All I see is that the Mother should have been clearer in what she wanted her daughter to do and that the old guy is gross and practically begging for cancer.

Perhaps Jenny really wanted some Jello.
The old squezzed everything he could out of his original chew. Got more bang for his buck.

Ed, I've heard of missionaries receiving teabags that had been used 'just once' then carefully dried. Makes me wonder. I've noticed that AT&T is advertising they'll donate your connection fee to Northwest Harvest, a charity that provides food to food banks in this area. They must think think that could finally induce people like me to pay for cable.

Hi dingbat,

Don't recall folks sending us teabags, new or used, when we were abroad.

But that was about 40 years ago ... and this old fart's memory is getting a bit spotty.

We didn't get bananas, and the ice cream that we made was a pretty poor substitute (our family looves ice cream). But we did get persimmons - which had a lovely taste (when ripe - before that they were quite astringent).

Powdered skim milk, sent over by U.S. surplus as foreign aid by the multiple ton, was quite a contrast in price from powdered whole, which came in by regular channnels - and sometimes a can cost ten times as much.

When we arrived in Korea, just after the Korean War, the old-timers told us, "If there's anything you need , tell us. We'll tell you how to get it - or how to get along without it".

They did, too.

Actually, for the first year three of us newcomers lived on an island where scarcely anyone knew English. When our teachers went home at night, we were nearly speechless till the next morning. Tough time for a preacher!.

luv ya.

ole joyful

The story about the tea kettle reminded me of something my DH does that drives me nuts. He'll put a big pot of water on the stove to boil, and not put a lid on the top to keep the heat in so the water will boil faster.

Hi Jill_NC,

If you use an electric stove - how about putting a (mini-skirted) tea cosy over the pot? If you use gas - that would be a gas.

That should heat things up more quickly.

One realy shuld use resorces sparngly, wisely.

Don't yu think?

Our kids lrn frm us - they watch evrythng we do.

Maybe we shold take a leaf out of ther book, in trms of fascnatin with the wrld, spontnety, nd jst plain exubrnce!

What a shame tht we tend to kill th child in us.

Don't swet the small stuff!

jyful gy/Ed

P.S. I'v hrd tht n lectrc kettl - a ketl with an lectrc elmnt inside tht hets watr rely quikly is peculiar to Canda, but not found in the Stats.

Is tht tru - or one f thos myths? EB

Ed,
I have a "cordless kettle." Probably the best wedding present we ever got. Beats all those picture frames I'll never use. The kettle sits on a base you plug in. Heats up in about a minute, literally!! Once it's heated up to near boiling, it turns itself off. Wonderful. We use it for tea, hot chocolate, instant oatmeal...
I live in the States, so I'm sure they are quite common.
Hope that helps.
Claire

Hi Claire K,

For years we've had electric kettles with the element in the bottom and cord attached, so they were rather heavy and a bit of a nuisance to carry arond, with cord dragging.

I was rather surprised that such a handy appliance (possibly) wasn't known and appreciated in the U.S.

But in recent years we have those detachable ones as well, where you put the water into the jug, set it on the base, then flip a little switch to start it (which kicks off when the water is hot).

When the water is hot, lift the jug off the base and carry it wherever, with no cord to drag along.

Speaking of cords - reminds me of a leash.

Someimes when I see a person sporting a pager or cell phone on their belt, I comment that I see that they have their leash on today.

Some look a bit puzzled, but when I point at the pager and note that those things keep them at the end of the boss' line, that he can jerk when he feels like it, they agree and usually get a bit of a laugh out of it.

Good wishes to you and yours for the season,

ole Ed

Jello maker could live in my house. Me who overfills the kettle quite often. next time I'll make that Jello....thanks Joyful Ed.

Sounds like my mother in law. She'll keep the kettle on the woodburning stove and use it for hot water to wash dishes. Although she is frugal, it makes you feel like you can't do anything in her house without asking first, including anything that has to do with running water. Drives me nuts.

This is totally OT, but I simply can't help myself. Those electric tea kettles would never do in my family, as we are Irish and Scotish. We make tea the proper way:
1. Pour RAPIDLY BOILING water over tea bag
2. Allow to steep for 2 minutes
3. remove bag and discard (cannot be used again if you want the tea to be any good!)

Sorry all you people who do it differently. I see nothing wrong with doing it differently except for one thing: When I was in high school and college, I worked as a waitress. I brought tea to a customer, who said in front of me, but to her companions, "Eh, I HATE when THEY do this!" as she removed the tea bag. Now, FYI, I always poured the water at the very last second before I went to a table (after I had everything loaded up,) so the tea didn't get too strong, as I know that some people do not like it strong (just as I do not like strong coffee.) I was thinking to myself, but did not say aloud, for fear of reducing my income, "Eh, I hate when people don't ask for what they want, and then complain when they don't get it."

Please specify to your waitress how you want your tea made. I ALWAYS ask them to pour the water over the bag.

Sorry to go so far OT. I suppose I should add some frugal tip to make amends. Hmmmm....Oh, I like this one: Do you ever print junk (short-term useful information) off of web sites and then throw the paper in the recycling bin? Well, don't do that! Turn the paper over and use the perfectly clean, white side. Then, don't forget to put it in the recycle bin. ;)

I left the kettle on so many times with the result of my poor DH turning off a screaming kettle after I wandered off that I finally bought a timer on a cord to wear around my neck. I intend to buy an electric kettle as soon as I can afford one as I look rather like a belled cow when I'm outside!

Hi gasoline,

As long as you look (vaguely) like a cow, we could never mistake you for a jackass.

Almost always something to be thankful for.

I hope you're having a satisfying week - good wishes for a happy holiday season - and New Year.

joyful guy/Ed

Hi windchime,

Electric kettles boil water RAPIDLY.

Then - you can pour it over the bag in your teapot.

Or - you can leave the teabag out of the pot, pour a little boiling water into the teapot, swirl it around to warm the pot a bit, throw it out.

Then, throw in the teabag, followed by the (rapidly boiling) water.

Apply tea cosy.

Good wishes for a glorious spring.

joyful guy

Those electric kettles are great to take camping too (if there is an outlet of course). My "hooked" coffee drinker used up a lot of propane before we bought the kettle (NIB at yard sale) Kathy_PA

Kathy,

What does "NIB" mean?

I hope that you have a happy day.

ole joyful - who still has lots to learn

P.S. I've been trying to put my posts on a diet. EB

NIB = New in Box, an ebay acronym! NWT = New with Tags.

jw Thnx. Shrtst post yet. jyfl

Maybe some newcomers who haven't seen this thread before can use a bitof fun on a dreary January day.

ole joyful