[Maggie]

GOOD AFTERNOON MAGNOLIAS

I’m not feeling my best today from some reason or another, just blah. It is just in the low 20ºs today and I am staying inside. I did show a loss of 0.4 at weigh in last evening which is going in the right direction ever so slightly. There weren’t many of us at that meeting but just a few of the faithful but it was a good meeting none the less. I was asked to make a few more of those little Power Food List booklets I made and some of the Local Food Points value list booklets. I have them all printed now and need to cut them and make the little booklets out of them.

I have got to get a small space heater for this office of mine. It gets so chilly in here before it is time for the central heat to come on that I get chill bumps. A little space heater would at least keep the room at a warmer temperature. This losing weight is making me more susceptible to the cold than it used to. They make those nice little space heaters that go off if tipped over which is a good feature especially if you have small children or pets or even clumsy adults about. Don’t know what happened to that little one we had in the motor-home for it was a small square thing and really did a good job.

Will bought a good tasting spiral cut ham from the market when he was out and about and it isn’t too salty as some are. I’ll have the job of cutting it all up in smaller sizes and get it into the freezer for future meals. It made a great sandwich for lunch this day. He wants breakfast for dinner so that is what we will have. I’ll make bacon, eggs, and biscuits served with some fruit. We have some bubbly strawberry juice that will go great with a breakfast.

The mail came today and brought with it a knife Will had ordered awhile back that I can use in my kitchen. It is a carbon steel knife that is actually an antique for it was made in Japan in 1831. He has gone now to show it to the museum director that will probably want to buy it but I told Will it will go nicely in my chopping block so don't sell it just yet. There are a few more carbon steel ones that we should be getting soon also ~ not antigue but nice ones none the less. The thing about some of these old knives is that the handle just fits my hand and not Will's. Men back then were smaller and therefore their hands were smaller also. Besides that Will's hands are huge. One day I plan to have all carbon steel knives in my holder and will have gotten rid of the stainless ones. I won't care if the ones I will get don't look like a set but they will be functional. I think he is just waiting for one more to close on e-bay and then the guy will ship them all at once. I am hoping one day to get a set of steak knives from him. One of the knives that Will is getting me is only 6 inches in length and that would be a great steak knife ~ maybe another like it or 5 more just like it. We'll see.

JEAN The brand of non-alcoholic fruit bubbly we get the most is by R.W. Knudsen. That is the brand most of the places that handle it around here sell. It’s funny isn’t it that you can have two cats in the house with completely different personalities. Our dogs are like that. Ole Ragg Mopp is rather laid back and Beanie is hyper. When I give them their morning treats RM just casually takes his and Beanie jumps for his. Beanie is so full of energy and I am so glad he keeps the cat entertained. Good thinking to take some warmer clothes when you go to Florida for the weather is sometime a surprise. We have friends that just got back from there ahead of the storm and they had a lovely time down there. Wow Bob has a lot of driveways to plow today but I bet he enjoyes it.

DONNA FAYE Good that your little doggie is better. Poor thing is sure going through some rough times. Chicken and noodles are a great comfort food and yummy to boot. It's hard to keep the floors ship shape in inclimate weather. Our kitchen floor takes the brunt of it for it is the first area the animals pass through to the rest of the house from the back yard. We have a huge industrial type carpet that catches a lot of the grass and twigs these animals track in so it gets vacummed a lot. At least what they leave on that carpet doesn't enter the kitchen. I make a cranberry sauce like that only without the honey and I do use mandarin oranges. It is so good and we like it throughout the year and not just during the holidays

SUSAN I can sure tell when Cecil comes in from the cold for his fur gives me a chill when he rubs up against me. His ears especially feel cold. We have an electric blanket on the top of the rest of the bedding that gets turned on about a half hour before we go to bed and Cecil loves napping on it. He is always in "my space" when I am ready to go to bed. Did you ever get that little booklet I mailed to you?

Have a great day Magnolias.

[QuilterInVA]

Good afternoon, ladies! 45 degrees and rain. We've had plenty this week for sure.

We had 11 new members at WW this am. Everyone wanting to get ready for their New Year's resolutions to start.

Faye, I hope Fortune sleeps tonight so you can get some rest! Paprika sounds like a lovely color for anything.

Jean, we've had over 3 inches of rain this week but I'll take that any day to snow. People here don't know how to drive in snow and there are only 2 snowplows for the whole Peninsula. I hope it warms up in FL for your vacation.

Maggie, Casper has taken to sitting up before I put his food dish down. With his bushy tail, he looks like a squirel. He taught himself. I suppose he did it once and thought he food got there faster. I have a heated throw I turn on while watching tv or reading in the evening and he loves to get up in my lap with it is on. He curls up and goes right to sleep. I got your little book Thursday afternoon. Thanks a lot - it is wonderful! I have one of those little square heaters I use in my sunroom. It works well.

Have a wonderful day.

[Maggie]

GOOD AFTERNOON MAGNOLIAS

Good afternoon Magnolias ~ time has come to start a fresh thread so please go to #36 and post.

Have a great day Magnolias.