Skagitgal

Nope, no matter of electric fence will keep a determined bear out. They rob bee trees and pay no attention to the stings, so be warned.

Thank you, I made huckleberry muffins for everyone. Coffee and muffs on the patio this morning.

Hello Dogmom4, It been a rocky, bumpy road for me the past year. I have hubby at home, but he is a stroke survivor and I have little time to surf through my favorite sites. Wishing everyone a bountiful harvest.

If an old gal can add 2 cents worth. DON'T order the canner for her. If she is actually interested, SHE will bring the subject up again. So far, all I can see is your interest and helpfulness pushing her. If her home situation is as it is, step back. She needs to settle the problem between herself and hubby first.

Dear Hazel stone, I pray that you might have a blessed Christmas. In my humble opinion, if I were you, I would create a Christmas peace WITHOUT your hubby or your parents. From what you have written, it comes down to a huge tug of war...with you in the center. This is not what Christmas is about. 1. Although they are your parents, they don't sound particually welcomming or flexable. 2. Ditto with hubby. Stay home and spend time in mass to communicate with your God. If you are interested, spend the time you would in travel, in church.. Be conservative...[read very frugal] with presents, spend time volunteering close to home. Please do not have children. You and hubby do not have a solid base/ concensus/flexability to bring children into your world. Please do not find this harsh and judgemental, I'm a realist.

Congrats on the cow/calf. The best thing to do now is line up a second milking person, in case you are called away in an emergency. Bring then on board now, so she will be used to them in the future. Cows are very funny creatures of habit.

Yes, the above. Hubby's family goes back to Welsh and English kings circa 1200's. Mine,...3 generations back to steerage passage and indentured servitude from Norway. But don't give up!

C4C, GOOD FOR YOU!!!! Now kiss that husband of yours and then get busy with your papers!

Some how, some where, deep inside you, you have to step out of your self and look at your parents as a stranger would. If you were a stranger to them, you would not allow them to use guilt and pressure you into giving them what they want. As irrational and impossible as it sounds, they are not loving you as a daughter, but as a person that helps them satisfy their now childish demands. I have been reading this thread for some time, and am not surprised when you report how cognizant they become when the change of guardianship was announced. I see patterns that help them maintain their 'status quo.' no matter what it takes, or who they hurt in the process to achieve that status. Sometimes our loved ones become people we don't even know. The why, has no satisfactory answer. Your folks are enabling each other, and they see no reason to stop that behavior. You have an upcoming goal in your education that will be a life changing event. Do not let your parents selfishly take that away from you. They should be encouraging you to beat the band, dropping balloons and cheering from the rooftops. As I'm old as your parents, I'm stepping in to say..."GO FOR IT. YOU GO GIRL, YEA FOR C4C, go ripping in there and get that dissertation finished. When you have completed your work, there will be time to revisit all of this, if you wish. Otherwise let the stream take this upset under the bridge and out to sea.

A 57 variety rescue dog that's supposed to be med. sized. HA!

I am doing fine, just busier than the 'one handed wall paper hanger.' Doing the homesteading thing with hubby, grandkids and a puppy that refuses to be trained. Thanks for asking!

Thank you, as I get older I enjoy my birthday more!

Don't forget beans and rice. Rice cooked and served as a hot cereal. Beans cooked with sausage seasonings, until soft, and then mashed. Form into patties, season again lightly and fry like patty sausage. Good any time of day when you are hungry. Do them with beef and/or chicken seasoning. Cook rice until soft and use the same way. Make patties, fry and them, make gravy. Add veggies, and/or dried reconstituted anything. Hunger will clean up anything gratefully.

I have a couple of Wagners, [found in an old burned down cabin] that were badly pitted. I used hubby's air grinder to smooth the pan's bottom surface. You do have to be careful with the angle that you hold the grinder, don't want to make the problem worse. But, this is a last ditch effort to restore a pan that should should be in service for another 100 years. Just don't wear nylon/polyester as it throws sparks. Can use an electric grinder, but an air tool will go higher rpm's.