I took a class in NYC a couple years ago and we made this version of dump cake. A bit different technique than just dumping (we did use a whisk!) this recipe was made with Plum's - the class was a Greenmarket Class and the plums were lovely that day, so that's what we used - Anyway, this is what I wrote down that day... but I've made it with peaches and berries, too. Dump Cake From Peter Berley, Natural Gourmet Market Cooking class 3/4 cup sugar 1 large egg(s) 1 large egg yolk(s) 3/4 tsp kosher salt 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup fat-free skim milk 1/4 pound butter 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 Tbsp almonds 8 small plum(s) instructions Whisk sugar, egg, milk, salt, baking powder and vanilla together in one bowl. Melt 1 stick of butter and let cool. Gradually add butter to egg mixture. Grind almonds. Whisk in flour and ground almond to equal 1 cup. Pour into 9 in cake or tart pan and put ripe fruit on top, completely covering the batter. Bake 45 minutes at 350 (40 minutes in our oven!) Notes You can use any fruit you want... plums, peaches, berries... etc. In class we had peaches and blueberries. If you use harder fruit like apples or pears, steam them to soften before adding to the batter. Season this cake anyway you like. Add citrus zest, or cinnamon or nutmeg, depending on the fruit. in class we used 1/2 whole wheat pastry flour and 1/2 unbleached white flour. Peter Berley, our instructor, has a couple of great looking cookbooks out as well. I've got his Flexitarian cookbook on my wish list The Flexitarian Table: Inspired, Flexible Meals for Vegetarians, Meat Lovers, and Everyone inBetween :)

"Seeking advice for online lunatics (such as myself...lol!) is not really the best of ideas you know." I dunno....seems like a viable an alternative as many others....spill your guts anonymously to strangers and see if anything worth considering comes out of it. Even responses to trolls may have some good ideas for others within them. What's to lose? Dks27.... "I always feel so angry, depressed, lonely, and hopeless." With respect, these are your issues -- not your husband's or anybody else's. If you're resentful because your husband doesn't fix them for you, you're making a mistake. Being jealous because your husband -- and/or the rest of the world -- seems to be going on without you gets you nowhere. And certainly doesn't make him -- or anybody else -- want to be around you. Don't know how may choose to deal with it but inasmuch as your life has changed, you only have to choices: wallow in it or break out of it. From what you've written, I think the changes needed must start with you. Counselors can be good for this. Your life has changed. Your mind needs to. Get some new perspectives. If your husband is ignorant of the affair, don't tell him. Suck it up and move along from where you are.

Many of us feel that we should be kind and generous, and we make a substantial effort to be so ... as someone said, even to the point of not doing things for ourselves. It is good to be kind and helpful, but it is well to accept kindnesses, as well. Some of us give generously, but find it hard to receive gifts gracefully. I am sorry that some of you have had the pain and suffering to endure that has hapened. Also, I think that, especially in earlier generations, women were taught to serve others, to put their families ahead of themselves, and many did that almost exclusively, not doing things for themselves. There's a time to give ... and to love ... and there's a time to receive gifts and love. Also, regarding the love issue ... it seems to me that if we can't love ourselves, we're going to do a poor job of loving others. I don't mean by this people who are selfish, or who think too well of themselves, more or less making themselves king (or even queen) of the world. I feel that if God can put up with me, I can put up with myself: if God can love me, with all of my imperfections ... I can not only out up with myself, but love myself, as well. What's keeping me from enjoying life? Nothing. I'm a happy old retiree, enjoying good health, with some loved ones (kids, but no grandkids) and friends, enough to keep this frugal old character going even though the pensions died, and with things to do and people to see. And give the folks on the KT a hard time, at times. I was looking for my Memeber of Parliament's office this afternoon, and while asking directions had some playful banter with someone in an office ... and they said that they couldn't believe that I was 60, let along 80+. (But don't ask Iva Mae, Dances, Anne, Caroline, Monica, Pooh Bear or Danielle or their families - they've seen me). Hope you all have a great weekend. ole joyfilled P.S. To the lady who was in the car crash as a child, Have you ever talked this situation over with a trained counsellor, clergyperson, etc.? Perhaps they could help you see this in it's true light, to realize that, though you've travelled in a car thousands of times, in only one did you have such a close call. It has been etched on your mind, as with acid, and it will be hard to put it behind you, but I hope that you will make real effort, for it is a shame to be so discombobulated that you can't enjoy the pleaures of a simple car ride after so many years by that one frightful experience. o j

NHL - I can see where the Fall would definitely bring some sad memories.... And I didn't mention - the other thing about Fall is the coming holidays, with all the emotional baggage they bring: ups and downs, and decorating, cleaning, baking, shopping, etc., etc.... Oh well, its all about attitude, right? And looking for the positive. And one question for all of you hostaholics: about those 'nubbins' on my Honey Pie (and I have them on a number of others).... do you try to cover them for the Winter? I was out perusing them the other day and quite a few of mine want to ride pretty high on the soil. By that I mean - I planted them so the crown was the same as it was in the little pot it came in. But over the summer they seem to have lifted themselves up, with some roots clearly visible along the sides as they reach down into the soil. And I'm pretty sure its not water erosion or soil compaction. I didn't brush anything away in order to take that picture above, and to see that growth. It's maybe similar to what I saw with my Blue Mouse Ears that was in a pot for the last few years.... it just wanted to have all the eyes sitting up on top... On those out in the garden, should I mulch in those places before Winter? Or is this okay?