Life in America - I made the move.

[Sardine]

OMG! Do you mind sharing the recipe for that cake, Mrs. Zog? 

[Fudmucker]

OMG! Do you mind sharing the recipe for that cake, Mrs. Zog? 

You must start with some honey-coated hickory smoked bacon strips...   

[Mrs. Zog]

OMG! Do you mind sharing the recipe for that cake, Mrs. Zog? 

You must start with some honey-coated hickory smoked bacon strips...   

 

Sure, I'll share. It's a very simple cake, too, with ingredients you'll probably have in the pantry anyway.

[Mrs. Zog]

I converted the measurements exactly to metric. It's not rocket science, just round approximately, it won't harm the cake 

Summer Strawberry Cake


6 tablespoons (85 g) butter at room temperature
1 1/2 cups (188 g) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (200 g) sugar  + 2 tablespoons to sprinkle on top
1 egg
1/2 cup (118 ml) milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pound (450 g) strawberries, hulled and halved

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Butter a cake pan. Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Mix in egg, milk and vanilla until just combined. Add dry mixture gradually, mixing until just smooth. Pour into cake pan. Arrange strawberries, cut side down, on top (as many as you can fit with minimal gaps, or overlap). Sprinkle 2 tablespoons sugar over top. (And choc chips if the fancy takes you.)

Bake for 10 minutes at 350/180, then reduce temperature to 325 F/160 C and bake until golden brown, about 45-60 minutes. Depends on your oven. Mine took 45 minutes. Tester should come out clean without wet dough (gooey strawberries are a given).

Enjoy! 

[Sardine]

OMG! Do you mind sharing the recipe for that cake, Mrs. Zog? 

You must start with some honey-coated hickory smoked bacon strips...   

 

Sure, I'll share. It's a very simple cake, too, with ingredients you'll probably have in the pantry anyway.

 

[Sardine]

I converted the measurements exactly to metric. It's not rocket science, just round approximately, it won't harm the cake 

Summer Strawberry Cake


6 tablespoons (85 g) butter at room temperature
1 1/2 cups (188 g) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (200 g) sugar  + 2 tablespoons to sprinkle on top
1 egg
1/2 cup (118 ml) milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pound (450 g) strawberries, hulled and halved

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Butter a cake pan. Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Mix in egg, milk and vanilla until just combined. Add dry mixture gradually, mixing until just smooth. Pour into cake pan. Arrange strawberries, cut side down, on top (as many as you can fit with minimal gaps, or overlap). Sprinkle 2 tablespoons sugar over top. (And choc chips if the fancy takes you.)

Bake for 10 minutes at 350/180, then reduce temperature to 325 F/160 C and bake until golden brown, about 45-60 minutes. Depends on your oven. Mine took 45 minutes. Tester should come out clean without wet dough (gooey strawberries are a given).

Enjoy! 

Awesome! Thank you 😊
Is it a fairly dense cake?

[Mrs. Zog]

No, not dense at all. In fact, the first thing we both said when trying the first bite was "oh my God, it's so fluffy!" Also very juicy because of the strawberries. 

[Mr Zog]

Just some feedback on the bike.

I didn't get it registered, but I do have an appointment for 3pm on 2nd July for the DMV inspector to check the vin number and assign a value.

Until then...

[grizz]

Just some feedback on the bike.

I didn't get it registered, but I do have an appointment for 3pm on 2nd July for the DMV inspector to check the vin number and assign a value.

Until then...

Value for taxation purposes?


Do you have pics to show what you started with, to reduce value and tax, if that’s the case?

[Mr Zog]

Just some feedback on the bike.

I didn't get it registered, but I do have an appointment for 3pm on 2nd July for the DMV inspector to check the vin number and assign a value.

Until then...

Value for taxation purposes?


Do you have pics to show what you started with, to reduce value and tax, if that’s the case?

I dunno man. As far as I know it's exempt from import tax because I have owned it for more than 3 years, and also because it's an antique (more than 20 years old). The value may just be for registration purposes?

I do have old pics, but right now the bike doesn't look too great, the paint is coming off the engine a bit, and the bolts are all showing a bit of surface corrosion. I'll leave it like that until I get it all sorted and legal...    maybe it will reduce the value if it looks "old and worn"...

[Mr Zog]

So I haven't been posting much the last few days.

The reason is that my laptop kicked the bucket. Finally. After several years of threatening to do so. It was about 10 years old....

The good news is that I had an unexpected windfall of about $200 last week too....

I did want to use that cash to do my bike license, but I figured that a new laptop right now is more important. I try to post from my little tablet, but it's difficult trying to type on it, and I can't post pics from it either. (not because the tablet can't, but because I don't know how  )

So last night after work Mrs Zog and I went off to Best Buy, a local chain that specialises in electronic equipment. I got a nice HP laptop with 1 terrabyte hard drive and a 15.4" screen for $239 

Wow, it fired right up, and a voice prompt lady told me how to get started. When I got logged in through my microsoft account it recognised me and made the job easier.

Now I just need to get all my other stuff loaded, like websites and passwords and stuff, and the programs I use like picture resizing apps etc. Then I will be up and running again. Apparently this computer even links to my phone somehow...? Crazy...

So hopefully soon I'll be back to posting stuff and pics etc.

Today I went and bought some more bird seed for the squirrels, and a few bits and pieces from Walmart and Home Depot. Then I did a bit of work on the Jon boat (I'll get pics as soon as I can get them sized right) and I also fitted the new ignition to the bike. I had to make a new bracket for the ignition from a piece of scrap aluminium I had lying around, and that was a bit of a job. I also took it easy for a bit while a thunderstorm moved through, then I braaied a couple of steaks for dinner 

Tomorrow am I may just even pop down to the dock for a bit of an early morning fish 

Then I need to mow the grass, weedeat, finish off the job on the boat, clean out the bike's carb and replace the fuel lines and filter, and make a start on making shelves for the wardrobes in the rooms.

Chat again soon! Thanks for reading 

[Tom van Brits]

Gary that is an excellent price on the laptop, hope it will serve you well! 

My son contacted me 4am and said; 'dad it's urgent I need to talk to you about possible work'
It turned out that another farmer he knows has just fired 3 x SA truck drivers because they are lazy. That's what I like about the American system; you can get rid of people that don't do their work and replace them to keep your business performing. Don't let lazy or negative people drag your company down and as result maybe lower services. There is no 'demands; you do your work as expected or you make space for someone else.
So he said obviously he cannot guarantee me anything, but I got a change to sent my CV through in time and all my stuff is in order. This position is in Dakota.
I obviously don't have CDL but he has told me to start study and if I do get the job I can do it asap upon arrival. There is an app; you pay once off R90 and then it give you all the States CDL material & exams. For Now I'll google and learn what I can, and if I get the job Ill get the app and study.

Cheers 

[grizz]

Gary that is an excellent price on the laptop, hope it will serve you well! 

My son contacted me 4am and said; 'dad it's urgent I need to talk to you about possible work'
It turned out that another farmer he knows has just fired 3 x SA truck drivers because they are lazy. That's what I like about the American system; you can get rid of people that don't do their work and replace them to keep your business performing. Don't let lazy or negative people drag your company down and as result maybe lower services. There is no 'demands; you do your work as expected or you make space for someone else.
So he said obviously he cannot guarantee me anything, but I got a change to sent my CV through in time and all my stuff is in order. This position is in Dakota.
I obviously don't have CDL but he has told me to start study and if I do get the job I can do it asap upon arrival. There is an app; you pay once off R90 and then it give you all the States CDL material & exams. For Now I'll google and learn what I can, and if I get the job Ill get the app and study.

Cheers 

Perfect.


Go for it !!

[Shukran]

if I get the job Ill get the app and study.

Cheers 

Good luck sir!

[Blou Zebu]

@Mr Zig
I was looking for something else and stumbled over this. I do not know if it help


What is required to permanently import a motorcycle from a foreign country?https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/297/kw/import%20honey/session/L3RpbWUvMTU2MTkwMDU4MS9zaWQvTkxoYVR6aW8%3D

[Camino Cerdo]

I checked the web site "https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/297/kw/import%20honey/session/L3RpbWUvMTU2MTkwMDU4MS9zaWQvTkxoYVR6aW8%3D" There is a link at the bottom for antique vehicles. Reading that it looks like you should be good to go after you fill out some forms. I have bought vehicles in Canada and brought them in to the USA but have always made sure they had the right EPA sticker and used a customs agent.
Bringing any bike into a country permanently is always a challenge. But I think the age will make it slide in without problems.
RJT
 

[Mr Zog]

I checked the web site "https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/297/kw/import%20honey/session/L3RpbWUvMTU2MTkwMDU4MS9zaWQvTkxoYVR6aW8%3D" There is a link at the bottom for antique vehicles. Reading that it looks like you should be good to go after you fill out some forms. I have bought vehicles in Canada and brought them in to the USA but have always made sure they had the right EPA sticker and used a customs agent.
Bringing any bike into a country permanently is always a challenge. But I think the age will make it slide in without problems.
RJT
 

@Mr Zig
I was looking for something else and stumbled over this. I do not know if it help


What is required to permanently import a motorcycle from a foreign country?https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/297/kw/import%20honey/session/L3RpbWUvMTU2MTkwMDU4MS9zaWQvTkxoYVR6aW8%3D

Thanks for the info guys 

When I was originally researching this I found some info that stated that if the vehicle was older than 20 or was it 30? years, it was exempt from the Emission control regs, and most of the safety standards too...

When I go to the FHP (Florida Highway Patrol) office on Tuesday for the VIN inspection I'll hopefully find out more 

[Mr Zog]

I am struggling with software to resize my pics 

I made a post in Jou Ma asking for advice / help. So until I sort it out, no pics. Sorry.

This morning I woke up well before dawn. Decided to go down to the dock and watch the sun rise with a fishing rod in my hand 

I got several catfish, and by 9am it was time to leave. The boat launch was busy as all heck, with independence day coming up and good weather today everyone and their dog was on the water. There were even fucktards shooting off fireworks at 8am 

Back home I mowed the lawn. Then I fitted the wooden water deflectors to the Jon boat, put it's tarp back on, and parked it back in it's spot down behind the workshop.

Then I got busy with the bike. I removed the carb again, and gave it a really good cleaning. No Woody1, I didn't boil it in lemon juice, I just flushed all the ports out with carb cleaner under pressure.

I put it all back together again, and I also replaced the fuel lines and fitted a new inline filter.

It started on the first kick     and it revs up perfectly   

I took it for a few laps of the back yard. It's a pity my lawn looks so good, or I would have blipped the throttle and spun up the back wheel     

Parked it up in the garage so that I can load it on the bakkie Monday evening for it's inspection Tuesday.

Then I got busy making the shelves for Mrs Zog's closet.

While I was working in the workshop a big storm came through. Suddenly a big noise, and the dogs went crazy. A massive branch from the big tree had broken off and had fallen onto the lawn    Thank goodness it didn't land on the gazebo or the little pool 

So after installing the shelves for Mrs Zog we spent about an hour getting rid of as many of the branches that we could. Now it is just the big branch left. I'll need to cut that up with a chainsaw. I have an electric one, but it needs some work first. Maybe tomorrow after work. I just didn't have the energy left to get it cut up any more.

I'll save the pics so long, when I get resizing software sorted I'll resize and post 

[Sardine]

Lekker Gary!
For photos, I have always liked FastStone Image Resizer
https://www.faststone.org/FSResizerDetail.htm
It’s very user friendly.

[woody1]

Then I got busy with the bike. I removed the carb again, and gave it a really good cleaning. No Woody1, I didn't boil it in lemon juice, I just flushed all the ports out with carb cleaner under pressure.


How must I feel now.