Forum: Maine Preppers II

Continued from here

Hi Lisa…that’s a wonderful way to find your place in the world (of esp. you and Lilly). That reminded me somehow of the last few lines of a favorite Mary Oliver poem- ‘Wild Geese’. I guess it’s because (for me) the natural world is so inspiring and comforting. (I know, I know …brutal too.)

www.poemhunter.com/mary-oliver/poems/ (my computer refuses to accept the tiny-url deal tonight. May be a cookie problem.)

Anyway, I was at the health food store outside Freeport today and picked up a jar of maple cream! Didn’t buy it though…least not yet. Is it like honey butter ie. just whipped maple syrup? i love the creamy maple candies. From where did you order it? Honey and maple syrup are just about miraculous. My neice in Mayo cuts up garlic cloves and puts them in a small jar of honey for when she gets a cold or a sore throat. It *really* helps and tastes great. I’ll ask her when she comes to visit at the end of Aug., if there’s anything extra she adds to her remedy. Whiskey, honey, hot water, and lemon/rind is another fav. of ours. yum!

I also went to Bean’s today but only bought a space blanket. I’ll check Reny’s again for better prices on led lights, etc.

I *am* extremly worried about the news. I’ve been slowly carrying canned goods from my unheated barn to totes under my house. No, I haven’t cleaned it up yet!<grin> I’m feeling pressured to get my preps into a place that won’t freeze later on. I need to talk to a plumber and I’m just afraid that I’ll be unable to move the cans if I have to have that d*mn back surg. done soon.

Yaa, ‘someone’ is being incredibly selfish IMO <LOL>. He just refuses to ‘get it’! I guess that B. et al did the right thing after all, as now they can exert pressure on Mr.X “A Party of One” (from Al Franken’s show this afternoon). Crazy world. And then there are the politicians!

Did you see that ‘Wide Angle’ “H5N1: Killer Flu” will be on PBS Next Tues night at 9:30? A repeat, I guess.

Wow, it’s late and Fiona is falling asleep on my head..lol! Good thing she’s <mostly> housebroken and I <mostly> don’t mind.

There is definitely someone missing in this picture though.

Bird-dog - such a beautiful poem. I’ll read it again before sleep tonight and let it fill my mind. I think I’ll read many of her poems now - another gift you’ve given me. Thank you. Here is where I got my maple cream: http://tinyurl.com/kjn6p. A small husband and wife team, best prices and really personal service. I am now a loyal fan and happy to share their site with you! My Dublin cousins cold remedy was honey/smashed clove garlic/scotch/lemon/and a little hot water. He insists on it’s curative power, though I’ve never tried it - hate scotch! I would be glad to come up and carry for you. Please know this is not an idle offer. A boy-child can also be put to good use! Emerg. Essentials sometimes has good sales on both the space blankets and led lights. You can sign up to be e-mailed about sales. I got my space blankets at Quake Care for $1.35 each with a larger order so that I didn’t have to worry about shipping charges. The LED light I purchased (3 in 1 combo area/led/fluorescent) was $24.95. Seemed to compare favorably with similar products elsewhere. It appears that I’ll have to try to find another showing of Al Franken’s show…And thanks for the Wide Angle info. I haven’t seen it yet. Hope I remember to watch it… I’ll bet Fiona misses her too. Does she give any signs of that?

You know, I do make paragraphs/insert proper spacing into my messages, then I post it, and all of the organization goes to pot. And, maple cream isn’t airy or whipped like honey butter. It’s made from a slow constant simmer. The syrup gets thicker and thicker and ends up with a creamy, spreadable consistency. For years I thought they mixed the syrup with milk cream and/or butter, but it’s only the syrup itself that been slow-boiled with lots of stirring…So yummy…food of the god(s)/esses!

Lisa, I agree, beautiful poem. All these years living in New England and have never tried maple cream, but checked out the website and will rectify that real soon.

Your cousins cold remedy sounds interesting, maybe there is something to it. By the way, I used to dislike Scotch although hate would be too strong a word. Then a few years back someone had me try single malt, in this case it was The Balvenie 12 year old Doublewood, aged in whisky oak barrels and then Sherry oak barrels. Never have I looked back. Smoother than 30 year old Cognac, no burn, and, at least to my unsophisticated pallet, little or no peaty taste. (Also known as SMFK)! Use it only for medicinal purposes of course..

NauticalMan- Well! With that endorsement I think I must give scotch another try. I do enjoy a slowly-sipped very fine cognac each X-mas eve. The scotch you describe so beautifully is likely beyond my prepping budget…nevertheless, it’s quite possible that I can convince myself that it is a necessity!

If you do get the maple cream, I hope you love it! Maple cream actually keeps me from getting fat. When I have a bad sugar craving, one tablespoonful is enough to completely satisfy me. It’s better than anything on waffles and crumpets (imho). Enjoy!

SMFK?

I’ve been traveling quite a bit for work but in my wanderings through the great state of Maine this week I happened to notice there was a front page headline and feature on bird flu in the Belfast Republican Journal. Naturally, I had to buy it. I’m really impressed-they did a near thorough, frank assessment. Much better than the bigger papers around the state whose coverage of bird flu seems to be limited and kind of dim.

Maple cream sounds amazing, thanks for the link Lisa.

Congrats are in order to bird-dog and any among us who are happy after tuesday! Tell Fiona I met an African Grey yesterday who was beautiful.

NauticalMan, I did a single malt tour as a child visiting Scotland, fun memory. What a great idea to have on hand, for one disaster or another.

Al,

African Grays are interesting and intelligent birds. I’ve met a few and think that I’m the better for it.

Lisa, SMFK, Single Malt Flu Killer, not to be confused with RWFK or WWFK! I agree, most of these medicinal alcohols are very expensive, usually limit my purchase to special occasions. Pierre Ferrand Cognac once a year at a friend’s big Xmas party, 30 years old, called I believe Selection Des Anges, or the angels share, for the amount of cognac that evaporates in the air during the long aging. Worth buying and keeping for yourself. The Benvenie is available in my local supermarket for about $35, more money in most liquor stores, don’t know if available in Maine state stores. My first taste of that was of the 21 year old, too expensive for my blood but ambrosia. I still am missing a few more items for prepping, some FD foods etc., but hey, consider the SMFK as a moral builder and medicinal item!!

Ooops, that’s Balvenie, not Benvenie

Hi gang! yes, African Greys are wonderful. If you ever have the chance, check out *Tasha Tudor’s Garden* or *The Private World of Tasha Tudor* - they’re often found on ‘sale’ tables but they are still in print at Amazon. She’s lived with a Grey for years AND has made an art of living off the land…as well off her childrens books. She’s over ninety now but would have added greatly to our SIP prep ideas, I bet. Neat lady! And glad you liked Mary Oliver. Check out >> The Summer Day, When Death Comes, At Blackwater Pond, Why I Wake Early, Mole, & Turtle. (She reminds me often of Lawrences’ ‘The Snake’). Her books of selected poems are very nice…so are her others. I’ve read nothing but, tonight. Haven’t even read the ‘news’, feel like I’m so out of touch!:-( Ok, no more talk of poems! Good books for SIP though!

Lisa, thanks for the offer! That is *so* thoughtful.<smile> I’m doing ok now and slowly am ‘gettin it done’. It feels good to know that if things get really bunched that there are some healthy, happy, and bf savy friends to call on. I’m pretty stubborn though and it almost is a good thing that I’ll have a deadline to motivate me. You are sweet though! And speaking of sweet, that maple cream sounds so wonderful! I’ll order some too! Thanks.

I think that Fiona is aware of the change as, when I return to the house, she hears my car and flies over to the window by the driveway and waits for me to come in. In the past, she’d call to me and fly to greet us. Now she continues to sit at the window almost seeming to wait for Maizey to get out of the car. Who knows. I actually took her for a short ride in the car last night— her first one at night, and she chatted away seemingly in amazement at all the car lights. Fun.

I’m a bit worried for my neice. She’s leaving Shannon Airport tomorrow morning for Boston and then on to Calif. to see her Dad. She knew nothing about the carry-on restrictions and little about the red alert in Britain. The flight should be fine but the hassle…I don’t know. *I’d* have second thoughts about flying tomorrow I think.

BTW, you could use Jameson’s instead of Scotch! That’s what I’ve used sometimes for the cold remedy. I usually save that for savouring though. NauticalMan’s suggestion sounds lovely too!!! I have ‘put away’ some Jameson’s, some Guinness, and some Smithwicks just to cover the bases in case I get a hankering. Oh and some sherry for my black beans and much cheap but tasty red and white bfk. I almost bought an enormous tin of tobacco today but have two packs of you-know-whats deeply stashed in my freezer for a major bf melt-down… Only for that! After last week with Maizey, I’ve not been doing too well in the ‘quit smoking’ department. I’m about ready to take the plunge again and throw the stinkers out <honest!> You aren’t missing anything, believe me.

Re Al Franken, he’s on 870 AM radio from noon to 3. Mark from 5–7am, Rachael 7–9am, Randi 3–7pm, Sam 7–10, Mike 10-? are IMO more Prog. - all are a riot. The others are good too off ‘n on… ie. Jerry & Al.

Now to the news…

bird-dog - I slipped up last week - puffing away right now and refusing to regret it at the present time. I’ll get back to the guilt-motivated health behavior next week. Got tired/?virus?, stomach and body pain, weakminded and tired. At least I can blame the forgetfulness on something now! Fiona sounds great. What an adventure a nighttime ride must have been! Organizing preps this weekend. More mylar/o2 absorber fun. Got 160lbs charcoal today. Have 280 total. Enough. I cook that way all thru the winter, unless it’s too cold to catch a flame, so it’s good to be stocked up beforehand. Need to buy small hibachi for backup. Have enough flour and sugars for about a year now, rice for 6 months. I’m done with starches and carbs. I think we’re good all around for 6 months. Need to plan for garden. Have lotsa rasberry and blueberry bushes, a few blackberry bushes, and 4 chestnut trees that missed Maines blight and droop with nuts each autumn. Apple trees are sick, but omniscient neighbor nursing them with me and tells me they’ll be fine. They’re only 6 years old. I’ll know what kind of a winter we’ll have by how thorough the squirrels are in picking up dropped chestnuts. When it’s going to be a bad winter, they clean up the ground. A mild winter means I have to clean it up! I’ll tell you what their level of industriousness is in October. Now to the news…

bird dog

Nothing at all wrong with Jamesons Flu Killer!

bird-dog - npr just repoted lines/chaos at airports markedly decreased. Your neice should have a smooth-enough time of it.

thanks Lisa!

Off to hit the library sales for fun this morning-that’s a prep!

We don’t get al franken in my radio market so I’ve never heard the show. Only rwing talk radio here. I was traveling through South Portland yesterday, got lost for an hour in the roads around the mall (and I was not trying to go to the mall) and I heard all sorts of diverse radio programming. I was reminded how much better the radio is down there.

I’m so behind in my preps since I still have to get more canned goods, more rice and beans, cat and dog food, animal meds, maple cream, mylar bags, more buckets and metal trash containers. My biggest prep that I’m planning for when finances permit is a solar generator-enough to run a laptop and a CF light. I also have my eye on the AirX wind turbine which I’d like to mount on my roof.

New Englanders: what if any preps have you made for a hurricane?

Lisa and bird-dog:

Have you asked your doctors about welbutrin? Worked for me. You keep smoking while taking the welbutrin for a week/10 days. It blocks the rush so you can kick one part of the addiction at a time. You get to keep the “hand” action a few days. I went from that to the gum and it worked.

2beans: I quit using Wellbutrin 8 years ago, skipped the gum part and it worked for me also. I “relapsed” 6 years ago. Thank you for the reminder, I will ask my doctor.

You’re welcome. By the way, Jameson’s goes quite well with the gum.

Hi 2beans and Al I also used the Welbutrin and it also worked for me years ago. I’m wondering if you, Al and Lisa, might want to quit together? I’d love it but I’m very ok if you’all aren’t ready! <grin> Anyone else could join us. A GOOD PREP! Then again, didn’t someone say that nicotine decreases the cytosine storm? :-)

Al, you can hear Air America on line or on XM radio —go to airamerica.com. I jump back ‘n forth between NPR and AA. I love it but sometimes I just need less intensity so I’ll go back to NPR ‘till I calm down- AA, occasionally can be annoying (like anything can, <G>). Don’t you have a wonderful station up near Blue Hill?

Has anyone bought the Kelly Kettle? I’m going to today…not sure which size. I don’t *really* need it but I can’t resist! I have a tiny propane burner AND a two burner Coleman Stove AND a gas stove in my kitchen AND a tiny sterno cooker. Maybe I should be talked out of buying one but they DO come from W.Ireland and they seem so efficient!!!

bird-dog - well…if they come from western Ireland how on earth could I talk you out of it? Wouldn’t that hint of poor ethics? Has your neice made it in yet?

2beans - I Love Wellbutrin! But, the last time I took it it almost killed me - put me into congestive heart failure in less than a week. It’s prohibited with certain heart conditions. But I did have great success with it years ago and miss it as I know I just don’t care to smoke when I’m on it. Oh well…

Al - I’m ruminating on bird-dogs group quit suggestion. It’s a good one, as most of her ideas are. What do you think?

oh, and 2beans…I agree…Jamesons. I can almost smell the peat burning…ahhh.

Lisa, I’ll be off to Rocky Hill in Brunswick this afternoon. Perennials 1/2 price! Last winter practically wiped out my mints, my heather, and others that I can’t think of at the moment… If you happen to be in the area, I have a silver Forester (how unique!…not) with a slashed ‘W’, an AA Radio sticker, and a ‘vote Dem ‘06′ on the back. I’m ~5′7″, sh.hair-blond, blue jeans, norm. wt. Meeting a friend at Bklnd in Cks Crnr. @12:30 & then we’ll go to R.H.. …just in case you were out ‘n about.

Hey, and Melanie could join us. She’s not under any stress! right? Hope she out on that beach right now!!!!

bird-dog - thanks! I’m not too out and about yet. Still feel as though I’ve been beaten. Nasty virus. Bad, evil, mean virus. My bumper stickers say things like…opps! Almost forgot wiki rules! Way too inflammatory to post here! Hope your day goes well. I’m off to petco to get one of those no-critter dog food containers for my rice. Gotta get moving before this energy dissipates. Melanie has a beautiful day to eat chocolate-dipped strawberries on the beach with cabana-boys waiting on her every need!

Lisa,

Don’t I wish….

Just romped on our beach w/ pup and child. What a windy beautiful day! Mother Nature rearranged my makeshift stepping stones and dumped a huge load of decomposing incredibly smelly seaweed up at the top of the sand for me to put in the compost pile. That was so thoughtful of mother nature. Prep-wise, we got nearly 40 books at the library sale for $4-can’t beat that! We can use every single one of them, the little one cleaned up! Chapter books galore. I only found two good ones-one of the Moosewood cookbooks, the low fat one as well as a plant ID book of medicinal plants-just perfect.

So, where are the cabana boys in Maine? I have a nicely appointed beach house rental, maybe I could raise the rates if I threw nicely appointed cabana boys in for free…Melanie, it’s available the week of August 26th-somebody’s booking fell through. I’d be happy to give you a fluwiki “mod” major discount! We’d really have to search high and low for any cabana boys. No one around here except for middle aged women, old fishermen (and fisherwomen), therapists and retirees. How bout old cabana fishermen?

Lisa, I didn’t know that about wellbutrin, I better check that out. Regardless of the method, I’d be up for a “group (therapy) quit-out”.

re. >>> Hey, and Melanie could join us. She’s not under any stress! right? Hope she out on that beach right now!!!!

I meant with the ‘smoking challenge’. I’m so sorry Melanie, that you’re not on that beach with the ‘boys’ etc… Hope your kitties are doing better and that you get your break soon.

I stopped at the feed store for corn and there were two 11 yr. old long hair, female, Maine Coon-looking cats waiting for a home. Their elderly mistress had to go into a nursing home. I’ll call the Humane Soc. Monday to see if they are still available.

Lisa, so sorry to hear about your stomach flu. There’s little worse! Hope you’re back on top and feeling well really soon.

You didn’t miss much today. The garden center was closing for the season tomorrow so there wasn’t much left. Did buy a lavender(Munstead) and an artemesia (silver mound), a small spindely eucalyptus(as prep), and a small Dipladenia splendens(flowering house plant). It just felt so good to be out in the cool Fall’ish day.

I haven’t heard from my neice yet. She’s probably so exhausted. Also, I’m holding off on the K. Kettle for the moment. Did you see their website? It’s >>> http://tinyurl.com/ebwy9. I still haven’t attempted the O2 absorbers even though I have a full bag of them. Guess I’ll fiddle around with preps while the npr news is on. <someones having a major block!>

Al, I posted before seeing yours! Melanie was possibly going camping down her way but it looks like she hasn’t been able to. That’s such a great idea to offer her the beach house to her!!! It would be great if she could go. It has been a glorious day and what super ‘finds’ you had! Perfect!

Almost forgot to mention-I spoke to a state wildlife biologist about my bat problem last week. While on the phone I asked about H5N1. He said the special hotline phone number set up by the state has been ringing off the hook for weeks now with questions about backyard flocks and reports of dead birds. I asked whether they tested for rabies re: my recent bat visitations, as well as a very strangely behaved squirrel last week who’s been drunkenly staggering around near my front door and no, I didn’t give him any alcoholic beverages. I do think the animal might be rabid. He grew progressively sicker each day I saw him. His reply? Well, they can’t possibly test most of these animals except if someone is bitten and, of course, the animal is captured. He also reassured me there is no rabies in my county. But of course they don’t test without a bite. No tests but it doesn’t exist. Sound familiar?

bird-dog, no hi-speed available here, just old dial up. How do I get XM? I’d love to listen to aa after hearing so much about it. I do have a satellite dish, can I get it through that?

I don’t know about super finds re: the seaweed. My daughter was horrified. The puppy ate more of it than any creature ought to. He’ll be having a major case of the runs tonight!

Al, I only have dial-up and I can’t get cable either. I’m not sure, XM is satellite radio >>>http://tinyurl.com/acga2. By the way, don’t forget that Wide Angle(PBS) Tuesday night at 9:30 OR 10:00 is having a repeat on H5N1. I think that it’s called “Killer Flu: H5N1” or somthing similiar.

Good luck with your pup! LOL!

Al, BTW…I’d be happy to throw into the deal a couple lobsters for Melanie. After a long discussion (w/ the lobs.), I’m sure they’d sacrifice themselves for the cause. If not, I’ll drop in on some clams. If *they’re* unwilling then… a pint of Maine blueberries, 6 ears of fresh corn, and a bottle of BB’s WBFK (Maine-made!). We owe so much to Mel and the other mods…

{I know, I’m nuts…}

bird-dog,

Dem sent me a whole cooler of lobsters with a whole basket of clams and stuff last year. WTF am I supposed to do with that? I live alone and a cooler full of waving tentacles freaked me out. I gave them to friends. I’d much rather find a way to travel to Mount Desert Island and get a real vacation. I don’t usually pack my shampoo in my carryon.

OK, check out “the Secret Life of Lobsters”, a book that was published a few years ago. I can’t bring myself to cook them! I’ll eat them though.

Thank goodness they have shampoo and some of the basic trappings of civilization on MDI.

What’s WBFK?

Melanie - if Dem comes thru with the fruits of Maine again this year, you can boil the lobsters then freeze the meat. Lasts a long time and great for really quick pasta supper. Cooked clams will freeze in a thick mason jar but you’ll need to freeze them in a liquid, such as olive oil/lemon juice mixture, or else they get pretty tasteless on defrost. I’m presently holding interviews for cabana-boy positions. Will update you re progress, esp if you take Al up on beach house offer! Please state any cabana-candidate preferences you may hold as this would help in hiring…

bird-dog - thanks for the sympathy. I’ve been just pathetic the past couple of days and soaked up your compassion like a 3 year old! Sad…

Never made it to petco. Ran out of energy after my shower. Oh dear!

Did vaccum-pack some breads, finished mylaring flours/sugars/baking mixes. When you do get to the 02 absorbers, I suggest you have all of the bulk foods you’re mylaring (I love creating new verbs!) ready. After you open the absorber pack they very quickly lose efficiency. You’ll want to get as many used as possibly on first opening. I opened my pack of 100, re-vaccumed 50 immediately with my beloved foodsaver, then packed 42 5lb mylars today. I had to throw the remaining 8 absorbers away. Oh well.

It is depressing to hear that the garden center is closing already! Seems like summer just started. Good thing I love fall, but this time-passing thing is really getting to me!

Al - not a very reassuring conversation with the biologist. Drunken squirrels are scary. At least if didn’t get near your pup. Well done on the book sale. I’ve been keeping my eyes posted here with no luck yet. Googled term ‘cheap books’ today and found some good sellers, but really want a library or clearance sale. Books can add up so fast. Seaweed is very good for your dog. Lots of soluble fiber. Your night may not be as bad as you anticipate. Holistic vets recommend seaweed be mixed into dogfood for thyroid supportive properties. Maybe the dog just wanted a boost!

He wanted an aromatic boost alright. I just cannot believe the things he’ll eat. I guess he was lucky this time and he’ll have a very happy thyroid tonight. Hope you feel better soon. Don’t forget PETCO is online. Which brand of bins are you looking at? I’m still checking into an affordable way to store my bulk stuff (flour, rice, dog food) and I don’t have the patience for the kind of hard work you’re undertaking, particularly since I don’t have a dedicated freezer or freezer space in my fridge to kill critters in bulk food before sealing it with a foodsaver I don’t have.

Clear as mud!

Lisa..LOL!!!! I can’t cook them either Al. A new lobsterman-friend/potential something else friend of mine once suddebly stopped by my house one evening in a late fall and showed me how to cook Me. shrimp. Then he put 3 lobsters in my refrigerator and left. Well, I forgot about the guys in there until about midnight when I opened the door for a snack. There they were, bug-eyed (sort of..) bubbling away in the refridg. light. Well, I picked them up and placed them on the front seat of my car, the dogs jumped in back, and the six of us drove to Robinhood Marina to the dock. As I put them in the water I told them if in the future, I found myself in trouble in my kayak, out in the ocean, I was counting on them to save me. We then drove home. A few days later, the lobster-gentleman asked me how they tasted. I hesitated, then told him what I’d done. Well, I never saw him again! LOL. He did say before he left that he’d caught them far out in the ocean and that they’d probably all died in the cooler water by the shore. That I’d KILLED them and given them a very painful death. Nice.

Melanie, my offer was for in case you made came up. There are many fisherman co-ops on the shore that will cook them for you. Hope you can make it up here…

Lisa and Al, Reny’s has Me. lobster stew, bisque, pate’, clam chowder, clam dip, chopped clams, haddock chowder, etc. (possibly) on sale this week. Plus discounted sheets and towels. Lots of sale prep items!

for library and book sales in Maine: http://www.BookSaleFinder.com/ME.html and for New Hampshire: http://www.BookSaleFinder.com/NH.html

At petco - I like the 50ish gallon container with the critter-resistent screw-top. Food grade plastic. I have 62lbs of flour in one right now. It’s stuffed full, 5lb bags (and one 2lb bag), but closed tight. I like this petco product a lot better than the big plastic (tupperware-like) bins as it seems much more bug proof. But, it’s muuch more expensive. I’ve done some math on the last 6 months of prep expenses and it is a bit horrifying. At the same time, it does feel good to feel somewhat prepared, for whatever might occur. Presently I am talking myself into buying 2 more, one for rice and one for sugars, cake mixes, etc…The no-room issue, you can just get a 10lb bag of flour, put it in for 2 days, take it out and store it in a tupperware and rotate a new bag into the freezer until you have enough to bother with mylar repackaging. You could iron-close the mylars if you don’t want to get a foodsaver. Still time-consuming though. How about just bulk ordering from waltons or somebody and having them do all the work for you? Then you can just stack the cans/buckets they come in. Very easy!

I’m not quite ready to re-give up my cigs yet. Can we talk again in about a week? I’m sure by then I’ll have a realy repugnant morning wheeze and will be open to health considerations. Right now, they’re just pleasure…

Funny! Obviously wasn’t the right guy. Real men throw lobsters back.

Years ago, sitting around, bored, with co-workers in our respective cubicles, after hearing that same sort of “it’s still alive” story about lobsters tenatiously hanging on to life after being in the fridge, our entire office called the Woods Hole Institute to settle the issue, and we got ahold of some poor, hapless and equally bored biologist on the phone there, and we put him on speakerphone and he was kind enough to entertain and educate us and I’ve never boiled or broiled a lobster since.

Yet I’ll eat them…

Thanks for the link, Al! The sale in Damariscotta looks great. I may go Thurs.. Friday I’ll be in Boston and Sat. is the St. Andrew’s Society’s Maine Highland Games >>> http://tinyurl.com/pffgs < at Thomas Point Beach. I’ve worked in bookstores for many years off and on and have accumulted a gazillion wonderful books. Guess I could find room for more… Between the prep totes, misc. prep bags, and the books, my house is so cluttered I couldn’t even find my ironing board last week before the concert. Still haven’t! Bought a mini one at Renys yesterday. I think I’ve lost my mind here… Good thing I live alone… except for ‘shorty’.

“Yet I’ll eat them…”

Yup, me too but I *DO* sincerely thank them and it’s usually only once a summer. On the other hand, lobster rolls or stew…

I’m thinking Walton’s. Having someone else do all the work sounds good to me. Actually I can see myself ironing mylar bags, maybe I’ll do that for the 50 lbs of Artisan flour I bought last month for breakmaking which is especially interesting since I’ve never baked bread in all my life. Should be interesting!

You know, the change of seasons, maybe the first day of fall, might be an appropriate time to quit. Will revisit.

bird-dog, did anybody see you steal down to the water’s edge and throw them back? What a sight, bet those lobsters lived and thrived. Maybe that’s why we’ve had a surplus ever since.

“I’m not quite ready to re-give up my cigs yet. Can we talk again in about a week? I’m sure by then I’ll have a realy repugnant morning wheeze and will be open to health considerations. Right now, they’re just pleasure…”

That’s fine. Of course I went into my freezer cigs that I put in there for use ONLY when TSHTF. Guess I forgot about that part. Funny how that happens. lol. I have stressful times ahead this week so talking about it next week probably makes sense. I really really like it/me better when I’m not smoking but tonight, puff’in away and listening to Woody Guthrie music on NPR is pretty great.

Al- Thanks sooo much for the links!

birdog - what a great story! And, unless you dropped them into really shallow water, they were fine and he was full of s*#%. I grew up in a lobster town, lived (and reproduced) with a lobster/fisherman for a decade, and…had my toe bitten by a sizeable, quite alive lobster when swimming in water less than 5 feet deep. Talk about a fragile ego! That guy’s a riot, in a way he would not appreciate! I will go to Reny’s tomorrow. Do they have Bar Harbor brand canned seafood?

Going to the Highland games? Sounds like much fun. I had forgotten about them. Can’t go, but please give a report so we can all envy your great day!

Oh! Woody Guthrie! Did you see the documentary PBS did on him? I loved it enough to watch it twice. I hate my smoking aspect of self too. Especially hypocritical, because I make my living teaching wellness. But, all of my clients know that I constantly fight this battle. It seems to humanize me for them, and take me out of a potentially toxic ‘teacher’ role.

Al, no, there was just us. It was almost surreal as it was a cold night and so foggy/misty that I couldn’t see the shore from the dock. And the water was very still. All I needed was a selkie to break though the surface. I did love doing it though.

Al - breadmaking can be fun. Breadmachines are great too - and people get rid of them all the time for next to nothing. My oldest sons favorite experience (he’s 15, so of course it’s food related) is to be awakened in the AM by the smell of cooking cinnamon-raisin bread. 5 minutes to assemble the ingredients before bed, timer set, morning with grumpy/tired adolescent changed into morning with smiling/pleasant adolescent. A god/ess send! (I forget how to spell adolescant/adolescent…help…this virus has really killed some brain cells)

Al - if you’re ordering from Walton’s, do it soon. They take forever to deliver. 6 weeks for me some months ago and I hear it’s 8 now.

Lisa when I worked in natural food stores and was practially vegan AND smoking, I’d rationalize that ‘we’ do what we can do… nothing is ever perfect. When my sister moved to Dharamsala to help the Tibetans there, others in my family would say critically to me ‘Well, why isn’t she staying *here* and helping in the US.” Very snide. I’d say that “that is what is calling her, others are called to places in the US. You only can do/be effective in what your heart calls you to do.” That doesn’t make too much sense re. smoking vs. being a healthy example I guess.

It sure brought me closer to the folks in the shelter when I could light up with them. At least that’s what I told myself. LOL

Oh and yes, I did see the Woody Guthrie program. It was good. My favorite was the Dylan one though.

It does make sense. We’re not perfect to self or others. Best to have it that way. But, we do need to find a less toxic form of imperfection I suppose (she writes reluctantly, wanting at all costs to find a way to justify this terrible habit). And you know, I’m sure it did bring you closer to them. Made you a little more ‘real’, accessible to them, and they probably truted you more easily because of this imperfection…I liked the Dylan one too, but the Guthrie one made me cry.

truted=trusted

yeah, it was sad. I loved the part on the Dylan(or was it the Johnny Cash or both) documentary when he/they went to visit Woody in the nursing home. Oh and it was so great but also so sad when Woody went to the concert in his honor. :(

His poor mother (& he as a boy and his dad) when she became progressively more infirmed.

I wonder how dear Arlo is doing…

Ok, enough sadness. The Neil Young DVD is another amazing feat. He’s another favorite!

Tomorrow…only prep work and moving wood. I’m off to bed to read. G’night!

bird-dog - is there any chance I can blame you for the $158.00 spent at Remy’s today??? Did get great chowders, clam sauces, canned mussels/clams, towels, a super cordless rechargeable spotlight (only $10.00!), relacement pot for coffeemaker (only $2.99!)…The only true nonessential is nonelectric cappucino/espresso maker. I can justify that. And then, the dollar store is next to Remy’s so I did get the boys all of their school supplies…I’d better have a cigarrette before I enter today’s debits into the checkbook!

Lisa,

Just make sure Dem gets some lobstah rolls.

Melanie - Oh-oh! Forgot to put those on the list! Now I’ll just have to go back…and blame you!

Lisa…LOL! Thats how it was for me yesterday! From a staple gun(only (9.95!) to towels and sheets(bought king-size by mistake…could you use a fitted bottom sheet?) to plastic containers (four!) to the seafood to a jar opener to solar lights, to molasses cookies, etc. etc.. It’s a wonderful store but I spent too much! You sound like you’re feeling better. Good.

I have to go back and get some plastic containers. Not enough room in the cart today…

And yes, I’m feeling better. Best prepfood for sick stomach turned out to be rice noodles and coconut milk. Working my way up to potstickers tonight! Did realize I need to get more ready-made foods - thai and indian - as my preps are mostly still scratch-ingredient meals. We’re screwed if I don’t feel like cooking! Just when I think I’m done…But I suppose it’s worked out OK because the ready-made stuff has the closest expiration dates. It’s fitting that they come in last.

One product that I’ve O-D’ed on are the 60–90 second rice pouches for the microwave. You can by Thai rice or br. rice or chick. flavored rice or vegetable rice or red beans and rice, etc….Uncle Ben’s makes some of them. They are often on sale and the dates are often up to next Fall. If the power is down I’m sure they’d be easy to heat with little water. I usually put soy sauce or tahini on/in them or mix steamed veggies. Not as tasty as reg. rice but easy easy.

What do you do with the coconut milk besides Thai/Indian sauces? And what is a potsticker?

Lisa, btw, my cats, a brother and sister lived to be 22 and 23 years old. I found them as kittens and they were indoor/outdoor cats. The last one died this past year. Good luck with your seach! That’s great!

 I think that I’m logging off now so have a good one…

Thanks bird-dog - I had logged off for the night but here I am again! Inexplicable! Will you get a cat again? I’m still shocked they live so long! I never find cats. Every stray dog for miles around finds his way to my door, but never a cat. Too many predators maybe. Anyway - I cook a lot of Indian and thai food. Coconut-chicken soups, different curries, dals. I use it for some desserts instead of regular milk - but I don’t make desserts too often. It’s so good in bread pudding, if your waistline can afford such things. Mine can’t, but still will be sip treat. And potstickers are soft asian-dumpling like creations, with veggie or chicken-veggie centers. The filling is almost pureed, not runny, but soft. A toothless person would have no problem chewing them. They’re great comfort food, with a little tamari/rice vinegar/maple syrup sauce over them. I boil mine, but some people fry them. They’re just as tasty boiled. Well, I’m tired enough for sleep now. Goodnight!

Lisa @ 21:28 — “Will you get a cat again?”

Well, here I am back again too. On Saturday, I met two eleven yr. old female cats who were looking for a home together…their mistress had had to go into a nursing home (so sad) and the Humane Soc in Brunswick had farmed them out to the feed-store for visibility. They were very sweet and affectionate…long-haired coon-cat types. They’ve been indoor cats, don’t know if they were de-clawed (I hate that!) but my dilemna is my SPOILED free-flying you-know-who. She’s accustomed to attacking squeak toys unmercifully! I’d be frantic if she gave these two old gentle-ladies a problem. They’ve probably been through so much. I have an appt. tomorrow early morning, maybe I’ll call the shelter afterwards to see if the cats have found a home. Then, I don’t know. I do have a hearty mouse population to entertain them at night.

Fiona was ok with Johnny and June (my cats) but the dogs were here too to keep her in line. Now she’s been the queen bee and has been acting more and more possessive. She’s also used to having the run of first floor(small) even when I’m out. Maybe I could find her some parakeets to lord over while I sneek the cats into the picture. Blah…I don’t know. I should wait and see how my Fall shakes out health-wise, and that small so small so minor problem…prepping for the ‘MOTHER-of all-PANDEMICs’!

Kitties would be a very soothing, relaxing addition. I wish that *you* could adopt them. I thought that Siamese cats were suitable for allergy sufferers. A great breed tho I’ve never lived with one.

Also, I had an email from Happy Acres Farm; my goodies are on the way… Thanks again for that info. Maple cream! yum.

bird-dog - I’m so excited for you and the maple cream! Really wierd, huh!? It’s so good, and Happy Acres has great prices and great service. I’ve downed half a container in the past week - but the excess was probably due to the fact that I really couldn’t eat real food…excuses…excuses…

Anyway - perhaps getting the cats in now before Fiona becomes truly entrenched in her Queen of your roost role would be a wise thing. I love Maine coon cats. They are my idea of the ideal feline. And 11 years old…they’ll stand their ground with Fiona. A truce will most likely be quickly established. And…you do need them for mousing…

I will talk to my dogs vet about cats.

I’m off to check the news. My body has felt anxiety today - the occasional ‘rush’ that fills the belly and makes me aware of my breathing. Very unusual for me. I think I’m dreading the news, or the fall which is so clearly rushing in. Talk to you soon. Take care.

Dogs never find me but I’m a cat magnet. This puppy is the only animal ove I’ve had who was a baby. Most were adopted as older animals. Hope you get the cats, bird-dog. It sounds like it’s meant to be and that counts for something. Older animals need our help the most. Lisa, are you alergic? I may have missed a post, if I did, I’m sorry. Rubbing a cat down with Palmolive liquid dish soap diluted by warm water on a towel supposedly removes the dander. Doing this periodically ( I forget if it’s once a week or once a month) keeps allergy sufferors from suffering. Is this an old wives tale? Perhaps. I did it with all my cats once a week and it does seem to work for me, since I’m horribly allergic to cats.

No progress on preps today, worked hard on the old day job. Sometimes it feels like prepping is my “other” job. But I did get some advice on my puppy pulling problem. He pulls like crazy. I couldn’t bring myself to get a choke collar but I’m slowly introducing him to the halti, so far he’s bucking like a bronco while he has it on as I feed him treats. No more squirrel sightings, thank goodness, the poor thing is probably off in the woods and dead by now, whatever he had. Newest wildlife trauma is the mice I heard in the bedroom today. What’s up with my bedroom? Obviously there are points of entry somewhere I haven’t discovered. I have such a tough time using that spray foam because it hardens up so quickly the nozzles alway clog up on me. My declawed cat is 13 (he was declawed prior to becoming my cat), pretty un-ruthless and only mildly interested in rodents. So I’m virtually on my own with this problem. Bird-dog, what other interventions do you know about for mice other than cats?

Lisa, those potstickers sound great. I have tons of canned coconut milk in my preps. Any easy dessert recipes? I’ve stocked it to make peanut sauce but desserts sound good too.

Hi Al! How are you? Yes, I’m very allergic. Put me in a house with cats and throat closes/lips swell/eyes close without any direct contact. Sit me on a chair with any fur and I’m looking poxed in minutes. Pretty ugly site. I’d have to get a no-allergy cat, couldn’t even pick it up to wash it to keep dander down. This will take some investigatory work! But I do love them, and have dearly missed having one.

What kind of heating system do you have? Any chance critters are going walls to open-area in ductwork and coming up next to heater pipe?

Glad ravid squirrel has disappeared. Someone on another thread described similar experience this week - but not in our area.

I have my younger dog on halter for walks. give him some quick off-balance pulls when he tries to lead. He always (as in every time we walk) needs reminders at beginning of walk, but does fine. He is called sir seymour the stupid, and he really is terribly dumb, but oh so sweet. Very hyper - needs a lot of run time and doesn’t get enough anymore as new neighbors have very large, aggressive dog over which they have no control. This dog is quite a threat to my dogs - it weighs about 200lbs. Seymour weighs 70, all muscle - but the other dog just wants to have him for dinner, then Lilly decides she needs to protect seymour and things get ugly. Although, if the owners would just take care of the d**n dog all would be well. Poor thing. Another neighbor says he’ll shoot it the next time it goes on his property (it is a threatening dog) but I vote that he just shoot the owners and give me the dog to train. Oh well…I’m rambling…and sending apologies for doing so!

Neighbor says you have holes in walls. Sniggers, thinks it’s me with bat problem…suggests ‘I’ put dusting of baby-powder around perimeter of bedroom and look for scuff marks in AM, assuming ‘I’ really did check ceiling and wall adequately. Said bedroom problem can be fixed, but unless ‘I’m’ able to block outside entrance they’ll continue coming in. Also, said blocking outside entrance needs to be done now, before winter, or else they’ll get trapped in walls and house won’t smell too good. Twilight best time to check for bats, start 20 min before sunset and look for exit. Cut all greenery from a foot around base or house, examine closely for entries for rodents, use powder trick as needed, outside and thru basement perimeter. He’s a bid fan of laying d-con everywhere…so after you ID entry area we’ll go to bird-dog for deterrents.

I’ll find some dessert recipes for you. traditional bread pudding, made with cinnamon-raisin whole-wheat bread and coconut milk is food of the gods/esses, with maple sugar sprinkled on top. omg I’m starving now. gnite!

Lisa and Al and Dem And NauticalMan and 2beans…anyone living in or visiting Maine >>> tonight the **H5N1: Killer Flu** on PBS cha. 10 or 11(cable) at 10:00 on WMEA Portland, etc.. It’s not being shown in Boston or NYC or D.C. as far as I can tell. Hopefully I’m wrong. It may be very disappointing, very superficial, but then again it may not be. Obviously I choose not to see it on line. Must run out quickly before the program…

oh well….sorry about that…

bird_dog,

We works wid what we gots.

thanks Melanie… <grin>

Hey guys…one of my preps for today is ‘mouse control’! I’ll be going over to the Humane soc. today and applying for those girls. Yes, those two gorgeous old ladies who needed a home will have their work cut out for them when they arrive here, hopefully Saturday. I’m very excited! :@)

BTW- found an mouse-opened package of brown sugar and one of gravy mix powder in my preps upstairs today when taking an inventory! ‘Back to Reny’s later for more Sterlite(?) containers…. I’ll need to prep for the cats too!

ps--- don’t tell Fiona about the cats!!!

It will be a challenge squaring two enormous fully-clawed cats with a very very spoiled parrot who even searches me out and finds me when I’m showering (and then gets in with me!!!). My plan is to find some sort of tiny bungee cord, leash, halter, or backpack type carrier for her so that she can spend quality time with me outside and in the car. It would be a good idea too for bugging* out (*that doesn’t sound right!).

I AM very concerned about the ‘news’ ie. ‘clusters’ of the past few days…

Congratulations on your new family members and good luck with Fiona!

I’m very uneasy about the possible clusters too.

Congratulations on your new family members bird-dog! Sounds like they’re just in time! Hopefully Fiona will love them. She does have a powerful personality, doesn’t she! They’ll know who’s boss in about an hour or so…

I’m concerned about the clusters too…but the timing for a heat-up seems right…we knew this fall would be a touchy possibly high-risk time, and the cluster is proving that out…wish I were as ready as I wanted to be, as I’m still dependent on electric for heating…but still have some weeks before our flu season starts to work on that hopefully. I wish money grew on trees!

Getting even more flours/brown sugar/rice/lentils/onions/garlic today. The onions in loose mesh hemp bag hanging in dark cellar do last forever! I hope this seasons apples do the same.

By now. Take care. Lets consider an emotional-based worry session this weekend if things look scary…

Well, I cleaned out the asain store today! Not quite, but remembering the fact that last weeks stomach virus led me to noodles propelled me to stock up on lots of dry noodles, more ghee, coconut oil and milks, nan, sesame oil, tamari, canned curries, more lentils/rice/flours…Got a little carried away maybe, but good filler food to stretch protein and fats for all but especially the boys are so important. I really want to say ‘that’s it for food preps!’ but still need more meats…Pricing cheap sheds to hold wood…have changed my mind yet again regarding heating stove and now settled on wood because I can always rely on the woods to find more and avoid of potential propane transport difficulty.

bird dog - did you get the girls?

Hi Al!

Thanks Lisa and Al!

I want you to know that as deeply painful as these weeks have been dealing with the death of my sweet o’ sweet pup…you two have been *so* comforting and thoughtful in your support for me. Your posts have been a god(dess<G>)-send. You have truely helped, honestly. Thank you so much. I mean it! Your words rang true…

I’ve figured out how to introduce the cats to me, the house, and the feathered-one-now-sitting-on-my-head. Tomorrow morning I’ll create a soothing and inspiring domicile out of my library (where this computer resides) with an attached downstairs bathroom (for the litter box). I’ll pick them up before 4 then let them acclimate themselves to the space sans Fiona. Then after a few days, I may let her see them from her temoparilly Just-for-that-moment *closed* cage in the living room. Piece of cake…ya right. Well, I hope so.

Hey, it’s got to be better than the cage that the cats have been in for months…right?

Lisa, fabulous fur-appropriate felines for you >>> will be our next challenge. I can’t believe that with so much more to do about prepping and with such an ever-dwindling weight in my purse, that I took on this extra expense, but… ah, what the hay, the cats and I need each other. Perhaps, Fiona too!

Long day today, left at 7:30am, back at 7;00 pm. Nice SWEET Thoughtful HANDSOME (very young) doc, say’s it’s not mechanical which is good (no surg.- yay!) ‘n bad (say’s it’s MND but abnormal), so… back to my other MGH doc in Sept..

Beautiful day though, listened to AAR, Bob Dylan, & Dixie Chicks, and a good friend came along. Glad FW was back up this am before I left. Spent hours off and on checking and reading the main page, CU, FT, Recomb., etc last night. FW is the best! Good to re-acquaint myself with FW’s main page too!

Anyway, hope you all are well tonight. Lisa, I bought several jars of ghee months ago. Is that very different from canned butter? Oh, and I smoked cigs and ate ice cream this afternoon en route, then had a good amt of BB’s RWFK when I came home, ALL after my appointment. SO THERE! Tomorrow is another day…<G>

Hi Lisa, I just read *your* post after *I* posted. I’m glad that you’re going with the woodstove. It’s so relaxing and the smell so wonderful. With your strong boys to help you, I can see you all(four-legged’s too) >>> kicked-back and working on jig-saw puzzles safe and sound in that satisfying warmth. Hummm, a shed. I just place a folded back tarp over the tippy-top of my stacked out-in-the-open wood so that the air can move through but the rain/snow can’t completely penetrate. I wish that it *was* hidden from sight…I really do get the willies when I think about (not to be too dramatic) >>> travelling mauraders (SO SCARY!!!!!). Too bad I don’t have any preps or anything….

Paul and I stopped today at Whole Oats and Whole Grocer for some supplies - for me some Traumeel (homeopathic) cream {on sale}, some Solray red rice yeast powder(?)capsules {on sale}, much wild smoked salmon in the small packages, some buckwheat and some tupulo honey’s, a butternut squash for poss. sip, and some bucheron(sp?) goat cheese. Oh and I bought Fiona an Audubon chirpping bird for sip. Oh, and some Newman’s canned cat food and some healthy cat treats. I’ll have to find out what they’ve been eating recently then decide if it’s appropriate for these grand ladies. …Turns out they were dropped off at the shelter months ago for ‘only a few days’ and their owner never returned or called back. Oh our little lives…

Lisa, BTW, for animal protein other than fish, powdered eggs, etc., I found org. canned chicken at the ‘store-that-should-be-avoided’ with the other canned meats ie. Dinty Moore-Hormel-etc. Good hunting -sort of! <smile> b-d

Hi bird-dog - I’m so glad that this little Maine community we’ve established together has been helful to you since losing your girl.

Did you pick up your new family members today? I know the economic reality of a lightening purse is disconcerting, but these cats might well turn out to be valuable part of preps in mousing ability. Surely they can be rationally justified…And you surely will love them, which is good for the immune system and could have global benefit for you, right? And…after Sophia gets over herself, you won’t have to woory about her being lonely when you are gone all day. Many good reasons for getting the cats!

I’m glad about the no-surgery as it is a worrisome thought to wonder how you’d finish prepping or prep-organizing post back surgery. The recovery process is often so long. Not glad that findings are abnorm. evidence of the MND. Too much ambiguity there…Hope they can give some good news with Septembers evaluation.

Remember how I wrote that no stray cat ever comes to my home? This week, a white one has come to the front yard twice at nighttime. I can’t tell if it’s a stray or not. It hasn’t come close enough for me to see a collar or physical condition. We are now feeding it though, leaving a bowl out at night. It comes closer than any other animal (coyote, deer, fox), so it’s not afraid of the dogs scent. We’ll see if we can make friends…

Ghee is more like clarified butter - it is butter heated until separation of the milk solids occurs. The solids are removed and the clear butterfat remains. Really good for sauces/noodles. Not good for spreading on toast.

Glad to hear you indulged after your appointment! Ice cream is good for you! And we all know how vital BBs RWFK is to our immune sytems! The cigs…well…they may inhibit cytokine storm? Can possibly be justified if we really stretch things? We’ll have to keep working on that one!

I think a shed is ruled out, unless the lottery tickets I bought today come thru! But, I found instructions online for how to construct a $10.00 wood shed. Now, if I can rent a handyman (young, good smile, sparkling eyes with laughlines, nice butt) for $10.00 this might be doable! I’m late getting wood, starting this process, and still weeks away from affording the stove and installation. But, I’m mostly done with other preps and can make this focus now.

My evil-empire doesn’t yet have the organic chicken, but I’ll keep looking. Great find.

I hope Fiona loves her chirping bird! She is a bit spoiled, huh?! Lucky bird, and soon to have 2 new friends…hopefully…

“Did you pick up your new family members today?” Yup! :-) Presently, both purring, fully stretched out on their large fray-able couch. No close encounters yet for either parrot or cats. I’ll try to wait (days?) until they all get used to hearing each others’ noises through the door.

…and Lisa, when you have finished with *your* ‘handyman’ {HYW?} you can send him up here— b-d says feeling a swoon coming on…but, then remembers those darn trees in her gutters {literally!} and a few other too-long-ignored projects.

Then we could bump him up to Al’s house to chase down the bats in her bedroom, etc.

Your sudden white cat at night sounds somewhat dream-like. S/he definitely heard your call…

Thanks for the info re. the ghee. I don’t usually use much butter anyway. I spray Spectrum canola oil on my veggies and use nut butters on rice cakes etc.

Oh and my maple butter arrived. Heavenly! So creamy…ahhh. A big ‘thank-you’ to you!

bird-dog - I’m so glad you love the maple butter! Very addicting! I haven’t actually found ‘the’ hanyman yet - but I’ll certainly keep both you and Al in mind when I do. Hopefully he’ll meet all specified criteria…

The cat wasn’t here last night. I hope she comes back. Glad to hear that you got yours. Are they sweet? Wild? Playful? Shy? Has Fiona noticed/reacted at all yet?

I’m mylaring more rices/flours today, and may buy a dehydrator online. Have to check those lottery tickets! I’m due to win anytime! Boys are still sleeping. The joy of adolescence, they’re on hour 11 as I write this. Vampires!

Lisa, I just read about your concerns regarding your ex’es possible exposure while travelling and then possibly infecting the boys — OMG that is so scary. I’m hoping beyond hope that he fully understands the risk and is in sync with you. Has he been following H5N1 and supports your efforts to protect your family?

Hi, this is bird-dog here!

Please tell us, was your trip to Maine a good one??? Hope so!!! Did you notice anything particularly noteworthy regarding bf or preps or >>> anything else for that matter… <grin>.

We were thinking of you Dem and, I’d say, arranged some good weather for our **good friend** from CT! A much deserved break.

Now to get Melanie up here!

I can’t begin to tell you how wonderful it was, but then again I love Maine. It’s my > 10th year getting away there. Perfect weather, terrific people.

And lobster.

What more can you ask (other than pure maple syrup?)

Belfast had a case of WNV (the 199th bird), and Maine publicized their dead bird hotline (find a dead bird? Call…). Other than that, the H5N1 in Michigan was covered, and not much else to report.

thanks Dem…

So glad that your trip was a good one!

We are *so* fortunate to live here. « but really, all of the states have their incredibly wonderful gifts »

Dem - so glad Maine gave you yet another great break!

bird-dog - No. He is absolutely not on board. This could create some pretty bad blood, because it will involve unilateral decisionmaking. No chance of concensus, until pandemic actively here (ie people dropping dead in front of him). Until then (if then and hopefully there never will be this specific then but that seems unlikely) the decision to wait for incubation period to be over before he can be with the boys will be mine alone, and he will tell the boys how crazy I am. There will be a whole family of males very angry at me, and the boys being teens will probably truly hate me for some time. I’m hoping his company might be proactive here, but they weren’t during peak SARS time period. This is going to be really hard…I dread it. And by the way, during sars he had a trip to China. Was sick with fever and cough during flight home, looked desperately ill, was not stopped/assessed/quarantined…nothing.

Oh Lisa, I’m so sorry.

I’d bet there are other fluwiki friends out there who are in the same boat. I can’t imagine anything more heart wrenching, more difficult. It would be so great if you had a co-friend who is up on the flu threat and who your ex would listen to. I’m sure that you’ve thought of everything that might help.

It’s hard for me to think that your boys could ever ‘truely hate’ you for acting from your heart. They’ll know that your concern is out of love (if perhaps only unconsciously for a brief time). This horror-flu *is* gaining strength. Wouldn’t it be great if ex-spouses could be subjected to an intervention similiar to a ‘family/friends/respected ‘others’‘ intervention that breaks the denial of substance abuse… I know that you will do the best thing for your boys and *that* is the bottom line.

Know that you have thousands of ‘wiki friends’ here who are cheering you on and will do what they can to make it less traumatic. Me included except I can only imagine that pain… as I’ve never given birth to my own. Unfortunately, I’m afaid that it will be clear to your eX soon enough unless he’s « so determined/so small minded/so scared/such an a-h(!) » to not acknowledge it.

Oh boy, I surely hope this disease hits a wall or self-destructs. Your boys are lucky to have you.

Hi bird-dog - Thanks (as usual) for your heartfelt response. Yes, I’ve wracked my brains over this one and decided to try to keep it as simple as possible. When borders are crossed with this flu, handing him updated paperwork and informing him of plan. That’s as good as I can do. A more rigid laying down of the law than I would like…not my normal way to operate…but choices seem pretty clear, and exposing the boys to unnecessary risk simply not a choice. I’m so glad the older boy can’t drive yet! It would be helpful if the boys knew anyone else taking this threat seriously, but they don’t. I have some friends who are preparing minimally/halfheartedly - but such a threat is so far removed from the consciousness of any adult under age 90 that it is not surprising to see people unable to synthesize this as part of their potential reality. Thanks for saying that my boys are lucky to have me. You do think it will be clear to the ex soon enough? I’m feeling such relief as I look at our preps and see that we just might make it to an alternate heat source ‘in time’. It does feel more near, doesn’t it?

Wow, Lisa. I’m just checking in, have had a gut-wrenching work week (and weekend) and yet haven’t had time to catch up on all the posts. Your predicament raises important issues that there are no easy anwsers for, I’m afraid. And keeping a non-believing non custodial parent away will be tough until it’s obvious that we’re in the middle of a pandemic. Even dicier will be the notion of “sheltering in place”. What fluwikians see as a “reasonable” period of time as a plan for isolation may not be viewed as “reasonable” by the Courts. IMHO it will be highly unlikely that Courts may conclude a SIP should occur past the “all clear” times and as we know, the risk of exposure between waves raises concerns for most of us. Angry exs may seek contempt charges against cautious parents trying to protect their children and the Courts, if and when they are operational, especially between pandemic waves, may not be supportive.

If a total breakdown of society occurs this will be a non-issue but a long period of isolation may pose a real problem when it comes to child contact issues. This is a really important area which deserves a plan which can be shared since it affects so very many families.

Issues: How does one enforce or cause a co-parent’s quarantine? How does one deal with family matter issues raised by non-agreeing parents and brought before the Courts between waves of a pandemic? How does one deal with children’s anger? Maybe a new thread? This affects many of us…

Al - I know, I know, I know…I am lucky in a couple of ways…One is that I will dig my feet in very deeply, in a seemingly merciless manner - though the goal is not to deprive them of their father. Another is that if ex follows predictable behavior based on pattern he will express resentment, hostility, blame, but will not move legally. If first wave arrives, that will be enough for him to become serious about exposure, though he will be forced to quickly catch up on educational deficits. Between waves will be problematic…I’ll need to brainstorm more there. If high cfr (and I mean 3% or above) I think active-wave quarantine may be likely. What do you think? Between waves, the courts will probably be so jammed with back-up that a new custodial/visitation dispute will probably have a long waiting period. Very long. Maybe long enough…

This issue probably is deserving of a new thread but not started today by me…I’m working very hard on shrinkng this, simplifying the scope which can be overwhelming with implicated risk to the boys. Please, feel free to copy over any posts you choose if you want to start new thread. You’re right that this issue is important and potential high-risk area for many families.

I better check the sandbox in my free time (laughs out loud! free time?) to see how to start a new thread. I’ve got some ideas on how to tackle this problem as a community…

Bird-dog, my best wishes to your growing family. I think cats rule! Hope fiona is patient with them, or is it the other way around?

Well bird-dog - to lighten my spirits I just talked to my father. Received a 45 minute educational talk on the history of the preservation of the oral history of Ireland. He went back to 800BC. He’s like that. Very serious genius, but not lopsided into only intellectualism. He has emotional/psychological intelligence too, a rare combo at this extreme. Anyway, this history lecture was prompted by my asking him the name of the project he saw as a child - I told you about it a while ago, remember? But, I didn’t have the details right (not my fathers daughter when it comes to comprehensive memory!). It was a nationwide project, gov. sponsored, goal preservation of oral history, collected were oral poems, myth, family histories, herbal remedies, bone-setting techniques, etc.. He said it was quite comprehensive, not herbal medicine only (as I had thought). He said it took place in the schools. Each family of a school student responsible for choosing what they considered to be their most important knowledge getting recorded. He said tons of herbal lore, including directions on plant IDing, harvesting, etc…A plant his mother used for ‘flu’ was (pronounced - I forgot to get spelling) lanna chaknal. Name of compilation of this large oral history project was Belaidas (with an ‘ over the e) and I forgot to ask him english translation (I know very little Gaelic). Anyway…thought you might throw this your neices way if she’s bored. This book would contain the healing recipes of the 1918 generation. The information was collected in 1938.

Wow, these cats are *so* sweet! Very good girls. You are so right, Al >>> cats *do* rule … dogs /parrots/etc. reach your heart in a different way for sure. *All* are lovely though and equally important! (someone/bird may be looking…)

I took the cats into the vets yesterday for a general go-over and except for a very minor respiratory problem, they passed with flying colors. The vet agreed that they seem to be more like five year olds than eleven. I made some hanging perches out of reach of the cats and Fiona seems to appreciate them. So funny!

I also now have Maizey’s ashes as of yesterday. My poor baby. I really miss her.

As far as BF is concerned, I asked the vet if any more reports of West Nile virus had been issued or signs of bird die-offs. She said that a man had brought in >>> two dead un-molested robins <<< over the weekend and that they had been sent to the CDC as per *new* regulations! I said, ‘yikes, that’s disturbing especially with the current acceleration of bf in Indonesia and the many bizarre reports of bird deaths in other parts of the U.S. and the world.’ She just basically agreed and when I asked, she said that she thought that the CDC was only concerned about W-N virus re. the robins… but not sure…

There must have been twenty or more crows or ravens outside my window early this morning making more noise than I have *ever* heard in my life! I ran out of corn (for deer, turkeys, etc.) so my gift to the ‘woods’ last evening was a mix of corn, parrot food, sunflower seeds, and bird food. The crows may have been simply ‘having a party’ this am!. I’ll go out and check for anything unusual in a bit. I plan to call the vet regularly from now on to check for ‘bird’ reports. I may call Audubon in Falmouth to see if they have anything to add. I’ll let you know!

Lisa, I’ll give my neice that incredibly interesting information when I see her next week or talk sooner. OMG…Wouldn’t you *just love* to read that study!!! I’m determined to find it! I have a rare book dealer neighbor-type and I’ll put him on it too. What a great Dad you have! Can you get some of his recollections down on tape? Thanks ;-)

Oh bird-dog! I am soooo happy that you have new love in your life! What great kitties! And it sounds like they’ll be part of your family for a long time. Thank goodness they’re so healthy! Fiona has decided not to eat them? Very good…I hope the kitties are taking the edge of your grief for Maizey. I hope your sadness dims soon,

Interesting about vet/robins/cdc. I’m quite gald to hear about this improved follow-through.

There are still no crows/ravens/blackbirds here, and that absence is still weird.

I really do have a great dad. A kind and gentle soul. We’ve all asked for him to record his stories/experiences. I’d love to see the compilation of that project that took place when he was young. I hope it’s not lost.

Got dehumidifier for basement preps this week. Have dehydrator coming. Can’t wait to start making good beef jerky for eldest son with it! I’ll get my money back in a month, the way that kid eats. And just in time for apple harvest too. I’m a happy woman (as long as I think about food, and not b-f).

Last of my FD and Dehydrated foods came the other day, hope that is the last of them unless I think of something else I can’t live without. And love my new Aladdin lamp, fascinating piece of archaic technology! The last two weeks remind me why I live here in New England, just for the late Summer, Fall weather. Saturday drove North to Portland, met two friends for drinks and then had dinner at Cinque Terre on Wharf Street, outstanding, portions of some entrees can be a little on the small side, so a salad, or appetizer, or half portion of pasta might be in order for big appetites. A little on the expensive side, but well worth it for a special night out and about the same as many others I guess.. Strolled the lively streets on an absolutely perfect night, desert, coffee at Natashas. I love all the old NE seaport cities such as Newburyport, Portsmouth and Portland. Getting away for a week in Harpswell soon, maybe get back to Portland one day to take a sail on one of the Windjammers there, the Bhagera or the Wendameen, both designed by Alden I think, back in the 20′s or 30′s or so. For you Mainers who have never done it, a week on one of the wooden ships is the most relaxing vacation possible. Have done the Victory Chimes and two trips on the Heritage, the Chimes was built in 1900 and is the last of the old three masted wooden schooners, Heritage was built in 1983 but is very traditional, no motor, but very comfy, has a shower, woodstove etc. Ooops sound like an ad for Maine tourism, but am from MA and love all of New England! Getting nervous about the BIG ONE, hope we are all wrong. In the meantime, keep on enjoying life. Be Well All

Good to hear from you NauticalMan. I spent a week on the wooden Calypso 2 years ago in Fla. Incredible. A beautiful lovingly restored oooold ship. It’s cool tonight, and autumn smell is here. This is such a beautiful and energizing seasonal time - that cusp between summer and fall, when the day makes one choice and the night another.

Glad to know you’re well-stocked now. Time to dig up recipes…

I bought heavy-bottomed brass lanterns from Vermont lantern. Love them. A gentle light but no strain on eyes for reading. Still need to get the cold remedy we discussed a while ago!

Take care.

Hi NauticalMan and Lisa,

My parents had a very old(1926) smallish Alden double-planked wooden aux. schooner (wide wide decks) and on weekends used to drive to the Chesapeke from Phila. area to stay on her, then in the Spring would sail her up the coast to Casco Bay. Then either back down in the fall before school or leave her at Robinhood Marina. That was another world, another lifetime for me. She had been totally abandoned on a sand bar in Md. with a hole in her side when my dad took her over for about the cost to move her off the s. bar. We lived on it while fixing her up. Dad even took her in the Monhegan race for a few years. He eventually gave her to an oceanographic outfit in Me. and then had an Aage Nielsen wooden sloop built in E. Boothbay(1966) and had her for years when due to health problems, had to sell her. I just sort of tagged along. I did love playing cards after dinner, feeling the rocking of the boat as I fell asleep, watching the porpoises along the bow, fishing ‘n swimming, feeling very grubby and ‘otherworldly’ after a week or two at sea, and reading tightly stuffed into a berth. Hated the social bs that went along with it and the close quarters when tempers flared/alchohol poured. I hadn’t thought about it in years…thanks for the flash-back!!! It’s/they’re all long gone… Kayaks & rowboats were always more my speed but it was lovely to be carried by the wind.

It would be great to SIP on an old wooden sailboat away from the crowds. Would be hard to store water and food though and ‘look out for the gulls’! I wonder if anyone here is planning on doing that?

Have a great visit in Harpswell NM!

Lisa, I also dearly hope the project-book turns up. BTW, have you ever seen ‘Jakers’ on PBS kids tv (as regarding Ireland)? *Soooo* cute!! Fiona has PBStv on very low all day and it is mostly a pleasure to see as I poke in and out. Speaking of the cold remedy; I bought a pint of ginger brandy, a pint of coffee brandy, and a pint of elderberry brandy(!) yesterday to add to my medicine chest. Ummm, there are also apple, peach, others out there. Dried fruit and brandy compote with crystallized ginger over gingerbread or ice cream is nice. I love ginger-anything!

Yesterday I spent hours ‘saving’ bits off the the fluwiki proper in case the dial-up fails. So much to still do! Esp. the cellar!

(now >>> Fiona on my head comfortably sitting & preening her feathers, cats sleeping soundly at my feet! Somehow it’s working)

(now >>> Fiona on my head comfortably sitting & preening her feathers, cats sleeping soundly at my feet! Somehow it’s working) - What a great image! Warm, circular…Working out better than you thought, huh? Fiona’s being a good big sister!

Someone on the wiki is palnning to get in their boat and sail thru the outbreak. I wish I could remember where I read this. Maybe on a Norway thread? Not a bad idea…but I’ll stay in my little crowded house with my little 2 and 4 footed family and we’ll be fine…

Someday bird-dog - I’ll have to come up and get one of those brandy compote desserts from you! Yum! And you can be generous with the ginger too. I love it.

I have not seen Jakers. Kids too old for PBS and I don’t have a Fiona as an excuse. I dearly loved the PBS kids programs! Now, the boys are on the computer. They stay up late in the summer for the daily show and colbert and have spread that addiction to me. They have found 2 other shows, dead like me and Eureka, which are also funny. But, sigh, nothing sweet anymore!

I too have to begin saving wiki info in organized way. Thanks for reminder.

Strange to be suddenly so strongly reminded of a different time, isn’t it? Sounds like there are some beautiful memories with you from your childhood. Unusual too. I knew one family that lived on their boat when I was a kid. I was always conscious of the independence and thoughtfulness of the 2 kids involved. They were so well-read and informed about the world. The girl told me it was because the family would have whole family discussions all the time as there was no ‘getting away’ on the boat. She was a happy girl…

It’s almost 2pm. I have accomplished almost nothing today! Always tired on Fridays! Time to do some work. Have a great day!

“Someday bird-dog - I’ll have to come up and get one of those brandy compote desserts from you! Yum! And you can be generous with the ginger too. I love it.”

Oh Lisa, I’ve never made it. When I was playing fiddle/claw-hammer banjo thirty years ago I was given some strong (yum!!!) brandy/orange slices/raspberry/bluberry compote over homemade vanilla ice-cream by an old old-timey lady and her old-timey husband who I visted with friends to play. I’ve *NEVER* forgotten how absolutely wonderful it tasted and how sweet they were. Having lived on my own all my adult life(recluse/hermit!) I’ve just never been energized to make things like this. I guess that I also like all food and am easilly satisfied. I’d love to ‘put some up’ for SIP though! >> minus the ice-cream. <sigh>

I’m doing a great deal of nothin today too except I did buy some perennials (more catnip, etc) and thought about where to put them. Did some weeding and pruning too.

OK, I’ll get off my a** and give it a go…. Have a good weekend — today couldn’t be more beautiful — lets hope it lasts….

tee-hee! You sound like me! Both in being a hermit and never getting around to making that artful dessert! Oh well…we do what we can do…It’s not a beautiful day here. It’s been cloudy and rainy all day. That’s good though. Wer’re having a fine time being completely unproductive slugs. School starts soon. Don’t have many more of these days left!

You must be near the border? It does sound like a cosy afternoon

Lets hope that the day is nice *tomorrow* for the hundreds, thousands, millions, billions of folks visiting Kennebunkport! I just may get down there myself if I can get my bod in gear. <G>

bird-dog, thanks for sharing the story about your family and the Alden sailboat, love the nostalgia of times past. Glad to see the new “girls” and Fiona are hitting it off, sounds like a happy family. Lisa, your Dad sounds like the type of person that would be so interesting to talk to, have been guilty many times of going off into expanding a simple question myself. Someone once called me a font of useless (but interesting!) knowledge… You may see me at Red’s Eats, or the Fat Boy, or, or…. Hope I can at least be an honorary Mainer, officially a Summer person, even though have been coming there for over almost forty years!

To our dearest NauticalMan - We, the Mainers of the wiki, do hereby (via psychic group concensus - which means I’m speaking with only telepathic permission from the rest and that can get a bit dicey…especially if they’re trying out their RWFK…) bestow upon you the honorous title ‘Part Time Mainer’, and with this most esteemed title, all of the honors, duties and responsiblities that accompany said title.

Please refer to bird-dog and Al for description of above duties and responsibilities…Not a handyman by any chance, are you?

Welcome.

We are all Mainers tonight

Lisa, I certainly agree with your proclamation! Welcome, NauticalMan!!! …of course, I was only conceived here but but isn’t that really more in keeping with the cool Maine nights/the piney-sweetfern-salty air with a pinch of wood smoke/and the {woowoo}seductive sound of the waves breaking on the rocks? O-K <sigh>, I’m not a native but my dad and his family were, going back many many generations. Doesn’t count, does it. Shucks.

Hummm, NauticalMan. Do you or your car have a distinguishing characteristic, just in case…? You will be in my ‘neck-of-the-woods’. Too bad we don’t *all* have up-side-down pelican stickers on our bumpers!!! (ah, attn. Melanie?) That would be fun and sort of comforting for comraderie sake and in keeping with my/our dark humor. ‘Seems we’re a rare bunch, unfortunately. Hopefully there are many many more in Maine, N.E., who read the fluwiki but don’t post. Gad, *I’ve* certainly told a bozillion folks about it over the past year.

Lisa and Al(I’d bet!) and I wish you the best visit ever!

Oh, ‘Hi’ Al! :-)

Lisa, bird-dog, Al, and all the true Mainers.

I am touched and honored by your proclamation. Hoping that the duties and responsibilies consist of reducing the lobster population, thereby helping to support the Maine economy. If so I will perform stalwart duty during my week! Sorry, I am one of the most un-handy men ever, and drive a Camry like millions of others The swan sticker sounds like a wonderful idea. Melanie, how about a swan window sticker!? Hope that Democrat from CT left some crustaceans during his recent visit…

Good night and Be Well

“…up-side-down pelican stickers on our bumpers”

I think that I meant ‘pink flamingo’. > duh, could be a Canada goose or a chicken though. Just please, not a person.

Hi Ladies! Got my dehydrator today. Bird-dog - I read in another thread your question about necessity of dehydrator and (if I’m remembering correctly) your concern about having enough food prepped? Just want to tell you that I wouldn’t have bothered with dehydrator if it weren’t for boys. Older one consumes 3000cals minimum each day. Crazy growth! At 6′4″ now, age 15, and just beginning to thicken, so denser growth stage occurring now and likely to continue for next few years. Younger just starting to shoot up, but shooting out has been rapid over past year. Has shoulders so broad, ‘built like a bull’ is what the irish say to describe him. I could be in sip with 2 3000cal a day eaters. And I really need to let them graze as these are the years their bones are growing, filling, strengthening for the rest of their lives. So…the dehyd. will help me put away bulk fruits (apples and crans this autumn) and veggies that will be used for every meal and snack! And there you have it! Me? I’m happy with kefir for breakfast and light supper. It does get disconcerting sometimes to read what everyone else is prepping and start the ‘do I have enough’ review. And not knowing how long to prep for is worrisome too. But we(you and I)are doing fine, I’m sure. And if there is anything you want dehydrated, just let me know! Really!

Hi Mainers! Are all well? It’s been too quiet here. How’s everyone doing on their prepping?

NauticalMan - I hope you lived up to your responsibilities and cleaned us out of lobsters and wild maine mussels. Did you get to Chauncet’s creek in York? Best seafood chowder in the world!!! A messy, picnic-table place, reminds me of Woodmans in Essex, MA, except the chowders so much better and (sadly) the outstanding onion rings of Woodman’s are not available.

Check in folks, and take care!

Calm before storm???

Chauncey’s, not Chauncet’s

Tasha Tudor…we like her too.

http://www.ortakales.com/Illustrators/Tudor.html

Just dragged myself in and unpacked a few hours ago. While I can’t say I cleaned Maine out of Lobsters and Mussels, I did my best, climaxed with three lobsters and a mess of steamers cooked in beer at a friends in Harpswell the other night. Saw many friends, had some good meals, read one of my many unread books, this time a John Irving tome. By the end of the week I was almost relaxed. Next year more Maine time to tranquilize our souls.

Hard to believe, but hardly thought of prepping or the flu all week. Dozen and a half folks at the lobster feed and did not mention the flu once! Have pretty much learned my lesson there. Looks pretty much status quo, with the Indonesian situation still a puzzle, although the new map certainly helps. Talk about an enigma. IMHO though, think if it happens it will probably come out of someplace we aren’t expecting. Maine was wonderful as usual, and lobsters are affordable, with larges going about $5.50 Lb., not the greatest time for the lobsterfolks, but good for us consumers. Also did a few lobster rolls, hit one of my favorite places for a cheap but good meal today for lunch, Scarlet Begonias in Brunswick. Also noted the large crowd at Reds Eats and Fat Boy, but was with others so did not stop.. Next trip hopefully. My significant other was suprised that I did not seem to have any withdrawal symptoms from the Wiki! Hid it pretty well I guess!! Glad to be back and glad all are well.

Glad you had a good time NauticalMan!

Hi Lisa, NauticalMan, Al, and Anharra (yes, Tasha Tudor is wonderful!!).

Hi Lisa, I’ve been worrying about whether to buy a generator or not, too. I went into Lowe’s last evening and checked out the smallest one but am put off by the amt of fuel that they use for not a long period of time. I had my propane guy come over to service my small ~15 yr old Rinnai’s that are on their last legs. He said that I could have a propane generator hooked up to my tanks (2- 100 gal.) and I also asked about non-electric propane heaters. The really big problem (as I can imagine many of us on here are having!!!) is money. For the first time in my life I’ve not been able to pay off my credit cards each month and it’s just getting worse. I think that I’ll have to take out a small loan. Someone suggested that I apply for disability but I guess I don’t want to yet, or ever, ftm.

Anyway, I need to do another ‘search’ here on propane generators. And I’m wondering if I should have another tank or two of propane.

Of course, after listening to some of the new Bob Dylan album on MePR this am… now I want it. (He looks so cool on that new iPod commercial on tv!) I really must control myself. I did order the Kelly Kettle, the novel re. the 1918 flu, and the root-cellaring book. Plus several enormous jig-saw puzzles (one is so beautiful with lions, cheeta, many bear species, and assorted wolves). I also bought 2 tins of American Spirit tobacco, several pkgs of rolling papers (lol!), and a cheap rolling machine; all for prep.

Fiona and the cats are doing well. So sweet… I bought for a bird prep a light fabric pet carrier that I can carry like a shoulder purse. Fiona goes right in! And I found some forceps as per her vet for in case she breaks a blood(?) feather while SIP. She has an appt next week in Yarmouth and I’ll have him show me exactly how to use it, etc. Lisa, I hope that you can find a few fur-friendly cats. Two mice down, probably more to go… They are such unique beings.

Oh and ‘thanks’ for the dehydrating offer!!! I have so much *stuff* -to put it nicely- it will be awhile before I know what I truly need. You said it! It really is a problem; this ‘knowing’ what is enough. Every d**m time I go to Shaws or Hannefords I come out having spent another hundred dollars. (BTW- Shaws had a 1/2 price sale on Coleman propane lights, single cook-stoves, waterproof matches, etc a few days ago. I bought another propane lantern, etc. & more propane canisters.) My niece and my sister will be in the area this week. They will think that I’ve truly gone off the deep-end if I invite them to my house! Really am not sure what to do about it. LOL (sort-of…)

NauticalMan, Scarlet Begonias *is* wonderful. I’m also so glad that you had a good time!

What a cool, rainy afternoon. It’s so beautiful with Garrison Keillor’s PHC with an acoustic guitar in the background! What crazy weather though!

Hi bird-dog - good to hear from you. The money thing is killing us here too. I’ve only used cash, so emergency reserve too low dollar-sign wise, but good supply wise. Still have tons of graduate school debt, which makes any creditcard use off limits as what is avail. must be saved for tshittingtf. The disability issue…I have a pretty strong bias here…I hate to see someone eligible and needing it not using it. I pay into that system for a reason. It is there to help someone who has worked hard and had unexpected and unwanted happenings take them out of the earners market against their will. Allowing disability to help with economic hardship incurred by having productivity decreased or stopped due to illness doesn’t mean all effort to be generative will cease. Maybe that bestseller in the back of a person’s head can be written with the little bit of extra time created by the disability paycheck. OK. I’ll shutup now. Please excuse my strong opinions and accept the excuse that I am Irish and such behavior can’t be helped!

Here is a link to the cheapest generators I could find: http://tinyurl.com/ks9zg. Tell me what you come up with. I still need one, but woodstove comes first…hopefully…if pocketbook can support such a purchase this fall…which really doesn’t seem likely right now…but I’m known to make the unlikely happen when I set my mind to it!

I too did a $124.oo Hannaford trip Fri. I think it was the ground buffalo and Wolfsneck farm ground beef that killed me - jerky prep. And on the way home I had to fight to not pull into the music store. Had an out-of-nowhere but really strong desire to buy Joan Armatrading’s greatest hits. I haven’t heard that album since I was a kid and don’t know why she’s singing in my head so relentlessly, but god she was good.

I bought the 1918 flu book by Barry last week, and Garretts ‘the coming plague’ too. Amazon, they haven’t arrived yet. Every Aug. we do a big book order from them, so the boys can look forward to pleasure reading when heavy drab textbooks are looming over them again. Poor kids.

So…if your niece and sister laugh what’s the plan? Literature? Education? Or just letting their laughter roll off of you? My friend came over last week to check my oil burner which meant cellar expo and he stopped, looked, and said “oh Lisa. Oh my god! Honey, don’t you think you’re going a little overboard?”. Then he said ( and this was interesting to me) “this looks like the cellars of the old people I do repair for Lisa. You’re not depression era.” And I thought, he’s right. The generation that prepared for a cut in the just-in-time-chain is practically gone. This kind of preparation is so completely removed from the consciousness of younger generations that it is looked at as bizarre, possibly insane behavior. And that is really the crazy part, that contradiction that preparedness is insane.

I’m so glad the the cats and Fiona love each other. Fiona must really feel like a queen, no, an empress now that she has her own attached-to-you carrying pouch.

Going to a cookout in a couple of hours. Was up reading till 3am and slept till noon! Feel like I’m in high school again and my body will not appreciate the return to work schedule tomorrow! Oh well! Have a great day.

“Every Aug. we do a big book order from them, so the boys can look forward to pleasure reading when heavy drab textbooks are looming over them again.”

Lisa, you are such a good mom! And I think I heard a Joan Armatrading song on Me PR this weekend. Perhaps you heard it too and wasn’t aware of it.

The Barry book is incredibly fascinating and enraging and horrifying and I’m now reading it again, off and on, for the third time. It just always seems so somewhat unbelieveable. I think that reading the more personal descriptions in the news reports of the families in Indonesia terrifies (and saddens) me but, on the other hand, reading them also helps me to prep more conscientiously and strenuously. I haven’t read ‘the Coming Plague’ but I do have ‘The Monster at the Door’ by Davis. Another scary one but very informative. We could trade! I’m not really afraid for me; I feel secure most of the time as I’ve prepped well, I think. I’m just *so* sad for the folks who aren’t being told or aren’t able or feel they aren’t able, to prepare. Like Katrina.

I could almost care less for the moneyed arrogant ones---I know, I know, defense mechanisms etc. yada yada yada. I’m not very nice. ;-)

Thanks for the link. The Honda generators are some of the best. I would definitely need one on wheels and it seems that a 7 gal genny would be easier as I wouldn’t have to go out, possibly in a raging snow-storm, to fill it as often. I’ll do some research on propane generators too and let you know what I find.

I wish you could buy the small Jotul wood stove (Jøtul F 602 CB)>> http://tinyurl.com/flk2y. A friend bought hers when I bought my larger one twelve or so years ago and her stove comfortably heats her very small house and is still working well. She does get much heat during the day from an enormous south facing window though. Plus it’s a beautiful stove, esp. with the glass pane.

Re. the disability situation, I can still work part-time most weeks and have an enjoyable job that allows me much leeway. It’s a mixture of eldercare and hospice work. I’ll talk with my MGH doc when I see him next Tues. too. And no, you are not too intense. <G> Plus your Irish blood will be an added blessing to your family if/when Tshtf!

Lisa, Al, and Others nearby, this would be a great opportunity to see where Maine stands! I have several medical appointments that day but I’ll try to change them. The keynote DHHS representative has not been identified yet. I hope that at least one of us can go!

Maine State Government Pandemic Influenza/Avian Influenza Preparedness Summit

Wednesday September 20, 2006 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Augusta Civic Center, Augusta ME

Registration: Registration deadlines are September 11, 2006 if no special accommodations are required

>>> http://www.neias.org/maineflu.html

Hi Birddog - just a short note from me today. I can’t go on the 20th. Full client schedule and have no place to reschedule them too, as I’m tightly booked for next 7 weeks. If you go I want to hear all about it please, and thank you!

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