ugh what the hell, Vortex's mom? It's almost like she intentionally comes up with new ways to be difficult.

Another thing to remember -- the fresher the okra, the less slime.

Steph - have you heard from your brother? I read that there's some flooding and road closures in the Waterbury area.

So far there's nothing really bad in St Albans. But there's a section of guard rails on I89 near Milton that are washed out. There's already one lane closed in that area because the ground is eroding and the road has sunk a few inches.

I found some cornmeal, so I think I'm back to the fried okra idea. Still figuring out what to make to go with them. I think just some rice, and I'll cook the black-eyed peas with some tomatoes and hot sauce.

Steph - have you heard from your brother? I read that there's some flooding and road closures in the Waterbury area.

He lives in Northfield, which is a good 20- to 25-minute drive to Waterbury. (Although I'm sure there might be flooding there, too.) I talked to him yesterday, and he was expecting flooding and power outages, AND he didn't have to work today, so I'm assuming they stayed home and off the roads.

Discovery of the day: if you cook brown rice with the annatto oil used to make yellow rice, you end up with orange rice.

pretty!

I mean, we've only been dating two months, and he just got out of a four-year relationship like, six months ago, and I've been trying to be patient and not push and give him his space (which he recognizes) but it just isn't fun to feel like I could be rejected at any moment. I can't grok being all logical and rational about whether you like someone and want to be with them. I have a hard time imagining him just waking up one day and thinking, you know what? I'm ready to actually be in a relationship with that smonster chick.

After just getting out of a long-term relationship, I'd be very gun-shy of committing to a new one.

Not to say I wouldn't happily date and date monogamously, but making future plans or being with someone who was expressly looking for cohabitation or marriage or kids or planning a trip together to the jungle next summer? I can see pulling back.

Not that rebounds can't end up being real long-term things but, at the beginning, it's a lot to ask.

I have a hard time imagining him just waking up one day and thinking, you know what? I'm ready to actually be in a relationship with that smonster chick.

He's at a demanding part of his career and is dealing with the end of a long-term relationship, I can actually see - after a bit of time - him waking up happily with you and thinking exactly this.

You give your heart so openly. I am really sorry you are hurting now.

I can actually see - after a bit of time - him waking up happily with you and thinking exactly this.

When things have settled, and life hasn't collapsed on him, and you've put up with his shit, a man might definitely have a "the clouds rolled away" moment of epiphany of that nature. They turn around and see you and go, "Oh! Yeah! Her! Me!" They really are creatures of emotion, no matter how much they try and pretend otherwise.

My first attempt at frying okra kind of made a mess, but it's a tasty mess. The breading didn't really stick to the okra, so I ended up with some fried breading bits and some fried unbreaded okra.