Thanks to Stargazer, I've become acquainted with an AI site that can do amazing transformations in split-second time.
For example, how would you like to see your host in the actual Old West?
Take a look.
Thanks to Stargazer, I've become acquainted with an AI site that can do amazing transformations in split-second time.
For example, how would you like to see your host in the actual Old West?
Take a look.
How about that, it's time once again for The Friday Fandango.
And just in time, after another week of flaming foolishness by the self-proclaimed family-friendly folk flip-flopping their way through the fray to the future fantasy of being one of the finalists to become factotum of the fatherland.
I'm trying to think of another f-word but I just can't come up with one.
So . . . onward!
Oh, wait, FORWARD!
My wife's affection for the English Muffin Bread that you've seen and heard about many times goes way back to when we were living in Mexico in the 1980's.
At that time we couldn't find her beloved English Muffins there.
Somewhere we landed a recipe for the bread loaf duplicating the flavor and texture.
She began making it and somewhere along the line I took over.
It is made with 5 cups of All-Purpose Flour.
But then SWMBO suggested switching some of that white flour for whole wheat flour, to make it healthier and also to get the flavor she preferred.
So, in the Taylor Family Bakery, it is now made with 3 cups of All-Purpose (white) Flour and two cups of Whole Wheat Flour.
She likes it better and that's what counts.
Here's a photo of a partially sliced loaf.
She always toasts her pieces, much as I suppose English Muffins are always toasted.
Now you may be wondering how I got that layering of the whole wheat and the white flour, as apparently is shown in that last sliced piece.
The fact of the matter is *I don't*.
That's merely a shadow caused by your favorite baker and photographer leaning between the light and the subject.
You might call it what it is: a rookie mistake.
You may recall that the BAD, aka the Bad Beautiful Artistic Daughter, brought jigsaw puzzles into our peaceful abode this past Christmas, spiting my direct orders.
But I dug out a card table and set it up and turned the puzzle solving over to SWMBO, aka She Who loves to drive me batty Must Be Obeyed.
Over the weeks that that blasted thing occupied prime living space in my previously calm home I wandered in, glanced at it and on three separate and widely seperated occasions placed one piece in place and left the room.
But mein frau stuck at it and yesterday she finished it.
The Beautiful Artistic Daughter sent a picture this morning and explained that she had splurged on a new cat tree.
Her (huge) black cat, Opal, loved it immediately, the BAD wrote, but is nearly too big to fit into the "caves".
Paying heed to the comments on an earlier post, Judy appreciates all the kind thoughts about her knee replacement and thanks you all.
Second, a bit of education about "hot and spicy" foods and our dinner the other evening.
Quoting Wikipedia, "Curry is a dish with a sauce seasoned with spices, mainly associated with South Asian cuisine."
Curry apparently originated in India but is now eaten all over the world and, quoting Urban Farmie, "...there are a thousand variations depending on the ingredients."
So not all curries are hot.
Fear not and read the ingredients to see what you're getting.
Okay, class is dismissed for today.
But WAIT!
I almost forgot.
It's Friday and time for some laughs!
Mundane, ordinary life can offer up some nice images when one is retired.
I was giving SWMBO a break from struggling with her jigsaw puzzle to read her a blog post a little while ago.
She had turned and was looking past me and when I was done she said "I've got a picture for you."
She said, "Take a look out the front door and see the shadow on the wall cast by our wind chime."
So I did and I took a picture and here it is.
Curiously the wind chime is in the form of a sun face so the shadow is caused by the sun shining through the sun face.
Sun squared.
Or something.
Oh, forget it, just enjoy the picture.
Look for the shadows in *your* surroundings.
And don't take THIS advice, sent to me this morning by the BAD (Beautiful Artistic Daughter).
Some light clouds in the sky gave a painter's palette to the sky as the sun rose this morning.
It seems to give hope for a pleasant day.
Yesterday was pleasant for my wife as she continues to make progress from her knee replacement surgery a little more than two months ago.
Most people who have had the same operation say it takes about six months to fully recover from the trauma imposed on the patient.
Her visit to her surgeon was a bit of a surprise.
He said he was pleased with her progress and that she can bend her leg more than he had expected.
As for the straightening of the leg that one of his nurses had been warning Judy about, he said she needed to work on that but she was only about 2 degrees off.
I know Judy was also pleased to go to her appointment using only a cane for the first time!
When we went to lunch with relatives on Saturday was the first time she had tried that outside the house.
So, we're happy and perhaps more confident as the sun painted a congratulatory sky for us this morning.
Now about that meal yesterday, using a dried Thai chili.
I heated a frozen meal of Coconut Chicken Curry with Mango from Costco and sprinkled over it the chili which I had chopped up.
Montana Mike had suggested that and so did David (Laughing Horse Blogger of the Year for 2023) in the comments yesterday.
I am happy to report that it added a touch of spice to the meal and SWMBO and I scarfed it down with no problems.
Maybe all these years of eating Mexican food have made us immune.
Oh and we accompanied it with Seeds of Change (a brown rice and quinoa mix).
Seems to me like the variety and flavors of "instant" foods available these days is getting better.
So my Great Dried Thai Chili experiment turned out well.
At least I didn't make *this* mistake.
Okay, here's the thing.
The other day I saw a post from my friend who I call Montana Mike.
You know him on this blog as Mike from Should Fish More.
He was celebrating his 78th birthday with a homemade chicken soup to which he added a portion of a Thai Pepper that he had thawed out from his freezer.
He said it was good and cleared his sinuses for a few hours.
But he was a little early because today is, wait for it . . .
International Hot and Spicy Food Day.
Now I don't know who decides these things but I don't care either because it gives me something to blog about.
Anyway, getting back to Mike, I told SWMBO about his birthday dinner and she said "I have a jar of dried Thai chilis!"
And, in fact, she did and produced it from the pantry.
We had a great visit today with a nephew, his daughter and her husband.
I'm ashamed to say that I had never met Misha, our Great Grand Niece.
We had a nice lunch (thanks, Larry) and caught up on some family history.
I had meant to take pictures but, typical of this senile Senior Citizen, I forgot.
When I remembered we had parted company and were back home.
So I sent a message to Misha asking for a photo of the three of them.
Amazingly fast, I got this back.
Last night, as we were going to bed, my wife said to me "I thought it was Friday all day. Now I'm going to have to gear up for another Friday!"
WHAT?
Gear up for another Friday?
What could be better?
It's the day I bring you joy and laughter and inane cheerfulness!
It's the day for The Friday Funnies!
So before I begin, let me introduce you to a new contributor, a new Elf, someone who was led to me as someone who is a big fan of The Friday Funnies.
Her name is Carla and she will henceforth be known here as Carla the Cut-Up.
And she has provided (almost) all of the humor for this week.
So let's welcome her with a big round of applause and let her show you "her stuff".