Ray's House of Love (Volume II)

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Maryn

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Dare I ask? How deep did it get?

I'm feeling rather accomplished. I'm moving furniture around, just the pieces I can manage alone, and I'm strong. Not like when I worked the weight circuit, but pretty strong. If I can't be a willowy clothes horse, I'll take capable.

Maryn, toting mattresses around
 

Russ Mars

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Please mail me a taco. Priority.

Actually, I make okay tacos, but they're just not restaurant tacos.

We're watching baseball and checking out HGTV during the ads. A couple just bought a 3 bedroom house in Napa for over a million dollars. They're gutting the interior. They don't really like the house itself, just the view. For a million bucks!

Maryn, living in a bargain
Napa's in my neck of the woods.

Russ, NOT living in a million-dollar home, but is eatin' some $1 restaurant tacos.
 

Maryn

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Next up was a couple in Spain (I think; maybe Portugal) who were considering a house from the 1400s which consisted of crumbling walls, stone floors, and falling ceilings. The kitchen appeared to be pre-WWII and in rough shape. In its present state, its one toilet flowed directly into the yard and only two rooms had electricity. It did not have a working fireplace or running water except to the kitchen, and that pipe was cracked and needed replacement. It was over a million USD. Made the Napa house seem a bargain.

Somebody willing to buy it for a million and repair it for another million will end up with something amazing, but not for years, I bet.

I think I'll stay here, were $200K gets you 5/2.5 on a half-acre, plus I can walk to the library. (Even if I can't get dollar tacos.)

Maryn, whose local dream house sold recently for 800K
 

Russ Mars

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I have no idea what my dream house would sell for these days, but it's a moot point 'til the Obama's move out.
 

sassandgroove

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Maryn

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Wow, that's a respectable amount of snow for anyplace, much less Alabama. Deep enough that I could not shovel it in one go.

When we were house-hunting, one of my requirements was a fireplace. I just wanted a fireplace, but when the power's out or the furnace died, it's been a lifesaver. And we've cooked in it a few times, although it's impossible to hang a pot in there, which limits us to things you can cook on a skewer. Hot dogs and s'mores is a fine dinner, IMO.

Maryn, who don't need no stinkin' vegetables
 

Russ Mars

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Maryn, who don't need no stinkin' vegetables
But, but, but...what about sweet potatoes?! There's nothing better than a sweet potato wrapped in foil and cooked right on the coals.
 

Maryn

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I've never done that. Cooked how long? Can you do white potatoes, too? (The power rarely goes out here, but when it does, it's usually days, not hours. The record since I've lived here is 13 days, in winter.) See, when the power's out, I can't look this stuff up online.

Speaking of this sort of thing, on Friday's PBS News Hour, they had a segment on survivalists from NYC which was pretty funny. Apparently National Geographic TV, which we don't get, has a weekly show on "serious" survivalists who build bunkers, practice whole-family bug-outs, routinely store two years of food and bottled water, like that, and it's inspired people to learn to be like them. But this group of strangers who met online and agreed to meet in the Catskills was hilariously ill-prepared. I'm no nature girl (camping, to me, is a hotel with fewer than three stars), but I'd fare better. They couldn't even tell burnable wood from green.

Maryn, whose cupboards could keep us going a good long while
 

Russ Mars

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Of course it depends on the heat of the coals and the size of the potato. You want to wrap them in two or three layers of foil, and they should be done in about 20 minutes. Regular potatoes are about the same, but might take a little longer.

You can cook all kinds of food this way. Corn on the cob is great, and if the cob is still in its husk you don't even need the foil. Just toss the whole thing on the coals and turn it every little bit. Takes about 10 or 15 minutes.

Whole roasts can be heavily wrapped and buried in a hole with coals and cooked in an hour or two. But when you're out in the wilds in a desperate survival situation, finding a nice 5-pound pork loin roast may not be as common as you think. :D

Russ, who had to be re-civilized after spending all too much time in the wild, surviving, but now is quite fond of his creature comforts.
 
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Russ Mars

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Lou Reed just took his last walk on the wild side.

“And the colored girls went, dead, da dead, da dead, da dead…”

May he rest in peace.
 

Maryn

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I'm glad to have seen him live, even if I did have to stand for so many hours my feet were sore for days.

Great show, too.

Maryn, noting the passing of all the icons, one by one
 

sassandgroove

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so I just printed something for my boss and he calls to say "did you print that I forgot something."
yep.
I'm off the rest of the week! woot
 

Maryn

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Hoo-ray for free time! Got plans? Make sure you include doing something good for yourself.

Maryn, entirely too good to herself
 

Maryn

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Last to leave, first to arrive. Am I the CEO or the janitor around this joint? It's got to be one of those.

Cold this morning, my car covered with frost, and me without a scraper. (Where is last year's? I dunno.) I managed to remove enough to see out in all directions, but man, I'll be glad when I can be back in the garage.

Maryn, spoiled
 

Komnena

In Honor of Peter Tomich,USS Utah
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Frosted car windows are things I don't miss about car ownership.
I think you are the CEO.
 

mario_c

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so I just printed something for my boss and he calls to say "did you print that I forgot something."
yep.
I'm off the rest of the week! woot
Yay for vacation! I'm on vaca too, although today I had to get up before the crack of dawn to wait for the DirectV installers. And I am not a morning person...
 

Maryn

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I'll share this here first, because you all are my favorites: Babies in Halloween Costumes.

Maryn, who should go walking, but it's raining
 

Maryn

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Komnena, I said it elsewhere, but may the day bring you much joy--and more cake than is reasonable, too.

Maryn, putting out party hats and plastic leis for everyone
 

sassandgroove

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Hubby's birthday is coming up. Back in sept he pointed out a Captain America jacket then he pointed out a Cap shirt so I got them both. He wanted an icecream cake so I just ordered him a Cap cake too. I've asked his friends to wear Marvel themed shirts to his party. I think I may go to Party City and see if they have Cap decorations - just to be fun.
 

Maryn

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Theme birthdays are always fun.

When Mr. Maryn's employer observed his 20th year with the company, everybody who attended the little party wore a fake mustache, to look like the picture of him which appeared on some of the early stuff he did for the company. Cracked me up.

Maryn, wishing Mr. Groove an early happy birthday
 

Komnena

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Thanks for all the birthday wishes!
Hubby and I went to the Newport Aquarium. I learned that sharks make photographing moving horses look easy. I got maybe two good shots.
Sis promised me a coffeemaker for Christmas. I no longer do Christmas presents. I give presents whenever I visit people. Life is too uncertain to withhold gifts. So I have already given her the things I would have given her for Christmas.
 
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Maryn

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Back when I still used film, I wasted a fair amount of money developing shots from the Monterey Aquarium. Even the slow-moving jellyfish didn't hold still enough for the lighting conditions.

There's a reason there are so many landscape pictures, I guess.

Last night I cruised Etsy's photographs seeking art for our bathroom, which has one wall area which looks bare. Even limited by color, there were too many options. I guess I need to narrow down the field at bit.

Maryn, who ruled out all pastels, pinks, reds, and oranges
 

Chase

It Takes All of Us to End Racism
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Happy All Hallow's Eve, Ray's housemates.
 
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