AF Daily - Monday, August 9th

[speedster]

OOPS it's the 10th!

Good morning, haven't checked in since Thursday. My theme for this week is it's the simple things that get complicated, strive to keep it simple.

DG - the agility seminar was wonderful. I had some major "AH Ha" moments and loved the instructor. Pupster should have more fun when we do agility now that I learned how I wasn't communicating well. I raise my hands too high in the air and he can't always see them and only gets partial information. It made so much sense and seems so simple. I can't wait to go to class this week.

Lavende - part II of keep it simple....I overdid it at the Farmer's Market. Ran into a deal on a bushel of peaches for $10. What was I thinking? Spent about 7 hrs yesterday processing. Made 10 pints of peach chutney, which at first seems too tart and cayenne spicy hot. At least a dozen 1/2 pints of peach marmalade, and a pie. I was somewhat depressed by the end of it all feeling I was in over my head and was too tired to go have fun. Oh, and this was after processing 7 quarts of green beans on Saturday. Green beans are easy though compare to peaches. The marmalade seems to be setting up finally, and I so hope I can salvage the chutney as I open it if it's too tart and hot.

BUT I did it all AF. I'd rather throw away a day on a bushel of peaches then on AL.

I'll catch up on the threads from this weekend later today. Everyone, be kind to yourself this week.

[Marshy]

AF Daily - Monday, August 9th

Morning Speedster & all to come,

I'm waiting for the TV repair man. Pom pom pom. Should be simple. I get up early on my day off in case he's on time...
Four hours later... pom pom pom

[lilmea]

AF Daily - Monday, August 9th

Good Morning Absters,

Speedster-It sounds as if you had a very productive weekend. You must have felt as if you had really achieved a lot. Homemade marmalade sounds yummmy!

Marshy-I'm waiting for the cable repair man today. Pom pom pom. I guess we can wait on our repair men together, in separate places!

I've really slowed things down and am trying to simplify as much as possible. Trying to cram too much into a day can really add to the stress level. Sometimes, though, it's easier said than done.

I'm going to get off of here and go ride my bike. I have found that starting my day with some excercise puts me in a better frame of mind for the whole day.

Hoping everyone who follows a great as Monday.

[greeneyes]

AF Daily - Monday, August 9th

Morning abbers!

Speedster, I really admire you folks canning, dehydrating, etc. It really is a wonderful thing on many levels. I also understand the bushel of peaches and the AF part and really admire that.

Marshy & lilmea, that just annoys me no end. Take a bath. The doorbell is sure to ring then.

Yesterday was one long chore but pine straw can make a tired old bed look rather reasonable. Lord was it hot!

I'm really enjoying the lemon verbena in my ice tea. I made that squash and basil soup yesterday. It really is delightful with the lemon in it.

Have a great day!

[Lavande]

AF Daily - Monday, August 9th

Good morning Abbers!

Speedster, I'm picturing you with peach juice dripping off of your elbows - ha ha. I hope your chutney turns out OK after all that work yesterday. Congrats on staying focused during your long day in the kitchen
Marshy & lilmea, I hate waiting for anything or anyone these days............wasting time, for me, is a sin!
Greenie, I love lemon flavor in anything..........sounds good!

I'm planning another day hiding in the AC. They're talking about a heat index of 105 today! This is definately NOT my kind of weather.

Have a good Monday everyone.
Lav

[greeneyes]

AF Daily - Monday, August 9th

Not to hijack the thread, but just a little note on foreign movies. That theatre is very big on foreign films. I stood on the sidewalk looking at the posters of upcoming features and fell in love with them again.

If you haven't seen.... you must. 1)Jean de Flourette 2)Manon of the Spring and they must be seen in that order. EO even liked them and admitted that when you're really into the movie, you don't realize you are reading subtitles. If I remember correctly, hell froze over that day.

[Pamina]

AF Daily - Monday, August 9th

Hi abbers,

Hope your repair guys have turned up by now. I waited for a delivery today and then missed the knock on the door as there's too much noise outside with kids on holiday. :upset: Now I'll have to try to swing by the post office tomorrow before heading for the airport.

My month is kicking into anxiety management mode. Must remember to pack BGPs, magic knickers and all other anti-wobble paraphanelia. I'm going back to deal with legal and financial issues related to my dad's estate. I'm not jumping for joy but it's got to be done. In addition, there's uncertainty over what project I'll be working on when I get back in September. The colleagues involved are on holiday at the moment, so it can't be resolved before I go, and I've now done all I can at this point. That will just have to do.

It does help to keep things in perspective. I have a job to worry about. I have an inheritance to worry about. I know what to do to keep myself sober. It could all be a lot worse.

Thanks Speedster, I'll try to keep it simple.

Have a good day everyone.

[momof3]

AF Daily - Monday, August 9th

Good Morning All,

I'm back from my journey. And yes, DG, I was in the same place in NH visiting my very best friend whom I call my "sister of the heart."

Brother is doing much better. I really cannot believe that he pulled through again. He is being discharged from the hospital tomorrow into a partial hospitalization program. I am very happy about that. Thanks for all of your warm wishes.

I am salivating thinking of all of the wonderful dishes everyone is talking about.

Pamina, my friend brought me back a wonderful plaque from Ireland that I now have on my desk. It says "Keep Calm and Carry On." I pass this on to you! Don't think too much about the future or the past. Stay in the moment, keep calm, and carry on.

M3

[Accountable for Me]

AF Daily - Monday, August 9th

Good morning, Abbers!

I am thankful today because it is pouring with rain. It has been way too long without any.... yesterday we had a few 'sprinkles', not enough to get the ground wet. Now the lovely deer, other animals, and the grass/trees are having a good drink. This makes me very happy!

Well, I must get motivated and get lunches packed, etc. It is Monday again, after all!

Have a great one! xoxo

[sunshine_gg]

AF Daily - Monday, August 9th

Good morning, Abs peeps!

Well, afternoon, actually :blush:

Are the tellies and cables repaired by now? And, more importantly, were the repair guys cute (as in worth the wait)? :H

Busy with work today - probably will have to take a trip to the farm supply store (45 min drive) later this afternoon *uggh* really don't have the time today, but the horse is out of her geriatric food.

Keeping it simple sound like a good idea to me. Now, if I could actually pull it off, would be even better.

Alrighty... enough of a break.. better get back to it! Have a great AF Monday, everyone!

[peacenik]

AF Daily - Monday, August 9th

morning all~
sounds like folks are facing challenges and moving through them without al distorting their ability to function. that is very helpful and inspiring for me and i thank you for sharing about your experieces!
im glad our brther is doing better mo3...hard times.

im off to school clothes shop (oh boy oh boy)...wish me luck.

peace!

[Marshy]

AF Daily - Monday, August 9th



Ooo, that's a bit big, isn't it? Momof3 - these posters were put up in Britain during the second world war to try to remind people to, um, keep calm and carry on while the bombs were dropping.

TV fixed! A shiny new digital box and the "blah blah scart re-routed through the blah blah" has done the trick. Hope your man turned up Lilmea!

Greenie - where do I start?! Anything by Pedro Almodovar - love him. There's a very nice French film/documentary called Etre et Avoir about a teacher in a village school. Erm, several films from Iran that I can't remember the names of now - interesting to see day-to-day lfe there.

[momof3]

AF Daily - Monday, August 9th

Thanks Marshy,

I did not know where that saying came from. My friend's daughter is doing a stint at a cooking school in Ireland and she saw the sign in the kitchen. I love it.

M3

[Doggygirl]

AF Daily - Monday, August 9th

Good afternoon Ablanders! It's so good to finally come here and touch the AL Free Zone.

Speedster thank you for kick starting us this fine Monday, and for the the topic of keeping it simple! Life is OH so much better when I keep things simple instead of overly complicating things which I am prone to do. (an alkie thing?? AA says so...)

I am so happy to hear that you got a lot out of the seminar with Pupster!! Keeping it fun for Ferguson is something Mr. Doggy has to constantly work at. He tends to be trying so hard that he ends up "worrying" Fergie and Fergie does NOT work well when worried. I'm guessing that most if not near all dogs are like that when they "work." Interesting that just a simple suggestion like "keep your hands lower where pupster can see them" can work so well! I think that's a real advantage of having a fresh pair of eyes on your training from time to time. Anyway...sounds like life with Pupster is all good!

LOL last week at the Tuesday farmers market I nearly bought some extremely ripe (putting it politely) peaches that were on "distress sale" for 50 cents a pound. But of course that would have meant doing what you did, and immediately! And I'm missing a piece from my pressure canner and that would have created an emergency, etc. For once, wisdom won out over impulse.

ITA this:

I'd rather throw away a day on a bushel of peaches then on AL.

Man - we could have a whole thread on what we'd rather throw a day away on than AL LOL!

Greenie I understand you saw the Food Flick and wrote something about it somewhere? I gotta go find that. I don't think I have the stomach to actually watch the film but I've been reading a lot of what people are saying about it. Deter - somewhere you noted the "unholy alliance" - that is exactly what concerns me. I'm all for free enterprise but this situation is getting very unbalanced and IMO, there is less and less "free enterprise" going on. (speaking generally about big ag / pharma / health / FDA)

The other movies sound interesting. I'm going to join the "go alone to the movies" club once gardening season is over!

Special welcome to all of the new and returning Daily AFers!! It's great to see so much fresh meat oops I mean fresh faces here on this thread!!! (sunshine - see what you started when asking if the repair men were cute???) :H Anyway, I can sure relate to the inability to drink moderately. There is nothing close to an off switch anywhere in my being. AF life got a whole lot simpler when I just accepted that. Seriously - it's great to have you all here with us.

AFM - glad you are feeling better and that Little AFM is not sick!

Hello to everyone else who has posted in the last couple of days and hello also to Hula and everyone yet to come!

Today has turned out to be beautiful day. It's a little less hot and a lot less humid than yesterday. Funny - I left the house at 4:30AM today and it was way more humid then than it is now in the afternoon! Go figure.

On of Mr. Doggy's childhood friends is visiting from California so a few of them are having a "boys lunch." I'm going to go crash it for just a few minutes to see what lunch consists of.

I am very grateful to be sober today, and without a bushel of ANYTHING to can today. Strength and Hope!

DG

[Doggygirl]

AF Daily - Monday, August 9th

Oh - Marshy that sign is SO funny (well, I'm sure it was not funny at the time with bombs dropping everywhere!)........ I need a poster sized one of those in my office.

I forgot to tell about dehydrated blueberries. There is a reason these are listed only in the "fair" section of the dehydration cook book. (a "fair" item to try to dehydrate as opposed to a "good" item)

I did drop them in boiling water which supposedly puts little tiny cracks in the skin to help the berries dry out. This technique works AWESOME when making raisins out of grapes. But with blueberries?? Not so consistent. Most of them ended up sort of like that bubble wrap packing material. The inside shrunk down but the outside was literally a bubble of skin that would pop when bitten. :H I think I'll stick with grapes!

DG