INSOMNIACS place to talk in the wee hours

sas-schatzi

Thanks Patty. It was sublime. I adore her and the family. Considering both kids were off and away, that they would reconnect after 11 years out of high school. He was in Tampa, she in Orlando. But she says she wrote in her year book that someday she would marry him. YAY. Okay, I'll go with this. Sorry, about the N&V&D.

Try and get DH to cook this. I hadn't don't it for a number of years. Donnie's nuts over it. Me too

1 to 1 1/2 packages of frozen hash browns (Unthawed). Depends on the dish used. You don't want to fill it to full or it can boil over in cooking. Not a worry if made ahead b/c the potatoes will soak up the liquid.

1 medium onion diced

16 oz velveeta

8 oz shredded sharp cheddar

2 cups milk---many of this recipe call for heavy cream, I use 2%. If using one package hash browns reduce a bit. Some recipes call for condensed cream of chicken or sour cream.

Melt the velveeta, cheddar in the milk in microwave Pour over the potatoes and onion and mix. Best if done 1-2 days ahead. Potatoes need to soak up the liquid.

Cooking: one hour at 400*, Take lid off for the last 15 minutes to brown the top. Can vary cooking time if something else is in the oven. i.e at 375* add 15-20 minutes. Let set for 5-10 minutes or so after removing from oven.

Cheese lovers dream. The texture is divine. The calories forget it.

Add broccoli flower tops chopped up fine for taste, texture and color. Okay, nutrition too. The green against the yellow is nice.

sas-schatzi

Glennie, Perry Como. Nice man. He was always praised as a nice person. Always thought he retired way to early. Reynolds too. Loni--NOT. My Cousins daughter teaches in the Jupiter school system. Must admit the parents are generous, but it's tough to live in or around Jupiter. You moved as it was really getting pricey. How did you get too Florida in the first place? We came in 1992 b/c Greg lost his job and was offered one here. I said great the play ground of the world. I'll go.. Always interested in how someone got to Florida. So few in an earlier time--before AC-- were born here.

glennie19

I was born in Miami,,, before A/C.

Loni was very nice when she came into the store. She was just another person. Perry Como used to wear this fishing hat with all these flys and hooks attached to it. And told jokes.

susan3

sas...ring...I missed something. Please someone explain

Loveroflife

Lol @ "pride goes before the fall" Isn't that the truth? I have learned over the years that pride is not my best friend. I am such a control freak that the cleaning has to be done a certain way. I need to get over that! Wow, bling bling of a ring, but how could one keeps the finger straight wearing that heavy rock? What a sweet faith, ending up together again after so many years. Are you really going to meet Retsky? Do you have a list of questions ready?

That potato whith cheese recipe is for Patty's DH and sons and not for her right?

Susan, tough on the heart (and stomach) when we have dysfunctional family. Wonderful you get to spend sweet times with your other family.

Patty, liquid diet is easy on the stomach. Chicken broth cooked with ginger usually helps me, but everyone is different.

Glennie, you don't have to do a twelve hour shift, do you? Used to do a ten hour shift. There is no way I can handle that now. I need to see the sun light.

Jazzy, I don't have a Norman Rockwell family either. I guess you just try to play with the hand you are dealt.

Hugs to everyone.

Loveroflife

Susan, go to the previous page. Our Ms. Sas is going to be a MIL. Hopefully.....AHEMMM.......not an overbearing one. Hah!

glennie19

Only 8 hours for me, Love,,, I don't do 12 anymore. That's for the young ones!

Spookiesmom

bubble wrap. More fun than gifts.

Loveroflife

Off course, they are addicting.

Loveroflife

Glennie, you are right. Did 10 hr shift in my 20's and early 30's. Also, I used to work 50-60 hrs a week for a few years after graduation to pay off the student loan quickly (and kill myself at the same time) .Crazy!!

Jazzygirl

Patty- not home yet. Today is my last full day here in Palm Springs. It is so cold here, I cannot believe it. I did not bring enough warm clothing and so I decided time to do a wash, but my sister's washer broke. LOL! So you know what that means, I went shopping today! Half my suitcase was filled with gifts, and now it will be filled up with fun stuff for ME! Everyone I talked to today said this is abnormally cold for here in the winter. Bitter cold winds!

I went to a great place today called The Living Desert that is both a zoo and gardens focused around various deserts in the world. Just so cool, and pics to come! Was there for a few hours and then got tired of walking and it got cold and windy again. I want to go back in the future in the spring or fall and with my better camera! The thing I loved today the most was a cheetah just laying on top of a hill sunning himself.

I may have a problem getting home tomorrow. NM is getting slammed not with just a snow storm, but what may turn out to be a blizzard there. Supposed to get up to 8 inches in the valley where I live, feet up in the mountains. Whoo wee! I have a friend watching my house and she checked in on things there today. I am watching the SW flights and plan to call in the morning to see how things are looking. I may rebook and just go home Monday instead. Stay tuned!

Wren44

Jazz, It was sure coming down in El Paso during the Sun Bowl. I wondered how often Miami gets to play in snow. WA Cougars should be used to it. They won.

luvmygoats

I will read back shortly. But I ask for your prayers for the Dallas area. Large tornado went thru highly populated area of NE Dallas, Garland, Rowlett and also parts of south Dallas. Mema I pray that it missed you - I didn't hear any damage reports from Sachse. It also went to the west of Tang so she should be alright.

Early reports of several fatalities and many houses leveled. Large brick homes just gone. Very sad. We've had very little out west where I am. These formed out ahead of the cold front where it was into the 80s in Dallas today.

Beatmon and Mags hope you are OK and don't get devastating ice.

magdalene51

Happy Boxing Day, Owlettes. Took it easy today, played on the computer with my Missouri friend, then watched DC's new video, Minions (a gift from the Minions around here), then had leftovers for dinner, and pineapple cheesecake. We had rain all day, sometimes torrential, and heavy winds, and discovered a leak in our dining room, probably from the branch that fell on the roof during the last ice storm and never got removed. We have been negligent. DH does not go on roofs.

Sassy, you will be the kind of MIL I had. She was always Mom, just the most loving and gracious and fun person, and we both miss her every day. We didn't have her long enough.

Well I am going to go play some more, while DH, the kids, and I watch a Star Trek movie on tv in my 'new' living room. If I ever get it finished I'll take a picture for y'all.

sas-schatzi

Top Hat's on TCM

kathindc

luvmygoats, will keep Dallas and its environs in my prayers. So sad to hear of this news.

Patty, glad to hear you had a great Christmas with DH and the boys. Praying that you are feeling better. Please take it easy. Don't want you going back in the hospital.

Sas, must ask how did Steven and Jamie meet up again. So sweet that she knew back in high school he would be the one for her.DS went to Japan as part of the JET program to teach English back in 1999 fresh out of college. Only intended to stay a year. Did three years and had met his wife after a year of being over there. I met her in 2001 and knew she was the one for him. They got engaged in 2002. Got married a year later. Had fun on Skype with the grandchildren. We are very imaginative. Marie shared a cookie with us. I had several lip balms applied to my lips and got tickled by Elsa's (from Frozen) braid which was attached to the Elsa knit hat we sent over. We were shown all their gifts. Maria will start ski lessons this week as she does not like snowboarding. John has been snowboarding for a few years now and when DSsends us videos of him coming down the slope, I can usually pick him out from the crowd as he has a distinct style.

luvmygoats

OK got part way thru reading.

Susan - so sorry for the loss of your friend. And I'm sorry for the chitty attitude of your brother. But know you are thankful for the family you have and the family member to come. I kept looking at the snowmen thinking it was some kind of progressive pics then read your caption. Sounds like a good time with DD/SIL.

Sassy - I bet you are on cloud nine. I remember when you 1st mentioned girl Stephen was dating and how happy you were they found each other again. And cute how he broke the "news" to you.

Ah yes the Baylor plan. It was new/innovative when I 1st got out of nursing school. How's about this - 10 hour shift 7 days on/7 days off. That was what I was working when I went back to hospice nursing. Darn near killed me and DH. Amazing how in 7 days the sunset changes. Never saw a sunrise unless I was absolutely forced to. Daughter of a friend is working 4 12 hour shifts (3 at her main job, 4th to keep foot in door at another). But then she is in early 30s, no kids, not married. I told friend I hoped her DD was banking all those bucks.

We had a great time with DD. She left early afternoon today b4 this mess started, it was just spits of rain then. Liked her gifts and mom sent her home with lots of leftover stuff for her freezer. I still need to get DH to take picture of tree. Maybe tomorrow - sigh.

Jazzygirl

Luv- I saw the news about that bad tornado. I have friends in the north TX area and everyone appears to be okay, but know that it was a bad one and that some lives were lost. Tornadoes unusual for this time of the year. I hope everyone here is okay?

My state is getting hammered with snow. I am going to try to get home tonight as best I can. The storm should be moving through today, and hopefully the roads will be okay. Fortunately, I only live about 25 min from the airport and have a good AWD vehicle. It is going to be a fun travel day for sure between the holiday folks heading home after this weekend and the snow!

feelingfeline

Patty glad that you got to feel the joy at home despite having to deal with feeling so lousy, I sincerely hope you are feeling better by the time you read this.

Glennie sorry you had a nasty bout, hope it's well past now.

XXX

Chevyboy

Morning Feline! I'm usually the only one up! I'll have coffee with you, and I'm listening to Ray Charles on You Tube.... You want to come over? It's a warm 5 degrees out........

Chevyboy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6RY2OY84Bg

Zillsnot4me

I'm up too. Irish tea and toast. Anything else and my day isn't right.

I guess the storms are heading our way. Yesterday we tried to get out and play but kept getting rained on. Just like good ol Ireland this past summer. May even be as warm!

I'm ready for a cold snap. Kill these viruses and stop my leg from hurting.

Kids seem to be healthy this am. DD is on the mend. She's hungry. He is fine. Already playing.

Chevyboy

Morning Zills! Okay, tea for you, and coffee for me....

Yes, my Daughter's and Grand-Sons have had some kind of bug! They should be here.... too cold to have anything survive, like bug stuff! They live in Orlando, so bugs and things just live longer......

Glad your kids are better .....

feelingfeline

Zills what part of Ireland did you visit?, Or were you travelling all over?

feelingfeline

Chevy my late MIL was a huge Ray fan

magdalene51

Woke up to sleet and freezing rain, so it's another stay at home day. Church texted that late services are cancelled. That's a rare event. DH sent his team a message to work from home tomorrow. Hope it's clear by Tuesday afternoon so I can get to doc.

Zillsnot4me

My in laws are from north county Dublin. About 10 min from airport but very rural. Spent the last two summers there visiting cousins. Stay pretty local. I'm comfortable driving the back roads but chemo made me lose my sense of direction. Can go to library, shops, beach, strawberry mkt, a couple of playgrounds, mass, football practice and ikea. What more do I need?

Took the bus to downtown Dublin by mistake. Did ride the train to Bray with my aunt. Afraid fatigue will hit and I'll be stuck somewhere with two kids.

Warmer here today. Almost 70 and humid. AC on. Hoping to get kids playing outside before storms. Forgot to get carrots for old stud on back of farm. Maybe he'll settle for peppermints.

Chevyboy

Zills..... You have a "stud" out back on your farm? Do we know him? I can usually keep track of them better than that.... He likes carrots?..... I'll have to try that...... didn't know about the carrots..... Spookie..... do you know anything about this?

Spookiesmom

Z lives on a horse farm in bluegrass country of Kentucky.

Chevyboy

Oh I GET that part.... but she also has a "stud"..... she said that..... I always told my DH, when we were kids, that he thought he was 3 kinds of "stud-muffin".....

Bluegrass country? That sounds so beautiful right now! What is grass? I haven't seen any in a few months.....