The Coffee House

[nerwin]

It's here!

 

[SquarePeg41 3]

Ho Ho Ho Hosers. What’s everyone doing for turkey day? I’m hosting but not cooking which has been our situation the past couple of years. My brother and SIL will cook the turkey and stuffing and bring it. I’ll provide the venue, set up and desserts. The rest of the guests will bring the sides. It’s fantastic!

 

[smoke665]

@nerwin enjoy, Kubotas run forever.

@SquarePeg Our DIL (great cook) is the Thanksgiving host every year. DW brings a side & dessert. We do Christmas at our house.

 

[snowbear120 52]

Driving with MLSIL to the ME house. Taking a small load for the new office/studio (from the work office), and see the progress of painting and prep for floors. The day after is delivery and installation of the washer and dryer, then we'll go out to dinner with Lazy_Lobster. MLW is staying home with kitty, and has put in for Watch Office OT. MLSIL and I will start back on Saturday, stay in CT, then home Sunday.

Get to do it again the weekend before Christmas and tele-commute from there. Leave later Christmas day, staying in CYT again (a routine we've had since going up there), return on the 26th, then last day at work on the 27th.

 

[smoke665]

), return on the 26th, then last day at work on the 27th

Exciting times!

 

[cgw121 147]

Got to like Canadian Thanksgiving's distance from Christmas after years of having the two epic eat-a-thons
so near one another.
Trying out a kimchee mac and cheese tomorrow. Recipe below:

Caroline Choe's Kimchi Mac & Cheese

Food52 Site.

food52.com

 

[webestang6415]

Thems painful numbers! Replaced an oldie at the family ruin last year. Rusted-thru heat exchangers--hugely dangerous for CO leakage--got it condemned and gas officially disconnected on the spot. Father-in-law couldn't see the risk--yikes! Total bill about double your estimate but the place needs a big-a$$ unit. Far warmer now. Heat pump in your future if the AC is iffy? Fingers crossed for an affordable outcome.

So yeah......looks like I need it all. Furnace and AC. $12,700. Someone put a 3 ton AC unit, WAY too oversized. No wonder my AC cost so much to run. New stuff should be around 20-30% more efficient. I look at it this way. I'll have peace of mind to spend to the rest of my life here with new stuff.

 

[cgw121 147]

So yeah......looks like I need it all. Furnace and AC. $12,700. Someone put a 3 ton AC unit, WAY too oversized. No wonder my AC cost so much to run. New stuff should be around 20-30% more efficient. I look at it this way. I'll have peace of mind to spend to the rest of my life here with new stuff.

Nice if you can get a reputable HVAC crew to do an "all-in" package for a discount. I've fallen into an accidental general contractor role at the family ruin since 2020, running repair/replacement projects
on a house built in the 1840s with subsequent additions. Kinda wish I'd stuck with that 1960 Porsche 356B project I'd carted around for years. Probably cheaper and more fun that doing plaster and lathe ceilings!
Good luck and make 'em work for you.

 

[Digger...]

A rehabilitation mirror, pretty crafty idea.

"He absolutely loves his big mirror and I think that has been crucial in his well-being. They're social birds and he stands next to the mirror most of the time," she said.

 

[smoke665]

Came back to parking lot, downtown Gatlinburg next to the truck to find this big boy.

 

[cgw121 147]

Came back to parking lot, downtown Gatlinburg next to the truck to find this big boy.View attachment 281569

At least he's not 3 times the size and hungry like the polar bears in Churchill, Manitoba!

 

[terri39 10]

Came back to parking lot, downtown Gatlinburg next to the truck to find this big boy.View attachment 281569

And he's hungry! Doesn't look like he paid you any mind, at least. Very cool!

Back in the day, we once loaded up the horses with friends and, over a long weekend, went on a trail ride through the Smokies. It was beautiful! We turned a corner and encountered three black bear cubs rolling and playing around the trail. The horses were interested, but not spooked.

A tree next to me and my horse (Dana was her name and she was a spoiled brat ) started to shake. Mama bear slid down! She passed us by and headed straight for the cubs and within seconds they all melted into the trees.

We all thought it was magical, which it was - but it could have gone badly if she had felt threatened by us. I think the group of horses made her decide to disappear.

 

[smoke665]

@terri we've seen a lot of bears, over the years, even have them around our house now, but never one this big, especially one like this in town.

 

[SquarePeg41 3]

Found this cutie at BJs today. You know if I have a chance to grow a pineapple, you can bet your butt I’m growing a freakin pineapple!

 

[terri39 10]

Of course you are! And it's going to be delicious!

Will the plant yield more than one at a time? I don't know anything about them.