I really don't ever want to see one like this again... it was kind of creepy weird.
(2000 Storm pic)
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12/01/2008 20:21 #46911
Outside - yuckIt's really crappy outside. This kind of reminds me of the just before Thanksgiving storm we had in 2000 when so many people got stuck all over the city. First, it was the thunder storm (which we just had) then came the snow/wet rain - which we're having now. Now I'm really wishing I were in for the evening but still have to go out in a little while - I have to start planning better and pay more attention to the weather.
I really don't ever want to see one like this again... it was kind of creepy weird.
(2000 Storm pic)
I really don't ever want to see one like this again... it was kind of creepy weird.
(2000 Storm pic)
11/27/2008 23:40 #46865
More Thanksgiving food pornWell, my mom was right - I spent two days cooking, will be cleaning up for another two and we managed to demolish the meal in about 20 minutes. Of course, we all had to wait a while for desert as we ate too much dinner, and needed to clean up a little mess between courses. Anyway, here's dinner.
And my friend and her son brought these pies - pumpkin, cherry crumb, chocolate cream.
And my sister made the other two pies - pecan and pecan with chocolate chips.
Everyone went home with leftovers and I have enough for another couple of meals. A 22 lb. turkey is pretty big. Anyway, now I kind of have turkey sleepy syndrome - but I think the coffe is helping to counter act that a little at least.
Hope you all had a good evening.
And my friend and her son brought these pies - pumpkin, cherry crumb, chocolate cream.
And my sister made the other two pies - pecan and pecan with chocolate chips.
Everyone went home with leftovers and I have enough for another couple of meals. A 22 lb. turkey is pretty big. Anyway, now I kind of have turkey sleepy syndrome - but I think the coffe is helping to counter act that a little at least.
Hope you all had a good evening.
tinypliny - 11/28/08 15:47
I need to learn how to bake a pie! :) This is inspiring. Thanks for posting!
I need to learn how to bake a pie! :) This is inspiring. Thanks for posting!
metalpeter - 11/28/08 15:44
Wow that is a lot of food.
Wow that is a lot of food.
11/26/2008 15:04 #46853
Happy ThanksgivingNo work today - trying to get my prep done for tomorrow’s dinner. Will be having a houseful. I laugh when I think about my mom saying once, "Thanksgiving dinner takes two days of prep and cooking, another two days of clean-up, and they’re done eating it in about 11 minutes." Now there’s perspective (maybe next year we should go out to dinner). Took a little break from my prep to have something to eat - I LOVE Harvard beets and think everything in the world should be the Harvard beet juice magenta color.
HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A FABULOUS THANKSGIVING!
Pilgrims' 1621 Thanksgiving
The tradition of the Pilgrims' first Thanksgiving is steeped in myth and legend. Few people realize that the Pilgrims did not celebrate Thanksgiving the next year, or any year thereafter, though some of their descendants later made a "Forefather's Day" that usually occurred on December 21 or 22. Several Presidents, including George Washington, made one-time Thanksgiving holidays. In 1827, Mrs. Sarah Josepha Hale began lobbying several Presidents for the instatement of Thanksgiving as a national holiday, but her lobbying was unsuccessful until 1863 when Abraham Lincoln finally made it a national holiday with his 1863 Thanksgiving Proclamation (below).
Today, our Thanksgiving is the fourth Thursday of November. This was set by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1939 (approved by Congress in 1941), who changed it from Abraham Lincoln's designation as the last Thursday in November (which could occasionally end up being the fifth Thursday and hence too close to Christmas for businesses). But the Pilgrims' first Thanksgiving began at some unknown date between September 21 and November 9, most likely in very early October. The date of Thanksgiving was probably set by Lincoln to somewhat correlate with the anchoring of the Mayflower at Cape Cod, which occurred on November 21, 1620 (by our modern Gregorian calendar--it was November 11 to the Pilgrims who used the Julian calendar).
Lincoln's 1863 Thanksgiving Proclamation
Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation that follows is taken from the collection of Lincoln's papers in the Library of America series, Vol II, pp. 520-521.
The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle, or the ship; the axe had enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.
No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and Union.
Abraham Lincoln
President of the United States
Much left to do preping and cleaning - So here at the end - a little Thanksgiving Pooh...
HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A FABULOUS THANKSGIVING!
Pilgrims' 1621 Thanksgiving
The tradition of the Pilgrims' first Thanksgiving is steeped in myth and legend. Few people realize that the Pilgrims did not celebrate Thanksgiving the next year, or any year thereafter, though some of their descendants later made a "Forefather's Day" that usually occurred on December 21 or 22. Several Presidents, including George Washington, made one-time Thanksgiving holidays. In 1827, Mrs. Sarah Josepha Hale began lobbying several Presidents for the instatement of Thanksgiving as a national holiday, but her lobbying was unsuccessful until 1863 when Abraham Lincoln finally made it a national holiday with his 1863 Thanksgiving Proclamation (below).
Today, our Thanksgiving is the fourth Thursday of November. This was set by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1939 (approved by Congress in 1941), who changed it from Abraham Lincoln's designation as the last Thursday in November (which could occasionally end up being the fifth Thursday and hence too close to Christmas for businesses). But the Pilgrims' first Thanksgiving began at some unknown date between September 21 and November 9, most likely in very early October. The date of Thanksgiving was probably set by Lincoln to somewhat correlate with the anchoring of the Mayflower at Cape Cod, which occurred on November 21, 1620 (by our modern Gregorian calendar--it was November 11 to the Pilgrims who used the Julian calendar).
Lincoln's 1863 Thanksgiving Proclamation
Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation that follows is taken from the collection of Lincoln's papers in the Library of America series, Vol II, pp. 520-521.
The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle, or the ship; the axe had enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.
No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and Union.
Abraham Lincoln
President of the United States
Much left to do preping and cleaning - So here at the end - a little Thanksgiving Pooh...
tinypliny - 11/26/08 20:51
Have a wonderful and relaxing holiday. :)
Have a wonderful and relaxing holiday. :)
metalpeter - 11/26/08 19:43
Happy Thanksgiving to you as well and thanks for all the info. Just a thought for next year (never done this so don't know who and where are good) there are places (like Sam's Club) where you can by the turkeys allready cooked and seasoned. I assume they have other things the same way.
Happy Thanksgiving to you as well and thanks for all the info. Just a thought for next year (never done this so don't know who and where are good) there are places (like Sam's Club) where you can by the turkeys allready cooked and seasoned. I assume they have other things the same way.
jenks - 11/26/08 17:49
haha, you and my mom should be friends. She makes a beet/carrot puree every year at thanksgiving, just b/c it's "pretty on the table".
haha, you and my mom should be friends. She makes a beet/carrot puree every year at thanksgiving, just b/c it's "pretty on the table".
mrmike - 11/26/08 16:40
That is a nice color, not nice enough to get me to eat a Harvard Beet, but thems the breaks
That is a nice color, not nice enough to get me to eat a Harvard Beet, but thems the breaks
11/21/2008 15:15 #46786
I hate the fluOK - I officially HATE the flu, and am really mad at myself that I did not take myself and my daughter to get the flu shot. I was planning on it but the time just sort of got away from me. As if being sick isn't already bad enough, I'm sick to death of jello, chicken soup, crackers, and rice! No wonder people die from the flu, it's not really the flu at all, it's the stupid, bland food they have to eat while they're sick!
metalpeter - 11/23/08 10:58
Thanks to (e:Jenks) and (e:Tinypliny) for strighting me out. Also what you wrote (e:tinypliny) is pretty interesting and something I never thought about really.
Thanks to (e:Jenks) and (e:Tinypliny) for strighting me out. Also what you wrote (e:tinypliny) is pretty interesting and something I never thought about really.
jenks - 11/22/08 20:22
ok peter have to disagree with you there. Point 1 is pretty accurate. But point 2 not quite as much- they do a lot of research every year into which strains of flu are most virulent etc, so the vaccine is different every year and really should cover almost all the strains you'd come into contact with. Sure it's POSSIBLE you could get another, but unlikely.
And as far as resistance- bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics is absolutely a real thing, and a big problem. That is why it is a bad idea to take abx for a common cold. Or not to finish abx when you are given some. Don't take them if they're not prescribed for you, and if they are, take them exactly as directed.
Viruses, however, are different. Viruses are not alive, they are not cells. They don't work the same way. So you can't really get flu-shot resistent flu.
I for one am all for flu shots. You might have mild symptoms for a few days, and your arm might be a little sore, but I think it's TOTALLY worth it.
ok peter have to disagree with you there. Point 1 is pretty accurate. But point 2 not quite as much- they do a lot of research every year into which strains of flu are most virulent etc, so the vaccine is different every year and really should cover almost all the strains you'd come into contact with. Sure it's POSSIBLE you could get another, but unlikely.
And as far as resistance- bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics is absolutely a real thing, and a big problem. That is why it is a bad idea to take abx for a common cold. Or not to finish abx when you are given some. Don't take them if they're not prescribed for you, and if they are, take them exactly as directed.
Viruses, however, are different. Viruses are not alive, they are not cells. They don't work the same way. So you can't really get flu-shot resistent flu.
I for one am all for flu shots. You might have mild symptoms for a few days, and your arm might be a little sore, but I think it's TOTALLY worth it.
tinypliny - 11/22/08 19:55
Get well soon, (e:Gardenmama)! Good wishes to your daughter as well!
(e:metalpeter): Flu is caused by the influenza virus. It has no inbuilt "error-correction" mechanism like other organisms (such as humans, mammals etc.) have. While in humans, the DNA sequence is checked and re-checked by these error-correction mechanisms to prevent any error, no such correction happens in the influenza viral RNA.
Thus, every offspring generation of the virus is "flawed" or has a different base sequence in its RNA, when compared to the parent virus. This is called a mutation - a change in the base sequence. While mutations are VERY rare in humans, they are a way of life for the influenza virus.
So, every year, the vaccine you get is specifically tailored so that it is CLOSEST to the offspring floating about in that year.
The problem is the virus has yet another arsenal of genetics that defeats vaccines sometimes. The RNA of the virus splits into ~8 fragments before reassembling. This reassembling of the fragments may be jumbled creating yet another source of variation in the offspring virus. This mass-scale reassembling difference is called a structural variation.
It is possible that this new "jumbled" "flawed" "non-error-corrected" completely different virus has the ability to infect other species such as birds and jump from species to species - everytime acquiring new mutations and structural variations.
Evolution, as propounded by Darwin is still applicable amisdt all this scary variation behaviour. What if one of the variants somehow becomes strong enough or "invincible" enough to spread rapidly in non-protected population? This leads to an epidemic. According to historical reports, the Spanish flu pandemic (an epidemic across many populations) killed nearly 50 million people!
This is precisely the reason why you SHOULD get the flu vaccine every year. Vaccine makers work really hard to make the vaccine as close to the current viral strain as possible. But humans err. So do vaccine makers. However, as science progresses these errors are marginal (a couple years back, the flu vaccine was completely off the mark, but people who got it were still protected from some strains and it didn't lead to an epidemic).
Flu vaccines, with all their errors, are EXTREMELY important to maintain, what is called, "Herd immunity". The concept is that if majority of the people are vaccinated, then the virus does not have a chance to jump from person to person and can be easily contained. The "herd" of people have immunity as a whole, so even if individual members of the "herd" acquire the infections, they are less likely to come into contact with other un-immunized individuals and thus cannot spread the disease.
At the risk of sounding repetitive, vaccines are a human measure against epidemics. We cannot deal with 50 million ill people and deaths. Thus, we have vaccine. By not getting the vaccine, you may probably be alright, but its because the rest around you have got the vaccine.
So yeah, it doesn't really matter if you didn't get it. But you may want to reconsider your position and get it next time. :)
Get well soon, (e:Gardenmama)! Good wishes to your daughter as well!
(e:metalpeter): Flu is caused by the influenza virus. It has no inbuilt "error-correction" mechanism like other organisms (such as humans, mammals etc.) have. While in humans, the DNA sequence is checked and re-checked by these error-correction mechanisms to prevent any error, no such correction happens in the influenza viral RNA.
Thus, every offspring generation of the virus is "flawed" or has a different base sequence in its RNA, when compared to the parent virus. This is called a mutation - a change in the base sequence. While mutations are VERY rare in humans, they are a way of life for the influenza virus.
So, every year, the vaccine you get is specifically tailored so that it is CLOSEST to the offspring floating about in that year.
The problem is the virus has yet another arsenal of genetics that defeats vaccines sometimes. The RNA of the virus splits into ~8 fragments before reassembling. This reassembling of the fragments may be jumbled creating yet another source of variation in the offspring virus. This mass-scale reassembling difference is called a structural variation.
It is possible that this new "jumbled" "flawed" "non-error-corrected" completely different virus has the ability to infect other species such as birds and jump from species to species - everytime acquiring new mutations and structural variations.
Evolution, as propounded by Darwin is still applicable amisdt all this scary variation behaviour. What if one of the variants somehow becomes strong enough or "invincible" enough to spread rapidly in non-protected population? This leads to an epidemic. According to historical reports, the Spanish flu pandemic (an epidemic across many populations) killed nearly 50 million people!
This is precisely the reason why you SHOULD get the flu vaccine every year. Vaccine makers work really hard to make the vaccine as close to the current viral strain as possible. But humans err. So do vaccine makers. However, as science progresses these errors are marginal (a couple years back, the flu vaccine was completely off the mark, but people who got it were still protected from some strains and it didn't lead to an epidemic).
Flu vaccines, with all their errors, are EXTREMELY important to maintain, what is called, "Herd immunity". The concept is that if majority of the people are vaccinated, then the virus does not have a chance to jump from person to person and can be easily contained. The "herd" of people have immunity as a whole, so even if individual members of the "herd" acquire the infections, they are less likely to come into contact with other un-immunized individuals and thus cannot spread the disease.
At the risk of sounding repetitive, vaccines are a human measure against epidemics. We cannot deal with 50 million ill people and deaths. Thus, we have vaccine. By not getting the vaccine, you may probably be alright, but its because the rest around you have got the vaccine.
So yeah, it doesn't really matter if you didn't get it. But you may want to reconsider your position and get it next time. :)
metalpeter - 11/22/08 16:46
There is another 2 Reasons not to get the shot.
1) The way they work is that You get a little bit of it and then your body fights it and learns how to defend it, so they next time you get all of the virus or germs or what ever causes it you defend it and beat it. But you do get a little bit sick when you first get the shot. If your Immune system is done it could get bad.
2) There are different flu strands of the virus. Yes your shot could still help you fight off different strands but you could still get the flew.
Sorry here is the bonus reason if you believe in Science and mutation.
Viruses/germs are living organisms (as I have been told). When you are given anti-botics the germs over time can build up an immunity and then they grow stronger so then new medicines have to be invernted. I assume the flu shot could cause the same thing to happen. As people take them it helps their body cope with it, then as a means of surival (darwinism I guess) or through other means those viruses adapt and get stronger over time. Again I think at this point it might just be a theory. I would like to hear (e:tinypliny)'s view on this.
There is another 2 Reasons not to get the shot.
1) The way they work is that You get a little bit of it and then your body fights it and learns how to defend it, so they next time you get all of the virus or germs or what ever causes it you defend it and beat it. But you do get a little bit sick when you first get the shot. If your Immune system is done it could get bad.
2) There are different flu strands of the virus. Yes your shot could still help you fight off different strands but you could still get the flew.
Sorry here is the bonus reason if you believe in Science and mutation.
Viruses/germs are living organisms (as I have been told). When you are given anti-botics the germs over time can build up an immunity and then they grow stronger so then new medicines have to be invernted. I assume the flu shot could cause the same thing to happen. As people take them it helps their body cope with it, then as a means of surival (darwinism I guess) or through other means those viruses adapt and get stronger over time. Again I think at this point it might just be a theory. I would like to hear (e:tinypliny)'s view on this.
paul - 11/21/08 20:51
and get well soon gardenmama and daughter
and get well soon gardenmama and daughter
paul - 11/21/08 20:50
omg, i hope I didn't start and epidemic imk2.
omg, i hope I didn't start and epidemic imk2.
imk2 - 11/21/08 19:53
i didn't get one either b/c (e:paul) said they're full of chemicals and preservatives and probably do more damage than good.
i didn't get one either b/c (e:paul) said they're full of chemicals and preservatives and probably do more damage than good.
metalpeter - 11/21/08 19:24
Yes Soup and Tea are good for the throat and stuff but who says you have to eat bland food? What would spicy food do?
Yes Soup and Tea are good for the throat and stuff but who says you have to eat bland food? What would spicy food do?
gardenmama - 11/21/08 17:00
Ah, see to me, that bread looks great. It's real food. Fortunately for the bread recipients, I cooked it BEFORE I was sick and I didn't let the girl anywhere near the kitchen while I was cooking.
Ah, see to me, that bread looks great. It's real food. Fortunately for the bread recipients, I cooked it BEFORE I was sick and I didn't let the girl anywhere near the kitchen while I was cooking.
libertad - 11/21/08 15:59
Get better soon! I didn't get the flu shot either so hopefully i'll be alright
Get better soon! I didn't get the flu shot either so hopefully i'll be alright
11/23/2008 16:39 #46811
Flu updateThanks to all for the well wishes, and for the info. This has been one nasty flu that just seemed to hang on endlessly. My daughter was throwing up for 3 full days every time she ate anything, and it attacked my lower intestine for several days - maybe it's just the way our bodies work that it bothered us differently - I don't know. We then spent another couple of days of severe headache (which has been the case for both of us since this started) and just generally not feeling good. Anyway - we are FINALLY on the mend and starting to feel better, yay, just a slight lingering headache. Looks like tomorrow we'll both make an attempt at getting back to our normal routines. Today I lysol sprayed and/or lysol wiped the crud out of everything in my house - doorknobs, faucets, toilet, beds (changed bedding too), kitchen everything, etc., hoping to avoid anyone else coming in here and catching anything or reinfecting ourselves (if that's really possible).
For those who didn't get a flu shot - after this last week, I highly recommend it! Though we've obviously had one strain already, I think I will make appointments this week for myself and my daughter to go get shots if we still can. I sure don't want to spend another week down for the count.
For those who didn't get a flu shot - after this last week, I highly recommend it! Though we've obviously had one strain already, I think I will make appointments this week for myself and my daughter to go get shots if we still can. I sure don't want to spend another week down for the count.
As fast as it came, it went. Was actually a pretty nice night a little later. Gotta love it.
before i read the entire post i was like, whoa, what buffalo do you live in? :)
Nice to see you out at the Battle again by the way.
I remember that. I've never been in snow so bad.