Comfort Reads discussion
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Daily Chat
Mona,
I'm waiting. I think I'm going a whole different way with what I'll read next.
I'm waiting. I think I'm going a whole different way with what I'll read next.
Hayes wrote: "Oh my, Kathy! I think that would be grounds for suicide.... what on earth would I do without my internet connection?Read more, probably..."
LOL, Hayes, I actually have been reading more with my hit and miss connection. Having hubby in has been a nice distraction, too. We think it's probably due to this dinosaur computer I am using at present, some problems with it connecting. I will have my laptop back from my son in a couple of days, so I will be a happy camper then (I hope).
Mona wrote: "Lee wrote: "I think life would definitely be a lot calmer without all the phones etc. And I love exchanging letters! It feels very special to receive something that someone took the time to sit d..."Me, too, Mona. I have some really beautiful letters (and a poem) from a former boyfriend who has gone on to make a career out of writing. I even have saved little notes from my mom, and since she has been dead for 15 years now, I enjoy having them to read. I truly lament the passing of the letter as communication. Think of all the great histroy we have gleaned from the letters written to and from historical, literary, and other peoples. We have been able to glimpse intimate looks at people that would have never been possible without letters. I wonder what the present and future generations will do to fill that void, hope that people store their emails on disks of some sort?
Jeannette wrote: "Kathy,I like your jam cake. It was not as moist as I expected, but it made a lovely, firm cake. I halved the spices; I always jiggle recipes around. We used choc. frosting, too! I am thinking..."
Hmm, chocolate frosting. I don't know, I love the caramel icing on it so much. Of course, chocolate is good on everything, so it must have been good. I don't know about the moistness. I'll consult my mother-in-law, who is the queen of moist cakes about it.
I used a regular chocolate cake, so a fudge mix would have made it moister. I used what I had in the house. I think the caramel frosting would have been more interesting. Plus, my daughter put it on too thin!
Good excuse to make the cake again someday. :)
Good excuse to make the cake again someday. :)
Jeannette wrote: "I used a regular chocolate cake, so a fudge mix would have made it moister. I used what I had in the house. I think the caramel frosting would have been more interesting. Plus, my daughter put i..."You must teach your daughter that more frosting is what the cake is all about. If you teach her nothing else in life, you must teach her this. LOL! I admire your ability to experiment with recipes. I'm very tied to the letter of the recipe, afraid to alter anything. My daughter is much more relaxed about recipes, too, and will use ingredients she has on hand. It's funny, though, that I have some favorite family dishes that I just do them by what feels right. For example, with baked beans, I just put in the brown sugar and a little ketsup, according to what seems right. Of course, I've made those kinds of dishes forever, too.
I am always changing things, and I am not sure why. I usually put in less fat or sugar, or a different ingredient that works the same. And, if it tastes good that way, I just do it again. Kind of like the way you make baked beans.
Jeannette wrote: "I am always changing things, and I am not sure why. I usually put in less fat or sugar, or a different ingredient that works the same. And, if it tastes good that way, I just do it again. Kind o..."My daughter uses apple sauce a lot instead of so much sugar. I need to try that. Well, to bed for me now. Hubby goes back in the morning and has already gone to bed. Tomorrow night I can stay up as late as I want and read or do whatever I want. I just feel like I should spend his last night here this visit going to sleep with him. (But I really want to read some)
Yes, my husband has already called down twice! He might still be reading. Why am I so tired at 9:30 and wide-awake by 11??? It's a curse! :(
Sweet dreams!
Sweet dreams!
Good morning all! I woke up to my son setting off the alarm (man, that's loud), and then in a panic forgetting the code...so I got to also say good morning to the Broadview guy when he called, haha.
I was reading into the wee hours. My book is so good...thanks for the suggestion, Kathy. Hope you are hooked up today.
I was reading into the wee hours. My book is so good...thanks for the suggestion, Kathy. Hope you are hooked up today.
Good morning, everyone! It rained all day on the 4th -- no fireworks and no parade. My husband has the day off for the holiday, so I got to sleep in. Have a good one!
My husband got up at 5 this morning. I woke up shortly thereafter and noticed he wasn't in bed, but I was able to go back to sleep until 7:30 when he came into the bedroom going to the shower. So, I dutifully got up, and now he is snoozing out on the family room couch. Not that I will be glad to see him leave, but I will be glad to get back to my sleep schedule of staying up late and sleeping in some. Jeannette, did you go on to bed last night? Christine, I'm so glad you are enjoying the book. I can't wait to start it. Hopefully, I will get to by Wednesday, although tomorrow I may have to go out of town, which cuts into my reading time. Maybe, my Internet connection will go out again, and I will have plenty of reading time. LOL!
Good morning, Kathy! You are up early. :) I did read a little bit more and then go to bed. I can't really read my current book if I am sleepy; I can't seem to follow it unless I am really awake! Wish your hubby a safe trip back from me!
Jeannette wrote: "Good morning, everyone! It rained all day on the 4th -- no fireworks and no parade. My husband has the day off for the holiday, so I got to sleep in. Have a good one!"
Well, that's no good about the rain. However, my dog had a terrible evening with all of the fireworks (we can see three different towns' displays from our house, plus all of the private stuff).
Well, that's no good about the rain. However, my dog had a terrible evening with all of the fireworks (we can see three different towns' displays from our house, plus all of the private stuff).
One advantage to our dog going deaf! He almost gave up his walk due to a particularly loud bang in the neighborhood. He sat down and gazed longingly in the direction of the house! lol
Okay....I have to go do a bad thing. I know it's going to ruin my day so I have been putting it off. Apparently a coyote met a goose in my yard last night. Ugh.
yuck. A big Canada goose? I hope all that is left are the feathers. :(
Mod
Double ugh, Christine. I hope it's not too bad of a mess to clean up. Oh, you reminded me, our poor doggie had a bad time with all of the fireworks going off last night, too. She spent the fireworks time (well over an hour) either under my desk or holed up in the laundry room. Jeannette, it would be advantageous to have a deaf dog at times like those. Hubby still asleep, but I don't dare go back to sleep, as I will need to wake him up in a while to get a decent start back on his 8-hour drive.
Jeannette wrote: "yuck. A big Canada goose? I hope all that is left are the feathers. :("
It was two I think, and it was absolutely awful. Poor things.
It was two I think, and it was absolutely awful. Poor things.
I hope they gave it to the coyote! Canada geese are pretty tough, too. Sorry for the geese and for you! :(
Kathy, even if you print out and save your emails, it's just not the same. With letters/cards/notes, you have the personal touch. The sender took the time to choose the paper/card. Handwritten is a preference for me but typed letters are still better than email.
Christine wrote: "Okay....I have to go do a bad thing. I know it's going to ruin my day so I have been putting it off. Apparently a coyote met a goose in my yard last night. Ugh. "Wow, that's horrible. And, if you've got coyotes in your yard, make sure to keep an eye on Dixie. I would actually call animal control if I were you. I don't mind coyotes, but they should not be in residential areas, too many pets, too many children.
I agree wholeheartedly, Mona. I think we are losing a real art form, as well as historical documentation. Such a shame.
Speaking of pets and the danger of wild animals to them, my hairdresser has a hawk hanging around her backyard and is being very cautious about letting her little dog out.
We have a Cooper's hawk that shows up every so often. It mainly catches birds. And, we have lots of rabbits in the yard, too.
Gundula wrote:And, if you've got coyotes in your yard, make sure to keep an eye on Dixie. I would actually call animal control if I were you. I don't mind coyotes, but they should not be in residential areas, too many pets, too many children.
This is a well known and long term issue in my town. The coyotes have been roaming the neighborhoods, sleeping under the playsets, on porches, etc. for as long as I've lived here. Animal control wanted to do something to get rid of the dens, but the residents freaked out and didn't want them to. I am verrrrrrry careful with Dixie, and my cats are completely indoor.
This is a well known and long term issue in my town. The coyotes have been roaming the neighborhoods, sleeping under the playsets, on porches, etc. for as long as I've lived here. Animal control wanted to do something to get rid of the dens, but the residents freaked out and didn't want them to. I am verrrrrrry careful with Dixie, and my cats are completely indoor.
Kathy wrote: "Speaking of pets and the danger of wild animals to them, my hairdresser has a hawk hanging around her backyard and is being very cautious about letting her little dog out."
Emma heard a lot of owls last night. I can't imagine that they had anything to do with what happened though...?
Emma heard a lot of owls last night. I can't imagine that they had anything to do with what happened though...?
It's one of those problems we are facing as animal habitat and human habitat get closer together. Deer, coyotes, raccoons, foxes, rabbits, even the geese and hawks, all in our backyards. I have always kept my cats indoors. I bet Dixie thinks that she is protecting you! :)
There aren't too many wild animal threats around my neighborhood other than feral dogs. I know people on the outskirts of the city who have issues with coyotes and sometimes mountain lions. We get the occasional possum or raccoon.
Wow! Where do you live, Wendy?
Mountain lions are one animal I definitely would not like to see in my backyard. There may be bobcats in Iowa, but I've never seen one!
Christine wrote: "Gundula wrote:And, if you've got coyotes in your yard, make sure to keep an eye on Dixie. I would actually call animal control if I were you. I don't mind coyotes, but they should not be in residen..."My parents live on a small farm outside of Calgary, Alberta. We've always had coyotes, and they have generally not been a problem, except that the dogs like to chase them (and they do keep the gopher population in check, better than the cats ever could). But in the city itself, they have had some real problems with coyotes, mostly because some individuals were feeding them. Wendy, feral dogs can actually be much, much more dangerous than coyotes, as they have lost their fear of humans. And, when feral dogs and coyotes hybridize, you end up with coy-dogs, large and vicious coyote/dog mixes who basically have no fear of humans and are much larger than most dogs or coyotes (I wonder if Christine's "coyotes" are actually coy-dogs).
Gundula wrote: "Wendy, feral dogs can actually be much, much more dangerous than coyotes, as they have lost their fear of humans."No one goes walking without a big stick for protection in my neighborhood because of the dogs. My cats are never allowed outside for many reasons, but one is because of the dog threat.
A family was mauled by a pack of feral dogs not too long ago in a neighboring city. So tragic! From what witnesses said, they were minding their own business, not teasing the dogs or anything.
Jeannette - The mountain lions are usually good about staying away from populated areas, but sometimes they'll venture down, especially if they're hungry. I'm sure it's the same for most wild animals. They're such beautiful animals, but not ones I'd want to mess with.
Literary Feline wrote: "Gundula wrote: "Wendy, feral dogs can actually be much, much more dangerous than coyotes, as they have lost their fear of humans."No one goes walking without a big stick for protection in my neig..."
I can (at least to a point) make excuses for wild animals that attack, especially if they are protecting their young or if they are being pushed out of their natural habitat(s), but feral dogs are much too dangerous and also a stress on the environment. Is nothing being done about these dogs? Why are they not being culled? I'm sure if these feral dogs were bears, mountain lions or coyotes, people would demand action.
Efforts are being made to try and take care of the problem, but there just aren't enough staffing and money to make a bigger effort right now unfortunately. Also, it always seems to take a tragedy before the threat is taken seriously. You can bet the town where the family died (there was one survivor) the problem is being taken care of more swiftly.
Gundula wrote:...when feral dogs and coyotes hybridize, you end up with coy-dogs, large and vicious coyote/dog mixes who basically have no fear of humans and are much larger than most dogs or coyotes (I wonder if Christine's "coyotes" are actually coy-dogs).
"
I have heard people discuss this before. They really don't fear people. A few years ago I remember a story where one attacked a guy's dog as he was walking it in the middle of the day.
"
I have heard people discuss this before. They really don't fear people. A few years ago I remember a story where one attacked a guy's dog as he was walking it in the middle of the day.
Literary Feline wrote: "Efforts are being made to try and take care of the problem, but there just aren't enough staffing and money to make a bigger effort right now unfortunately. Also, it always seems to take a trage..."
That always really gets me riled, that it usually takes a tragedy for something to be done. How can anyone even think that feral, stray dogs are not a safety issue.
This type of situation is frightening! These animals should definitely be taken care of now, not after they attack someone. They don't belong where they are to begin with.
Jeannette wrote: "This type of situation is frightening! These animals should definitely be taken care of now, not after they attack someone. They don't belong where they are to begin with."I cannot believe that they have such problems with feral dogs where Wendy lives (that story about an entire family being mauled is horrid). And, as you have said, these dogs are feral domestic dogs, not wild indigenous animals, they should be taken care of (and sooner rather than later). But, I bet there are some people who think the feral dogs are cute, feral domestic animals are never cute and more often than not pose major environmental problems (feral cats play havoc with our native bird population, but at least they are not usually a danger to humans).
Wendy, I think you should start a petition drive and send it to Gov. Schwernagger (sp?) and ask if he is willing for another framily to be attacked and killed by feral dogs. That is outrageous!!!
All I seem to have are the bunnies and squirrels. However, I did once have to clean up a dead groundhog. Well, I held the bag while my son shoveled it into the bag. I don't know what killed it. I know we have coyotes around the airport, which is across the road (small airport), but I haven't seen any. Oh, and I can't forget the skunks, who definitely scare me--don't want to get sprayed. It would be really scary to have the feral dogs and mountain lions around.
I think I would be more frightened of the feral dogs than of the mountain lions (unless they are hungry, they usually avoid humans). But, skunks do scare me, if you get sprayed, you would likely stink for weeks (we've had that experience with our dogs and the whole house ended up smelling of skunk). Wow, is it ever hot in Southern Ontario and Quebec this week. It was about 33 degrees celsius in Hamilton today, with a humidex of about 40 (91.4 fahrenheit and a humidex of 104). This was one time, when I would have enjoyed having an air conditioner. Unfortunately, this stinking heat is supposed to continue all week (I'm glad I don't live in a big city, Toronto and Montreal supposedly were just horribly hot and smoggy).
Good morning! I'm on my way to the pool in a sec. There was no sleep last night. Benjamin slept in his tent (inside...he camped in the living room), and after he finally settled I ended up with insomnia. Grrrr. Eventually I decided to just read though, so I made progress on my book.
Wake up and talk to me, Jeannette! I know I won't be able to wake Kathy, haha!
Wake up and talk to me, Jeannette! I know I won't be able to wake Kathy, haha!
Okay sleepyheads, I'm out of here again. Have a good start to your day (or finish for some of you).
Hey Christine! Sorry I missed you, but 6am is too early for me! You won't catch me until after we've had breakfast. Have fun at the pool......
Good morning everybody else! The holiday weekend is finally over (for some of us) and it's back to be useful. Have a great day! :)
Good morning everybody else! The holiday weekend is finally over (for some of us) and it's back to be useful. Have a great day! :)
Christine wrote: "Good morning! I'm on my way to the pool in a sec. There was no sleep last night. Benjamin slept in his tent (inside...he camped in the living room), and after he finally settled I ended up with in..."Well, I did get up by a quarter til 8 this morning. I have to go take my son something in Bowling Green in a little while. I thought I was going earlier this morning, so I got up and showered and all that good stuff early. Then, grrrrrrrrrrrrr, I found out it will be after lunch. At least I had a two hour nap yesterday. Man, I was so tired. Tomorrow I am supposed to go to my daughter's and keep the precious little one, so I won't be able to sleep in tomorrow either. Maybe Thursday, I'll get a nice, long sleep-in. Have a good pool day, Christine. That's why I'm keeping the little one tomorrow, so that my daughter can take the older one swimming. Jeannette, don't be too useful. People will expect it all the time. LOL!
7:45 is sleeping in for some of us, Kathy! lol I will be volunteering at the CSA today. Fresh veggies! I am still on a closet-cleaning, bookshelf organizing kick, so I should have a better-organized house by September! That will be nice. :)
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Comfort Reads
Books mentioned in this topic
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Jane Austen (other topics)Rebecca Stead (other topics)
Ken Jennings (other topics)
Neal D. Barnard (other topics)
Nigel Tranter (other topics)
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Yep, I have it here. :)""
Christine, I think even if I had The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing: From the Files of Vish Puri, Most Private Investigator at home, I would have to read something different and then come back to it. I'm kind of fickle that way.