For us it will likely be the summer of 2008. Although I somewhat agree with weaver on the running away to Nevada part, it seems that a party is in order. Right now I'm still leaning toward the Western theme. That way everyone but us can wear jeans, we can have a barbecue afterwards, and we can have a DJ who teaches everyone to two-step.

Having never before planned a wedding, I must say that the prospects are daunting. Planning the marriage afterwards is even moreso!

Tuktoyaktuk!! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

-ol' 2long

Is nobody around today to BS with? I am so slow at work lately that I can hang out here for hours. Should be reading all the new Regs and Presidential proclamations...but have no interest to anymore. I'm beginning to dislike this job. Love my office but hate the customs crap.

I don't know Excel JJ, so I couldn't do your job that is for sure.

T is kind of busy today though. Hope she doesn't start giving me dirty looks. LOL

Gray,

I don't know why you don't post much anymore. None of us are really anonomous. I'm not. I tell everyone I know to come here and read at the campfire...they just laugh. LOL

GB only asks that I not discuss the details of our R with anyone but him.

...miss your posts young graycloud.

Oh JJ, I love to two-step! Was a bartender in Oklahoma, you know.

Weddings are daunting. I planned a wedding before (last time I was engaged), and now I just don't have any desire to go that route. I want to get married on the side of the mountains, something small and intimate.

When people have to travel to come, it is such a financial burdon on them. GB's family are mainly family people with little money. So I don't know. I'll leave it up to GB, he is the one with 10 bothers and sisters and it matters way more to him than to me.

Is nobody around today to BS with?

I'm shocked. You know we all have to work. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" />

Besides, I don't "BS" anyway.

Would I kid you about that?

SS

LOL SS! You really must be slow this time of year, hey? Do have plants in right now?

I read your recipe but no sugar or Karo syrup for us right now.

Malassis (sp) and honey instead?

I hope that one made you fall off your chair laughing, if not, you took it wrong.

SS

Oh by now I got your number SS! I never take you seriously. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

LOL SS! You really must be slow this time of year, hey? Do have plants in right now?

We are slow as far as walk in traffic, but I am getting ready to take inventory, and also I have a trade show the last few days of the month.

Plants?
Yes, we have operatives in most middle eastern countri........wait, that's not what you meant.

Yes - I planted turnips, and carrots in Sept, and they are doing pretty good. We had turnips last night for supper, and they are sweet with a little butter and salt. The carrots weren't thinned, so they are still small. Some things like these do better in the winter, when it's not so hot. They won't grow well at all in the summer here.

I should plant Peas now, if I want to get any this spring, but I don't know if I will. I could start tomatoes under glass now. Trying to decide - the glass was given to me by a friend who works in a door shop. It's heavy triple pane sliding patio doors, and It is difficult to move into the garden. I use bales of straw as the background and put the glass down on an angle with more straw on the sides.

Should I? Or shouuldn't I?

If I wait a few months, the decision will be made for me.

I read your recipe but no sugar or Karo syrup for us right now.

I haven't tried substitutions - it cooks into a candy like Popycock (which you can buy in stores around Christmas time.) Not sure how it would work.

I'm not big on sugar either, but for some things, I will sacrifice. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I sent some (the popcorn stuff) out at Christmas time last year, and I was sending SLH a book I had picked up in a thrift store that I thought she could use, so I put in some for them too.

SS

Now that was funny! Perhaps you have some at the blackjack table at Harrahs as well?

Organic crops, fresh, fully ripened, a great source of MSM.

Where are the grapes?

We have three kinds of grapes. The concord are the last, but they were all gone by mid Oct. I haven't made juice yet, but I have made some pretty good grape jelly.

The Boysenberry freezer jam is the best though.

My yard is only 1/4 acre. I do the best I can with what we have. For some reason, a connection with the earth is important to me. It keeps me grounded. (pun intended.)

SS

GB makes grape juice from his grapes and he said it is just wonderful tasting. Makes tomato juice too. Once he and an old hippy neighbor had a banana bread baking contest because they ended up with a whole case of banana's for some reason. This old hippy gave me a paper sack full of garlic when I met him at his house for coffee(used a cowboy coffee pot and served it with honey and goatsmilk) with GB, and I commented that the Romans used to give their slaves garlic to keep them well. Well he called GB a few days later worried that I had been offended that he gave me garlic, based on my comments to him, and that I must have thought he viewed me as a slave. Did we ever laugh over that one.

Well I guess enough of the bs'g for one day. Back to the grindstone.

I believe you found a good one - you should keep him.

I hope you get out to see us before too many years. I am sure the girls would have a good time together.

SS

Weaver, I just don't know. Okay I'll write something.

I saw C4L the other day for the first time in a while. We had it out because I had not spoken to her in months, which was a bad thing. It's been a tumultuous time for her. At first I tried to explain why I'd backed off. My explanation was reasonable and also lame. She had this skeptical look on her face. I had no excuse for being a bad friend and we both knew it. She fought tears.

One time someone told me C4L was a manipulative drama queen skilled at ostentatious and inauthentic displays of emotion. What a laugh. I've seen her suffer and she always does it honestly and with her dignity intact. I asked her what's been going on and she would not say. Fair enough I thought.

She excused herself then came back and said my disappearance had really hurt her. I agreed that I'd let her down and that it was a chicken$h!t thing to do and if she still wanted to be friends I promised never to do it again. She said okay.

Five minutes later I was giving her personality tests (parlor games, you know) and telling stories and she was laughing her head off and begging me to tell her more. I thought to myself holy Toledo this is a sound individual.

I said you know what I love about you? And explained.

She hadn't been satisfied with my rinky-dink explanation, but she kept hashing it out with me. Some people would call her a hard-a$$. She was not buying any of the things I said at the beginning. But the conversation continued, and she never gave up on it even when I tried to take detours, even though it was painful for her to sit through. As far as opportunities to make amends go it was an embarrassment of riches. I told her I don't know if you realize it because it comes naturally to you, but it was incredibly generous for you to lay the truth on me and then sit there fighting tears while I slowly slogged my way from lame excuses to a sincere apology, which I knew I owed you from the start.

We didn't stick together long. She had plans and I had different plans. It was good to see her. I don't know what's happening with her family/ex situation but no doubt it's a drama. She referred to it once as "fireworks".

GC

Thanks Gray, I had wondered - even asked about her at one time.

Tells a little about you too.

What is it you are trying to protect?

Or do you understand well enough to answer?

SS

Hey guys!

I got righteous today...and yesterday...

Ask Faithy...she saw it and approved.

If'n ya didn't know me, you'd have been skeered of me.

More Kimmy - that's not enough.

SS

Gray, I'm glad to see you. I've wondered where you had been.

Kimmy, doll, I enjoyed your rant. Damn, I wish we lived closer to SA.

What am I trying to protect? SS, sorry - I don't know what you mean.

Hi to you too, SLH. SS sent me a hunk of that popcorn once.

GC

Don't leave it where your H can find all of it, or it will disappear, and no one else will get any.

That would be true if I got my hands on it, as well. I love caramel corn! Here's a recipe for those who don't like nuts with their corn:

1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
1 t. baking soda
1 making air popped popcorn (or two if you like to spread it around a little)

Pop the corn. While it's popping, combine the butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup in a heavy sauce pan. Make sure you have at least twice as much room in the pan as you think you need.

Heat on medium high until the mix starts to boil. DO NOT TOUCH IT. It's hot. Stir constantly until the candy reaches the soft ball stage (or the hard ball stage; it'll work either way). Turn off the heat and add the baking soda. Stir it in and watch the candy double or triple in size. When you're done being amazed, pour the candy over the corn and stir it in. It's best to stir lots, because it can be tough to get it well coated.

Now, this is the hard part. To truly complete the recipe, you have to make it on a Friday night and you have to watch The Muppet Show, The Dukes of Hazzard, and Dallas while you eat it.

Or at least, that's how it always went in my house.