Good Afternoon, Flowers! It's a 'warm' 53 degrees in my corner of the world and the sun is peeking out through the clouds. This has been the strangest weather . . . 60 degrees yesterday! The lake is looking pretty soupy. I think I am done shopping! We left for Sioux City at noon yesterday and power shopped (as Bob calls it) until about 4 then headed home. We picked up Bob's secretary and headed out to the open house held in a huge machine shed. I had to because this is a very large farming operation and the sign on the mail box posts says "Murrays - Next 3 Exits!" I've seen that on the interstates but never on a gravel road in rural country. There was lots of good food and lots of people -- some I knew and some I didn't, but it was fun to visit with those that I don't see very often. We were home early and I promptly fell asleep in front of the TV, woke up when the cat jumped up on my lap, then decided to go to bed early. I was afraid I might wake up and be awake half the night, but I slept so soundly that when I did wake up I was afraid I had overslept and would be late for school. I was on my way to the shower when I remembered it was Saturday.
Maggie -- You soon will have the gain gone and some friends along with it! I agree that this is a hard time of year to lose the weight. So far no one has brought goodies to school so I've been ok there.
"Gma" -- One day at school we were discussing the self check out at WM. One of the men teachers asked, "why in the world would you (meaning the teacher who had used it) want to work for WM?!" I never thought about it since I never use the self check out, but guess I wouldn't want to work for WM either. Your knitting projects look great! I had to at Jack posing for pictures to model for you. It's nice to know that some companies stand behind their products -- glad you are getting a new drawer! My horse is on day 5 of "ready to ship!" I could have driven to Chicago and picked the darned horse up in the time it's been "ready to ship!" The open house was not what you'd typically think of an open house as being . . . from the car to the machine shed was the aroma of hogs. Bob always says that is the smell of $$ to the farmer and I suppose it is. I don't think I could ever get used to living right next to it though. The floor was covered with carpet remnants and there were the huge wooden spools (used by the utility company for their wire, I think) standing on end to use as stand up tables. They did have red and green streamers and balloons above the food tables and balloons with mistletoe as you hung up your coats. There were lots of chairs around the walls of the building.
Gloria -- I remember you talking about your reindeer food! Do any of the children investigate to see if it is gone on Christmas morning? You have such a neat neighborhood! I hope your new eye drop regimen will do the trick for you.
Susan -- I hope your cold hasn't caused you alot of problems and you are on the mend. How was the office Christmas party?
Just a quick peek back in! I didn't even see I was posting 19 Jean, sorry. I guess I was obsessing about having to go to the commissary.
Lookey what I did all by myself? I designed it and knit it in about an hour this morning. I wanted to give my sister a little clutch to go with the shawl and everything was either too difficult to get done quickly or felted and the yarn I am using isn't wool so it couldn't be felted. I think it turned out cute. Unfortunately, you can't see the cute little twinkly star buttons I put on the front though from the picture. My shawl is just about halfway or a little more finished so I hope to get it done this weekend if I can and get it mailed out to her so she will get it in time for her birthday the 26th. I am going to send it priority so maybe it will.
On top of that, I got the commissary shopping done, and even got the blasted Christmas presents all wrapped! Yahoo!!!
Jean: I saw a bumper sticker on a pickup as I was going to the commissary today (there is a lot of farm land and farmers out that way as the Navy Base is kind of out in the country) that said, "This truck may smell like farm animals but it is MY aromatherapy!" Yes, I would say your open house was not the usual kind! i was thinking big house all decorated etc and instead it is sort of Christmas HEEHAW! No matter, it sounded like you had a nice time and that is what is important.
Gail: You said you had retired and would be here a little more often, so where are you girl???
Maggie: I belong to this knitting forum an a lady posted off topic wanting to know a good lowfat recipe for Pecan Pie! I told her that there was no such thing if you wanted it to taste like pecan pie. I guess her husband is dieting and loves pecan pie. I told her to either make a real one, cut it into small slices, give him one and free the individual slices of the rest of the pie, make him some other dessert that you could use a few pecans in or just make him something else. I have made a few desserts that are lower fat, but for the most part I think I would rather have a small amount of the real thing, whatever it is. You will get your 50# charm and it will be real soon. You are doing so very well and everyone has set backs even when they are towing the line.
Gloria: Hope all is well in the northeast. Jack and I swear we are going to get up to Boston sooner or later. I would
love to go as Jack says Boston is a great place to visit. We would like to go on a year the RedSox plays the Cubs in Boston.
Susan: Hope you are feeling better, your party went well and now that Stan has his artificial leg you can keep up with him!
Everyone have a great evening. I need to check on my chicken and rice casserole for dinner.
Good Morning, Flowers! It's a cloudy day in my corner of the world this morning. We had a different kind of church service this morning -- basically the story of the birth with actors and actresses dressed in costume. Traditionally it is the newest baby in the church who is Jesus, along with his parents being Mary and Joseph. The newest baby has a mother but no Joseph in the picture, so Jesus was a month old Sudanese baby. I guess no where does it say that Jesus couldn't be black. Between services the town of Bethlehem was portrayed in the life center and at one end members had brought in nativity sets to display.
"Gma" -- I read your post on the previous thread and figured everyone else would too. Hope your today is going well. We had a flyer, in our local newspaper yesterday, for knitting lessons and felting the handbag or whatever the student chose to create. It's the same night as bell choir, which is church night here, so I was kind of surprised that they scheduled it then.
More gifts to wrap and cards to write so I'd better get moving. Have a great day!
Good morning ladies! It's gonna be cloudy, but warm here again today. I hope the rain holds off until the UPS guy picks up the package for my sister that is sitting on the deck. It cost me about what it would to ship it priority with the post office and they will pick it up and not screw it up hopefully. If they do, they will get a huge earful from me. It will be there by Wednesday and her birthday is a week from tomorrow. This way, she can wear it to Christmas if she wants. I am posting the shawl and clutch together. I finished it last night and got it all ready to ship out. I am now working on something for myself.
Jean: Well, Jesus wouldn't have been black, but he wasn't white either and since he was born for all people, guess it really doesn't matter, huh? I think it is a cute idea though. You better hope the young folks keep having babies or you might end up having to use a 4 year old or something for baby Jesus! Years ago when Kelly was in high school I put myself in charge of the Mother/Daughter banquet and wanted it to be really special and not lame like it had been in years past. I worked like a demon making table decorations and favors of fabric and pearl decorated trinket boxes and decorations to match them. They were really pretty too. I remember I made chicken salad croissants, fresh fruit, cheese, cheesecake slices, instead of the old carry in. They would always have some speaker that was long and drawn out and to tell you the truth, BORING! So, I talked Kelly into playing John Wesley's (the founder of the Wesleyen Methodist church) wife. We dressed her all up as an elderly lady and I put her at a writing desk where she was writing about being a minister's wife and her life with John Wesley etc. It was a monologue on Kelly's part, but the sheets of paper were her script so she could pretend to write and just read it off. To tell you the truth, it was all fiction as far as the wife was concerned. I had to just go with what I could find out about John Wesley and his churches and teachings and such and then just kind of insert it into his wife's life. It was nice to have some spiritual teaching without it being boring and I am sure it is fun once a year to have that at your church.
I wrapped all my gifts on Saturday and thought of you, Jean. You always tell me if I lived close you would do it for me. I think it is struggling with the paper rolls I hate the most and not the actually wrapping. I usually wrap presents sitting on the bed, but our new bed is way too high to do that and move around so I did it in the spare bedroom. Only problem is, that is Butterscotch's domain so he kept bugging me and he can shove the door open so I couldn't keep him out. He did finally get tired of it though and I finally got finished. We hauled the wrapped gifts into Jack's office and sat them on top of the big plastic photo boxes he hauled down from the attic several months ago and never put back up there. I looked at them sitting there and told Jack that a little boy was wayyyyy too spoiled as 95% of the boxes were for him and there were a pile there.
I am now starting on a project for myself, a felted handbag. They call it a shopping tote so you know it is larger, which is what I want anyway. It is going to be purple and a varigated purple stripe. I can't wait so see what the striped yarn looks like knitted up. It is a self striping yarn.
Well, sitting here is not getting morning chores nor the weekly cleaning started. I want to get the whole house cleaned before Friday because I want to shampoo the dining room since Jack has Friday off. They usually get to leave around noon on the last day of work. Since Christmas Eve is on Sunday, he gets Friday off. Next year it will be Monday and Tuesday, then like he said, leap year so it will be goofed up with Wed and Thurs so you have to work part of the week, off then work a day. He can't take any December days off unless he puts in for them way ahead of time as the other two guys have young kids and hold on to days off in case the kids get sick then use them all at once the end of December. Jack is working alone the rest of the month as the other two guys are going to be on vacation using their days up.
Christmas party turned out well so I'm glad that is over. Had a really nice evening and Stan got his wish and was able to walk the whole party. Of course, when it was time to go home he fell asleep before were were out of the parking lot. Way past his bedtime.
My cold is gone - Zicam to the rescue!
Made it to Curves 3 days last week and aiming for 5 this week.
Went with my friends Saturday to a Christmas store, then a little antiquing and lunch. First time I've gotten out with them on a weekend for 2 months.
It's 72 degrees now - high of 52 expected tomorrow...how's that for a change in temperature?
Good Afternoon, Flowers! I am just peeking in because I have card club tonight and it begins at 6 with supper prepared by the hostess. Final exams start tomorrow and not one asked for any help studying today nor to look at my speech notes, so I don't feel too sorry for them. I will be reading 3 exams tomorrow so I hope my voice holds out!
"Gma" -- Thanks for sharing your picture -- they look pretty neat! You need to wrap on a hard surface . . . table, counter top, etc.! That makes it much easier! I got smart this year and have wrapped a few at a time rather than waiting until the last minute like I've done in previous years. We don't get out until Friday at 3:27! However, for the senior high it is a make up day for final exams and I'm hoping I won't have to be there because I will have done all that I need to do . . . unless some kid doesn't show up when he's supposed to.
Susan -- I'm glad your cold is gone and that you and Stan had such a good time at your Christmas party. I would love your 72 degree weather although I really can't complain at 50 . . . it's been below zero in other years with lots of snow on the ground.
I need to keep moving! Have a terrific Tuesday tomorrow!
and a very good morning to you! It sure seems stuffy in the house this morning so it must be fairly warm outside still. Let me go look..... It says it is 48 degrees but it sure is humid feeling in the the condo this morning.
Jean: So do you just have next week off and that is all? I told Jack the same thing that instead of letting the gifts pile up, I should wrap them when they come in or when I finish making them or buying them or whatever. I don't have a big surface to wrap from. Our dining room table is a small farmer's style table and it is tile topped so that makes writing hard. Ahh well, at least they are all wrapped. Now we have to drag them all down to the hotel!
Susan: That is terrific about Stan. I am so glad his leg is working out for him so well and that you had a nice time at your party.
I said I was going to start something for myself, but...I was looking at patterns yesterday trying to find a little summer romper or something to make a couple for the baby. I keep looking and looking and can't find anything that I like or that aren't pretty much gender based. I actually tripped over the perfect thing. She makes stuff for preemies and gives them to hospitals to give to new parents of preemies and had this pattern for a sunsuit with a little matching sweater. So, I just started on it. I have one strap to do then I am done. It turned out so cute. I just used a little heavier yarn and a size bigger needle and it worked great. I used the mint green I made my dd's shrug in and I am going to make one in white and green I think since I have some white. I am not sure about the sweaters though. I think I will just find some onesies that would be cute and get her some of those to put under it. I am going to make some matching booties. I have a different bootie pattern in a knitting book I have and they seem to be just the ticket.
I hear Jack up and around getting ready for work so I should go and make him some breakfast.
Faye, you are turning into an avid knitter...I can hear those needles clacking all the way here. Knitting is very conducive to weight loss - can't eat while we're doing it...at least that's how I feel about quilting.
Jean, will you be off until January 2? I know you'll be so happy to be away from those kids for awhile.
Turned cold - only 43 degrees this morning - after the 70's yesterday...COLD for here.
One of our tenants at work gave me a dozen cookies from Death by Chocolate - 12 cookies weigh 38 ounces and they are double fudge and devil's food...can you say 2,000 calories a cookie? These cookies are $22 a dozen if you go to the Trellis for them. I kept 2 and gave the rest to the people I work with. I appreciate the gesture, but she know's I'm insulin resistant and can't eat this stuff...there was another very heavy box in the package that's not food so I'm keeping that to open on Christmas.
Only 4 day work week this week and next week - how nice is that!
Susan: You can't eat and knit, it is impossible. I mean you have to put it down so it is a great way to help with weight loss. You just have to stay put and not make anything and sit it near you, right? I am sure you don't struggle like you used to. Not that it isn't stil tough, but you eat so much better pretty much all the time and with your insulin issues have to keep yourself in check. The cookies sound yummy and deadly. You are right about the knitting. I am really enjoying it. I even have the sunsuit I knit finished and am boring you with another picture. It is just so fun to share it all when I am finished. I found these little sandals to go with it (They are Ralph Lauren and my son will kill me because they are $43! but I just love them) When we find out the sex, I am getting one of these sets of socks because they are so adorable!
I better get back to work. Our old condo doesn't have weather stripping at the bottom of the front door and I keep meaning to buy one of those cat/dog things you put in front of the door to keep out drafts buy haven't yet. Well the lawn service came through with their blowers and blew out the leaves and junk from my walk and around my bushes and the dirt particles and bits of leaves and such are inside the house now. Glad I hadn't mopped yet!!! Better get to it!
Good Evening, Flowers! I am heading to bed shortly but wanted to check in here before I do. Today was the first day of finals and I read tests and answered "what does this mean" questions most of the day. I worked harder than I do on a regular day! We are supposed to be getting rain, ice, and snow during the night so I'm kind of hoping for a late start tomorrow. Thursday is to be more of the same.
"Gma" -- Cute outfit! Thanks for the pictures.
Susan -- We go back to school the 3rd and students come the 4th. I'm hoping I won't have to show up until the 4th . . . no one seems to be able to tell me what my schedule will be other than probably doing 8 study halls a day.
Hope you all have a good night's sleep and a wonderful Wednesday tomorrow!
Good morning everyone! It is fairly mild here today and Jean, I expect you to keep that nasty weather of yours up there in the north!!!! Actually, I think it is supposed to be in the 60's today and by the weekend in the 50's so that is ok! I remember the year we went down to Tunica for Christmas and we had that ice storm. That was pretty terrifying. It took us 2hours to get home 40 miles!
Jean: You love to torture yourself, don't you? You have so much courage to continue to work in those crummy situations, not knowing what your schedule is going to be, getting all those study halls, etc. Your week is almost done so hang on!!!
Susan: Jack has the same time off and depending on who is the head honcho out there on Thurs, they get to go home anywhere from noon to 2 o'clock. Jack is not getting off too easy, as I want him to shampoo my dining room on Friday, but that really doesn't take all that long, mostly moving the furniture out and then back in.
I love my pets, but sometimes they are worse than children. I came downstairs this morning and Butterscotch had climbed into the recliner and pulled my balls of yarn off the side table and tore through the house with them, what a mess! For some reason he also didn't go in his litter box, but the dining room floor and had spread that all over the dining room, UGH!!! I had a lovely mess to clean up!
My dil called and talked to Jack last night (Iwas sound asleep I guess) and said she got the Christmas presents yesterday and was tempted to open them. She said my son is out of town, but she said he would probably get mad at her so she left them alone. They are leaving Friday to go to her mom's and stepdad's so I don't know when they will open our gifts.
I hear the dishes in the dishwasher calling to me..."Get us out of here, get us out of here!" so I guess I better do just that. I have the upstairs bathrooms to do today and am starting a new knitting project, my handbag.
Have a good morning all! (oh, ps, Jack put a kabosh on the sandals. He said he never tells me no, but he is NOT paying $43 for something the baby will wear 2 weeks! so no sandals..... )
I have been busy as this holiday season progresses. Sat down now to relax a bit and check on ya'all. I baked a wonderful loaf of whole wheat bread in my mini and it is going to be our new found favorite. Better than any I have ever eaten.
Not much of the ordinary happening around here. Ragg Mopp continues to go over to the horses when he is set free so back on the long lead for him. He is good for a couple days then back over there. When Will starts driving stage coach over there poor ole Ragg Mopp will have to be on his lead for sure.
FAYE Do you think maybe Butterscotch was a bit mad at you for doing all that wonderful knitting? Only time Ragg Mopp gets in our stuff is when he doesn't get his way. I don't eat while doing my glass works either. Looks like we both have something to keep food at bay when we are doing "our thing."
JEAN I can imagine you will really enjoy your time off this year. Every year it seems you get worse characters to deal with there.
SUSAN Glad you had a good time at the party and your main squeeze is getting along well. Isn't it the way of "well meaning" folks to give us things that aren't good for us (like those cookies to die for). However, we can give them away like you did and have something nice to give away that way. Just take it in stride and smile a nice thanks.
Everyone have a wonderful holiday season and Christmas is only 4 days and a wake up now. Our wedding anniversary is on the 24 ~ Christmas eve and I don't know if we are doing anything "special" this year ~ we may just go for a nice drive and look at Christmas lights.
Good Evening/Morning Flowers! I slept away the evening and now I am wide awake! I get so at myself when I do that! I did finish my cards and put together Christmas gift bags for those that I remember at school. I had to sub today for a special ed. teacher that is home with pneumonia. The principal told her he wasn't going to hire a sub because she co-teaches with a regular ed. teacher (she is the support for the special ed. students in the class and when she isn't there, they don't get the extra attention). Anyhow, he told her that I could cover her class that is special ed.; I saw him before school started and not once did he say, "could you, would you, did you know?" Like I had nothing else to do today. We were supposed to go to Sioux City to a funeral visitation tonight, but it was 32 degrees and raining after school so decided not to take a chance on driving home on ice.
"Gma" -- I had to at Butterscotch playing with your yarn! Sometimes they are just like having a two year old around the house again.
Maggie -- Fresh bread . . . yum! I will wish you a Happy Anniversary early just in case I don't 'see' you again before your special day.
I'm going to unload the dishwasher and head for bed. Have a terrific Thursday!
Good morning ladies! It is raining to beat the band this morning but Fortune had to really go, so he stayed outside long enough to do his business and came back in and shook himself out. It is pretty warm here still. We haven't used the furnace at all in a couple weeks and I think the ac once, when the temps got up to near 80 several days ago. Nice that MLGW doesn't get all our money this month.
Maggie: Your bread sounds yummy. Enjoy! Sounds like Ragg Mopp is in detention again! I scolded B that is for sure. He has been crawling up into my lap when I am knitting, which is difficult as it is with him being 23 lbs, but then he sits with his bottom on the foot rest and his head facing me so he can bat at my needles and chew on the yarn. I swat him on the nose and tell him if he doesn't stop he has to get down and usually he will quit. Fortune is the one that gets after me for knitting. He will sit and bark at me if he thinks I should be doing something else. The minute I lay it down he leaves me alone! He'll do that if I am sitting at the computer too. He doesn't seem to mind me when I am cleaning though....
Jean: You have a humdinger of a principal. I bet everyone just lovvvvveeeeesssss him. Hope the temps didn't get too low and you now have ice. I saw a lady's post on my knitting forum where I bet she lived in the Northwest because they were without power for several days and it ties into their pump for their water so they didn't have water either!!! She said her son and husband had to remove 12 evergreens that were blown over in that big storm they had. They couldn't get out of the lane even to leave the house for days because the trees were blocking the road.
I have a good start on my newest project, my handbag. I am going to felt it, but here is what it looks like before you felt. I also put a couple skeins of the fuzzy stuff my dil bought me for Christmas into it because it blended so well. The fuzzy stuff doesn't felt so I will have sections of fuzzy along with the felted stuff. When I finish this skein of the fuzzy, which is what I am working on now, I will finish the bag with the purple that is the first few rows. It is going to be a nice big big bag for me, which I like.
I guess I should get going and finish my morning chores before Jack gets up.
Happy anniversary, Maggie - and they said it wouldn't last! Your bread sounds great. I'm going to make chili tomorrow so I think I'll make some bread bowls to put it in. I love to make bread - don't have a machine.
Faye, about time you make something for your self. I can never get your pictures up so haven't got to see any of it but I know it's beautiful from what the others say. I saw some kits at Joann's to make felted bags (50% off).
Jean, hope the ice didn't materialize. Your school sounds like something out of a cartoon...inmates in charge.
Ladies, won't be back until Tuesday so have a blessed Christmas - hope Santa brings you everything you were wishing for and a jackpot for Faye at the casino!
Steel Magnolias -- #42
because this is a very large farming operation and the sign on the mail box posts says "Murrays - Next 3 Exits!" I've seen that on the interstates but never on a gravel road in rural country. There was lots of good food and lots of people -- some I knew and some I didn't, but it was fun to visit with those that I don't see very often. We were home early and I promptly fell asleep in front of the TV, woke up when the cat jumped up on my lap, then decided to go to bed early. I was afraid I might wake up and be awake half the night, but I slept so soundly that when I did wake up I was afraid I had overslept and would be late for school. I was on my way to the shower when I remembered it was Saturday. 
I agree that this is a hard time of year to lose the weight. 
So far no one has brought goodies to school so I've been ok there.
I never thought about it since I never use the self check out, but guess I wouldn't want to work for WM either. 
Your knitting projects look great! I had to 
I could have driven to Chicago and picked the darned horse up in the time it's been "ready to ship!" The open house was not what you'd typically think of an open house as being . . . from the car to the machine shed was the aroma of hogs. Bob always says that is the smell of $$ to the farmer and I suppose it is. I don't think I could ever get used to living right next to it though. The floor was covered with carpet remnants and there were the huge wooden spools (used by the utility company for their wire, I think) standing on end to use as stand up tables. They did have red and green streamers and balloons above the food tables and balloons with mistletoe as you hung up your coats. There were lots of chairs around the walls of the building. 
Do any of the children investigate to see if it is gone on Christmas morning? You have such a neat neighborhood! I hope your new eye drop regimen will do the trick for you. 
from Iowa!
so Jesus was a month old Sudanese baby. I guess no where does it say that Jesus couldn't be black. Between services the town of Bethlehem was portrayed in the life center and at one end members had brought in nativity sets to display.
Hope your today is going well. We had a flyer, in our local newspaper yesterday, for knitting lessons and felting the handbag or whatever the student chose to create. It's the same night as bell choir, which is church night here, so I was kind of surprised that they scheduled it then. 
in Iowa!
I will be reading 3 exams tomorrow so I hope my voice holds out!
and a very good morning to you! It sure seems stuffy in the house this morning so it must be fairly warm outside still. Let me go look..... 
It says it is 48 degrees but it sure is humid feeling in the the condo this morning.
Sat down now to relax a bit and check on ya'all. I baked a wonderful loaf of whole wheat bread in my mini and it is going to be our new found favorite. Better than any I have ever eaten. 
I will wish you a Happy Anniversary early just in case I don't 'see' you again before your special day. 
in Iowa!
