Old Ironmaker

I've never heard of making Polenta like that. Polenta is corn meal cooked in a pot, never potatoes, potatoes???????. That would be Gnocchi. Preferably a copper pot over low heat and stirred by hand gradually adding the corn meal and water until it's talking to you, blub, blub, blub. Then it's traditionally poured over a large board on the table and spread evenly and let cool a bit, the salsa of whatever or stew, rabbit or Brodetto is my favorite, is spread on top of it and squares are cut and served. It 's not much different than Cream of Wheat cereal to tell the truth. Ramen noodles, come on man, my Nana and Noni are spinning in her graves Rick!!!!!

I can't seem to be able to cut and paste here. Google Claudia Huber/Yukon/ grizzly bear. While a Grizzly Bear was attacking Claudia Huber her husband shot at the bear several times eventually killing it. One of the bullets ricochets off a tree and tragically she is killed by the bullet. That man is devastated beyond all comprehension of the word I imagine.

I had to carry a spare starter in my 86 Jeep YJ. That thing ate starters because I could never get the timing right, yes yes yes, no no no, yes yes yes wurrrrrr. Ford ignition system, Chrysler engine Chev drive train or a combination of the above. What a Frankenstein of a vehicle, fun though if you had a good back and was 30 something. Sounds like pooched starter Dave, nice Christmas present eh?

Another sleepless night here M2B2. You probably make Polenta from scratch. If I did I might get enough exercise to sleep. Gnocchi and noodles, together? Kind of like Penne and Spagets in the same dish or serving French Fries and mashed potatoes at the same meal, that I don't get. No wonder Mom gave you la mala occhio. How can there be an "H" in Gnocchi when I was taught that there is no "H" in the Italian language. My Nono was never wrong, never. I just pulled out my Italian/English Berlitz I've had since my first trip to the boot in 81 and there isn't a section for "H". I should use the thing when I try and remember how to spell something in Italian. edit, OK what is Kokum? I bet you know more of the First Nations language than most real deal DNA First Nation kids around us down here. By the way what dialect is used up there in the Artic watershed, mostly Mohawk and Oneida here I'm told. He was wrong, I went through the book a bit and there are words with "H", Granchio is Crab. I was wrong, so was Nono, I just can't believe it.

Hey thanks Doug and Rick. Rick, I was thinking the Catsup might add too much sugar to the meatball. I'm thinking Swedish meatballs this week, for some reason I took out a large package of ground round from the freezer the other day. Not thinking about all the leftovers we would have this week. I can never cook for the 2 of us, I made Brodetto for Christmas eve. It's seafood tomato sauce served with Spagettini, angel hair (cappelini) or Polenta. I made enough for an army as my Momma says. I didn't make the polenta from scratch because I'm lazy but cut a few slices from the pre made stuff in a tube then browned it in a pan with some EVO. Not bad. I wrote out the recipe here many, many pages ago I think. I will again of someone wants it. There is the big $$$ recipe and the lower budget recipe without Crab and Lobster. The taste is basically the same, I dare anyone to tell the diff without looking. Of course since it was only going to be the 2 of us I got a small bird for today, 10 pounds. I have 2 large freezer bags of bird left over. We usually have family and we always invite someone that doesn't have family and is alone but this year for the first time in my life it was only 2 of us. Strange but great day, Ticha works retail and her Christmas season starts Oct. 1. She only had today off so I made everything including breakfast and did all the dishes. She said it was the best ever present I could have given her. She should have told me that the year I took her to Jamaica on Boxing Day.

Pet rock anyone? We may have the most intelligence amongst Gods creatures but we are the stupidest.

There shouldn't be a rate increase for comprehensive. Ours isn't, 3 claims in as many years no increase just as my agent said. One for a windshield crack and then the rear window smashed by a bottle at her work by punks and a racoon on the road tore the front fender off.

Those are adorable, I love the Tiger striped on the first pic, there's a name for them I can't remember. Your hands are full for sure. 8 years ago my wife brought home 2 kitties. The mom and it's 2 week old male kitten that fit in my hand. The Mom had health issues and died a few years latter. It was found by a customer of hers with it's throat ripped open and an eye missing. This kind woman paid for her surgery and found out it was pregnant. Only 1 kitten of 5 survived. That cat was the smartest pet, including dogs I have ever seen. Taught the kitten how to hunt frogs and climb trees. She would bring smelt she caught in the water and put them on the deck to show me. She rang bells I hung on the door handles at Christmas to go out and in and taught the kitten to do the same. We still have him and he hates me. Rings the bell to come in the front door then runs to the back door and wants out, I swear I can hear that cat laugh. Excellent job on the rec room. 2 big screens maybe windows? Yowza.

What about Saturday January 9th 1 PM at Wild Wings on Centennial Parkway. If I have learned anything about planning anything you just have to pick a date and either you can attend or not. I am thinking a Saturday will be good as some of the folks working might be off, us old retired guys can go anytime as long as we are home before the street lights go on. That place is right off the QEW and the Link and Redhill expressway and is easily accessible from T.O.,Brantford, Haldimand/Norfolk and Niagara. Hopefully a few of us faceless members can finally meet. If any of your friends and family want to join us heck, the more the merrier. Wormdunker said he is buying first and last rounds. Those hoisting engineers that traipse about Canada make the big coin you know. Johnny D

My feelings weren't hurt, I don't have any. I was one that was a no show last year. Life gets in the way of leisure time the older we get it seems. So how is that Saturday Jan 9 for you? Planning anything you just have to make a date and run with it. I hope a few can make it. I am going to start a new thread for it.

That neat gift came from someone that isn't retired I bet.

Hey Fish Farmer, don't you remember when the Foremen would hand out a pack of Export A cigarettes or a chocolate bar to anyone that worked Christmas? The shift GF did in the Blast Furnaces. Too bad if you didn't smoke or had Diabetes.

Loonietoon, you will come as long as it isn't just me there? My feelings are bruised. I was thinking a Saturday would be good that way some of the guys that are still working can make it. How about Saturday January 9th at 1 PM at Wild Wings on Centennial Parkway? For anyone outside of Hamilton it is just off the QEW, the Linc and the Redhill Parkway and is very accessible from TO and Niagara. Mr. Wormdrowner is buying first and last rounds!!! He makes big money traipsing around Canada on the big paying jobs!

It is you that we owe a thanks to Art. Without you guys there wouldn't be a place we could bit%$ and moan about. I still think people here are willing to give advice and help each other. Merry Christmas to you as well as the rest of the OFC staffers.

Yep, we are all treated as if we have no brain cells. We all heard the one about the lady suing McDonalds for big money because she spilled hot coffee on herself. I recently watched a documentary about it. She needed skin grafts on her legs, it was bad.

I can only open this thread after I've eaten the better part of a turkey. Now that I have a new laptop and I've signed up to one of those photo services in outer space I might learn how to store and post pics in the future. Lobster bisque? Man with the price of burger meatloaf is a luxury meal now. It sure looks yummy. M2B2, ketchup in a meatball? I might need to try it. A tip when making meatballs, don't make them round. They should be egg shape, oblong. They are easier to flip when cooking and will cook more evenly. Italian meatballs "Propetti" are egg shaped and really don't have much meat in them. 60% veggies, mostly mashed Zucchini. (spellcheck says Zuccini has an "H" in it, there isn't an H in the Italian language. No J, K, W , X and Y. I digress as usual.

Dave, I have had a few sleepless nights. Apparently my salary pension is taking a 14% hit on January 1 and you guys are taking an even bigger hit. It absolutely is shameful as to what is transpiring. That coupled with our loss of major medical benefits ($600.00 a month for all the crap I was taking) is really making me reflect on my life's work there as well as working out here at the lake for a time in 79 and 80 and wondering if all the sacrifices we made was a complete waste. The only other place I worked until I retired was Russell's Drug store at King and Rosedale when I was 15. At 16 I started driving Euclid's on weekends and summers. 40 hour weekends when I could get them, man this doesn't feel very good Dave. Sorry all for the rant and off topic. I needed to vent.

Wow that left a mark. Look at the positive, you were looking at around $700.00 a tree around here if you couldn't fall it yourself. I used to park my old beater under the trees and nothing happened. A few months after buying my first ever new truck, you guessed it. Nothing like your mishap though Chad.

Give the starter a few taps while someone is engaging it. If it was the old days I would say it's a solenoid first, starter second, with all the computers today it's difficult to say with so many interlocks not allowing the vehicle to start.

I was stocking up yesterday at the in and out store in Dover and came across a 4 pac of Innis and Dunn, it is still at the LCBO as it is not in my budget as a taste tester. I think it was 4 bucks a bottle. Man I can be frugal, my wife says cheap.

No wind to speak of here on the north shore of Erie but 1 to 2 meter high waves crashing on the beach. Not a good day for trolling for Pics. It sure is pretty though.

Worked the holidays for over 20 years depending on the schedule until I went on days. I hated it. If we shut down we had to start up with everything frozen and that was a pain plus dangerous and if we ran we had to dump Hot Metal into the pits. Often the pits would blow to Kingdome come. and the mushroom clouds could be seen in Toronto. That was before Health and Safety and MOE legislation.

Guys what about after New Years for lunch? It's tough around the holidays for sure.

Are we still on for lunch after New Years Wormkiller? Lunch is great for me.

I had another insomnia thing last night and I was off and on all night, no problems here.