The Hobbit Hole III - Journey to the Cross-roads!

[HairOfTheDog]

Welcome to The Hobbit Hole!

Journey to the Cross-roads
The Two Towers Edition

Come on! Come in! -if you would like to have some seedcakes and a pint and relax a while. (If it is a special occasion, we still have a few bottles of the old wineyards left!)

Our first thread ( New Zealander builds Hobbit hole ) reached 4,100 posts, and we thought that was big. Our second thread (The New Hobbit Hole ) held us for over 48,000 posts, and we loved it dearly. We talked about moving to a new thread for the last 38,000 posts, but we are really slow to muster! Finally, the time has come. Tomorrow (at 12:01 am, to be precise!) The Two Towers comes out, and we start a new chapter.

[Corin Stormhands]

Nighty Night, Snookie Ookums...

[Sam Cree]

You are right, Hair, Ruthy looks pretty good.

I am wanting to lose about 5 pounds, I think, but that shouldn't be too terrifically hard. Also I want to get in shape a little more, so I have to just go ahead and do it.

Corin, that is great, I am impressed.

[300winmag]

A few days ago, folks were talking about items for their "survival kits" beyond the now-infamous plastic sheeting and duct tape. Here's a couple of items you might want to consider. (And I've just now figured how to make the html work.)

First, consider EMT shears, which cost about $4-$7. Great for cutting lots of stuff, including seatbelts, foliage, thin metal, etc. A lot of cutting power for a little money.

And since I appreciate fine steel, whether edged or rifled, I carry this little thingie on my keychain. It's by a famous knife maker, and is a combination seatbelt slitter, bottlecap opener, and wrench for medical oxygen tanks. The smaller round hole in this promotional photo is now squared off, and fits the valve stem.

It lists for $25-$30, but I stumbled across a clearance online at $11 each, so I bought two. Rick's rule for neat stuff: if it's neat, and half off, always buy two.

The snips are just darn handy, and I feel a little bit better when driving, knowing I have something with me to get myself or someone else out of a jammed seatbelt.

[JenB]

Wow, that is amazing and I'm glad you didn't have that surgery. I've known people who've had that done, like your dad.

I've decided to go with the protein plan, after consulting the local diet expert (my mother, who lost about a hundred pounds three years back) because I can probably do that. Unfortunately I've decided to go totally cold turkey, starting today, so no more sweets for a while.

At least Diet Dr Pepper is carb-free!

[HairOfTheDog]

I am going to just try to eat less, without being on a 'kind' of diet. I think that is the way I have to learn to live. I don't eat that much, but everything I eat is wrong. Basically, I eat the way I did when I was young, but I am not as active as I was. I should get out more. Part of that is gonna come naturally with spring. hard to feel like exercising much when it is pouring out. Soon I will be able to go work around the place.

[2Jedismom]

Steve was really tired when he came in, but he did make supper (after picking his jaw up from seeing the kitchen being so spotless...I mean, I didn't even have a dirty dish in the dishwasher...everything was clean and put away!) Actually, he just fried up the pork chops and made gravy, I did everything else. He's just soooo goooood at frying pork chops and making gravy! Anyway, I did the rice and green beans (easy) and set the table.

After supper, I cleaned the kitchen up (again, Steve didn't know what to think) while he rolled around in the living room with the boys and a football. Then he got them bathed and into bed while I went to Walmart (twist my arm) and bought groceries. We were out of milk and bread and such. Oh, and buttermilk. Steve makes the best buttermilk pancakes...his dearly departed dad's recipe. Pancakes, bacon and fried eggs in the morning! Mmmm!

Anyway, he went to bed and I'm checking in...

[Kitsune-chan]

I like that ice cube tray!! You could fill it with prepared Kool Aid to make some yummy frozen treats for the summer. We used to make Kool Air ice cubes all the time at the Fishing Camp!

[HairOfTheDog]

I think 2J has her heart set on the magic ear thingy.

Welcome to the hobbit hole Kitsune-chan!

Good-night everyone! - I am going to settle in with a nice movie and go to bed!

(I can't snack if I am asleep!)

[Corin Stormhands]

At least Diet Dr Pepper is carb-free!

Watch the sodium. I buy Diet Rite because it doesn't have sodium. I don't like it as much as Diet Coke tho.

[Corin Stormhands]

I am going to just try to eat less, without being on a 'kind' of diet.

Well, that's the way to do it. I was (am) really beyond that though. And my problem was that my blood sugar would drop and I'd get headaches or nauseous if I didn't eat. With this program, I don't do that.

I had a good amount of success last year when I just cut out refined sugar for Lent. Sugar is addictive. I think I've shared this before, but it's the same tendency towards addiction as alcoholism. My Dad was an alcoholic. But for me, it's sugar.

That's probably because I really didn't drink until I was out of college. I went to a conservative Christian college, and we just didn't. (okay, some did, but I didn't)

[Corin Stormhands]

I was wondering if someone could tell me why I'm still up...

(I just filed our tax returns...)

[Sam Cree]

IMO, your mother is right, Jen, I've tried both lo fat and lo carb in my life. Both work, but the lo fat diet is impossible to stay on for extended periods, and I don't think it can sustain human life properly either, I believe cutting out fats speeds up the aging process.

I feel like sugar, and foods that rapidly convert to sugar (refined flour, etc.), are the real culprits in weight gain.

I believe I am right that American consumption of sugar has increased exponentially in the last 100 years, while fat consumption has decreased in the last 20 or so. Meanwhile we have all gotten alot larger. Hair probably has a point about exercise, too.

[Sam Cree]

Morning, OT.

[ItsOurTimeNow]

We just did our taxes last week. We owe this year, so I'm not sending anything out until April 14th! lol

[Overtaxed]

Good Morning, Sam.

About the best success I've had with a diet is when the doctor gave me one of those plan things....so much bread, fat, vegetables, fruit, and meat a day. The only way I could stick to it is if I wrote out a menu, then went shopping, and made sure I consulted the Menu everytime I ate. :)

[Overtaxed]

Yep....that's me....need to do taxes and resume. :(

[osagebowman]

OT: Good Morning, resume and taxes, that is a double barrel YECH for a Saturday morning. Sounds like the search for alternative opportunities commences. Best of luck in your quest. (Stay off the roads, travel at night)

Generally, grey and dreary here, trashy looking snow, big icicles just at 32 degrees.

Had an impromptu family reunion, (sort of a mini-version) Susan's sister and husband, and both the sons (with one fiance in tow). So good to see them, on their way back from a funeral (weddings and funerals, seem to get people to travel). Great dinner, and much much conversation. Both the boys (okay, young men) and fiance are avid JRRT fans and archery fans, so lots of topics there. Looks like I'd best commence crafting some bows for the upcoming nuptuals (sp?).

We're heading out to a store bought breakfast, our semi-annual biscuts and gravy. BBL.

[HairOfTheDog]

I am up, the horses are fed. Now what? Good morning!

[HairOfTheDog]

Have fun at your breakfast! Today is pay day.... gonna run out and buy a lot of good food and supplies!

[Overtaxed]

Good Morning!

I haven't heard anything new on the KC job front so my guess is that "upperer" management isn't going for it. Anyway....I'm not going to be rushed into moving on short notice (I'd have a house to sell, for crying out loud!)