And a question: what woud be a fun thing to send a 7th grade girl who’s off at boarding school for the first time and terribly homesick? I was thinking a batch of cookies and a deck of Uno cards (or something similar) to share with her new friends. Or does that only work for boys?
Never heard of the game, but ask might be onto something. I think cookies work for just about anybody. Just as long as you spend hours and hours making them just for the person you’re sending them to. 🙂
Hi Boran, hope everyone is still enjoying the trip.
Actually, these cookies take hardly any time, travel well, and are absolutely decadent.
Miracles
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup shredded coconut
3 cups instant oatmeal
Combine ingredients from the top list in a saucepan and bring to a full rolling boil. Continue cooking for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and peanut butter. Finally, mix in coconut and oats. Drop heaping spoonfuls onto wax paper or foil and let cool.
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
ps. If you find your first batch is doesn’t completely harden at room temperature, substitute some whole oats for some of the instant oats.
Because I’m cleaning, I’ve got things all moved around, which seems to delight Albert no end. Thus this lamp (which I’m repairing for Imogen’s mum), which has been moved about six feet, is now an object of bunny fascination.
That’s one of the best things about this recipe, most of the time you have all the ingredients anyway. Coconut is optional, btw. I used not to like it so I left it out. Now I like it more so I put it in. I recommend crunchy peanut butter and a good quality cocoa (we have Green & Blacks – purveyors of perhaps the finest chocolate widely available).
I should warn everyone, they are extremely more-ish.
Favorite snacks of all varieties were very helpful, since getting used to eating mass-produced school food took a little time (but was mostly fine, in the end). Depending on the rules at the school, another fun treat would be a gift certificate for whatever pizza place might deliver there, for that one night that will happen where the cafeteria food is just wrong. Also, we were permitted to have those little electric hot pots that heat water — they’re invaluable for making tea or cup o’ noodles during study hall or on lazy chilly saturdays. We were a bit older, though (high school), so this school may or may not allow those — they vary a lot with those sorts of things.
I’d say avoid, at least for a while, going for things like clothes or decorative stuff unless there’s a request or you ask first — the first six months of boarding school, I recall that everybody went through massive changes around taste/fashion etc. since it was usually their first long stay away from home and with a totally new set of peers. Eventually it balances itself, but that first little period of time is one of massive change.
Best thing? Getting mail. Of course, this was back when the web didn’t exist, for me (’92-ish), so I’m sure things are a bit different now — but there’s still probably something cool about going to the mailroom and having a real letter or small care package when you’re not really expecting it. Including pictures is great.
I’ve got just over an hour before I have to leave for the airport to pick up Imogen. 😀 She should be landing in Melbourne just about now, from where she’ll catch her connecting flight home.
Have a safe trip and a very happy homecoming. And since Imogen coming home means you won’t need to snuggle with Albert, would that count as an Albert Eclipse?
I hear you. After a mostly very mild summer, Sacramento has decided to aim for the low 100’s yesterday and today. When I woke up at 8:00, it was already about 72.
Which means today will be all about cold beer, sitting in the kiddie pool, and getting very little done. The house is too hot to be inside after about 2:00 on days like this, so I don’t even pretend I’m going to be productive.
Yeah, it’s looked bad for you guys. It’s like you stole most of our summer, unlucky you — up until last week, we’d seriously only had two really hot days, and everything else felt a little bit like fall.
Last night was the first night I had to do the wet-towel-on-chest-with-fan trick in order to get to sleep. That usually happens here around mid-July, and doesn’t fully stop until late September.
I remember those days without AC…thank God it was in Cleveland and not here. I can’t even begin to imagine the hell that is living in NC without AC, but some of the people in the inner city don’t have it and I don’t know how they survive when it never gets below 80 at night.
Here, a lot of the older houses in the downtown area (the ones that tend not to have AC) have basements. A lot of people hide in them during the hottest part of the day if they must be home, and everybody goes outside in the evening to drink cold beer on the porch while the house vaguely cools down.
It does sort of put the “front porch” culture of parts of the country into context.
I’ve been considering getting one window AC unit, so that on the really bad weeks we can have one bearable room, but we have those old 1940’s windows that open outward with a crank instead of upward like modern windows. So I’m not sure how to work it yet. And I really only miss the AC for a couple of weeks out of the year. I grew up with it, but my mother was one of those people who refused to run it at night even if it was still 85-90 out, so it’s almost nostalgic to have to have strategies for it.
Next year, I think I’m going to try sleeping in the backyard in a tent for part of summer. It cools down faster outside at night, even if it’s still warm.
They make AC units for casement windows, but I think they’re hard to find. The backyard tent sounds like a much better, and more fun, idea. Don’t forget the S’mores.
I miss the old weeks. Working m-f and then if you wanted, slack on the w/e. Now I have to slack seven days a week and there’s never any break. It ain’t easy. 🙂
Yep I guess you’re right. I do have to do some work today though. I’ve been trying all week to get the rest of the lawn mowed, and now that the weather is nice, I have to excuse not to do it. I guess I’ll pray for rain early today.
I’ve been good. Spent most of yesterday doing back-to-school stuff. Went to the middle school to get CBtY’s locker combination…apparently the assistant principal from last year is terrified of us (we might blog about his incompetence again): he walked into the office, saw us all chatting with the office staff (who were happy to see CBtE), recoiled, made a beeline for his office, and closed the door until we left.
I’m thinking this will be a good year. The new principal was happy to see CBtY (he was the elementary school principal before).
LOL about the assistant principal. If I was CBtY if that guy gave me any problems, I’d just mention, “I think I’ll call my Mom.” That should have the a/p running screaming. 🙂
That’s good too about the new principal. Hope CBtY has a good school year.
The only problem with the wild flowers is the grass would grow too. Having that problem in the front flower beds. Nope the only thing that will save me from mowing is when winter gets here.
Oh, that’s it? I thought it was to commemorate all of the horrendous pain we go through bringing the next generation into the world. At least that’s what I’ve tried to tell my kids over the years in a brazen attempt to make it all about me.
An apt description. Good evening, keres. I see signs of Fall here already, though most of it is due to the drought. Nothing here has been green since June.
I think it’s the seasonal associations that throw me off the most – like having Christmas in the middle of summer is all wrong, even if the date is right.
You can tell that Spring is almost here because all the birds are paring up and looking for nesting spots. That, and we’ve actually been able to forgo lighting the wood stove for several days at a time.
We actually had a bit of rain today, and the alpaca pastures are starting to green up.
Heh, i thought so too, that I would be very self-conscious and have trouble falling asleep – with all those wires hooked up and a camera trained on you the entire night. Truth is; I slept about 6.5 hrs, which is way above my average.
Do they give you the results right away? My husband is a horrible snorer and has sleep apnea and I’ve been trying to convince him to go to a sleep clinic. Mostly so I can have the bed to myself for a night! 🙂
I hope they do find something for you. My nephew said he has never slept so good that he can remember. He even got his father to go and take a test, and now his father is saying how good he sleeps.
Not many plans at all, actually. Spending today with a friend of mine and then the rest of the weekend will be spent trying to stay cool and perhaps get some work done around the house.
Hey CG. Just got word that nature boy has giardiasis. Yuck. They iodized the water but apparently he shouldn’t have eaten those moose droppings he came across. 🙂
And a question: what woud be a fun thing to send a 7th grade girl who’s off at boarding school for the first time and terribly homesick? I was thinking a batch of cookies and a deck of Uno cards (or something similar) to share with her new friends. Or does that only work for boys?
Uno might be good, but look for a card game called “Set”.
oldest asklet became a master around 7th grade – great fun for young and old.
Set is an awesome game.
As an ex-boarding-school attendee, I think cookies are probably a good call, particularly if they’re homemade.
Hey, spit!
Have not seen you around these parts for some time – good to see you stop by.
Thanks!
Been wanting to come by more for a while. I’ve been pretty MIA most places for a while — lurking on and off, but mostly too moody to say much.
I wish I could find some way to extract energy from my mood swings or something. I could power a small city.
Hi Spit.
I wish I could channel enough energy to light a light bulb.
Cookies work at all ages – though I can not help you with girl toys.
Good morning all. Two more days in Sedona. See you soon.
Nice Andi picture above CG.
Never heard of the game, but ask might be onto something. I think cookies work for just about anybody. Just as long as you spend hours and hours making them just for the person you’re sending them to. 🙂
Hi Boran, hope everyone is still enjoying the trip.
Actually, these cookies take hardly any time, travel well, and are absolutely decadent.
Miracles
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup shredded coconut
3 cups instant oatmeal
Combine ingredients from the top list in a saucepan and bring to a full rolling boil. Continue cooking for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and peanut butter. Finally, mix in coconut and oats. Drop heaping spoonfuls onto wax paper or foil and let cool.
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
ps. If you find your first batch is doesn’t completely harden at room temperature, substitute some whole oats for some of the instant oats.
Yum. I must make these immediately.
Care package please. 🙂
I think you should make them this time and mail them to me. You’re the chef/baker around here.
They really do mail well. My Grandme used to send them to me for my birthday. 😀
Oh, and when you dollop them, you can leave them clumpy or shape them, it’s up to you.
I can throw some canned biscuits in the oven. I can mail you those.
Here’s your Albert in partial eclipse.
Because I’m cleaning, I’ve got things all moved around, which seems to delight Albert no end. Thus this lamp (which I’m repairing for Imogen’s mum), which has been moved about six feet, is now an object of bunny fascination.
That’s the Albert eclipse I was looking for. 🙂
Have a fun day cleaning, and tell Imogen I said hi. I’m off to bed.
I finally have internet again…
The Set game is a great idea, and I’m going to pick that up tomorrow. I have that here, but forgot how much fun it is.
Keres, your cookies sound delicious, and I think I actually have everything here to make them with.
Thanks for the ideas!
That’s one of the best things about this recipe, most of the time you have all the ingredients anyway. Coconut is optional, btw. I used not to like it so I left it out. Now I like it more so I put it in. I recommend crunchy peanut butter and a good quality cocoa (we have Green & Blacks – purveyors of perhaps the finest chocolate widely available).
I should warn everyone, they are extremely more-ish.
about going to boarding school…
Favorite snacks of all varieties were very helpful, since getting used to eating mass-produced school food took a little time (but was mostly fine, in the end). Depending on the rules at the school, another fun treat would be a gift certificate for whatever pizza place might deliver there, for that one night that will happen where the cafeteria food is just wrong. Also, we were permitted to have those little electric hot pots that heat water — they’re invaluable for making tea or cup o’ noodles during study hall or on lazy chilly saturdays. We were a bit older, though (high school), so this school may or may not allow those — they vary a lot with those sorts of things.
I’d say avoid, at least for a while, going for things like clothes or decorative stuff unless there’s a request or you ask first — the first six months of boarding school, I recall that everybody went through massive changes around taste/fashion etc. since it was usually their first long stay away from home and with a totally new set of peers. Eventually it balances itself, but that first little period of time is one of massive change.
Best thing? Getting mail. Of course, this was back when the web didn’t exist, for me (’92-ish), so I’m sure things are a bit different now — but there’s still probably something cool about going to the mailroom and having a real letter or small care package when you’re not really expecting it. Including pictures is great.
Morning Andi.
I’ve got just over an hour before I have to leave for the airport to pick up Imogen. 😀 She should be landing in Melbourne just about now, from where she’ll catch her connecting flight home.
Have a safe trip and a very happy homecoming. And since Imogen coming home means you won’t need to snuggle with Albert, would that count as an Albert Eclipse?
Is anyone still here this morning? It is our first day back – two days of in-service “fun” and then the students arrive on Tuesday.
Good morning everyone.
Seems I overslept and missed everyone. Me oversleep, go figure.
Good morning, FM and all!
That’s a good sign, no?
Morning ask.
It’s a sign everything is running normal I guess.
How are you doing today?
Well, thanks. Getting ready for a walk, the weather is gorgeous. Currently a dry 67 and clear skies.
Hope you’re well too!
Doing fine, just trying to wake up.
Enjoy your walk.
Good morning from Az. 90s again here today, slacking weather for sure. 😉
Hope you have a relaxing vacation, boran.
Hey Boran, hope ya’ll are still having a good time.
BTW, I’ve never seen any weather that’s not slacking weather. 🙂
I hear you. After a mostly very mild summer, Sacramento has decided to aim for the low 100’s yesterday and today. When I woke up at 8:00, it was already about 72.
Which means today will be all about cold beer, sitting in the kiddie pool, and getting very little done. The house is too hot to be inside after about 2:00 on days like this, so I don’t even pretend I’m going to be productive.
Ha! Here in NC we haven’t been below 90 in a month and we’ve had nine days of 100+ weather. Oh.my.God. I miss the great North.
Yeah, it’s looked bad for you guys. It’s like you stole most of our summer, unlucky you — up until last week, we’d seriously only had two really hot days, and everything else felt a little bit like fall.
Last night was the first night I had to do the wet-towel-on-chest-with-fan trick in order to get to sleep. That usually happens here around mid-July, and doesn’t fully stop until late September.
I remember those days without AC…thank God it was in Cleveland and not here. I can’t even begin to imagine the hell that is living in NC without AC, but some of the people in the inner city don’t have it and I don’t know how they survive when it never gets below 80 at night.
Here, a lot of the older houses in the downtown area (the ones that tend not to have AC) have basements. A lot of people hide in them during the hottest part of the day if they must be home, and everybody goes outside in the evening to drink cold beer on the porch while the house vaguely cools down.
It does sort of put the “front porch” culture of parts of the country into context.
I’ve been considering getting one window AC unit, so that on the really bad weeks we can have one bearable room, but we have those old 1940’s windows that open outward with a crank instead of upward like modern windows. So I’m not sure how to work it yet. And I really only miss the AC for a couple of weeks out of the year. I grew up with it, but my mother was one of those people who refused to run it at night even if it was still 85-90 out, so it’s almost nostalgic to have to have strategies for it.
Next year, I think I’m going to try sleeping in the backyard in a tent for part of summer. It cools down faster outside at night, even if it’s still warm.
They make AC units for casement windows, but I think they’re hard to find. The backyard tent sounds like a much better, and more fun, idea. Don’t forget the S’mores.
Hee. I hadn’t thought about the cookout potential. That makes it even better.
I remember the wet-towel-on-back-with-fan trick well…
Good morning everyone.
It’s currently 76F and we’ve got a 60% chance of rain today. Things are looking up weather wise.
Good morning, FM!
Glad to hear things are cooling down.
Yep I think one day in the coming week, we’ll actually have a high of 89. Time to start breaking out the sweaters.
I’ve been good (well I haven’t but you can’t prove it) so why can’t I have what I want?
Oh Andi you can have what you want. Just lie to yourself and say it’s Friday. I mistake days all the time. 🙂
Yeah but it doesn’t matter to you what day it is anyway.
(waves hi to ask)
I miss the old weeks. Working m-f and then if you wanted, slack on the w/e. Now I have to slack seven days a week and there’s never any break. It ain’t easy. 🙂
I’d love to be able to say that I understand exactly what you’re saying.
Yeah but we have entirely different motivations. 😛
Yep I guess you’re right. I do have to do some work today though. I’ve been trying all week to get the rest of the lawn mowed, and now that the weather is nice, I have to excuse not to do it. I guess I’ll pray for rain early today.
I wish I believed that praying would bring rain — at least I wouldn’t have to feel so helpless about the drought.
Anyway, the dogs are insisting it’s time to be unslackerly. See ya later.
Have a good walk Andi and see ya later.
Good morning, Andi!
I’m heading out for a dawn walk in Central Park – see you later.
Try to google ‘why is it not friday’ – seems that many have had the same query – here’s one.
Looking for a smartass reply, weren’t ya? 😉
Have a nice walk.
Can’t help it…
Well, back from the park and coffee ready for curly who struggles with insomnia.
Good morning everyone!
Ask, I’m jealous of your walk in CP. 🙂
FM, I’m glad the weather’s inally getting cooler.
Andi, I’m sorry it’s not Friday. I’m ready for a long weekend too.
Morning CG.
Thanks. Just as long as it’s out of the 100s it’s looking good.
Hope you’ve been doing good.
I’ve been good. Spent most of yesterday doing back-to-school stuff. Went to the middle school to get CBtY’s locker combination…apparently the assistant principal from last year is terrified of us (we might blog about his incompetence again): he walked into the office, saw us all chatting with the office staff (who were happy to see CBtE), recoiled, made a beeline for his office, and closed the door until we left.
I’m thinking this will be a good year. The new principal was happy to see CBtY (he was the elementary school principal before).
LOL about the assistant principal. If I was CBtY if that guy gave me any problems, I’d just mention, “I think I’ll call my Mom.” That should have the a/p running screaming. 🙂
That’s good too about the new principal. Hope CBtY has a good school year.
Good morning, CG!
It was beautiful out there.
I’m going to try to get out for a walk around lunchtime.
of the early risers whom I have already missed. I think it might stay below 90 today because of cloud cover. Yay.
What an eye-opener; reading the front page discussion by keres and alexander. All I can think of is…wow, am I stupid. Smart, smart people on BT.
Glad you’re getting some relief from the weather too.
How’s the Nature Boy feeling?
Hi, FM.
He was afraid of missing school so he went back today but is still feeling queasy. Test results should come in today.
About your grass: scatter wildflower seeds all around and call it a meadow and then have it declared a wildlife refuge. No more yardwork.
Hope he gets to feeling better soon.
The only problem with the wild flowers is the grass would grow too. Having that problem in the front flower beds. Nope the only thing that will save me from mowing is when winter gets here.
Hi, SN. That discussion (and Terrance’s FP post) were quite an education.
Hooray for cooler weather for you too. I’m not sure what it’s supposed to be here today.
And a long weekend. Oh boy!
Morning Andi. What’s the Monday holiday for? Apparently I’ve already forgotten the US Holidays.
It’s Labor Day, known for sales, closing of swimming pools, and going back to school.
Oh, that’s it? I thought it was to commemorate all of the horrendous pain we go through bringing the next generation into the world. At least that’s what I’ve tried to tell my kids over the years in a brazen attempt to make it all about me.
Hey, we’re here at the same time. I guess that means we aren’t the same person after all.
And now Giddy is “asking” wotthehell I’m still doing in the house so I’m off.
Ta.
Was it something I said?
One of the many reasons I have pets, not children. Who was it that said, “it’s like pushing a piano through a keyhole”?
An apt description. Good evening, keres. I see signs of Fall here already, though most of it is due to the drought. Nothing here has been green since June.
Ah, now I remember.
I think it’s the seasonal associations that throw me off the most – like having Christmas in the middle of summer is all wrong, even if the date is right.
You can tell that Spring is almost here because all the birds are paring up and looking for nesting spots. That, and we’ve actually been able to forgo lighting the wood stove for several days at a time.
We actually had a bit of rain today, and the alpaca pastures are starting to green up.
Good morning Andi, keres and SN!
Just back home – spent the night in a sleep clinic.
How did that go, ask? I don’t think I could get to sleep in a sleep clinic.
Heh, i thought so too, that I would be very self-conscious and have trouble falling asleep – with all those wires hooked up and a camera trained on you the entire night. Truth is; I slept about 6.5 hrs, which is way above my average.
Do they give you the results right away? My husband is a horrible snorer and has sleep apnea and I’ve been trying to convince him to go to a sleep clinic. Mostly so I can have the bed to myself for a night! 🙂
Apparently yes – normally the same day. However, my doctor is away today – so I have to wait until Tuesday.
Yes, checking for sleep apnea.
Apnea is apparently a big indicator of heart issues so it’s good to identify it and treat it. Good luck on that.
Morning ask.
My nephew went to one, and he said it really helped him out.
Good morning, FM!
Well, I hope to get some more (or, better) sleep in the future.
Today; home slacking. Tomorrow; pick up asklets at airport.
YAA HOO on the asklets coming home tomorrow!
I hope they do find something for you. My nephew said he has never slept so good that he can remember. He even got his father to go and take a test, and now his father is saying how good he sleeps.
Morning everyone.
Seems I overslept and missed everyone. Just waiting on coffee now.
I’m still here, off and on while I read the online news and such. What’s on tap for the weekend, FM?
Nothing for this weekend. No one here but Fmom and me, and I intend for it to be very quiet.
What big plans do you have?
Not many plans at all, actually. Spending today with a friend of mine and then the rest of the weekend will be spent trying to stay cool and perhaps get some work done around the house.
Yep I think that’s the biggest thing I’ll be doing, is stuff around the house. Might go grocery shopping today.
The last couple of days we’ve been staying the in the low 90s, so that has been a little bit of relief.
Is everyone gone already?
I think we need a new cafe, don’t you?
Hey CG. Just got word that nature boy has giardiasis. Yuck. They iodized the water but apparently he shouldn’t have eaten those moose droppings he came across. 🙂
I just looked up giardiasis and it says there are several medicines that can be used, so hopefully nature boy will be feeling better soon.
Yay! Because he’s been feeling crappy (pun intended) for over two weeks now.
Hopefully the medicine will work fast. Nothing worse than having to jump up in the middle of…. anything. 🙂
Gotta get the trash out, back in a minute.
I wondered if that’s what he had. Metronidazole treatment?
No wonder he doesn’t want to go to school. Give him our sympathies and best wishes for a speedy recovery.
Yep…Flagyl. He missed Tuesday but refused to stay home anymore. Hopefully he hasn’t infected anyone at school! 🙂
Might be a good idea for a new cafe.
Be there or be square…