Chit chat for November 2023

[Huronna]

Dee, I don't know if you were here a few years ago, when we had a drought and they put us on once a week then also. Everyone's grass has brown spots and the HOA's (we have one also) were ready to get their fines ready, but the state of florida passed something that because of the drought the HOA's could not fine the homeowners. DOn't know about this time though.
My water bills are always a killer, as they are higher than our electric bills. Most of the properties are a wee bit smaller and ours , we have a little over 10,000 sq ft. The other homes are placed much closer to the street than ours as they are deeper homes and have pools in the back. Ours' is set back quite far and so we have a very visible front yard and gardens. Then no pool so all that area in the back has to be watered.
You probably won't be able to re sod as they will be affected also as they were in the past.With the cooler months coming that may be our saving grace.
I'll let you know if I find out any information about the laws

[deezaster]

Yes I do remember that happening a few years ago but was not sure if it was relative to county or state.
I know we had issues with our neighbors parking on our grass, breaking 3 of our sprinkler heads and killing the grass, this went on for over a year of us dealing with the HOA and nothing being done, mind you also in that same 15 month period our HOA was changed 3 times they actually sent us out a fine and a resod notice for the area being parked on before they ever contacted and fining the people illegally parking on our property.
We also had a period of time where the Neighbors across from us put a basketball hoop on the concreted drain area on our property, which resulted in us getting a fine for having a basketball hoop, the neighbors finely moved it to the drain in front of their property and for 18 months we dealt with up to a hundred teenagers weekly hanging around our front lawn, dumping their trash, leaving their clothing, peeing on our house wall and trees, using our AC unit as a table, destroying the grass by cutting up on it with kid size ATVs and they took over the street, where they would yell obscenities at us because they had to get off the rode,
finally the HOA had the hoop removed and then we got the police involved, these kids were angry that the hoop was gone, they started threatening Gary and then started banging on our doors and windows and running away at all hours of day and night.
I felt unsafe in our house, and leaving or coming to our house, who knows what these teens were capable of. I can safely say however since we got complete security cameras on every corner of the house and the cops got images of them, one day it just all stopped.
So we have been kid free for 4 months lol…

[Smilyn]

Wow, Dee. That's a heck of a story. I hate HOA's because of what mom and dad and others went through, but your story is a chart topper! I am glad you have the cameras, but sorry you had to live through all those frustrating and frightening events. I very carefully never buy in an HOA, but it's starting to not make a difference. Our city is acting like a giant HOA in increasing ways. Currently there are 11,000+ fines out for violations of the restriction passed last year disallowing any vehicles parked on residential grass. Yes; that means you can't park your car on your grass on the property you bought and pay taxes on, not even beside your driveway. That's just one of many new "HOA" style restrictions.

And Huronna... I never imagined myself swinging a pick axe below my spread feet or a hand sledge and wedge on my knees into a ditch at 70 either, but I did. For three days. Today we take the stakes out around the new concrete. Yesterday we took the day off. We even sat in the hot tub and the steam room at the YMCA for a bit; arriving in our flannel jammies. I hurt more today than I did yesterday, but that will pass. For the two days before I was too tired to notice hurting; go home, fall into bed, get up, pry hands open and start again.

Steve and I did a similar below sidewalk gutter drainage routing project on the other side of the garage in the Spring, and it was also brutal work because of tree roots that had to be sawed through underground, but at least the soil was not dry then. We've had so little rain since that time. As happened this past Friday; promised rain never appears. This soil is largely clay. Hard clay requires force. Steve couldn't dent it; he has gotten frail and could neither lift the pickaxe to shoulder height nor truly dent the earth with a shovel. But the job needed doing and this was the time set aside to do it.

I have been working in PT for several years now and decided to try. I used my dad's "persuader" 20 years ago to open flow in a ditch behind the property mom bought after she sold their retirement home five years after his death when I flew in from AZ to help her, but otherwise the pickaxe has gone unused. I remember seeing my father heft it back behind his head at nearly full arm extension, rock up onto his toes and slam the pick or the axe into the ground between his feet. I remember him spinning the haft in his hands in the air as it swung to bring the end he wanted to use into line with his goal. Strike after strike the pike or blade would land precisely where he wanted, often in a neat pattern beside or in front of the last stroke. When enough ground was broken he'd (carefully) set that tool aside, swipe some of the running sweat off, and reach for his "idiot stick" to clear the debris and open the way for more force. (Per Dad; an "idiot stick" is a piece of wood with a shovel on one and and an idiot on the other.)

I cannot say I was such a picturesque monument to strength. But I did get that tool into action above my head and into the ground, swinging down to 8" deep between my feet in a predictable pattern - spinning the haft as needed - and persuading that hard ground to let us through. Sometimes I only managed a half dozen hits before sitting and panting, but Steve cleared when I did that. We managed. The drain pipe is laid with carefully gauged flow in very little grade, the concrete slice we removed from the sidewalk is re-poured, the ditch filled and leveled to and around the installed pop-up drain in the yard; the job is done. I sure hope we get the rain it is designed to handle. Ironic to be working a major rain prep issue in a drought. Meanwhile, me and liniment are new best buddies, I could use a massage, and I must admit to a certain feeling of pride that I could actually do that. It was not so long ago that I could not walk, breathe, use my arm, get out of a chair without help. I wish Steve had thought to take a picture of me dripping sweat and swinging. It's hard for me to believe.

~~~~~~I am waving to all, leaving HUGS and heading off~~~~~~ I'll BBS!

[Huronna]

eek Gads Milyn....even in my youngest days, I never would have been able to do work like that.
We live in an HOA community also. We don't have tennis courts or swimming pool or clubhouse or any of those things, but we do have rules and regulations. BUt after living in Puerto Rico for 17 years and watching people paint their houses purple with yellow trip, or some other odd combinations, and cars in the driveways for months up on jacks, and yards looking like the most unkept forest or desert, I wanted a place that had some restrictions. I was building a new house and after moving many times, this was going to be our forever home and I didn't want the value of it to fall due to the area.
So yes, we can't park cars on the lawns, but each home has at least a two if not three car garage with large driveways, and they came with landscaping and garden areas, which most people have kept up, well sort of. The homes are painted in basically earth tones, but there were about 25 different schemes that you could pick. I even have a burgundy double front door,. The double door was in case Joe would ever wind up in a wheel chair, we could have one of those magic door opening systems. Actually he was in a wheel chair for a while, but I was able to get him in through the garage with a walker. Many people have fences, some are wooden but the newer ones are that poly-something or other. When you drive through our area, you get a nice feeling. There are only 97 homes, and it's a no outlet street. In the 23 years I have been here, I got one notice that I can remember, but nor I don't even remember what it was for.

Though I definitely did not want one of those great big HOA's that had multiple sections in them that you paid for them also. And I didn't want a pool or tennis courts, or club house or that stuff and pay through the nose for something I would never use.

Guess what I'm trying to say is some HOA's are good for some people, but not for others. I'm sure if my husband was able her would be fixing cars and probably would want them in the driveway HAHA, I guess that's why we like it here.

[Grassy]

Hello, my precious Tigerlilies! What's up?

I worked the weekend, but I am off today and tomorrow. Then I work Wednesday and Black Friday. I close, though, so it shouldn't be too brutal. Steady, but not slammed. I hope anyway.

I don't think I would ever fit in at an HOA. I feel as if an HOA is just like high school for your house. Like Student Council making rules. I say that because both my sister and brother are in HOA's in Colorado and Texas, and they have had some experiences. Like you get in trouble if you paint your door a certain color and the grass has to be a certain length and you have to hire an approved person to move the lawn and such. I like doing No-Mow May so that the bees get food and the butterflies can hatch. Stuff like that. But I am too much of a hippie for an HOA. My neighbors already think I am weird and I don't belong to an HOA.

But I have another sister who loves her HOA because she lives in a historical district in Florida and she likes the order and the rules so people aren't painting their houses orange. So it works for some people.

Not too much else is happening here. I have been working a ton. I love that. Lots of hours is good so I have Christmas money. Thanksgiving is soon and I still have no idea what to bring to dinner. My sister is a bit bossy with dinner and she is not letting me do anything, so I figured I would slip in a rogue dish to pass. You cannot show up to Thanksgiving empty handed. That would be rude. I got my sister and my mother hostess gifts, but I still want to bring a food item. Sid is bringing his oyster stuffing, so I don't want to not bring food.

[deezaster]

Grassy,
Treats,
I always take home made treats to my friends Thanksgiving as they won’t let you cook… same problem you have, Tina is all about doing everything and you just showing up, but yanno there is always one person who brings something, usually a side dish, or pie or dessert, so I make treats people can snack on before and after and the easiest treats ever that I make a lot during holidays

peanut butter vanilla fudge,
1 tub of Betty Crocker vanilla frosting 16oz (or other flavor that goes well with peanut butter, like chocolate)
1 jar of Jiff peanut butter 18oz
Medium glass mixing bowl
Square pan
Parchment paper
Nuts choc chips etc (optional)

Line a square pan with parchment paper,
place the entire 18oz jar of peanut butter into mixing bowl
Take all the foil seal and lid off icing tub melt in the tub it comes in, in microwave 1 minute

Mix both with spatula together in a bowl thoroughly,
Add nuts or choc chips etc stir them in or add nothing
spoon into square lined pan - even out
refrigerate until set - about 2 or more hours,
cut into 1” - 1.5” squares, refrigerate and eat
These can be frozen.

Or

Rolo Pretezels Bites,
Pretzel Knots - small size-
Rollo Caramel Chocolates
Cookie Sheet
Parchment Paper
Extra Chocolate Melts or Chips for decoration(optional)
Bag to pipe chocolate

buy a couple of bags of caramel Rollos
Buy a family size bag of small sized pretzel knots

Preheat Oven 280F
Line cookie trays with parchment paper
Lay out the knots on cookie trays
Place the exact same amount of knots as you have on trays in a bowl ready, these are the lids

put a Rollo on center of each knot on the trays
Place in oven for 3-5 minutes
Remove from oven as soon as the chocolate gets a glossy shine, so keep checking on them at 3min

IMMEDIATELY put the lids on the top of the melted rollos,they will ooze through the knot holes.

Once they cool melt some chocolate or white chocolate and pipe over top for decoration.
Eat them up, yummy…
Store in Sealed container in fridge

PLEASE NOTE:
Do not do too many knots at once as they don’t work if they cool too quickly
You can’t reheat them, they get a strange texture and taste weird if you do.

Just some thoughts lol….
Enjoy your week everyone xo

[Mary]

I actually purchased a refurbished computer. I love it so far except it has no disk drive so I can't download my PSPX2 but I have been sucessfully using X7 or 8, not sure which bit I want my PSPX2 back! Creqatures of habit and all that garbage. i'm just not good with new things! Set in my ways?? Yep I sure am!

[deezaster]

Mary, You can take the disc to a pc place and have them transfer it onto a usb drive, to use on non rom pcs

[Flagryl]

My husband does not have a CD Rom drive w/his laptop but bought an external one, inexpensive and works great! I like those pretzels knots coated w/melted white chocolate. I think you have to add something to the white choc hunks so it spreads.

[Huronna]

I gained 10 pounds just reading the recipes

[Grassy]

Oooooooooo thank you for the treat recipes! I am off today so I can do one of these!

[Huronna]

don't forget to share with us Grassy

[Flagryl]

Here's a Wicked treat:

Turtle Brownies (Wicked!)

1 Box of German Chocolate Cake mix (I prefer Super Moist with pudding)
2/3 c. evaporated milk, divided
1 6-ounce package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 c. coarsely chopped walnuts
1 bag (14 oz) caramels
3/4 c. melted butter

Combine dry cake mix with 1/3 c. evaporated milk and all of the 3/4 c. of melted butter. (Add nuts here or sprinkle on top later.) Press half the mixture into greased 9x13 inch pan. Bake at 350 for 5 minutes.

Unwrap caramels and melt with the remaining 1/3 c. evaporated milk. Sprinkle chocolate chips over partially-baked brownie base. (You can add immediately from oven.) Sprinkle on walnuts if you didn’t add them earlier. Pour caramel mixture over top. Pat reserved cake mixture into flat pieces with your hands (lay randomly on top of caramel). Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting. They need to set up and take a while.

[Huronna]

Oh my, you all are evil...I'm exploding with a sugar high and drooling and just the thought of these

[Flagryl]

I rarely, hardly never use cake mixes or any kind of prepared frosting or what not. Just not in my wheelhouse and I'm such a prude about these things, but trust me. This recipe is Excellent, it's gone in no time.

[silk]

That sounds delicious Flagryl even though I don't eat chocolate.
For Xmas I buy a decadent chocolate cake rom a specialty baker for the family. $50 and well worth it to see the eyes light up.

[Huronna]

well to change the subject from food to luggage.
I wasn't sure what luggage I was taking, always take my carry-on and then I have two sizes. I took out the larger on and realized the zippers were missing their pull tabs, Never noticed it, muct have happened on that last trip with al the connections and storage etc. so...google is my friend and found a place that repairs luggage zippers, actually about 10 minutes from my house (everything is close by HA HA) no problem, they just needed pull tabs because the zipper it self was in fine condition But won't be ready until Dec 2nd when we are gone, so I'll just pick it up when we come back. Everything fits in my other suitcase thankfully, no big coats or sweaters .
We had no plans for thanks giving. we usually are gone and this time are other friends are all gone. So we finally found one place that actually was open...Red Lobster HA HA, Fine with me because I could care less about turkey.

[deezaster]

Omg that sounds delicious, and I gained weight just thinking about it. I don’t usually make anything with store bought frosting or cake mixes etc, but for gotos I have found that any Betty Crocker frosting fudge recipe is actually so good, and so much easier, given I make fudge yo give out to 30 or more people I started using the frosting fudge recipes about 3 years ago and it’s been a huge time saver and I have had no complaints, they usually start dropping hints about when am I making the treats for bowling, but I usually do the pretzels and fudge for Tina for TG as well, easy peasy is my new motto.

Huronna Cracker Barrel and Bob Evans are usually open for TG as well. I have a friend who waitresses at Bob Evans and she loves working on TG because then she doesn’t have to cook TG for anyone at home lol…. She says I quote “they are on their own and nog and ugly enough to do it all themselves if they want it” — They never do though lol..

[Grassy]

Hee Hee, I knew my sister would finally come up with something. I am making potato salad and sweet potato etoufée. It's basically whipped sweet potatoes with glazed pecans and dates and brown sugar. Think sort of like a sweet soufflé for sweet potatoes. I make a dill potato salad that people seem to enjoy around the Holidays.

I am working early this morning, which makes me happy. Then I can shop when I get out of work. I hope the grocery store isn't too much of a zoo when I get out of work.

I hope they have everything I need such as dill and Duke's Mayonnaise.

[Flagryl]

I need that sweet potato etoufee recipe, sounds awesome. Happy Thanksgiving!

[Smilyn]

Grassy... post the sweet potato etoufee recipe please. I copied the others and may make something to take somewhere. We will try to do something with a few people at different times, and there will be meetings on holidays soon. And they are so good that even if I just read them it will be fun!

HOA's: Definitely a good thing in some situations - like yours, Huronna. I remember our neighborhood in Arkansas where we managed to buy our first home (rescuing it with loving care from the sabotaged rental it had become) and literally had to give it away to someone who would turn it into a rental when we were moved by the USAF as the property values were so low due to the overall trashed and junkyard appearance of the neighborhood. We lived on base much of our career; nobody does HOA better than the military, lol.

This area is so old and has so many little pocket neighborhoods bound by water - alongside huge houses from old money on waterfront property that has been in the family for generations, and "infill" structures from different eras showing where farmland (and a golf course,) were sold off and then divided and redivided into properties of all sizes and years of construction that it is a hodgepodge of standards and styles. Garages can be as rare as heat or AC; many houses have none of those amenities. And some houses are very posh, acres of land, ultra modern, 7(!) car garages. The Tidewater peninsula is a true melting pot, and is really feeling the Gentrification squeeze. We live on a corner across a main road from a bar built in 1940 that is grandfathered in tons of ways awaiting the death of the current owner (retired in AZ) and across our side street from a fish market who have boats that go out every morning and sell very good fried fish afternoons and evenings (the smell is sometimes not so good in the summer.) Diagonally from us is a large complex of assisted housing. We are the redheaded stepchild of that very old conglomerate neighborhood of waterfront and infill; those two businesses are the only ones nearby - and the city wants them gone. There used to be a block of businesses beside our deep property on the main road, we were not a corner lot then. Three restaurants, a barber, an insurance office and a loan office, a little church were all removed in 2012 by the city and recently a house on the street behind us has been taken down as well. Developers bought the land and it is vacant and unused... waiting... Our property would complete a block large enough for apartments with access from two side streets fronting on a main road. I am sure they wish we world sell up and move; they can see our ages, lol, time is on their side. The city has plans for a tree median style boulevard on that main road once the businesses are gone - and us too. But not today!

Anyway... I have rambled on here and have to go. Take care everyone and have a safe and happy Gratitude season. LOVE and HUGS!

[Huronna]

I don't think that older areas have HOA's , it is the newer (starting about 1960's) where there were groups of homes similarly built.
My first house with first husband was not in an HOA, Buy Joe and my first house in Norfolk was, but I don't even remember any rules. PR, no such thing and here in Brandon outside of Tampa, I think about ...There are 48,940 HOAs in Florida. Roughly 9.65 million people in Florida live in HOA communities. Each HOA in Florida has an average of 197 residents
Where we live one street can have HOA area off of it while the next doesn't. Very odd and you sure can tell the diffrence in the upkeeps

[deezaster]

Yes the HOA’s in Florida are a money making machine, especially when you consider, my friends HOA is townhouses with two car garages and driveways, gated pool, pool house and garden area for bbqs, with sidewalks. Amenities : include trash and basic cable inc wifi, no gym, no park, no playground, no entry gates, trails, etc, extra parking spaces on every street, 210 townhouses, they pay every 3 months $118.00
Our sub division, built by the same company as hers, we live directly across from each other, 2 lane road seperates our subdivisions, we have the same HOA company, 220+ homes with 2 car garages and driveways, sidewalks.
No Amenties, no pools, parks, gates, playgrounds, trails, etc No extra parking spaces or areas.
we pay $195.00 every 3 months
It’s a joke lol

[Huronna]

Sounds like you need a new Board in your sub-division,

Every year I write a Christmas letter and sometimes it's the only time we hear from old friends. I usually write it right after Thanksgiving, but last year and well as this on, we have a cruise in Nov-part of Dec. SO today I got out all the cards and began to address them, will put the stamps and return addresses on them, so all I'll have to do is insert a letter and they will be good to go. I'll probably work on that while on the cruise and print it out when I get home.

Every year when I start addressing them I say to myself...self you handwriting is worse than your typos, and why the heck don't you have a label printer.I used to have a program that used certain labels years ago, then computers change and programs change and every year I think....I'll look at staples for one. adn then I put it off. Maybe this time I'll actually do it,but of course it will be too late for this years cards, Sigh

Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving, we got lots of phone calls before going out for dinner and then we had a quiet evening at home together, the way we like it.
See you all tomorrow.

[deezaster]

Huronna you can order the labels from Amazon, go to www.Avery.com and design them, they have many sizes so pick your size then order that size from Amazon, much cheaper than staples. print them out at home, I usually have return address labels, but ran out of them this year, they usually last quite a long time.