Blissful Days

Final Post

2008-09-09T08:26:00.002-04:00

With our house hunt becoming center stage
we started a new blog with that as the theme.
On June 22nd first post made to Blissful Bounty.

After over five months of house hunting ...
Last Friday we purchased our new "home".
You'll have to check out other blog for details.

HGTV channel

2008-06-14T20:07:00.001-04:00

When I use to have my house before ...
I use to watch a lot of those shows.
I was a big fan of Trading Spaces.
Getting ready to purchase a home ...
I was thinking I should start watching HGTV again.

I was wondering how to get Randy interested.
Found out the other night he found it on his own.
Then he said to me we should watch more.
We watched Deserving Design,
Divine Design and Design on a Dime.

Check out all their tv shows
and the BEST of HGTV.com.
They also have a message board
and Front Door - real estate site.

Good Realtor Articles

2008-06-13T07:12:00.005-04:00

From Philip A Cormier's personal website.
He's a realtor with over 20 years experience.

How to Choose a Home article ended with

"Act Decisively When You Find the Right Home

Before you begin the home buying process, resolve to act promptly when you do find the right house. Every REALTOR® has stories to tell about a couple who looked far and wide for their dream home, finally found it, and then said, "We always promised my Dad we'd sleep on it, so we'll make an offer tomorrow." Many times the story had a sad ending - someone else came in that evening with an offer that was accepted.

Resolve that you will act decisively when you find the house that’s clearly right for you. This is particularly important after a long search or if the house is newly listed and/or underpriced."

Other articles for buyers include ...
Take Charge When Buying a Home
The Basics of Making an Offer

Some articles for the seller ...
Get Your House Ready to Show Buyers
How to Set a List Price for Your Home

Cool links/tools on the site:
Community Info - community reports/stats
Mortgage Info - with mortgage payment calculator

Bangor Area

2008-06-12T19:48:00.003-04:00

Beyond the Capital Area and Waterville Area is Bangor.
I've visited one time when visiting brother in college.
Just past Bangor/Brewer is the Orono campus.

Community links:
Bangor - Brewer - Orono
Hampden - Norridgewock

Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce

Waterville Area

2008-06-11T15:50:00.002-04:00

Previously I linked communities in the Capital Area.
The next big city up the interstate is Waterville.

Waterville - Oakland - Winslow - Fairfield - Belgrade

First Park - said to be Maine's Premier
Business and Technology Center
It's on the Waterville-Oakland border

We are learning a lot about Maine towns and cities!!!

Foreclosures

2008-06-10T14:30:00.003-04:00

Adding some links regarding Foreclosures.
There are many websites out there ...
but they require a credit card to see foreclosures.
For the time being NOT planning on doing that.

The main database seems to be from RealtyTrac.
I was checking out regular resales on that site ...
they actually give listing price and listing date.
Helpful information when placing a bid.

HUD foreclosed.com looks interesting.
It is NOT associated with HUD specifically.
Categories: foreclosures, HUD homes,
auctions, and pre-foreclosures.
They is also their HUD foreclosed.com forum.

Another forum is Foreclosures and Pre-foreclosures.
It is associated with Carleton Sheets' PEI online site.
I do not endorse him or the site ...
but looks like the forum has some good info.
The Foreclosure Listing thread is worth checking out.

Good Go Quick

2008-06-10T09:28:00.000-04:00

I'm talking about houses.
We've missed out on three houses that had potential.
We waited too long to request a showing.
By the time we did the properties were already bid on.

Claire Street, Augusta - asking price 124,900
3 bedrooms, 1 bath, .52 acres, built 1972
features: half finished basement, sunroom, deck

North Belfast Ave, Augusta - asking price 129,000
3 bedrooms, 1 bath, 3.9 acres, built 1967
features: mostly hardwood floors, big backyard deck

Northern Ave, Farmingdale - asking price 139,900
3 bedrooms, 1 bath, 1 acre, built 1966
features: mostly hardwwod floors, backyard sunroom

In the future we need to immediately see properties.
The ones above had offers within days of being listed.
The area we are looking to buy is at least half hour away.
With gas prices increasing we were trying to group trips.

Maine City-Data

2008-06-09T09:52:00.000-04:00

I've used the City-Data site before.
Maine Bigger Cities (population over 6000)
Cities/towns between 1000 and 6000
Towns/villages with fewer than 1000
I just found cool feature for house hunters.

Check out "Recent Home Sales" section.
Once on state/city/town page ...
just put address and then request to
have it selected by sale date or distance.
It is slightly outdated but still interesting.

Capital Area

2008-06-09T08:01:00.001-04:00

We are looking to move to the Capital Area of Maine.
There are many smaller communities around Augusta.
Thought I would post city/town links ...
as well as county and state government.

Augusta - Hallowell - Farmingdale
Gardiner - West Gardiner - Pittson
Randolph - Chelsea - Vassalboro - Sidney
Manchester - Winthrop - Readfield

Kennebec Valley Chamber of Commerce
Kennebec Valley Council of Governments
Kennebec County - Sheriff's Office
Maine State Government

Windy Property

2008-06-07T16:39:00.001-04:00

This is a three bedroom ranch with one bathroom.
It has a full, partially finished basement for storage.
It was built in 1967 and has a fairly new deck and gazebo.
It's not your average ranch at 1,232 square feet (main level).

The house is on a double lot in a desireable neighborhood.
It's all about Location! - Location! - Location!
The listing price is overpriced but the seller is motivated.
I guess we will find out just how motivated she is.

We are ready to place an offer this coming week.
Although we did ask to see one more house.
Good houses are going quick these days!
Maybe the other one will be better.

Bathroom Changes

2008-06-07T06:53:00.000-04:00

With the house we plan to bid on in mind ...
I've been checking out Home Depot and Lowe's.
While the house is very "move-in-able" ...
I would like to make changes in the bathroom.

I have been using a "high rise" addition ...
to get toilet at better height for me to use easier.
In our own home we want to get a higher toilet.
Maybe American Standard's Model 2787016.

The first thing we need to replace is tub/shower.
The current fixture in house is about 32 x 56.
In the rental unit here the one is about a 36 x 47.
Would like to find a one piece walk in shower.

Current resident of house's design style:
There is dark colored walls and dark wood.
The furniture is oversized and ornate.
Definately not my style preference.

This dark wood and oversized/ornate style ...
includes the bathroom (sink) furniture piece.
I want simple but efficient - white is fine.
Maybe this 30 x 21 x 33.5(H) White Vanity.

Bed Dimensions

2008-06-06T11:46:00.008-04:00

So many things to think about ...
as we move from an apartment to our own house.
One of those things is about upgrading our bed.

Twin is 39 wide by 75 long
Full is 54 wide by 75 long
Queen is 60 wide by 80 long
King is 76/78 by 80 long

Found the diagram on Dormia website.

Eventful Day

2008-06-05T21:31:00.000-04:00

Randy had day surgery today.
Thanks to those that were praying.
He is at home with me and doing okay.
The valium is keeping him a little hazy.

We also saw two houses today.
The contemporary ranch was disappointing.
It had lots of space but was in miserable condition.
Now we know why it is headed towards foreclosure.

The second house looks much more promising.
I will post more about that on Saturday.
We still have a couple more house possibilities.
This is the season for selling! New ones added daily.

Contemporary Ranch

2008-06-05T06:12:00.002-04:00

When I first saw the house we will walk thru today ...
I thought it must be a split level ranch because of its height.

That was problematic because we wanted just one floor.
I found Residential Styles explained at Realtor.org.

Below is their description of Contemporary:

"You know them by their odd-sized and often tall windows, their lack of ornamentation, and their unusual mixtures of wall materials--stone, brick, and wood, for instance. Architects designed Contemporary-style homes (in the Modern family) between 1950 and 1970, and created two versions: the flat-roof and gabled types. The latter is often characterized by exposed beams. Both breeds tend to be one-story tall and were designed to incorporate the surrounding landscape into their overall look."

That does indeed describe the place we will be checking out.
It is odd-sized and has tall windows in cathedral ceiling area.
I guess it would be considered gabled because of exposed beams.

For fun I read about some of the other design styles:
I learned that ranch style only originated in the 1930's
and that Saltbox is a New England Colonial design.
In 1893 Frank Lloyd Wright designed first Prairie Style home.

Short Sale

2008-06-04T12:01:00.005-04:00

The main property we are looking at tomorrow is a "short sale".
I did not realize it was an official real estate term ...
I just assumed this meant that the bank was looking to sell quickly.
It is actually the step just below foreclosure for the seller.

Just read a few articles to better understand "Short Sales":
Short Sale - Buyer & Broker Beware!
and What the Heck Is a Short Sale?

Other articles on other sites: Before You Buy a Short Sale
Short Sales Are No Bargain for Buyers: 11 Reasons for Not Buying a Short Sale
The new exit strategy: A short sale (Businessweek article)
Sold up short: How to Succeed at Short Sales

My head is swimming now. So much information to digest.
Got a call in to my (mortgage) bank. And a call into our realtor.
Want to understand it better before seeing property.

Magazine Links

2008-06-03T22:00:00.000-04:00

I had not picked up magazines for awhile.
The other day I picked up a few.
They were ones I've read in the past.

Monthlies: Good Housekeeping,
Family Circle and Woman's Day,
Weeklies: Woman's World
Also read Parade on Sundays.

Others I may want to check out:
Today's Christian Woman
Better Homes & Gardens
Ladies Home Journal

News magazines:
Newsweek, Time, World
Us News & World Report
and political National Review

Jane Austen movies

2008-06-02T10:12:00.002-04:00

Our focus this week is Jane Austen.
We started with Becoming Jane (2007).
We both had trouble staying awake thru it.
We'll finish off with The Jane Austen Book Club (2007).

We will watch following in order they were published:
Sense and Sensibility (1995) - published 1811 (wiki)
Pride & Prejudice (2005) - published 1813 (wiki)
Emma (1996) - published 1815 (wikipedia)

Alternative Heating

2008-06-02T09:45:00.000-04:00

With the price of oil going thru the roof ...
decided to research alternative energy sources.

TreeHugger Picks: Pellet Stoves
Pellet Stoves (wikipedia)

Wikipedia's Energy Portal
Renewable Heat (wikipedia)

Solar Heating (wikipedia)
Maine Solar House

Monitor Products
Nelson and Small, Inc (Monitor dealer)

Alternative Fuels ... Data Center
Maine Clean Communities

Half Year Anniversary

2008-06-01T11:27:00.000-04:00

We've been married six months now!!!!
We were both awake after midnight ...
ate a sliver of the ice cream cake Randy bought.

For the celebration Randy picked up a few things:
an anniversary card and bouquet of purple flowers
and to go with supper a non-alcoholic drink,
Welch's Sparkling white grape juice cocktail.

We also watched some romantic movies:
Happy Together (1989/I) followed by scrabble
A Good Year (2006) followed by wine substitute
Chocolat (2000) followed by "Bliss" chocolate

Thank you, Randy, for marrying me.
Thanks for filling my life with bliss, my darling.
I pray there will be many more years to celebrate.

Birthday Weekend Movies

2008-05-31T22:00:00.002-04:00

I let Randy pick the movies we watched together.

Friday (actual birthday):
Better Off Dead... (1985)
To Sir, with Love (1967)
Amélie (2001)
Untraceable (2008)

Saturday:
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)
Ocean's Thirteen (2007)
Hugo Pool (1997) - I picked this to help me sleep;
except there were too many great actors in it.

Newer Homes

2008-05-31T07:10:00.002-04:00

This week we checked out some NEW homes. These homes were constructed with radiant heat. The houses have a nice open concept but they were poorly located - there was a heavily traveled road yards from the houses. Now we can exclude these from our search.

The four above we have yet to see in person.
They are all three bedroom ranches.
Upper left: 1967, 1 bath, 1,288 sq feet, 3.5 acres
Pro: hardwood in most rooms - Con: garage under
Upper right: 2007, 2 baths, 1,344 sq ft, 2.7 acres
Pro: Deck/Water frontage - Con: not level ground
Lower left: 2005, 2 bath, 1,536 sq feet, 1.0 acres
Pro: open concept, low taxes (nearby town) Con: ?
Lower right: 1975, 1 bath, 1,142 sq ft (above), 1.1 acres
Pro: two tiered deck - Con: full finished basement

Interesting: the older homes only have 1 bath
while newer homes are built with 2 baths
oftentimes one bath is part of master suite.

Lower right is pretty much excluded when comparing
high price tag with limited positives and major negative.
I have difficulty using stairs so basement would be off limits.
Lower left is sounding more interesting ...
as I could not come up with a negative to include.
It is in nearby town which adds a little extra to commute.
Upper right may be excluded too. Price tag includes
water frontage which we do not really care about.
Also having no level ground for me to walk is not desired.
Upper left just on the market 2 days now.
Also has a deck. And familiar heating/water setup.
While moderate sq footage (in comparison) - price reflects that!!!

Not expecting to see these this week.
We need a little break from all the trips.
Trusting God to guide us to the right house ...
Everything in His timing (like our marriage)!!!

Happy Birthday Randy

2008-05-30T06:06:00.000-04:00

Happy 47th Birthday, sweetheart.
I let him pick all the movies this week.
I also cooked/cooking some of his favorites.

At the beginning of his birthday "week"
I made him Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake.
It's very moist and he liked it just fine.

For brunch a couple of days we had
Impossible Tuna Pie (quiche like).
For snacking I made Macaroonies.

For his birthday meal later today with parents:
Sicilian Meat Roll and Banana Custard Pie.
On the side: beans, coleslaw and lbuttermilk biscuits.

New Recipes Tried

2008-05-30T06:00:00.005-04:00

We've been so busy with house hunting ...
I've spent much less time online ...
not even posting new recipes made.

For the time being I am just posting ...
this summary post of new recipes tried.
I'll link to location I found recipes.

Impossible Kielbasa Pie -
similar to Impossibly Easy Bacon Pie

Impossible Tuna Pie -
similar to Impossible Ham Pie

Easy Mashed Potatoes and Corn
Philly Beef Squares

Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake -
very moist - recipe from my mother.

Birthday Week movies

2008-05-29T22:00:00.002-04:00

I let Randy pick the movies he liked.
Some he'd seen before and some new.

Monday -
Ocean's Eleven (2001)
The Matrix (1999)

Tuesday -
Ocean's Twelve (2004)
Sin City (2005)

Wednesday -
The Mist (2007)
Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (2007)

Thursday -
No Reservations (2007)
Great romantic comedy movie.

End of week movies

2008-05-25T22:00:00.003-04:00

Wednesday -
Live Free or Die Hard (2007)
The Mothman Prophecies (2002)
Both were pretty okay in my book

Thursday - no movies today
was out looking at houses again
need some lighter viewing to relax ...

Friday - fun stuff
Night at the Museum (2006)
Feds (1988)

Saturday - AFI pick - Giant (1956)
we both fell asleep during it

Sunday - comedy/fun
Man of the House (2005/I)
D.E.B.S. (2004)
Oscar (1991)

Home Hunt continues

2008-05-24T07:37:00.004-04:00

Our house hunt continues.
But really we are looking for a "home".
A place we can both feel comfortable for some time.
I'd like a comfortable kitchen to do all my cooking.

Our newest possibility has a visual tour available.
More info in our entry Three Walk thrus.
We were pre-approved for a home mortgage
and somewhat understand Credit Report Info.

AFI Movie Date Night #18

2008-05-23T19:46:00.002-04:00

Giant starring Rock Hudson, Elizabeth Taylor and James Dean was tonight's viewing. This 1956 film was #82 on the list. I'm not sure why it has such hoopla, but it's probably because of Dean. I didn't really care for either of the male leads performances and I thought Taylor was just ok. Maybe this long film was welcomed in the 50's but I thought this long film was mostly boring! B-.

After reading more about the movie, I realized I didn't notice that was Dennis Hopper! It looks like I'll see him in Rebel Without A Cause also.

Credit Report Info

2008-05-23T14:00:00.001-04:00

380 is the worse and 850 is flawless
680 is average and 750+ is a+ in their book.
My current rating is 783 slightly down from 800 range
due to required inquiries when we got new credit card.
Chris discussed ways of even bettering our scores.
He had only pulled the Experian credit report to review.

He pointed us to the official Annual Credit Report site.
Everyone is allowed FREE credit reports ANNUALLY.
There are three different credit reporting companies:
Trans Union, Experian, and Equifax
It's good to review them comparing results.
Not all companies report to all three of them.

We found another site which charges for reports but has
helpful Credit Report Information and Explanations:
Tutorial on Equifax Credit Reports
Tutorial on Experian Credit Reports
Tutorial on Trans Union Credit Reports
Posting these here not to lose valuable links!!!

We were pre-approved

2008-05-23T13:00:00.002-04:00

We headed to our bank aka credit union this morning.
We sat down with loan officer to get pre-approved.
Chris, the guy we spoke with, was great.
He pulled up our credit reports and explained them.
Being newly married I still have old credit cards.
I was going to get rid of them but he said keep them!
As long as they are kept paid up they are helping.
Especially the one I've had forever with a huge limit.

Closing costs range from 1,500 to 2,000
with 375 upfront to get the ball rolling.
An appraisal will be requested and title search.
A down payment of 5% is required.
The bank will finance 80% of wood frames
and 65 - 75% for double wide mobile homes.
It usually takes from 30-45 days to closing.
FYI: Current interest rate is 6 1/4

Three Walk thrus

2008-05-22T14:00:00.000-04:00

We went back up to Augusta to look at houses.
They were all in the Mayfair neighborhood.
That is where I use to have my previous house.
There were three to walk thru to check out.
I have difficulty doing stairs which meant ...
hubby had to do the initial walk thru.

At the first place Randy came out and got me.
It looked very promising - large master bedroom.
We have been spoiled with a large bedroom in rental.

At the second place there had been a tenant living there.
It was obvious it had not been well maintained as of late.
The third place was listed as needing TLC and it did.
It also had a spider infestation., I believe, is what Randy said.
I believe it was the second place that he said smelled badly.
From the outside I could tell they both needed exterior work.

We are scheduled for a second look at the first place.
Will take my parents to consider personal modifications.
Definately need a ramp built and some bathroom changes.

LL Bean

2008-05-21T20:03:00.002-04:00

Cathy sent me down to LL Bean in Freeport to spend some of our wedding gift certificates. I probably spent nearly 4 hours there. It is quite an adventure! I ended up getting a pair of shoes from the Outlet store!

Horror Flicks

2008-05-20T22:00:00.003-04:00

Today after the third Bourne movie ...
we switched over to the horror genre.
Horror movies often include sci fi and action.
Undead (2003) - meteorites create zombies
Slither (2006) - alien plague creates zombies
Planet Terror (2007) - bio weapon creates zombies
Death Proof (2007) - scarred stuntman stalks women
The Gathering (2002) - it's a mystery!!! (so not telling)
PS - I really do not get the allure of zombies!

Bourne Trilogy

2008-05-20T22:00:00.001-04:00

We watched one a day Sunday thru Tuesday.
Randy was anxious to see the third installment.
I agreed to watch all three "action" flicks.
The Bourne Identity (2002)
The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)

Weekend Viewing

2008-05-18T22:00:00.000-04:00

Saturday we "chilled" with family animation:
Happy Feet (2006) - it's a musical!!!
Ice Age (2002) - reminded me of Jungle Book
Ice Age: The Meltdown (2006) - environmental awareness

Serious Sunday: The Song of Bernadette (1943)
similar to The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima (1952)

Trueworthy

2008-05-17T11:25:00.002-04:00

This week we started looking at houses in Augusta.
The above house on Trueworthy we saw the inside of.
Looks decent enough on the outside but little space inside.
One of the bedrooms did not even have a closet and the
others were tiny - bedrooms all about the same size.
The "family room" was just the breezeway/entrance area.
After our visit we noticed the price went down by 10,000.

Some others we excluded with just a drive by:
South Belfast double wide on hill
Outlet Road double wide on unpaved road
Old Belgrade double wide on hill and multi-leveled
Eight Rod Road ranch on hilly driveway
Tiffany Road ranch on unpaved road and neighbors too close

AFI Movie Date Night #17

2008-05-16T19:41:00.001-04:00

Tonight was Platoon, the Oscar winner from 1986 and #83 on the AFI list. Oliver Stone's anti-war film starred Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe and a bunch of others that were probably just getting their starts before becoming famous. Best scene is Willem Dafoe's iconic scene that graces the cover. And by the end of the film, you'll think war is stupid too! B+.

Augusta Real Estate

2008-05-13T13:45:00.003-04:00

Yesterday we stopped by Sprague and Curtis.
I used them before to both purchase property ...
And also to sell my house a couple of years back.

There are some exciting things happening in the area.
Huge economic steps and some new "communities".
It would be an ideal place for Randy to find work.

One of the new "neighborhoods" is Fieldstone Place.
They use Brookewood Builders in Manchester ...
Said to be "Maine's Premier Modular Home Builder".

Weekend Events

2008-05-11T22:00:00.001-04:00

Mom and dad come over for dinner Saturday.
I made Hearty Chicken and Noodle Casserole,
Blissful Ambrosia and Chocolate Cream Pie.

We finished watching about two dozen Buffy episodes.
Then we started watching season one of The Closer.
Movies we watched were Fargo (1996) - AFI Pick
and Colossus: The Forbin Project (1970) - computers.

AFI Movie Date Night #16

2008-05-10T22:42:00.004-04:00

We waited until Saturday to see Fargo (#84 on the AFI list), but truthfully, I think we could have waited longer. I'm trying to remember why this movie was so funny the first time around. It has a few funny moments but mostly it's kind of annoying. Maybe it was just easier to laugh at anything back then.

Visit Maine

2008-05-10T22:00:00.002-04:00

I found the Maine Office of Tourism Visit Maine site.
The Where to Visit section includes Mid-Coast
and Kennebec & Moose River Valleys.
Other sections include Where to Stay, Where to Eat,
Things to Do, Plan Your Trip, and Event Calendar Search.

Buffy

2008-05-09T08:15:00.002-04:00

When I think of "Buffy" I think of the cute little girl on Family Affair.
I even had a Mrs. Beasley doll growing up. My age is showing!!!!!

Nowadays "Buffy" invokes thoughts of The Vampire Slayer.
Randy has been showing me select episodes which includes
creator Josh Whedon's 10 favorite episodes and Randy's.

For the ultimate Buffy/Angel fan there is Buffy World.
"A complete guide to all of the “Buffy...” and “Angel” episodes."

Italian Flatbread

2008-05-09T07:41:00.003-04:00

I made this yesterday afternoon just for myself.
Since I was making it mainly for myself added garlic.
Okay - not all recipes are worth saving to use another day.
This one simply tastes a little too much like bisquick biscuits.
I cut off the edge - only ate the part that had other stuff on it.

From Betty Crocker site: Italian Flatbread

DIY simple table

2008-05-08T08:28:00.003-04:00

I would like to build my own simple console table.
It will be multi-purposed: desk and buffet useage.
I found instructions at diynetwork for The Rustic Table.
I already have the table top from a previous project.
So all we need to do is go pick up the legs and railing.

Monday Tuesday Viewing

2008-05-07T09:25:00.003-04:00

Monday:
The Thirteenth Floor (1999)
Aftershock (1990)
Fierce Creatures (1997)

Tuesday:
Wedding Crashers (2005)
"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" - pilot episode

Randy enjoys Buffy so wanted to share that with me.
Expect to watch a few more select episodes as we ...
await the final season of 4400 in the mail anyday.

Weekend Viewing

2008-05-07T09:18:00.004-04:00

Friday:
Duck Soup (1933) - AFI pick
The Handmaid's Tale (1990)
Children of Men (2006) - good

Saturday:
Final Destination (2000)
Final Destination 2 (2003)
Final Destination 3 (2006)

Sunday:
Unlocking DaVinci's Code (2004)
and associated video (need to grab title)
Gattaca (1997)
Evolution (2001)

Tuna Noodle Casserole

2008-05-06T19:00:00.002-04:00

Mix together:
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1/2 cup milk
1 cup frozen peas
2 cans (about 6 oz. each) tuna, drained and flaked
2 cups hot cooked medium egg noodles

Bake at 400 for 25 minutes

Original: Campbell's Tuna Noodle Casserole

Blueberry Muffins

2008-05-06T17:00:00.001-04:00

Mix together:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups fresh blueberries, (may use frozen)

Bake at 375 for 20 - 25 minutes

Original: Blueberry Muffins with Cinnamon Sugar Topping

Main(e) Street

2008-05-03T07:57:00.000-04:00

My mother sent me a link the other day to
Visit Bath.com regarding this weekend's Mayfair.
It is Bath's Citywide Yard Sale to partially benefit charity.
It was the first time I had seen that site and surfed around.
I see there were some other Maine "main street" cities ...
including Gardiner and Waterville (both around Augusta).

Visit Bath Community Links
Gardiner Downtown Business Links
Waterville Area Links (includes state orgs)
State Link: Main Street Maine Program
National Link: National Trust Main Street Center

AFI Movie Date Night #15

2008-05-02T22:37:00.004-04:00

Tonight was Duck Soup, said to be the best of The Marx Brothers movies. This 1933 classic is #85 on the AFI list. I think I expected it to be funnier (or maybe I remember it as being funnier), but mostly I didn't laugh too much. Maybe my funny bone is getting old. Still, it's a good movie of the period.

Impossible Ham Pie

2008-05-02T10:00:00.000-04:00

Into baking dish:
2 (5 oz) cans of ham, crumbled up
1 cup shredded sharp cheese (4 oz)

Separately mix up:
3/4 cup Original Bisquick® mix
1 1/2 cups milk
3 eggs

Pour over ham-cheese mixture

Bake at 400 for 35-40 minutes.

Mostly Sci Fi

2008-05-01T22:00:00.004-04:00

Wednesday:
Americanizing Shelley (2007) *
Queen of Outer Space (1958) *
Princess (2008) (TV) - ABC family - very cute

Thursday:
Puzzlehead (2005) *
Cypher (2002) *
Idiocracy (2006) - ridiculous!!!

*movie rentals from B&G

Tooth Extraction

2008-04-30T22:00:00.001-04:00

The appointment was for 11 AM.
I was out of the office by 11:15.
Hubby was more concerned about it than me.
On the way home we stopped for additional supplies.
Picke up some juice and coffee ice cream and applesauce.
With a tooth extraction its soft foods and liquids only.
I had already prepared Blissful Macaroni Cheese Bake.
We also stopped by B&G for some rental videos.

Sci Fi Movie Day

2008-04-29T21:30:00.000-04:00

I am having a tooth extracted tomorrow.
Decided to enjoy some sci fi flicks today.
Sphere (1998) - so many great actors
Dustin Hoffman, Sharon Stone, Samuel L Jackson,
Peter Coyote, Liev Schreiber and Queen Latifah
Crossworlds (1996) - very interesting
Philadelphia Experiment II (1993) - sequel

Thrillers

2008-04-28T22:00:00.001-04:00

We watched some thrillers the last few days.
Many of them were also action and horror.
Resident Evil (2002)
Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004)
Resident Evil: Extinction (2007)
The Invasion (2007)
Thr3e (2006)

Maine Business Trends

2008-04-26T22:00:00.001-04:00

Focusing on Maine trends since we are looking to move.
Trends 2008: A look ahead at Maine's economic future and key business sectors
These articles are from Feb 24th, 2008 but should still be valid.
FWIW - I am only posting links for some of the articles.
* Home prices may bottom out this year
* Retail, distribution sectors taking off
* Retail growth generating hundreds of jobs
* Projects help offset Navy base's closure

Blissful Banana Cream Dessert

2008-04-26T19:00:00.001-04:00

For crust:
Use about 3 dozen fig bars
Crumble up with pastry blender
Press back into 9x9 baking pan

Make pudding layer:
1 package vanilla instant pudding
1 3/4 cups of milk
add this layer over the crust

Banana layer:
Over pudding layer slice 2 med bananas

Cream layer:
Add layer of Cool Whip to your liking
Top it with coconut and/or chocolate sprinkles

Put in refrigerator to chill for at least one hour.
Because of bananas may want to use within 24 hours.

AFI Movie Date Night #14

2008-04-25T22:31:00.005-04:00

Mutiny on the Bounty was the selection today, the best picture winner of 1935 and #86 on the AFI list. This is the only film to boast having 3 of it's stars nominated for best actor (none won though). It's a great film from the period. Though I must admit I might remeber it differently because I thought Bligh got more punishment.

Back to Classics

2008-04-25T22:00:00.001-04:00

After watching a number of sci-fi movies/series lately ...
decided to watch a few classics the last couple of days.

The Fountainhead (1949) - thought provoking
It's about intellectual property - an architect's work.
He dared to design his own way and demanded ownership.
His unique designs reminds me of Frank Lloyd Wright.

Three Coins in the Fountain (1954) - romance abroad
Three American girls working in Rome find love.

Mutiny on the Bounty (1935) - AFI pick of the week

The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947) - fantasy romance

Video Database

2008-04-22T22:00:00.000-04:00

We have been using imdb's My Movies database.

We have 4 accounts over there for different purposes.
The first and primary account is for our whole video collection.
Randy had been entering them all himself until today's push.
I joined in to finish it up - until we purchase new videos.

VHS movies excluding foreign: 4022
DVD movies excluding foreign: 2033
VHS tv series titles: 125
DVD tv series titles: 245

Account #2 is a list of viewed movies since getting together.
Account #3 is for videos we have tagged to watch shortly.
We try to coordinate by genre or theme when possible.
Account #4 is for those that are available for purchase.

American Goulash

2008-04-21T19:40:00.000-04:00

In New England this is called American Chop Suey

1 pound ground beef - cooked and drained
2 cups elbow macaroni - cooked and drained
1 lb spaghetti sauce - mix with beef and macaroni

Pour into 13 x 9 casserole dish.
Add cheese to your liking if you want to.

Bake at 300 for 15 minutes.
Or for 30 minutes if refrigerated first.

Engineer's Guide to Cats

2008-04-19T19:07:00.003-04:00

French Toast Casserole

2008-04-19T09:40:00.004-04:00

Into 9 x 13 pan:
1 loaf of Pepperidge Farm® Cinnamon Swirl Bread, cubed
3/4 cup raisins

Mix up in bowl:
6 well beaten eggs
3 cups of milk
2 tsp vanilla

Pour eggs-milk mix over bread mix.
Chill in refrigerator at least 1 hour.
Could be kept in overnight.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.
Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
Serve with butter and syrup.

Notes/observations:
I did not add cinnamon sugar
It is great. And plenty sweet enough.
Would be good for company brunch.
It serves 8 persons - easily.
We'll be eating it for a few days yet.
In the future will half recipe for just the two of us.

Original recipe: Baked French Swirl Toast

Space by Numbers

2008-04-19T08:58:00.001-04:00

As we are looking for a new home I thought I would post numbers of some previous residences of mine including our current space. I did own a house for nearly ten years which was ranch style. Then I rented a single-wide for nearly six months. And we are currently renting a spacious basement apartment in a house that is on the market. It's all about the numbers!!! Wanted to have these numbers to compare to the properties we visit.

House: ranch style - 26 x 42 - 1,092 sq feet - .24 acres
master bedroom: 11 x 12, br2: 11 x 12, br3: 10 x 12
living room: 16 x 12, dr: 7 X 12, kitchen: 9 x 12

Single wide rental: similar to Pine Grove G-525
14' x 76' -- Approx. 1,038 sq. ft. -- 3 bedrooms, 2 baths
The bedroom closest to livingroom was used as den.

Current basement apartment rental space:
It is only part of ranch basement: approx 789 sq ft
master bedroom (den): 21 x 13
livingroom/dining room/kitchen: 28 x 13
bathroom: 9 x 8 and walkin closet: 10 x 8

Saturday Feature

2008-04-19T05:59:00.005-04:00

I am thinking of renaming Saturday Humore.
When I started it I did expect to post more humor.
But it has become more about sharing our interests.
The regular blogging is mostly a journal of our life ...
Sometimes it can be very mundane aka boring.
The Saturday posts help you know us better,
where we live, what we surf on the net,
what tickles our funny bone.

Some possible renames include:
Saturday Feature, Saturday Special,
Saturday Express, Saturday ???.
I will post more when I think of them.

Renamed it Saturday - nice and simple!

Skipped AFI Date Night

2008-04-18T22:00:00.001-04:00

We skipped our regular AFI Friday date night ...
It was going to be Mutiny on the Bounty.
We were busy finishing up The 4400: Season Three.
We may decide to watch the AFI pick tomorrow night.

This afternoon we contacted a real estate agent.
She will be showing us four properties:
a double wide manufactured home on Saturday,
and three different ranches on Monday.

Home Search

2008-04-17T21:26:00.003-04:00

We were out again looking at properties.
We are not actually entering them ...
just looking from afar for the time being.
We are considering everything at this time.
Starting a new blog label for this research.

Some links of interest for
modular and manufactured homes follow:
Apex Modular Homes
Pine Grove Manufactured Homes
HomeSight: Comprehensive Guide to Housing Resources

Early Birthday Gifts

2008-04-17T07:15:00.002-04:00

Alien Nation - Ultimate Movie Collection came in the mail.
This was the first of DVDs I ordered for Randy's birthday.
Decided to wait on watching it for a few days to a week.

Since we were enjoying the tv series "The 4400" ...
I ordered season 3 and it should be here tomorrow!
Randy thought it would be best to continue with that first.

I admit it - I have a hard time withholding gifts from Randy.
Shhhh - there is still one or more he does not know about - YET!
For the record - I also have a few non-DVD gifts up my sleeve.

Side note: We also have been watching on DVD
the tv series "Dead Like Me" (2003) - comedy fantasy.
I will it admit it is a bit bizarre but interesting at times.

Cosmotopia

2008-04-16T09:30:00.003-04:00

Randy and I are certainly Sci Fi fans.
I just stumbled upon a very dangerous site:
Cosmotopia: A Sci Fi Destination at Amazon.

From that site: "It's Science Fiction Month at Amazon.com,
and we're offering hundreds of DVDs on sale at up to 50% off,
and great deals on a lot of other stuff. That's a lot to look at,
so we've divided the sale in two different ways: by category and by genre."

Randy is sleeping so I think I will browse it first.
The question is whether to tell him about it or not!!!!
Actually we have been looking to expand our sci fi collection.

Update: Randy did know about the site and didn't tell me!!!!
We looked at it together and found nothing new to purchase.

Midweek Update

2008-04-16T08:45:00.004-04:00

This week is about new recipes - four of them.
I made two yesterday and there are two more coming.
Traditional Maine Apple Cake - never heard of it before.
I found it because I had a bunch of baking apples to use.
I really enjoy it - reminds me of a coffee cake texture.
For lunch/dinner I made an Impossible Chicken Pie.
We are really liking the "Impossible pies from Bisquick.
What can be easier in one pan to bake - meat and cheese.
Mix up Bisquick, milk and egg and pour over meat/cheese.
The other two recipes I plan on trying are for the weekend.
For Saturday is Cowboy Casserole - BBQ beans and beef.
And for Sunday Brunch is French Toast Casserole.

This week we have not been watching as many movies.
Instead we are watching a tv series on DVD.
We are both enjoying "The 4400" seasons 1 & 2.
We do hope to see season 3 & 4 eventually.
We are also anxiously awaiting (any day now)
Alien Nation - Ultimate Movie Collection.
We already saw the series - these movies are followup.
I've not seen as many tv series as Randy over the years.
I would like to see the pilots or first show(s) of
"Andromeda", "Earth: Final Conflict" and "Babylon 5".
And Star Trek spinoffs: "The Next Generation",
"Deep Space Nine", "Voyager" and prequel "Enterprise".

Impossible Chicken Pie

2008-04-15T14:00:00.000-04:00

Into pie plate:
1 1/2 cups of cut up chicken
1 cup shredded cheese

Separately mix up:
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 c Bisquick

Pour into pie plate.
Bake at 400 for 30-35 minutes

Modification:
I used about 2 cups of chicken.
Probably should have kept it 1 1/2 cups
but I was using up leftover chicken.
Cheese-wise only added a little extra.

Modified from Impossible Easy Turkey Club Pie
Other (leftover) chicken recipe options from Bisquick:
Italian Chicken Pie and Chicken Taco Pie and Chicken Pot Pie

Maine Apple Cake

2008-04-15T11:00:00.000-04:00

Mix together:
4 1/2 cups of diced apples
2 cups of sugar

Add to mixture:
2 eggs
1/2 c oil
3/4 c walnuts
2 t vanilla

Mix dry ingredients separately:
2 cups of flour
2 t baking soda
2 t cinnamon

Combine the two mixtures and pour into 13X9 pan.
Bake at 350 for 60 minutes.

Modifications:
I never use nuts so simply omitted them.

Original: Traditional Maine Recipes: Apple Cake

Tax Day

2008-04-15T06:28:00.002-04:00

Don't forget to get your taxes in!
Since we just got married in December
we ended up filing "married filing single".
We owed 3 of the 4 so just filed yesterday.

Frankenstein Legacy

2008-04-14T15:22:00.006-04:00

Over the weekend we watched these movies.
Frankenstein was written by Mary Shelley in 1818.

Frankenstein Legacy set:

Frankenstein (1931)
Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
Son of Frankenstein (1939)
The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942)
House of Frankenstein (1944)

The first two were directed by James Whale.
The middle one was directed by Rowland V. Lee.
The latter two were directed by Erle C. Kenton.

To follow it up:

Gothic (1986) - the story of the night Mary Shelley
gave birth to the horror classic Frankenstein.

Frankenstein (1994) - updated version

I have never read the novel but this is said to stick closer to the original. I enjoyed this one more than the 1931 version. Maybe partially because it is distinctively different than other version.

Joshua

2008-04-13T22:00:00.002-04:00

Joshua (2002/I) - definately a movie worth recommending to others.
It's about how people would react if Jesus walked among us today.
In actuality it is probably not much different than 2000 years ago.
What stood out was how skeptical people can be about others helping.
Yes, people can be that interested in others even mere strangers.

Joshua appeared to be a wanderer just appearing in the town.
He saw there was work that needed doing and went about doing it.
A church building had been destroyed by a storm so
he started fixing it and in turn other townsfolk joined in.
People of all faiths and backgrounds joined in the effort.

Nubble Lighthouse

2008-04-12T07:23:00.010-04:00

During our Belated Honeymoon Getaway we visited Nubble.

This lighthhouse is located off Cape Neddick in York Harbor.

Read The History of Nubble on their official website.

That site also has a page listing Maine Lighthouses.

For lighthouse enthusiasts: New England Lighthouses.

Even more links to Maine Lighthouse at about.com.

Considered M, R and E of HUMORE

AFI Movie Date Night #13

2008-04-11T16:06:00.006-04:00

Frankenstein, the 1931 classic monster movie with Boris Karloff as the Monster was our movie this day. This one deserves its ranking on the AFI list (#87) because of its influence on the rest of the genre. It is a great movie for its time and I don't think any remake version has surpassed it.

We decided to watch all 5 of the Frankenstein movies on The Legacy Collection. We've already watched the second one - Bride of Frankenstein - and still have Son of Frankenstein, Ghost of Frankenstein and House of Frankenstein to go.

Belated Honeymoon Getaway

2008-04-11T07:44:00.016-04:00

We got married in December after Randy moved here.
At that time we decided on an "at home" honeymoon.
Now that spring is here we decided to get away!!!
We headed out Tuesday morning around 10 AM
and got back Thursday afternoon about 2 PM.
We put 210 miles on the car during the trip.

We decided to coordinate it with a shopping trip.
Randy loves shopping (more than me) and bargains.
We headed to the Kittery Maine outlet strip which
is home to over 120 brand name outlet stores.
I had been very eager to replace my old corelle dishes
with a new pattern but wanted to check it out in person.
The Corningware Corelle outlet store was the perfect stop.

I will be blogging on different elements of the trip.
Expected blog titles coming soon: (will add links later)

Getaway Food Finds - from food outlets and Yummies!
Getaway at Coachman Inn - review of hotel we stayed at
Getaway Kitchen Finds - kitchen gadgets and great finds
Getaway Corelle and Pyrex - new dishes purchased

Getaway DVD set find - Randy's classic movies find!
Getaway Day 1 - trip there and initial shopping
Getaway Day 2 - shopping in Maine and NH
Getaway Day 3 - mostly scenic trip home

Getaway Day 1

2008-04-11T06:11:00.003-04:00

• We headed to Kittery at 10 AM.
• First stop when we got there was the Corningware Corelle Revere factory outlet. We bought most of the items we wanted at that time. We used my bench so I could spend more time in the store checking out everything. (12:33/101.97)
• We got a quick lunch at McDonalds.
• Checked into the Coachman Inn around 1 AM.
• I stayed at the hotel the rest of the day recuperating from the trip and Corelle shopping.
• Mid to late afternoon Randy went on foot store hopping scouting in the other stores for items we were looking for. The stores included mostly kitchen, houseware and shoe stores: Pfaltzgraff (Farberware), Reebok/Rockport, Big Dog Sports, Super Shoes, Le Gourmet Chef, Russell Stover Candy, CuddleDown, Crate and Barrel, and Kitchen Collection.
• We had brought homemade Tangy Meatloaf for supper but needed something to go with it. Randy went to Hannaford down the road for supplies. He also picked up Cheese Bread Sticks at Wildcat Pizza in York.

Getaway Day 2

2008-04-11T06:10:00.003-04:00

• After eating a continental breakfast in the hotel lobby we started the day's journey around 11 AM.
• Stopped by Pfaltzgraff/Farberware (10:47/1.35)
• Returned to Corningware Corelle Revere (11:29/33.75)
• At this point decided to head to New Hampshire's Fox Run Mall in Newington. Randy went in alone to see what was there. He stopped by FYE, two Game Stops, Go! The Game Store and a bookstore.
• Down the road was our main NH objective, Kitchen & Company. (1:05/17.97)
• On the way back to Kittery we saw the downtown of Portsmouth even crossing the smaller bridge back into Maine.
• Had lunch at Burger King before taking a leg break back at the hotel.
• We hit the road again around 2:30 PM.
• Stopped at Pepperidge Farm (3:07/11.46)
• At Kitchen Collection we found numerous items. (3:51/33.31)
• Decided to do some sightseeing at Kittery Point. From Route 1 we took Route 103 between Yummies and Mrs and Me. Randy took some pictures with a couple of lighthouses in the distance.
• Then decided to just ride around - Gerrish Island and Cotts Island. Accidently found a gate to Fort Foster.
• Returned to the hotel for dinner which was the last of the meatloaf.
• In the evening Randy headed out alone to check out the Kittery Trading Post and the Reader's Digest outlet.

Getaway Day 3

2008-04-11T06:09:00.004-04:00

• Packed up and left hotel around 10 AM
• Stopped at Yummies which was next door to the hotel.
• Down the road Randy took a picture of "When Pigs Fly" sign.
• We took the scenic route home
including Route 1 and Route 1a and Shore Road(s):
Kittery -> York -> Ogunquit (stopped at main beach)
Wells -> Kennebunk -> Arundel -> Biddeford -> Saco
Scarborough -> South Portland -> Portland -> etc
• We arrived home around 2 PM and took a nap
*** Also checked out Nubble Lighthouse

Getaway Corelle and Pyrex

2008-04-11T06:05:00.002-04:00

==> picture will go here <==

The reason we headed to the Kittery outlets was
to replace Corelle Dish Set from Spice of Life design
to the newer Livingware design of Country Cottage.
I did a lot of research comparing Corelle old set
to Corelle new sets and Corningware.

We got a lot of the items at reduced prices.
Awhile back I had signed up to get emails
from either Corelle or World Kitchen site.
We had received notice of the sales going on.
Also before leaving we found a 25% off coupon
over at CorningWareStores.com (World Kitchen).

We originally wanted the 42 piece dish set but
they did not have them at the factory outlet store.
We saved money buying the two 16 piece sets
with the extras ONLY because we used
the two 25% off coupons (one for each of us).

16 piece set (cathy with coupon) orig 26.99 less 6.75 = 20.24
16 piece set (randy with coupon) orig 26.99 less 6.75 = 20.24
lunch plates (had gotten 3 at Walmart) 2.59 x 5 = 12.95
1 qt serving bowl (one "extra" from set) 7.99 x 2 = 15.98
12.25 serving platter ("extra" from set) 7.99 x 1 = 7.98
18 oz bowl covers ("extra" from set) 0.99 x 8 = 7.92
1 qt bowl covers ("extra" from set) 1.99 x 2 = 3.98
5 piece pasta set - orig 19.99 less 10.00 = 9.99
(includes 2 qt serving bowl and 4 20 ounce bowl - in winter frost white)

Except for the pasta set everything else
is in the Livingware Country Cottage design.
We did not pick up any Corningware/Corelle bakeware
because they are all too heavy for daily use (in my book).
The clerk said they were going to be coming out with
a lighter weight line that should be like the older version.

Pyrex purchases - these are see thru glass items
Warning: do NOT use on stove top or under broiler
Picked up two matching Pyrex 13 x 9 oblong baking pans.
Also a new pie/souffle plate for the "Impossible" pie recipes.

Getaway Kitchen Finds

2008-04-11T06:03:00.006-04:00

==> picture will go here <==

Kitchen stuff was the prime focus of our shopping.
These are kitchen gadgets and other great finds:

From Corningware Corelle Revere outlet:
• OXO "Good Grips" Dough Blender
• OXO "Good Grips" Stainless Steel Serving Spoon
• OXO "Good Grips" Nylon Flexible Pie Server
• EKCO vegetable brush - amazing find!

From Kitchen Collection outlet:
• set of 3 chrome plated whisks
• Progressive Jumbo Ceramic Tool Crock (GF)
• Kamenstein 3 piece Chrome Value Set(GF)
trivet, napkin holder and upright paper towel holder
• All Natural Spices - 3 for five dollars
Sesame seed, italian herbs and chicken rub seasoning
• Hamilton Beach Professional 14" pizza pan

From Kitchen & Company (NH):
• Sonoma Rose 52x52 vinyl tablecloth (GF)
• Long oven mitts (actually Weber grilling mitts) (GF)

From Pfaltzgraff outlet:
• Farberware measuring cup scoops

* GF stands for Great Find!!!

Getaway at Coachman Inn

2008-04-11T06:02:00.002-04:00

For our belated honeymoon getaway we stayed at Coachman Inn. It's not part of a chain just a single discount hotel which easily competes with national chains. I had read a lot of great reviews about this hotel touting its spacious rooms and bathrooms and spectacular continental breakfast. I was concerned as to whether the bed and toilet would be high enough for me (and my arthritic knees). We were given one of the two handicap rooms because the toilet was higher and it had a king sized bed. The bed was 20 inches high and the toilet was 18 inches high. Both ended up working for me just fine.

The room truly was spacious. The bathroom had hand rails around the toilet. However, even though this was suppose to have been for someone in a wheelchair (which I am not) it still only had a tub/shower enclosure which would have been too difficult for me to bend my legs to get into. They had remodeled recently even replacing the carpets and all the bedding. I actually wrote down the specifics on the bedspread and king size blanket to see about purchasing from the same company.

Across from the front checkin desk was a sit down area with small tables and chairs ideal for comfortably partaking of your continental breakfast. They did also provide a complimentary USA Today on weekdays. Coffee and hot water for tea and cocoa was available 24 hours a day. For breakfast there was bagels and pastries, fresh fruit and cereal. It was decent enough - comparable to other hotels. I took the opportunity to eat bagels and cream cheese.

Getaway Food Finds

2008-04-11T06:01:00.008-04:00

Pepperidge Farm outlet
I'd been wanting to try some of their crackers
so took this opportuinty to pick up a couple:
Wheat Crisps (baked naturals) and Golden Butter
And who can pass up their creme filled Pirouettes?
NOT us!!! So we each picked a flavor we liked
Cathy's French Vanilla and Randy's Mint Chocolate
Almost forgot - originally went in for cinnamon swirl bread

Russell Stover Candies outlet (going out of business)
Randy was browsing and found left over eggs.
For himself mint creme and coconut and to share
chocolate creme and brownie center (YUMMMY)

Yummies: Candy and Nuts of Maine
We had two coupons - one for each of us.
If we spent ten dollars we saved one dollar.
Cathy's picks: sanded horehound drops,
australian licorice and licorice twists
Randy's picks: white peanut butter cups,
dark chocolate mint wafers and cherry slices

When Pigs Fly: Sourdough Breads
Picked up Multi-Grain Anadama Bread
The crust was too hard - we cut it off

Getaway DVD set find

2008-04-11T05:59:00.003-04:00

I found a 20 movie DVD set called Hollywood Classics for only $20 at The Reader's Digest outlet store. Titles were At War with the Army (Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis), The Little Shop of Horrors (1960 with Jack Nicholson), Private Buckaroo, The Flying Deuces (with Laurel & Hardy), And Then There Were None (with Barry Fitzgerald - disappointed me because it didn't do the correct ending as Agatha Christie wrote it), The Outlaw (Jane Russell), The Man from Utah (John Wayne), The Front Page (Adolphe Menjou), Of Human Bondage (Leslie Howard & Bette Davis), Made For Each Other (Carole Lombard & Jimmy Stewart), Indiscreet (Gloria Swanson), The Inspector General (Danny Kaye), A Star is Born (Janet Gaynor & Fredric March), Road to Bali (Bob Hope, Bing Crosby & Dorothy Lamour), The Little Princess (Shirley Temple), My Favorite Brunette (Bob Hope & Dorothy Lamour), Royal Wedding (Fred Astaire & Jane Powell), A Farewell to Arms (Helen Hayes & Gary Cooper), Father's Little Dividend (Spencer Tracy, Joan Bennet & Elizabeth Taylor) and Anna Karenina (Vivien Leigh).

I had seven of these already on DVD, mostly used ones that I picked up cheap. I felt the set was worth picking up for the others plus to have newer copies of the used ones. Though I must admit that trying to watch The Front Page wasn't all that good with its poor audio quality. (We didn't finish watching that one.) But the two discs I've watched so far both had interesting special features with newsreels of the era and bloopers from many different movies. That might really make it a worthwhile find!

Kittery Outlets

2008-04-08T07:10:00.004-04:00

We are headed to The Kittery Outlets today.
There are over 100 brand name outlet stores.
The store directory lists them by category.
Our main goal is Corningware Corelle Revere.
Probably Cuddledown and Kitchen Collection.
Maybe Crate and Barrel and Le Gourmet Chef.
Besides kitchen and home furnishing stores ...
Pepperidge Farm and some of the shoe stores
Of note: Special Discounts and Sales and Events

Corelle Dish Set

2008-04-07T21:53:00.001-04:00

Headed to Corelle Corningware Outlet store tomorrow.
The plan is to purchase the Country Cottage design set.

Livingware Country Cottage 42-Pc. Set - Reg 69.99
Includes 8 each: 10-1/4" Dinner Plates,
6-7/8" Bread Butter Plates,
18 oz. Soup-Cereal Bowl with plastic covers,
11 oz. Stoneware Mugs;
1 each: 1 qt. Serving Bowl, 12.25" Platter

Country Cottage 8-1/2" Luncheon Plate - Each 2.59
Have purchased a few already at Walmart for 2.56

Other possibilities at outlet store:
Winter Frost White 1 qt Serving Bowl - reg 7.99 (1 with set)
Winter Frost White 2 qt Serving Bowl - reg 8.99 (1 with pasta)
Winter Frost White 9" Deep Dish Pie Plate - reg 3.99

Other possibilities seen at Amazon:
Country Cottage 1 qt Serving Bowl - 10.64 (design - not white)
Winter Frost White 5-Piece Pasta Set - 14.99
Includes 2-quart serving bowl and four 20-ounce bowls
Not necessary but might be nice to have - not sure yet

Also looking to get the Corningware bakeware (prev blog entry)

Weekend Movies

2008-04-07T14:27:00.002-04:00

Saturday was crime drama movies.
We wanted something more intelligent.
They all had to do with computers/hackers.

Swordfish (2001) starring John Travolta
Convicted hacker played by Hugh Jackman
is recruited by Halle Berry to work for Travolta.
He has to do it because his daughter is being held.
In the end the federal authorities recognize that.
So he and his daughter are allowed to reunite.

Firewall (2006) starring Harrison Ford
Bank's security expert is forced to hack for crocks.
His family was held in their home while he was to continue
to go to work and find a way for them to hack into system.
His wife was played by Virginia Madsen
and his assistant was Mary Lynn Rajskub.

Johnny Mnemonic (1995) starring Keanu Reeves
This one had a sci fi element.
He was hired to carry in his brain data.
The problem is they overload him causing problems.
The challenge is to get the information out
preferably without him losing his life.

Sunday night Randy watched the Detroits Tigers.
So I decided to watch a few movies on my own.

Flirting with Disaster (1996)
A comedy starring so many good people.
The cast aside this was a pretty odd story.

Casanova's Big Night (1954)
A classic comedy starring Bob Hope.
I had seen this before; wanted to see it again.

Earthsea

2008-04-05T10:25:00.000-04:00

We just watched this miniseries from the Sci-Fi channel.
We both really enjoy science fiction and sometimes fantasy.
Science fiction and fantasy are oftne lumped in together.
I am not so much into fantasy but can handle some of it.

This morning I found some YouTube movie clips.
Because I did enjoy it so much wanted to share these.
Also of note is Official Sci Fi Legend of Earthsea site.
And from wikipedia: Earthsea, Characters, Islands

The actors may be familiar from other sci fi endeavours.
The main character, Ged, is Shawn Ashmore aka Iceman
Best friend, Vetch, is Chris Gauthier, Eureka's Vincent.
Lady Elfarren is Amanda Tapping, Stargate's Samantha.

Scene 1 - 6:51 minutes

Scene 2a (2:27) and Scene 2b (4:23)

Scene 3 - 6:07 minutes

Scene 4 (0:51) and Scene 5 (3:30)

Considered E of HUMORE for entertainment value.

AFI Movie Date Night #12

2008-04-04T22:15:00.003-04:00

It was Easy Rider tonight (#88), which is probably the best known motorcycle road movie of all time. This 1969 movie starred Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper (who also directed it) as the two friends who take the motorcycle trip. It also had supporting roles from Jack Nicholson, Karen Black and Toni Basil.

It's a good movie for its time and probably helped the young people of the culture identify with the movie. And the soundtrack was very memorable.

Adventure Movies

2008-04-04T22:00:00.000-04:00

The AFI movie tonight was Easy Rider (1969).
I guess it depicted the hippie-stoner life style.
Rather than find other movies like that ...
I decided to take the "adventure" element
to find other movies to watch with it.

Earthsea (2004)
Listed genres as fantasy, drama, adventure
Admittedly I have never read the books it is based on.
I really liked this - it kept my interest thru out
moreso than Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings.
It does seem to be a cross between the two -
it has a magic school for wizards like Harry Potter
and there is the adventure/quest like the Lord of the Rings.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005)
Listed genres as adventure, comedy, sci-fi
All I can really say is this is very odd.

Banana Custard Pie

2008-04-04T16:45:00.000-04:00

Mix together and set aside:
1 c mashed ripe bananas (2 medium)
2 t lemon juice

Stir together the following:
1/2 c Bisquick® mix
1/4 c sugar
1 T butter or margarine, softened
1/2 t vanilla
2 eggs
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

Finally add the two mixtures together ...
pour into pie/souffle plate.

Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes.
Cool completely for about an hour.
Cover and refrigerate for another two hours.

Suggested top layer when ready to serve:
3/4 cup frozen (thawed) whipped topping
sprinlked with 1/4 c coarsely chopped walnuts
and Caramel topping, warmed, if desired

Variation: we simply did not add top layer(s).
I also simply just poured mix in casserole dish.

Original recipe called Impossibly Easy Banana Custard Pie

Dentist

2008-04-04T08:05:00.001-04:00

I had tooth pain for a couple of weeks now.
Monday I that the tooth was actually wiggling.
I also had trouble with it just a year ago.
The tooth has a cap over a root canal.

I was scheduled to see doc Friday (today).
But there was a cancellation Thursday.
The doc removed the loose cap to find the tooth
beneath it was cracked and rubbing the gumline.

Weird thing is the post was still upright.
The dentist filed it down so not to be irritating.
At this point there is not enough left to save.
I am scheduled to have the rest surgically removed.

That is not scheduled until the end of the month.
The pain has subsided since the cap and tooth removed.
The original root canal keeps there from having pain.
Will have to get use to gap in teeth - bottom back left.

Flint not Clint

2008-04-04T07:53:00.001-04:00

Thursday movies in review -

I am not big into action movies.
I probably have not see much with Clint Eastwood ...
but I do like Derek Flint and found out so did Randy.
Derek Flint is played by James Coburn in
Our Man Flint (1966) and In Like Flint (1967).
These movies are a spoof of James Bond "007" movies.
The Flint character is very intelliegent on many subjects ...
"Flint is the worlds greatest secret agent, ...
an expert on electronics and Dolphin speech
and goes to Moscow for Ballet (To Teach!)"

We only had one of the Flint movies so had to rent the other.
At the rental place Randy also picked up a horror flick ...

Bug (2006) - suppose to be a dramatic horror thriller
I saw quite a bit before falling asleep and saw NO horror.
Randy said he also never saw bugs. (scratch head now)
Randy said it was moreso a physchological thriller.
It stars Ashley Judd which is usually pretty good.

Toni Collette movies

2008-04-04T07:26:00.008-04:00

These were actually watched on Wednesday.
Randy was out and about all afternoon.
So the first two movies I watched alone.
Randy was not interested in seeing them (again).

Clockwatchers (1997) - imdb trailer
Its about the life of office temps. If you have ever worked in an office environment you will see that it is pretty true to life. The new girl gets embraced by three other temps. They socialize both at the office and after hours. They believe everyone is out to get them and keep them as temps especially when a new permanent is hired from outside their group. The movie reminded me of Working Girl and there was even a referrence to Tess. The "clockwatchers" aka temps are played by Toni Collette, Parker Posey, Lisa Kudrow and Alana Ubach.

I thought I was going to watch "gal pal" movies ...
but after watching this movie I was interested
to see what else Toni Collette had acted in.

About a Boy (2002) - imdb trailer
This is a romantic comedy based on a Nick Hornby's best-selling novel. Hugh Grant plays a young-ish man who decides to pick up single mothers by pretending to be a single parent himself when in reality he does not even work but lives off an inheritance of sorts. He ends up being involved in the life of the son of one of the ladies he dates friend. The boy who has a depressed mother in turns helps Hugh's character grow up and find purpose in his life. After starting to watch it realized I had seen it before. Toni Collette played the boy's mother.

Evening (2007) - imdb trailer
This is a romantic drama in which a dying mother, Anne, remembers her past and the "big mistake" and proclaims the love of her life is Harris - a name the two daughters, Nina and Constance, have never heard of before. The story goes back in forth between current day and fifty years past when Anne was maid of honor at her best friends high-society Newport wedding. Her best friend, Lila, has a brother that is interested in Anne while she is taken with wedding guest Harris. This back and forth element is reminiscent of Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood and the old love element is even more like The Notebook.

SO impressive is the cast of amazing woman actresses:
Claire Danes as young Anne and Vanessa Redgrave as dying Anne
Toni Collette as Nina and Natasha Richardson as Constance
Mamie Gummer as young Lila and Meryl Streep as older Lila
Glenn Close as Lila's mother and Eileen Atkins as night nurse

Natalie Portman movies

2008-04-01T22:00:00.002-04:00

We decided to watch Natalie Portman movies.
She is a contemporary favorite of Randy's.
I like what I have seen of hers.

Closer (2004) - (independent) romantic drama
Natalie's Alice starts and ends with Jude Law's Dan.
Julia Roberts' Anna starts/ends with Clive Owen's Larry.

Garden State (2004) - romantic comedy
A mother's death brings a troubled young man back home.
While there he falls in love with Natalie's character.

Mars Attacks! (1996) - comedy sci-fi fantasy thriller
It's a Tim Burton movie with Jack Nicholson as President.
Glenn Close is the first lady and Natalie the first daughter.
Other greats: Annette Bening, Pierce Brosnan, Danny DeVito,
Martin Short, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Michael J. Fox.
Following is 1996 Theatrical Trailer for Mars Attack! (2:21)

FOUR MONTHS!

2008-04-01T16:01:00.001-04:00

It's our four month anniversary!

Thanks honey for four incredible months!!!

April Fools Day

2008-04-01T08:44:00.000-04:00

Pranksters Unite - it's your day!!!
Last year my boyfriend and I told everyone
we got engaged after meeting in person just once.
Four months later in August that actually did happen!!!

There is an obvious prank for newlyweds to play ...
But considering last year's prank came true ...
we are hesitant to tell everyone we are pregnant.

I did google for April Fools Recipes and found many.
I still decided not to do anything this year.
But once I shared these links with my husband ...
he suggested "we" plan to do them on others next year.

April Fool Party Meat Loaf
Chicken Not Pie
Colorful Cupcakes
Rice Cereal Meat Loaf

Luther

2008-03-31T22:00:00.005-04:00

We watched Luther (2003) Monday. I thought it was a good biographical story. "During the early 16th Century idealistic German monk Martin Luther, disgusted by the materialism in the church, begins the dialogue that will lead to the Protestant Reformation." For those that do not know he is the one that posted the Ninety-Five Theses on the Power of Indulgences on the door of the catholic church. While I have read these before it was a lot easier understanding them when seeming them portayed on the big screen. The "indulgence" preachers reminded me of salesman shysters. No wonder he was so incensed with the way they conducted "business".

Blissful Macaroni Cheese Bake

2008-03-31T19:12:00.006-04:00

I am dealing with a tooth in pain (called dentist).
I needed something to eat that was soft but hearty.
So I created my own macaroni and cheese casserole.

Cook up 2 cups of elbow macaroni

Drain and add in the following:
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 cup of milk (evap is okay)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Pour into 2 quart casserole dish.
To the top add:
A thin layer of parmesian cheese

Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes

Updated: April 30, 2008
Modified ingredients a tad bit.