valerie wrote: Yes slushies.

I drink a lot of water.

Slushy is basically flavoured sugar and crushed ice

That brain freeze effect is nice on a real hot summer day, you know when it's 45-50C outside and you are literally a water faucet and dripping from the 80-99% humidity -

It's crazy the amount of artificial CRAP there is on the market, millions of different products, now synthetic flavours is the trend - people like that stuff, and the big food scam - foods trying to make you less guilty by writing big bold letters, "now 50% less sugar" - well sure, 50% less sugar, but it's still 5000% more sugar than you should eat in one day

Even the so-called freshly squeezed orange juice or any juice is not natural - all juices are non natural, they boil the real ting and it goes through a process to remove oxygen, and flavour, all of it, and it sits in vats for a year or two, then they add the fruit flavour profile packets back in . So what people are drinking is flavoured stagnant water that sat in a vat for 2 years and not FRESHLY squeezed OJ - BUT the good news is, 1) It tastes better than the freshly squeezed OJ, and 2) The flavour packets are made from the natural orange, probably peel.

OR you buy products and it says "Made with actual fruits" - but if you read the fine print, it's actually 1% real fruit 99% artificial. BUT you feel GOOD about the fact you are getting SOME real fruits

Some people make their own healthy slushies at home - with real fruits and stevia, but the commercial ones you get in a fast food chain or store are basically food colouring mixed with corn syrup, fructose and sugar

09RAS wrote: I also see the one snake out side of my house....it looks so scary

It's just an anaconda, nothing to worry about

valerie wrote: I don't like snakes.

Most people don't - the snake is the symbol of evil.

Quote:
Actually saw another snake up close to the house in the rocks where my shrubs are. I didn't bother it. It was small but very different looking. It was sort of stripe with light yellow. I didn't look very long. Maybe I should have taken a better look because if that is baby, mom is some where.

Yeah that's a big problem, because attacks are more likely - I don't know if there are snakes in Canada (outside government ) We do have grass snakes in this part of the pond, but they are harmless ....

valerie wrote: He replied and said:

"It was probably a rubber snake that was for the porch to keep out birds"

But I'm even more confused - how this rubber snake operated, and who is operating it, to keep away the birds ? and the owners too So that great mystery of the rubber snake operating on perpetual energy, still waiting for a rational explanation - or perhaps it is a possessed rubber snake!

09RAS wrote:

share your refreshing recipe with me that makes you refresh.

I take my best beverage in the world, which is a 1 x 500ml bottle of spring water, put it in the freezer and get it out just before it starts to freeze, pour in half a cup of mango juice (real), shake, and drink - it's 1) Refreshing 2) low calorie, 3) Better alternative to drinking a whole cup of juice and sweets. In other words my refreshing beverage is water

I do also like sparkling water - there are all natural flavoured sparkling water cans, 0 calories, that's refreshing too.

Or if you like living on the edge, Forest Ranger Smoothie - in a blender, 4 sardines from a can, 1 banana sliced, 100g poultry liver sliced, 4 cups apple juice, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tiny anchovy and last but not least, a pinch of cinnamon. Blend until consistency of liquid, chill until cold, mighty refreshing

valerie wrote: I'm thinking about making ices. I have blender thingie that I have never used. It has various blades and one will crush ice into slithers.

In case you are not familiar, they are finely crushed ice and flavored juices/syrups such as strawberry, raspberry, cherry, grape, orange, etc. You can't drink it fast or it freezes your throat.

Oh you mean slushies ? Yeah - not only freezing the throat but that freeze goes up all the way to the brain stem - it gives a whole new meaning to refreshing

kanjoormadam09 wrote: Many superstitious beliefs related to birds and animals are prevalent in Hindu society which irritates me. I am saying that there is nothing moral in protecting creatures which are harmful to us. Anything that disrupts ones smooth life should be destroyed which is the rule of Nature

Can humans sometimes fit the description of creatures too ?

It's a red herring - we have to be careful with that - because there are lots of things in life that are disruptive, we can't just go around destroying them, we cannot destroy people who disrupts us, at least not physically As far as destroying animals, well, there is too many of that - people are destroying stuff that are NOT a disruption to their lives.
Sure if you have cockroaches (larger than your hands) crawling and jumping all over the place in your house, you must destroy them If you think really close, yeah it is the rule of nature - to eat we must destroy nature, and wait a minute vegetarians are destroyers too, plants, flowers, destroyed - we destroy trees daily for paper, wood, etc, we destroy the environment with pollutants to run business and economy. Not to mention all the tiny insects with squish on a daily basis whilst we walk outside, down to even the trillions of living bacteria on our skin when we shower (for those who actually shower ) We are destroyers - they should have been more specific in the commandment though shall not kill - does it apply to anything non human like grass, trees, etc, because that would be impossible as even in Scriptures people killed and destroyed to eat and survive!

They should have added more, like thou shall not change time, though shall not mutilate your body (ear piercing and sex change counts as mutilation), 'nuff said. So much mangling with nature, this MANGLING of nature is why we are stuck with this pandemic and a new one very close to starting.

Birds can look quite innocent, most cause no harm, other than their poo landing on your face But otherwise, birds can be a major threat - people who are familiar with aviation might know this - birds flying nearby planes can be sucked into the spinning turbines and the impact can cause serious damage and cause failure, in some cases causing plane crashes or emergency landings. I've heard of people petting pigeons - or trying to catch them, touch them, I mean do they wash their hands afterwards, likely not, these are not pet birds you buy in a store, and in some countries, they eat'em that and other wild animals - this mangling has caused the pandemic. In some countries they eat pigeons, snakes, etc, no thank you I'll pass on snake soup ...... even on this side of the planet people eat birds. The most I ahve had past shrimp, lobster, chicken, crabs, etc, is frog legs oh yeah and quail

kanjoormadam09 wrote: thanks madam for sharing this video. It clearly shows humans are responsible for their population growth. I sometimes feel to shoot them when seen in groups in the street rather than feeding them

Disclaimer: You meant the pigeons

Well what do you call such human beings ? ENABLERS. Can we blame the pigeons, they have needs too, which is dump No. 2's, just like humans, albeit, humans have the convenience of going to the toilet, for pigeons, it is more difficult to find the nearest toilet since they are outdoors most of the time and they fly

This is like raccoon, if you befriend them and start feeding them (not recommended ) you'll have the army of them at your doorstep. There was this guy I don't know where, who was feeding them grapes, cookies, hot dogs, and some stuff, the whole lot of them. For pigeons you see people all around throw them bread crumbs, seeds, of course they are going to come back, unfortunately pigeons do not have money, so their payment currency is pigeon dung (probably worth more than the Ruble at the moment )

Human beings are big complainers, but even worse, ENABLERS - you kind of lose your right to complain when you ENABLE what you are complaining about. If you are constantly feeding the stray cats, birds, vermin in your area and they all surround your home, don't complain

valerie wrote: I tell you the worse thing about it is IF it is rubber and I think it is, is how stupid I must have looked. There I was, scared, pounding it with a hoe, trying to get it out of the shop.

So was that rubber snake remote controlled ? How did it survive all that time, must have really good batteries
Rule #1 of Snake hunting - never assume the snake is rubber. Last person who did, was eaten alive

It makes no sense though, was someone operating that snake from a distance ? It's probably a real one, you'll know for sure if it comes back for you in the middle of the night

valerie wrote: You ever get a song stuck in your head that you hope you will stop thinking about it?

You mean like the baby shark song ?

It's a rare gem I found on YouTube - it is so rare to hear seniors in good ship and not on medication, still walking,
but this one is beyond amazing - this lady is 102 years young (well at the time of the video) today she is 106 years young She has short term memory span of 3 seconds - she has both dementia and Alzheimer's, her eyesight is too weak to read notes, SO she plays piano on request, and all by memory - this is true magic, and quite amazing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Zwrta7SjtM

Here's another, 92 years old with dementia and plays a VERY DIFFICULT piano piece that even advanced players struggle to play, this is a very difficult piece to play - she does amazing considering, some parts are flawless, it would probably take me years to play just the intro - she does it by memory - this is just unbelievable !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrAkJmWv4uM

94 years old plays piano, amazing !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dIBKMy6L5A

valerie wrote: WARM not warn. haha!

I think the snake is made from rubber. I actually picked it up and put it back in the shop.

I sent an email to the previous owner and ask if he had a rubber snake in the shop. Have not received a reply yet. The thing is, I didn't notice it before.

Wait a minute, first you told us it was a racer snake on the loose, now it turns out to be rubber, no fun
So what does it run on solar power ? batteries ?

What's all that about it being dead, the snake or the batteries ?

Cue music:
Little shop................little-shop-of-horrors....little shop.......little-shop of horrors
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPZVjxWMLpo

valerie wrote: It is dead!

I actually took videos but they are posted on my Facebook.

It went from being a racer to dead, too bad, imagine how viral the video would have been of you actually chasing the snake, oh well maybe next time

Quote:
Well it got mighty cold this winter and some winters it can be bad. Ice mostly and freezing temps. I'd just rather be some where that is basically warn year round.

Careful what you wish for I would not trade ice and snow for hurricanes, tornadoes, wasps, mosquitoes all year long - you know you will miss the snow, drizzle, ice, slippery roads, In any case, in a few years you will move back north as the earth poles shift Besides with climate change at the rate things are happening it might be warm all over, your wish might come true and only millionaires will be able to afford AC anyway, our past few summers here is just a glimpse of what things will be, I mean temps of 35-45C is what we have - there were videos of people frying eggs in a pan outside within minutes. Scorching hot summers - An ideal climate would be not too cold not too hot - just comfortable but not so hot that you sweat gallons of water kinda warm

valerie wrote: Good actors and good movie but yep family movie.

Remember Lawnmower Man, I liked that one, I do not see it streamed anywhere.

As far as DST, the US decided that they will keep summer time (DST) all year long which I find insane, why not just keep regular time, even at non DST, daylight is still extended in the summer, it's not an extra hour that will change lives.

Here in Canada it is up to provinces to decide - what a mess it will be if different provinces decide differently, it will be a mess, there are already multiple time zones in Canada as it is - it could be a problem for electronics, as they are configured for fixed DST dates - not all electronics have upgradeable firmware, so DST/non DST will continue, what a mess. Why are these decisions taken by politicians, there should be referendums - PEOPLE should decide and only a high majority should be considered - something like 60% or more. Eliminate DST, definitely, this means you keep NORMAL time all year long - But this new bill is actually eliminating winter time and keeping DST, I don't know that it would be as popular, but they should have people decide. The world is at war and dealing with a pandemic and DST is the main concern now - these politicians have nothing better to discuss ? You know, poverty, inflation, crime, housing, etc.
So people now are changing their genders, why not allow people to change their age, is there anything you can't change nowadays,

kanjoormadam09 wrote:

valerie wrote: I was doing some Spring readiness in the yard yesterday when I noticed some white stuff at one end of the house. I picked it up and realized it was like thick white paint chips. Looking up, I saw a bird nest under the eaves in what is probably the attic vent. I don't have a ladder tall enough for me to climb up there so I will have to call a handyman. Also, will have to put up some kind of durable screen over that area and paint where they knocked off the chips.

So there you have it......birds of any sort can be destructive and COSTLY!

I'll have to pay the worker, buy some kind of screen, and buy paint!

Birds are very cunning and mischievous that we humans are sometimes betrayed by them

Well if you had a choice, a pigeon's nest or giant killer hornets nest in your backyard, what would be your preference ? You must choose only one, none is not a valid answer

kanjoormadam09 wrote: Snakes are not cruel as we think , They bite only when they get hurt. Snakes seems to be dreadful due to the poison that nature created into it.

Not all snakes are created equal - So let's see now, you are enjoying a hot summer day in your back yard, relaxing and winding down - all of a sudden an long and large snake comes charging towards you, what do you think will happen ?
A snake does not need to be hurt to bite. Unlike most spiders, snakes can attack you even if you are not running after it or hurting it.

Nobody said she will kill that snake, she just wants to find it, pick it up with her hands and deposit snake outside somewhere far away

tasman1 wrote: This topic is out of date

Hyperinflation is here to stay ... darkstar must change topic to...... How to eat stuff that fell on floor

Very soon we will be happy if we find some food on the floor , we will fight with rats , hope we can win and eat that rats

Oh I forgot all about that topic - Apparently it's not as popular as zombies and wars

Let's see, with hyperinflation, I don't think people will start eating from floors just yet, that's a bit far fetched BUT watch out for a new booming industry - Discount Grocery stores, sort of like the Dollarama of food chains - We have that here and it's growing like wild mushrooms, even in the states - These sell groceries for ridiculously low prices, so what's the catch you ask ? I'm glad you asked They basically sell surplus items that would normally be wasted and thrown away. YEP you guessed it - items that are nearing their expiry date and in some cases items that have passed it. These chains are transparent and even mention it. It's sad that it has come to that for some people, but in a way it is better than waste. Now some foods nearing expiry are still safe to eat or even recent expired, in theory, BUT these foods still contain more bacteria than fresh, so not exactly best for you. As far as meats, that's debatable, probably far more bacterial count - in some cases the expiry dates are just about freshness and taste, some foods can still be eaten safely past their expiry date but will not taste as good or not good at all So between eating off floors and this, let's say a fresh piece of bread falls on the floor, vs buying stale bread - which one tastes better - this is tricky because the answer would depend on how clean the floor is - so let's see now, how clean are people's floors ? how clean are restaurant floors ? Most people think that mopping the floor once a week with plain water is clean

So let me get this straight, people would rather pay much less for groceries at the cost of buying borderline expired or expired food - YET they are afraid of getting vaccinated. Would you buy expired meat even though you are told it is safe ? These places also sell produce, again with a catch, they should be eaten the same day because they would rot within a day or two - they probably have mould spores already starting in them - it's really bad that things have come to that - which is why I said that politicians are spending billions of $ but rarely do they do anything about the problems their own country is facing. It's NOT normal that in 2022, a loaf of bread is a luxury item and nobody is doing anything about it.

It's time people learn to grow their own food and make their own, healthier, less waste.

valerie wrote: I call it a shop for short word and lack of anything else. The previous owner kept his boat in it. It's a some what large metal building. Basically a large metal storage building. It has a side door and the front has a roll up door. It's probably about the size of a large two car garage but a little deeper. I've thought about keeping my car in there after I get everything more organized since my garage is small.

Yeah those are great hiding spaces for snakes and other - a giant shed I guess ?

Quote:
However, I am strongly considering moving to a condo a little further South. I'm tired of cold winters.

Are winters really that bad in KY ? We've had a nasty winter this year but we did not beat any record despite all the snow we had, most of it coming from Colorado, they keep sending us all the storms - snow storms HQ ....... Personally I would not trade our winters with anything else, in the states you have hurricanes and tornadoes and on top of that nasty winters (in some states). Here, we have the snow, sometimes very cold winters, and SOME provinces did have tornadoes and floods, but not all, and not as bad. The United States has had some pretty severe weather both summer and winter last year and this one, ....I guess it is a matter of personal taste and tolerance - there are lots of Canadians in some provinces flocking to the US in the winter or moving, they rather spend crazy prices on over inflated real estate and fees, taxes, repairs, etc, even people who are in apartments here are complaining they are fed up of winter - I guess it's wealthy or really comfortable Canadians who can afford central AC and spending $k extra on electricity - here central AC is a rip-off.......ANY type of work here is expensive, even small jobs - this reflects even in condos and passed on as much higher condo fees, practically like rent. With inflation it does not help - and the real estate inflation and pricing is all due to the greedy agents pushing sales of homes 4x-6x their city value - Here and in the UK you need to be really wealthy to afford a home, My recommendation, Alaska there are fewer snakes there.

suraraj wrote: Do not kill it please.

P.S. Valerie, check the ceiling covers, it's probably hiding there or in one of the vents - these racer snakes like to sneak in the smack middle of the night whilst people are sleeping - just sayin'

kanjoormadam09 wrote: Yes humans are far better than these pigeons though there may be other good birds. Those pigeons really make ugly everywhere and their poos smell very bad . i wonder how some people rear them as pets. I feel irritated on seeing those ugly creatures

Pigeons as pets - ask about people who have snakes as pets, crocodiles as pets, scorpions as pets, there's all kinds in this world, I can imagine someone with 12 pet pigeons flying around the house and in the middle of the night rrrrr....rrrrrrrrrr.rrrrrrrrrrrr.rrrrrrrrrrr.........rrrrrrrrrr - My advice, if you want pet pigeons, make sure you have white carpet and a huge supply of Febreeze