Good Afternoon, Flowers! It's another cold, cloudy, and windy day in my neighborhood. School was "as usual" -- disrespect, undone assignments, etc., etc. Even the subs are beginning to complain about the rude students. I never did find Ian's birthday card so stopped and bought another one.
Maggie -- Congrats on the loss! You have the scale going the right way once again! I'm sure you will enjoy your new tablecloth.
Susan -- I didn't have very good cards last night but it's always nice to see people I only see once a month. I drank too much water and ate too many salty crackers, I think! I lost count on the number of trips to the bathroom during the night! I've never heard of buckwheat honey but I have heard of putting honey, lemon juice, and hot tea together. Bob always thought honey and whiskey sounded better.
"Gma" -- I hope you aren't feeling worse today!
It's about time for my weekly call to my "mom" so guess I will move on. Have a nice evening and a wonderful Wednesday tomorrow!
Good morning ladies. I have had a rough few days, but am on the mend and did get some much needed sleep last night. I have had an upset tummy for a couple days along with the cold so haven't been eating much. Yesterday was hard because all the stuff was finally loose and getting rid of it is always hard on the body of course. Now it looks like poor Jack may have the beginnings of it. This is not the best time for us to get sick with everything to do for the holiday, but we will muddle through. I haven't even been to the commissary yet. I just didn't have the energy to go so we are going to try and get there this Saturday and get back and all put away before Thomas's recital at 2:30.
Jean: I imagine they are all getting antsy for the Thanksgiving holiday. Well, unless it was a specific birthday, when you find the other card you can always use it next year. What is he now 6 or so?
Maggie: Congrats on the losses that is great.
I hope I am feeling up to getting some cleaning done today. I am behind on my daily cleaning though I have been able to keep up on daily chores by pushing myself. I have been sitting to fold laundry and stuff like that to make it easier on myself. If I feel bad, I sit to unload the dishwasher than just stand up to put it away. I usually wait until I go up to take a shower to make the bed so I don't have to climb the stairs so much. That starts a coughing fit of course.
Well, I hear Jack up and around. I am going to check on him.
Faye
It is a bit warmer this day than it was yesterday here in the heartlnd. When I looked at the temp yesterday I shuddered for it was 29 at this time and today it is 55. That was the outside temp. I am doing my buildings in segments of 4 hours each and not marithoning it this go round. But it does seem I get one of the applications done in that amount of time. I have more to do in this huge house than I did in that motorhome. I've got to get another office type chair to put in this room. I am sitting in a dining room chair here and it is too low. This desk sits higher than a table and even with a cushion this is too low to type easily. OH the troubles I have. Life is good. It is just too hard to keep rolling that chair I have over this carpet. I'll be so glad when we get to the yanking it up and putting that wood type flooring down that doesn't scratch or stain or anything but look good. That is the plan for this room. Today is Ragg Mopps trim and bath day. He is due for he is looking kinda scraggly. He sure stays cleaner here then where we were before.
JEAN I can imagine the holiday times at your school are hard to work. Those kids have a hard time focusing as it is. I give you the badge of courage for sticking with it so long. How is that cat of yours doing? There are times that I sure miss Turn. I think if we could find a manx kitten we would get one for Ragg Mopp. He loves them and plays so cute with them.
DONNA Sure glad you are on the mend. Buying groceries can sure be a bigger chore when you are feeling so low. I bet you are really looking forward to that recital. I love those things.
SUSAN I still smile when I think of you and those two ladies looking at your quilt in that small bathroom. Isn't it nice, though, when others show an interest in what you have crafted. We all do such different things. It is intersting how we chose what it is that we do do isn't it.
Too Hip Gotta Go for my day is just getting going and I have stuff to do.
Good afternoon, ladies! Still cold today. It was 25 at 9am when I left for work. I finally gave up and got out the winter coat, hat, scarf and gloves. The scarf is a necessity because of my asthma - cold air = tight chest.
Faye, sorry to hear Jack is getting sick but glad you are on the mend. How did the folks at Thomas' school and his friends take his being on tv?
Jean, what is it about salty snacks that makes us keep on eating them knowing we'll be up half the night going to the bathroom? I do that, too.
Maggie, you are so talented with glass. I tried making clothing, knitting, needlepoint, crewel, counted cross stitch, crocheting, and weaving before I tried quilting. Now I quilt 99.9% of the time.
Well, back to work! Have a great evening...and stay well!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU ALL!! I am not sure I will be able to post again before the big day and wanted to wish you all a great Holiday.
Faye: Although it is not good that Jack is now having his turn I am glad you are feeling better. I am sure you enjoyed T's recital. Remember all the cleaning you do before company you will have to even more after they leave so take it easy. Think you will enjoy this: we went to the Commissary this morning and I have never seen so many people out shopping at the same time. Not only shopping but double carts and oh, those old people who don't know where they are or what they are looking for! The line for check out was all the way across the store and down back to the milk section. Half an hour just in the check out line. Well we finished and now I have put most of it away and just taking a break before we have to head out to a wake for the father of a Jack's friend from church..
Jean: I'll bet you are ready for the Holiday break, even if it just an extra day. Ian's birthday already WoW! How old is he now?
Susan: It is cold here as well. All you can do is bundle up. Keep that chest covered. Your bathroom adventure with the quilter ladies was so cute. Nice to be complimented.
Maggie: We have had weeks like yours when the temp was high one day and very low the next. I call that pneumonia weather. Your house still sound lovely. You have great talent as well as patience.
We just heard that Sean, grandson who will be 17 on Christmas Eve, and is a football player so you can estimate his size needs an operation. He has been complaining of stomach problems and his mom, the nurse, had him in to the Dr's and had all kinds of tests but they all were negative. Finally she had him have a cat scan and they found gall stones and some stones near his appendix. Friday he will have laproscopic surgery and will probably be in overnight and home the next day. With all those muscles he will be a hurting kid for a while but kids bounce back fast.
Good Afternoon/Evening, Flowers! I think the sun has moved somewhere else! It's dark, cold, and windy again today. It was supposed to be in the 50s and it is only 33 right now. Bob is at a meeting and it will be a doozey! He is chairman on the Board of Adjustments and a Mexican family is building a "shrine" on to the front of their house which makes it too close to the street. They maintain that "someone" at city hall told them it was ok but don't know who, of course. Their 2 year old son was run over and killed in their driveway by a neighbor man, and this is a shrine to honor him. The child was chasing a balloon and the guy didn't see him. According to the article in the paper the father has "many" friends and relatives coming to the meeting for support. The problem is that the building isn't legal and if one does it they will all want to.
"Gma" -- I'm glad to see you today! I'm sorry that Jack is catching the crud, but I'm glad you are on the mend. I hope your cough is gone soon and you are back to feeling 100% by the time your company comes. Bob's theory is that one should clean after the company has been and gone. Men! Ian turns 6 on Friday; I remember the day he was born like it was yesterday.
Maggie -- Are you putting in "real" wood floors or the laminate? We did the laminate and it shows every foot/paw print, every crumb, and every piece of hair, lint, or whatever. It isn't the dark wood look either. What can I say about Ernie????? He is a wild child in the morning running up and down the stairs; he helps Bob make the bed and then comes flying down to help me get the coffee going, races back up to check on Bob, and flies back down again. He loves the electric blanket! I'm guessing he probably weighs 13 - 15#s since he has filled out quite a bit since we got him in May. He likes his water from the faucet. He still isn't a lap cat because he doesn't fit very well since he is so long. He has pretty markings; he is black stripes on gray with a touch of tan, and quite a bit of white on his body. His face is white and the stripes around his eyes make him look like he has eye make up on. His paws are white and his underside is all white and a softer fur than his top side. Unlike most cats he likes to have his stomach rubbed and will lay on his back like a baby.
Susan -- You talking about wearing a scarf makes me think of my mom because she always had a scarf to cover her nose and mouth when it was cold outside. I feel for you! I hope your day at work was a good one!
Gloria -- Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family! It's nice to see you here today. Ian turns 6 on Friday and I just can't believe how fast the grandchildren grow up. The day he was born was very cold and we had quite a bit of snow on the ground all ready. All of our snow is gone again, and I'm hoping we don't get any more until an 1" for Christmas, then gone the next day. I hope that Sean has a speedy recovery from his surgery. I'm glad they were able to find a cause for his pain.
I'm off to clear off the kitchen counter . . . again, and put in a load of laundry. Have a relaxing evening and a terrific Thursday tomorrow!
Good morning to you all! With Gloria's post, I thought maybe I had slept through a week and I was now in BIG trouble!
Gloria: It was so good to hear from you. I dread the commissary. I know it is going to be a zoo because of the holidays, but we have to get it done. Depending on how Jack feels I may ask him if he wants to go today after work as I am going to keep the car today. I realized we don't have enough carpet shampoo to do the downstairs carpets and we want to do those on Sunday so I have to go to Target today and get some. I hear him upstairs wandering around so it must be time to get ready for work. I hope you and your family have a lovely holiday. I am sure you will be with at least one of your dd's families. Oh, his gall bladder surgery will be a snap. I had it done 15 years ago that way and was up and around really quick and didn't even have a huge amount of soreness. Poor kid to have to deal with that at such a young age though.
Susan: I have been trying to wipe stuff down with Clorox sheets and such when we use them like the phone and computer keyboard and mouse and stuff to try and cut down on re-infection. I heard him cough some last night so he is definitely right in the range I thought he'd be. I am almost over it all, a little residual coughing and phlegm here and there, but feeling lots better than a couple days ago. I used to cross-stitch until I got arthritis in my hands and it became too hard. I think that is why trying to knit socks is so hard, the tiny needles. I still haven't gone back to making T his socks. I am down to the last hat and trying to get it finished and all the candy cane buttons sewn on. I am at crunch time now!
Jean: We had a Mexican family that tried to do that, in fact did have this huge thing built on their front yard and like your town, Memphis has the same type laws. They tried to fight it, got it in the newspaper and such trying to wiggle out with the religious angle, but it ended up having to be torn down. Actually, I guess because this town is so huge compared to yours, the powers that be might not have seen it for a long time, but the neighbors griped about it. One guy was anti religion and so he really started the whole thing. Butterscotch would let me rub his tummy and stuff most cats won't let you do. He loved having his tail "stripped" as I called it. I would make a fist and slide it along his tail. He would come and put his tail in your hand to do it! I sure miss the big guy, especially when I see cats of the same coloring on tv. I noticed things about Fortune that remind me he is getting older. He will be 9 years old next month. He is having more trouble holding urine than he used to. He has an appt for all his shots soon, so I will have him checked out just to be sure, but I think it is just his age. Kelly's dog is older than Fortune and doing the same thing, piddling right where he stands sometimes. Of course I remember Jackson's birth because we were in a car driving up there when he was born. Thomas we missed out too. She kept going to the hospital with Braxton Hix and we started up there three times only to have to turn back, which wasted Jack's time off. When she was in labor, Jack couldn't leave so we had to wait 2 weeks before seeing our first grandson.
Maggie: You'll end up with a backache sooner or later sitting on a chair like that. The dang things just aren't made for working at a computer for some reason. Hope you are getting pre thanksgiving stuff done. I will soon be in the middle of it all.
Well, I have to go upstairs and throw on some clothes so I can take Jack to work.
Good morning, ladies! A bit warmer this morning (in the 40s).
Gloria, to you and your family. Sean will recover quickly. I saw an article somewhere about the increase in gallbladder disease in young people because of the amount of fat in their diets.
Jean, I never could understand why people want to put markers and memorials at the site of the death. The body isn't there so why not make it inside the home or go to the cemetary. Virginia allows them on the interstate and all roads if they are small and don't interfer with traffic. They stay for 1 year and then they are removed.
Faye, don't overdo before everyone gets there. They are coming to see you and Jack, not inspect your house.
Good morning to you all! Well the dirty commissary deed is done for a week at least. Boy, what a nightmare! There were tons of people there and because of space they stick holiday stuff in the middle of the aisles so if you need something across the aisle, you have to walk all the way to the end of the holiday set ups then back up the aisle. What a waste of time. I found all but three items though, so that wasn't bad.
I got up at 4:30 this morning and started in with daily chores than as soon as Jack left, unloaded the dining room and shampooed that carpet. Tomorrow is clean the linoleum in the morning then T's recital in the afternoon and Sunday is shampoo the living room carpet, which takes awhile and moving furniture around to put up the tree. I think I may make the moose munch popcorn and the fudge on Sunday if time permits. I get done here I am headed upstairs to shower, make the bed and wrap presents.
Susan: No one notices my house but I am a nut about it being clean and orderly. It is stupid really, but that's the way I am. It is not going to be done completely because the hanger haven't come for me to finish my spring cleaning stuff, but I am going to move my sweaters onto the shelf above my hangups for the time being until week after next when the hangers are supposed to get here. I would like to clean up Jack's office, but that is a week project all in itself. For one thing, I have been remiss about putting receipts in their folders so I have a whole pile to file. I think one reason I am so orderly is Jack is so much the other way. He can never find anything and then accuses me of moving it. If he would just put it back where it belongs, it wouldn't come up missing. It took me 5 years to get him to put the keys on the hook by the door and I still find them on the kitchen counter every once in awhile. Ahh well, that is the wonderful part of being married! lol
I did get a refund for the handbag thingy. At least they said they would refund it. Haven't seen it yet. I think I may have fixed it to use it though so I will let you know.
Well gals, I have lots to accomplish today so I better get to it.
I have spent the entire day sewing. I started at 8:30 am and just finished at 9:00. I did stop for some soup for lunch and a little supper. I got the Winter mystery piecing done and it is all put together with the final border to put on tomorrow. I'll get that on tomorrow then get the backing ready and get it basted. I can't sew all day tomorrow - housework calls. too.
Morning gals! I have T's recital this afternoon. Jack is to sick to go so I am going solo. I am still a bit under the weather, but don't want to miss him play. I love to see how much he has improved since the last recital, which is in the spring.
I have moved all rugs and small furniture out of living room to do the rug tomorrow and all the chatskys so I can put up the Christmas ones. I think I may start a batch of cookies this morning or fudge and get it done. I don't know. I may just wait to do it. We shall see how it goes.
I am still working on that last hat. I still have to set the colors, which takes at least a couple hours, but with red and white, I usually try to leave it in 3-4 hours to make sure and I have all the buttons to sew on too. Getting sick right now was just not the thing I needed.
Susan: Sounds like you got a lot of sewing finished. I know I have so much to do, my head is spinning. It will all get done though, it always does.
Good Afternoon, Flowers! It's a gloomy day here; we got some snow Friday night/Saturday morning and it is sticking on the ground. The city won't plow for anything under 4" so the side streets are a mess.
We left town right after I got out of school on Friday and headed to Sioux City. We did the Tour of Homes in big tour busses. In all there were 5 homes: one was decorated in "new" furniture from the 50s era while the others were a combination of antiques, new, and used. The last 2 homes had 4 floors each; one a ballroom on the 4th floor and the other the ballroom in the basement. One decorated each room with some sort of theme while the other was Christmas trees in every window, huge Santas, and Christmas decorations of some sort in every room. The first 3 had professional decorators while the last 2 did their own decorating. The owners were present and we visited with the one where Beth had hosted the previous day. The owner said it took a month to decorate. I can't imagine living in a house with maid's quarters and 4 floors! You could get lost and never see the rest of the family for a week! Needless to say the home owners all have big bucks. We stopped at Penneys to return MIL's blouses that she bought in Sept. and decided they didn't fit quite right, and headed home.
Saturday morning we headed back to Sioux City to pick up Maddy and Kolby (Beth was hosting again and Will was tearing out carpet) so the kids could go to Ian's birthday party. Another hour and a half drive and we spend 4+ hours with Jason's family, back to Sioux City, a stop at the mall for another Christmas gift, and then home. We changed clothes and headed off to a wedding reception for the school secretary.
Bob said we put over 400 miles on the car in less than 48 hours. I was tired last night!
"Gma" -- The Board of Adjustment stuck to the city rules and said the "shrine" building was illegal. Since the dimwit at city hall told them it was ok to build, the city will move the structure to the back yard at no cost to the parents. I'm sorry that Jack didn't feel well enough to go to T's recital. I'm sure you enjoyed it.
Susan -- The state of Iowa wants to outlaw roadside memorials because some of them have writing on them and cause more accidents just by people trying to read as they drive by. You have been busy sewing! I think I found someone who knows how to do needlepoint! She said she would take a look at my unfinished project (Siamese mother cat and kittens) after Christmas. I hope she can do it!
I have laundry going and need to change loads, then do some much needed ironing. There are never enough hours in the day! Have a nice evening and a marvelous Monday tomorrow! We get out of school at 11:30 on Wednesday! Yeah!
Didn't do much today. Went to Mass then stopped at Kroger to fill my asthma prescription ($80 co-pay almost caused me to faint) and did a little grocery shopping. Came home and read the paper then fell asleep for 2 hours. Got up and had lunch and decided to do a little sewing. Got the backing pieced for the winter mystery and started putting together the swap blocks I received when we exchanged. Now I have to get ready for Bible study tomorrow night and I'll be done for the day. This is a short work week, only Monday and Tuesday.
Jean, you certainly had a busy weekend. If I had a house will a ballroom, you can bet it would become the quilting room. It's nice to see how the other half lives sometimes but I'm always glad to get back to my own home. It would be nice to have a maid. I sincerely hate housework, although I do do it.
Faye, you are one busy woman. Don't get so tired out you don't enjoy having the kids with you.
Maggie, have they said anything about program changes at Weight Watchers?
Good morning everyone! Boy have I been busy! I made the difficult decision not to go to T's recital. I cried about it, but thought it was better I didn't give them my germs. The three of them tend to get colds easily and I didn't want them sick for the holidays. I am going to lysol the house before anyone comes over on Friday to try and cut down on cold germs. I am going to ask Thomas to play his pieces on Thanksgiving for me.
I got the chocolate chip cookies, the fudge and the moose munch done this weekend and we got the carpet cleaned though Jack had to go out with that cold of his yesterday and buy a new cleaner. Ours has quit working properly and we don't want to put anymore money into it than we already have. The last time we had it fixed, which was over last fall while I was in the hospital, it cost us about what the cost us to buy new. Anyway, we got the downstairs carpets cleaned too.
Today I am going to tackle upstairs cleaning and get the dough balls made for the kieflies. Tomorrow afternoon and evening we will be making them. I will do part of the downstairs cleaning tomorrow and finish it up on Wednesday then only have the Christmas stuff to put up and a couple things to make on Thanksgiving day and I am set.
Jean: Sounds like you have had a whirlwind weekend. Hope Ian had a nice birthday party. I got to talk to Jackson yesterday and he talked to me on the phone. Jay got all excited because he has never talked on the phone out loud before. He told me Hi twice! I feel so honored that my baby talked to me first! Gosh seems like just yesterday he was born.
It is raining cats and dogs here since around midnight. I was having some heartburn issues so was in the recliner watching Christmas movies late and you can hear it through the fireplace. It does this rat-a-tat sound. Makes it hard to sleep so I didn't drift off until around 1 am.
Susan: I am spacing things out so it isn't too bad. I am at the tail end of my cold so I don't feel too bad, but I am trying not to get stressed out so I have a list. Seems like if I make a list of stuff I need to do, it keeps me calm. Boy, that is some co-pay for your meds. Are the non-formulary by any chance and that is why you pay so much? If so, you know your dr can give you a waiver saying you have to have the meds so you just pay a regular co-pay.
I hear the washer is done so need to get clothes in the dryer, unload the dishwasher and get upstairs and get started I guess so I can stretch it out.
Faye, as always, you have everything under control! I'm sorry you had to miss Thomas' recital. Most asthma medications don't come in a generic form. Symbicort will be a Tier 2 beginning in January with $40 copay so that will be better. It wasn't on the formulary this year since it is so new. Unfortunately when you are on Medicare Part D prescription coverage, you can't have the doctor say the meds are required and pay the regular copay, it has to be whatever tier it is on. You can't even use most coupons if you receive medicare. I had a $20 for my prescription but it wasn't available if you were on Medicare. It's called sock it to the old people...not that I am old. Your rain is on its way to me. Seems whatever weather you have, a day or 2 later it arrives here.
I spoke with my friend about our holiday menu and we decided on scalloped potatoes with ham, green beans, and a salad with dessert to be determined by whatever I can get at Trader Joe's on Wednesday. Keep it simple to leave more time for sewing is our motto. We're doing the same for Christmas. I'm not really in a Christmas mood this year and I'm not going to decorate. I'll probably get a poinsettia but that's it.
Steel Magnolias -- #48
You have the scale going the right way once again! I'm sure you will enjoy your new tablecloth.
I drank too much water and ate too many salty crackers, I think! I lost count on the number of trips to the bathroom during the night! I've never heard of buckwheat honey but I have heard of putting honey, lemon juice, and hot tea together. Bob always thought honey and whiskey sounded better. 
from Iowa!
I've got to get another office type chair to put in this room. I am sitting in a dining room chair here and it is too low. This desk sits higher than a table and even with a cushion this is too low to type easily. OH the troubles I have. 
The line for check out was all the way across the store and down back to the milk section. Half an hour just in the check out line. 
Well we finished and now I have put most of it away and just taking a break before we have to head out to a wake for the father of a Jack's friend from church..
Bob is at a meeting and it will be a doozey! He is chairman on the Board of Adjustments and a Mexican family is building a "shrine" on to the front of their house which makes it too close to the street. They maintain that "someone" at city hall told them it was ok but don't know who, of course. Their 2 year old son was run over and killed in their driveway by a neighbor man, and this is a shrine to honor him. The child was chasing a balloon and the guy didn't see him. According to the article in the paper the father has "many" friends and relatives coming to the meeting for support. The problem is that the building isn't legal and if one does it they will all want to.
He is a wild child in the morning running up and down the stairs; he helps Bob make the bed and then comes flying down to help me get the coffee going, races back up to check on Bob, and flies back down again. He loves the electric blanket! I'm guessing he probably weighs 13 - 15#s since he has filled out quite a bit since we got him in May. He likes his water from the faucet. He still isn't a lap cat because he doesn't fit very well since he is so long. He has pretty markings; he is black stripes on gray with a touch of tan, and quite a bit of white on his body. His face is white and the stripes around his eyes make him look like he has eye make up on. His paws are white and his underside is all white and a softer fur than his top side. Unlike most cats he likes to have his stomach rubbed and will lay on his back like a baby.
from Iowa!
to you and your family. Sean will recover quickly. I saw an article somewhere about the increase in gallbladder disease in young people because of the amount of fat in their diets.
I'm sorry that Jack didn't feel well enough to go to T's recital. I'm sure you enjoyed it.