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You are here: Home / Open Threads / Sunday Afternoon Open Thread

Sunday Afternoon Open Thread

by TaMara|  March 18, 20182:01 pm| 60 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads

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I’m sorry, I forgot to put this up earlier for the non-writing post. That is my first Siberian Iris to pop this spring. A beauty, especially considering it should have been lost in the great garden bed purge. Nope, it’s living happily in and amongst the grass I planted.

What are you up to today?

Open thread

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Previous Post: « Authors In Our Midst/Writers Chatting Chapter 13
Next Post: Russiagate Open Thread: Allegedly, Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III Is A Liar »

Reader Interactions

60Comments

  1. 1.

    TaMara (HFG)

    March 18, 2018 at 2:03 pm

    I’m testing out the mashed potatoes in my multi-pot. I’ll let you know how it goes (I expect well, since cooking potatoes is one of the simpler things a pressure cooker should do).

  2. 2.

    WereBear

    March 18, 2018 at 2:04 pm

    I love iris.

  3. 3.

    Butthurt Jordan Trombone (fka XTPD)

    March 18, 2018 at 2:06 pm

    How long until the cult of Andy J finally keels over for good?

  4. 4.

    Corner Stone

    March 18, 2018 at 2:07 pm

    Supposed to be getting a Thai Basil plant from my mom at some point today but depends on how she’s feeling.

  5. 5.

    Kathleen

    March 18, 2018 at 2:07 pm

    @TaMara (HFG): So how does a multi-pot differ from an Instant Pot? Apologies if you’ve already explained. I’m a horrible and lazy cook but am always obsessing over appliances that I think would help me while knowing I’d probably never use them because of things.

  6. 6.

    Corner Stone

    March 18, 2018 at 2:08 pm

    Also too, my homemade tacos last night were just what the doctor ordered. Yummo! As one Rachel “Rachie” Ray has been known to scream.

  7. 7.

    Lyrebird

    March 18, 2018 at 2:09 pm

    Preparing to write more cover letters.

    Confirming that my youngun owns more than 60 quarts of Duplo.

    We’re storing it now that the regular Legos with smaller bricks are more of interest, but it’s still fun enough that we’re not ready to donate it all.

  8. 8.

    trollhattan

    March 18, 2018 at 2:09 pm

    Spring league soccer begins today. Yay(?)

  9. 9.

    NotMax

    March 18, 2018 at 2:10 pm

    Forced awake too early by the proverbial big board flashing SINUSCON 1.

    Dearth of music lately so for no reason other than a bit o’ fun, the fastest organ in the west (also east, north and south).

  10. 10.

    TaMara (HFG)

    March 18, 2018 at 2:10 pm

    @Kathleen: It’s actually very similar. The instant pots sold out every time I tried to order and then I stumbled on this one. It came with all sorts of fun gadgets, but most importantly, it had the same stainless steel insert that I wanted. I would never use a treated insert under pressure. Good price, works great. So I’m happy.

  11. 11.

    Elmo

    March 18, 2018 at 2:13 pm

    Spent an hour aggressively pruning the nectarine tree. Here in Maryland they aren’t supposed to do well, but he has grown like an absolute weed. No fruit yet, and he may never present fruit to maturity, but I love him anyway.

  12. 12.

    Libraryguy

    March 18, 2018 at 2:14 pm

    Packing up a couple orders from our Bleg that just trickled in. I want to throw out a big THANK YOU to all the BJ folks who were kind enough to place some orders! It always helps.

    And we have leads on two retail stores that might be available soon. Finally! :)

  13. 13.

    Kathleen

    March 18, 2018 at 2:16 pm

    @TaMara (HFG): Thank you< Tamara. I was impressed by comment in one of yesterday's threads that it was very easy to clean, which is always a requirement for me!

  14. 14.

    Dorothy A. Winsor (formerly Iowa Old Lady)

    March 18, 2018 at 2:25 pm

    @Lyrebird: Cover letters for what?

  15. 15.

    PsiFighter37

    March 18, 2018 at 2:29 pm

    Recovering after unintentionally drinking too much on St. Patty’s Day…go figure. Gorgeous day in NYC but still too cold!

  16. 16.

    No Drought No More

    March 18, 2018 at 2:30 pm

    Retired army general McCaffrey just praised the FBI on MSNBC as a national treasure. I called on Pelosi and Schumer to denounce Trump on behalf of the rank and file. In their own fashion, I mean; I don’t expect them to issue a rabid attack that goes for the GOP’s throat, as I would. It a damn shame they’ll now only echo McCaffrey, but better late than never. And the time to do so is NOW.

  17. 17.

    Brachiator

    March 18, 2018 at 2:34 pm

    I’m off to the movies, a rare Saturday and Sunday double. I saw “Game Night” yesterday. Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams have great chemistry as a competitive couple who get caught up in a super realistic “solve the murder game” organized by Bateman’s brother (played by the always reliable Kyle Chandler). Things get comically complicated.

    Jumped for an invite today by some folks I have not seen in a while. Not sure what we may end up seeing.

    Teens seem to really like this film called “Love, Simon.” Based on chatter of people going into and coming out of the theater. Anticipation satisfied.

    Black Panther still rules at the box office.

  18. 18.

    WaterGirl

    March 18, 2018 at 2:35 pm

    Hey guys, Just checking in to say that I fractured my ankle on Wednesday morning, so life got considerably more complicated. I see the orthopedist on Monday morning so I’ll know more then.

    in the meantime, I have a temporary fiberglass cast that is not weight bearing, and it’s really tricky for me to get around. Not steady crutches, I fell on them once earlier this week.

    Missing you guys, but not feeling up to hanging out here. Trying to elevate my ankle above my heart isn’t too conducive to sitting up.

  19. 19.

    CarolDuhart2

    March 18, 2018 at 2:38 pm

    From another thread:
    I bought a 9-function Instant Pot Today, thanks to Tamara:

    Finding out that cooking the conventional way leaves meat and vegetables somewhat bland and watery for me. When it’s not that, dry and hard. After half-cooked chicken thighs and somewhat stringy steak, I decided to give, based on the recommendations of my fellow jackals, this a try. I also like the possibility of cooking beans to the proper degree of tenderness. Comes Wed, and I’ll let everyone know how things turn out with this. And I chose a 9 function because it says it can cook two dishes at once. And the accessories to boot.

  20. 20.

    Gin & Tonic

    March 18, 2018 at 2:39 pm

    @WaterGirl: Best of luck. Orthopedic issues aren’t the worst hing that can happen, but they do complicate things quite a bit (speaking from experience.)

  21. 21.

    Mandalay

    March 18, 2018 at 2:39 pm

    A heartwarming story about a vile person getting his comeuppance:

    A Republican candidate for the Maine State House who disparaged two teenage survivors of the school shooting in Parkland, Fla., dropped out of the race after drawing heavy criticism and challengers from both political parties.

    The candidate, Leslie Gibson, had been running to represent District 57 in central Maine unopposed, according to The Sun Journal, which first reported the comments he made on Twitter. Mr. Gibson called one Florida student, Emma González, a “skinhead lesbian,” and another, David Hogg, a “moron” and a “baldfaced liar.”…

    ..In a statement from the Maine Democratic Party, Ms. Gilchrist said she had not considered running for office before she read Mr. Gibson’s comments. After she did, she said, she thought constituents in the district “deserved a representative who will respect people and try to work through their differences to make our lives better.”

  22. 22.

    Gin & Tonic

    March 18, 2018 at 2:40 pm

    @Kathleen: “Instant Pot” is a brand name.

  23. 23.

    NotMax

    March 18, 2018 at 2:40 pm

    @TaMara (HFG)

    Neglected to mention yesterday that when it comes to us singletons, there’s a 3 qt. Instant Pot Mini. That’s the one I opted for. Unit is about 10½ inches in diameter, about 9½ inches high.

    When it comes to preparing large slabs of meat, sometimes have to cut in half and do it in two batches. No biggie and as it is quicker overall, still takes less time than using a conventional oven for the whole slab.

    Video on this page helps to decipher the pros and cons of the different models.

  24. 24.

    Dorothy A. Winsor (formerly Iowa Old Lady)

    March 18, 2018 at 2:40 pm

    @WaterGirl: Oh lordy. Rapid healing to you!

  25. 25.

    Chyron HR

    March 18, 2018 at 2:41 pm

    Open thread? That spells weird Japanese shit.

  26. 26.

    raven

    March 18, 2018 at 2:44 pm

    @WaterGirl: Damn girl, take care of it!

  27. 27.

    NeenerNeener

    March 18, 2018 at 2:44 pm

    @WaterGirl: I feel your pain. I’ve got a plate and 7 screws holding my right ankle together, from slipping on ice on Christmas Eve 1988. Have someone place chairs in strategic places around your house to rest on. You’ll need a shower chair of some sort to sit on in your bathtub or shower, and lots of large garbage bags and packing tape to cover your leg up to your knee when you shower.

  28. 28.

    germy

    March 18, 2018 at 2:44 pm

    This is how they do Election Day in Russia:

    Some cities made public transportation free on Sunday, and social-media posts from Russia’s far-flung regions showed free food and giveaways at polling places. In Khabarovsk in Russia’s Far East, the regional government organized a food festival to coincide with the vote that, at one polling place, was to include a “presidential breakfast” featuring skim-milk oatmeal with regional pine nuts.

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/russia-scrambles-to-get-voters-to-polls-to-legitimize-election-ahead-of-expected-putin-landslide/2018/03/18/f8d31426-2963-11e8-a227-fd2b009466bc_story.html?utm_term=.5c7ff65a2990

  29. 29.

    Brachiator

    March 18, 2018 at 2:46 pm

    Putin wins the election. What a nail biter.

  30. 30.

    TaMara (HFG)

    March 18, 2018 at 2:48 pm

    @WaterGirl: Oh my! Horrible! Here’s a quick healing!

  31. 31.

    TaMara (HFG)

    March 18, 2018 at 2:51 pm

    Potato update. They are a bit watery – but that can happen with pressure cooking. I turned the saute feature on to dry them out a bit (after draining). Also, butter fixed it. I think next time I’ll use the steaming tray that came with it and use less water. That’s how I usually do it in my stove top pressure cooker.

  32. 32.

    Gin & Tonic

    March 18, 2018 at 2:52 pm

    @Brachiator: At least those of us in the US don’t have to stay up late waiting for the final results.

  33. 33.

    O. Felix Culpa

    March 18, 2018 at 2:52 pm

    @Brachiator:

    Putin wins the election. What a nail biter.

    Almost as tight and suspenseful a result as Conor Lamb’s. //

  34. 34.

    mai naem mobile

    March 18, 2018 at 2:52 pm

    Siberian Iris eh? Dolt45’s favorite flower no doubt.

  35. 35.

    zhena gogolia

    March 18, 2018 at 2:53 pm

    @WaterGirl:

    Oh, I’m so sorry. And with all your doggie worries too. I hope you get good news.

  36. 36.

    mai naem mobile

    March 18, 2018 at 2:58 pm

    @Brachiator: Did his opponent make a concession speech or did he slip in his shower this morning and slide right out of his 2nd floor bathroom window with the showerhose wrapped around his neck?

  37. 37.

    Cermet

    March 18, 2018 at 2:58 pm

    @WaterGirl: So very sorry to hear; good that you will elevated it and relax. Us fellow jackal pack members wish you a speedy recovery!

  38. 38.

    debbie

    March 18, 2018 at 2:58 pm

    Irises are one of my favorites, but isn’t it awfully early for them to be blooming?

  39. 39.

    Amir Khalid

    March 18, 2018 at 3:00 pm

    @WaterGirl:
    Adoi.* Keep us posted on what the ortho doc says. Hope you heal up soon.

    *Malay for ouch.

  40. 40.

    NotMax

    March 18, 2018 at 3:01 pm

    @raven

    Raven, while I was watching something recently the mind kept nudging “Raven might like this.” Not a recommendation so much as a pointer to a curiosity – a Russian mini-series more or less following the travails of a trio originally from a backwater farming village, spanning the early 1930s to the early 1950s. Sometimes brutal, sometimes melodramatic, sometimes the coincidences stretch credulity. Bitch Wars, on Amazon Prime.

    (Term comes from the pact of allegiance adhered to by both urban thieves and prison camp inmates.)

  41. 41.

    raven

    March 18, 2018 at 3:05 pm

    @NotMax: I’ll check it out, the bride put the kibosh on Sneaky Pete!

  42. 42.

    debbie

    March 18, 2018 at 3:06 pm

    @WaterGirl:

    Oh, no! I hope your news on Monday is a prediction of a full and speedy recovery!

  43. 43.

    Mary G

    March 18, 2018 at 3:07 pm

    @WaterGirl: Oh no, both you and Henry down at the same time. Take care of yourself!

  44. 44.

    raven

    March 18, 2018 at 3:12 pm

    @NotMax: The reviews remind me of reading “Ivan’s War” about grunts in the Soviet Army!

  45. 45.

    SiubhanDuinne

    March 18, 2018 at 3:15 pm

    @WaterGirl:

    I’m so sorry to hear this! Wishing you healing that is as full, fast, and comfortable as possible.

  46. 46.

    ThresherK

    March 18, 2018 at 3:18 pm

    At the library, leafed through the most recent Project Censored compendium book.

    In there was DNC reserves right to choose party’s nominee.

    WTF? There were articles on real things like voter suppression, the public water crisis (Flint and other places), and genuine actual factuals. But what kind of horseshit possessed Project Censored to go all purity pony?

  47. 47.

    debbie

    March 18, 2018 at 3:20 pm

    @ThresherK:

    You’d almost think they had forgotten how the RNC tried to pimp Jeb in the early days of the primary campaign.

  48. 48.

    NotMax

    March 18, 2018 at 3:23 pm

    @WaterGirl

    Oh my. If not already doing so, stacking a couple of pillows at the foot of the bed underneath the covers to keep it elevated while sleeping might be in order.

  49. 49.

    Yutsano

    March 18, 2018 at 3:24 pm

    @WaterGirl: Oh my goodness me! Please rest up well! Also see if you can get around with a walker in the meantime. Or just be lazy on the couch too.

  50. 50.

    Chyron HR

    March 18, 2018 at 3:26 pm

    @ThresherK:

    DNC reserves right to choose party’s nominee.

    Wasn’t that B*rn*e’s campaign strategy from May-July 2016? “The DNC must throw out all the votes for the whore and give me the nomination by fiat”? He’d have been in pretty sad shape if the nomination was 100% democratically decided.

  51. 51.

    Gelfling 545

    March 18, 2018 at 3:27 pm

    Making ham and scalloped potatoes for my older daughter’s birthday dinner. Her choice. Her preferred birthday “cake” is banana cream pie which a friend is bringing from a bakery. Her actual birthday is Tuesday but celebration has been ongoing as it’s, godhelpus, her 40th. So far I’ve cut myself slicing ham and the kitchen drain clogged. Hope this meal is ok. Oh, well, another friend is bringing wine.

  52. 52.

    dmsilev

    March 18, 2018 at 3:28 pm

    Also cooking. 2 loaves of sourdough bread come out of the oven in a few minutes. Later today, making a roasted tomato & pasta dish for dinner. With, of course, some fresh bread to mop up the remnants of the sauce.

  53. 53.

    ThresherK

    March 18, 2018 at 3:29 pm

    @debbie: I had forgotten that, but in all fairness I don’t care about the inner workings of the GOP much.

    Politics is not for saints, however at some point so much of the right’s major complaints about their own boil down to “He stole the loot I stole from someone else!”

  54. 54.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    March 18, 2018 at 3:44 pm

    GOP strategist on MSNBC says three times that there’s “no evidence of collusion”… and Zerlina Maxwell finally has had enough. Host says, “If you don’t say it I will”

    This may be the first time I’ve seen pushback on that
    ETA: Zerlina Maxwell fucking rocks. GOP flack is visibly sweating. As a fellow larger gentleman, I sympathize, but it’s not a good look

  55. 55.

    Lyrebird

    March 18, 2018 at 3:52 pm

    @Dorothy A. Winsor (formerly Iowa Old Lady): Thanks for asking… Cover letters seeking permanent employment. After multiple interviews not leading to offers. Maybe needing to change careers again. Sigh.

  56. 56.

    Ken Pidcock

    March 18, 2018 at 5:32 pm

    Witnessed the same thing today myself.

  57. 57.

    Mnemosyne

    March 18, 2018 at 6:07 pm

    @WaterGirl:

    Yikes! If you can, see if they can give you forearm crutches instead of the standard underarm crutches. When my friend’s wife had knee surgery in England, he discovered that the NHS doesn’t even supply underarm crutches at all anymore because they’re much less stable, especially on stairs.

    I may have to get knee surgery to repair my ACL this year, so I feel ya!

  58. 58.

    eclare

    March 18, 2018 at 6:20 pm

    @WaterGirl: How is Henry?

  59. 59.

    MikeInOly

    March 18, 2018 at 6:56 pm

    Not a siberian iris – it is I. reticulata, a bulbous species that bloom with the crocus. Siberians are a rhizomatous species that blooms with the tall beardeds in late spring. It is not always easy to get reticulatas to come back. They are fussy about climate. So congrats! It is lovely.

  60. 60.

    No One You Know

    March 18, 2018 at 10:46 pm

    @Lyrebird: Hang in there. Are these for jobs in a career you like?

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