Well good day to all and welcome to my house.

After six years I decided I needed a new house as my old one was full of triggers and bad memories, so this is where I hang out now. I hope this will be my place of wisdom and laughter, as no one ever has enough of either.

Please feel free to leave us some laughs, wisdom or a good cry.

No more WW here, no more oh poor me here. It's a new day, what is done is done and I get to start over after six tough years.

The people in my house are my two DD's. They are 10 and eight, we have two cat's, Rascal and Sammy and a whole whack of fish.

We may get a hamster again or a Cavy, that is up to the kids.

I don't have many rules in my new house, just some thoughts I like to share with the kids, the cat's don't listen much.

1. I am as strong as I want to be.
2. My WW has as much power over me as I let her have.
3. I am the king in my house as long as my kids let me be.
4. Friday is spanish rice day. (my kids came up with that).
5. Everyday starts off they way we want it to.
6. Don't be sorry, just don't do it again.
7. A warm beer is better than no beer.
8. Show as much love as you can to everyone around you.
9. The road ahead may be bumpy, but that will make it more fun.
10. All rules are made by me, as longs as the girls agree.

Wow, is the same man who showed up here in despair 2 weeks ago!? What an amazing change! This is a man who is in charge of his own life...

{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{ALAN}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

CATS???

I am working on it.

Got enough 2x4's when I came back that it was time for me to take charge of my life for me and my kids.

Wisdom #1

If you can imagine it, you can achieve it; if you can dream it, you can become it.
William Arthur Ward

This made me think a lot.

We all have dreams, it's just to often we let life get in the way of them. For me it was my WW that I let get in the way.

See it
Believe it
Do it.

And yes, my girls have two cat's.

I like your rules Alan. I would consider modifying #10 a bit.

Cats are cool Mel....we have 2 also!

Rule #10.

I make the rules, alowing input from my girls.

Unrest of spirit is a mark of life; one problem after another presents itself and in the solving of them we can find our greatest pleasure.
Kal Menninger

>We may get a hamster again or a Cavy, that is up to the kids.

Cavys live longer than a hamster, have more personality, and you can keep them in a hutch outside as long as you have a hutch that will sheild them from the rain.

They can also be litter trained.

Get a cavy.

Oh...and they are GREAT disposals. Any uneaten salad or apple cores, celery ends, or carrot peelings they will happily take care of for you.

(they can't have potato or onion)

They'll sing for their supper, too.

They also do this really cute thing called "popcorning" where they hop up off of all fours and then jet around their cage. It's so freaking funny! A really happy cavy will popcorn a few times a day to get exercise.

Ah, and there are a number of really fun Cavy clubs on Facebook.

I belong to one for Cavvies, one for weiner dogs and one for musk turtles.

:-)

Happiness is a house full of Wookies and pets who love you.

I must say a Cavy sounds very cool.

Any animal that can sing is a friend of mine. Do you think he could learn Elton John?

I love Elton John, just saw him in concert a few months back. Great show.

A cavy club on facebook, well my girls would love that.

Dunno. Mine sing when they are happy...they sing when they see me...and they sing when they are hungry or thirsty...or when the fridge opens...or when the kids are outside with them...or when I bring them to work...

I love cavy song...it's not as soothing as whale song, but it's sweet in it's own way.

Well I hope the kids like them, and I assume they will. So perhaps we will have a cavy soon.

So what's the recipe for spanish rice?

two things -

what's a cavy? is that like a ferret? yes, I know, I could google it but that would be one more place on the internet that I am that isn't here or looking for a job and that would be bad.

everytime I see the name on this forum of Stillstanding I get elton john's still standing song stuck in my head....

A cavy is a guiena pig.

And Chry...I've got the recipe for my mil's MEXICAN rice...

It's SUPER num!

>Stillstanding

Me too, Coho...there are a few names here that make me sing.

When I see Cinders posting I sing the song from Cinderella.

hmmm, I like the way you have decorated Alan!

He needs some Yankee Candles...coconut scented for summer...

But other than that, it's lovely.

Spanish Rice

6 slices of bacon
1/4 cup onion chop fine
3 cups boiled rice (not instant)
2 cups canned tomatos
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsb pepper
Grated chedder cheese

Fry the bacon,chop then remove to a medium greased baking dish.
Saute the onions in bacon grease.
Combine bacon, rice and tomatos.
Cover with cheese and bake for 30 mins @ 400

Sorry, cook the rice before you combine it with the bacon and tomatos.

And a Cavy is a Guinnie pig

I had a friend years ago with a teddy bear GB. He was sweet and such a good pet!

Alan, thanks for the recipe! D-D, would love to see the Spanish rice one! DS15 likes rice dishes, Chewie not so much, so a new one might help.

I will chat with the cat's and if they are ok, Cavy time it is.

De, can you pass on the Mexican rice recipe?

And as for decorations, not bad so far, I need new blinds and carpet in the master bedroom. Other than that, I have a happy place here and now.

1 c. white rice
2 tbsp. evoo

Brown the rice in the evoo over a high heat, once all the rice has turned from translucent white to solid white/brown add:

1 whole chopped tomato
1 small chopped onion
1 small chopped bell pepper (if desired)
2 c. water
1/2 bag mixed veggies (the one with corn, carrots, peas, lima beans and green beans)
2 tsp. tomato caldo seasoning or 2 chicken bullion cubes
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder (if desired)

Bring to a boil, then cover, lower heat and simmer 20 min. or until water is gone.

Oh...and I used the mexican rice in my tacos as well as a side dish.

Thanks for that one.

I will try it out.

Chrysalis, I hope Spanish rice goes over well, my kids go nuts for it, hey whats that, it's getting tough to see in here!!!!

It's smoke? No it's not smoke it's FOG. Hang on................

WW called, had to open a window and clear the fog, sorry.

You can hear about it on my other post.

We had two Guinea Pigs--they lived to be about 6 or 7 years old and died peacefully. Still tore the kids up but it's a life lesson.

They poop like crazy though.

Our cats poop like crazy it seams, if Guinea pigs can be litter trained though it sounds good to me.

I will persist untill I succeed!

I was not delivered into this world in defeat, nor does failure course in my veins. I am not a sheep waiting to be prodded by my shepherd, I am a LION and I refuse to talk, to walk, to sleep with the sheep.

I will persist untill I succeed!

Thanks for thise recipes! Will follow through, but not tonight. Tonight I have to cook up some of the too many potatoes I bought on sale last week.

Have fun with spud night.

Thanks. It is going to be an artery-clogging meal tonight, to make up for the many days of baked chicken lately.

Chicken,

Beer can chicken on the BBQ, with spuds and veggies in a cheese and garlic sauce.......

LOL, we can't get away with that around here.

But I did make chicken fried steak, a sinful indulgence from my childhood and a real "man meal", with potatoes and gravy, spinach, and watermelon. The men loved the "man meal" but we sure can't do that very often.

CAn I have the recipe for the beer can chicken?
The veges in cheese and garlic sauce... I have a reciepe like that, it has diced cooked bacon in it and then grilled until the cheese goes bubbly brown, is it the same?

Chrys, WTH is chicken fried steak? I am a-thinking and all I see is a chicken either stuffed with or wrapped around a steak

It's steak that's fried like chicken. At least, I think that's what it is here in the south. I thought that was a Southern thing, LOL.

you fry steak like chicken?
I dont get it

Lil, I somehow knew you were going to want to know that. You start with what we call a "cube steak." Basically this is an inexpensive cut of beef that has been "tenderized" (pounded till flat and the fibers are broken up.) You dip it in egg and seasoned flour and fry in oil like fried chicken. It is yummy but deadly, especially with the gravy, which is made from pan drippings, flour, salt, pepper, and milk.

Oh, and it is a southern dish from my southern childhood.

Sounds a bit like snitzchel, but ummmm............

fattier?

You know, I never realized that chicken fried steak was cube steak. Weird. I make it here sometimes, but I don't care for it that much. My mom made it a lot when I was a kid and I guess I just got burned out on it.

it isn't deep fried, I just put a little olive oil in the bottom of the pan, but it is pretty fatty because the batter soaks up every bit of the oil. I suppose it is a cousin to a schnitzel.

hmm, well I like snitzchell, but I think we use a better cut of meat and we grill rather than fry.
And we put a slice of cheese and a slice of tomato on it, then squeeze lemon juice over it.

yummmm

What is schnitzel?

snitzcell

Not schnitzel. Messier.

Alan, we totally threadjacked you, so here is my favorite quote to get back on topic.

Whatever you can do, or think you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, and power, and magic in it. -- Goethe.

Ingredients
1 (4-pound) whole chicken
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons of your favorite dry spice rub
1 can beer
2 strips of bacon

Directions
Remove neck and giblets from chicken and discard. Rinse chicken inside and out, and pat dry with paper towels. Rub chicken lightly with oil then rub inside and out with salt, pepper and dry rub. Set aside.

Open beer can and take several gulps (make them big gulps so that the can is half full). Place beer can on a solid surface. Grabbing a chicken leg in each hand, plunk the bird cavity over the beer can, place the bacon over the top and secure with toothpicks. Transfer the bird-on-a-can to your grill and place in the center of the grate, balancing the bird on its 2 legs and the can like a tripod.

Cook the chicken over medium-high, indirect heat (i.e. no coals or burners on directly under the bird), with the grill cover on, for approximately 1 1/4 hours, or until the thigh juice runs clear when stabbed with a sharp knife. Remove from grill and let rest for 10 minutes before carving, amazing chicken.

For the veggies and spuds

I use 4 spuds that I cube, then lightly coat with EVOO, salt, pepper and a clove of garlic minced. Place in a shallow cassarol pan , cover with tin foil and throw in oven for about an hour, as the spuds get soft, add in you other veggies, we use carrots, corn, boc choy, brocolli and peas. Add a small amount of water, place back in oven covered and let steam for 15 mins.

The garlic and cheese sauce is easy, I use meddium chedder and havarti garlic. 2 cups of cheeder, one cup havarti and one clove of very minced garlic, melt over very low heat on the stove, add garlic, when soft put straight on veggies, and thats it.

It is great.

It's usually the flank steak, and you tenderize the h-e-ll out of it before you bread it. OMGosh it is so good. My oldest son (19) would eat his weight in CFS if we let him.

I must say today has started well.

It's crazy hair day at school so needless to say we had a riot doing hair today. I snorted coffee through my nose when DD 10 came out to show us what she had done.

She had about 10 ponies in her hair, three differant spray in color's. If she wasn't mine I would swear she belonged on the streets.

I hope the kids have a great day.

Alan

Clares has barrettes/extensions that just clip in and they come in a rainbow of colors.

That way you don't have your girls spraying chemicals in their hair....that spray in stuff causes split ends like you wouldn't believe.

I got DD6 a purple fall, DD12 a pink one and DD12's besties a green one and a blue one....all their fav colors...the girls have a blast with them...(and theyy are only a $1 each).

I should call DD12's besties my DDs too...they are over so much!

(le sigh...LOVE our new neighborhood!)

Thank you for the information, the DD's would love that.

Alan

Have you mastered girls hairdos?

I thank god my 12yr old has some fashion sense.....I actually took her to Ulta to get a new "straightener" for her hair....I didn't know the old one was "broke"......sneaky girl...

My 10yr old......you would think brushing hair was torture!!

>you would think brushing hair was torture!!


That's the way my DD6 is. No matter how gentle you are, she cries.

Breaks a momma's heart.

I consider myself very good with the hair.

When I first came here a few years back it was a big topic for me. HELP I CAN"T DO HAIR.

The past six years have made me much better at it.

We curl, we have a ceramic straightner, both my DD's, 10 and 8 love to do hair, so it is a big to do each day.

Tough one for me with DD 10.

She asked me when girls get thier periods, when will she get hers? She's 10!

Is that a bit early for her to think of that?

Does anyone know a good website for great information on how to talk about this?

Some girls start early. I remember most girls start talking about it around 11 so this is perfectly normal. WebMD has some good factual info:
http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/facts-about-puberty-girls

Thank you so very much

I think it happens earlier now than when I was a teen. Then, all my friends were about 13-15, now my DD's freinds seem to be 12-14

My oldest started this past summer.

Poor kids are getting them earlier and earlier due to the hormones that are being pumped into the animals and animal products we consume.

Have you had to sign the sheet for "the talk" at school yet? That should happen this year. Talk about traum. I couldn't sleep for a week after that...

Oh.

My dd took it fine, tho.

Figures.

Have not had to sign a sheet on "The talk" as of yet.

I am just trying to get as much information as I can on whats comming next so I can talk with her in a very educated manor. She was talking about her friend last night and how her chest had developed and is huge already, I think DD was upset as she has not started to bud as of yet.

I didn't know how to respond beyond the fact that everyone develops at thier own pace, it will happen for you when it does, and as for her friend, she is over all the time and looks no differant to me than my DD. She has not developed at all.

I mean they are ten, 11 in June, I was just amazed that it was suddenly so in the forefront with her.

My poor DD started at her cousin's volleyball game (I wasn't there). She wasn't prepared or anything...and frankly neither was I (I was a late bloomer)...

Fortunately, I am blessed with neices that are a smidge older than her (like, a few months) and they and my SIL were prepared.

I thought the Wookie was gonna cry.

He still puts his fingers in his ears when we speak of it.

Poor Wookie/daddies.

Sometimes I think boys are easier. With boys you only have to worry about one penis. When you have girls you worry about ALL of them.

I remember really looking forward to and being anxious about turning into a "woman" when I was about 11. The girls that develop first get a lot of attention from the boys. Then we I started to develop I got a lot of annoying attention from the boys. Boys 11-13 were the worst. They were constantly being obnoxious about boobs and periods. They said really horrible things. Don't wait too long on the first training bra. If her friends start wearing them, get her one even if she doesn't need it yet - just to help her fit in. They make them in AA sizes that are basically flat. She doesn't want to be the first or the last to get a bra - trouble with both.

I agree that boys are easier.....ALL the way around. My boys were a walk in the park compared to my D. DRAMA>DRAMA>DRAMA

My DD is 9 and she wanted a bra so I got her a couple HSM3 sports bra's. I though H was going to pass out when he saw them. He doesn't even want to be in ear shot when she and I talk about bra's or periods or anything else like that.

He's not going to take puberty well, I can see that now

T/J: Lie2me, just curious--are you a Johnny Lang fan? Just wondering about the name?

Who is Johnny Lnag?

Last year we went to La Senza girl and got DD smoe training bra's as some friends have them. So she is not the last one, she never wears them though.

Should I encourage her to do so?

Not if she is not getting hassled yet and isn't showing development. She will probably know when to put in on from peer pressure. If she has any visible development, I would encourage it though. Those boys will torture her if she starts to develop and lets it show without a bra!

Johnny Lang is a singer and has a song/album named Lie2me...that's why I was wondering.

If you daughter has the training bras she will wear them when she feels comfortable doing so. Gosh, wearing bras is such a hassle anyway...but for a young girl it's exciting. It was so long ago for me and I don't really remember when I started doing all those things!!

I may have to look up some Johnny Lang, and I guess DD will put them on when she is ready, she has four in an array of pretty colors.

And she has no sevelopment at all, neither do any of her friends, that is why I was supprised when it came up..

I was so happy in the dark.

Most daddys are.

Might I suggest you take up gun cleaning?

My daddy did.

There is a book for girls out called Body Drama. It explains a lot of the gory stuff about what is and is not normal anatomy, and has some good information about hygiene. It is pretty frank. It has photos.

I thank you all for information, books websites and so on.

As for the gun cleaning, not a bad idea. Not bad at all.

I just hope the night with the WW goes well, and it will be interseting to see if DD brings this up with her.

I second this.

it might be hard for you to take, but I recommend the Our Bodies, Ourselves book. I still have my 90s version. maybe more as a reference guide for you and then later to hand off. not all of it applies because it really is a pretty extensive reference book on all things a female could/may possibly face from birth to death. my female cousin had to be raised by her dad, and mom and I picked up stuff for her constantly. In our bodies, ourselves, there's a diagram of a circle 10 centimeters in diameter. the width a woman dialates for birth. that's a nice page to flip to when discussing sex. haha.

by the way, I love this thread. it's bittersweet, but I love it.

>that's a nice page to flip to when discussing sex.

(muttering)

10cm my bahooba....little snots all had heads like the Wookie's and twice as hard from what I could/can tell.

I would like to respectfully disagree.

The reasons for the earlier maturing girls are twofold.

The first is access to medical care and nutrition that has only been widly available in the last 20 years. We no longer rely on seasonal foods, food is plentiyful, the average weigh of a pre adolescent is up to 25% more than on children in the past.

I am a dairy farmer and I know that a well grown heifer, well fed, cared for, with a beter than average body condition score will come into her first heat 3-6 months earlier than her lesser herd mates.

In addition there is some studies showing that the split family culture we are encountering more and more in todays world is also contributing to the phenomenom. Girls who grow up in families with a step father situation menstrate up to a year earlier than their peers.

The hormones you mention are more likely to contribute to health disorders than bring a natural process on earlier.

If you guys keep going I may not need a book.

Gettin lots of information here.

Should I worry about miss information from the WW?

Or is that just a stupid thought on my part?

Wow, I didn't know that. How interesting.

*Thinking*

Don't feel bad, I don't know anything.

It took me years to get hair styles done right, I don't think I will have as much time with this.

She is still a baby.

It's my house so I am going to air some dirty laundry.

How would you react to your DD asking asking why she and her sister look so differant, why does her sister look more like me than she does, or this one


I could realy use some input on this.

Alan, you are such a good dad!

We're at the other end of this. My recently married DD is trying to become pregnant. Our phone conversations involve a lot of talk about ovulation and periods. lol. My H sometimes overhears my end of the conversation and walks away with his fingers in his ears going "la la la can't HEAR you."

you can worry about projection and tainted by her experiences or her place of mind right now....just like every woman on here's experiences influence some information, WW will too.

also, depending on the WW and how she is, the influence of needing personal life validation from a man can be passed on. I don't know your whole story - maybe WW is moving on to a new relationship and other than the horrible nature of that, it's seemingly drama free, or on the other end of the spectrum does she need validation as a person through a man?

you know--gloria steinam "a woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle" - teach girls while relationships are very fulfilling and wonderful, a man is not necessary to make you whole.

I'm not one to cast stones, but just a thought.

She will ALWAYS be your baby Alan.

Just like my 19 year old, hairy-legged-lanky-almost-a-real-man son will always be MY baby.

I can't look at him sometimes without seeing that towheaded toddler.

WOW, LD!

Great info. I try to be opened minded about many things, but I am super careful about most things my family ingests.

Are you saying that if I specifically go out to buy meats and dairy that advertise they are hormone free, I could be wasting my $$. Cos let me tell you, organic and hormone free items are freaking KILLING me at the grocery. I love supporting it...but geez! And to feed a family of 6 full time is just about breaking the bank.

And lets not get me started on "recycled" toilet paper.

I had to get over ENORMOUS hurdles to even pick the package up.

When I told my DD to just "relax and enjoy herself" my H nearly had a conniption fit. "That's my LITTLE GIRL you are talking to"

Oh, and depending on your WW's education level, I WOULD worry about mis-information.

You should HEAR some of the half baked crap VD spews to the kids.

OI!

Should be par for the course, tho...any woman who can't figure out her own menses and basic biology...

My WW never finished high school, I just found that out last year.

Did anyone notice the question about DD and her hair color?

that's basic genetics. that's an easy one. blonde hair - one blonde gene came from both parents and in the miracle of that sperm and that egg coming together and all of the possible mixes that could occur, that is what happened. brown hair - either one blonde gene and one brunette, or 2 brunette genes came together and brunette is a dominant gene so it was going to win no matter what.

now....if you have a brown haired daughter and both parents are blonde...you're going to have to tell her the truth some day. it's not impossible, but it's so extremely rare.

blue eyes/brown eyes. 23 chromosomes come from each parent to make the 46 that your daughter is. they can combine in millions of combinations - that is why it is impossible to have identical children without having twins that were from a split egg - splitting the exact same combined chromosomes.

sex cells are the only cells in the body with 23 chromosomes - every other cell contains all 46 that make you, you. they multiply differently too, but that's another tangent.

if she were just like her sister, she wouldn't be her own little miracle.

Alan, if they're biological sisters it's no problem. I can't remember if they are or not.

with hair, and eye color the best thing to do is to draw up a grid with 4 boxes. put mom's hair or eye color on top of one box on top, and one box on the left, put dad's on one on top and one on the left. in the boxes, make the various combinations of genes. the first box, if using eye colors blue and brown, will have Blue/Brown, the next one to the right will have Brown/Brown, second row is Blue/Blue, last is Brown/Blue. with the idea that blue is recessive and these are the (very simplified) combinations of eye color genes, which combination did DD have to have to get the eye color she has. This is the same basic application for all genes.

if you want, I can draw it and post it on the web.

Same mother WW

Different Dad's

One red head, one dark dark brown hair.

I had 3 siblings growing up. We all looked very different as children- 2 dark brunettes, one with green eyes, one with brown, both darker skinned. One fair, freckled, blue-eyed redhead, and one pale, grey-eyed blonde. Some with thick hair, some thin. Different body shapes.
As adults, we all looked very, very alike. Our facial features and even eyes came to be more alike than different.
We married men who could have been brothers, they looked so much alike.
Our kids, and our cousins' kids. could all be identified as "family" from the back-- similar posture and gait.
My sons and my H walk and carry themselves very much alike, even though DS25 is short and slender, CHewie is tall and medium build, and DS15 is growing into tall and medium-stocky, and has a marked gait problem due to his disabilities. It is shocking to see them together if you know them separately.
Now, if your girls are not full-blood sisters, you probably need to find a way to tell them the truth about that; but if they are, just tell them that each child gets parts of each parent, and that sometimes they get things from grandparents and before that skipped the parents! It will all even out later.

I did not father both of the people I call my DD's.

Everyday the look less and less alike, at this point I have used the you get some from mom, some from dad, you can get some from grandparents.

I am trying to avoid the question at this point as I don't know if DD 10 would want or be able to deal with the truth with all she is going through at this time.

That's what I thought - I thought they were stepsisters.

Hmmmmm, it's probably something they should have grown up with so that it's always something they've known but it's passed that time now.

Alan, this is a very serious question and will have long term impact on your DD's when they find out - and they will find out. I don't think we are qualified on how to advise you. I really think you should ask a qualified child therapist.

I have an appontment on Monday so I will ask then and see what she say's.

Anyway the kids are gone tonight so I hope they have fun with WW, I miss them already.

I am off to Petland with a friend in a bit to look at some Cavies!

I think they would love to come home to some new friends as the old cat seems to be getting tired of being stuffed in a stroller as DD 8 pushes him around the house like a baby.

I wish you could see pictures, it's amazing how long he will stay in the stroller as she plays her game.

Good cat.

Cavies are gorgeous. They do "sing", just like Dealan said.

Oh, your poor cat lol.

ack....guinea pig.....my son has asked for that and a hamster and I said NO.......i worked in the pet industry and the veterinary industries for a long time....i won't have them in the house.....and we can't have ferrets in CA...(stupid laws) or I would have one again....love the little buggers.... But now we have 2 cats....a Bengal (she is a love) and our brand new kitten I brought back from L.A. when I went to see hope and T2L and fams....I got a Toyger kitten......she is so cute but really REALLY mischevious.

Yes a Guinea pig... We had a hamster, her name was Goldie, I gotta tell you she was great.

She would stay up all night while I was on MB. She would review my posts, grab me a beer when I needed one, play poker with me when I was lonely. She often wrote my posts while I had a nap. Great hamster!

She died about 2 1/2 years ago and we miss her much.

We have cats (2) and a whack of fish and always looking for a new addition to the family.

well, yeah, ask the therapist, but I'm going to guess s/he is going to say what this entire website says...honesty is the best policy. kids are so much stronger than you think if you do it right.

I love the idea of a hamster playing poker with me and writing my posts for me. do they do windows?

Goldie did windows

Ew

Alan, sorry for trhe T/J, I'll try to be brief



The chemicals in our food chain are harmful, I don't deny that, however they are not responsible for the early physical maturing of our youth. I personally don't get excited over organics mostly because in NZ nearly everything is organic anyway, not to mention as a farmer I have some serious issues with the health care or the 'organically farmed' animals.

Hormones are also not routinely added to animal food, and requires specilized licencing. The only hormonally grown cattle I know of in NZ is specifically grown to order, for an american group and can only be slaughtered in one pack house in NZ and all of the by-products are specially disposed of.

I can talk about eostrogen mimic-ers and what not, but that would be a MASSIVE jack.

Don't be brief,

I am getting gret info here on many things,

Welcome to my open house.

All my friends are welcome and all conversations are welcome.

Everyone in the pool, the waters great.

Agree and disagree lil.

I know that there is a small dose of growth hormone in calf starter, for a boost. After that our animals are fed corn, beans and greens all natural.

The hosp. where I work, they do a fair bit of plastic surgery. The plastic guys see a lot of breast reductions in young women. Their feeling was, through research, that the hormones fed specifically to chickens has contributed to early menses and large breasts. Just FYI

I do know that the poultry industry puts many batches through in a year, and they are known to pump the feed with hormones.
Chicken in moderation.

Actually, it's all about balance anyway, isn't it? That's how I excuse all of my vices.

Hey Vittoria,

I can honestly swear, that in NZ there are NO GROWTH HORMONES in cattle food, outside of the small group I mentioned. We dont give our calves starter foods either, most calves are reared on colostrum and waste milk, then onto grass, straw and a little meal for rumen developement.

Same for poulty. NZ has very stringent controls on animal feeding. Agriculture makes up for 70% of our export earnings and our image is very carefully protected.

....and they all taste yummy!!

Changing the subject slightly, oh okay, changing the subject A LOT, my H brought home "Joy of Cooking" for me last night from our bookstore. Apparently, it's been the "cooking bible" for American cooks since 1931. The story of how it came about is fascinating but I won't go into that here.

Wow, it's a fascinating read (I have the updated 2007 version). So much of our food is SO similar. In fact I'm going to cook one of the chicken recipes tonight.

It even has a recipe for how to clean your own snails (from the garden) to eat and I have a feeling that would turn the stomachs of most Americans, not just me. When they got to "clean the slime off" I stopped reading. It's like all those old cookbooks, you can't say "ew, is this what people eat?", they cover everything. I have NZ cookbooks that tell you that heart is good eatin'. Not in my neck of the woods.

Actually I should have mentioned it in my post ... I know your guidelines are much stricter than what they are here.
You guys way down there are where we should be. OOPs, I prolly shouldn't say that too loud.

Kiwi, the Joy of Cooking .... is that a partner to Joy of Sex ???? I hope the food is better looking in your book than the couple in the other book.

I don't know how you managed to read even half about the snails. I pick them out of my garden religiously, always with gloves on, can't even imagine eating them. Slidin' down my throat ..... ewwwww

FYI .... heart is supposed to be very good for you, we have it pre- ground into our hamburger, can't even tell it's there.

It's funny, Vittoria, but I now get why the Joy of Sex was called that. It's an "ironic" use of an American icon. You learn something new every day.

I like Beer

Well here we go,

Went to Petland with a friend of mine and picked out two male Cavie's. I got the English shorthair breed. Not that I had a choice.

I was amazed, they are much like a hamster to take care of, although they need a larger cage.

The fun part right now is watching the cats, either they want to play with the Cavies or they are looking for a bed time snack

I would love to name them but I will wait untill the girls get home.

They are very cute.

Just want to let you know, Lie2me, that you sound like a fantastic dad. Your girls are very lucky to have you.

Thank you for that, I try to be a good dad.

Does this happen to all guy's or is it just me? I have become a much more emotional man, I never used to cry in a movie, yet I just noticed today that the samllest thing can bring a tear to my eye!

Don't laugh but I cried during Cheaper by the Dozen.

Whats up with that.

I don't know if anyone remebers the movie The other side of the Mountain, I remember watching that and my mother, both my sisters were crying thier eyes out amd my dad and I were just amazed.

I never saw my dad cry, ever, so what is going on.

Any ideas?

Yeah,

I am the same exact way. I think it has to do with your living guts being ripped out of your chest, then you had to reach out, grab them and stuff them back in and try to move on with your life.

Nothing will ever be the same again i think.

I do think you are spot on. Nothing will ever be the same and perhaps thats a good thing.

Change is great, we are just so scared of it most of the time.

I saw Julia Childs' kitchen in the Smithsonian week before last.

I cried.

Her Joy of Cooking cookbooks are JUST as careworn and loved and spattered as mine are.

(sniff)

I miss her.

My cavies are King Henry and Sir Hamecelot (Hammy)

What did you name yours?

If you do a wiki search for them, there is lots of useful info there. Facebook also has quite a few guiena pig clubs.

Any apple or pear cores you don't eat you can throw in their cage and they will take care of for you. Any salad waste (w/out dressing) that you don't compost (because you DO compost, right?) can go to the cavies except onion or potato (those are poisonous to the little buggers).

Give them something with vitamin C in it a few times a week. I usually cut up an orange or give them a few strawberries.

They are disposals with fur...and sound SO much better than a disposal!

We have Bert and Ernie,

and thanks for the onion and potato info, I had no idea.

As for composting, well no we don't.

We have Bert and Ernie, and thanks for the food info, I had no idea about onion or potatos.

As for composting, no we don't.

Hi, Lie2me. When is your open house?

Found this for you: Johnny Lang's "Lie To Me"

A great book is My Life in France by Julia Child and Alex Prud'Homme. It's about Julia Child's life when she and her husband first moved to France after WW II. We read it in book club and I enjoyed it even though I am not a foodie.

As for "talks" with children, I got to have "the talk" with my not-quite-8-year-old son last weekend. (His b-day is in 2 weeks.) H wasn't around and DS7 was asking provoking questions that deserved answers -- part of my radical honesty. My DS7 took it all rather seriously and listened closely. I've also ordered What's Happening To Me which explains what happens to both boys and girls and was very helpful for me when I was young.

DS7 said he's not going to have kids until he's 26 so I guess I did my job.

I'm loving your house, Alan. You've done a fabulous job with the place. I do feel welcome here. Thank you for opening your doors and for paying attention to raise two lovely girls. If they're our future, I'm optimistic.

Let me know when the official open house is so I can bring a plant, some beer, and grub for Bert and Ernie.

Well thank you for the kind words, and thanks for the Johhny Lang.

The official open house is going to be soon, we are in need of some paint, so that is the new plan for the weekend.

I must say it seem's hard for the DD's to pick the color's they want. It changes every day.

The cavies are doing well, no tough questions from the DD's yet I am looking up as much as I can thanks to all the help I have got from you guys.

We could have an old fashioned Pounding party for you, Alan.

In the olden days, when people got a new house, everyone would come over with a pound of something.

Pound of Butter
Pound of Sugar
Pound of Nails...

You get the picture?

A pound party sounds like great fun.

Butter, sugar and nails, what do you call those cookies I wonder.

I was sitting around a little upset with the ww and feeling a bit sorry for myself and my sister came over and gave me a book called The Glass Castle.

WOW, don't think I will ever feel sorry for myself again. Great book if you have the time to read it. For me it was the type of book that made me look at my life and go, it's not so bad after all.

I like this much much. I saw a poem on the wall at school today along the same lines, meant to copy it for myself but forgot.

Really makes you stand up tall doesn't it?

Just saw that quote at the beginning of the thread and had to comment. I have now read the rest of the thread and have to congratulate you on your wonderful warm and friendly house.

I'd like to offer a pound of hair bands ( we can never find any in this house) and a pound of spinach triangles. I went to a Pampered Chef Show last night and they were delicious. No fear of hormones - they were vegetarian (just pesticides and fertilisers).

ST

Thanks we try to make this an open and warm house for all to enjoy,

Hair bands, wow I never have enough, no matter how many you buy, they go so fast.

Spinich triangles, have never had them so that would be cool.

And I love that quote, it rings so very true for me.

May I suggest... It can save time if you get samples of what your daughters are considering, paint swaths of the colors on the same wall in 1' x 1' squares, then look at them at different times of the day (differing light) over a couple of days. Something you like in the store can take on a completely different look on a wall. And how it feels in the morning might be different at night.

We just painted my oldest dau's room with grape purple walls and a hot pink ceiling. There are jewels around the walls where the ceiling meets the walls. Her ceiling fan we spray painted turquoise blue. Her curtains will be orange, red and yellow sheer ribbons to the floor. She has hot pink and purple satin bedspreads (she has bunks in her room), and the sheets are hot pink with purple paisleys. We're looking at an orange faux fur throw rug.

It's all very Arabian Nights.

Oh, and I dread when she goes to college and I have to re-paint over the bright colors!

That must be some room. I don't blame , I would not want to re paint after that.

I am looking for one color each, perhaps two thats about it.

It just comes down to the DD's picking what they want in the way of color. They have changed their minds so often, I am afraid to paint as when I am done they will want a new color.

There are kid's room decorating mags at Lowes and Home Depot.

Perhaps you could start there...OR if you want free ideas, both Lowes and HD have color idea pamphlets where the paint swatches are.

Thanks,

When we get back from the hospital tonight We will go to HD and pick up some color and paint swatches.

I think purple may be DD 10's choice.

Well today is a good day,

A dear friend of mine that I have known for about 24 years is recovering very well from Brain sugery.

The doc's found a tumor about 11 months ago, and well yesterday out it came.

He was told to prepare for the worst, make sure his will and finances were in place, all the normal stuff I guess.

Well he went in for surgery on March 31 at 5:30 am, and on March 31 @ 8:00pm he was able to watch a hockey game.

Tell me that is not amazing, tell me he was not touched by the hand of god!

Makes all my complaints about my life seem secondary, this man with the strenght of his family went through the impossible and came out better for it.

I don't know how much better this day can get.

My ww can say and do whatever she wants, as she and her pathetic rants now seem even more childish.

She has no hold over me, my friend and his struggle has taught me what really matters in life.

Wonderful news about your friend.

Paint-- I did my DD's room in a clouds/sky theme. She picked a medium deep blue for the background (alls & ceiling.) For the clouds I got 3 shades of pale-medium grey and a sponge. Then I used glow-in-the-dark paint and painted little stars all over. Years later, it is still a fun room!

Oh, Chrys! That sounds so NEAT!

I know they have magnetic paint now, too. You can make one wall magnetic, and buy pretty fridge magnets so kids can display their artwork.

They also have an additive that makes the paint dry into a chalkboard surface!

I'll have to tell the Wookie about the glow in the dark paint. Maybe we can paint DD6's room with sparklies!

I am not much of a painter so I don't think I can do as much as you Chrys, although it does sound very cool. I knew about the chalkboard paint, I had no idea about the magnetic paint.

It all sounds very cool though.

Guess I have some work to do.

The craft stores have little bottles of the glow paint, I think. I may have gotten mine online but it was a very small bottle. I also think I used some sparkly-glitter paint for stars here and there. Then we strung white Christmas lights all over, and got her a white mosquito net to hang over her bed--- must be a princess in every way, doncha know?
I love love love the Arabian nights theme. I wouldn't have thought of that!

It sounds wonderfull, I hope I can pull off what they want to do.

Then have a painting party. My H and I will come over. He's pretty good at taping while I do corners and detail work and he does the rolling. (Though if memory serves me, I've painted probably half of our house on my own.) Chrysalis and Dealan-de can do the pretty artistry stuff. It'll be swell.

A pound party and a painting party,

I would have to check my social calander LOL!!

Sorry I fell of my chair.

Social calander, I kill me, I'll check with the cavies, the cats and the fish and see what I can set up.

We went to Michael's crafts and picked up stencils for each of the girls, so I think the weekend will be interesting to say the least.

You'll have a lot of fun!

The hardware big box stores have big paint departments. And they have books, supplies, and instructions for making cool fantasy rooms. It isn't that hard. The tools and instructions are all there.
You might try taking the DDs to such a store and letting them poke around and see if there is something they'd like to try. The clouds and stars I painted took a couple of hours, at most.

Well we have paint, we have stencils, so I guess the weekend is set for us.

I hope it all turns out well. I'm sure it will, it will be nice to get it all done before spring break so the kids can enjoy their rooms.

New recipe,

Boil water, drop in hot dogs, let cook and eat.

the kids thought they rocked.

You do sound like an awesome dad ....

Have you ever added hot dogs to Kraft dinner ?

Hot dogs and KD

Been there done that, the DD's like that.

Took the DD's to see Bedtime Stories last night... Very funny movie, but now they want a Cavy with big poping out eyes. Now I am sure if you squeeze a cavy tight enough it's eye's will bug out, so something to watch out for.

Tonight my kids got one of their favorite meals -- which is what I call "dinner a la carte". It consists of what I can find that doesn't require cooking. Tonight it was carrots, yogurt, bread with butter, and some orange wedges. All food groups covered.

Sounds like y'all are having a great weekend. Very nice to read.

2night my kids are having re-runs.

That's what I call leftovers.

Can't stand up straight, so NO COOKING.

Picked up BB (big b**ch) TV by myself yesterday and am paying for it now.

Need the Wookie to come here to work in his 'liceman uni and look menacing for me so my co-workers won't laugh at me when I have to get up and walk.

Ungh.

TG for heating pads.

Lie2me.....
Why are there so many steps to your hot dog recipe?

Open package....microwave....eat. LOL.


When painting.......
You don't make mistakes.....you are using "artistic license"!
I use it on my girls....I doesn't work anymore....but it was fun while it lasted!

Is "artistic license" like "mommy magic?"

When the littles ask how I do something and it takes too long to say the steps involved, I say "mommy magic" and they accept it no questions asked.

That's funny!! I would use it.....except I'm not a mommy!

It's more along the lines of "I meant to do that"!

"daddy magic" works too...FYI

I guess I am lucky, even when I mess up my DD's think it's cool.

We finished the rooms, and I think they look great, they think they look great, so now we need to find another project.

Not sure what it will be, I'm sure we will find something.

As for microwave hot dogs, my kids hate anything that comes out of the microwave, they think it's bad for them, much like fast food, they think if they eat Mcdonalds or anything like that they will have a heart attack.

So I try to cook everything in a way they feel good about.

Wow, great stuff about your kids' food choices and the rooms! Well done!

I made Delean-De's Mexican Rice last night, but I changed the recipe a little bit. I used the whole bag of vegetables, and instead of fresh tomatoes I used a can of tomatoes and jalapenos. I used the green pepper, too, since DS15 loves spice right now.

It was a hit!

I LOVE the way fresh jalepenos make things taste.

I don't like them tinned, tho. There's something about the texture that they get when they are canned that I don't care for.

Well I hope everyone had a great easter, we were so busy and still are.

The girls love the room work we did and I must say I am proud of it as well.

On the news front, need to look for a job as my place of employment closed!!!

I am sure this will be a great journey, at least I hope so.

DD's were most concerned about vacation and can we still go. That made me laugh.

Anyway, hope all is well.

It's been a few weeks, hope everyone is well. Not nuch new at the house well except for the fact the WW is getting married. Wow, that was a ton of bricks upside the head.

She told me on thursday and I don't know why but I cant sleep, it's starting to consume me and I don't want it to. I thought this would be a happy time for me, she is gone, she is another persons problem, yet it is killing me inside and I don't know why.

Any ideas on how to get rid of whatever it is I am feeling?

Wow! Men seem disposable to your WW. Didn't your wife want to work things out with you in March? It is no wonder your emotions can't keep up.

>Any ideas on how to get rid of whatever it is I am feeling?


How are the girls taking this?

Gads! For kids to see that spouses are replaceable - it must make them wonder if THEY are replaceable too.

KWIM?

YOU are not replacable. THEY are not either. Make sure you ALL know that, Alan. It's up to you to realize YOUR worth and show that value to your daughters. Children live what they learn - and yours must learn how precious lives are from YOU - cos your WW is incapable of doing so.

The kids seem ok, it seems to have no effect on them, it's like they just accept thats Mom and carry on.

And yes she did try to get back together with me, the whole thing is just so upside down.

The kids seem fine, I am having a hard time with it all