Weekly Thread 7/27/15 - 8/2/15

[AbbysMom]

Wow, the chatting has definitely slowed a bit. :lol3:

We have crazy lines of thunderstorms that have been rolling through since 1:00 AM. They are much milder now, but it was impossible to sleep.

 

[magiksgirl]

Yesss! I'm still in withdrawal from the babble thread! 

 My subscriptions box seems rather empty without it. 

Thunderstorms are so scary! We usually get 1-5 rays a year during winter. So it's not really a "storm", I guess.

Currently at work drinking coffee and eating a piece of sweet bread as breakfast 

 

[NewYork1303]

We had thunderstorms last night as well. My cats were not seemingly worried about the thunder at all, which is surprising since they don't like fireworks. I thought it was weird since there was no lighting at all. I was almost disappointed.

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

we're forecast for a 50% chance of thunderstorms tomorrow. we really need the rain here right now. the grass is becoming brownish in areas. so strange, that we had so very much rain earlier this spring and the beginning of summer and now aren't getting as much as we need here.

today is supposed to get to a high of 93 degrees F, so i've got the ac's running. i'll wait until the sun is setting and the temp is cooling down to open some windows -- get some fresh air for snick and jaspurr.

i'll be making a batch of quick pork fried rice today -- great recipe, easy and very tasty.

 

[margd]

Today is one of those hot humid days that Maryland excels in, but it does look like we might get some rain.  We don't really need it as tomatoes are rotting on vines from all the rain we've already had.  I've definitely got the A/C running here.  Gone are the days when I used to love the heat and live without air conditioning.   I kind of miss those days - summer seems much more intense when you really experience the heat (as long as you don't get sick).    Anyway, even with the A/C going, both Paul and Chula are much less active than usual.

Dinner for me will be some baked chicken, cous cous and salad.   I don't usually eat so well.  Last night I had pizza. 

I miss the babble thread, too.

 

[NewYork1303]

I really wish that we had air conditioning. Most years having it doesn't really make any sense though. This year we are just melting.

 

[MoochNNoodles]

It's muggy here too.  DH's work keeps him exposed to whatever the elements are all the time.  He insists we keep the air on and that's fine with me!  Where I grew up; it wasn't common to have AC.  I remember having to take cool baths in the middle of the night to cool down because i would literally get sick from the heat.  As a teenager; living here, my parents ddin't use the AC.  I got good at sleeping with windows open and air on.  But man; it makes me appreciate the air conditioning now!  Our AC is on probably from May through September and into October depending on the daytime weather.  It seems like our seasons always go from hot to cold back to hot again.  There aren't many days we can go without something running.  

I'm watching the radar because there are some really dark clouds to my north west.  I'd love a little rain.  That means I don't need to go water my garden.  

I'm supposed to be making pickles today.  If I get those done I might try to get some peppers pickled too.  I think there are more in the garden ready to pick and put up.  

  I just need to get a move on. 

 

[NewYork1303]

Here in Western Washington they are asking us to try and conserve water as much as possible. I don't think that has ever really happened before. Everything is really dry so the rain we got last weekend was extremely welcome.

 

[Kat0121]

It's pouring down rain here. Typical Florida summer day. Then it will  become hot again and of course, humid. You get used to it. We didn't have central air until we moved here. It's a requirement in Florida. I leave it on 24/7 probably 10 months out of the year. DH used to leave it on a timer and have it shut off in the morning when he went to work and turn back on in the afternoon about 30 minutes before he got home. I leave it on during the day for the furkids. My AC went out about a month ago and when I got home that day it was 93 in the house. It got fixed the next afternoon and the kids and I spent that time in front of a window AC unit but it was not pleasant regardless. They were not happy with me when I got home that day. My DD opened all the windows, turned on all the ceiling fans and put up box fans in the windows all over the house to try to get some air circulating but they weren't much help. Of course, after she did that, she abandoned ship and went to her BF's house to sit in the AC. 

 

[NewYork1303]

I just got back from the vet where we got our kitten her rabies shot and microchip. Holy crap that is the biggest needle I think I have ever seen.

 

[MoochNNoodles]

I try not to complain when it rains.  I prefer a good healthy rain to the downpours with thunderstorms; but rain is rain sometimes!  And I'll always take rain over snow! 

I am procrastinating today.  I had an iced tea too late in the day yesterday so I had a really hard time getting to sleep.  Then I overslept a bit; but I sitll didn't get enough.  So I'm adding more caffeine to my system so I can get going.  I'm debating putting a movie on for my kids and laying down on the couch for a little nap.  That might be better than the coffee at this point.  

It kind of feels like Christmas too and that's distracting.  My DD's school curriculum has started to arrive so I want to sit down and look through the teachers manuals and what not.  The reading curriculum I ordered came with a zebra hand puppet.  I just tested it out to see what the girls think. They aren't impressed.  

  It's a nice puppet though. The fur is very soft!

 

[Kat0121]

 
I try not to complain when it rains.  I prefer a good healthy rain to the downpours with thunderstorms; but rain is rain sometimes!  And I'll always take rain over snow! 

I am procrastinating today.  I had an iced tea too late in the day yesterday so I had a really hard time getting to sleep.  Then I overslept a bit; but I sitll didn't get enough.  So I'm adding more caffeine to my system so I can get going.  I'm debating putting a movie on for my kids and laying down on the couch for a little nap.  That might be better than the coffee at this point.  

It kind of feels like Christmas too and that's distracting.  My DD's school curriculum has started to arrive so I want to sit down and look through the teachers manuals and what not.  The reading curriculum I ordered came with a zebra hand puppet.  I just tested it out to see what the girls think. They aren't impressed.  

  It's a nice puppet though. The fur is very soft!

I don't complain when it rains either. It's not going to stop for me so why bother?

I'd take that hand puppet, fill it with catnip and a little bell and then sew the bottom shut. I bet the kitties would love it. 

My DD is pretty much ready for school next month too. I rented all of her textbooks from Amazon. I hate using the campus bookstore. They are insanely expensive. The same books that I rented from Amazon for $180.00 shipped with free return shipping would have been $365 from the bookstore IF I had been able to get the used ones which is unlikely. Renting new ones would have been about $500 and to buy all new would have been almost $800. For one semester. 5 books. They also charge for shipping or you can pick them up for free but the line to pick up is always horribly long and they ALWAYS ask DD for my ID despite the fact that I always designate her as the pick up person so she has to explain that I paid but she's picking up. You'd think that they'd get it by now since so many students get their books this way. I'm so glad that we don't have to deal with them this semester. Usually there's ONE book that Amazon doesn't have and the only place that does is the campus bookstore because it's a UCF only edition. We got lucky this time. 

 

[NewYork1303]

 
I don't complain when it rains either. It's not going to stop for me so why bother?

I'd take that hand puppet, fill it with catnip and a little bell and then sew the bottom shut. I bet the kitties would love it. 

My DD is pretty much ready for school next month too. I rented all of her textbooks from Amazon. I hate using the campus bookstore. They are insanely expensive. The same books that I rented from Amazon for $180.00 shipped with free return shipping would have been $365 from the bookstore IF I had been able to get the used ones which is unlikely. Renting new ones would have been about $500 and to buy all new would have been almost $800. For one semester. 5 books. They also charge for shipping or you can pick them up for free but the line to pick up is always horribly long and they ALWAYS ask DD for my ID despite the fact that I always designate her as the pick up person so she has to explain that I paid but she's picking up. You'd think that they'd get it by now since so many students get their books this way. I'm so glad that we don't have to deal with them this semester. Usually there's ONE book that Amazon doesn't have and the only place that does is the campus bookstore because it's a UCF only edition. We got lucky this time. 

Wow. Those are very expensive books! At the college I went to the professors were all about assigning books that wouldn't kill students with the cost. If there was a book that they could do without, they didn't assign it. It was very nice since I ended up spending no more than 200 dollars a quarter for books for three or more classes.

 

[Kat0121]

 
Wow. Those are very expensive books! At the college I went to the professors were all about assigning books that wouldn't kill students with the cost. If there was a book that they could do without, they didn't assign it. It was very nice since I ended up spending no more than 200 dollars a quarter for books for three or more classes.

Some of the professors do that but one of them told DD last semester that the bookstore tries to strongarm them into picking newer editions than what they ask for or UCF only editions that nobody else can get. The bookstore is a Barnes and Noble so I think that that is part of the higher prices too. One book alone is almost $250 new at the bookstore. 

 

[MoochNNoodles]

 
I don't complain when it rains either. It's not going to stop for me so why bother?

I'd take that hand puppet, fill it with catnip and a little bell and then sew the bottom shut. I bet the kitties would love it. 

My DD is pretty much ready for school next month too. I rented all of her textbooks from Amazon. I hate using the campus bookstore. They are insanely expensive. The same books that I rented from Amazon for $180.00 shipped with free return shipping would have been $365 from the bookstore IF I had been able to get the used ones which is unlikely. Renting new ones would have been about $500 and to buy all new would have been almost $800. For one semester. 5 books. They also charge for shipping or you can pick them up for free but the line to pick up is always horribly long and they ALWAYS ask DD for my ID despite the fact that I always designate her as the pick up person so she has to explain that I paid but she's picking up. You'd think that they'd get it by now since so many students get their books this way. I'm so glad that we don't have to deal with them this semester. Usually there's ONE book that Amazon doesn't have and the only place that does is the campus bookstore because it's a UCF only edition. We got lucky this time. 

It's big enough for them to wrestle with.  Ever seen a cat wrestle a zebra? 

I do not miss buying books for college.  It's been years but I still don't miss it.  Amazon was brand new about the time I graduated from college.  Internet shopping was taking off in general.  So I think almost all of my books came from the campus bookstore.  I think the most expensive was around $100 and it was used for 2 semesters.  My BFF's nursing books were almost twice the cost of mine and she needed more books more often.  

More of DD's school stuff just arrived.  I'm expecting 2 more shipments.  

 

[stewball]

we're forecast for a 50% chance of thunderstorms tomorrow. we really need the rain here right now. the grass is becoming brownish in areas. so strange, that we had so very much rain earlier this spring and the beginning of summer and now aren't getting as much as we need here.

today is supposed to get to a high of 93 degrees F, so i've got the ac's running. i'll wait until the sun is setting and the temp is cooling down to open some windows -- get some fresh air for snick and jaspurr.

i'll be making a batch of quick pork fried rice today -- great recipe, easy and very tasty.

could your recipe be made with chicken and if yes can I have the recipe?

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

could your recipe be made with chicken and if yes can I have the recipe?

yes, the recipe could be made with chicken. the chicken should be already cooked, and chopped/diced before making the recipe. the recipe could also be made with no meat/poultry, or with cooked shrimp.

here's the recipe i used -- http://m.allrecipes.com/recipe/2289...ch result&referringContentType=search results

it's important to cook the rice the day before (put it in the fridge until you're ready to make the recipe). i don't use mushrooms, because i don't usually have them on hand, so i use frozen peas instead -- i add them still frozen, and they thaw very quickly as they're being mixed into the hot rice mixture. i don't use fresh ginger, because i don't keep that on hand either, so i use 1/8 teaspoon of dried ground ginger instead. i'm generous with the chopped sweet bell peppers, and i use a mix of red/orange/yellow sweet bell peppers. and i use 3-4 tablespoons soy sauce, instead of the 1 tablespoon that the recipe calls for. this time when i made this recipe, i only had 2 tablespoons left in the bottle of soy sauce; it turned out okay, but not nearly as good as it turns out with 3-4 tablespoons soy sauce. oh, and i scramble 3 eggs (the usual, eggs with a little milk added and beaten, then cooked) and add them in at the very end. i don't add the green onions either. i usually get 5 or 6 good sized servings out of it. i just reheat in the microwave each day.

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

a nice quiet day here for snick, jaspurr, and me. the heat finally 'broke' and it's now in the much more comfortable mid-70's here at about 7pm. i keep thinking how after i've had the security grates/bars installed on the windows at the back of our house, we'll be so much more comfortable at night......and save money by not having to run the ac's all night when it's in the 60's degrees F outside. we'll just open those windows to let the cooler night air inside to keep the house comfortable.

well, off to heat up my dinner.

 

[stewball]

a nice quiet day here for snick, jaspurr, and me. the heat finally 'broke' and it's now in the much more comfortable mid-70's here at about 7pm. i keep thinking how after i've had the security grates/bars installed on the windows at the back of our house, we'll be so much more comfortable at night......and save money by not having to run the ac's all night when it's in the 60's degrees F outside. we'll just open those windows to let the cooler night air inside to keep the house comfortable.

well, off to heat up my dinner.

Enjoy your meal.