab at "Happy Holidays" and whatever that means for each family is okay, I would be fine. One afternoon, cookies and milk with festive substitutions for students with allergies, and be done with it, I would be fine. But basically, they are shoving a specific belief system, be it santa or nativity, down kids throats. It really should not be legal, and what about all the children who celebrate Yul, Hanukkah, Kwanza, etc.???? Not to mention families who do not celebrate any such occasion. It is just once again separating out families who do not fit the waspy mold, and trying to shame them or force them into conformity. My niece's children do not celebrate Christmas. Their dad is Wiccan/Pagan, not sure which. They celebrate the winter solstice. They feel very awkward this time of year because the kids and the teachers, even the principal makes fun of them, openly shaming them. Sigh.....

This kind of stuff makes my head spin because sure, the earth is burning and many families are struggling financially, but let's engage in even more wanton consumerism of crap that will never be used again AND separate the haves and have nots at school where children are legally mandated to attend! 😠😠😠😠😠 @##$%%%&&%$$#@@#$$%&&%$$#@ So here is what I would do, take some Christmas cookie cutters and let him trace shapes onto construction paper, cut them out, and safety pin them to a sweater/sweatshirt he already owns. Take a white pair of soon to be worn out socks, give him green and red markers, draw away. Take a hat from your stash and let him safety pin fabric scraps or construction paper art to it. Put your husband in charge of this because men are good at ugly clothes contests. I swear they are geniuses at this. I am pretty sure we witnessed some guys who had just left ugly sweater contests and came directly to the Nutcracker last night. Epic, trash sweaters! Brilliant if ugly was the goal. Don't buy a thing.

It is for everybody! I just wanted to make sure I got to hear from Rosie and Melissa! 😁