Nice that your DH retained his sense of humor, Greene. Sorry I misread that. I didn't mean any insult. I'd never do that. I miss my DH every day. Sometimes I tend to lose my humor.

We used to swim at a KY State Park and periodically the lifeguards spotted a Copperhead and made everyone get out of the water. They are all around.

My father kept a fish tank when I was a child. I loved those colorful little chiclids and the other fish. Hours of entertainment. I tried to set up a tank at one point in time but I'm afraid it was a bit of a disaster.

I love my Crocs too. I wear them all gardening season and beyond. Same with my Birkenstocks. I'm still very much a CA girl.

No worries. The man had an unpredictable sense of humor that got better with age. I miss my DH every day...even though he was technically my DDLXH (Dear Departed Late X-Husband)...he was much less afraid of alligators than he was of snakes. Here he is at the Okefenokee Swamp Park...he's the one on the right.

greene said:...he's the one on the right.

(((Hugs Greene)))
He looks like a he was a lot of fun.

(((Hugs))) to you too Carole. I'm sure it's very hard most days.

Watched the Last Witch Hunter last night and didn't care for it. I did fall asleep for the ending but don't think I would of felt any different seeing it.

Hi, everyone and Happy Valentine`s Day to you all. Sending big polar bear hugs to each and everyone of you.
Disclaimer: if you're a man and are adverse to polar bear hugs, you're welcome to go take a shower and wash it off right now; no worries.

We watched The Last Witch Hunter last night, too. I am so glad I didn't fork out one brass farthing to see that, you have no idea. One of the worst in a long time; a total waste of a good DVD. I have had more fun watching bread dough rise. Six thumbs down all the way to the ceramic tile (there were 3 of us watching).

Lucy sheds about every 6 weeks or so.

The fish often reproduce in the aquarium. Some make it to adulthood; most don't. It's the natural thing with cichlids, no worries. Cichlid couples take biparental custody of the babies and defend their breeding territory fiercely. Sometimes, they succeed, sometimes they fail. No worries, really.

Lucy was fed last night and didn't eat. Lousy, finicky reptile! We offer food, she lifts her nose at it, the world keeps spinning gently upon its axis. No drama there. Does it have something to do with the planetary alignment, the phase of the moon, some other occult process? We'll never know. The principle is: offer food and don't worry. We have seen Lucy go 6 weeks without eating and she didn't lose an ounce. That's when we stopped worrying about her skipping a feeding. It's not easy, but it's easier on you. When she's hungry, Lucy will eat. You never saw a starved pet, dead on the floor next to a bowl of food; never happened. I checked Google on that one.

VENTING ALERT: I hate Comcast, I hate Microsoft, I hate all those invisible people who push stuff into your computer, of force you to push it in yourself and screw up the whole system for you. For days now, we have been experiencing extremely slow speeds on the desktop, which caused Her Royal Highnee to complain to me. Something had to be done pronto, lest I incur more snide remarks.

This morning, I tracked down the problem. There was a huge Microsoft Windows update started 4 days ago and the computer has been wonky since then. I restored the computer to its normal state as of 1 week ago. For the record, I did not start that critical update, so I hate Microsoft. I wish I were immensely rich so I could buy Microsoft and shut them down just for the satisfaction of doing it.

Then, the internet got wonky, too. I called Comcast and they told me my modem was not registered with them. I was bemused. Like M. Spok, I told them it was at the same time "fascinating and totally lacking in any form of logic - no matter how fuzzy". How can I use a modem for more than 6 months, that has not been registered with you? As an internet service provider, how can they allow unregistered modems to use their signal? Rashida had no answer for that one. She stuck to her story and registered the modem. Do you get TV signal?, she dutifully asked. What's the modem's serial number, she asked. What's the modem's zipatograph number, she asked. What's the modem's brand, she asked. What is the modem's model number, she asked. What type and color underwear are you wearing now, she asked: khaki boxers, if you must know and I look so good in them, you have no idea.

And then it begins: unplug the router, unplug the printer, unplug your food processor, turn down your radio, stand on one foot, do the hokey-pokey, sit down, relax and voilà: your modem is recorded and active. The angels were singing over my head, somehow.

A pox on them all! Anyhow, I had to reinstall Firefox because that, too, seemed to have gone idiotic. Way to go Critical Windows Update! Disable the competition while you're at it! So far, this is not the best Valentine's day I have had in a long time. I am getting cranky in my old age. I've earned it. I'm old, I'm supposed to be colorful. Picture it... Montreal, 1960, a young boy goes for his first day of school and realizes the rest of the kids don't know how to read and write. But I digress, sorry. I have to cut those big green pills in half, I swear.

And the archduchess Marie-Caca-de-Taratata wants to be appraised of the developments as they happen. This is not a hockey game and there is no play-by-play. I am really looking forward to the Valentine's day dinner I am planning: crab cakes (heavy on the crab, light on the fillers), lobster and beef tenderloin surf & turf with steamed asparagus and roasted garlic mashed potatoes, wine and a Queen Elizabeth cake I baked this morning. Should be good. Time for a libation and cigar.

Take care, everyone.
Sylvain.

I've had too many issues with computers and internet over the years to count. I used to threaten my computer with tossing it off the roof if it didn't shape up and behave. It worked 99% of the time.

I completely sympathize with the Windows updates, Sylvain; it seems each one brings a new computer problem with it! More than once I've just restored my system to an earlier date -- and then, of course, it has to do the update again, but for some reason usually manages to get it right.

Well done
I always enjoy a vitriolic vent oozing humor!

Interesting adjective, vitriolic. I like it. While I worked, one of my employees told me I had a look that rendered mute and causes people to want to sit down. I thought that was high praise to be able to silence and park an imbecile mouthing off with one good look over my reading glasses.

But back to vitriolic. Derived from the french word vitriol, relating to sulphuric acid. When it was discovered in the Middles Ages, it was thought to be a universal solvent, until they realized that gold didn't react with it. Sulphuric acid (H2SO4), aka battery acid, is a mild compound compared to the aqua regia my system produces when I'm pushed beyond my easily attained limit. I am, by nature a placid person who doesn't suffer fools gladly. I admit it willingly. When aqua regia (HNO3+3HCL) starts oozinging out of my ears and eats away at my shirt's shoulders, vitriol will look like sweet tea compared to that stuff. Aqua regia can dissolve even non-reactive noble metals like gold. Customer disservice people have a way of making me turn aquaregian (if such a word existed). I'm too-left brained to accept explanations like "That's what we call a true false". I was told that today: a true false. It baffles the mind (at least mine). It's like taking a brand-new car to the dealership and be told that it's experiencing a normal problem. It's brand-new, 18 miles on the odometer and it already has a normal problem requiring a tow truck. Why is that concept not normal? If you know about it, how about fixing it BEFORE it leaves the dealership? Customer disservice people have that effect on me; sorry.

Take care, everyone.
Sylvain.

aquaregian!
(hah--it does now)

Crazy
I don't think there is really a "truefalse"... yet (as far as I know it is still either/or, even in the representational sense) but, language is changing and we are headlong into the oxymoron-era
Next time, politely request tier 2 support (and then tier 3) as soon as something like that comes out of the customer disservice mouth

Thanks Sylvain,
Lucy sheds more often than I thought.

at everything else!

Hi, everyone.

It's been a busy day here in Delray-les-Plages, with highs in the upper 70s, relative humidity in the mid-60%s and no wind at all. I watered the orchids and aroids in the deep shade garden. I also caught up on laundry, stripping all the beds and gathering all the towels from both bathrooms. I had penciled in baking a batch of peanut butter cookies and a batch of chocolate chip cookies on my daily to-do list, but that will have to wait until tomorrow. There are still cookies left in the cookie tin. I don't eat them, but Gail and dad like to raid the cookie tin once in a while. And so they should. They think they sneak a cookie undenounced, but the metallic sound of the cookie tin betrays them each and every time.

I am rather desolate with tonight's dinner. I take pride in feeding my crew well and tonight just wasn't up to par. Dad had requested that I grill some chicken on the BBQ. Gail wanted Spanish rice as a side dish. The rice turned out very well, but the chicken was overcooked and on the dry side, even though I sat by the grill the whole time; very disappointing. And that is why I almost never grill chicken. I'll stick to the oven and the pressure cooker from now on. Still, I blame myself for the lackluster quality of tonight's dinner. Dad told me, laughing, that as long as it never happens again, he'll forgive this instance. That hurt. I could have done without the good laugh at my expense. You can bet your bottom dollar it won't happen again any time soon.

Luckily, Lucy is looking for some cuddling, so I'll go calm down with my snake for a while. That always does the trick. It's a well known principle that one should never piss off the cook. In Downton Abbey, his Lordship and Mr. Carson gave Mrs. Patmore a wide berth; smart men, those two. They both knew on which side their bread was buttered. This, too, shall pass.

Dad is busy loading the dishwasher. He just informed me he will go and fold the T-shirts that are currently drying in the dryer.

Tonight is a feeding night for Lucy. The rodent is thawing. I'll feed her before I go to bed, some time around 10:30PM. I hope she eats. We hardly saw her at all in the last 24 hours.

Take care, everyone. I'll drown my sorrows in a few squares of 86% dark chocolate tonight. That, too, always does the trick. Save the planet, because I was told that it's the only one in the universe with chocolate. I've had a big day with a major upset, I deserve those 2 squares high quality chocolate.

Take care, everyone.
Sylvain.

Aw, Sylvain -- I think you have them too spoiled with your cooking!

I tried a new-to-me recipe for no-knead "crusty white bread" from King Arthur Flour today, to go with some leftover homemade veggie-beef soup; when I took it out of the oven I was thinking "epic fail," but it actually wasn't too bad -- it definitely was crusty!! The recipe called for a temp of 450F, I think I'll trying reducing that a bit the next time...

Chicken does NOT belong on the barbeque. One time, and one time only, have I ever had truly good chicken that had been grilled, and it took something like 8 hours of constant low heat and basting (I had a friend who was a fanatic). Give me a nice roasted chicken or a saute any day.

On the other hand, good chocolate cures nearly all ills! Enjoy!

So right about dark chocolate, Sylvain. It's one of my go-to comfort foods. I usually have a square or two every day. It's part of my current 'be good to myself' plan.

We have frozen fog here this morning. I had to be careful getting the paper because the street light is still out and it's quite dark. Guess I'll have to call the electric company in awhile. Do I have to do everything around this neighborhood???

I've grown weary of the soup I made several days ago and tossed out what was left of that. Maybe spaghetti today (another comfort food).

I don't always check the 'Pull Up A Chair' thread so I hope this thread contains most of the info that's posted over there.

You all have a lovely day.

I have zero experience grilling chicken but a co-worker used to cook out quite often. She would par-boil the chicken the day before grilling.

Hi, everyone.

We had wonderful barbecued chicken in Honolulu, sold by the Boy Scouts. It was Huli Huli chicken, done on the grill and absolutely wonderful. I do grill chicken, but not whole breasts like I did last night. I prefer to make chicken kebabs where I marinate the cubed meat all afternoon and skewer them with vegetables and grill the whole thing while the microwave prepares a rice pilaf. I never scorch it, never undercook it and certainly never dry it out. I'm still reeling from yesterday's experience and I won't throw chicken on that grill any time soon, except if I make kebabs. Those, I cook well. And I'm not fanatical enough to sit by it for hours, basting it endlessly. I like to cook, but it shouldn't take over my life. I have a recipe for Huli Huli chicken. I don't make it because you have to turn and turn the chicken constantly; too involved for me. Let the Boy Scouts do it and raise money for their troops.

Lucy was fed last night and didn't eat. We had a great time playing with her. She was frisky and quite the explorer. When I fed her, she got nose to nose with the thawed rodent and stayed there for a while. Was she contemplating giving it nose to nose resuscitation? I don't think so, but the only important thing here is she didn't eat. HHAARRGGHH! Food was offered and rejected - again. My hands are clean in that matter. Mating season plays havoc with the feeding schedule. I try not to worry about it anymore.

We took delivery of dad's second hearing aid this morning. The audiologist noticed that I speak louder when I talk to him. I had to answer that he doesn't hear well. She laughed. Apparently, he hears better now. Mark my words: in a couple weeks, there will be more hearing aids woes. Apparently, he gets ear wax buildups in there and that blocks everything. I'll give a pressure washer and he can wash each ear every morning and see how that works out for him. She doesn't recommend anything above 900 PSI.

Take care, everyone.
Sylvain.

My late brother did 'beer can chicken' on the grill. His was very, very good and not dry at all. Don't have a clue how he prepped it or how long or anything at all about his process except it was done on the grill. He was the cook, I just eat and enjoy.

lourspolaire said: I'll give a pressure washer and he can wash each ear every morning and see how that works out for him. She doesn't recommend anything above 900 PSI.

Take care, everyone.
Sylvain.