hum- i'm getting hungry!
I do have a roasting pan think I got it at one of the kitchen stores. But can't help with brand.
TN sounds like she knows what she is doing so go with her opinion. I'm more of a lasagna pan person, being 100% Italian, the Thanksgiving dinner consists of Pasta, with a side of turkey!
Christmas is full traditional Italian for my family! yes hubby's kids think that's weird!

In any case, this post has no meaning other then just wanted to say hi!!!

 

Whoah whoah whoah whoah....First, the woman who hasn an answer for everything JUST NOW figured out it's a good idea to NOT sleep on a futon..?? After so thoroughly describing your back ailments???? Woman, you're nuts. What were you thinking???


RJ - I'm with TNMM...I have a Calphalon roasting pan with the v-rack and it works well, especially with tenting, and I think I also have an All-Clad one very similar. That said, I also have my cast iron dutch ovens. But if we're talking turkey (sorry, couldn't resist saying that), we do ours on the grill. Hubband thinks he's beyond "the bomb" now that he's done it so well...he now tells people he's "the NUKE."

 

The futon was a WTF moment for me too!

Hal- Sorry you weren't feeling so great on your b-day. Glad you felt better after you stopped by CHEERS!Hopefully Mrs. Hal took good care of you.

Gem- Congrats on finishing up all your tests! I bet it feels great to have that behind you. Hope you have fun basking in the sun on your trip!

Cab- You're so good with all your muscles and stuff!

SIKA!!

RJ- I use those disposable pans for Thanksgiving. Yes... I know... throw-aways... BUT I am doing my part to save the world by driving a MINI. (Well at least it LOOKS like it. My gas mileage tells a different story!)

 

g'morning freebies Happy Friday!

 

Hullloooooooo everybody!!
Hi Rj!! I am kindof like Gemmy-- I have a roaster but no names come to mind. I rarely use a rack- and other than a turkey I love my Magnalite (sp?) for roasting most roasts and small turkey's...

And as for advice, OMG-- I don't even think about it as advice- anything with anatomy just fascinates me.. the human body is a wonderful machine!
Along those lines, I think we will try to go to the Franklin Institute on Sunday to see Body Worlds 2-- anyone ever see that exhibit??
RJ- how is the workout plan going?

Ola,,, you make me smile,,, and thank you for that!
Silka,,, come back!! What'cha been up to??

And Pilotart-- I hope we didn't scare you off?
Akindy Happy Friday to you also!!

Uhoh,, have you heard any "inside" stuff about that Texas Ft. Hood shooting? That is a terrible tragedy--- oh and when I heard about the woman who "brought him down" I was thinking that my buddy Sarah would be brave and gutsy just like that---and glad that you weren't involved!

Tnmm-- any improvement today?? Hal? Feeling better yet??

 

OK folks, in my defense... I started sleeping on futon mattresses in 1982... it was a tad softer than the floor. That said, I still love sleeping on the floor (I love a hard bed)- I also camped for years, before there were air pads (notice I didn't say mattresses)- so it was the sleeping bag basically on the ground...
The futon frame is a king, custom made bed, extra high (I've had SI and lower back probs since a riding incident when I was about 12 and then a car accident really mangled my back around L3 and bulged a disc). I have a really hard time bending to make regular height beds- and I also find that most kitchen sinks are at the wrong height for me- especially commercial or super deep sinks.
When David & I started dating, he was living on a water bed, which he wouldn't fill up all the way so it was extra floaty... Definitely NOT for me- I couldn't get out of bed in the morning and it wasn't because it was rocking... but because it didn't support me and my muscles would freak out and stiffen up & I wouldn't be able to move.
This bed was built in 1989, so it & the slats are 20 yrs old- and the futon itself is probably 15 yrs old. Over the years, the slats have started to warp & bow- the center support disappeared when we moved into this house (in 2002), so we roll toward the center. The mattress is compressed, even though I flip it every time I change the sheets- and the worst part is, the wood (red oak, locally milled) has swollen and contracted so much that now the bed squeaks and moves when you get in it. So much for being subtle.
We found a mattress- David's aunt's family owns a custom mattress shop that's been around for 70+ years (and makes mattresses for the big names as well as mattresses under their own name). I am getting them to custom make a mattress/box spring for an antique off sized bed with cut away corners & when I took them the original set, I found they were having a sale (THAT mattress/box spring was originally built in 1940 something). Seems someone had custom ordered one of the top of the line mattresses with the pillow tops and then decided they didn't like it- even tho they never used it. So David & I tried it out today- I thought it was a tad soft (probably the pillow top), David thought it was a tad hard (wuss), and we both decided we were happy... Especially at half price! And the mattress has the pillow top on BOTH SIDES so I can flip it every time I change the sheets!
This will come sometime next week, with a metal frame with wheels- which we'll use until I can get the bed made (a shaker furniture maker agreed to custom make a bed to get the mattress to the right height for me).
So, that's the story of the futon!
Oh- and just for reference, I have a really hard time getting off a massage or chiro table too- even with the knee roll, my lower back freezes up. <sigh>
Nice thing about extra tall beds, you roll off and throw your feet over and you're standing! None of this sitting on the side of the bed and having to push up to get off the bed!
Ciao

 

Had to feel better today - IT'S FRIDAY!!!!!

Got some great weather for this weekend. Plan on finishing up the stripes on Sir Cedric and then giving him a good waxing for the winter.

Hopefully won't be too tired to go down to Chattanooga for a concert to benefit the veterans. There will be Kansas, Edgar Winter and Overland Express. I hope Kansas is as good as I remember from years ago.

Sunday the local car club is having an auto-cross at a local community college that about two miles from where I live. I just got a set of Schroth harnesses to put in the MINI. Maybe I'll get those installed for Sunday's auto-cross.

 

Ola you make me smile too!!! you are so dam cute and nice I would like to meet you some day too!!!

Yes I was very happy to be finished my semister last night and now we are packed and ready to leave! Bye all - talk to you next week!!!

 

Well Cab I didn't know if I should PM you with my question or what, it's no big deal, but I have some Left Hip (socket) pain when I sit for a period of time, max 2hrs. I'm up and down from my desk, kneeling sometimes when filing, and I'm working out for 45min. a day, when I'm on the Treadmill I'm walking at a 3.5mph. pace with no incline, when I'm on the eliptical I'm doing intervals at Level 9.
When I wake up in the AM and I'm hurting I take either 2 Tylenol Arthritis or 1 Advil Liquigel and 2 Extra Strength Excedrin Caplets, but I don't do anymore than this one dose a day, unless I need it, I have some Advil Liqugels in my Locker at work, I'm not big on taking drugs. I can't say that I've noticed a big improvement taking one over the other, I wish I could deteermine which would be more helpful, but so far I've not be able to.

Just wondering what kind of wisdom you could share to help me figure out what I need to do to help myself. Thank you so much for listening to my woes, I'm very greatful!!

 

When Hubby uses the roaster it's usually for Ham or various Roasts, not necessarily Turkey. We usually just go out for Thanksgiving, it's just the 2 of us, and we don't need all those leftovers. Gustav's (German Food) does a wonderful Turkey and all the Trimmings Dinner, it's a bit spendy, but for only doing it once a year it is so worth it.

I've got Hubby doing a list on the Features he's looking for, I'd definitely go for the All-Clad if it wasn't $499.95, the Calphalon is a bit more in our price range $150. We currently have an enamel Roaster, but after Hubby's Pork Roast last weekend, he was complaining about the cleanup, I think it soaked for a few days, and he wanted to use a Brilo Pad!! Anyway, it's ancient and time for a replacement. We've searced the reviews and it looks like everyone likes their Calphalons, yeah I'd love the All-Clad, if I had no other bills to pay that's probably be what I'd buy!! I've got some time to myself tomorrow so maybe I'll surprise Hubby and BUY what I WANT!!

Hope everyone enjoys their weekend!!

 

Hey RJ-
There is an artlcle at Cooks.com about what to look for if you're buying a roasting pan: http://www.cooking.com/products/howt...p?ClassNo=0118

I inherited most of mine from my grandmother's kitchen ~she had a semi professional kitchen with all the goodies as she'd rarely have less than 6 for any meal. Since my Grandfather had been in the State Department, in the 1940's, it was important to have proper meals for visiting heads of state, so she had a cook...
Just looked, there's a Caphalon on sale at Amazon... just check to see if it's the right size: http://www.amazon.com/Calphalon-Cont.../dp/B0009W7ED0

Of course, we now all are going to insist that your Hubby send us all a care package of something wonderful he's roasted so we can appriacate all the hard work we put into his roasting pan

 

Oh and here's the All-Clad: http://www.amazon.com/All-Clad-Stain.../dp/B0000DI4P6

My turkey roaster is just the $20 black enamel thing with lid... and I do use brillo on it to clean- but really if you have stuck pieces you're (not getting them in the GRAVY!) able to put the pan on the stove with water and baking soda and let come to a gentle boil for about 20 minutes... that should loosen the stickies up to clean...
And instead of brillo, on items that need to be gently cleaned, I use Bon Ami.

Good luck-

 

I've (WE'VE) created a MONSTER!! He now wants a New Griddle too!! He burnt the Pancakes this morning!!

This is just to FUNNY...I've been trying for YEARS to get him to realize that "you get what you pay for"!! And you don't need 5 of EVERYTHING!!

We have an extremely small kitchen so we bought a Storage Island from Ikea last year, it functions very well, but still only allows us to have so many Kitchen Gadgets.

He laughed when I told him that you all will want samples!!

Thanks for those tips TNMM, I hadn't thought about boiling water in it to clean, that's just way to simple!! If I have some of our Ceramic Casseroles to clean I use the Stainless Steel Sink Cleaner, works just fine.

Hubby will be off soon to go FleeMarketing (Little Green Men), so I'm gonna' head out too, and see if I can't find the Roaster and Griddle for him, I'm also gonna' see about some new winter clothes for Moi'.

 

You're a sweetie...but yes, i'd probably have gone after him if I'd been there. My temper really does get the best of me sometimes.

Do ya'll remember me telling you about hubband's cousin who was practically living with us for a while? She joined the Army because of hubband, and wanted to be an officer, and (YAY!) she ended up in our branch (Quartermaster - logistician) and THIS is the home of Quartermasters...so she was here until about June.

Anyway - SHE was at Fort Hood. When we take casualties, the standard procedure is to shut down communications: this is so that no one reports bad news to the family by accident, etc. Doesn't matter if it's in a hostile country, or our own. Mo (short for Maureen) was only a few buildings away from where the shooter was; she was able to make a very short call to her mom (who freaks out if she stubbs her toe, much less THIS) and from then on, had to go to a very high window to send me messages - evidently I was the only one who she could reach. She, i, and hubband are going to have to have a heart-to-heart with their family on emergency communications procedures. My brother and I worked it out for OUR family, but theirs.... WHile I'm gratified to know she was the focus of their attention, the non-stop calling, voice mails, and text messages caused her a LOT of problems. Ran down her battery, and interfered with her contacting her soldiers, as well as being a leader and handling situations.

Moral of the story - this could happen to anybody. I'd suggest you all think about the communications plan in your family. For me and mine, it's pretty much a way of life (deployments)...but this is what Brother & I laid out to the parents and extended family, and what I suspect Mo will be telling her family, too...although they're not as excited or understanding...:

Person in the emergency situation calls out "I'm OK, will call again later" to ONE point of contact in the family (presumably spouse first, but could be anyone else available AND emotionally capable of handling being the single contact.) That ONE person receives info and updates from person in situation, and relays info to all family via whatever means they deem necessary. Once the "all clear" is called, person-in-situation can call other people. But ONE person!!!

A friend of mine who was also at Fort Hood during the shooting used her smart phone to put the "I'm OK!" note out on Facebook. THis was actually not a bad thing - widespread info in a short time.

Anyway... sorry I've been absent, friends...I've been a little busy!

 

That was such a tragedy UhOh and yes it can happen anywhere, but so close to home rattles my nerves as well as a lot of other people, I think we all have to take a look at what is important to each and every one of us...FAMILY (NAM included), we are so blessed to have those in our lives that mean so much and to think that yours or their life, could be gone in a second is sometimes just to much to bear.

What comes to heart is those 3 College Girls found in the pond, still in their, Jeep, calling a Friend was not going to save them, why on earth did they NOT call 911?? I cried the morning I found out that they had been found, but lost their lives in such a tragic way. I have a 23 year old Daughter and you can bet that if anything every happens to her before my time on this earth is up, you will have to secure me in a Padded Room and throw away the key.

We went shopping last night at Macy's for Hubby's new toys, as we walked through the door and down the main aisle, I made eye contact with a man in Uniform, a Marine, he was in his Blue-White Dress Uniform, carrying his Cover, and was looking very dashing, he smiled back.

 

Yes, sweetie, it's a good time to take stock of how much you appreciate your family(ies).

As for the girls in the jeep...I can't fathom why they didn't call anybody for help...considering our current society is SO prone to immediately using phones to do things. But I WILL tell you that if they didn't, it MAY (but we dont know for sure) have been because they were too busy panicking.

So be prepared. Go over in your head what emergency responses you would do if YOU were in the situation. Go over these things with your loved ones so that THEY think about it too. I'm not sure why exactly my parents harped on this kind of thing when we were growing up, but I can pretty well assure you that panic isn't an option or a knee-jerk reaction for either my brother, nor i because of it.

When I was suggesting the communications plan, I was referring to situations like Fort Hood, the 9/11 plane crashes, etc. etc. etc. (I hate bringing all these old news stories up!) Touching your loved ones with communication, but being smart about communications so that you can handle the situation without distractions. So that you have a much higher possiblity of getting home to give them hugs again.

OK. *hopping off soapbox.*

Yeah, whoever designed the Marine Corps uniform was a true master propaganda artist!! HUBBA HUBBA!!!

 

You brought out Mr. Winky! I love that guy!!



Oh Oh Oh... and to reply to the comments about how nice or sweet I am... well, I assure you it's all smoke and mirrors my friends!

Is Gem out in the hurricane?

 

It's been down graded to a Tropical Storm but you can bet I was thinking about her this AM. Hope she gets on here soon and let's us know she's
A-ok!!

 

Hi RJ!! Wow,, pain in your left hip and you think it is in the area of the socket?? That would be the greater trochantor and if you look that up you will see how intricate that joint is,,, there are a lot of attachments (tendons) which makes it a prime target for pain and stiffness. Mainly due to inflammation. Of course my first thought would be to suggest you get an xray/MRI and make sure you don't have a bad case of arthritis in that joint.

Affter you find that out then you would know whether you need steady doses of medication,, at least for a few months. As for Tylenol/Excedrin-vs Advil (which is an aniti inflammatory) Advil wins my vote... it is the only one that has anti inflammatory properties and even if you don't have arthritis you can have inflammation of your tendonous attachments.

The hip is so complex- the muscles that attach there are coming from the lower back, the buttocks and the leg....so I tend to see the hip as a very busy intersection during rush hour! It is very easy to have something not functioning correctly and causing congestion.
Sometimes the lower back muscles can get spasms and trigger points that can refer pain into the hip and also to the outside portion of the thigh--- and it can be very painful. If it is trigger points and tight muscles then a deep massage ( to your comfort) and hot soaks in a bath could give you relief..

But,,, I am sorry to say that your pain can be coming from a lot of different sources,,,,you REALLY need to get to a Dr and start with some diagnostic films.
I tend to find on the majority of my clients that their hip pain comes from their lower back and from their thigh muscles,,,and a thorough deep massage can really bring relief... another thing that can really help is acupuncture... and a good chiropractor.....
Sorry RJ, I know I just gave you like 5 things that might help but it's hard to tell without seeing you and using some palpation. There is also a bursal sac there in the hip which can get inflammed-- and it makes it can be painful to even lie on that side

ok, back to anti-inflammatories-- I take them---alot!!---- I have been meaning to reply to Tnmm's post from a couple days ago but just kindof lost control of my time (hahah, like I EVER have any control over it!)
I, too, have a "bad back",,, I was in a car accident at age 16 and have compression fractures of L-1 and L-2 and susequent degeneration of L-3 and L-4. And like Tnny I was on a horse form the first 48 years of my life which can be hard on the spine...
So when the back flares up and all of my other options don't help I have a prescription that I can take which reeeeeeeelllllly helps,,, and thank goodness it hasn't ever bothered my stomach or liver...
Of course there are holistic meds like Arnica, White Willow Bark and I think Ginger-- these acts as anti inflammatories-- oh and Omega 3 tabs are good too...Tnny would be a great resource for those and others...

RJ- your workout that you described sounds pretty good,,, and I am assuming that you don't have pain while you are working out? Do you have a good stretching routine that you do prior to your workout?
When I see people who sit a lot with work and commuting I tend to find that their hip flexors and quads are short and tight and that can be something that is altering the way your hip is working..and causing congestion...
here is a great stretch, this guy talks too much but this is a great H.F. stretch...and he does give some great pointers on body mechanics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKFJOTk-cUE

RJ- ask me anything you like!! But to spare the otherss maybe we should email or PM in the future....grin.... but now you MUST keep me posted on how you are doing..


And now, folks,, back to your regularly scheduled program.....

 

From Ola:
Is Gem out in the hurricane?


Isn't this storm in the Gulf?? Gemmy is on her way to Bermuda so I am thinking that she is out of the line of the storm?

 

Uhoh,, your input on communications with family was awesome! It also helps to drive home what you and your families go through-- I can't imagine having someone I loved being shipped to God kows where and then having all normal lines of communication cut off....

And speaking of 9-11, remember how jammed up the phone lines were?? That day is still so surreal in my mind,,,,

 

 

Ola, that's pretty cool!

 

It's from the heart.

I don't know how you do it... but you do.

I know Hal thinks I am the resident word guru ( I'm better with smilies and stuff) ... but I thought this said it better than I could.

Big big hugs to you.

 

*sneaks in, waves and runs away.*