"... then a few strokes with a potato masher in the bowl before putting it under the beater arm makes the job go smoother." Ahhhh, that's EXACTLY what I was trying to avoid when I laid out the $. If I could still mash, knead and thrash without pain I wouldn't have a new mixer. It's simple... don't let em cool off before beatin tha crap out of em.

Nearly had a chance to try squirrel puree but the little bastard got out of my garage before I could get the door closed. My neighbour feeds it peanuts because it's soooo cute. Cute like a stomach pump! And, I have a BRAND NEW hockey stick I bought a long time ago but never had the chance to shoot squirrel with. Maybe next time?

Tho, it is cute. It runs along the telephone wires with peanuts in it's mouth and jumps from tree to tree. It's quite something to watch the antics. Very entertainig. The best acrobatic trick I saw was last fall when one of it's forebearers climbed the power pole out back and danced on the ceramic potential protection of a transformer. It was like watching David Coppersquirrel... a disappearing act... one minute it was there and then POOF! it was gone and all that remained was a puff of smoke! So was the electrical power to my house. Not much of an illusion, really, when yer lyin on the ground and there is smoke eminating from yer fried nuts.

Rats! with bushy tails! But they ARE cute, eh?