MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish
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NM, never heard of making your own Vanilla extract but I would love to know how.......would you share the technique please?
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Sure, chrissy, it's really complicated so take notes!
Buy a fifth of plain vodka, any grade works. Don't spend $$ on fancy vodka, get the cheap stuff.
Buy 1 whole vanilla bean, of the best quality you can find. If the bean is less than 6 inches long, get 2. I usually get this at one of the local health food stores and get one with as little storage and transportation time as possible.
Lay out the vanilla bean and use a small sharp knife to score the entire length of the bean, The object is to allow the tiny "seeds" inside the bean to contact the alcohol. It's ok to cut the bean in half lengnthwise, that's what I usually do, then I scrape the inner side with the knife. Some gooey stuff will collect on the knife, scrape that into the bottle of vodka. Drop the vanilla bean (or beans) into the vodka, close it up, write the date on it.
If possible leave the bottle in a sunny place. Shake the bottle periodically--I aim for daily but it's not critical. Over the next few weeks you will see the color leach into the alcohol, and if you open the bottle and sniff you will start to smell the vanilla. Leave it for at least 3 months.
After 3 months (or earlier if you like a milder, less aromatic extract) it's ready to use. The original rescipe calls for pouring off the original bottle, filtering out the little seeds using a coffee filter, and rebottling 50% of the alcohol and 50% of plain water. What I do is use an old extract bottle and fill it from the big bottle and use half the called for amount of vanilla extract. I don't mind the little seedy things. If a bottle has been around for a long time (6 months or more) I may have to cut it with some (25%) water or filter it before using it. I usually have a few bottles going at any one time because I also like to use this in my Kahlua recipe, so I can go through it in good shape.
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Thank NM I'll do that I love vanilla in loads of things and it costs me a fortune as I only buy the best quality stuff. I make a mean vanilla icecream that takes quite an amount and I always include the vanilla bean seeds. Some how they seem to add to it.
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NM thats' just how my mom made me Kahula every winter.. we added instant coffe to it, and let it ferment till the next summer! itds' cheap, and the best i've ever had hahaha 3jays0
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Yum,wake up to the smell of vanilla vodka, er I mean vanilla extract. May have to have some in my morning coffee. Sherry, good thing our lattes here don't have any those nasty calories. What Starbucks doesn't like telling you is that many flavors are sugar free and if you ask for fat free milk, thats half your battle.
Barbe- getting ready for this morning. I hoping for B9 results for you. Let us know as soon as you can what's going on. (((((((HUGS))))))))
Welcome CWinkler--I know how you feel--my surgery was Jan 19 last year. Immerse yourself in the holidays, enjoy your family and friends. You'll never get your mind off of what you're going thru but at least you can have some great distractions during the holidays.
Congratulations Kitty on welcoming a baby Kitty into the world. How exciting!!
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Get ready for my pocket ladies, I'm leaving in 10 minutes. The appointment is for 8 am....
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OK, barbe, here we come!
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Barbe I am IN!!!!! Much luck Sweets. Know I am watching over you. I'll keep the troops in line!!! Luck and love to you!!!!
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Barbe I am IN!!!!! Much luck Sweets. Know I am watching over you. I'll keep the troops in line!!! Luck and love to you!!!!
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((hugs)) Barbe.
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Barbe I am IN!!!!! Much luck Sweets. Know I am watching over you. I'll keep the troops in line!!! Luck and love to you!!!!
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My post when in three times. Guess that means triple luck headed your way!
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jumping in Barb!!
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Man, this is the first time I've come back and had so much to catch up on. Now I know what you're talking about when you say that. I hope I didn't miss anything important, I just skimmed.
Barbe, good luck, I'm in your pockets!
Trish, I saw my blood tests on line and my WBC was 2.7, but no one said anything about it to me. The blood test was done when I was doing radiation (had 3 more to go), and I was supposed to be getting another blood test in 3 weeks for Herceptin infusion, maybe that's why?
Saw Jersey Boys and went to the Palm, a steak house restaurant in the city with my sister last night. OH, What a NIght! (LOL, it's one of the songs in the show. I guess if I have to explain it, it wasn't a very good joke though.)
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Kay,
My WBC has been normally low, around 3.8 or so (at least for the past 4 1/2 years). This time it dropped to 2.8 and so my onc wants me to see one of the hemotologists on staff to see what maybe going on. I had rads back in 07 and did not have chemo. So here goes another round of tests. UGH
Good luck Barbe!!!!
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Barb I'm in your pocket
cwinkler welcome to the group even though I really hate that you had to join us here. Try to enjoy the Holidays as much as you can.
Naitivemaine thanks for the vanilla vodka or extract recipe. Think I'll have to try it. I like to put together homemade items for my sons and DIL's as they really appreciate them.
Prayrv sure hope nothing serious is going on with your wbc.
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I just realized yesterday looking at my calendar that I don't have any Dr appts until Jan 13th, woohoo a month with a dr appt
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Move over ladies and make room for me in Barbe's pocket. It is cold outside and we can keep each other warm - LOL!
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Bringing some Aussie heat with me! Oops Sherry and Jo didn't mean to step on your toes! Are you sure there is enough room? Good luck Barb!
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i'm jumping too, barbe!0
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I'm a little late but I'm in there too barbe!0
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Busy day of chores/cleaning/shopping. I see a bunch are in Barbe pocket and you all look hungry, so I brought you all a carry out of pecan tarts. Enjoy! Hopefully, Barbe will check in with some good news shortly.
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Hi ladies,
Barbe: I think i missed the party:( hope everything went really well.
I thought about you ladies all morning...and was bummed that I forgot to ask for company. Today was an endoscopy to check for where i have an apparent GI bleed. Didn't find the exact bleed but found 20 stomach polyps and an enlarged diafraticulum. Biopsied 4 polyps...lining of stomach and diafratic. and will get report hopefully Tuesday. RBC counct and hematocrit are also low but they think from the bleed earlier this week.
Next Tuesday is report and re-checking of blood so I would like to book for then. GI surgeon today says he thinks onc might want colonoscopy next week as well, so I'll ne in touch if so to reschedue another.
Gotta say, this is starting to get pretty exhausting. The 29th was chemo 4 of 6 and next is 19th. I really love to hear aboutn you ladies who are through because it keeps me plugging along, knowing that it will end.
Hugs to you all,
Lee Ann
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I'm saying a prayer that you get good news Lee Ann...
Those pecan tarts look awesome elimar!
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Barbe-I'm the short one, so I got pushed to the bottom of your pocket when everyone else piled in! Hoping and praying that all went well!
Tori
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Just got home after surgery yesterday. Everything went well, got it all cleaned out & SNs were clear too. Yea. I just wanted to check in, I'll catch up on you all tomorrow.
BUT, I will post the MP tonight in case I sleep through tomorrow. I hope it's not too easy for you all.
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NOODLE-How did we miss your PP???? I have failed. : / But GREAT news about the nodes and margins!!! Now on to healing. Let everyone wait on you and don't worry about a ting, everting will be alright!!0
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If you can friggin' believe it...my results aren't in yet!!! I have a follow-up appointment with the surgeon I met this morning for December 21st. Surely my results would be in by then!!! I'll probably get the results from my PCP first.....crap! Thanks all, though, I really felt the love and didn't crash and burn!
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MP is a long horn sheep?
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Barbe- I am in shock--that is unfricking-believable!!! Did they have to send your results by carrier mule or something?? REALLY!!!???
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