What is in your cup?

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by bjones6416

You grew up with Laura Ingalls Wilder? Because I'm pretty sure that scene was described in "Little House in the Big Woods."

Was she the kid who lived two houses down?
After I left California I move to Vermont and built a house in the woods. I mean really 'in the woods.' Wasn't even on a town-maintained road, half a mile down from the road that got plowed in winter.

There were 6 other houses in that 'enclave,' and each had 3-5 grade-school aged kids. Each property had about 5-20 Sugar Maple trees growing, and in the early spring when the sap began to flow, two of the parents would organize the kids to go 'Sugarin!'

First they'd tap all the neighborhood Maple trees and hang buckets. Every day after school all the kids would work together to empty the sap buckets they had hung on the trees. They would dump all the sap into a large barrel that one of the parents would have tied to the back of a snowmobile, and bring the liquid to the yard of one of the houses where the evaporator was set up. The kids all gathered and cut firewood for the big open fire used to boil down the sap. They needed about 40 gallons of sap to produce one gallon of finished syrup.

Then it was just a matter of waiting and boiling... The night got colder, the adults standing around chatting got drunker, the kids got more and more impatient for their 'sugar on snow,' and the fire burned lower and lower...
Finally the right level was reached and the first of the syrup was released from the evaporator on to the kid's plates of snow. Then the adults bottled up the rest of the evening's syrup to cool and store away until the season finished.

The sap usually runs for about a week or two, depending on the weather. When it's finished its seasonal activity, every family would be given a gallon of Maple syrup, and the remainder loaded onto a truck with all the kids. This would be taken to one of the dozens of roadside syrup stands and sold (the syrup, not the kids) and the proceeds of the sale being divided up between all the kids for pocket money!

Great fun for the entire neighborhood. Like a city 'street party' each night, but rural style. The kids had a wonderful cultural experience, made some money too, and the parents all shared pleasant evenings together. You haven't lived until you've tasted Maple flavored brandy while standing around an open fire with friends, snow still on the ground, and the promise of Spring just around the corner.

I wouldn't mind some of the brandy right now. Guess I'll settle for a mug of Lapsang Souchong tea. It's smoky aroma will bring back all the memories if not the drunk!

Stitchawl

[orlok]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

Beer. Yummy Beer.

Talked with Dad. Mom is ok. She is out of it due to meds and her heart deciding it needs to run marathons at random times but she said a quick hello. Actually what she said is "I don't want to talk but your Father is making me" which I took as hello. They are removing an instrument that they inserted into her yesterday to regulate her heart rate tomorrow morning. Hopefully all goes well and her heart stays at a normal pace. If it does they will move her out of ICU.

Thank you for the kind words and messages. It means a lot.

Glad to hear that things have improved with your Mum. A difficult time, I know from experience.

[dreams]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

Beer. Yummy Beer.

Talked with Dad. Mom is ok. She is out of it due to meds and her heart deciding it needs to run marathons at random times but she said a quick hello. Actually what she said is "I don't want to talk but your Father is making me" which I took as hello. They are removing an instrument that they inserted into her yesterday to regulate her heart rate tomorrow morning. Hopefully all goes well and her heart stays at a normal pace. If it does they will move her out of ICU.

Thank you for the kind words and messages. It means a lot.

So glad to hear she is doing better. I've just started to realize that parents could actually not always be there and it has made me start to appreciate mine even more (and have a bit more patience with them ). I hope your mom is able to go home soon.

Hot oolong in my cup. It is a bit chilly tonight and I am still trying to get over my cold.

[beppe]

Originally Posted by dreams

So glad to hear she is doing better. I've just started to realize that parents could actually not always be there and it has made me start to appreciate mine even more (and have a bit more patience with them ). I hope your mom is able to go home soon.

Hot oolong in my cup. It is a bit chilly tonight and I am still trying to get over my cold.

I got you! You are drinking real tea.

[pdurrant]

Coke Zero #1, to be followed shortly by Coke Zero #2.

(Chain-drinking. Perhaps I have a problem. But at least I'm well hydrated.)

[orlok]

black coffee.

Come on astra , you back yet?

[jewelery]

Originally Posted by orlok

black coffee.

Come on astra , you back yet?

Coffee, white..two sugars..

I'm new here, but whoever this astra dude is, I think I like him....and the rest of you, of course....

[orlok]

Originally Posted by jewelery

Coffee, white..two sugars..

I'm new here, but whoever this astra dude is, I think I like him....and the rest of you, of course....

Well if you drink tea as well as coffee, he has some great suggestions. Just don't mention coffee to him. I did once, but I think I got away with it....

I'm an inveterate coffee drinker, but have an honourary membership of the tea club 'cos I do love my Rooibos.

[jewelery]

lol....tea ???!!! O.K, If I must....(note - MUST) then preference is rooibos...although I must say, I haven't gone out of my way with other than original flavour....

[lestatar]

Ummmm...you people are all so wonderfully healthy. ATM, I having a lovely lemon martini on a humid night in HK before heading out to dinner.

[jewelery]

Nice.....can go with that....my drink of choice....martini, passionfruit & lemonade, or brandy, coke lite and a slice of lemon, three blocks of ice....

[lestatar]

^ heck yeah! That passionfruit suggestion is terrific! I shall partake of it this evening. Thanks!

[bjones6416]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

Beer. Yummy Beer.

Talked with Dad. Mom is ok. She is out of it due to meds and her heart deciding it needs to run marathons at random times but she said a quick hello. Actually what she said is "I don't want to talk but your Father is making me" which I took as hello. They are removing an instrument that they inserted into her yesterday to regulate her heart rate tomorrow morning. Hopefully all goes well and her heart stays at a normal pace. If it does they will move her out of ICU.

Thank you for the kind words and messages. It means a lot.

It sounds as if they are doing what they need to do to find the most effective way to control her A fib, so I bet she'll be fine once they get it under control. My mother has been hospitalized with the same problem a couple of times, and the last time she was referred to an electrophysiologist (sp?) for follow-up to figure out what needed to be done. (Now remember my mother is 90, with a very damaged heart, so different circumstances than yours.) Anyway, there are lots of ways to treat it -- medicine to keep it slowed down (often beta blockers), defibrillation to "shock" it back into rhythm, ablation of the area causing the rhythm problem, or implanting a pacemaker. They had her wear a monitor at home for a week, and she had to transmit the data by phone every night. All she ended up needing was upping her beta blocker dosage and spreading it out through the day, and it worked perfectly. The other options are often used, too, particularly on someone a little younger and healthier than my mother. Lots of people are successfully treated for A fib, from what they told us, so keep your chin up and try not to worry too much (and try not to let her worry too much!) Keeping both of you in my thoughts...and coffee in my cup!

[jewelery]

Originally Posted by lestatar

^ heck yeah! That passionfruit suggestion is terrific! I shall partake of it this evening. Thanks!

..anytime...

[TenaciousBadger]