It's Friday!

[Robyn1007]

Hi all!

Well, it's been a long week. Between work and trying to close out our fiscal year and inventory and not sleeping well it has definitely dragged on. My plan today is to work through lunch and then get the bleep out of here early so I can get on my bike today.

This weekend is my company's wine tour weekend. We meet tomorrow morning very early to take off for Colorado's Western Slope. I get to be here at 7am to set up for breakfast goodies. We'll have coffee, juice, food, oh and Bloody Marys and Screwdrivers. :p Then we load the bus. Fortunately we are catching the end of leaf season so the scenery on the ride should be awesome and we'll get to our first winery around 11:30 for lunch and tour/tastings. After that we head to 1 or 2 more wineries and then the resort. We're staying at Gateway Canyons Resort (www.gatewaycanyons.com). We'll have a couple of hours to ourselves and then we're having a 5 course with wine pairings private dinner with the chef.

Sunday morning we get an hour at the antique car museum on site opened early for our group and then load the bus for 2 more wineries before heading home. I'm super excited for most of the trip. Just not looking forward to the 8 or so hours we'll spend on the bus over the two days. Oh, and the fact that DBF has to do inventory at work so he can't come. :(

That will be about it for the weekend as I imagine I'll pretty much do nothing Sunday night. What's everyone else up to?

[Terri_A]

Robyn - Your plans sound divine!!! That is such a great treat that your company is providing for you all. I'm sure you'll have a blast - even withouth DBF!!! Plus, it gives him time to miss you, which is VERY important.:D

This weekend the weeone is with her Dad. This is good since I'll be vascillating between the couch and the bed with my foot propped up!:p If it's feeling okay on Sat., I may try a recipe for a stuffed boneless Turkey breast as a trial run for Thanksgiving. That'll only happen if I can locate a deboned turkey breast since I don't know how to do it myself. I think I'll also be doing some menu planning for the next couple of weeks and a LOT of reading!

I hope everyone has a terrific weekend...and if you get bored, you can probably find me around here looking for things to do!:D

[mcgeiger]

Well we WERE going to go car camping with some friends, but since it is supposed to be a high of 50 with rain, wind and possibly snow, I guess not:( ...so we'll see what we come up with:rolleyes:

[LakeMartinGal]

I am uncharacteristically busy, today! I've made 6x the pizza sauce recipe, and have done 2 loads of laundry! Now, I have a lot of Quicken work to do for the quarter-end report that DH wants, but I suspect I'll play Jewel Quest 2, until I finish the current game... My name is Kay, and I'm addicted to Jewel Quest 2...:o

DH is gone today to buy a new-to-us fire engine, so I don't expect him back till after dinner! (pizza;) )

Other than that, nothing spectacular going on here!

Just heard from our best friends from college that they will be here around Halloween! And DD1 will be here for Christmas with her partner! Yay!:D

Robyn -- have a great time on your wine tour! What a fun trip... the best we ever did was a weekend for all the families at a lake on houseboats, and a day trip to the local horse races, where we fronted each person $50 to bet!

Terri -- hope your foot is better soon!

[Robyn1007]

Well we WERE going to go car camping with some friends, but since it is supposed to be a high of 50 with rain, wind and possibly snow, I guess not:( ...so we'll see what we come up with:rolleyes:

You'll get a mountain weekend soon! ;) By the way, let's touch base next week to do some planning (and make the boys figure out their fishing). :D I so wish you could come with me this weekend. I'll buy a bottle of wine for our weekend in Vail.

[lindaofthelakes]

but I suspect I'll play Jewel Quest 2, until I finish the current game... My name is Kay, and I'm addicted to Jewel Quest 2...:o



Hi Kay,Another (ex) Jewel Quest2 addict confessing. Also love Text twist. But unfortunately wrist/thumb tendinitis has sidelined my computer game playing.

I'm off for a women's retreat/hike tomorrow even though it will be in the high 80's and humid, NOT the October weather I expect and love. I'm baking bread and quilting today anyhow. I'm just going to ignore the summer weather.

Your weekend sounds fun, Robin, Hope you enjoy it.

[linsleyd]

This week has also been crazy!
DH and I are heading to Central PA right after work to see our friends. Tonight will be relaxing and letting the dogs play. Tomorrow Dh is helping one group of friends frame out their addition and the girls are going to Oktoberfest!

So that's our weekend!

Robyn, sounds like an awesome trip!
Mcgeigor, sorry you can't go camping. We went last weekend but it was at the shore so it was lovely.
Terri, hope your foot is better soon!
Kay, sounds like you got a lot of things done!

[Gracie]

Good afternoon!

Tonight we are going to watch the Red Sox game (at home - can't afford playoff tickets). Then tomorrow is my birthday. I turn into a new and very old sounding age bracket (50). It sounds really old so I'm trying not to think about it.

I asked for an iPhone and I think I'm going to get it. Erin was asking me to show her how my RAZR works so I'm guessing she's going to inherit it. :D Erin has SAT's tomorrow for the first time all morning then all afternoon band practice so I won't see her all day on my BD. I'm guessing we'll go out to dinner tomorrow night.

Then Sunday we'll watch the Red Sox and the Patriots.

Robyn - your weekend sounds wonderful. Isn't it nice to work with people that you actually want to do an activity with? We have the same situation here - we all really like each other.

Terri - I hope your foot feels better. Did you have surgery?

Kelly - what is car camping?????

Kay - you have some fun things to look forward to! I haven't tried to make pizza sauce but there are some good-looking recipes on the board.

Linda - I've never been on a woman's retreat. What will you do?

Linsley - good luck to the Eagles this weekend!

Loren

[Robyn1007]

Loren - car camping is when you take the car to your campsite rather than hiking in. :) Oh, by the way, you know of anyone who can get my boss some Sox tickets the weekend of October 20th if they make it that far? HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Terri, I'm glad you don't have to worry about entertaining Sabrina this weekend.

Kay, don't you just love visits from friends and family!

Linda, I hear ya on the weather. Leaves are falling but it's in the 80s. Fortunately that's supposed to change this weekend (much to mcgeiger's dismay).

Linsley, have fun with your friends. I always see that you and your DH are doing so much and am finally starting to understand. Between DBF and I we are always booked on the weekends it seems. And, in fact, are now booked through October.

[mcgeiger]

Car camping=campfire, chairs, good food, big tent, pillows, lots of blankets, changes of clothes, beer/wine, etc

backpacking=30lb total for shelter, food, and safety; small tent, 1 set of clothes, light meals, no chairs, etc.

gracie--enjoy the game!
linda-I'm very jealous!
kay-hope your pizza is delicious:)
Terri-hope your foot is better soon! (I have to admit I've been busy and not quite sure what happened, but I hate being housebound for any reason!)

[Hammster]

Our weekend.
Sunday is Supper Club. One of the supper club members and I are doing a "team" dish as she has just moved and her kitchen isn't fully up and running.
We are doing "Vegetables a la Grecque" from Thomas Keller's Bouchon book. We are going to do 4 vegetables. It's a couple day process so she will come over tomorrow and we'll do the first part. They have to soak in the cooking liquid overnight, so she will take 2 of the veg home with her and I'll keep the other 2 and then we will finish them on Sunday and bring them to the Supper Club gathering.
DS and I are going for haircuts on Sunday. Maybe DW and I will take in a movie and dinner tomorrow.
Oh, and figuring out what I will do for SGOTW. :D
Nothing else really planned.

[lindaofthelakes]

Linda - I've never been on a woman's retreat. What will you do?

It is basically a 6 mile hike with a local personal coach. Along the way we stop for lunch and also to contemplate our goals and life progress. It should be inspiring!

[Terri_A]

I think I'm gong to live vicariously through all of you this weekend!

As for my foot, I'm not sure what I did!;) It's been hurting for some time. We thought it was a stress fracture - turns out it's a strained ligament and I'm supposed to stay off of it for a week. That started on Tuesday afternoon...just long enough that I'm going nuts!

Linda - your hike sounds great! I'm sure you'll be motivated, inspired and exhausted from it all at the same time!

Hammster - I'm intriqued. What is Vegetables a la Grecque? It sounds very involved, but good at the same time!

Gracie - Happy Birthday! I'm jealous that you're getting an iPhone. I really really really want one, but I don't want to switch my provider to AT&T. I want a complete review of it once you've had to time play around!!! :D

Linsley - Oktoberfest? What fun! There's nothing like eating things that end in wurst and drinking beer all day!

Kay - 6x the pizza sauce recipe? You're planning on making a lot of pizza I take it? I hope you enjoy it.

McGeiger - I thought by car camping you meant you slept in your car! I'm a camping idiot - it's true. The last time I went camping it was Girl Scout camp and I was about 13 years old. I'm totally the cliche of "camping for me is staying at a hotel that doesn't have room service!" Sad, but true!

[Gracie]

Oh, by the way, you know of anyone who can get my boss some Sox tickets the weekend of October 20th if they make it that far? HAPPY BIRTHDAY!.

Honestly the best way is to go on Craigslist Boston. Ticket agencies are 2, 3, or 4 times as much as a private sale from Craigslist (or ebay's not a bad choice either).

Craigslist usually has people meeting up in person to exchange cash for tickets so if your boss ended up doing that I could work something out to meet up with the person for your boss and then get the tickets to your boss.

The 20th is World Series time so the tickets will be the most expensive.

ETA I also thought car camping was sleeping in the car.

Loren

[Robyn1007]

Yes, he knows about craigslist and has lots of feelers out, I just thought I'd put out one more. It's not quite World Series time though it's league championships. Right now he's got a lead on some for $750 each but he's checking to make sure they're not behind the pole. He's also found some good ones for around $2000 each but I don't think he wants to spend quite that much. He'll be in town the whole week before so he should be able to meet up. He grew up in western Mass so he's out visiting family.

[DmOrtega]

I think I'm gong to live vicariously through all of you this weekend!
...

Me too! :D

We are participating in a 5k heart walk tomorrow morning. DH and ds are attending a gaming convention in the afternoon. DD and I are doing a little Christmas shopping with a $100 mall gift card that I won. Yeah!

This is the anniversary of my DF's passing, so a little quiet time will be observed. Boy, it just seems like yesterday. It's hard to believe a year has gone by already.

I had heard the weather was going to be hot on the east side of the country. Here it's cold and windy with rain storms passing through. Fall has come and it is quickly turning to winter. It's interesting how different the climates can be around the country. So, enjoy the warm weather because soon it will be really cold. :)

[Gracie]

Yes, he knows about craigslist and has lots of feelers out, I just thought I'd put out one more. It's not quite World Series time though it's league championships. Right now he's got a lead on some for $750 each but he's checking to make sure they're not behind the pole. He's also found some good ones for around $2000 each but I don't think he wants to spend quite that much. He'll be in town the whole week before so he should be able to meet up. He grew up in western Mass so he's out visiting family.

Well if he has any questions about the seats, ask me. I even know which way the seat numbers run.

Loren

[LakeMartinGal]

Kay - 6x the pizza sauce recipe? You're planning on making a lot of pizza I take it? I hope you enjoy it.I make lots of sauce at a time, and foodsave it in pint jars. That way, I only have to defrost in the morning, and set my dough to rise in the fridge! Pizza every other week, though I could eat it every day, but my pants wouldn't go for it!:rolleyes:

mcgeiger -- love the car camping thing! Although, I am partial to real mattresses...:o

Linda, I've never been on an actual retreat, though some say that looking at the lake has the same results... I think it's great that you are doing that!:)
By the way, I just uninstalled both Jewel Quest games! We'll see how long that lasts! (I played 5 total games of JQ2, and the high score was over 2,300,000! I think JQ2 is easier thatn JQ, don't you?) I do have the itch to reinstall, but I'm gonna be strong... for today, anyway -- there's always solitaire:o

Hammster -- sounds like fun! I could never get DH to do a supper club, and I'm not sure I'd like to cook for good cooks! Most of the folks around here make reservations...

So, Gracie... spend a lot of time at the stadium?;)

I'm stalling, again... Have a great weekend everyone!

[Deechef]

Good afternoon everyone!

I can't believe how warm it is today. I know most of you are looking for fall but I love this weather. Just got home from a busy day at work. We added another financial advisor to the office so methinks I am going to be working longer hours :rolleyes: I won't mind it in the winter but come Spring.....I don't know.

DBF will be over for dinner tonight. Baked Shrimp and a good bottle of wine. Tomorrow I will golf in the morning - another beautiful day. Will tackle lawn and leaves in the afternoon and the veg out for the evening. I am trying really hard to weed out my closets and Good Will is making out like a bandit.

Sunday I am going to the Opera (Barber of Seville) with some women from church. I'm not really an opera buff but enjoy it once a year.

You all have some wonderful plans so have a great weekend!!!!

[Lauren]

Hi everyone! Sipping a drink and eating pizza .... ah, life is great!

Happy 50th Birthday Loren! Matt's birthday is tomorrow too! Did we go through this last year? He'll be 49. The boys and I are going to his parents house on Sunday for his b'day and his brothers' wife b'day. Matt is taking customers to the Pat's game. Lucky guy!

Robyn - Have a blast on the wine tour. It sounds like a fun company to work for.

Terri - Hope you're feeling OK. Have a nice coktail and enyoy your time alone! :)

We used to do car camping when the kids were little. I always had fun. Matt is a big outdorrs guy, but then he married me. Kidding!

Anyone notice the smiley things aren't working?

[testkitchen45]

This is the anniversary of my DF's passing, so a little quiet time will be observed. Boy, it just seems like yesterday. It's hard to believe a year has gone by already.

Just wanted to offer my sympathy to you on this milestone. You will be in my thoughts this weekend. My parents are still living, but are really slowing down . . . I am thankful to have them near me.

Coming very late to the klatch, here :o . I usually just lurk on klatch threads b/c they're fun to read, but I rarely have time to respond to all the different people's plans! Same today, I guess; just waiting for two new recipes to finish (a meat loaf that for once doesn't sound boring, and a cornmeal-millet bread--am I the only one who has always thought of millet as just birdseed? :D ). So I thought I'd wish you all the best in your various plans! My DS is sick with a viral cough that's going around, so our out-of-town plans were benched for what was supposed to be a long weekend--turns out to be OK, though, b/c he's not too bad off, and I ended up with a blank slate for trying new recipes this weekend--some of which will really appeal to DS.

Have fun with camping, retreats, supper clubs, camping, family, T'giving preps . . . all of it!

[Robyn1007]

Lauren, that's funny that you guys are going to go celebrate DH's birthday without DH. :D Yes, I work with a bunch of drunken fools that are a lot of fun. Not only are we drinking bloody marys and wine but I saw about 6 cases of beer in the office before I left tonight for drinking after dinner. All paid for by the company. But, they're being smart, none of us will even have access to a car to drive anywhere. We all really need the break after the fiscal year end and this week of getting the books closed out. Not to mention releasing a brand new software without the proper plans in place. :rolleyes: Oh, and a major bug found in another software today. :eek:

[Hammster]

I think I'm gong to live vicariously through all of you this weekend!

Hammster - I'm intriqued. What is Vegetables a la Grecque? It sounds very involved, but good at the same time!



It's actually pretty simple and not as fancy as it sounds. But we don't have to tell anyone that. ;)
Basically a vegetable is cooked til tender in a court boullion. Then, it's allowed to steep overnight, or longer up to 3 days, in the court boullion. Then the veggies are removed from the liquid, the liquid reduced to a syrupy state and the veggies added back in and stirred to coat. Then, they are refrigerated and served chilled.
We are making mushrooms (crimini), red pearl onions, artichoke hearts and curried cauliflower.