Subj : Re: Minced Garlic To : Barry Martin From : Nancy Backus Date : Thu Nov 07 2019 17:20:48 -=> Quoting Barry Martin to Nancy Backus on 31-Oct-2019 12:39 <=- BM> Boo! Happy Halloween! Snowed overnight -- looks like a couple of BM> inches so far. Currently 27ø. Weather prediction for tonight is BM> around freezing so the kids will need to bundle up. Autumn does have BM> an alternate plan set up. And what did she end up doing....? BM>>> Subject reminds me: I still have the minced garlic in the 'fridge. BM>>> Have been adding to some things I'm eating every so often. NB>>> Nice that you've been enjoying it... :) It's handy to have on NB>>> hand... BM>> Yes. When the current container is gone will probably pick up BM>> another, though I'm thinking a different format. This one is minced BM>> and while the size is nice there isn't all that much garlic flavour. NB>> Did they have chopped and/or whole garlic jarred...? Because it's NB>> been processed, though, it won't have the bite of fresh garlic.... BM> There were a few options but I don't recall what they were; at the BM> time minced seemed like the most convenient, though as you said BM> doesn't have the tangy garlicy taste. Actually it's rather mild. Probably is from the processing... guess that's the tradeoff, taste vs. convenience... ;) I've been using the fresh garlic now.... the head seems to stay good for quite a while, at least a couple of weeks, maybe as much as a month or more... I keep it up on top of the fridge (not in it) in the plastic produce bag, and break off cloves as I need them... didn't have any go bad on me even while I was off traveling so much... NB>>> She might be catching on to the concept... besides, it's only two NB>>> weeks away, now... BM>> Right, and AFAIK no discussion. The seasonal decorations have been BM>> updated but we don't do Halloween-specific so nothing to remind her. NB>> And now... it's tomorrow night! Did she stay with her costume NB>> pick this year...? ;) BM> Hmmm.... can't remember! (Oops!) She hasn't mentioned anything so BM> sort of slipped my mind. I did print off some Halloween-themed BM> colouring pages which she liked -- had to remind myself to select those BM> that were not too complicated. Back to the costume, possibly a BM> last-minute revision for something warm. The cold and snow for BM> Halloween (tonight) has been predicted for a while so it was sort of BM> decided not to bring up too much to allow for an easier change of BM> plans; don't get Autumn thinking one way and then having to do a BM> last-minute switch. BM> BTW, as for the 'Halloween-specific' previously, that needs to be BM> modified: there is a witch and black pumpkin hung up -- that's rather BM> specific! Nothing like jack-o-lantern lights or spider webs. I always have spider webs around the house... real ones... But no Halloween (or for that matter Christmas any more) lights... ;) NB>>> Mine was built 1900... and originally had gas lights... the electric NB>>> went in later... but still probably before there was as much call for NB>>> extra outlets... :) BM>> This house was built ~1948 (the original portion) and had the BM>> four-fuse fuse panel; also had cartridge fuse pull for an electric BM>> stove, which here was used for the central air conditioner. BM>> "Obviously" with only four circuits not that much to be powered in BM>> those days. Wiring's not bare-bones: the two (original) bedrooms do BM>> have switched ceiling lights. All the rooms have sufficient outlets for BM>> the time. NB>> The only switched lights upstairs here are for the stairs and the NB>> hall... the bathroom and the bedrooms all have the pull cord from NB>> the ceiling light... BM> Those pullcords are probably something I'd change! Used to have pull BM> cord lights in the basement and I ran new wiring to a switch by the BM> entry to that side (unfinished) of the basement. The finished side BM> already had it installed. And yes, an open ceiling (on the unfinished BM> side) makes it so much easier to run wires! Also thinking of here the BM> bedroom lights are in the center of the room, thus over the bed and so BM> not that convenient to reach. Your lighting might be off to the side BM> and therefore reasonably convenient. No, the lights are centered in the rooms, therefore so are the pull cords.... the light in the kitchen is also a pullcord... One just gets used to it... and with so much of the house still using the pull cords, it would be a major project to change that much of the wiring... There are actually only a couple flip switches, some of the switches are push button ones.... Let's see, the front hall/stairs is a flipswitch, along with one for the front porch in the same wallplate... the switch upstairs for that set of stairs is a pushbutton... and also the switch upstairs for the hall/backstairs is a pushbutton, and the corresponding switch downstairs is a flipswitch... in the same wallplate downstairs is a flip switch that turns on the main basement light(s), but there's a pullcord in the front storage room... The attic is pullcord(s)... The downstairs bath used to be a pantry, and that was converted in the 50's, so the light in there is a fluorescent over the sink that has a toggle switch at one end of it... The living room, dining room and music room all have the flip switches, although the last is mounted upside down... We haven't changed any of it since we moved in over 40 years ago... :) BM>>> As for the extension cords, etc., have them here too, though because BM>>> of my electrical/electronic background some are hidden as BM>>> surface-mount. (If is an extension is obvious at the exposed ends - BM>>> won't feed a surface-mount outlet, for example; is an extension cord BM>>> outlet.) NB>>> Some of ours are tucked in, others more obvious.... BM>> Same here. Hard to tuck in those 13-Amp 'air conditioner' extensions BM>> I tend to use! If just powering a light do use the regular zip cord. NB>> Dunno as we have any of those heavy duty ones here upstairs... NB>> There's an indoor/outdoor heavy one out on the porch for when he NB>> needs to run power out into the yard... BM> All depends.... I do run some light- and medium-duty extension cords BM> here. Do use the outdoor cords also and never had a problem. One of BM> the advantages of the 'air conditioner' cords is some have a right BM> angle plug so stays flush against the wall; I know now that's a common BM> option for the lighter weight cords but back then didn't seem to be. I think all of ours are older ones, but still quite serviceable... :) BM>>> Now for getting the transmission fixed. NB>>> Still looking for a good mechanic to do that... my usual one didn't NB>>> want to tackle the project after all... BM>> Appears he knows his limitations. Ask him for recommendation? NB>> He didn't really have any.... I tried our backup nmechanic, and he NB>> said he couldn't do it either because he didn't have the proper Volvo NB>> tools for it.... so now I'm still looking.... a friend was going to NB>> check to see if his regular mechanic would be willing to do it, but NB>> hasn't gotten back to me yet.... BM> The good news is the transmission still works, just needs a bit of BM> coaxing occasionally. And to me when someone states their limitations BM> it's also a good sign they are good mechanic. It can be.... And it's just the clutch slipping, generally when under a heavier load, so I can minimize the issue by driving gently and anticipating hills and such... BM>>> Yes, more back to the 'all depends'. I never needed to drive a manual BM>>> so that impetus was missing. And not cross my mind as "oo - this BM>>> might be a fun thing to learn!". And there are times when automatic BM>>> transmission isn't the right thing for the roadway -- my car has a BM>>> 'lock' button so it won't automatically shift -- think for hilly BM>>> conditions; I'd have to recheck the manual. NB>>> For a steep downhill grade, you might want to lock it into a lower NB>>> gear, to keep control... There are some road situations that an NB>>> automatic can be easier, too, though... like a lot of stop and go, NB>>> like in a traffic jam (construction or an accident).... BM>> Yes, I vaguely recall that from glancing through the manual years ago. BM>> There are some steep hills here but none all that long. And I haven't BM>> noticed the car shifting excessively so doesn't appear to be an issue. NB>> Something to check out sometime, hopefully before you need the NB>> knowledge.... :) BM> Just reach over and pull the manual out of the glove compartment. BM> Ah-eeeeeeeeee!!! Just how deeply buried is that manual....! ;) ttyl neb .... Witches ride brooms because Nature abhors a vacuum --- EzyBlueWave V3.00 01FB001F * Origin: Tiny's BBS - http://www.tinysbbs.com (454:1/452) .