Another Good One

I'm weeding. Here's another good one, but it has to go. Shoot, it's no longer available in hardcover. It might get to stay. LaPlante's other books starring Josef Tanaka are also good.

Weather War

If you haven't read this book, look for it. It's out of print, but there are still some out there. The authors are Paul Posnick and Leonard Leokum. Sadly, I don't think a hardcover was ever done, and the paperback paper is lousy.

Trout Season Opens Today

Trout season opened today in New York state.
I took this pic somewhere near Elbridge.
Here's a good link:
http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dfwmr/fish/index.html

Ward's Seafood Market

One of the very best things about Florida is Ward's Seafood Market in Clearwater.
I could go there just about everyday. I think my favorites are the red snapper and the salmon from Alaska. www.wardsseafood.com

Favorites and AOL

AOL has done it again.
My Favorites are all messed up. There aren't any from 2006 or 2007. The ones that are there are all out of order. There are many there from before 2004 that I know I deleted ages ago.
When I was using my notebook recently, all my Favorites completely disappeared. They never returned. I went to AOL's live Chat Help for assistance, and the tech person e-mailed me instructions on how to get them back. It didn't work, so I uninstalled AOL and used Firefox and Google for everything. AOL is supposed to store your Favorites on their servers.

I don't know why I continue to even sign onto AOL. It must be a nostalgia thing, or something.
I started out with AOL in 1994 with version 1.0.
I do like their e-mail, even though it has always gotten terrible reviews.
Even on the desktop, I use Firefox and Google's homepage most of the time.
Most of my really important bookmarks I've stored at Save This. Some I've e-mailed to myself.
Save This is nice, because you can drag a SaveThis thing to your Firefox toolbar, log in to your account and automatically have your sites bookmarked directly to them.
It's nice, and it's free. www.savethis.com

Belleair Beach

I love this photo.
It's a little beach in Belleair on Gulf Blvd.
If I ever win the lottery, I'll get a place here.
http://www.cityofbelleairbeach.com/

Largo makes AOL's Welcome Screen

Way to go, Largo.

The Steve Stanton story has put Largo, Florida on the map, but for all the wrong reasons.
Largo's motto is City of Progress. Maybe they should change it.

I was pleased to see the story on AOL's Welcome Screen, including a poll.
So far, 73% say he should not have been fired - with 10,059 votes.

Here's the story on AOL's Welcome Screen:
http://news.aol.com/topnews/articles/_a/city-likely-to-fire-manager-over-sex/20070301091909990001?ncid=NWS00010000000001

We watched the four hour meeting Tuesday night on tv. Citizens were allowed to speak, then the Commissioners, including the mayor, spoke. I was surprised and dismayed at the Commissioners' remarks. Only the mayor, Pat Gerard, and Commissioner, Rodney Woods spoke in favor of Stanton.

For more articles, go to www.sptimes.com
Also - St. Petersburg Times Columnist Howard Troxler's Blog at: TroxBlog

Tacky Turtle Restaurant - Indian Rocks Beach

The Tacky Turtle on Indian Rocks Beach is gone!
We were over at the beach a few weeks ago, and thought we'd pop in for a Cuban.
The new proprietor said the Tacky Turtle had been gone for a long time - at least three months.
Three months must be a long time in Florida.
We were so disappointed.
It's now the Kooky Coconut.
The decor is all new, and the outside is painted to look like bamboo.
There wasn't a very good selection of ice cream - some of the tubs were sitting empty.
I hope the new guy makes it, but I don't think I'll be making a special trip over.
At least I have my photos of the place, and the ones I had in my last exhibit were a big hit.
I wish I'd bought a t-shirt last year, or a hat. Did they have hats?

Update: June 11, 2008 The site for the Tacky Turtle is also gone.

Best Grammy Performance Ever

I always thought it would be nice to be able to see this again.
Who knew You Tube would have it.
It's still as good as it was watching it live back in 1979.
You Don't Bring Me Flowers

Article from PC World

This article is a must read, especially for computer novices who work with computers and the public.
It's about a substitute teacher in Norwich, Connecticut, who was convicted of impairing the morals of a child, and risking injury to a minor by exposing as many as ten seventh-grade students to porn sites. The incident occurred in October, 2004. Her sentencing is March 2, 2007.
Here's the article:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/pcworld/20070207/tc_pcworld/128672

Monday

So, here we are in Florida.
The new neighbor was outside this afternoon for a few minutes, so I thought it would be a good time to introduce myself. She had just come home, and was getting out of the car with, what looked like, a cake sized box from a bakery. I was wondering what kinds of baked goods were inside.
She set the box down on the doorstep and came over to meet me. She's from the mid-west.
After we exchanged names, she mentioned that her brother had recently died, and that she had just gone to pick him up and bring him home.
So much for a cake being in the white bakery box.
I wonder where she put it when she took it inside.

I hope the sun comes out soon.
It's gloomy enough here to be Syracuse on a spring day.

Today's room with a view

Syracuse China Handpainted Adobe Ware

I've got a bunch of this Syracuse China Adobe Ware, and I can't find any information on it.
It's marked: Adobe Ware, Handpainted, Dogwood, O-11
It's not the heavy restaurant china, but it is heavier than the fine china.
Here are two photos:

Happy 40th

Before it's too late, Happy 40th to the Class of 1966.

Library / Librarian Blogs, etc.

A few of the better ones.
Not in any particular order.
Ok - a few aren't blogs.

Tiny Little Librarian
Free Range Librarian
Jessamyn
Librarian Avengers
The Laughing Librarian
Wireless Libraries
Progressive Librarian
Google Librarian Center
Career Profiles: Librarian - from the Princeton Review
The Renegade Librarian
LibrarianInBlack.net
Librarian's Rant

Oct. 27th Post - too many cakes

Something's going on with the photo of the birthday cake.
In Firefox, there is one cake photo with two tiny rectangle outlines underneath the photo.
In IE, there are THREE photos of the cake.
I don't know what the problem is, and I don't feel like editing the HTML.

I fixed it by opening it up in IE and editing it there - backspacing out two of the photos.
That must be why those little rectangle outlines were at the bottom of the photo (in Firefox).
Maybe I should do all the editing in IE.

Muscats

I forgot to mention ...

Muscats are raisins which have had their seeds removed mechanically, leaving little holes in them.
Seedless raisins never had seeds to begin with.

Best Fruitcake Recipe

Fruitcake

Mix the following ingredients together in the boiling water, turn down and simmer for 20 minutes.
Let cool.

1 1/2 C. muscats - forget finding them at the store, but you can order them in bulk from Sun-Maid. I use the regular Sun-Maid raisins.
1 1/2 C. chopped, pitted dates
2 C. sugar
2 C. boiling water
1/3 C. shortening

In a bowl, mix together:

3 C. flour
1 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. ground cloves

Add the cooked ingredients to the dry ones. Mix thoroughly.
Add 1 - 3 ounce package of the following candied fruits: orange peel, lemon peel, pineapple, citron and cherries.
Add 1 C. chopped walnuts

Bake in one, greased and floured, 7.5 inch by 12 inch pan
Bake at 325 degrees for about 90 minutes.
I use empty coffee cans, or mini loaf pans, which will bake about 5 small cakes.
The batter will be heavy and sticky.
They will rise about an inch, or so.
*I tried adding the fruit & nuts to the cooked dates & raisins BEFORE adding the flour mixture. I like it better - it's easier to mix. - Dec. 15, 2007

When they're done, let them cool on a rack, then wrap them in brandy soaked cheesecloth, wrap in aluminum foil, and store for a few days, week, etc. Best to cool them in a cool place.

Updates:
http://deskdiva.blogspot.com/2008/11/time-to-think-about-fruitcake.html

http://deskdiva.blogspot.com/2008/11/first-batch-of-fruitcakes.html

Fave Books of 2006

Here's the list, not in any particular order:

Wild Fire - Nelson DeMille - extra fun because it takes place in the north country of NY state

Mayflower - Nathaniel Philbrick

Possible Side Effects - Augusten Burroughs

The Cold Moon - Jeffery Deaver another Lincoln Rhyme

The Messenger - Daniel Silva