Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Coffee Chat

Let's go to Les's from Timeout for Mom  and chat - don't forget to get your coffee before heading over!


  Skipping Out!

 
This is the time of year which brings back fond memories of when I might not be found sitting in class during school hours:  for various reasons.  If you could "skip" a day -- what would you do?
 I would love to have a skip day! I'd stay at home and finish some projects. I have crochet projects that have not been completed, a quilt that's not been done, not to mention the little projects around the house. Oh, and I have a paper that is coming due and I haven't even started it yet! Can I have more than one day?
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Porch Chat

It's time to head over to Patrice's porch for the weekly chat.
QUESTIONS
  1. When it's time to cut the grass (mow the lawn), who does it? Biz is the lawn mower at my house.
  2. If someone gave you $500 dollars and you could not spend it on yourself, who would you spend it on? My grandkids of course.
  3. Have you ever taken a blogging break or considered one? Considering it more and more each day - having a hard time keeping up with everything.
  4. Are you bothered by spring allergies or hay fever? If not spring, any other time of the year? Nope
  5. What's new with you? New job, new furnace, a few new gray hairs......
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Monday, April 29, 2013

Monday Quiz About Me



Welcome to Monday Quiz About Me - hosted by Acting Balanced and Touristic. They post 5 questions on Sunday evening along with a linky for you to link up your post answers! 

Here are the Questions:

1. Do spelling and grammar mistakes annoy you? Yes they do. I'm sure I make mistakes myself but it really annoys me when students turn in papers riddled with errors.
2. If you could witness any event past, present or future, what would it be? So many to choose from - Christ rising from the tomb - the Gettysburg Address - the Boston Tea Party - too many to choose from. 
3. When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? A teacher.
4. If you could offer a newborn child only one piece of advice, what would it be? Not to worry about what others think - be yourself.

My 5th Question - Spring has finally sprung. Mowed the yard for the first time this weekend. Do you love the smell of fresh cut grass or does it aggravate allergies for you?
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Friday, April 26, 2013

Follow Friday Four Fill-In Fun

Welcome to the weekly Follow Friday Four Fill-in Fun Blog Hop!


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Each week, Hilary over at Feeling Beachie lists four statements with a blank for you to fill in on your own blogs.   This week’s co-host is JANICE from TICK TOCK MY CLOCK– She came up with the last two statements!

This week’s statements:
The color green reminds me of the mountains in VA.
Lately all I get done is going to work and running around after work so  I haven't had much time for anything like crocheting, reading, or blogging!
Does the sound of breaking glass make you wince?
When I wander  through an antique store with Biz I  know that there is going to be another something in my house that I have to dust.
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Thursday, April 25, 2013

Pondering - switches

It's Thursday! One of my favorite days. Time to do a little "pondering" with Brenda from Ponderings of an Author.  


Her rules are really easy:

1. Grab the Pondering with a Purpose Badge (in her sidebar)
2. Look at the week's prompt
3. Post something on your blog that relates to the prompt - it can be a story, a poem, a picture -- anything you want it to be.
4. Go back here and add the URL from your post to the linky list on Brenda's.
5. Go check out the other bloggers who have added their links to the list.
6. AND most of all.... Have fun!

This Week's prompt:  

Switch

 My first thought is a "Hickory switch" - the kind my grandmother would make you go cut and bring back to her so she could switch you. And it had better be a good one too. The going and getting was actually worse than the switching!

There's a light switch. There's the automotive switches that used to be made in the company I used to work at. There's the switch of jobs that I just made. And the switch from daylight savings time and back. There's the countless switches in directions that my life has taken over the years. 

Last night I had to "switch" off my desire to drive to daughter's house and grab my new grandson out of her arms! He was crying the entire time I was on the phone with her and I could just hear the frustration in her voice. BUT, I asked three times if she needed any help and she said no. I swore I would not meddle and make her feel like she didn't know what she was doing - but it was really hard not to get in the car and go. I remember those times with crying babies and how hard it is. I also remember my mil making me feel "inadequate." Won't do that to my daughter. If she needs me she knows all she has to do is ask.

Sorry for the sideline - That's all the switches I can think of right now. I'm sure there's probably more.  


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Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Hodgepodge

Welcome back to the Wednesday Hodgepodge! Be sure to add your link to the bottom of Joyce's post and then go visit the neighbors. After all, that's part of the fun! 

1. April showers bring May flowers...what have you been showered with this month? Showered? Well first there was daughter's baby shower which went pretty well. Then there was the DOWNPOUR of rain that washed out roads and flooded basements - mine included. I lost my furnace and my dryer.

2. What is the nature of compassion?  Is it learned or innate?  Can compassion be learned?  If you're a parent is this something you've purposely sought to instill in your children, and if so how? I think most parents try to teach their kids to have compassion but I also believe that it comes more naturally for some. With my own kids it seemed to be instilled in them from the beginning. I clearly remember them both, running to the aid of the other after a fall, or after being scolded. I can hear my daughter's little voice saying "it be ok" as she patted her brother on the shoulder. Did she learn this from me? Maybe, but it's also quite possible that she's just naturally soft hearted.

3. Do you prefer to watch romantic comedy or romantic drama...or are you rolling your eyes saying bring on the action flicks? I tend to gravitate to the romantic comedies.

4.  It's April which means baseball season is officially upon us here in the US of A. Humphrey Bogart is quoted as saying "A hot dog at the ballgame beats roast beef at the Ritz." Agree or Disagree? So not into sports here - but seeing that I don't care for "fine dining" either, I'm going to stay neutral on this one.

5. What's something in your community or city that needs fixing or improving? I live in a very small town. In fact it is actually classified as a village. There is one very large home that looks like it was once a mansion but is now in a very sad state of disrepair. I would love to see that house brought back to life.

6. Share a song you enjoy that mentions flowers or a specific flower in its title. The Yellow Rose of Texas - love that song.

7. April 22nd is Earth Day...do you believe there's life on other planets?  That wasn't the question you were expecting was it? I believe that this Earth was created by God. I also believe that it is possible that this is not his only creation.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.Last weekend was spent cleaning out the basement from the flooding. I had a lot of Christmas stuff stored down there and had to throw a lot of it out. On the bright side, things are much more organized than they were.
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Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Porch Chats

It's time to head over to Patrice's porch for the weekly chat.
QUESTIONS
  1. Do you prefer to drive or be driven? I prefer to drive - something about being in control - other people tend to scare me.
  2. What's your favorite kind of jam, jelly, or preserve? Blackberry jam
  3. Do you have any special plans for this spring or summer? Nothing really special - just my pool and my garden, lots of canning and hopefully some more remodeling.
  4. Lots of folks are becoming aware of issues with food. There are many articles, books, and movies on topics like allergies, GMO, pesticide use, bad or no labeling, over processed foods, foods from other countries that may not have high standards, and many more topics. What concerns you the most? If nothing concerns you, have a cookie and skip to the next question. I prefer to can my own vegetables. Sadly the bottom two shelves of my canned goods were under water in the basement last week so I'm going to have to dump them. I know they are sealed and would probably be ok but I would think of it every time I opened one. Glad it's almost garden season so I can re-stock. I also buy my beef and pork  in bulk from a farmer that I know personally. I also buy my eggs from the same farmer. Then I have deer every year from hunting season. I like knowing where my food comes from. I do buy chicken but I don't know anyone who raises them for butchering.
  5. Do you use nail polish often? Finger nails, piggies, or both? Both - and always, and they always match. I am by no means a "girly girl" but I like my nails painted.
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Coffee Chat


Let's go to Les's from Timeout for Mom  and chat - don't forget to get your coffee before heading over!


 What Was, or What's to Be?:   If you had the choice of going back in the past to a specific time in history, OR, if you could travel ahead into the future (you are coming back to present, don't worry) --- which would you choose?
 
I believe I would travel ahead - just to see what kinds of technologies the future holds. I remember when I was a kid watching the cartoon "The Jetsons" and laughing about the phones - where you could actually see the person on the other end. Isn't that what Skype is? It amazes me the strides we have made in just my lifetime. I can remember when we got our first color TV. Better yet, I can remember when they put a bathroom in my grandmother's house!  Makes me wonder if we'll all be zipping around in little "flying cars" in the future - wouldn't that be awesome!
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Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Hodgepodge

Welcome back to the Wednesday Hodgepodge! Be sure to add your link to the bottom of Joyce's post and then go visit the neighbors. After all, that's part of the fun! 

1. April 15th is the deadline for Americans to file their state and federal income tax returns.  What's a job you do on a regular basis that could be described as 'taxing'? Ironing is very taxing to me - hate it. The bad part is, winter is over so I am no longer wearing sweaters and that means - more ironing.

2. I'm participating in the April A-Z blog challenge, and the Hodgepodge happens to fall on Day O this week. In keeping with that theme...olives, onions, oysters, okra...of the foods mentioned, what's your favorite O food? That would be olives -love them. I use a lot of onions in cooking, oysters are ok but definitely not my favorite and I won't touch okra - yuck.

3.  What is something memorable you experienced as a child that your own children (or future children/nieces/nephews) will not get to experience?  Doing thing the old way. My grandparents on my dad's side did not have an indoor bathroom. I can remember cold morning around the old pot bellied stove and I have helped make apple butter in a big cast iron kettle over a fire outside.

4. Term limits for our elected officials...your thoughts?  I try to keep my political thoughts to myself but I do think this could be a good idea.

5. On April 18th, 1775, Paul Revere made his famous 'midnight ride'...when did you last make a midnight ride?  Perhaps the fate of a nation wasn't hanging in the balance, but tell us where you were headed anyway. I have made many midnight rides - most not for pleasure. I hate to hear the phone ring in the middle of the night - it's never good. My last midnight ride was probably a few years ago - going to my daughter's rescue when she ended up in a ditch.

6.  What would freak you out more...a mouse running across your floor or a big fat hairy spider?  The mouse. I can kill spiders. I can kill snakes. Mice freak me out.

7. I love it when people ask me if my daughter and I are sisters - sadly that hasn't happened in a while.

8.  Insert your own random thought here. I woke up this morning to the Biz digging in cabinets for the papers that came with the TV. I told him last week that the color did not look right. He said it was me. Evidently it was not me - he is not a happy camper right now.
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Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Coffee Chat

Les's from Timeout for Mom  and chat - don't forget to get your coffee before heading over!



The topic is:   All Fun and Games. 
 My all time favorite game used to be monopoly. When I was first married, my ex and I would play for weeks at a time - games that just kept going. Then, after I divorced I would play with the kids. We spent many nights sitting around that board.I haven't played in a long time. It may be time to dig that out of the attic.
from google
 I also enjoy playing cards. Rummy is my personal favorite, poker would by my second favorite. I've never really cared for games like Hearts or Spades.
google again.


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Porch Chats

It's time to head over to Patrice's porch for the weekly chat. Welcome to the new participants in the chat! The questions today are from some of us "porch gatherers."
QUESTIONS
  1. From Suzanne at p.s. Annie!: Are you part of the back to nature/ecological group or are you more of the mindset of "I'll do what I want and everything will work out in the end"? Maybe a bit of both - I do try to be as green as I can but it is not a "life or death" matter to me.
  2. From Stacey at Happy Bride to be: What's a favorite dinner dish to make? Depends on the season. I love salads in the warmer months and comfort foods like fried chicken with mashed potatoes/gravy on those cold nights.
  3. From Melanie at Melanie at A Year of Jubilee Reviews: What animals have you seen give live birth? Lots - dogs and cats of course, cattle, horses, pigs, goats, sheep.......
  4. From Anne at Homeschool on the Croft: If you had the opportunity to teach something, what would you teach? English and the proper use of it.
  5. From Madonna at Butterfly Acres: What did you love most about school? I enjoy learning new things, enough about different subjects to be able to carry on an intelligent conversation.
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Monday, April 15, 2013

Monday Quiz About Me



Welcome to Monday Quiz About Me - hosted by Acting Balanced and Touristic. They post 5 questions on Sunday evening along with a linky for you to link up your post answers! 

Here are the Questions:

1. What is your best solution for getting rid of a headache? Drink more coffee. 
2. Do you enjoy taking naps? Rarely.
3. What was the last 'block buster' movie you saw at the theatre? Don't remember.
4. If you could have anyone cook you dinner who would it be? Emeril Lagasse

 My 5th Question - Any suggestions on how to deter those anonymous commenters? I hate having to have comment moderation turned on but the only other solution I can see is to limit commenting to only those who are followers and I don't want to do that.
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Friday, April 12, 2013

Follow Friday Four fill-In Fun

Welcome to the weekly Follow Friday Four Fill-in Fun Blog Hop!


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Each week, Hilary over at Feeling Beachie lists four statements with a blank for you to fill in on your own blogs.   This week’s co-host is ME from Empty Nest In Illinois – I came up with the last two statements!
 This week’s statements:
1. I don’t like to wear high heels - I prefer boots with low heels.
2. I love to get up and cook breakfast in the morning
3. If I could change one thing in my life it would be when I had my tubes tied. I would have loved to have more children although the two I have are the best in the world.
4. If I was better at public speaking, I would not get so nervous when I have to do it.


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Thursday, April 11, 2013

Pondering - Light

It's Thursday! One of my favorite days. Time to do a little "pondering" with Brenda from Ponderings of an Author.  


Her rules are really easy:

1. Grab the Pondering with a Purpose Badge (in her sidebar)
2. Look at the week's prompt
3. Post something on your blog that relates to the prompt - it can be a story, a poem, a picture -- anything you want it to be.
4. Go back here and add the URL from your post to the linky list on Brenda's.
5. Go check out the other bloggers who have added their links to the list.
6. AND most of all.... Have fun!

This Week's prompt:  

Light or Lite 

 Light - what comes to mind?  First I think of sunlight and the warmth it brings - definitely different than daylight which doesn't necessarily bring any warmth with it.

Then, there's those lights you turn on with a switch to illuminate the darkness, a light bulb, a light fixture, a flashlight, a book light or headlights.

There's those lights on electronic devices, red power lights, flashing lights on our routers.....

Stop lights - I think the town I work in has maybe a dozen while the town I live in has none! But we do have those flashing railroad crossing lights!

Of course there's all those "lite" foods out there, you know - the ones that taste like cardboard or chalk.

My favorite light is the one that I've always called "my idiot light." You know how it is when you can't understand something you're trying to learn - some new concept from a textbook or some instruction manual? You just can't seem to grasp it and then all of a sudden that "light" goes on in you head and you're like, "Oh, I see, that's easy! Why didn't I see that before?" I did that just last week when I bought a new toothbrush and was trying to figure out how to change the attachments. I spent a good 5 minutes trying to push the attachment up, pressing in different places to find that release button.  Then my idiot light went off and I slid the catch DOWN and it came right off in my hand. Duh! Yes, I have an idiot light!

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Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Hodgepodge

Welcome back to the Wednesday Hodgepodge! Be sure to add your link to the bottom of Joyce's post and then go visit the neighbors. After all, that's part of the fun! 


1. Share one fun thing you did last week, while the Hodgepodge was on 'spring break'. I babysat for my new grandson! That was fun. There's nothing like a little one in your arms to make you realize what life is really all about.

2.  April 10th is National Sibling Day...do you have siblings, and if so are you close? Share a favorite story featuring one or all of your siblings. If you don't have siblings, did you ever wish you did? I have a brother and he lives 700 miles away. We do talk a lot on the phone. I have lost two sisters and some of my fondest memories are of us three girls ganging up on my brother. He took it very well. Once we caught him asleep and put makeup all over his face.

3. Is it important to you to 'buy American'? Why or why not? How much of an effort do you make to 'buy American'? If you're not American, insert your own country in the blank. I am American and I do try to buy things manufactured here but it's getting harder and harder to do.

4. Besides The Bible, what book has impacted your spirituality in some way? Drawing a blank here.

5. April showers bring May flowers or so the saying goes.  Do you find rainy days calming or depressing?  When were you last caught in a rainstorm? What's blooming in your neck of the woods today? I love thunderstorms, It is raining here now but I haven't heard any thunder. Daffodils are blooming! They're my favorites.

6. What's your favorite yellow food? Yellow? Summer squash! Love it in stir frys or battered and fried.

7. April is National Poetry Month...what's a poem that holds special meaning for you, and why is it special?
I've never been "into" poetry" and can't really think of one that I would call special.

8.  Insert your own random thought here. It's almost garden season! I called the guy that plows gardens in the town that I live in to make sure he had me on the list! I am soooooo ready - I have it all planned out - I'll have some of those little yellow squashes before you know it!
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Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Coffee Chat

Before I go to the chat today I have to tell you that I had to turn comment moderation back on here. Way too many annoying anonymous comments. I myself love to see my comments pop right up on your blogs. I've been known to comment two or three times before I figure out that it's not there because of comment moderation so I'm sorry - just can't keep up with deleting them and don't want them on my blog.

So now that I've addressed that - let's go to Les's from Timeout for Mom  and chat - don't forget to get your coffee before heading over!



The topic is:   Not Myself These Days:  If you could live another person's life for a week, who would you choose?    Will it be the opposite sex?  A celebrity?   Or, make the prompt interesting: is it the cat's life for you?

Let's see. If I could be anybody - even the cat. Now there's an idea - nothing to do all day but lay around on the bed,  get up in the windowsill and look out at the world and let mom know that the food bowl is empty. I could handle that - for about a day - think I would get pretty bored after that.

A celebrity - no way - not into being in the "limelight."

A man - that's an interesting thought. I guess it would have to depend on the man and his job - can't really think of any that I'd want to trade places with though. I have to admit that I've always wondered how men handle certain parts of their anatomy just being there - especially when those parts are really sensitive. Jeans can be uncomfortable for a woman - can you imagine a guy? 

I guess I really wouldn't want to live anyone else's life. Mine is far from perfect but I don't think I'd want to be anyone else.
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Friday, April 5, 2013

Follow Friday Four Fill-In Fun

Welcome to the weekly Follow Friday Four Fill-in Fun Blog Hop!


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Each week, Hilary over at Feeling Beachie lists four statements with a blank for you to fill in on your own blogs.   This week’s co-host is ME from Empty Nest In Illinois – I came up with the last two statements!

This week’s statements:
1. I don’t remember the last time I had a girls night out.
2. Sometimes zig but usually I zag?
3. When I think of my childhood, I want to go home to the hills.
4. I am not the most intelligent person by any means, but I  have to laugh as some of the things that some people do.
Please follow Hilary. Since Google Friend connect is gone, please follow through networked blogs, Facebook fan page or by email….If there is a co-host, please follow them as well. Leave a comment! I will follow back!
Please link your Follow Friday Four Fill-In Fun post to the linky below. PLEASE grab the linky and post on your blog…
If you tweet, please use #F5-bloghop so she can find you…

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Thursday, April 4, 2013

Pondering With a Purpose

It's Thursday! One of my favorite days. Time to do a little "pondering" with Brenda from Ponderings of an Author.  


Her rules are really easy:

1. Grab the Pondering with a Purpose Badge (in her sidebar)
2. Look at the week's prompt
3. Post something on your blog that relates to the prompt - it can be a story, a poem, a picture -- anything you want it to be.
4. Go back here and add the URL from your post to the linky list on Brenda's.
5. Go check out the other bloggers who have added their links to the list.
6. AND most of all.... Have fun!

This Week's prompt:  Sign

My first thought this morning with the word sign was a video I received from son and dil of my grandson doing "baby sign." Sorry, but I can't figure out how to move it from fb to here so I can't show you. But this baby sign thing seems to be the rage with young parents. I have a couple of co-workers with babies and they are also teaching it to them. I don't quite understand the reasoning behind it but there's a good article about it here.

My second thought was of the flowers out in front of the building I work it. A sure "sign" of spring!

Then there are those signs we see everywhere. I like this one.
     
from google
 Or it could mean writing one's name on something!
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Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Chats on the Farmhouse Porch

It's time to head over to Patrice's porch for the weekly chat. Welcome to the new participants in the chat! The questions today are from some of us "porch gatherers."
Questions
  1. What did you do for Easter? Nothing special - had dinner with daughter and her family.
  2. How bad were you with candy or treats? (On a scale of 1-10. 1 being good, 10 being sugared up) I was good this Easter, probably a 2.
  3. What's one of the first things you'd like to do when you have consistent spring temperatures? Get the garden plowed.
  4. How are you at gift buying? Not so good - I have trouble figuring out what to buy for others.
  5. Do you have an projects in mind for the month of April? Lots. Finishing a Christmas tree skirt, daughter's Christmas stockings, a quilt for my second grandson, daughter's baby shower that had to be postponed, my garden.......... I'll be busy.
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Coffee Chat

Time for the Coffee Chat! If you'd like to join, head over to Leslie's at Time out for Mom.



The topic is:Let's go on a Road Trip.  Where are you going?  You can take 3 people.   Who are they and what are their respective responsibilities on the trip?  

I haven't been on a road trip in a long time. The three people - that's easy. It would be my bf, and our daughters. The younger ones would be responsible for navigation - while bf and I would, of course be responsible for the financing. We'd go places that we've never been and act like we were all the same age! We'd flirt with the boys and wear outrageous outfits. We'd dance and sing. But we wouldn't do anything too naughty. And we'd hope that the car didn't break down this time so that bf's father wouldn't have to come rescue us again! Yes, we actually did this and got stranded - and her dad drove 600 miles to come to our rescue.
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Monday, April 1, 2013

Monday Quiz About Me



Welcome to Monday Quiz About Me - hosted by Acting Balanced and Touristic. They post 5 questions on Sunday evening along with a linky for you to link up your post answers! 

Here are the Questions:

1. Do you prank on April Fool's Day?  What's the best prank you've done or had done to you? No I don't and I can't remember any pranks that have been done to me.
2. Is it Spring where you are yet? Getting there - just not quick enough.
3. Mint Green seems to be the 'hot color' for spring this year... either that or NEON ... which do you prefer? Green is my favorite color - I like all shades but I'd pick mint over neon.
4. Wayne joined the 21st century this week... he's now got a cell phone and it's an Android smart phone... and he wants to know if you've got a smart phone and if you do, what's your favorite app or game?  I just recently got my first smartphone and the only apps I have are dropbox for pictures and  the local weather alert app - not into the games at all.


And don't forget to add a 5th Question on your own blog so we can answer as we hop around!

My 5th question toady:
How was you Easter? Did you spend it with family? I had planned on cooking a ham at daughter's house but plans got changed and we all met at her mil's. An aunt was coming by who had not seen GPR yet so we all just "met in the middle" and grilled out. It was a great day for it.
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