tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57828742011-12-15T04:12:53.992+01:00Lignieres, France; village life and times as witnessed by two adventurous Californians with a taste for food, wine, castles, ancient Roman sites and old piles of rock (houses).Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.comBlogger3191100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-33407736186346620062011-11-11T02:57:00.000+01:002011-11-11T02:57:28.958+01:00

Yes, now I'm designing and building as I go, ahem...the surround of the A/C - Heater device that lives at ground level. It's a big square box...6' by 3' and on it's own concrete pad. To build the deck addition meant enclosing it on 3 of it's 4 sides and pretending that the top 6 inches doesn't show. A joke but there IS a plan about that will partially negate it's appearance. A piece of deck

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-27388543173399212212011-10-01T21:16:00.000+02:002011-10-01T21:16:12.721+02:00

So off to scenic Berkeley for dinner with Ted and Diane at an Indian Restaurant. Into the trusty but feeble Penny The Prius and off we go about 2:15 last Wednesday. Thru the canyon and down the hill into Vallejo Kelly drove in the fairly light traffic. We crossed the Crockett/Vallejo Bridge (Carquinez)and as we gained the other side and found ourselves on the uphill climb out of the bridge

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-89688869618129961472011-09-19T02:12:00.000+02:002011-09-19T02:12:57.809+02:00

Home to go to bed and sleep til odd hours and wake wondering where the hell I am. God, Jet lag is a bitch! Overall it was 22 hrs from getting up at 7am last Wednesday morning at the ETAP in the 19th Arr. in Paris, calling a cab with the inherent wait that drew on to 45 minutes because of awful traffic. Nice cabbie, a Morrocan young man, nice chat about the Arab Spring. Mostly the focus was on

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-76679705364439650242011-08-22T14:36:00.000+02:002011-08-22T14:36:04.553+02:00

Thery have been saying the word "Canicule" for about a week now...and while warm, then warmer, then hot...the days simply didn't apply the record breaking temperatures of the 2003 EVENT they called "a canicule" then. Well yesterday it certainly TRIED to be one with whatever temperature it was outside, 34 or 35 C, was equalled by the bloody humidity which stopped one in their tracks. We worked on

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-23102524698860493882011-08-21T12:26:00.000+02:002011-08-21T12:26:30.340+02:00

Woke a bit before 4am...noises, lots of noises and it isn't the morons on their motorbikes either or with their drunken friends on the street as is the usual case. Continuous lightning blasting thru the windows and wind whipping them open in succession through the North side of Maison Blanc! Papers flying out of the computer room adjacent to my sleeping chamber, another window popping open

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-40649931345023182872011-08-15T15:59:00.000+02:002011-08-15T15:59:44.741+02:00

Heavens! So up this morning, breakfast of toast and over-easy eggs for me and smoked salmon over cream cheese for Kelly and we were set to DO the Sewing Room. We had started this project two and a half years ago and quit in order to allow Kelly to sew the wall clothing for the downstairs rooms. That (almost) done and today after the Guest Potty and Her Kitchen came the Sewing room wallpaper job

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-16482139646485132342011-08-13T00:08:00.001+02:002011-08-13T06:25:15.036+02:00

Today we went AT the former "Blue Room", no longer Blue, it is a wonderful, bright and mind boggling mix of light green and a dark red. It is absolutely beautiful, fun to look at and USE as the Public Potty downstairs in Maison Blanche. Truly spectacular to anyone familiar with the dreary old "Blue Room" that served as the guest potty when we did dinners. Tomorrow night our guests the

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-51333850893475176782011-08-06T18:34:00.000+02:002011-08-06T18:34:45.259+02:00

The Aoutat biters are baaack! Kelly gets a few and I get many...they are the itchiest little pests that you have evr come across. Harvest Mites they are, Chiggers to some but we all know what damnable critters they are. They crawl on you from their hiding places on the undersides of lefy things and at 1/100th of an inch they aren't to be seen easily. They wander about until a tsty tender spot is

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-74797919757961161452011-07-30T23:35:00.000+02:002011-07-30T23:35:01.215+02:00

So today, Saturday July 30th is come. Cool...today we accomplished a LOT in Kelly's Kitchen AFTER venturing to Issodun in the morning to do a bit of grocery shopping in foreign surroundings. Not that Issodun is so very far, it's just that we don't go there very often. It's north of us into the land of huge grain fields, some gone fallow as the weather has dictated lately. Some sunflowers and

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-24468519545001959942011-07-21T22:33:00.000+02:002011-07-21T22:33:17.164+02:00

We are deep into wallpapering Kelly's Kitchen. It's a red and white pattern of drawings done centuries ago as news for the masses. Trois du Joyes or some-such. The overall tone is that of a very light pink. The resuly is that the kitchen is now very bright and alive compared to the orange and dirty walls that were extant before. I like it and so does Kelly. She chose a red and beige tile as

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-60992095017591629792011-07-16T20:16:00.000+02:002011-07-16T20:16:29.311+02:00

Didn't sleep worth a damn last night, typical complaint of old age pensioners isn't it? Then about 5am Furry decided it was high time that I rise to her food need and the proper mounding of the diminished supply currently available. We were going to buy some yesterday (kibble) but did not...so this morning was the shock (for HUR Magesty) of a less and volumous bowl, a middling hillock instead

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-13134397418713099532011-07-06T08:32:00.000+02:002011-07-06T08:32:47.544+02:00

About what? Well the damned Casey Anthony Almost Trial that wrapped up yesterday. The public thinks she's guilty of course, the prosecutors are sure of it, the jurors thought not and sent her home to "Party ON" as best she can. Oh, the lies you say...so what? Time served will handle those quite nicely. The Tape, the body location, the smell from the trunk, her stupid explanation of where her

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-73369273756222249232011-07-02T23:35:00.000+02:002011-07-02T23:35:29.253+02:00

Here, results of the first day of the 2011 Tour De France. Contador did not win the first stage. He's my rider this year, the one I hope for, a real follow-on to Lance and very capable of winning the whole thing. I watched today on France 3 TV, the start and the last 40+ kilometers hoping to see Mr. Contador blow them all way but it was not to be. That is the way of the Tour. I started to

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-49409019331861512732011-07-01T07:19:00.000+02:002011-07-01T07:19:46.303+02:00

Arrived back at Maison Blanche yesterday about 6pm, tired and happy to be back. We had spent the morning at a Grotto, read: cave, and NOT the wine kind) deep in the hills east of Cahors in Central France. I quote" The Pech Merle cave is situated close to the village of de Cabrerets, Lot county, France (How to find Cabrerets-Pech Merle). Why is it called "Pech Merle" ? In the lower

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-67109048718558625632011-06-21T11:44:00.003+02:002011-06-21T12:16:50.683+02:00

This week, the week of the Paris Air Show! For all the airplane nuts (real WING-NUTS) this is the week that was for them. I went to it with Ted and Kelly back in 2003 just as the canicule was beginning to rear it's ugly head. We were hot, damned hot and stayed that way through many grueling hours on trains, buses and taxis getting TO Le Bourget in NE Paris and it was even hotter coming back! We

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-43627949956527068502011-06-14T20:36:00.000+02:002011-06-14T20:36:58.270+02:00

The damned cat INSISTS on staying up and about all @#$#@#! night! And...at 3 or 3:30 begins to call my name outside the door...Hhhooowaarth...Oh gawd, I don't want any! Then she finds she can wedge the shower room door open, then comes the claws in the arm and further insistence that I provide her with either food...properly mounded, of course, OR just play with her at 3 or 3:30 in the bloody

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-57125463251083273372011-06-13T20:42:00.000+02:002011-06-13T20:42:31.899+02:00

Yes, today was the famous Donkey Faire in Lignieres. Many, many beautiful animals, just as many people...more people. It began in earnest last night with the arrival of the first of several hundred fine Donkey's, the subject of today's extravaganza. They hee-haw'd all night long, their songs woke me about 3am and again about 5:30. I listened for a while and finally fell asleep to awake with

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-883183644726485692011-06-12T13:14:00.000+02:002011-06-12T13:14:40.945+02:00

Yes, it's the Swallow Cam in action right now outside the closet windows at Maison Blanche in Lignieres, Cher, FR. Beginning today the swallow cam will be a regular feature of my humble blog. Every windows in the front (12 total, upper and lower) has a swallow's nest built in it's left hand upper corner. Every one. These then are the famous Left-Hand Swallows of Lignieres come home to roost,

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-3597827950964185762011-06-11T11:29:00.002+02:002011-06-11T17:39:17.064+02:00

I don't know which fine company where made it but the bastards did a fine job...burned up the plug of my plugged in Refrigerator and blew out the electricity in 1/2 this bloody house! Now since this house was wired in the dark ages sometime not all of it's little wiring secrets have been revealed to me...er...US. What goes where and how it gets there is anyone's guess. I pulled the curtain back

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-27022056434511899252011-06-09T21:04:00.000+02:002011-06-09T21:04:47.469+02:00

So this day we decided to seek out a bBQ for our trip south to Bordeaux in coming weeks. We dropped the RV rental idea as just too damned expensive, roughly 1500 USD a week! Gads, lotta money to drive a vehicle around that will get probably 10mpg at 6 dollars a gallon, wow. Cost per mile is a bitch! So we will feature a BBQ each evening and sandwiches during the day with local products all the

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-71997127132275945802011-06-07T17:51:00.000+02:002011-06-07T17:51:16.703+02:00

So today was to be the day when we were going to see Liz get her Internet up and running. We planned it since last week to go to the SFR store in St. Amand, purchase a SFR/Vodaphone Dongle and sign her up for a 2 year stint with 3G iNet service (aka 2G internet slow service) and that would be that. Not so easy there poopsie, first they wanted her passport...? huh? Why a passport, who knows but

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-36086727902054066142011-06-06T13:30:00.000+02:002011-06-06T13:30:25.521+02:00

Yes I have those here. All of them and one of the preceeding. The weeds run the gamut from dandilions 4 feet tall to things I'd think we'd eat as salad if we could just get by the unknowns. Lots of berry vines too, where the hell did they come from anyway?! Horrible plants that don't mind taking over an entire garden if allowed to grow and grow through 20 months of absent owners like us! Shit!

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-15160308408794937982011-06-05T09:39:00.001+02:002011-06-05T23:10:00.518+02:00

Yes folks I'm writing and have been writing for OVER TWO YEARS on this miserable slow coonection through a 2G Dongle from SFR/Vodaphone. Oh gee. Now don't get me wrong, I miss it when it's down (as it is often that way) and the reward of not having to constantly deal with France Telecom/Orange is pleasure enough perhaps BUT I've paid full price for this miserable connection for OVER TWO YEARS

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-18282801815478504782011-06-01T08:17:00.001+02:002011-06-01T13:09:35.801+02:00

Whatever I did worked...are you vaguely familiar with computers and their networks? I had a problem with my email outgoing messages, incoming came in ok but nothing I wrote went out, just sat there in the Outgoing Messages box and aged past due date if you know what I mean. So this morning I decided to try something (trying something is the hypothesis of an idea rememeber that). So I powerred

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-38587805952966580742011-05-30T14:20:00.000+02:002011-05-30T14:20:04.406+02:00

Well yesterday I turned my kitchen over to Kelly to develop a new recipe for us. We'll call it Kelly Lute's Mexican Minestrone. Nice catchy name for one very delicious and nutricious soup. Let me say that all of the ingredients except ONE were left over from Sunday evenings Braised Chicken Taco feed with Sue and Dave. Here goes, give it a try and let me know what changes you made and how it came

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-7554525777070993812011-05-29T15:42:00.003+02:002011-05-29T15:42:33.342+02:00

Warm sunshine beamed through my window at 7am sharp, the beginning of another wonderful French day. Up, dressed, brush teeth while looking out at the courtyard jungle. Last nights Mexican feast was a dream, we LOVE Mexican food and chicken tacos were the entree of choice. Our guests Dave and Sue are always easy to be with, warm and friendly conversationalists. We ate and chatted away finishing

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-23601863752744036752011-05-25T12:32:00.000+02:002011-05-25T12:32:18.227+02:00

SITTING DRINKING OUR MORNING COFFEE AND WHAT DO i SEE BUT lIZ WALK BY OUR FRONT WINDOW HEADED TOWARD THE pROXY market next door. Then Kelly detected that something had been placed in our mailbox...yes...smoked trout! To a Sicilian bred soul such as myself this is a |message| and NOT a good one. To the logical Californian they are fish to be consumed with great joy. A conundrum no doubt but one

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-36417981922564388632011-05-24T22:44:00.000+02:002011-05-24T22:44:20.248+02:00

Up in the am about 7:30, seems respectable. Let my duck sleep another hour before I yelled for someone to play with. These days her neck pain has been such a constant presence that it affects everything we do. She found a local person, sounds like a kind of Chiropractor and I think..."what the hell, do it!". We'll see. Dave and Sue are due back in the afternoon. We did well by the garden it

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-85998755750436179402011-05-23T23:41:00.002+02:002011-05-23T23:41:21.293+02:00

We drove off this morning to get fuel...gazoil at the local super-market/gas station at 1.34 a liter. Filled the Toyota with 12 gallons for about 60 USD. About the same as in our corner of the US...about 5.00 USD per gallon. Then we were off to Chateauroux for a days shopping for everything possible. Chateauroux is about 20 miles from Lignieres, due west. We first went to the junk stores on

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-28250498309785330472011-05-22T22:23:00.000+02:002011-05-22T22:23:13.080+02:00

Arrived in Lignieres in the afternoon of 12 May, flight was ok...American Airlines from SFO to Chicago where because of a certain lack of cash and no ATM at the airport left us food-less...with all those beautiful Chicago Pizzas just waiting for us. Ah, use a CC...no, their CC verification system was down for the duration. No pizza. No drinks, we shared a rather ordinary 9.95 cent Ham and Cheese

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-77620058628692024602011-04-09T00:37:00.002+02:002011-04-09T00:37:37.374+02:00

From California This gentleman is the real deal, a blues man, a searching soul singing his heart out at Chris's Club in Vallejo, California on one fine Monday night in April of 2011. Oakland Sam is a harmonica player 1st class with a smooth vocal delivery to boot. We finally have our airline tickets in hand for our long awaited trip back across the pond. Frankly I didn't know if it was ever

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-50903705569437303702011-03-29T01:34:00.001+02:002011-03-29T01:35:45.169+02:00

Lyrics | William DeVaughn - Be Thankful for What You Got lyricsYes, I've lost my mind. This song drove Audrey, Mike and I crazy sorting out the title, the singer and the damned lyrics. Here it is...enjoy!

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-10573297989498356392011-03-04T20:35:00.002+01:002011-03-04T21:05:36.522+01:00

Well we are still making it through this wet and cool wintertime. Sunny day today, I'm baking some bread for my ill neighbor across the street, she really appreciates it and I can experiment on the loaves with various textures, seeds and grains. I know she's home when the Oxygen resupply truck comes in and the whistling noise it makes when it refills the bottles of the life-giving gas. She

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-77323311348109351522011-02-08T23:32:00.007+01:002011-02-08T23:57:34.418+01:00

Blustery winds and 70 degree warmth makes this a typical late spring day but it is so very early. Nice to be out in though I am not. I spent some time putting away more boxed items from the Swamphouse and taking a load of excess crap to Goodwill Industries...mostly unused but undesirable lighting fixtures and bulbs and a pile of decorator pillows that we already have too many of. Good riddance!

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-85901891339493785632011-02-07T17:21:00.007+01:002011-02-09T03:50:30.994+01:00

Well first California tried to freeze us outa here for three weeks in December and January and now I slept on top of the bed (NOT in it!) last night. So it goes this winter, unusual weather here in CA and the rest of the country in a big deep freeze.We drove last Sunday down south to Indian Wells, a distance of about 515 miles by Prius. Into the pouring rain (naturally)and fog. We took Highway 5,

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-53307888014309776972011-01-02T01:24:00.002+01:002011-01-02T01:42:34.899+01:00

After the funeral of my Mother Ann in April of 1962 I didn't immediately return to Keesler, instead I rode back to Selma with Harold and Mamacita (Hazel) to stay a few days and perhaps bring my great green Mercury back with me. I had only been in the Air Force since November and was about to graduate and be shipped out to somewhere in the US I thought. Having the car would make the adventure

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-61852566626965874562010-12-04T15:37:00.002+01:002010-12-04T15:40:13.883+01:00

http://www.wikileaks.ch/http://www.wikileaks.nl Currently being hosted in many countries, thank you! NO MORE LIES! Support WikiLeaks!

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-8274499965451592942010-12-04T01:00:00.005+01:002010-12-04T01:54:30.078+01:00

I'm a combination of furious, disgusted and sad to observe the reactions of my government as the antics of our diplomatic and warrior past are laid bare for the world to see. I'm not so surprised we did all the things we did, or said all the things we said but that none of this has come to light through our so enlightening media or, for that matter, our ever chatty politicians. No, none of it,

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-87909361339776951662010-11-29T02:03:00.004+01:002010-12-01T00:07:41.709+01:00

We travelled down the 99 Highway through the valley towns to Le Grande in about 3 hrs, then took another 35 minutes to run the rough road up into the beautiful hills of East of Merced to the ranch. Thanksgiving 2010 was held in the 150 year old stone farmhouse and headquarters of The Van Ness Ranch. I have uploaded a 3 part 36 minutes in total video of the trip up that @###@! road. It is

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-75955215195031148392010-10-23T21:07:00.004+02:002010-10-23T21:32:57.257+02:00

The US and it's citizens have taken leave of their senses. We actually TRADE with China. Why? What hath Nixon wrought? They are STILL a COMMUNIST country! Still, and have been since the late 40's. See this: http://www.uschina.org/statistics/tradetable.htmlWe avow great hatred of the Communist system of government but now we enhance their dominence of world trade with every doo-dad

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-43091462872917053012010-10-10T19:45:00.011+02:002010-10-10T23:30:47.915+02:00

 Yesterday I arose from my fitful sleep to go as quietly as possible from the house and drive below the speed limit to Vacaville's Nut Tree Airport. They were having a fly-in/airshow/not-so-static display of WW2 aircraft and many others. They promised P-51 Mustangs in quantities not to be less than 13 or so and it's one of my favorites. I'm an airplane NUT, I'm plain nuts about airplanes and

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-82559857124753867542010-10-07T18:35:00.003+02:002010-10-07T18:49:21.652+02:00

So hot then warm then cool, still to blustery, summer fell away like the leaves from the golden trees. The BEST time for weather in California is the golden red Fall. Ah the sweet scent of burning...what's that? PEAT?! Peat? Smells like...tar! Oh hell, it IS tar, they've waited all summer for it to get cool so they can tar the damned roofs downtown! Shit! The scent wafts through Old Town and

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-53042332260791182872010-09-30T01:41:00.003+02:002010-09-30T01:59:53.684+02:00

Well...maybe...it's plenty hot though, been about 100f for the last 4 days. There goes the PGE bill! I checked the Smartmeter site this morning to see the sticker-shock and while it's higher than our average it's only going to last til tomorrow it looks like. The ol' Suisun west wind is turned ON and that signals the beginning of cooler times to come. When it is quiet, we roast. Simple as

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-63294590745836547382010-09-20T00:00:00.009+02:002010-09-20T00:40:34.386+02:00

The first fall rain, 19 September about 8 am this morning as the front of a weak Pacific storm made it's way into California. Seems pretty normal to me but the Catalpa Tree is starting to turn colors and other trees about town are similarly donning their Fall manner of dress. Nice, I like fall colors and the coming of winter even in a sublimely gentle climate like California's. The big flat

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-29817461657715269602010-09-12T02:57:00.002+02:002010-09-12T03:15:44.639+02:00

Up at 6am sharp...pants on, shirt on, keys, coffee and toast and newspaper readings done. Off to The Swamphouse across town to clear out the clutter (I would say ONCE AND FOR ALL but I know better) from the front hall. Audrey came along and was a very good helpmate and worker as well as the runner for our lunch (SUBWAY Sandwiches). Sold some stuff...about 150 bux worth of mixed items...mixed

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-35167593250703560242010-09-10T02:00:00.004+02:002010-09-10T04:21:14.402+02:00

Where to begin? I dunno...first is the discovery of our beautiful grandchild Kaylee's FB page. How fun, corss generalional communications, what a treat. They are so much more technologically able than us old farts that they communicate in this way like we used to with IMing and emails. Who even remembers snail mail? When was the last time you bought a stamp to mail a letter to someone dear and

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-91587491408886779192010-08-29T04:47:00.002+02:002010-08-29T04:55:13.868+02:00

http://www.rennasmeatmarket.com/ The BEST in the WEST! Quick Delivery! What a wonderful array of meats Joey has, it's amazing and delicious! The absolutely tenderest steaks you can get your quick fire on! Ribe Eye steaks to die for! The sausage varieties are first quality and the very best tasting on the market! I'm ever so impressed. Try a ragu using Joey's hamburger, it NEVER tasted so good

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-20026064104558520052010-08-20T19:31:00.002+02:002010-08-20T19:42:33.697+02:00

Good grief! 380 MILLION bad eggs...tainted with chicken shit..oops...salmonella bacteria. They want to investigate how they got that way. Hey, pay me I'll tell you! By laying eggs by the zillions below...the key word...BELOW chickens! Anyway, why oh why do we ship these things all over the US and ALASKA, yes...even ALASKA got some of these damned things. This is just an example of the

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-87582934331057252672010-08-19T20:39:00.003+02:002010-08-19T21:02:06.474+02:00

Ribs...mmmmmm good! I LIKE ribs in the summertime especially. Cooked and hot they are wonderful and cooked properly they are great cold too. Cooking ribs properly is an art and there are so many ways it boggles the mind to consider them. I used to BBQ them on a Webber grill and they were darned good, slow cooked, tender and flavorful. When I say "ribs" I mean PORK ribs (sorry to my Muslum

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-6852824905759119862010-08-17T17:58:00.005+02:002010-08-17T19:14:45.214+02:00

Sixty-Seven, Hmmm...not a bad age as ages go. 2 years into Social Security for most of our fine older citizens and 5 for me as I chose to take my lower amount earlier. Why? Well darlings 'cause I thought I'd be long gone by now and wanted SOME of my money back anyhow. If I had the bucks I'd pay it all back and refile now instead, get more that way. Yes you CAN do that, it's rare but it can be

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-80030542979709257092010-08-12T02:09:00.003+02:002010-08-12T02:44:42.781+02:00

So many reasons; so few cusswords. Almost from Day One of the Windows era I have disliked then hated Microsoft. Opening the box to get out 40 3.5" diskettes for Windows 98 was hard; then there were 20 CD's with OS2 which was IBM but I blame Microsoft for! Nothing with Windows Anything was EVER easy either and if you made a mistake on anything you paid for it 10X over. Support was marginal in

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-19944816513933469692010-08-08T01:34:00.002+02:002010-08-08T01:47:20.708+02:00

Not HOT ones like everyone says are so typical here. Sorry...we are in the midst of a very cool summer season with our daily temps in the mid-low 80s. That's a problem too as it is the height of the tomatoe season for both the big industrial tomatoe farming enterprises and my own 10 foot square micro-farm. I picked tomatoes today that had been on the bloody plants for weeks and weeks, had

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-89312110126256072752010-08-03T22:50:00.003+02:002010-08-03T23:01:20.608+02:00

Change is upon us. Audrey is in love...head over heels as it is when you first meet a soulmate thriller guy. He has her, full on...HAS her heart, soul and being. She is NOT who she was a few weeks ago. No...she has fallen BIG TIME and it's thrilling and familiar to watch. She deserves IT. She wants IT. She needs it. A deep and dear friend, a person to give to, to take from, to exchange with,

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-49450332046326151532010-07-21T01:01:00.004+02:002010-07-21T01:28:56.092+02:00

More Farm ImagesWater...Water Everywhere...I didn't do it!Merde! Merde! Merde! (That's shit, shit, shit in French) Off in the morning yesterday to the Swamphouse to do more moving chores and cleaning as we have been doing for the last months. My neighbor Vern had called just before we left our new abode to tell me there was a giant puddle of water in the front of the house. Oh grrrr. So upon

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-30527447833478603812010-07-18T17:53:00.005+02:002010-07-19T20:48:02.493+02:00

The Farm 07-19-2010Maybe we reached a crossroads yesterday about noon...maybe. You see EVERYTHING we own has been moved by us with a bit of help here and there from our trusty, lovely, intelligent and STRONG daughter Audrey. Every single item in this house has been hauled here from across the great divide...Suisun's Turning Basin aka "Waterfront". Every single thing lifted, pulled, shoved,

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-61440795635804895002010-07-11T00:47:00.004+02:002010-07-11T01:05:35.333+02:00

So I washed the beets and turned on the garbage disposal to listen to it's fine grinding and munching sound then turned it off after 30 seconds or so and then...what's that?! Oh shit! A loud water drianing sound that continued and continued! Oh no...oh yes...something has given up the ghost UNDER the sink in a manner deciededly SIMILAR (not exactly though) the fine BP oil disaster now in it's

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-80222644363486516892010-07-04T02:15:00.003+02:002010-07-04T02:31:06.867+02:00

The 4th is a stupendous celebration throughout the United States. It commemorates our intention to become independent of our good ol' friend England in 1776. It goes off in a bang everywhere there are citizens of the US. We love it generally and only the grumps hold back. It's always been a favorite of mine coming at the height of the summer months amidst plentiful sunshine and warm (if not

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-76362437486599948952010-06-25T00:13:00.005+02:002010-06-25T02:51:44.357+02:00

Up and at the computer this morning to see how the BP oil spew is doing. SOS...same ol' shit! It could keep this up until the entire resorvoir is emptied. BP blew it big time, nobody else's fault but theirs. Sure regulation could have been sticter but oil wells do this trick now and again and kill their workers after passing every environmental, engineering and psychological evaluation known

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-57114618339963053922010-06-11T22:04:00.005+02:002010-06-11T22:32:40.516+02:00

Maybe that, maybe not...what DO you do with a typical headstrong, positive thinking, almost totally logical, immature but nearly completely THERE physical specimen of a female who knows how to sail, even alone or mostly so and desires with all her being to be the youngest person to have ever circumnavigated the planet by boat? Long sentence but it nearly wraps up the conundrum. Let 'er go?

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-38307389537541581102010-05-20T07:17:00.005+02:002010-05-27T18:28:56.483+02:00

You know I love a good philosophical argument, a rousing political or religious one is wonderful too. Alas, in the current atmosphere in the United States I find it increasingly difficult to have these exchanges. Its no longer stimulating or fun, it has become serious, even between friends. I have long and dear friends who will always have that status with me, I respect and admire them for

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-85158784944020167972010-05-15T07:24:00.005+02:002010-05-27T18:33:15.445+02:00

It's been a week since I posted anything hereon...is that a word? Probably not, anyway I'm happy to report the DISHWASHER was taken away by a nice lady of the neighborhood who hates washing dishes and has never owned a dishwasher! How cool is that?! She came by the house a couple of days ago to report that she was the machine's new owner and that she wondered what might be needed, "perhaps a

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-20424640057598962832010-05-07T22:13:00.003+02:002010-05-09T00:51:33.381+02:00

So here's the picture, you have the following LARGE and HEAVY and USED appliances and objects of the kind. What to do with them when you live in a small town (pop. 28,000 overall but Olde Town maybe 1000) and they are not so obvious that the local thieves can get to them on your back porch in the last 3 1/2 months. What EXACTLY are they you might ask...well there's a Hotpoint Electric Range, 4

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-2528239843044893312010-05-06T21:34:00.005+02:002010-05-06T23:37:04.944+02:00

Huh? So a letter, Dear sir or madam, we have summarily, without further warning CANCELLED your home insurance. Huh? What? Why? How? When? Shit. Reading on, this house! Our "new" abode! What?! Good gawd, what gives? Then the not-so-trivial details reveal themselves:1. Paint is peeling, er ah, check!2. The roof tiles are curled, uh...check!3. The gutter leaks, hmmm, check!They don't love us

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-70132636246774680302010-05-01T21:07:00.003+02:002010-05-01T21:22:36.676+02:00

The image on The South 40 post, the one right before this one shows the South 40 as it appears this morning May 1st,2010. Tomatoes (some of what I will eventually have planted) are in along with beets, yellow squash, artichokes, leeks and seeds of various others yet unsprouted. Lots of room left for the stuff from Oregon whenever it arrives. There's no drip system installed so all watering is

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-4270908800087464012010-04-25T03:37:00.003+02:002010-05-01T21:06:14.819+02:00

Yes, We now are sharecroppers...lot#21 at the Suisun City Public Gardens is ours. I landed lot 21 as it was right next door to Ms. P who is OUR resident (well...almost) plant expert. Her patch of flowering sweetpeas is the wall that separates our little patch (100 sq. ft) of parched desert-like and weed infested soil from hers.I framed the 10 X 10 ft space in with 2 X 6 inch pressure-treated

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-50321960750706958752010-04-21T02:22:00.003+02:002010-04-21T02:56:03.039+02:00

Last Thursday was THE DAY! Now we are here adjusting ourselves and various objects of necessity to our new home. Do I like it? Yes,given we don't cram all the stuff we have in the old place into this place. I don't miss anything now...until I need it! Hard to cook without spices, pots and pans, oils, vinegars etc. We now assault the old place daily and remove to our new home whatever

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-68488853466640863202010-04-14T01:45:00.007+02:002010-04-14T16:30:17.208+02:00

So we WILL be moving into 311 Thursday, THIS Thursday! Hooray! It's been 3 1/2 months since we began the renewal of the old girl, all 1700 sq. feet of her. The floors are done, the kitchen is nearly so, the back bathroom is complete now except for paint and one bedroom is ready as is the upstairs office. The cat, Furry, is ready too...she has been without us during the daytime this whole time

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-55698102665188346262010-03-30T04:35:00.004+02:002010-03-30T05:14:01.432+02:00

Jezz, don't we have enough problems without going to these extremes? The Tea Baggers are soooo out of it, tearing apart the poor woe-be-gone Republicans at every chance and fronting the good Moose Killer to do their pleading or is it bleating?Gads, it would be funny if it wasn't so stupid. The baggers, themselves mostly dis-enfranchised Republicans or Libertarians gather here and there and

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-55051059573523342342010-03-28T01:42:00.008+01:002010-03-28T03:07:00.108+02:00

Maybe not, having time off to think about what we are trying to do or accomplish is important too. We have lots more work to be done at the Morgan Street house, more painting, more tiling, more details AND we have work to do in The Swamphouse too! The carpet in the office downstairs and in the upstairs bedroom (mine now as I'm in exile from The Marriage Bed by mutual agreement) too. Then tow

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-86851289013007242662010-03-19T15:07:00.011+01:002010-03-20T14:57:42.674+01:00

Like a dance this moving business is. We are both up to our ears in each of the many projects required to get us settled less than a mile from here and progress (what's that?) IS being made...sort of. Like any project of human beings it had a beginning (now long gone), a middle (stretched out and bloated like a beached whale) and someday, somehow, some way...an end (when we actually don't go

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-73032847691755512102010-03-16T00:00:00.004+01:002010-03-16T00:20:09.648+01:00

3 X 6 inch (yes the US is STILL doing English system measurements...even the English have adopted Metric but oh...no...we couldn't do THAT! So 3 X 6 INCH white, what we call SUBWAY TILE, is being installed by yours truely in the back bathroom of 311 Morgan our new home-to-be. I LIKE tile better than most wall coverings for bathrooms and kitchens as it's waterproof nature and timeless LOOK

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-4325724106718141502010-03-09T01:47:00.005+01:002010-03-09T02:10:09.229+01:00

The rest of the week....Friday came and went with my cleaning out my desk at 76 O'Farrell Street in San Francisco and wandering off to a nearby newstand for a detailed map of Union City, California and the environs. Map in hand I headed home to enjoy a quiet weekend with my family. I had been instructed to be AT the Union City "school" BY 8 am as that's what time the students-to-be, MY students

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-38031022705442473702010-03-04T21:14:00.007+01:002010-03-06T05:46:11.016+01:00

Yes, the last REAL work I did where someone (taxpayers at the end of it all) paid me a paycheck periodically was that of a High School (Grades 11 and 12 mostly) Teacher.I know, it's shocking. I'm shocked! It changed my whole life, the IT being Teaching itself. I wasn't very good at it as conventional thinking would tell, but I LIKED it, it felt good, honest and necessary. It was all rather

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-59731881591048369662010-02-28T05:06:00.004+01:002010-03-02T01:28:20.629+01:00

Today was supposed to de dedicated to finishing the grouting of the countertops and backsplashes...supposed is the key word here. Instead I visited ACE Hardware in Suisun City for the 4th time yesterday...yes...4 times! AND...got the final (I thought) 1/2 inch compression pipe fittings for the installation of the dishwasher next to the big sink. I got as far as moving the dishwasher back out

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-22523026664333836792010-02-25T04:22:00.006+01:002010-02-26T03:05:54.987+01:00

Under 311 Morgan Street is a "crawl space", a 3 foot tall access to the underpinnings, the floor joists (all heart redwood), main beams (all heart redwood), the water pipes, drain lines, electrical wiring, and last but not least (in this case) the natural (city) gas line(s) and spider webs galore. My interest at this segment of the reconstruction of 311 is the water and gas lines to the new

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-38304786490817641562010-02-19T05:51:00.002+01:002010-02-19T06:02:22.368+01:00

The two oven stack has been installed, tried to put them in the truck bed myself and with Kelly's help but it wasn't enough, so went next door to Vern's house and asked if he'd lend a hand. That was all it took and they were in on their back in the truck and ready to take across town to be installed. Vern drove over and with his hand-truck we were able to get them into the house with a bit of

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-63166419957571429322010-02-14T07:57:00.002+01:002010-02-14T08:09:53.138+01:00

Day after day we have been AT the projects that will allow us to begin our new life in The Big House in Old Town Suisun City. She paints, scrapes and obtains the hardware, furniture and materials we need to complete the remodel of 311 Suisun Street. We've been at it now for the last 5 weeks and I feel we have done about half of what is required. The kitchen tile work which is quite extensive is

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-18407891747710917032010-02-06T05:57:00.004+01:002010-02-06T08:10:05.958+01:00

Up at 7, drink coffee, read the daily rag and then about 9 or 10 if we are particularly slow that day, off across town to the Big House and our duty day.She who paints...paints, he who lays tile in funny patterns, lays tile. She cuts his tile to the dimensions so marked in red grease pencil. He facilitates her painting by removing objects from the woodwork such as curtain hangers and various

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-90126401855292873452010-01-23T23:28:00.003+01:002010-01-23T23:47:46.294+01:00

First...The Blood Pressure Drug...Metoprolol is back in my stable of drugs-that-keep-me-here. Finally thru great effort Kaiser FINALLY got the mess around my prescription sorted out and I have a three month supply in hand. BP is looking VASTLY better these last few days. Enough.___The Kitchen in the Big House that we are going to move into real-soon-now has now it's first coat of Min Wax

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-69862510327148234812010-01-15T20:38:00.004+01:002010-01-15T21:10:10.823+01:00

I'm NOT a happy Kaiser Kamper after this last week. A rather simple incident of being low on a heart drug (Metoprolol) turned into a complete medical mess for me and several Kaiser staff at Kaiser Vacaville. I was low on Metoprolol 10 days ago, a rainy Tuesday as I recall. It had been decided that I would get my medicines from Kaiser and abandon the Wal-Mart low-cost $4.00/mo per drug refill as

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-16857119443158068782010-01-13T16:47:00.004+01:002010-01-13T17:04:43.273+01:00

We purchased our 2nd batch of this miraculous substance and it was delivered to our door within a week, terrific! This time it came in one 5 gallon bucket instead of the previous single gallons. The target is The Big House across town where we plan on living for the next few years (if not for the rest of our lives..ahem!). I've rollered on about 3 of the gallons so far and completed the Living

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-45504498358711885082010-01-11T05:16:00.006+01:002010-01-11T05:43:43.174+01:00

The last WHILE has been busy as all get out. My friend of some 42 years came to help me pull the BMW diesel from Zulu's hull last Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Heavy and dirty and, at times, dangerous work. The engine weighed some 300 kg/660 lbs and was NOT an easy thing to get off its mounts. Once loosened by disconnecting electrical, hydralic, steering, fuel lines, it had to lifted off

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-14066916406622563762009-12-30T20:56:00.005+01:002009-12-30T21:37:21.671+01:00

Ok, ok...yes Tai Chi darlings. That Chinese exercise-looking slow movement thingie. Always a mystery to me, I liked how it looked without the slightest idea of what the hell was going on. Why so slow? How can you stand on one foot that long? How much exercise can it be? Marsha ran into us one day last week and was all a-flutter about the wonders of Tai Chi. She had taken A class the day

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-83403602376436588412009-12-27T21:50:00.002+01:002009-12-27T21:53:46.503+01:00

Herein lies the rub, as long as this kind of "information" is found as easily as I found it on the Web we will find a few ...a very few, who will use the knowledge gained to create mayhem and violence to society. The lack of morals in the perpetrators of the crimes themselves as well as that of the "instructor" is simply unforgiveable in today's hate-filled political climate. I rest my

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-82157765607679859452009-12-26T17:24:00.005+01:002009-12-26T20:09:03.771+01:00

Northwest passengers certainly HAD a scare, a BIG one when a Nigerian national, a young man of 23, attempted to set off some kind of explosive device held between his legs (!!) on a flight from The Netherlands to Detroit, Michigan. What kind of dedication to a cause, what kind of depression, what kind of sickness would allow any person to attempt such a thing? In short, what was he thinking? Only

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-43747198193621825342009-12-21T16:27:00.005+01:002009-12-21T17:15:28.847+01:00

I watched the Senate debate last night concerning the health care bill now making its slower-than-molasses way thru the US Congress. I'm not going to go into the technicalities or the awful politicizing of each American's health care that BOTH Republicans and Democrats have done since September on this bill. There's no point in that, save to say that I have relatives, a daughter stuck with no

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-82430731581428791562009-12-17T23:22:00.004+01:002009-12-17T23:55:37.696+01:00

However you DO your Turkey, TurChicken, etc. you simply MUST have a decent stuffing to go with it, be it IN the bird or in a separate bowl. A Christmas dinner without stuffing is simply incomplete. No more dry stuffing or an overly wet one either, balamced use of the ingrediants will give you a rich, flavorful and delicious stuffing every time. It's all about the bread. Yes, the bread is the

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-31988549184908852172009-12-16T22:55:00.003+01:002009-12-16T23:08:37.402+01:00

http://video.pbs.org/video/1333042208/ is the video of these two Master Chef's having at the process of deboning a chicken and then a turkey. It is spectacular and while Audrey and Kelly and I tackled the job ourselves your favorite chef lost control and tried for a suicide instead. I really DID it this time and while I did NOT go to the emergency ward in Vallejo on a Saturday night to have

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-74500156249047200922009-12-03T22:23:00.005+01:002009-12-03T22:58:14.169+01:00

It all really starts in October or maybe August when the first gleams of Holloween goods show in the stores. Candy, costumes, orange and black anything, arched back cat cutouts et al. A whole month and half ahead of the unofficial holiday itself. Yes, no day off for hard working Americans to celebrate the eve of The Day Of The Dead. Lots of beer and booze is consumed though and tons of sweets

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-20019924503760873682009-11-17T20:48:00.003+01:002009-11-17T22:02:14.199+01:00

Well we got it, drove 128 miles and change to Santa Cruz By The Sea to construct the engine lift (a JOB), and haul the yellow Farymann Marine Diesel A30 to the truck bed. I eased her down, fasten her in, deconstructed the engine lift, straped it in, jump in the truck with Kelly and awaaaay we went! ___Not far at first, to the Santa Cruz Diner as seen on Diners, Driveins and Dives. Packed with

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-39098986838187581622009-11-13T20:36:00.003+01:002009-11-13T21:05:32.166+01:00

Not around here, we demo in the middle of rebuilding too, like working on the flooring for the Master bedroom, 200 sq. feet of old carpet, been down on that floor since we replaced the original 1978 stuff some 20 years ago. It is ready to go. I have worked on this floor over the years, adding boards as I finished them, softwood floors, #2 knotty pine sort and they look great but the floor has

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-41182109583733540172009-11-08T17:46:00.005+01:002009-11-08T19:39:14.643+01:00

You know I sneeze sometimes for no reason I can see, smell or observe in any way. Not just once either, maybe 3 or 4 times then the storm of sensation subsides and I'm my ol' self again. Not bad, and who doesn't enjoy a good sneeze now and again?I won't be bothering a doctor in my trusty Kaiser HMO with this little annoyance as that is exactly what it is, an annoyance. I have a dear friend

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-55380209628286536462009-11-02T01:40:00.004+01:002009-11-02T02:05:21.624+01:00

Hello dear foodies, today I'm going to give you the recipe for my Inside Ribs, just about the best ribs made in an oven that you can imagine. What! You say, cook inside?! In an OVEN?...No way! Got to be in a BBQ at least or an open fire. Well if you live in Northern California in the winter or Seattle or Portland or a thousand other places around the world any other time and face wind, rain,

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-53135444404381781022009-10-31T19:03:00.004+01:002009-10-31T19:28:47.664+01:00

Well yesterday I ventured to Rio Vista and Walton's Marine Repair, Inc. to see how the ol' girl is doing these days. She has been in that yard now for three years and fed a diet of money intermittantly ever since. Mostly her problems came from the iron fasteners used to assemble her some 75 years ago in 1934. In the ensuing years they slowly began to disolve, being iron and subject to

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-53892886903522902392009-10-20T03:36:00.004+02:002009-10-22T00:50:01.337+02:00

You know if you've been reading this blog for very long that we did finally sort of, kind of, maybe did...sell our little house (called appropriately The Little House) in Lignieres last August to a local person we will call "Madame". She who walked into the open garage, approached us and spoke in very rapid French to ask us if the house was for sale or had it been sold (a short review is

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-83796648394851545452009-10-17T22:56:00.029+02:002009-10-22T02:44:08.130+02:00

Here is a photo essay ofhis wonderful dish in order of preparation. The actual recipe and How-to follows.Well really it's Bay Wolf's (Michael Wild) cook book that turned me on to this amazing dish seen and done thru far more experienced and knowledgeable eyes and taste buds than mine. I twist it a bit as I never seem to be able to duplicate the recipe as it is not to be found online when I

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-3776845476512365922009-10-13T23:10:00.006+02:002009-10-13T23:30:46.797+02:00

An Adult BisonWell the FIRST big Pacific storm of the wineter weather season is upon us. Windy as all get out...to 55mph acording to the Travis AFB weather station data. Not so bad here in the edge of Suisun as the storm is coming in from the south andthat means we are protected somewhat by the rest of the trees and homes to our south. Nonetheless Vern's

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-40702215096168126442009-10-06T19:51:00.003+02:002009-10-06T20:12:13.558+02:00

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/10/06/work.death/index.htmlis a link to the news story regarding the number of France Telecom suicides since the start of 2008...I think the number is 24 currently. Bar the windows, disarm the employees and the bosses (too many of those!), only bike to work and ban all pills and poisons. That ought to do it, at least it'll reduce the skipping out/malingering/

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-4851275033722684592009-10-02T18:49:00.003+02:002009-10-02T19:32:49.090+02:00

No. That is THE short list of major worldly motivations. Everything else is a distraction. Now back in sunny, warm California, a certain State of Dreams. Mexican food comes to mind. It's everywhere and a favorite. All of it, anything of it, the flavors, textures, subtle and not so. A party, no, a fiesta for the taste buds. I dearly LOVE the stuff. I was simple at it in the beginning, tacos

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5782874.post-19952057142179852812009-09-26T01:50:00.018+02:002009-09-26T20:38:30.678+02:00

La Villette - The CanalIt was a trip alright. Our dearest of friends S&D took us to the Chateauneuf Choo-Choo for the gala trip north to Paris, leg #1. Up at 7, finished detailing the house by turning the water off and draining the water lines everywhere that I could locate a drain. Water everywhere and we escaped through the front door with S&D and awaaaay we went across the foggy French

Howard N. Lutehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929162384202300967noreply@blogger.com0