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cefreeman_gw

Week 23: Chug-Chug-Chugging Along

CEFreeman
9 years ago

Morning, Glories! What a day!

I'm already outside working on my most recent raised bed. 24' long, x about 27" high, except that my ground slants, so it's about 14" at one end. I'm going to experiment with HugelKulture in this bed. We'll see what happens.

{{gwi:1959600}}

It is so beautiful out today, I almost forgot and had to run in to start this week's thread. :)

What are you doing on this amazing Saturday? Last week was pretty productive for all, wasn't it? Greenhaven, nice to see you back on the thread. (Back in the saddle, as it were.)

BTW. If you're not a "Fudgie" and have ever been Up North, you're missing out on one of the most delicious, made-before-your-eyes treats Evah. Murdick's Fudge in Charlevoix. What I wouldn't give to get my hands on one of their gorgeous, marble, fudge-making tables. I'm willing to bet they'd scoff in ridicule of the fuss made here about etching.

So. What'cha doing today? This week? We know what you've been doing and what we've all accomplished, so let's continue on our rolls. Can you believe how much we all actually DO in a week?

Teri, I'm (Oh, God. I almost said "Rooting for you") praying this tooth/jaw thing turns out to be so easily remedied. Particularly since pain hasn't been an issue. But wow. And you are so correct. Just because one read it on Dr. Google, or on that low-down, inaccurate, plagiarizing Frau Wiki, doesn't mean it's true or applies to your situation!

Take care. Do LOTS this week! Or... not. I'm pretty worn out and see a couch, Rehab Addict and some Reese's cups in my near future. Maybe throw in a little wine and a nap.... Keep in mind that decisions are accomplishments, therefore deciding to do NO.Thing. is an accomplishment.

This post was edited by CEFreeman on Wed, Oct 29, 14 at 9:07

Comments (51)

  • brightm
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I really like your last sentence Christine. So true, especially when it comes to anything about the home.

    I have Overnight White Bread in the works. It felt a bit wet and didn't grow as much as I've seen it overnight. I have to remind myself that I started it later AND it's cooler. So I just have to be patient, it'll most likely be fine and probably be great.

    DH picked up some tape for me. But painting will have to wait for tomorrow. The kitchen is nearly company ready, but the LR/DR/Hall/Bath are definitely not. It's a gorgeous gray morning here (my fav) and it would be heaven to work outside. But I really should start finding a way to consolidate the stuff in the dining room temporary shelving and move out one or two shelves so we can move the extra cabinet stuff there. (Yes, they sent a couple pieces to replace damaged ones but we installed the damaged ones and will likely use the others somewhere, but no clue where and no room in the garage.) Actually...I should see if there's a way to make room in the garage...I have a thought.

    Mail and papers are really my nemeses. Am I alone in this issue? The drill is that the mail comes in and sometimes gets a glance, sometimes gets a once over and some sorting. But that just goes on day after day and then it has become this big project to deal with. And it usually only gets addressed when company will come and it gets stacked on top of the last stack that was moved when company was imminent.

    I KNOW what to do and how to handle it. But I don't do it. It's really ridiculous. I should be grounded or something. Any tips? Practical or motivational tips accepted.

    A couple gratuitous cat pics that show some kitchen stuff. Pearl is usually only in the kitchen to eat and then gets out of dodge. Yesterday I was sitting at the island, she rushed me and then did more exploring.

  • schicksal
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    It's looking really great so far! From the pictures it looks like everything is moving along perfectly at least.

    The first picture made me think about the cat
    "Ur picture of tha island has inadaquate amounts of ME!"

  • CEFreeman
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    (Back inside to change into T-shirt and add sunblock.)

    Shicksal, has it ever occurred to you/me that this house thing is also a full-time job? Perhaps you're just pooped and don't realize it. Since you don't have to work your regular job, perhaps you owe yourself a morning, afternoon or entire day of couch, TV, Cookie dough (you can pick which kind) and the alcoholic beverage of your choice. You can slug about, plan what you'll do next, and perhaps just enjoy your accomplishments to date. You have such a beautiful place!

    Cal_quail, Coming along absolutely beautifully. and Pearl. What can I say? A sweet beauty. :) And the island does look much better avec chat.

    I made a bank of floor to ceiling wall cabinets in my DR. Haven't made the doors yet, but the storage is incredible. Just an idea for extra cabs... And of course, there's always the garage....

  • christina222_gw
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    cal_quail your kitty is adorable! I'm doing little things this weekend. Hanging paintings, curtains, tackling the dust and clutter that are inevitable when so many rooms in the house have been worked on. I still need to prime the laundry room. May tackle that tomorrow.

  • blfenton
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I read this column every week (you like how I have defined this thread as a "column" ) and you guys make me tired just reading about what you all are doing.

    CEF - what a great caring community you have created. Well done.

  • Terri_PacNW
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Middleschoolers survived me. Lol...
    I'd forgotten how different that office ran compared to Elementary. Mind you I have worked it before..but you forget after a few years of not being there. Lol

    So for the home front...I vaccumed the "living" spaces of the house..even moved a few pieces of furniture. I have a load of wash now drying and working on collecting another load. Emptied the dishwasher and began to fill it, cleaned toilets, made my Fall wreath and placed it on the door. Drank a couple cups of coffee and am reheating some stuffed shells for lunch for #2 and I. The other two guys are off at their respective youth football games.

    Touching up wall paint today...Qtips make awesome mini touch up brushes....just sayin..

    Further plans are: finish my portion of the vaccuming by hitting the MBR. Fuss at the boys to vaccum their rooms. Sweep the bathrooms and kitchen and run a rag and Mr. Clean over them.

    I could/should do some baking..maybe something spiced and cozy, got cans of pumpkin and sweet potato or carrots and bananas.
    Bread does sound like a winner too. It is English Muffin making weekend. But I usually do those on Sundays.

    Hubby wants to go test driving cars when he returns today. I gave him the go ahead to start looking when I accepted the job. It usually takes him 4-6 mo. He's already bugging me to drive a few cars so he knows what ones to concentrate on.
    I really am unsure. I "think" I want to go with a "mini" car. (Complete opposite of the mini van the last 13 years!) so I'm looking at the Fiat, Golf, Dodge Dart. Or maybe just let hubby get the TDI Passat and take over his Jetta. That probably makes the most sense, even though it's my turn for a "new"car.

  • brightm
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    You can see my car through that one kitchen pic: TDI Sportwagon. Love it. I got that 12/09. DH got a GTI 1/11. His mom got a TDI Sportwagon somewhere in between. His uncle also got a TDI Sportwagon and aunt a Passat. Awesome when we're all together (though uncle is now in Hawaii and has car there). I LOVE my car. I haven't kept a car this long in forever. I've had two rabbits and two jettas before. Everytime I get rid of a VW, I come back to it. I think the only time I had two non-VW's in a row was just prior to this where I went from a 4-runner to a jeep on a whim.

    We have been cleaning machines! I started clearing off the shelves in the DR. We had four 4 ft-ish x 30" bookcases and one 30" x 30". I got down to two tall and one short. I could probably get down one more, but they're now all along the 'back' wall past the table and we got the open-ness of the room back. DH moved the extra cabinets and other misc. cabinet stuff to the garage. I've been working on fitting some of the stuff from the DR into the kitchen and breaking down boxes into recycling and throwing away a lot of junk. Also gathered another pile for Goodwill. MIL came and got the two emptied bookcases.

    DH has been doing an amazing amount of cleaning. I'm going to have to lavish him with praise. He NEVER does this much, even though it's his boys night. I usually do the bulk of the work on both ends. He'll usually run a dust rag over the living room and that's about it. But he's done most of the floor cleaning and didn't just dust around stuff...he moved stuff! A-mazing.

    First loaf of bread is almost out. Bathroom is almost clean.

    Very productive day so far.

  • brightm
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Terri, I'm thinking of a mosaic square/rectangle backsplash for someone who posted a reveal mid-august or so. It was a whole house (or at least whole first floor) guy job, as I recall. I think they opened up the ceiling too. It was a big project and very well photo documented. The colors of the tiles were blues, greens, whites. I can't recall the cabinet colors now.

    Does anyone remember the house I'm thinking of? I think it's the person with the mixer garage built into a column attached to the island. I remember a laundry room right off the kitchen, next to the tiled wall.

  • schicksal
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    @MGMum - I am totally with you on imperial vs metric. Also for some reason some of the locals guessed that I'm Canadian. Close enough I guess... The northwest is almost there.

    I'm going to apply the second coat of stain soon. It's surprisingly easy when you actually use the proper tools. I also managed to clean a lot (which I enjoy!) and put the stereo back together. My parents bought it in 1972 - way before I was born.

    Anyway... Time to work on the rabbit ears. I've been getting a bad signal recently so something must be loose or corroded.

  • Aamich
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Today I decided to get the rest of my fall clothes and shoes out of the storage boxes, which of course, necessitated a visit to the storage unit where most of our household things have been languishing, abandoned and forlorn for the past 13 months. Even though I have to pack the summer stuff (again)into boxes, at least I can put them downstairs along with the extra doors, tools, construction supplies and tarps sitting in the family room. I refuse to take them back to the storage unit now that the end of this project is finally in sight.

    Cabinets were delivered on Thursday woo-hoo! The new kitchen, hall and dining room are stuffed with boxes. The carpenter unpacked the pantry cabinets and some of the smaller ones so now we can see the beginnings of the kitchen No space to work on the trim inside, woo-hoo, oops I mean darn, we can't sand and stain trim today. And i was so looking forward to working on it too. ;-) We will regroup and move it outside tomorrow since it is supposed to sunny and a warm 50 degrees. To make up for the trim, DH Is outside putting the second coat on the small areas of siding that still need it. Since he has to work on the ladder, nothing for me to do. Not that I'm complaining either! I do need to pull out my annuals and put them on the compost, but am waiting for a killing frost which may happen tonight.

    CEF, murdicks closed their original store in Charlevoix in 2013 when the owners retired, but you can still get the fudge at Celeste Murdicks fudge and ice cream shop down the street. It isn't the same though, but you can order it online. Yum, dark chocolate cherry fudge, my fav! I loved that old store with the old fashioned screen door with its squeak and the old wooden floor. I wonder what they did with those long slab marble tables they used to make the fudge on. I hope they went to another Murdicks store.

    Cal_quail, that is one big kitty. I bet she takes no prisoners at meal time. See ours inspecting one of the new cabs below. I hear you about the mail! DH has the same issue, he'll will look at it periodically but lets it pile up for months. Then it takes him an entire evening to sort it. My tip is to recycle or discard anything you can each day. Since I bring in the mail usually, all advertisements and junk mail go right into the recycling bin each day before it even comes into the house. That cuts it down, especially since all we seem to get anymore are advertisements and fliers.

    Well enough fun, back to clothes packing…

  • Terri_PacNW
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Cal, we do love our two Jettas. The boys car is an 02 bought used at a few years old, fully loaded. Hubby commuted in that for a few years, then the oldest dropped the trany in our old Ranger he was driving in HS, and Dad had an excuse for a new car for him. The 02 became the boy car and he went out and bought the 07 Jetta in 2009. The 02 has 240k plus on it and runs like a champ. The 07 has about that too and does it's things as well..had a few more engine repairs than the other has ever needed.

    TDI would mean filling up once a week or so versus 2-3 times.
    Save us a bit of money in the fuel department.

    We will always own at least one VW...they are just fun to drive and have been extremely reliable cars!
    GTI is a thought too..new Bugs are cute, but only with the top off.. ;) not enough days you could drive that way around here.

    Well, second load of wash working, sink is sparkling in the kitchen. Haven't accomplished much else. Lol

  • rmtdoug
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    CEF - I so look forward to your opening post each new week. You are so positive! I'm also learning a lot about landscaping from you. I hope to put it to good use when I take up landscaping after I finish our house in four, five, six years....maybe seven?

    Cal_quail - Love the kitty. Maybe she has decided that you are now done and she can hang out in peace. One of our cats always checks out my new work every night after I finish. She's learned the sound of my clean-up and she's right there investigating everything. The other cat has never bothered to look even once at what I'm doing.

    Had a really nice day today. Slept until 8 and then nailed the final pieces of trim this morning and then totally cleaned the bedroom. No more tools, no more dust. Sad to think that the room will never be as clean as it right now. I took pictures but not ready to post yet. Will order the tile this week for the chimney and will start building the bookselves for the storage opening off the bedroom.

    After lunch, I went out and finally cleaned my shop. What a mess. Dust everywhere. I turned the dust collector on, opened all the ports, and used an air hose and blew everything off, twice, and then swept and vacuumed the floor. The shop is finally back to its somewhat normal messy but cleaner self.

    Took a shower and cooked a nice dinner for myself and the wife for the evening of a very nice day in beautiful (warm!) Western Washington. Great day all around.

    Terri - I still haven't turned the heat on. Can you believe this weather? I actually want it to get colder now because I want to see how much difference all the insulating I did this summer made on keeping heat inside the house.

    This post was edited by rmtdoug on Sat, Oct 18, 14 at 23:55

  • Terri_PacNW
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Well I have clicked up the furnace here and there..just for a few minutes. But not much. It is oddly warm out even now. Just had to run out and fill the dogs water dish..children are naughty! She was drinking out of a burned out stump where rain collected. She prefers rainwater..but really! The one who is supposed to do it got chewed.
    The house did get completely vaccumed today.
    I did not get the floors mopped.
    I just finished the English Muffins. I did not get any other baking done. Hmmm what did I do today? Nothin but putz around and play on my IPad.

    The husband is still insisting I go test drive the Fiat 500 he found.

  • Texas_Gem
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thank you everyone for the support in this and last weeks thread.

    The endondontist believes in a conservative approach so I go next Thursday for a root canal. He is going to clean it out, then fill it with an antibiotic and let it sit for a month.

    If, after a month, it has shown no improvement then he will go in and do oral surgery where he exposes the bone, cleans it out and then grafts it.

    He is hoping my "young age and good health" (his words, not mine) will allow my own immune system to take care of this without needing more drastic measures. Regardless, the bone will indeed take a LONG time to regrow so I guess I should be careful about eating hard things. Though a broken jaw being wired shut for 6 weeks might be a great diet right?? ;),j/k, I certainly don't want that!!!

    As for house things, hubby got another tree torn down that is in the way of where the new MIL quarters will be constructed today and I have (almost) caught up on a weeks worth of laundry. Who knew a family of 6 with 4 small children could produce so much laundry so quickly?!? ;). Already done 6 loads, have another 2 to go.

    Cal- I know it has been shared before but could you share the overnight bread recipe again? We go through a lot of bread, sure would love to find an easy delicious replacement for the 1-2 loaves I buy a week at the store and you make it sound so easy!

  • Texas_Gem
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Just realized I hadn't posted a picture of my new laundry/mudroom. It is almost twice the size of the old one. The header you see at the top used to be a wall where the old room ended.

    Forgive the temporary folding table set up to fold laundry.

    Also wanted to ask other opinions. I'm wanting to paint the original oak doors and replace the hardware. Does anyone happen to know what particular type of hinge this is/what I should be using in my search terms to replace it?

    Inside of the hinge

    Outside of the hinge

  • Terri_PacNW
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Floor looks good!

  • schicksal
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Are the hinges even replaceable? It looks like they're mortised in so new hinges would need to be done the same way. Floor looks cool though.

    Guess I'd better get started with the first coat of spar varnish on the door. It takes a full day for each coat to dry :( That means Sunday/Monday/Tuesday I will do nothing more with the door than apply finish before flipping it over and starting the process on the other side. If nothing else that gives the hardware time to arrive.

    Otherwise, today's list includes a whole bunch more cleaning and taking care of other random small stuff.

  • brightm
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    TG I ALMOST said we just got rid of a whole kitchen full of those hinges, but not when I saw the second pic. Whew, but I'm no help.

    LOVE the paint color. That's about the color of my/hall bath. And apologizing for a folding table in a laundry room? Pfft. I wish I had a laundry room.

    The Overnight White is 1000g flour, 780g 90-95 degree water. Mix by hand in large container. Let sit for 20-30 min (always sitting covered). Add 22g salt and a scant quarter teaspoon instant yeast. Fold and use pincer method a few times. Do 2-3 folds over the next 1.5 hours. Let sit for appx. 12-14 hours until it triples in size. Divide into two equal parts. Make a tight dough ball out of each and let proof appx. 1.25 hrs in a baneton or bowl with flowered lint free towel in a plastic grocery bag or covered with a lint free towel. There's a poke test for readiness to bake. Flip over into 4 qt dutch oven that's been preheated with oven (I use 5 since that's what I have) and bake at 450 degrees covered for 30 min and then another 20-30 uncovered. Let it get pretty dark.

    The recipe in the book is several pages and refers back to a 'general method' section much so it'd really be pages and pages with pics. I documented the first go round pretty well with pics at the link below. I don't know if my 'off the top of my head description' makes sense to someone who knows what they're doing or not because I don't know which steps are general bread baking steps and which are specific to this no knead method.

    You can see my bread making container. I got it at Smart and Final (semi restaurant supply/semi grocery store). You can definitely get them at any restaurant supply. My friend that turned me on to this uses a bucket he got free from a restaurant. Having worked in a restaurant, they get lots of things in white buckets that would work. But as a clueless baker, I wanted EXACTLY what the guy recommends. And I like it clear.

    Feel free to ask questions. Its from Flour, Water, Yeast, and Salt (think that's the right order.)

    Here is a link that might be useful: my first bread

  • schicksal
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    The first coat of varnish is drying. The middle of the picture is the closest to the shade that it is in person. It looks like unstained walnut.

  • Texas_Gem
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    After researching literally all morning I have finally found out the name of those hinges. They are called demountable hinges, you loosen the one screw on the frame and the doors come off.

    At least now I know what term to search for replacements. I want to make the cabs white with nickel hardware.

    The tiles are the ones from the original kitchen that my husband very carefully removed so we could reuse them in the mudroom and the breezeway I have previously posted.

    Its funny, in a kitchen I don't like white but in a bathroom and mudroom I do.

    Cal- thanks for the recipe and the compliment on paint color. It feels beachy which is part of why I chose it as this is the room you pass through when you go out to the pool.

    Still need to build some mudroom lockers and benches. It will be nice to finally have somewhere for the kids to hang their backpacks and jackets, wet towels from the pool and take off muddy shoes before coming inside.

    Schick- that door is pretty and I'm envious of your stereo. There is nothing quite like a record.

  • mgmum
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Schicksal, the door looks gorgeous!

    Texas, I hope you heal well from the root canal. I can't even imagine not feeling that! The turquoise is pretty! The floor turned out well.

    I vacuumed today, made turkey soup and did tons of laundry. We will fold/sort the laundry while watching a movie and put it away before bed. I spent a good part of the day screwing around with the laptop trying to figure out why the plug in printer wouldn't print. I felt like smashing it! Especially after it randomly printed one page, but no more! The internet was NO help in suggesting a solution and then the internet went down on the laptop only. What a mess! Our weather has been quite chilly! I'm off for about 9 days after next Thursday so I hope the PNW weather heads over here and I can get my leaves gathered up and my "gutter guards" installed.

    Cal_Q, do you weigh your ingredients? I will say as metric as I am, I use imperial for baking. It's what all the recipes are and I don't have a scale. Maybe I should buy a little one and get making some bread. I'm going to ask Santa for a robot vacuum. Pearl is cute. Our cats are fat and weird. My orange cat was the best one I ever had.

  • a2gemini
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Wow - good to see everyone's progress.
    Mine wasn't too exciting.
    I ran 8 miles for the first time since Boston and no pain anywhere! Woohoo!!

    Then I finally went through my DD's camera collection. I posted 2 lenses on eBay and taking the rest to the camera club in November.

    The 4 crates have been sitting in our spare bedroom for 3 years and then DB dumped his cameras into the mix as well.

    Too bad he waited too long as this is film technology- LOL

  • christina222_gw
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Once again not much done this weekend. Low energy I'm afraid. I slept all yesterday afternoon and a good chunk of this afternoon as well. I did get some light bulbs changed, which sounds like not much but these all involved ladders, which I am not fond of! I somehow managed to purchase two different colored LEDs for my porch light, one cool and one warm. They're staying as I have no desire to climb back up there any time soon!

    Schicksal that door is looking great. Texas, sorry to hear of your dental woes, hope all goes well for you.

  • Terri_PacNW
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Lol, Cal, me the tradtional bread maker says that recipe is to complicated. Lol
    I do cups and spoons. ;) and. Kitchen Aid.

    Well he made me go to the mainland to look at the Fiat 500.. Ruled it out, wouldn't even be able to wedge an infant car seat into the back! So didn't even bother driving it.
    We test drove a Jetta TDI and a Mercedes 550.

    I have all of yesterdays laundry folded.
    Just put some country pork ribs in the oven. And browned some butter for CChip Cookies.
    Have windows wide open trying to get a cross breeze going..well we have that but that southern wind is to warm to cool!

  • annkh_nd
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    cal_quail, your new kitchen is lovely!

    shick, I love the door!

    We've had nice weather this week too. Thursday I picked all the apples off my tree - 7 paper grocery bags of yummy Harelred (a Harelson variety), plus a half a bag I dropped from the ladder, so I had to immediately make apple crisp with those.

    It was a sports weekend - Friday night we went to a women's hockey game at our local university; Saturday we went to our alma mater (75 miles away) for a football game. Our team extended their winning streak to 31 games (they've only lost 2 games in the last 4 seasons). Best birthday ever!

    Today we tried to knock all the last leaves off our birch tree before raking; an hour later there was a carpet of leaves on the ground again. Oh well.

  • schicksal
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks for the kind words on the door. Though I have to say that hockey and cars seem a lot more fun than working on the house.

    I applied the first layer of finish about 12 hours ago. The can says it needs to dry for 10 hours before it can be handled but it seemed dry earlier than that so I tried sanding in a small area at the top of the door that will be trimmed to make it fit the opening. Unfortunately the directions say that for a reason so I'll have to wait until tomorrow before sanding and applying coat number two.

    Otherwise I basically just did a lot of deep cleaning, caulking and putting that last coat of paint on the entry hall baseboards. They're trimmed and ready to be installed tomorrow. Otherwise everything was accomplished except for putting in the ceiling box for the breakfast area light and the wall art ceiling light in the formal living room.

    Tomorrow I'm taking a vacation day to meet with an engineer and builder at the house with the crushed roof. For the rest of the day I plan on dealing with those ceiling boxes, ordering stainless door hinges and veneer for the beam in the family room. If I were smart I would start prepping the beam for veneer too. There were a lot of nails the framing crew cut that stick out about 0.5cm from the beam that either need to go in or come out, plus whatever else needs to be sanded or filled in so the veneer installs flat.

  • rmtdoug
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Wow, you are doing veneer? That will be interesting to follow. I would think the nails would go in faster than come out. You have a hole to fill either way.

    Window holes look great. Nice job.

    My day off today. Watched the Seahawks lose. Had lunch with wife. Napped. Tomorrow, it's back to the grind. Not sure what I will do on the house tomorrow. I do need my final inspection. I think I will call for that tomorrow.

  • brightm
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I weigh for the bread. That's what is called for, but there are cups along side. (And the yeast is so scant that it's easier to just dip the 1/4 teaspoon into the container.) The guy is a baker and it's all based on ratios. It helps you learn how different hydrations work. I think all the recipes are based on 1000 g of flour and everything else changes around that in the various recipes.

    BTW: I've used both the speed oven and BS to 'make toast'. The BS wins. Just have to keep a close eye on it. Basically just broil, flip, broil. And definitely use tongs!
    Example: In the non-overnight version, there's less water and a lot more yeast. The flour and salt stay the same IIRC.

    7 3/4 c flour
    3 1/3 cups water
    1T and 1t salt (fine sea salt)

    One of the reasons my friend/colleague suggested this book to me was he knew I'd geek out on it's organization/teaching method.

    ETA: I hit enter, didn't mean to. Yesterday was also very productive. I picked up my dressing room and did some clothing organization. I still need to go through the closet and get rid of some stuff. But the stuff I wear most often is more organized.

    Then DH started cleaning off the patio. I've wanted to do it for a long time, but was sort of paralyzed to start. Once he started and came up with a storage solution for a few things, we were on our way. Still have work to do but now the patio itself is cleared off and we just have to wash down chairs and such and put them back.

    He also made THE best ribs in the big green egg. I hope he remembers what he did. He says he does. I hope so. Perfect blend of spice and sweet. Cooked perfectly.

    This post was edited by cal_quail on Mon, Oct 20, 14 at 8:03

  • greenhaven
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Annkh, you gorgeous creayure, you and hubs look very happy!

    Schicksal, I tend to agree with CEF, you probably work too hard and too long and need a bacation day NOT for house stuff but for YOU! I will be very happy to come here one day and you will have listed as an accomplishment "took a much-needed rest day.". Rmtdoug knows what's what!

    Texas_Gem the laundry/mudroom looks great! We have a pretty great laundry room but the mud room I envy.

    MGMum, your Sunday sounds so comfy and homey! I can practically hear the football game! I do not follow football but the sound of it on the telly is so comforting to me.

    Terri, sound like some great cars you are checking out! There is a beautiful VW for sale ip the road from us, think it is a Jetta. I want a.small car to drive but cannot give up my 4Runner. Too much junk gets hauled with it, plus we can schlep the dogs around in the back and keep them off our seats.

    Picked up more materials for barn reno, and got splashboard and one divider built. Also got a bunch of stuff lying around the barnyard picked up and stacked neatly or put away. Today I am going to mil's house to help put her flower gardens to bed.

    I am really tired of all the mess around, still, and just want to keep closing up projects. I know I need to work outside while I can, but I Just. Want. It. All. Done. I know none of you can relate! ;0)

  • schicksal
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I wish I could but I am the only one who works on anything at home. If I do not do it, it will not happen and there is a deadline fast approaching.

    More soon

  • Terri_PacNW
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Greenhaven, you were busy!
    We have 2 Jetta's what's one more? Lol
    And we will begin looking for a "dump" truck to..probably full size for all the DIY and such in our future!

    Cal, it's not the measurements. I have a scale. I make soy candles. All of my "recipes" are pretty precise. So I understand the need. But for bread I just adjust my bread by feel. Some things need softer doughs than others and such. So the English Muffins I make every two weeks are "simple" in my mind.

    English Muffins in a Mixer
    1 c warm milk
    1/4 c warm water
    1 big fork full of honey
    2 1/4 t yeast
    Blend and let bubble.
    Add 2 T soft butter
    1 t salt
    1/8 t baking powder
    3 c flour, mix until it comes together
    Switch out to bread hook and "knead" until a soft dough cleans the sides.

    Cut off hunks, form into balls and flatten in cornmeal, let rise while preheating a large lidded skillet over medium low. "Bake" 3-4 at a time 4 minutes on each side.

    That is how I do it. Lol

    Made meatballs when I got home with ground pork and beef. However, They are simmmering in jarred sauce. :)

  • brightm
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    When something just says 'yeast', I immediately shut down. I need specifics (or pictures). I have the yeast linked below. Can I use that anytime something just says yeast?

    And do you add all the rest of the ingredients with the butter?

    This time, I actually put the English Muffin recipe into my recipe software. :) Thanks.

    Here is a link that might be useful: saf red instant yeast

  • Texas_Gem
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Seems like it was a slow day for everyone. I finally got one of those nagging "sits there forever" things checked off my list.

    When we started the remodel last August, we ordered the French doors. They arrived, sat around for a few months before they were finally installed at which point, I discovered my duh moment.

    I ordered them without realizing that my exterior walls are 2x6 instead of 2x4. Since my doors are out swinging, it didn't interfere with the installation but it did mean that inside the house, there was a space between the jamb and the wall.

    We had to build up that area, which was done several months ago but alas, the doors have sat, unpainted this entire time...until today.

    Before exterior

    Before interior

    Yes, I know, I still haven't removed the sticker with the instructions on how to operate the between glass blinds, its also on my to-do list. :p

    After exterior

    After interior

    This is only one coat. I will need to wait a day or two before I can apply a second coat since it is high gloss. I went with high gloss on the doors and trim since they get touched a lot and it is a nice scrubbable finish.

    Once I am done with that it is on to the door casing. The trim will have to wait until after the flooring is installed.

  • Terri_PacNW
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Flying through...
    Nice doors..look great in white..

    CalQ, yes and yes.. I put the 2 "pats" of butter in to the bubbly liquid, then add salt, b-powder and flour. Then turn on the mixer. It's a soft dough. It will make a loose cohesive blob in the mixer.
    Your yeast is perfect. Instant yeast does not require proofing, BUT I almost always give it a few minutes in liquid just to get it started.
    Typically "instant" yeast is what "modern" recipes are written for.

  • rmtdoug
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    TG - No day is slow for me. I am just internally focused right now. The inspector did stop by today and signed off my permit and we chatted for a while about my plumbing and upstairs bath plans for next year. I then spent most of the day on the internet reading up on building bed frames with storage drawers, latex mattresses, tiling outside corners on walls, heating and cooling houses (perpetual, this subject), shopping for tiny bath sinks on Houzz, whole house ventilation, and last but not least hanging out on GW! I also had a pretty full day of work. Tomorrow, I will order the tile I need and will probably start sorting the wood I'll need for the bookshelves I'm building for the storage doorway.

    Congratulations on finishing your door. I also have a 4" door in a 6" wall. Mine was put in that way by design but I still have to trim it out...someday.

  • christina222_gw
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I like those doors Texas, they look great. I am so over my ugly sliders but they're pretty far down the budget priority list I'm afraid.

    Went to lunch with coworkers yesterday and went in one of their crew cab trucks. Driver mentioned there was only room for one in the back. I though that was strange since we'd taken his truck the day before and there was plenty of room. Climbed in yesterday and nearly the whole thing was filled with kitchen cabinets. He found them in a construction dumpster that morning. They were in good shape too. He's going to put them in his utility room.

    Another friend is going to build his own kitchen cabinets. I've asked him to let me help so I can learn how to do it. I've got a few places that could use some new cabinets.

  • raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    TG, I experienced a similar jaw issue some dozen years ago. Hadn't been feeling tip-top for a few weeks, actually had a day at work where I came close to passing out -- of course I thought it was "just a virus" combined with the horrible stench in the room I was working in. Suddenly one day I started tasting something horrible and knew there had to be an abcess -- went to my regular dentist who couldn't find anything but he sent me to an endodontist who did find it, and he sent me to a periodontist (these guys were all great, each calling and sending me directly with no waiting to the next). Yes there was a hole in the jaw that was abcessed -- 10 days on antibiotic then surgery -- after surgery the path report came back as an "odontogenic cystic tumor" . He had to remove a chunk of jaw but fortunately this was in the area where the wisdom tooth had been extracted. He warned me that it might come back (hasn't) and that I might lose the neighboring tooth due to the loss of the bone adjacent (it has been fine so far). I was very ill, lost over 10 # and was on antibiotics for a month. Only once it was all done, and I was well, did I realize how bad I had been feeling because of the contrast to how much better I now was.

    I hope that you have as good a resolution!

    My update -- I decided it was time to get some fitness back, and about 10 pounds off, so for the past two weeks I have been eating a reduced - carb diet, doing the "last chance workout" and doing either interval sprints on the elliptical or going to the HS track and working on running. I used to run and bike a lot, but the past 2 years with illness and injury had completely stopped. I am pleasantly surprised that my knees aren't protesting the short distances that I've attempted so far. The scale isn't showing much change but I can definitely feel less fat on my waist and hips, my jeans are looser, and best of all my neck and back aren't feeling so creaky and achey! Must be the back muscles getting stronger.

    The weather has been wet and raw and cold for the past several days and that leaves me tired and unmotivated -- I just want to curl up with a blanket and endless cups of tea. I am not ready for winter yet!

    Went to Ikea and bought the pull-out drawers and basket to finish the upper pantry, got them home and found that, with the glides, they were 1/8th of an inch too wide for the space (mine is not an Ikea cabinet, it was custom made). So I will have to return the basket, but I am debating whether to try to cut down the Ikea drawers to fit, or order drawers from an online seller. I found one that has some on clearance that are the right size, only sacrificing a half inch in width -- I can use a spacer to hang them. The shipping will cost as much as the drawers, though, so total will be twice as much as Ikea. (I am not counting the cost of the 200mi. round trip drive to Ikea since I will stop to visit relatives in the area while there). Do I want to pay that much for the convenience? On the other hand, I am not sure that I can make a nice even cut to trim the bottoms such a small amount.

    The deer have returned to the yard -- the frequent rains this month have been washing away the repellent-- and they have eaten EVERY. LAST. LEAF. off my new plum, cherry and pear trees. Not to mention grazing the strawberries, tomatoes, peppers and hosta. Pulled pansies out of planters, and even ate the begonias and morning glories. And trampled everything else. Thank goodness the blueberries -- seven pots -- were already protected. So this week I have been erecting bamboo poles obtained from a neighbor along the fence, and putting up another old gazebo given to me around the fruit trees, and hanging netting until I can get to the store to buy fencing. I need to decide whether to try to raise the height of the fence around the entire yard (I have read that stringing fishing line is enough) or just fence off the most precious parts of the garden.

    There were still a bunch of tomatoes on the seven ft. tall grape tomato plant so made tomato jam. Spicey sweet, So good on sandwiches --

    The city is going to dump a load of leaves (they collect curbside with those big vacuum trucks) in my driveway next week. That will be all I am doing for about a week after -- moving the leaves to the flowers beds in front and back. Hope it stays dry.

    I admire the work that you all (mtdoug, schicksal, terri, cal_quail, and Christine) are doing. I don't have that much ambition anymore. When winter arrives and I am forced indoors, I will start addressing the basement stairs and basement itself. Have so much left from my mom's and dad still shoved down there.

  • a2gemini
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    TG- hang in there. Hope you are doing better with all of the support.

    Terri - Am I understanding the English muffin recipe correctly - you just "bake" it on the stove or am I missing something.

    Raee - portion control and no seconds will help. I need to get back to my eating plan as well. I am one of the few who lost weight during menopause but did gain a few in the past few years. I lost too much weight without trying - gave up soda, chips, fries, and ate much healthier and suddenly I was too thin. LOL - So made a conscious effort to add healthy calorie dense foods and got a bit carried away. How can you gain weight while riding your bicycle 150-200 miles per week and running 30+ miles per week. I did it.. Ooops

    Texas- nice job on the doors!

    AnnK - great pic!

    Greenhaven - with a name like yours, have you looked at the Ford C-Max. It should hold 2 kids seats easily and gets great gas mileage and has 2 types of kick. For a hybrid, it has good get up and go(acceleration). In addition, if you get the SEL, the back hatch pops open when you "kick" your foot under the bumper. We bought one 3 months ago and loving it.

    Even my DH loves it and he usually only likes "muscle" cars - but then he considers his Flex a muscle car - technically it has a bigger engine and does have good acceleration.

    When I was looking, I looked at the Honda, Rav4, Escape, Subaru, Prius and a few more and decided on the C-Max.

    We are averaging 43-44 mpg mixed driving but it sure is fun beating the EPA estimates. Some days, I hit 70-85 mpg for multiple 2-10 mile trips!

    Disclosure - my DH is Ford retiree but we have no ties to Ford other than being able to get a slight discount on cars.

    Tomorrow - back to organizing the insides and getting rid of surplus, my daily Italian lesson, and I have to complete my Finance 101 assignment. I did great on the first assignment but had difficulties with the second one. I might end up dropping the course... LOL as it is the University of Michigan course on Coursera - which is free (but quite hard for non finance peeps like me)

    Schick - what is that thing on the floor with a black disk on top and some kind of arm on top of the disk. Is that an early "CD" - LOL

    Where is Freeman - she hasn't checked in recently.

  • Terri_PacNW
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    a2, yes "baked" in a lidded skillet on the stove top. I use a chicken fryer.

  • a2gemini
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Cool - can't wait to try it!

  • brightm
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    a 2 g and other car talk peeps - I saw the cmax on Amazing Race last week. That seems like it'd be really cool. I was hoping a co-worker would get one because she was bound and determined to get an american crossover...but ended up with a Highlander. We had a not-great Ford experience and DH has sworn off them. They have some awfully cool stuff now, as does Chevy electronics wise.

    raee - the tomato jam sounds delish. We have no basement but we went through a period a few years ago of losing my mom, DH's gram, DH's uncle (no 'stuff' from that one) and DH's cousin (lots of stuff from him as he'd moved into his grandparents house). AND we have no basement. We just had stuff from everyone everywhere. And then last year, his parents downsized. Oy. We're still culling. We each have at least one big piece of furniture in the garage doing nothing but taking up space. I'd tell y'all but I'll wait til I can snap a pic. You'll love it. DH added a couple pieces of furniture when his parents moved. And most recently, the extra cabinets. My poor Blazer is wedged in pretty tight (don't forget the freezer (with external thermostat) and fridge that are mostly full of beer).

    I got an email from HD today that they're crediting me what I paid to the plumber to get my faucet filter cleaned out and water pressure right. Woo hoo! Yesterday I picked up the extra shelves for the cabinet by the breezeway (the one holding all that stuff that was laid out all over my island once upon a time. It'll be nice to get the stacks on the shelves shorter. MIL dropped her jigsaw off today so I can notch them for the electrical that runs through the cabinet. I also got a drill template so I should be able to add the other roll out to the pet cabinet (I couldn't put it high enough to clear the dog food container with the existing holes, but I should be able to make it work.)

    Just after the 29th I should get the remainder of the 'parts' from HD/Innermost. Al-most-there.

  • CEFreeman
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I'm here, a2g!

    TG, good news on the jaw thing. It sounds like your guy is taking a careful approach.
    Also love the doors! :)

    raee, sorry you went through the abscess experience, too. It seems it's not as uncommon as one would think!
    Great news on the leaves. I put out a call on Freecycle for people's bagged leaves. Specifically mentioned I wasn't volunteering to rake their yards, but could keep more out of the landfills if it were already bagged. I gotta pick that up, but at least my new garden bed will have a strong leaf layer!
    And sorry about the deer. They've done some damage here, but mostly kept away I think because of my dog. Now that she's gone...? (Shhhh! don't tell 'em)

    cal_quail, glad HD is stepping up, at least with the plumber thing. I wonder if they care about this stuff, or if they continue to recommend these (dumb) companies?

    I've been working hard on my newest garden bed. I'm going Hugelkulture and it's coming along nicely. One of my goals was not to buy anything for it. I didn't realize that was a goal until I started thinking about the lasagna layers. Anyway, I've got the wood from OCD reuse center purchases (and have enough for 2 more beds) and am starting to collect the timber (junk wood) to put in the bottom. I was seeing all kinds along the road, when my neighbor took me to two woodpiles he has, which for some reason he's not using. Aged wood won't pull the nitrogen out of the soil as energetically. Plus, I've been bringing home 5 gallon buckets of coffee and tea grounds to compensate for that.

    I have pictures, but am working off old phones. (No $$to take my old phone to the repair place, to consolidate probably lost info onto the old SIM card, to transfer it to the new phone I've had for 3 months now.) It is my hope to be able to go back and post some pics appropriately.

    BTW. Anyone remember the generic Blutooth pin for the Motorola Razr phones? They were extremely popular, so I'm hoping. :) I've tried the most common ones, but so far, no go. If I can figure that out, I can transfer a bunch of pics to my computer. These phones have lost the capability to email pics, and one just can't take 'em anymore. When do those abilities expire? Grrrr...

    In the meanwhile, here's a picture I'd sent to my sister of my latest adoption (last August), Buster. He's put on a few since meals are regular:

  • a2gemini
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Cal - sorry to hear about your Ford experience. It is funny that I had a chance to get something else and ended up with a Ford. DH was a no brainier as we bought his management lease Flex for a good price.

    I wanted a vehicle that I could stand my bicycle inside. There are not many vehicles that it is possible to do this. Turns out minivans, Honda fit, and the new Ford transit wagon are the only vehicles out that can do this trick.
    I originally wanted all-wheel-drive and a hybrid but they are counterintuitive to each other so I went with standard front-wheel-drive and we will use the all-wheel-drive to go up north.

    I saw a great T-shirt yesterday explaining Michigan geography.
    The top part of the lower peninsula said up north with an arrow pointing up. The bottom part of the lower peninsula said down south with an arrow pointing down.
    The upper Peninsula just had two letters U.P.
    That should explain Michigan geography to those not familiar with Michigan. I might need to pick up one of those T-shirts
    A few more Michigan facts
    A2= A squared = Ann Arbor
    TC = Traverse City

  • mgmum
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    RAEE!!!! CEF!!!! What is the deal with the leaves? I have three big trees and more leaves than I know what to do with. Should I chop them in my leaf mulcher thingy and put them on my gardens? I imagine I have to weed the gardens first? :( This weekend is supposed to be pretty good weather so I'm going to try to get some of the leaves sucked up. And finally get my gutter guards in. I hope to do some of that tomorrow while waiting for the window repair people to come by to check on replacing a couple of broken windows.

    Buster is hilarious!

    TexasGem, the doors look great! I hope your jaw gets "repaired" easily.

    I need some tires. I might head to the US next week. Even with the exchange, MI tax, and tax at the border I'll still be saving $100. Crazy!

  • CEFreeman
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    A2g, no, you don't need to mulch them up or weed first.

    Leaves are one of the most misunderstood garden elements. They're great weed suppressant. They feed the lawn and garden while decomposing. Think a layer of cardboard or something that blocks the sun. That's what a thick layer of leaves does! Bulbs grow up through them in the spring, as do day lilies, spiderwort, hyacinth, etc.

    In my already established garden beds, I blow the leaves all to the edges, then heap them on top. Sometimes, if I have coffee grounds, then I'll spread them on top, then, again, if I have, any layer any of wood chips to glue 'em down. Think forest floor. Coffee is immediate nitrogen (not acid, we drink that) that plants can put to use as food, or will help with decomposition of nitrogen-sucking elements such as wood chips.

    In the summer, if I know I'm mulching a bed, I'll mow the lawn and heap the grass clippings on, then mulch. num num the plants love it. Grass can have weed seeds, though, so be prepared to much to keep them from germinating.

    Lovely! :)

  • a2gemini
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Mgmum - let me know if you cross the border. maybe we can meet for lunch depending on schedules

  • mgmum
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks CEF!! I'll be putting my leaves on my garden beds then. And I use the term garden beds loosely! LOL

    A2, I'd love to meet up but the tire sale ends Sunday, so I'll be bringing my little dude with me. His brother is at a hockey tournament. We're going to go to the Costco on 12 mile. I couldn't get through to Middlebelt. Maybe we can hook up in November on a day off, and I can do some Christmas shopping! :)

  • a2gemini
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Mgmum
    Sounds like a plan:-)

  • brightm
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Busy school week. Parent conferences last night. 3rd water polo game today. Minimum day, but I'll likely be a good wife and go back to school for the game.

    Nothing house oriented happening this week, though my plan is to notch the shelves this afternoon and maybe work on the roll out in the pet cabinet.

    Tomorrow there's a picnic potluck with a group from my elementary school. I didn't finish HS with them, but it's their HS reunion that night and they did this picnic another reunion day (10 years ago, I guess). We've got another party tomorrow night...Oktoberfest at a co-workers...luckily, it's just a few blocks from home.

    I also just agreed to have DH's aunt and uncle for Thanksgiving, along with his parents. This kicks it up a notch. But I will need to let people help and not insist I do everything myself. Particularly since I realized there's only one weekend between when I get back from Costa Rica and Thanksgiving.

    With various professional development days, I only have 11 and 2-minimum days of teaching before CR. Wow!

    Maybe Sunday I'll finish the kitchen paint. Maybe.

    ETA: And if accuweather can be believed, this is our last 90 degree day. Hooray! Only a few in the 80's and then it's the time of the weather year I enjoy!

    This post was edited by cal_quail on Fri, Oct 24, 14 at 9:08

  • brightm
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Got the extra shelves in. Need a few shallow baskets/drawers for bottom shelves.

    Posting from phone, don't know what orientation will be...