Moved to a new Blog!

Hi, in case you are looking for me, I've moved to http://afeatheradrift.blogspot.com
Come over and take a look. Some stuff is the same, other stuff isn't. It's a bit more open to more issues than before. It's more me! Hope you will take a look!

Hi everyone, sorry but I'm discontinuing this blog for now. I don't know if it will be permanent or not, but with this dial-up connection I spend virtually all day trying to get feeds downloading and pages uploading. It is just driving me crazy and I can't even read half of the stuff I put up here, since I have no time left. It's rather pointless. I have no idea at this point when I will get out to shop and thus to get mail and the DSL equipment, but I can't continue like this. If when I do get it, it fixes my problems, then I'll be back, otherwise, there would be no point. The computer age has just passed me by and I cannot keep up with what's going on when I can't even see large portions of many sites anymore. They all have video and sound. I'm not meaning to grump, I'm just tired of fighting every day to get through this, so it's lost its enjoyment and that was the point. Good luck all.

Marching to the Ides of errrr march

Leap this you punky winter! The sun is blazing in epic proportions, and the wind is whistling through the trees, amazing it can be heard without leaves. I curse you OLD MAN WINTER and condemn you to months of isolation at places far removed from me. Go aggravate the Aussies and others you've neglected these many months, leave me alone now. I've braved your ice, snow, sleet and grey for too long. I've survived, though just barely at times, my eyes and heart firmly fixed upon the green horizon. You have been defeated.



All that is left now are whatever remnants tossed hither and yon which may find their way to my fair state by accident. Your snow and cold making machines will be terminated at midnight and have fail safe devices to prevent your tampering. I laugh and I dance and thumb my nose at your antics, pathetic and predictable. I look with barely veiled hatred at your ice cicles still glaring at me at the top of the window. Just wait, and see how long you can last now!



The Contrarian suggests that the dogs have had their best ever winter, all the snow making hunting an easier venture. He may be right, but I allow no winter-lovers in my house. They know better than to speak a word of their wintry delight lest I banish them to those same environs for their protection. Who will keep you warmer? They know the answer, and remain mute. Most dogs are mute you know. Cats on the other hand, are purely talking machines. I confess I've wasted many an afternoon in deep conversation with one or more of ours. The most brilliant is Calvin, brother to Hobbes. (Do you see a connection?) Calvin is, well, a mystic and a philosopher. He teaches me lots of things, but I promised not to tell.



Are you following me? No I am not paranoid, I'm just careful. On to the offerings.
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Did I ever tell you that I love rhubarb? Have since I was a kid and we used to pick it and bite off huge chunks and chew and swallow without grimacing. I don't recall there was ever a prize for the winner, but I surely won a few of these contests. Dang rabbits eat mine to death each year so we are looking for a "caged" approach this year. In the meantime, try this recipe for rhubarb, Rhubarb-Orange Pancakes.
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I've already pretty much decided to link permanently to Pioneer Woman, her blog is so very fun to read. So just go there without further ado. She, on top of everything else is writing a book? Wow, I should have such energy. Cute title too. Check it out.
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Whether to plant heirlooms or hybrids is a decision each gardener makes, and usually picks some of each. They each have their pros and their cons. I've grown a lot of heirloom tomatoes and they are better for flavor most of the time, but they are often misshapen and susceptible to more diseases so they are not so good when it comes preserving them. Having to cut around cat'facing is a pain in the rear come tomato time. I am into speed! Anyway, Homegrown Gardening has some tips and links for helping you make your choices.
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More on container gardening tips from How to Garden. As I said before, even those of us with unlimited space find that containers add interest to your various plots, and are especially nice around the doorways and on steps. They are extra work for sure, so be sure to do it right the first time and have a successful display.
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Once upon a Tart gave us this nice french bread recipe. I am not sure exactly what to call my bread, its either French or Italian, I'm not sure there is a difference in recipe so much as how the loaves are formed. Be advised, this recipe is daunting. It's the original Julia Child's recipe and makes several loaves. I never kneed by hand, but always use my Kitchen Aid. I love that girl. Her link looks like a possible keeper as well. I'll check it out after this posting.
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If you are looking for something to accompany all that wonderful french bread, then get a look at this recipe for "baked scallops." Oh gosh I am sure getting hungry for seafood, even though we had home made fish and chips for dinner today. Last of the potatoes. Sigh, I'm starting to seriously run low on a lot of stuff now. Soon we will be eating meat and bread a lot I fear with string beans from last year's garden.
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The Yarn Harlot has a funny story about her experience being "really alone" in the country. The dark always gets them for sure. Wander by and giggle a bit at her adventures. It appears she's also writing a book. I am seriously jealous! I can't even figure out a neat way to make 25 bucks a week crafting or doing anything! I can write! I can write! Who wants to pay me to write?

Gosh is there anything that annoys me more (well at this moment for sure) than women screaming for joy at some stupid gift they have received en mass at some talk show. This one was Rachel Ray. The woman drives me a tad nuts, too much exuberance is well, too much. It's another reason I stopped watching Oprah, I got so sick of the 'giveaway' shows. That is now a requirement on all shows like this. Who can top who. Stupid. Stupid snow.

Joke Joke. Just in case you didn't find it funny, you should know its a joke. I'm not so funny today, mostly depressssssssssssed. (Looks like snow nearly all next week. I can take no more)

Recently, the Psychic Hotline and Psychic Friends Network have launched hotlines for frogs. Here is the story of one frog and his discussing with his psychic.
A frog telephones the Psychic Hotline and is told, "You are going to meet a beautiful young girl who will want to know everything about you."
The frog says, "This is great! Will I meet her at a party, or what?"
"No," says the psychic. "Next semester in her biology class."

Headless Horseman?

We wait, impatient once again, as you threaten further with nightmarish resoluteness. You dance and prance and strut, this your not last day. Once in four you get this extra, this ordinary day played over again, only to keep counting tidy, but you claim it as another winter day, and bluster big. The machine will soon be unplugged. Have you any more to throw at us? Some tiny tantrum that you must eject in order to return to your hibernation throughout the living months in which humans play?



I spit at you, I defy you, I laugh at you, poor weak, desperate winter. I have the upper hand now, I can smell it coming. You are running scared. That is why you wax grey again this day, because you are grey, grey as the face of the about to be departed as they slip from life into that other world. You limp away, all your strength spent in wild orgasmic displays intended only for showy panoply. You are nothing to me anymore. Once you might perchance have offered some relief from a sun over exuberant in her aliveness. But we know your ways, relief is but the tidbit you offer to suck us into your labyrinthine nest of frozen ice.



We stand a little taller, we smile a little broader, we know that life resumes in just a day and some change. Scat, silly winter, off with your head.

Hey, has class started? Am I late again?
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Sandi's Crochet Blog has a couple of free patterns for bunnies and chickens to filet crochet or even cross stitch. Cute as heck. I have to get back into filet crochet one day soon.
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I was trying to bring up Pioneer Woman's cooking site because she is supposed to have an apple dumpling recipe. I cannot do so because of the plethora of pictures. I get so depressed when I can't get up something I really like. It's just frustrating. The link will get you started to where you need to be in order to see if you like the recipe. Let me know! haha.
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Gosh, having fun today with every page loading like it was cutting through steel. I could certainly knit a sweater while I wait. Sorry, I'm rather testy today, getting pretty darn sick of being locked in this house. Anyway, Epicurious has a nice recipe for Shrimp Charmoula, a North African dish. The ingredients are common, so don't get scared off. This seems more like an appetizer to me. It's a cold dish. Nice for the summer I do believe.
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Hey It's Free has a link to a free game site. She claims it loads rapidly, and you can be playing in literally a couple of minutes. If you are a game player or you have kids who are always clamoring for a new one, check this out to see if it's appropriate. And enjoy.
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I don't know how easy it is for you to find kumquats, but if you can, here's a nice salsa made with them. I guess you could substitute oranges but obviously you would have to eliminate the pits and the membranes and use some zest I would assume. I love salsa, and the more different kinds the better. Certainly good with fish, but I think with chicken would be fine, as well as maybe fajitas? Sneak over to Simply Recipes for Kumquat Salsa. I'm dreaming of grilling now.
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Not much happening, so that's all folks, except for the humor, which follows. I'm off to quest for more good sites for you to partake in.

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I used to be a lawyer in another life, another state, and another time. Thought you might enjoy this:

A lawyer was driving his big BMW down the highway, singing to himself, "I love my BMW, I love my BMW." Focusing on his car, not his driving, he smashed into a tree. He miraculously survived, but his car was totaled. "My BMW! My BMW!" he sobbed.
A good Samaritan drove by and cried out, "Sir, sir, you're bleeding! And my god, your left arm is gone!"
The lawyer, horrified, screamed "My Rolex! My Rolex!"

Chase the Light Fantastic

Where you ask was that great glowing orb of yellow that transects the sky and brings such delight to all? It was promised, but ah, she is a fickle mistress of warmth, often withdrawing her pledge to shower this earth with wanton rays of fire. I am obdurate in my demand for a southern flow of air, and know she can deliver with the soft tendrils of her wheat-colored streaks. She is as obdurate in her refusal, confining me to the glum grey where sky and hill meet and invisibly obfuscate the place of each.

Oh my heart calls desperately, unable to sustain common civility as each day wanders into the next, all still bitterly held down by the clutches of him who battles against my flaxen queen, determined to freeze all of this sparkling orb until it shatters in shards of blue and green. I will not give in or up, I will call ever and more to my love, my fission empress, as she in oh such marked humility converts hydrogen into helium, consuming her very self in service to her children and their offspring.

Whispering softly, I return to earth, all too soon abandoning my reverie, seeing the vast expanse of white white white, a hundred words for snow the Inuit may have, I need but one, snow. It cannot be prettied, dressed up, introduced to the best of society and become anything more than it is, cold, wet, white. It's time is now limited. It cannot survive. It is determined to flex its muscles to the very last moment, before it dissolves and melts into the deep fetid depths of mantle.

Okie dokie, on to the fare of the day:

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At A forkful of spaghetti, we start with dessert, as every logical person always does. Build your meal around dessert I always say. Actually I've never said that, but I'm still waiting for the page to load to get the link and pick up the recipe for you, and hopefully me as well. This one is called "Salted Butter Caramel and Milk Chocolate Mousse." Ignore the fancy ingredients and use the obvious common equivalents here. It looks like a quickie recipe to me. I may make this tomorrow.
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I don't know about you, but we had a rather putrid pepper crop last year. We did fine with jalapenos but bell peppers for some reason did lousy. I love the multi-color red and yellow ones but hate the prices in the grocery, so growing my own is the only option. I freeze them after simply coring in plastic bags. They work just perfectly for any dish in which they are cooked. The little fledgling pepper seedling is so heartwarming. Hehe. Gosh I meant to highlight pepper crop, not putrid pepper! Oh drats. Well no doubt you are reading it anyhow.
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I love bacon, yes and I completely admit it. I also love corn, as anyone would naturally expect. So a recipe that contains both is a friend of mine. Epicurious has stripped another one from Bon Appetit called "Corn and Bacon Pie." Soon as I get some bacon, this menu is coming up. This is a quiche ladies, and Gruyere cheese is just real expensive Swiss. So buy cheaper as I certainly do.
A superb spring dinner with a nice salad.
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Hey It's Free, has free Tide with Dawn stain scrubbers, a packet lemonade, chewing tobacco (yech) today. If any of these is of interest wander over and get the details.
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Russell has another trip down memory lane as he talks about the farms of years past. Sadly so many are being sold off, divided up for subdivisions and or other commercial endeavors, and a way of life is slowly disappearing. His posts are worth the trip.
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If embroidery is your thing, try a new site, feeling stitchy, brought to us by Niki's Ventures. I have done a fair amount over the years, and would love to try some patterns for things that I can actually use. It's a keeper. Today there is a free pattern for little gnome creatures.
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I haven't used a sourdough starter in a good while. I tend to make my bread quickly. About 10 minutes in the kitchen all told. But this Amish recipe for starter sounds like a good one. It's the long developing type, taking several days to get to the right stage. But sourdough is so good its worth the wait, and if you really are a bread baker, you have to do a sourdough once in a while.
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I have to admit that German food is not my favorite, yet a do get a yen for sauerkraut now and then. This is a great recipe, authentic and perfect for those still chilly nights. Try the "spareribs and cabbage and sauerkraut" and wait for the applause.
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And finally, the Yarn Harlot explores when too much is well too much. When has a craft become an obsession? I vote for: when your husband threatens to throw it all out! Until then, you're okay. See what she has to say.

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And just a tad of humor to end the day.
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A recent survey done by marriage experts shows that the most common form of marriage proposal these days consists of the words: "You're what?!?"

There was once a wife so jealous that when her husband came home one night and she couldn't find hairs on his jackets she yelled at him, "Great, so now you're cheating on me with a bald woman!"

The winner is Algae

Oh, winter, your power is waning. You have but 3 more days to strut around as the king of the hill. You couldn't drop but a puny inch upon my fair meadow and that after hours of crying at the realization of your imminent demise. I curse you maven of white and ice, and condemn you to another long wait before I consent to cast my eyes your way.

Your wildly whipping winds do not deter my assuredness of final success. Green, in a thousand different pigments, sneaks with barely audible tiptoe into place, poised to erupt on Saturday that blessed of all days. Green, green, how green is my valley, sleeves or gables? I love you with an ardent need to escape this whirling madness of white. I have become quite mad in this blizzard of whiteout. But ah, in mind's eye, green winks at me, and I rejoice, chewing the parsley with renewed vigor. I am green!

Well hello there, didn't hear you come in. Me? Oh that wasn't me. Just a phantom or phantasm of the wood lurking near. I am come to give you linkages to lands not yet discovered and wonders that will amaze and shock and raise you from the doldrums of your winter sadness. Come, follow me.
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If you have never had this treat, trust me. So good you could just die. What are I referring to? Caramelized onions! and here is a recipe that combines them with broccoli, another favorite of mine. Add some pasta and ya gotta meal, ya know what I mean? Try Broccoli with Caramelized Onions and Pasta at Coconut & Lime.
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Pioneer Woman tells us a bit about ranches versus farms, as well as enlightening us on hair color. This is one talented woman who can talk probably about anything at all and remain interesting and funny.
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I adore pancakes and make them often. And never from a box with pancakes written on it. The fallacy that these boxed creations are fast is silly, they save at best 5 minutes and most of us can spare that to make it from real food. Why our mothers gave into that "new" product back in the 50-60's and stopped cooking real food is beyond me. The taste difference is obvious. I never liked biscuits until I made my own. Now, I make them a couple a times a month. Epicurious gives us a recipe from Bon Apetit for "Whole grain pancakes with wild bluberry maple sauce."
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Today seems to be my day. I love love love hummus, and have eaten a good deal of it in authentic Greek restaurants. Here's a very good recipe that I am sure going to try. Just give me some pita bread and I can eat this until its gone! Family Style Food checks in with this recipe:
"Chickpea and sun dried tomato hummus.
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Free Sample Forager has some info on cat food and and a number of other freebies, mostly I think for Walmart. Check to be sure. Hey It's Free has a link to a free Mario game download from the internet.
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I make jams and jellies since I can't eat the commercial ones. A watermelon jelly is over at Homemade Jam and Jelly Recipes. Of course, I'll not be making this until the late summer, but wow, I am going to give this one a try for sure. This will go nicely with the crab apple jelly I'm planning to make also this late summer.
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We got dinosaurs in IOWA! Wow, Jeannelle says so. I'm excited and ready to go out lookin. I was all excited from reading the feed, and went to her site, and its, well, not a very imposing dinosaur. I'm disappointed. Well go and see it. It's another mystery photo...I think it looks like a lot of beetles lined up in a row.
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I've been running into marmalade recipes lately, and well, I get more and more intrigued with them for some reason. Elegance perhaps. I think they would work nicely with chicken dishes. This is a lemon marmalade, and calls for Meyer lemons. I don't think Walmart is that fussy, so you may have to use just regular ones. Still the recipe looks good. The directions are superb and the pictures are very helpful. Don't be afraid to try this one.
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Need an appetizer for a fancy smansy type gathering? I have just the one for you, and not a toughie either. "Golden Statue Bruschetta" is offered at the The Inadvertent Gardener." This could be nice as an Easter dinner starter!
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If you love Applebee's "Garlic Mashed Potatoes" here is the recipe stolen by The Secret Recipe Blog. Well I'm sure they didn't steal it. I've tried a few of these "stolen" recipes and they are perfect as far as I can tell. I make "cinnabuns" several times a year. And I always make Outbacks's blue-cheese dressing.
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On the other hand if marinades is what you are seeking, and you knew you were, here's an interesting one that I think I'll keep in mind for the summer grilling season. Called "Spiedie Marinade" (they will explain), it's worth a try.
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Over at the Yarn Harlot, she'll tell you all about her escapades in hooking. :) Okay, so I stole it from her, sue me! But be sure to read her post. I'm starting to wonder who her psychiatrist is, and when the book is coming out. I love this girl's blog! And by the way, she has a very useful tip about this subject.
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Since this blog is always so somber, I will include a joke so the trip is worthwhile. Ta Ta until tomorrow or the guys in the white coats and butterfly nets arrive by snowmobile. It could happen. I'm not crazy, nope, I'm quite sure of that.
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Two blondes were flying to Miami from Cleveland. Fifteen minutes into the flight, the captain announced "One of the engines has failed and the flight will be an hour longer. But don't worry we have three engines left".
Thirty minutes later, the captain announced "One more engine has failed and the flight will be two hours longer. But don't worry we have two engines left".
An hour later the captain announced "One more engine has failed and the flight will be three hours longer. But don't worry we have one engine left".
One blonde looked at the other the other blonde and said "If we lose one more engine, we'll be up here all day"

I May be Slightly Mad

We wait in eager, fearful, impatience to see what this storm will bring. So far, it's still raining. The temperature hovers at that magical number of 32, holding frantically lest it lose its battle and feel the cold hands of ice clutch at its heart. (I'm kinda good ain't I?) Well, its not snowing, because I forbid it to. And apparently I have been heard. The forecasters are getting very wishy washy on exactly what we can expect, and how much. I think it evidence that weather forecasting is mostly incantations and other wishful thinking.

Still, its god-awful looking out there, though our girlie girl never seems to mind. She can lay on the porch alone during a long idle rain and well, just lay there. Apparently she remains at her core, untouched by the singularly icy beads of wetness. I'm sure on a roll with adjectival bloomings. I rather doubt it is long-lived in the literary genre however. Much blather about nothing drives readers away like a skunk with an upturned tail. (Just made that baby up too!)

Shall we tour the blogworld and examine its tidbits of succulent offerings? Follow me!

Allen sent this along today, and well, it seemed as apropos as anything can get. It's fashionable and topical. Much thanks Allen! Simply called "Iowa Poem."

It's winter in Iowa
And the gentle breezes blow
Seventy miles an hour
At twenty-five below.
Oh, how I love Iowa
When the snow's up to your butt
You take a breath of winter
And your nose gets frozen shut.
Yes, the weather here is wonderful
So I guess I'll hang around
I never could never leave Iowa
'Cause I'm frozen to the ground!

The Pioneer Woman has a funny take on Monday and mustangs. I surely know you will enjoy reading her often hilarious take on the world and life.
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This is one very nice post from Gardening Tips 'n Ideas about a wonderful and underused spring bulb, muscari or liriope. It is a dainty little plant, but seen in large drifts, it truly is beautiful to behold. Now this blog is from Aussie land, so maybe its a different plant, but muscari is familiar to me at least as a spring bulb that comes up year after year. I guess to be sure, find a good horticulture site and run the name liriope. That should settle the question, and give particulars about zones.
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How to Garden has more tips on container gardening, this one about drainage issues. Take it from me, being stubborn and not adequately providing good drainage will turn your lovely plant into a dead one in no time. Follow directions and you'll be a lot happier with the results.
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Even on this "could be a hellatious one" day, Russell reminds us that there is deep beauty in this cold and bleak terrain. His post today and the pictures he's shared are lovely reminders that there is awesome power even in the scant wintry landscape. Stopping by his blog is always a treat.
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For those who like the freebie things online, I just ran into another I got from Niki's Ventures. I'll add this later to the bloglist. Hope you find something you can use! It's called, Begging for Bargains.
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You may have thought that egg salad sandwiches were one of the simpler things to make. Just some hard boiled egg, mayo and a bit of salt and pepper. Well, you need to gourmet it up there girl, and blow his socks off with this recipe. Okay, its not that big a deal, still it's a very nice upgrade from the usual fare and worth a small investment in extra time to make it special.
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Okay, you thought you knew the basic mechanics of a chocolate layer cake? Well, you ain't seen this one. I had to look at it twice before I got that it is way different that any cake I've heard of . The frosting is "inside." Don't get all flustered at the measuring in grams and such. Converters are easy to find on the internet. Just run one off and tape it to the fridge for handy reference, or tape it in a cookbook or binder/recipe file. ( I think this blog is from England)

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Joke of the Day
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A drunken man staggered into a Catholic church, sat down in the Confessional and said nothing. The priest is waiting and waiting and waiting.
The priest coughs to attract the drunk man's attention, but still the man says nothing.
The priest then knocks on the wall three times in a final attempt to get the man to speak.
Finally the drunk replies, "No use knockin,' pal. There's no paper."

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Quote of the Day
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"I don't necessarily agree with everything I say." ~~ Marshall McLuhan