Hester

For Fred, the semi-houseguest, who taught us a useful trick of water conservation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNse5hYsfhA

For Patti, who's "landscaping" her waterfront with a backhoe: Joni Mitchell, "Big Yellow Taxi" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jny6V-Ookb0 "They paved paradise, put up a parking lot!"

Verified Vestal Virgins

Muppet Treasure Island

The Quartermaster quaffing quince liqueur

Hi, Coastie: Thanks for the update. I'll be near Saltspring Island next week. I'll let you know if I spot the Robbie, or hear any further developments of the salvage/repair. Cheers, Hester

Nereids nearing Nirvana

{bump} Long, lingering looks

Everybody 'nose' a turkey...

Ah, Briar Rose, I thought perhaps you'd be the "from scratch" type! And Haunting Lily, your dinner sounds delicious. Paprika & sherry & cream -- that sounds like Newburg sauce. Yum! Haven't had that in ages. Mr. H. is ordering our dinner on-line as I type. Swiss Chalet ... an anaemic housewife's best friend!

Planet of the Apes?

^ Needs lots of iron in her diet.

Oh, I don't mind "twists" on the Robin Hood tale. Indeed, the legend has evolved and changed continuously over the centuries. The oldest surving versions of the legend, the medieval ballads such as RH and the Potter, the Monk and the Gest present a very different image of Robin and his merry band than we're familiar with from the "classic" Howard Pyle and Errol Flynn versions, etc. I just didn't think Costner captured the "spirit" of Robin Hood, though. I far preferred the Patrick Bergin version from the same year:

Jill got it right, I think. (Being a bit of a Robin Hood buff, myself -- although I'm not a big fan of that particular movie.) Full title -- Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (very 90s syntax!). (I tend to say something similar whenever I have to visit Vancouver.)

Pete Yorn, Nightcrawler http://www.peteyorn.com/ [Don't you just want to tie his brown curls back with a black silk ribbon, and dress him in pirate garb? At least in your mind? Or is it just me?] (Trying to drown out the masonry saws from the neighbours' pool installation. Yes, it's still dragging on! Although perhaps the sound of the saws isn't quite as bad as "It's a Small World".)

Love your collage work, Ransom! Gorgeous stuff.

Well, I consider myself pretty damn green. I don't drive. Mr. H & I own a compact car, but we only use it about once a week or so to do the "heavy" shopping, or to go to the cottage a few times each summer. For everything else, we usually take transit. In fact, I do most of our day-to-day grocery shopping on foot with a backpack. Recycling is so entrenched it's second nature. And for the last few years, Toronto also has a "green bin" system, so that all organic waste is centrally composted: http://www.toronto.ca/greenbin/index.htm Prior to that, I did home-composting. I use a push-mower to cut my small patch of lawn. I don't use chemical fertilizer or herbicide/pesticides on it. And I don't water it -- it has to survive on rainwater alone (as does my "garden"). We have central air, but only use it about 5 to 10 days a year, if the temperature and humidity become absolutely unbearable. (So far this year, just 3 days!) Otherwise, I just dress appropriately and open the windows. My old Victorian house could be more draft-proof for winter ... but not without destroying all the original plaster walls to add insulation, and replacing every window. So, I'm not willing to do something that drastic quite yet. But I do keep the thermostat turned down and pile on the sweaters and heavy socks. Another thing I absolutely WON'T do is use compact fluorescent bulbs ... until they solve the problems with spectrum and flicker. The light from them is so harsh, that just a few seconds under one of those bulbs makes me feel nauseated. Longer exposure, and I wind up with a migraine. On the other hand, I simply don't turn on that many lights. In fact, I belong to the International Dark Sky Association: http://www.darksky.org/ I don't use outdoor lighting on my property at all. I certainly don't leave my porchlight burning all the time! And I keep my indoor lights down to a minimum (especially in summer, to keep my un-air-conditioned house cooler). One thing that really irked me about the government's recent power conservation publicity campaign was a TV commercial starring scientist/environmentalist Dr. David Suzuki. It showed him replacing someone's porchlight with a compact fluorescent bulb. When the homeowner asked what difference that could make, the camera panned down the street showing all the porchlights coming on. But every single one of the light fixtures was a poorly designed one that created "light tresspass". As a scientist interested in astronomy, Dr. Suzuki should be aware of the problem of light pollution. If he's going to promote a different type of porchlight, he should be sure the fixtures are "full cut-off", so that only the area that requires lighting is illuminated, without lightspill and glare into the surrounding area and sky. And people should be encouraged to turn their lights OFF, not just pop in a fluorescent bulb instead! Grumble, grumble, sigh!

Almost Famous http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=247yUL_0e-Y (Mmmm ... Billy Crudup manages to look good despite the 70s hair & clothes.)

Well, Tom, I'm "Holding out for a Hero": Though, granted, it's not all that practical to have him toting his machine along to do the grocery shopping.

____ ____ Geoffrion

and his eyes watered

I think I should get a hula-hoop: http://www.hula-hoops.com/instructions.html Now that's exercise that would fit my lifestyle! Gotta find a way to work off all the Strawberry Daiquiris that have taken up residence around my hips.

Nick Lowe: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbTGa-WGbd0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbhtPqfTQCM http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scXBisHq434 Gonna see him live on Sept. 24. Woo-hoo! "Jesus of Cool" indeed!

Would that be the Shake'n'Bake version, Briar Rose? Fond memories of my childhood -- haven't tasted that in a long time!

Long Island Iced Tea 1 part vodka 1 part tequila 1 part rum 1 part gin 1 part triple sec 1 1/2 parts sweet and sour mix 1 splash Coca-Cola Mix ingredients together over ice in a glass. Pour into a shaker and give one brisk shake. Pour back into the glass and make sure there is a touch of fizz at the top. Garnish with lemon.