Arrrgh!!!

Maybe just one extra hour each day?

There are SO many things I'd like to be doing. I have a dozen books waiting for my attention. I really want to be quilting and piecing new tops, and reading quilting magazines. I know this will sound funny, but I really want to be out weeding, especially the center section of the long driveway garden. I want to go to the Farmer's Market, and to the fabric store. I want to nap, and to read all my favorite blogs and write in my own blog. I'd like to have more time with my family.

The truth is, I've been doing almost all those things this past month, but I'd like to feel more relaxed doing them. Either I need a wife, a housekeeper/cook, or I need an extra hour or two in the day.

Does everyone feel this way about life? I look at my three sisters, and see how much they accomplish every day, and feel put to shame, whining about what I want/need to do. And I want to do so much more, but I just haven't figured out how to squeeze it in.

If you know the secret, please pass it on!

This household has been working for the month of May to be ready for Friday, June 2, 2006. Yesterday, about half of our exercise class came to a potluck brunch, and the quilting bee came for our monthly evening meeting.

I've been washing interior windows, gardening, cleaning out closets (to make room to hide more stuff!), planning seating and getting dishes and linens and glasses ready, and yesterday it all came to fruition.

About five or six years ago (perhaps seven...we're a little fuzzy on how time flies), Elegante Mother was planning a trip to London to see the Chelsea Flower Show. I was worried that all the walking was going to be difficult for her, so we enrolled in an exercise class for adults. EM made the trip, enjoyed herself no end, and we stayed with the class.

Over the years we have had a change in leaders, and the class has grown, but we've stayed with it. EM exercises in the NW corner of the room, and I'm all the way across the floor at the SE corner. Of the 44 people registered, I know the names of 38-40, and we go early to chat with our friends before we exercise.

For the past two or three years, the class has been coming here in May for their birthday celebration. We go to brunch once a month to recognize all the people who have had a birthday that month. I have a devoted reader and friend, who thinks I'm crazy to open my house to such a large group, but she would understand if only I could express the joy it gives me to be able to share my home with my friends, and make them comfortable and welcome.

Without a doubt, this is the nicest group of people I know. Some of them came early to help me with the final setting of the tables. Everyone brought a delectable dish to share. Two ladies saw to it that we had adequate folding chairs, and another brought flowers cut from her garden that morning.

As the first of the women arrived, they brought the news that there had been a bad gas leak about a mile and a half west of us. I was concerned that some of our newer members might not be able to find us from the east, so we delayed lunch a bit to give everyone time to straggle in. When it looked like they were all present, we had everyone come to the island to serve themselves. I was seated at the smallest table, and was the last to sit down. Shortly after I sat, one more guest arrived, and there was a rush to sample her Vidalia onion casserole. Only two people who had planned to attend didn't make it. We'll have to find out Monday if they couldn't find us.

Each carload of ladies, as they arrived had a story to tell about how they managed to get around the closed road. One of them told us that the policeman who was redirecting traffic started asking "Are you going to the luncheon?" Unfortunately, he gave each car the wrong directions, and they all arrived steaming.

The meal was superb, the companionship and conversation equally wonderful. And that's where words begin to fail me. They gave me the loveliest card that talks about friendship and support. I know if I had a need, I could go to any of these people for help. They are the most amazing support group. I couldn't ask for a better group of friends.

This has gotten long, so I'll talk about the desserts in another post. I just wanted to share what a wonderful day we had.

Two of my friends from exercise and I went to see the "Da Vinci Code" yesterday. So many of our reviewers had panned it, that I was concerned I wouldn't like it, but it wasn't as bad as they said.

Yes....they "talk, talk, talk, talk, talk," and then they "run, run, run, run run," repeatedly, but that's the way the the story is set down in the book. Ron Howard was amazingly faithful to the book, and that may make the story line a little difficult to follow in movie format, but I enjoyed it, and would recommend it to those of you who like mysteries.

I was in the car Monday, with Elegante Mother. I commented that there was something trivial that was making me rather cranky. She thought that we get cranky over the trivial stuff because we might actually change what bothers us. We tend to ignore the huge issues, or try not to be stressed out over them, because there isn't much we can do to rectify the situation. In two sentences, she hit the nail on the head.

I've been gardening. I know...that's not news. I'm taking the day off from gardening and exercise because I've done so much gardening lately that my back has flared up. I still have to get all those plants into the ground, just not today. I'll have to read back through my posts to see if I've told you what I have in mind for the garden under the front windows.

I've made a start on the hand print quilt. I laid out about 20 of the blocks last night, so that I could reassure myself there would be adequate contrast between the amber and the navy blue. There is; I needn't have worried. In a few places, the satin stitching that outlines the hands will help to create the contrast, but for the most part, things will be fine. I spent the morning preparing letters and packets for those of the family who have not yet given me the outline of their hand. One of my nieces is an expert at satin stitching, and she is going to give me some help. I have to get the blocks to her as soon as possible, because her free time runs out soon. Progress.....I'm making progress.

The exercise ladies have been providing me with their recipes from the luncheon. I've promised to type them up and print them for the class. One more little chore to get out of the way.

The Red Hat Ladies will be here for luncheon on Saturday. So far, eight out of forty-some will be here, but I suspect that more have forgotten to call to let me know they will be attending. BTW...isn't it lovely that some women will call to let you know they CAN'T attend?? I had two very nice calls with women who have other commitments. I'll set two tables, just in case. I have napkins and two table cloths to iron, and I have to put away my hand print paraphernalia. If I can get back to the gardens, I'll plant some of the plants at the front of the house. The exercise ladies thought I should make the baked ziti for the Red Hatters. We should have a lovely day.

My oldest sis and her daughter flew to Perth last week. Two of her grandchildren are graduating from high school this weekend. The flight went well, the plans for the graduation and the following party sound awesome, and her grandson is the valedictorian for the class. GO OZ!!

I've just begun "The Other Boleyn Girl," the first of my summer reads. One of my nieces, the one who has put me on to historical fiction and good reads, gave it to me for Christmas. So far, I can tell you that I'm relieved that I don't live in a time when my parents saw me as a pawn for political advantage!

I hope you all have a great weekend, with sunshine, cool temperatures and lots of loafing time!

I tried something new to me, but old to almost everyone else, today.

I am a tea drinker. I drink hot tea and iced tea. If I'm drinking iced tea, I prefer Lipton's Black, mixed with Tazo "Awake" black tea. If I'm drinking hot tea, it's Lipton's Black, or a variety of other teas, such as Earl Gray, English Breakfast Tea, Darjeeling, or occasionally black tea flavored with a hint of orange. I don't usually care for fruit teas, except for one apricot tea that's lovely on a cold evening. I don't care for herbal tea, either. I just want plain black tea that is brewed strong.

I probably have twenty kinds of tea in the cabinet. My family must think I'm difficult to buy for, because I frequently get gifts of tea. I don't mind. It's the perfect gift. One of my nieces has also created a collection for me of one and two-cup tea pots and cups. The most recent one has a Japanese look. It's cast iron and sits on a small round cup meant for a warming candle or Sterno can.

So...back to today. I have heard it suggested that rather than water your drink down with ice cubes, you can freeze what you plan to drink in ice cube trays. When you add the ice cubes to your drink, it doesn't get diluted!

I tried it today. What a simple idea! I can't believe that I haven't done it long before this. I have iced tea, with iced tea cubes, and my tea is still as strong as when I brewed it.

Go try it. Iced coffee, Iced lemonade....hmmmmmmm I don't think alcohol will freeze....

I'm NOT a failure. I discovered today that I have NOT been a failure for the past SEVENTEEN YEARS!

When we first moved here, and I started the gardens, I tried to grow morning glories, so that they would grow up over wild shrubs and give us more color during the summer. I scarred or cracked the shell of the seed. I soaked them overnight. I tried strewing seed in November so that they would start naturally in the spring. Nothing I did seemed to work.

I assumed that I had done something wrong. Not once in all that time have I been able to get morning glories to grow in my gardens.

Well, this year, I bought two pots of them, already started. One was a smaller plant, the other was a 6 or 8" pot that had several plants started. I took them out to the east driveway garden and planted them. Both had something to climb, and lots of mulch around them. I watered them every other day.

Today, as I drove by on the way to the garage, I looked over at the garden and something was missing. The supports were all there. The mulch was there.....
But, where there SHOULD have been two healthy growing morning glories.....NOTHING!

Some wretched furry creature has eaten seventeen years of morning glories right to the ground! Some miserable varmint had himself a great salad last night! There's NOTHING left....of about six plants.

I need to think about this. I wonder if there's anyway to get around the darned critter? At least now I know that I am not a failure as a gardener!

Last week, when our exercise group met for our annual pot luck brunch, one of the ladies brought chicken salad to share. Normally chicken salad doesn't do anything for me. I'll eat it, but it's usually not at the top of my wish list.

This salad was incredible. It's probably a good thing I didn't know what was it it, or I might not have tried it. I thought it was so good, that I asked her if she would mind if I made it for the Red Hat Ladies luncheon tomorrow. I also asked her if I could share the recipe with you. She gave me her blessing on both counts.

J's Chicken Salad

Simmer 4 half or 2 whole chicken breasts in a small amount of water, seasoned with garlic. (J said that usually she uses cloves of garlic, but when she doesn't have cloves at hand, she'll use a little powdered garlic or garlic salt.)
When cooked through, cool and cut into small pieces.

To the chicken, add:
1 cup celery, cut fine
1 cup red grapes, cut in half
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup fresh dill, cut fine
Salt and Pepper to taste

Mix 1 cup of sour cream and 1 cup of mayonnaise together and add to the chicken mixture. Refrigerate overnight.

J said that the measurements are not written in stone. Some days she adds more of one ingredient and a little less of another, and it still turns out fine.

Dear Husband helped me make this tonight, and his burning question was...."Do I cut the grapes in half vertically or horizontally?"

We're almost ready for the Red Hat Ladies luncheon tomorrow. We've gotten an astonishing amount done in the gardens this week, especially when you know that I spent two quiet days with back trouble. Dear Husband mowed a good part of the lawn today. It looked like he was making hay, because he wasn't collecting the clippings and it had been more than a week since he mowed last. I used the string trimmer at the front and herb gardens, and I filled the wheelbarrow (twice!) with weeds and iris stalks.

As I walked down to the garden along the west of the driveway, I was looking at a tree where the drive bends a bit. I realized that the tree has the largest poison ivy leaves I've ever seen! There's a root growing up the tree that must be parasitic. We'll have to cut it at the base of the tree, and then cover ourselves in a week or two when we pull the dead plant from the tree. We could leave it, but the oil would still be there to do it's damage.

Dear Husband is going off to sail for two days. We're going to have breakfast together before he gets on the tollway, and I run my last couple of errands. I have to pick up fancy bread, flowers, red and purple balloons to mark our driveway, and my dry cleaning. I should be home by 7:30 or so.

We'll be celebrating the 83rd birthday of one of our members. Her friend brought a beautiful birthday cake to us today, so that the celebration would be a secret. I'm sure it's going to be a lovely day!

I have to iron a table cloth, and Elegante Mother will set the tables. I'll need to tidy the bedroom, make coffee and iced tea, bake the ziti, and arrange the flowers. Not bad, huh? It should be an easy morning.

I KNOW that there are people out there who wait for the first warm days of the year, longing for heat, hoping for endless days of sunlight and beach sitting. I understand the longing for the light. I can appreciate wanting warm weather so that you can swim or sit by the shore.

However, the weather we had to day, and will have tomorrow, is my idea of heaven, especially when I need to work in the gardens! It's supposed to be 60 tomorrow; almost cool enough to make it reasonable to light a fire! It was in the fifties this evening as we watched the 6:00 news.

As I have gotten older, I've become less and less tolerant of the heat. I love my gardens, but I have learned to get out a O-dark-thirty to do my gardening, because once the sun rises in the sky, it's too hot for me to work. By mid July, if our Illinois weather is true to form, you won't see me outside for longer than it takes me to feed the birds and water my plants.

So...Bring it on! Give me a day's respite from the heat. I won't complain!

First, let me say that both the luncheons this month held at the Buffy Bed and Breakfast went well! Half our exercise group attended the first pot luck, and everyone had a good time. There were still iris in bloom, peonies, roses, ox-eye daisies and Dame's Rocket, so we had color, and the gardens were still lovely. Saturday, the Red Hat Ladies appeared on our doorstep on a rainy day, and we held a birthday celebration for one of the ladies. We chatted, and had a great meal, and they were kind about well-trimmed, but mostly flowerless gardens. They were here just as the Spring flowers had faded away, and the summer flowers were not yet in full force. Luckily, one exceptional Peace rose, a red shrub rose, several lilies, the coreopsis and a couple of poppies were open, so the gardens weren't totally bare.

You can imagine how I felt as the last of the ladies left Saturday afternoon. I'd been working hard to get the gardens into shape, and working on the linens and china, cleaning the house, keeping the laundry done, AND working for DH. I was thinking....."I can nap, read.....watch T.V. or just SIT!! I don't have to do ANYTHING!"

And then I realized my knee hurt. It wasn't a bad hurt, just a little tightness. As the afternoon progressed, the knee hurt a bit more, and I found it difficult to bend my leg. Then it hurt to walk down stairs. I got into the whirlpool and let the warm water work on the knee for a bit, but it was still stiff when I went to bed, and still stiff the next morning. I was getting a toothache from gritting my teeth!

I had a periodontist visit this morning, and the doc happens to be a runner. I asked him what he knew about knees, and all he could tell me was to take Ibuprofen, use heat, and if it wasn't better in two weeks, get an MRI done.

Bad back, bum knee, toothache.....I NEED A NEW BODY!!!

I figure my body knew that I had made it through my goals and it was okay to go to pot. Do you suppose I could scare it into shape by reminding it that we have a 90th birthday bash to plan??

My grand daughter turned two in May. Her parents invited all her grandparents and every friend who had children to join them in celebrating. I had a great time. I was invited to read "Three Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed." I got to help little ones blow bubbles. We ate birthday cake and other goodies, and generally had a good time.

We watched our little one open her gifts and thought maybe we should have purchased stock in Fischer-Price! Dear Husband bought a table and chairs that were 2 year old sized. I was working on a quilt, and finally had to admit the night before that it wasn't going to be done on time. I had decided to machine quilt it on my own, and it's been a while since I tried machine quilting. I broke two needles and one quilting foot and was only two-thirds of the way done, but it was time to go.

I put the quilt into a fancy bag and as the little one and her mom opened the quilt, I called out that I'd need it back to finish it. There was silence for a moment, and I was worried that I'd made a serious goof. Then, every woman in the room started to talk. My granddaughter turned to the quilt, opened her arms as though to gather it up, and kissed it! It was a success, even unfinished.

In the picture below, you'll see the bottom half of the quilt. Diagonally from the upper left to lower right, there are five pictures of our granddaughter built into quilt blocks. I made the center block a star block. The fabrics in the quilt are from every pink in my quilting stash.

A friend from quilting bee is going to bring me a darning foot for my sewing machine that won't break, and I'll finish the quilt in a day or two. I'd like for our daughter to let our granddaughter use this quilt up, wear it out, and throw it away, but I don't think I'll get my way. She was talking about hanging it on the wall.

We live on top of the mother lode of CLAY!

It's a lovely dark soil when it's moist, but when the heat of midsummer comes along, it becomes a grayish cement!

I was moaning about the clay across the front of the house, and complaining that I needed to amend the soil so I could plant the perennials this week. A good friend told me that his mother swears by "Clay Breaker," and I said, "What's that?"

Well....there are several varieties of this product, and it seems they are all produced and sold in either England or Australia. I checked at Google and the first two pages of listings were all from those two countries. Luckily, one of the entries talked about how to improve clay soil. Rather than searching for the clay breaking products, it told how to use sand, organic matter and lime or gypsum to improve the soil.

Dear Husband and Second Son spread sand, gypsum and compost for me last week. We had a good rain over the weekend, which made the soil easier to work. The next step is to incorporate all this into the top 8-12 inches of soil.

Sharp sand will improve the drainage and aeration characteristics of the soil, and encourage strong root formation. A good "grit" sand will have a reasonable amount of tiny pebbles in the 3-6mm range. These are sometimes called a "concreting" or "Horticultural" sand. It is NOT the soft, fine sand that builders use.

Organic matter also aids drainage and aeration, but it will also add to the fertility of the soil. Well-rotted compost, spent mushroom compost or well-rotted leaf litter are excellent choices. You do not want to use green organic matter, or partially rotted compost as it will feed from the soil to aid decomposition, rather than feeding the soil.

Both lime and gypsum (calcium sulfate) work to aggregate the clay particles in clay, to make it more permeable. Gypsum accomplishes this without raising the soil pH.

My information, and a great deal more, can be found at this site: Improving Clay Soil FAQ.

If you've been battling clay soil in your gardens, this site has loads of information about easy ways to improve the soil. When it comes down to it, grit sand and well-rotted compost in large quantities are the cheapest way to improve the soil. Good luck!

I just had the absolutely best two days, all because of my sister!

My youngest sister has always been good about checking out her summer calendar and making commitments to visit with us, early in the season. We have two visits scheduled during June and July, and I know that we will drive to visit them at least once in the Fall, perhaps twice.

This trip was a short one. Nan and her oldest daughter drove up mid-day Sunday, and had to leave this morning, about 11:00. We crammed a fair amount into those 42 hours.

We spent Sunday night catching up. Monday morning, Elegante Mother, Sis and I went to exercise, the post office and the grocery store. By the time we got home, the kidlette was up and about. After lunch, We made a quick forray to the basement to look for some summer clothes EM was missing. THen, we changed into "getting dirty" clothes, and Nan saw to it that the perennials were planted across the face of the house! She also planted the rest of the basil, and showed her daughter how to trim the chives. Kidlette also trimmed the flowers off the sage and lamb's ears, too!

It was just about 2:00 at that point, and Sis and EM put on their Red Hat finery to make a trip in the cutest little red Mazda Miata you've ever seen. Elegante Mother has been longing for a ride in a little red convertible. My brother-in-law has been watching for a little red two-seater, and decided the time was right to snap one up. Nan drove it up this weekend, just so EM could have that ride! There will be pictures to share soon.

While they were off making EM's purple boa fly, I took my niece to have pot stickers at a local restaurant. She's developed a taste for them, and they don't seem to be available in her neck of the woods. It didn't seem as though we were overdoing at the time, but we both left the restaurant TOO FULL....just in time to fix dinner.

We baked Rainbow Trout, made a mixed green salad, tomatoes vinaigrette, and roasted asparagus. SOME of us had to eat rather lightly! *G*

After dinner, Dear Husband suggested a trip into town to see the dragons and dragon-hatchling artwork, with a stop at the local ice cream joint on the way home. It was a wonderful evening! I got to ride home in the little red car, and as we were slowing, getting ready to turn into our driveway, I looked up to see an egret flying toward its nighttime roost. Just a perfect ending for the day!

I made an early trip out to the periodontist, Sis got in her long walk, and then we played with fabric! I asked her opinion about several projects, and was comforted that her take on the situation was the same as mine. It's always good to know that someone who's opinion you value agrees with you! *G*

And the visit was over too soon! They took off down the drive with a cheery waive of the hand and a Vrooooom-VROOOOOOOOMMM! DOn't forget to call and let us know you got home safely!

And THANKS.....for everything!

I've blown my right knee. My-Sister-The-Nurse tells me that's the technical term for having a knee that hurts so badly that I can barely walk.

Yesterday, I took my "wonky" knee to the doc to see if he could do anything for me. I told him that I could walk, but it was uncomfortable when I sat in my office chair or laid in bed. I've been taking Advil and using heat on the knee, which help temporarily.

Well, Doc twisted and turned my leg to confirm what he thought was wrong. He said to wait two to six weeks to see if it got better, and if not I should see the orthopedist.

As I walked out of the doc's office the knee began to really hurt, and by the time I got home, it was so painful that I had to use my cell phone to call my mother (I was in the garage...she was in the house), and ask her to bring one of her canes to me. I don't think you can call my step a hobble....it must have looked worse than that. It was a step-LUNGE sort of gait.

I can walk today, but it's painful, and I've spent the morning at my computer with my leg elevated a little. Everyone else is doing MY work. My stepson had to water the plants in containers before he went to work. Dear Husband will have to take over most of dinner prep. Elegante Mother has been carrying things around for me, and I've run her ragged. I wouldn't be able to get through the day without her help.

I've called the doc, and left a message with the receptionist. I should have just said "OWW! MAKE IT BETTER!" I suspect that he will tell me to wait it out.

It's hell to get old knees. Doc thinks this is what comes from 17 years of gardening on my hands and knees. I hope it heals so that there are a few more years of pain-free walking! Susan....I can REALLY empathize with you now. I don't know how you've made it through all your foot problems with no help!

Doc didn't tell me to wait it out. He told me to call the orthopedic specialist he had recommended, and get an appointment. And I did.

Wednesday, a Physician's Assistant saw me. Dear Husband had been rained out at work, so he packed me into the SUV and drove me to the doctor's office. I was able to walk into the facility under my own power, using a cane, and taking my time. The specialist's assistant checked out the knee, asked a lot of questions and tried to figure out what had caused the problem.

It appears that I may have a medial collateral ligament sprain. It's the most common knee damage. Usually it happens when the outside of the knee is struck. I'm not sure what caused the damage, but it's likely that I planted my foot and turned my knee wrong sometime the day my knee started hurting.

I've been given a leg immobilizer to wear. For the first few days I'll even have to wear it when I sleep. I sat in the office this morning with my foot slightly elevated, the immobilizer holding everything in place, and flew through paperwork. Another day of this and I'll be able to see the top of my desk!

My-Sister-The-Nurse came to us yesterday afternoon, and took Elegante Mother grocery shopping. She put everything away when they came home, and asked if there was anything else she could do to help. While they were shopping, DH and I saw the doc, and stopped at the bank, the post office and our favorite local Italian place. We picked up dinner, and treated everyone to a night off from K.P. When dinner was over, everyone pitched in to fill the dishwasher and put leftovers away, and my kitchen looked wonderful!

I'll be in the immobilizer for three weeks, and then I have to visit the PA again. I wouldn't be surprised to find that I have to wear it just a little longer, based on the responses of friends who have gone through similar knee problems.

Dear Husband has taken over part of dinner prep. Elegante Mother brings me refills on tea, and fixes lunch for me. My stepson watered the container garden Tuesday, but Mother Nature spared him the past two days thanks to morning rain. My oldest sis will return on Saturday to take EM and me to the salon. Two of my grandnephews will come on Monday to spread mulch for me. Their mother has offered to do the next round of grocery shopping. One of my nieces is coming to visit on Sunday, and will be available in case we have anything pop up that I can't handle, and my youngest sis will come for several days in the middle of the three week wait. I am SO thankful that I have a large, loving family!

I won't be driving for the next three weeks, so we're missing exercise. I'm going to try to set up regular sessions at home for upper body exercise, so that I don't loose all my muscle tone. I've actually enjoyed the past couple of days at my desk. I don't know how happy my family is to be waiting on me, but I'm getting TONS of paperwork done. And, when I see the top of my desk, I'm leaving the office to work on quilts. I have two runs of fabric cut out, waiting for my attention, plus several baby quilts to finish, and I want to work on Dear Husband's Sails and Whales quilt.

I guess there might be a silver lining, but I'm going to need to have every one of you keep me company to get through the next three weeks! *G*

While I was getting my hair cut, my sister and Elegante Mother went to the Farmer's Market. It's still early in the season, but they came back with some treasures. Cherries, Red Raspberries, Strawberries, Sugar Snap peas, some Green Beans, Crimini Mushrooms, and Rhubarb were just some of the things they picked up for me.

Sis found exceptionally nice baskets on sale, half price. Had I been there, I would gave snatched up all their stock! I LOVE baskets!

I have SUCH a taste for Strawberry-Rhubarb pie. EM used to make it for my Dad when I was a kid. To make it easy on myself, I think I'll use ready-made pie crust, but everything else will be fresh. I may visit the Simply Recipes blog to see if there's a good recipe in the archives.

Dear Husband called it. My sis bought a kohlrabi. She loves them! She eats them raw, rather like a funky apple.

Two of my friends have posted comments to a recent entry, and I find that my response is so long that I might as well make a couple of entries on the subjects.

The first was a continuation of the subject of strawberry-rhubarb pie. My mother used to make it, and I suppose that was where I learned to eat rhubarb. Now, we're just as likely to stew the rhubarb with sugar, and eat it for breakfast. You have to understand that as Elegante Mother has aged, her sweet tooth has taken over her life.

It seems to me that Americans use sugar differently than Europeans. I don't have a terrible sweet tooth; I tend to prefer salty, crunchy things if I'm going to ruin my diet. But, when I've tasted pastries from German bake shops, or other European confections, it seems as though they are not as sweet as American desserts.

Last night I served sliced strawberries with our dinner. My mother prefers them sugared, so I sprinkled a little sugar over them. (Adele, I doubt you would do that. Actually, I like mine plain, or dipped in dark chocolate!)) My 11-year-old nephew was gobbling them up, and paused to ask if they had sugar on them. I nodded, and he said, "THAT'S why they taste so good! So, our younger generation has been trained to like sweeter tasting things.

Adele, I would NEVER have thought to mix orange with rhubarb. I'll have to share that concept with EM. I think it would be too tart for most Americans. I like black tea with a touch of orange added to it, or dark chocolate with orange, but rhubarb with orange seems a stretch for my tastebuds.

I surfed for a strawberry rhubarb pie recipe and found a compendium of rhubarb-something pies that I want to share with you. Adele, you'll be pleased to note that there are TWO pies that have orange in them! Of course, there's also a Zucchini-rhubarb pie. Ahem.

Bod, my sister is the one who loves kohlrabi, so I can't tell you how it tastes, but I can surf for information so that you'll know what it is. The one she bought last weekend was a small round pale green globe with leaves growing out of the sides and top. Although it's a member of the cabbage family, she eats it as though it was an apple. BECAUSE it's a part of the cabbage family, it's probably a very good addition to her diet!

This is how the University of Illinois describes kohlrabi:

Kohlrabi is a part of the cabbage family. It was first grown in Europe around 1500 and was imported into America 300 years later. It has a turnip like appearance, with leaves standing out like spokes from the edible portion, which is a rounded, enlarged stem section growing just above the soil line. Kohlrabi is sometimes misclassified as a root vegetable.

Here's another site, with more information. It seems that kohlrabi is native to Europe, and has only been introduce to the US in the last two hundred years or so.

Wikipedia has a good picture of kohlrabi in their entry.

And here's a site that offers recipes!

Bod, I hope this helps. Kohlrabi are readily available here, but since I don't see huge displays of them, I suspect they are used sparingly. I'll have to ask my sister how she came to know about them. She's the only one in my family, to the best of my knowledge, who eats kohlrabi.

I have a friend whose mother has just retired. As a gift upon her retirement, he is building her a computer. WOW!

Then I started to think about what it was like to address a computer for the first time...AND what it was like to be on-line for the first time, and wondered what it was going to be like for this lady, and her husband.

Good Friend has a plan. He's putting the hardware together, piece by piece and having them watch and repeat the names of the pieces, so they have a little of the terminology under their belts. I know what a mother board is, and I've taken the case off my computer and unhooked every plug, but I'd be hard pressed to tell you what each piece is. It would have been nice, the Labor Day Weekend when I had to dismantle the computer to determine what was wrong, if I'd had the language and knowledge to communicate with the computer representative who was talking me through it.

Good Friend tells me that they will have two months to work at the computer before they go on-line and have all that to deal with. Probably not enough, but you have to jump in somewhere. I'd been using a computer for at least four years before we went on-line. I was taking a class in how to use Microsoft Word, Excel and Access at the time, so I had a lot of instruction on how to use parts of those programs, and the computer in general. I'd highly recommend that as a way to get started if you can make the time because it radically changes your learning curve.

I can remember that I didn't know what "Focus" meant. A very kind person in a chat room explained that you could have more than one screen up at a time, but that the active scree was the focus. The terminology wasn't as important as was the fact that all the screens could be UP at one time. I tended to close one before going to the next, and didn't realize you could have many open at one time.

Dear Husband has not had any training in how to use a computer. He just jumped right in, and does very well at it. Still, there are things that would speed up his use. DH works at the computer when the quilting bee meets here. I went to the office to ask him something one bee night, and found him laboriously closing out of a program and then opening it again to see a previous screen. I pointed to the back arrow, and suggested he try it next time. There have to be a lot of other ways I could help him, if he would let me. I think I'm too pedantic for him.

GF is going to have to teach about "Save Early, Save Often." I can't tell you how many times I've lost something at Movable Type because I didn't save frequently, and then hit the wrong key on my keyboard. (I just took my own advice...and would have been TICKED if I had lost all of this!)

I think the most difficult lesson will be WHERE to save things. It took me a long time to come to understand what the prompt was asking, and how to direct things to the appropriate files. There are times when I still am not sure what I'm being asked to do, especially when I leave programs that I use every day.

So....what advice do you have for someone who is just learning to address a computer? I bet we could come up with a compendium of information that might help as my friends get ready to join us on-line. Post your suggestion, please!