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Post by 3piggles on Feb 13, 2014 1:21:39 GMT
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Post by Bean on Feb 13, 2014 10:18:28 GMT
They do look good, but with four of us I have a limited need for appliances with a small capacity!
I didn't get on that well with my halogen oven in the end. It was good as a grill and for heating up things like part-baked rolls or croissants, but just didn't heat evenly enough to be used as a general cooker. With things like lasagna and anything that needed baking, it just never cooked them as well throughout. It took up too much counter space to be worthwhile, so it's in the shed for now. I can lend it to friends who have new kitchens fitted?!
Hope everyone in the UK didn't get too battered by the storm last night? It was wild out there and there's a lot of damage locally with fallen trees and damaged fences/ roofs. Tens of thousands of homes had their power cut off - we had a bit of light flickering so were slightly concerned at one point but luckily it stayed on. I need to brave the garden and see what state it's in but hopefully it'll just be loose fence panels and blown over pots.
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Post by 3piggles on Feb 13, 2014 20:29:21 GMT
UK friends have been posting pics of their storm damage. Nasty in so many places. Got a kick out of the flooded Reading Gate Mall. Facebook friends with extra cages in secure sheds, dry fields, etc. have been posting for anyone in need of getting pets or livestock out of the flooding. Quite a few farms have posted about available and free space for stranded horses, etc. For anyone who remembers her from Reading Guinea Pig Rescue, Karen LeCras has extra cages in a heated shed for guinea pigs. I'm sure anyone at Reading Guinea Pig Rescue can get you have contact info! So many rescues must be overflowing with animals surrendered from the flood areas. Saw that inn that got hit by the 100 ft. wave. Wow Just so much damage in so many places. Has the government said anything about what it's going to do to help the flood victims? Southeastern US got hit really hard by a Nor'easter. We're used to it, but they aren't. Most of us drive SUVs, have great snow tires or chains, etc. They don't. They get this so seldom, they just can't deal with it. Watching videos of some of the storm issues from this and the last storm, though, if those idiots would slow down!!! I Dallas, Texas firefighter was killed when he stopped to help a stranded motorist, and got his by another vehicle. They do not slow down. Then they wonder why they end up going off overpasses and landing on their heads! Snow and ice aren't like flooding. We actually can work with it. Bean, there are only the two of us, so it's been a while since I used the main oven on a regular basis. This one does up to a 13 inch pizza. It will do the equivalent of 4 pork chops/chicken breasts/large bread slices, etc., so it's really great for the two of us. I do my major baking in the main oven, as I have the big half sheet to go in that oven, but the toaster oven did a great job on the last pan of banana bread and a loaf of regular bread. Last one wasn't as good. No doubt that we get what we pay for with those, and I bought a cheep one to mostly toast bread. The instructions for this one also say to cut cooking time by about 10 minutes, which the last one never bothered to mention. Burned a lot of things in the old one I will try more things when I get the time. Been so busy lately?
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Post by jolovespiggies on Feb 14, 2014 17:21:51 GMT
No Katy love, I haven't, perhaps you could be a little sweetie and give me the recipe?
We have been so lucky where we are, as you say Bean love we have just had the odd flicker. I keep waiting to loose power and if it brought some relief for those who have lost everything, I would gladly accept it.
We are about 9 miles away from the sea Margaret hun, Looe being the nearest place and Polperro being a little further; both are lovely but Polperro is quainter. Looe has been hit quite hard at the front and I too have seen people crying on TV. It is heart breaking. I have always said I would like a house with a private beach (I don't ask for much do I LOL?) but if I did, what has happened recently makes has made me think again We will never be able to afford it though, these properties sell for a premium.
Hugs
JO xx
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Post by 3piggles on Feb 15, 2014 1:31:56 GMT
Jo, how do you pronounce Looe? My heart goes out to all those flooded or facing flooding. Cooked a frozen pizza in the new toaster over. 26-30 minutes. Heated to 400 degrees in less than 5 minutes, and cooked the pizza in 19 minutes. Not bad at all
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Post by Bean on Feb 15, 2014 16:41:36 GMT
Sounds great!
It's great to hear the stories of people helping each other, and a relief to hear there are people looking out for the animals. Glad Karen has been able to offer help too, how lovely of her.
The government have said there will help for everyone who needs it and however much they need to spend putting things right, they will spend it - including generous relief for people who have lost everything. It all sounds great in the speech but there are still thousands of people who say they're getting no help at all with the daily logistics of all - living in houses flooded deep with sewage and not being able to get about to get essential supplies etc because the water in the street is waist deep and fast moving.
It's a hard situation with so many people needing help, and with the weather continuing there's so much work that can't even be started. And also the stark reality that the budget for flood defences is only so big, and loads of areas just won't have any measures put into place because they're not densely populated enough. So it'll be a grim do for many trying to sort out this mess knowing they are just as vulnerable to it happening again.
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Post by 3piggles on Feb 15, 2014 17:41:34 GMT
There are victims of Hurricane Katrina who still haven't gotten their lives sorted. Insurance companies wanted the policy numbers that were lost in the flood. Banks still want their mortgage money and have foreclosed on houses while people were fighting with their insurance companies. It's a mess. Large numbers of the Hurricane Sandy victims found their insurance didn't cover them for the storm damage, although it should have. They paid the premiums, but some insurance companies have endless loopholes to not have to pay. Really sad to have lives torn apart by storms, then have the promises of help fall apart. I really hope there is some major helping hands across the country sort of thing done. It's all that saved some of the hurricane victims houses. People doing for people out of the goodness of their hearts.
It's been so long since I lived where any type of storm could do me much harm, I tend to forget how tenuous life in some places is. I think if the residents go for long periods without a major issue, they tend to forget, too.
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Post by margaret6 on Feb 16, 2014 18:45:51 GMT
This toaster sounds fab piggies. Can't justify more money on goods as we're busy decorating. The storms have been unbelievable, so sorry for people, just can't imagine losing all your personal stuff! Katie, I've had banana loaf ( same as bread in Scotland), never made it though, I'll see your receipt .xx
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Post by 3piggles on Feb 17, 2014 1:06:17 GMT
I will post the recipe, if I haven't already
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Post by 3piggles on Feb 18, 2014 20:39:03 GMT
Today's snow, and hubby got to drive home in it. Not fun. Took him twice as long as normal. The village getting snowed Had beautiful color through most of the snow fall. Three heads of four blossoms each: Now two new stalks have flowers blooming. I'll get pictures.
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Post by Bean on Feb 19, 2014 8:53:27 GMT
Oh wow, that's a good solid covering of snow - looks pretty but no fun to drive in. Glad hub made it home safely, even if it took a lot longer than usual. Beautiful flowers!
The banana bread I make came from an old (as in previous, not ancient) member called Isis - have tried other recipes but always come back to that one. Will post it at some point and look forward to seeing some others - any excuse to bake!
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Post by 3piggles on Feb 19, 2014 18:25:41 GMT
Banana Bread
3-4 ripe bananas, mashed 1/3 cup melted butter 1 cup sugar 1 egg, beaten 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp baking soda Pinch of salt 1.5 cups all purpose flour
Preheat oven to 350F/175C. Mix butter into mushed bananas. Mix in sugar, egg and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda over the mixture and mix in. Add flour last. Mix thoroughly. Pour into a buttered 4x8" loaf pan. Bake for one hour. Do not over bake. Cool on rack.
I add 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts, and everyone likes it better with the nuts.
I've made this so many times, and it seems to be pretty much fool proof!
I remember Isis.
There are 3 lilies in that one pot. They should bloom once a year. They bloom about 3 times per year. This time all three bloomed, then two sent out a second stalk of blooms, which are blooming, now. It has been great color against all the white outside.
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Post by jolovespiggies on Feb 19, 2014 18:42:50 GMT
Thanks for the recipe love, I will print it off and give it a try. Love the flowers.
Hugs
JO xx
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Post by margaret6 on Feb 20, 2014 22:07:28 GMT
Gosh look at all the snow! No snow in Scotland just rain rain rain. Yes the flowers are beautiful piggies. Jo, Cornwall has been devastated with floods how do you think the farmers will cope as it's not long till spring and planting. Glad you're ok xxxx
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Post by 3piggles on Feb 21, 2014 0:21:31 GMT
A lot of what the farmers grow is already in the ground, and probably drowned by now It will be impossible to run equipment over those soggy fields, so no planting or anything until the ground dries. Not a good situation. As bad as drought, just too much of a good thing, instead of too much of a bad thing. We have had water rationing the last few summers, so this snow will melt and totally fill the reservoirs for this year. That will be a nice break for the people who could only water their lawns on specific days, no car washing, etc. One road near our house goes right through the reservoir. It seems as if the years when the road floods, we do okay with water. If the road doesn't flood, water will be rationed. Silly, really. Very badly planned.
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Post by Bean on Feb 21, 2014 9:29:23 GMT
I saw a farmer on the news who was pointing out that even if the fields did recover from the flood okay, because the water it was flooded with was contaminated, the land will be too. So that's an extra problem to be sorted before they can even think of doing anything with their land. It's a pretty gloomy thought, looking at the massive areas affected.
Last day of the half-term break here - it's nice and sunny out now, but rain is coming in a couple of hours, so not sure whether to try and make the most of the day or just to have a jolly good relax?!
At the request of my son we've just got a storage system to organise our Lego. We have masses but it's all in one big box, making finding the right bits to build stuff rather a long process! This news set up should work better, but it all needs sorting out. Perhaps it will keep the kids quiet all day!
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Post by jolovespiggies on Feb 21, 2014 19:15:17 GMT
Jo, Cornwall has been devastated with floods how do you think the farmers will cope as it's not long till spring and planting. Glad you're ok xxxx My heart goes out to them and quite simply they are not going to cope. Many livelihoods have been lost with no way oof ever recouperatnig. I could cry for them and I really hope the goverment does everything it can to help. Thanks for asking Margaret love. Hugs JO xx
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Post by 3piggles on Feb 21, 2014 20:49:25 GMT
Every few years, sometimes for a few years at a time, large parts of the midwest flood from excess rains. They seem to either have drought or flood. The flood waters flood everything from sewage treatments plants and fertilizer plants, to manure piles. Often there are also drowned animals contaminating the water. It takes a massive clean up effort, yet every time, they seem to manage to do the clean up. I think the down side is that major corporations can afford to do the clean up, but small independent farmers and ranchers can't. That's when the corporations buy out the small farmers for so much less than the old family far is worth, but it's technically worthless contaminated, so what can the small farmers do.
An interesting side note to that is that technically, any crops grown in those contaminated fields, as long as no chemical fertilizer is added, are considered to be organic. They may be full of heavy metals, diseases and all sorts of other things, but if no chemical fertilizer is added, they are organic.
I really hope the government has decent relief for the small farmers. Having corporations own everything isn't healthy for the consumers.
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Post by weesilvie on Feb 22, 2014 10:47:40 GMT
Well I've survived the weather OK apart from a bit of a hairy landing at the airport a couple of weeks ago! Bored with the rubbish weather now, although the sun is out today. Almost thought about hanging my washing outside this morning. Almost.
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Post by 3piggles on Feb 23, 2014 0:49:29 GMT
I'm sure there are a lot of jokes going around. Saw a picture of a place called something like Walton on Thames. Hubby and I thought it was more Walton in Thames. Not really funny, but everyone feels so helpless when we have natural disasters. I'm sure the people in the flood areas aren't laughing at all. Worst part about flooded buildings is, once the water recedes and the muck is out, the mould and mildew take over and make the destruction worse. I really do feel badly for all the people in the flooded areas. Put a grid in front of each hay loft, with the original Plexiglas piece in front of it to hold in the hay. I tried about 10 different ways, and this one kept pigs, poos and hay in the cage, and looked decent. One other set up worked, but looked awful. I feel a lot better about Momo not being able to jump out of the cage anymore, and the heat/cooling can still get into the cage when needed. Cold returning Monday, but we had a fabulous day of sun and warm temps today, and tomorrow will be a bit cooler, but at least we got a break. US weather has been so weird this year. It has to have been a grand year for the meteorologists
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