Rusty's Ramblings

[Rusty Edge]

Also, since I stumbled on this, my catch-all thread, while in a fruitless search for the Lazy Gourmet thread-

I grilled burgers for lunch today. I haven't grilled for lunch in at least ten years. Particularly delicious. Probable reasons- pretzel rolls! , Dubliner cheese, and my grill and charcoal was on the damp side due to recent weather, and seemed smokier than usual.

Has anybody grilled burgers, then used them to make chilli ?

[Buster's Uncle]

I'm still waiting for some key mask-making supplies to turn up.  It's really irritating, though I haven't actually needed them yet.

So things are turning up for you? Cool!

Actually, the key things I was waiting for -castings of my and Mylochka's faces that every nose and snout and what-not I ever made (which had turned up) that fit over our noses- I've given up, and are casting new ones...

[Rusty Edge]

We took niece #4 and her boyfriend to a hibachi place she likes as repayment for cat sitting. The streets are laid out on cardinal grids, but I had to go SouthWest. I couldn't believe my luck, I hit 7 consecutive green lights. Then the scallops we had were the best I've ever eaten in my life.

[Rusty Edge]

What's the gift that keeps on giving? The stomach flu! it's been making the rounds among the in-laws as they concentrate for Christmas. I had something the beginning of the week which may have been a mild case due to flu shots or previous exposure to a similar virus, or just a coincidental food poisoning/allergies/sinus complications- Don't know. What I do know is I'm better, but one of the nieces is in urgent care getting IVs. Things being what they are with incubation, etc. The plan is to open gifts here on Sunday afternoon. 


*****

At the end of our fall season/beginning of winter I cleaned the gutters and installed a heat tape with a thermostat.  I raked the snow from the lower portion of the roof before the sub-zero, but it snowed again and I didn't venture out to rake it ( that cold dry air is hard on my lungs ). I saw some ice dams last night on other homes, so I went out to inspect today. It's around freezing today, rather than 10 degrees bellow zero. I have an ice dam started in the gutter below the skylight. I raked the bottom few feet of the roof again and then went up the ladder to take a look. Things were actually pretty good. The heat tape kept the bottom of the gutter open, so water could drain away. I broke some of the ice, which is much easier when it doesn't fill the gutter, and scattered some ice melter there abouts. I'll check it again later this afternoon.

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Well, I guess I need to get meat out to thaw for dinner, and start shifting some stuff to the second floor to make room for Christmas.

[E_T]

I was wondering how everyone up north was doing....  Well wishes from Central Florida, hope all is well...

[Rusty Edge]

 Uh.... just so we're clear. I was appalled at Hillary's ethics. [Sleezebag] is taking things to a new low. Oh, and today I learn that he refuses to get a new phone now that he's POTUS! Granted, if I were his age I wouldn't  want to learn a new phone, either.  But from a security standpoint...

***********

Normally the wife and I go out to dinner on Wednesdays and Fridays. Except tonight she had a really bad migraine & sinus headache simultaneously. She said her hair hurt. Rather disrupted things, but on the way home from the pharmacy to restock, drugs she'd taken earlier were kicking in and we decided to stop at an independent fast food place on main street. I had the special combo- a NY strip steak sandwich with mushrooms, and a bowl of mushroom soup. It was delicious and the steak was very tender. Got a quart of mint brownie custard to take home. She had an enjoyable oriental chicken salad. Had a discussion about a new mattress.     The evening turned out pretty well after all.

It's the most important night of the week in the suburbs- Garbage Day Eve. Time for me to go celebrate by collecting and positioning our offerings....

[Spacy]

THe offerings and how you present them are very important. 

[Unorthodox]

Uh.... just so we're clear. I was appalled at Hillary's ethics. [Sleezebag] is taking things to a new low. Oh, and today I learn that he refuses to get a new phone now that he's POTUS! Granted, if I were his age I wouldn't  want to learn a new phone, either.  But from a security standpoint...

Not a big deal, honestly.  Secure calls are made on special land lines people.  I don't know why the cell phones become an issue. 

***********

Normally the wife and I go out to dinner on Wednesdays and Fridays. Except tonight she had a really bad migraine & sinus headache simultaneously. She said her hair hurt. Rather disrupted things, but on the way home from the pharmacy to restock, drugs she'd taken earlier were kicking in and we decided to stop at an independent fast food place on main street. I had the special combo- a NY strip steak sandwich with mushrooms, and a bowl of mushroom soup. It was delicious and the steak was very tender. Got a quart of mint brownie custard to take home. She had an enjoyable oriental chicken salad. Had a discussion about a new mattress.     The evening turned out pretty well after all.

Sounds like a hell of a 'fast food' joint. 

[Rusty Edge]

Hah! It is quite a fast food joint. We are usually dining out for seafood or some specialty cuisine, and bypass the fried food places.

Before I moved here it had been a Hardees. While that is one of my personal favorite chains, they are disappearing from this side of the state.

Then a local custard and burger place bought it and remodeled it. They did an expensive renovation inside and out, and closed this location after only about a year of operations. They leased it out to some ex-athlete from U of Michigan, who employed his family.

He had this dream of offering paninis and stuff, too. Did all of the cooking himself. The food was good .The trouble was it was really slow service.  The drive-through was pointless, unless you wanted custard only. He never had much business. He must have had deep pockets, but he still closed.

Then the current bunch took over. They have a big menu, but they are organized and fast. I used to get a comedic kick out of reading the roadside sign, which would proclaim the custard flavor of the day and the sandwich special. One time it said "Butterscotch Brownie Tuna melts" . "Grasshopper burgers" was another.   They must be doing well, because they've been in business for years and they have upgraded to a color computerized sign that doesn't confuse people about the specials. They still offer a few paninis, and I think there are some gyros.

I think the manager last night was a Greek. There are several successful Greek family places on all sides of the city, with big menus. If it's one of those families behind it now, it would explain a lot.

Here's a menu and a picture of the building- http://www.kraverzcustard.com/menu/

[Unorthodox]

Utah equivalent if you're ever around.  Yeah, that's a ribeye steak on the menu of the 'fast food' joint:

http://www.crown-burgers.com/


Chain that's blowing up quickly, when a few years ago they were only in Arizona.  Simple menu, but it's a damn good 'steakburger'.  50's diner ambiance.  Never forget my first time in their Flagstaff store one of the owners was actually there.  Sweeping the floors.  Chain OWNER.  Sweeping the floors at one of his stores.  Respect.   

https://freddysusa.com/locations/

[Rusty Edge]

Uh.... just so we're clear. I was appalled at Hillary's ethics. [Sleezebag] is taking things to a new low. Oh, and today I learn that he refuses to get a new phone now that he's POTUS! Granted, if I were his age I wouldn't  want to learn a new phone, either.  But from a security standpoint...

Not a big deal, honestly.  Secure calls are made on special land lines people.  I don't know why the cell phones become an issue. 

Stumbled across this today. https://www.lawfareblog.com/president-trumps-insecure-android

I'm neither an expert in security, nor an expert in technology.

Could [Sleezebag]'s phone be used to track his location, record his calls, log his texts, or bug his meetings? Heck if I know. As much as I think that the [Sleezebag] administration is too opaque, those sound like bad things to happen to the POTUS. Even if all he uses the phone for is tweets, tracking and eves dropping  are potential problems.

Well, maybe jamming and Homeland Security are such that they can monitor or selectively block every bit his phone transmits and to whom.  Maybe nothing to worry about. Again, heck if I know what's going on, but because I'm not confident that he knows what he's doing with regard to all of this tech, his use of his own phone makes me nervous.

[Unorthodox]

It should be a non issue. 

Yes, in theory, even the best phone can be hacked. 

No, it's not a problem.  Any sensitive conversation he has, there will be NO devices allowed anywhere near it.   

Obama was using a blackberry...talk about outdated. 

[Buster's Uncle]

...One would tend to assume that cell phones and various wireless devices simply don't work inside the White House.  Lots of faraday cages or something.  I can think of more than one reason to build them in...

[Rusty Edge]

It should be a non issue. 

Yes, in theory, even the best phone can be hacked. 

No, it's not a problem.  Any sensitive conversation he has, there will be NO devices allowed anywhere near it.   

Obama was using a blackberry...talk about outdated.

Okay. Thanks, Uno.

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I seem to be getting another cold, OR I'm having bad allergic reactions. Worst winter in memory.

[Rusty Edge]

When [Sleezebag] promised an "Amazing" health care plan, I suspected he didn't really have one.

What does amaze me is that the GOP doesn't have one. All those years of complaining, and they didn't hash anything out in committee in the house, that they could dust off, and send to the senate in February.

I really need to dig up and re-read Ross Perot's plan. I bought the book back in the day.

*******
Meanwhile, under the theory that the simplest explanation is the best, I now find a certain logic in believing that [Sleezebag] really colluded with the Russians to facilitate his election. Outrageous as that seems. But I don't want to dwell on that. Truth will come out in time.