Barbra, I never heard of light weight cement in a sack, but looked it up on line and sure enough there is! Sounds very convenient, although the price might be a little higher than DIY hypertufa. One source had it listed at $16.00 for a two cubic ft. sack. It's certainly worth looking into! Thanks for telling us about it. Shirley, I just came in from taking my pots out of the molds also. I did the first one and then Bob helped me a little with the other two. The hypertufa around the top rim had to be chipped away a bit from the inside and outside edge. I also put a screw driver very gently between the plastic pot mold and the tufa to loosen it. Then turned it over and bounced it gentle a few times, did a little more loosing, etc. and after doing that several times the pot came out. The ones in the middle came out with no problems. I then worked on smoothing the edges and the top with a very rough file and finished up with a steel brush. On the pot which I had incorporated broken pieces of clay pots I did a lot of steel brushing on the top to show the pottery chips, and on the sides to rough it up a bit so it really looks antique. Antique 'what' I don't know ... lol, but it looks very old :-) Since we don'e have a ceramic drill drill bit at the moment I went ahead and drilled a drain hole while the tufa was sill not completely hard. I put some wadded up plastic in the hole so the pot would hold vinagar water while it cures the rest of the way. Whew! All that sure worked off some Sunday dinner! I think they look really nice. I'll take and post some pictures when I get my breath. Eager to see pictures of yours Shirley and Patty.

Well, since I extended the original invite, I guess you're all coming over to my place. I'll supply the champagne and coffee and tea- I'm suggesting you bring your most decadant, gooey, fulfilling dessert-recipes please if it is one you make yourself, or a description if it is from your favorite dining emporium. Mucho calories required! Book-Something that touched your heart. Something that lingered after you closed the covers. A title that you remember with either secret-smile fondness or regret for something that ended before you were ready...like your first love. It needn't be a love story-just something that touched your softer emotions in some way. I'll expect you on February 14th! (but you can start shopping for your party togs now!) Cece

Nicole that tofu looks delish!! I made a Greek-ish feast for Dad and hubs. Greek style potato salad with green and yellow wax beans, balsamic evoo dressing. Another salad with cucumbers, lemon juice and sour cream and chives, similar to Tzatziki but without the mint. Lamb chops for the boys. Lemon yogurt cake for dessert with fresh strawberry topping. The lemon cake was meh. I think there was a typo in the recipe. It was a cake that called for a sugar syrup poured over it after it was baked, and the syrup only called for 1 tsp. lemon juice. That meant no flavor, even though I used a TBLSP and also some orange zest. I think it was supposed to be lemon flavoring oil. . . . We're not Greek but love Greek food. The lamb chops made me think Greek and I had the yogurt for the cake and needed to use it up. I've had better lemon cakes, to be sure . . .

Duck. Then broth with the bones for a ramen soup with Asian vegetables, a few shrimp, sugar snap peas. Snowing now, overnight, then sleet or freezing rain. I fed the birds a lot of sunflowe, peanuts and suet. For some reason we have a small lone male Eastern Towhee. I’m trying to take special care of him — these birds usually go south for the winter. Cross you fingers for him, please. He is on the small size which is why at first, I mistook him for a junco. I love these birds — beautiful, lovely song in spring and they are sharp dressers. 🎶 Tow-hee…🎶 ’Drink-your-tea’