Steel Magnolias #33

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  • Hi everyone! It's been a fun-filled packed day! Grocery store, Walmart, Dollar Tree, Physical Therapy (FIL) and other assorted places of business!

    Jean, no beach?! Do y'all get a lot of rain this time of the year? We're going into our dry spell...or have been. We get thunderstorms but they come quickly and leave just as fast. Hopefully, y'all will regain the beach. I have got to get my eyes examined. It's time. I know I need new glasses. Bless your heart for saying that I'm a good caregiver. At times I just don't measure up but I have tried. I worry about the old man even though he drives me crazy. He's packed and ready to go home! He's doing it himself and he's very neat. I guess that means he's eager to go home as well. I feel like a parent right now--anxious to see him in his own home but worried he's going to do something foolish.........and be right back in Delaware! At physical therapy today they were really concerned to hear that he's leaving to go back to Virginia and I was starting to feel badly about the whole thing and then I got to thinking--they will be losing money when he goes. Then I felt a little better. Inside of me I'm dancing now. I don't want to show too much enthusiasm if you know what I mean!?!

    Donna, that pattern is so lovely! Loooove it! I need to figure out how to post photos so I can prove I can knit more than dishcloths! Tell Jack I said, "good job" on his weight loss and getting into those smaller jeans! Y'all doing such a great job working as a team on weight loss. A few winters back, Wayne joined me doing WW and it is so much fun doing it with your spouse. I can hear y'all now discussing points! That's funny--scales gone to fat heaven! My FIL stepped on my scales yesterday morning and he weighs 142 lbs. He is a short man....but who wants to hear that he weighs that amount?! He's losing; I'm gaining which has stopped this morning--me gaining that is! Wayne says I'm an emotional eater and he told me he's removing the cause of that tomorrow morning. This morning I cleaned out the pantry and refrigerator and got rid of all foods that are too tempting for me.

    Maggie, the Eggies work! Now the boiled eggs do not look like regular boiled eggs. Well, they do but with flat tops! So for $9.95 I have a nifty little gadget. My momma would be proud as she was a gadget queen! You can keep the 110 degrees! I'll pass on that offer! I love Cooking Light magazine.

    Susan, hope all is well in your part of Virginia!

    Okay...gotta go shuck some corn for dinner. We're having steamed shrimp. Caesar salad made in a light way that I got the recipe from one of my WW Leaders. Yum.

    Y'all take care!
  • Back For A Bit
    BACK FOR A BIT

    SUSAN I learned that quite awhile back about Splenda brown and have been mixing my own. Don't know exactly where I read it ~ maybe in one of the 3 cookbooks I have of Hungry Girls Anyway thanks for telling me for I may not have known that. When I use the Splenda for baking the texture really doesn't change enough to notice. On the Snickerdoodle recipe the balls are rolled in real sugar and cinnamon so the sugar taste is on the outside. And in the recipe itself it uses Splenda Blend for Baking which is more like sugar and different in texture than the regular Splenda. Anyway I don't eat many cookies and lightened them mainly for my main squeeze and he sure likes them that way.

    GAIL I am so glad your eggies worked for you. I think the flat top is what turned off the person that tried them and reported on them. Wouldn't bother me a bit but I still just boil them in my electric egg cooker that you can program to any degree of doneness. But I love those silicone egg poachers. Tomorrow is just a day away. AH just think of the quiet. Listen and you can hear the quiet.

    All y'all have a wonderful afternoon.
  • Maggie -- I agree with Gail . . . keep your heat to yourself, but thanks for offering to share! I'm glad you like your dresser scarf in spite of it being made in China. The "wrong" glasses are the ones I read in bed with; my old ones didn't have the trifocals so if I tried to play on the computer, or wore them for very long, I would get a headache. They were really old so I knew my prescription had changed several times since I got them. The return of the beach will depend on the level of the lake, and how fast "they" let it drain out south of us.

    Susan -- Christmas in July sounds funny! I hope you enjoyed yourself; cake and cookies, can't get any better than that! I have to admit that carbs are my downfall. I do weigh more things since the leader said the amount of pieces do not always equal the weight on the package. I wanted to be sure and get my fair share.

    Gail -- We are a little over an hour south of the cabin and they have had more rain than we have had this summer. We didn't have much beach to start with and now we have no place for dead fish burials! Last summer our 4 grandchildren had a funeral for a fish. We had hysterics watching them from inside the cabin, as they were very serious. Ian was the preacher, Maddy and Zowie said the final prayer with hands properly folded, and Kolby manned the shovel. Beth got a picture of them which she put on the calendar she makes every year. I will think of you doing the happy come Monday!
  • Good morning everyone. Yes, I was still up early even today, but I am trying to break Fortune of wanting to eat so early as Kelly and Tom won't get up at that time and I don't want him sitting at their bedside barking at 4 am. So I am working on retraining him to around 7. It is going to take time and probably a lot less sleep at this point.

    We are going over to their house this afternoon for a swim and pick up their dog and bring him back here. They are gearing up getting ready to leave tomorrow morning for Seattle, which is where they catch their cruise ship on Monday I think. Thomas took his birthday money yesterday and bought himself an Ipad and is calling it "Marge." He is a funny kid.

    Jack is in the kitchen fixing some breakfast and when I get done here, that is my plan too. I think I am going to splurge and have an english muffin with an egg and a slice of melted cheese on top. Tonight is spaghetti.

    Jean: Oh, I am so sorry about the mess with the creek and the lake and all. I know with Bob going to Canada you are hoping you have no more problems while he is gone. I have worn glasses since I was 10 and I have never gotten the wrong prescription. I wear contacts exclusively now, though I need to go ahead and get a single vision pair to wear when I want to spell my eyes as my old ones are really old. Hope you can get them changed out quickly. Why do you wear both contacts and glasses at the same time? I know that with my vision, I am pretty much at the top of the reading glass level for my contacts, but I can wear reading glasses over the top to help out if I need to. The new prescription for this year is better, but when I am knitting tiny stitches sometimes I need the extra oomph of the reading glasses.

    Maggie: My grandma used to make snickerdoodles and I never liked them. I think the cream of tartar taste is too prevalent in those cookies. Hope Will enjoys them. Jack really likes cookies but his favorite is cake, well really the frosting more than anything.

    Gail: Whew, you had a busy, busy day. Hope all things go well for Fil to go back home today. I know getting life back to normal is going to be nice for you. Glad you liked the pattern. I think it is pretty and I love the color. The yarn is the bernat sport satin so it has that lovely sheen to it too. I would love to see some pics of your knitting. I always feel like such a showoff because rarely does anyone else post stuff except for Susan once in blue moon.

    Susan: I know you have to be itching to get back in the pool. Jack is anxious to get the other knee fixed, but then he still contends with other things like his hand was hurting him a lot last night. Our weather has caused a lot of arthritic pain for us lately.

    Well guys, not much news, but I need to get up and get going as it is later than usual. Have a good day all. Keep cool if it is hot at your house. Faye
  • Good Morning, Flowers! It's going to be another hot and humid day in my corner of the world. Bob and I stuffed mailboxes with the block party flyers this morning, and ran out. He's at the office making more, so we can finish our half of the route. The "cathater" wanted to put them out early so we're doing it "her" way! It's Aug. 2nd and I think it's way too early but what do I know?! My Hallmark Christmas ornaments are in so plan to pick them up after I shower and put on my face.

    "Gma" -- Good luck with changing Fortune to a different breakfast time. I know you will enjoy your swim with Thomas this morning. I had to laugh at T naming his Ipad Marge. Cute! I have you beat; I've worn glasses since I was 2. Back then they called it a lazy eye as one eye turned slightly inward. I wore a patch and had exercises to do tracing objects using a mirror. I actually could see as well without glasses as with at the time. You've heard the description of glasses being as thick as the bottom of a Coke bottle . . . that would be mine. After I graduated from high school I got contacts which worked fine until I was around the age of 50+ and I needed bifocals. I wear gas permeable lenses because the soft lenses never could be made strong enough. I've tried the bifocal lenses and they "spin" so when I need them to play bells they aren't in the right spot. When I needed the glasses to read at school I was always putting them on and taking them off; that wasn't a good plan when I was in a different room every hour. I got in the habit of just leaving them on all the time. I wear my "regular all prescription" glasses when I read in bed or sometimes in the evening if my contacts feel like they need to come out and give my eyes a rest. Your breakfast and supper sound good -- haven't had either one in quite awhile.

    I need to put a load of sheets in the washer and get a move on. Bob should be home soon so we can finish that project before I shower and get ready for the day. We'll leave for the school reunion later this afternoon; I hope it's not a late night as we will head to the lake after church tomorrow.

    I hope you all have a GREAT day and enjoy!

    Jean -- from Iowa!
  • Hot Hot Hot
    GOOD AFTERNOON MAGNOLIAS

    I gotta tell ya ~ It is 111 degrees outside as I sit here in my cool office. We did have a guller washer of rain last evening which keeps our garden happy. Will wanted to go out to lunch this day and I dragged my feet until 1 o'clock because I didn't what that furnace blast of heat to hit me in the face. It happened anyway. We ate at a place we hadn't been to before and will certainly go back. I just had a turkey sandwich without any mayo and it was real tasty with all those wonderful veggies in it. Their dinner menu looks like one we will go back there for. It isn't a chain and the chef is a good one. I finished canabalizeing my latest Cooking Light magazine for the recipes I wanted to keep and those pictures also. My wall still has a few spaces on it for "good for you" food pictures.

    DONNA FAYE I had to laugh at your grandmothers Snickerdoodles. Mine just have such a tiny bit of cr of tarter I don't even know why I use it. Surely can't taste it in MY cookies. Was she one of those cooks that never had to measure anything? Some things I had at a child and didn't like I now do for I found out how to cook. But graceous girlfriend you surely don't have to like what I do anyway.

    JEAN Hope it isn't too hot for the fish to bite when Bob is up north. Hope you enjoy that school reunion. I have never been to one. Not one. The lake should be nice when you get there this evening.

    Have a great afternoon everyone. Type at y'all later.
  • Maggie -- I think it is HOT all through the Midwest for a few days. As long as I don't have to be outside and sweat I won't complain. The reunion was "ok" as I did get to visit with a few of the people I do know. They just had a reunion 3 years ago for a centennial of some sort so there wasn't a whole lot of people there this year. I've never been to my class reunion and have no desire to go. I am heading off to bed and read for a bit.
  • Good morning all. We now have our little Marty and the kids leave this morning for their cruise. They decided to go ahead and drive one of their cars instead of us taking them and we have one of their cars for at least a day and here is why. We were on our way to their house around 1 PM yesterday on the interstate. I forgot about the section we were going to have to drive as being worked on. It had two sections of paving being done and we got on and it was a deadstand still and then bumper to bumper for miles. We were about 2 miles from being totally out of it and by that time had room between cars. They were down to 1 lane and that was driving on the right shoulder and wham, we were hit from behind, it spun us into the construction lanes and the car DROVE OFF!!!! I called 911 and was put on hold!!! At the same time we used Jack's phone to call Geico our insurer. I was shaking so bad that I couldn't hold my phone so Jack was kind of doing double duty. He got out to look at our car and try and get the other car's license plate but couldn't. We finally got a 911 operator and had them send the police and though I was extremely shaken up and it caused some female spotting I think from the trauma making all my muscles tense, I was ok so no ambulance. All in all we sat for about 2 hours. Kelly came and got us and we went to her house and relaxed for a bit while Jack tried to get us a rental car, but even though there are at least 6 Enterprise rental places where Geico does their business they were all closed at noon and not open today at all. The airport location will not take insurance customers so that was a no go. I am writing a nasty letter to Enterprise about it and to Geico as well. So we kept her car and after going for a swim, came home with dog in tow. I am extremely sore pretty much all over, but other than that a-okay.

    I now have 30 rows to go one the first sock then the toe. Moving right along on it and have 6 patterns out of 12 to go on the back side of the sweater so it is coming right along as well.

    Maggie: I have never had snickerdoodles that I couldn't taste the cream of tartar. I imagine I have had at least 5 different people's cookies and always taste it in the cookies. My grandmother probably was the absolute best cook I know. When it came to baking she used her tried and true recipes. I imagine I am just sensitive to the taste and probably would be to yours too. It is intolerably hot here too and we just stay indoors as much as we can. It was lovely to swim in the pool yesterday. Jack and I are going to take advantage of it as much as we can I think.

    Jean: I have gone to every class reunion we have had except two and we have ours every 5 years. The high school alumni association has an all school one every year besides. Since my high school class was so small, it is a fun thing to go to especially when you get older because all that teenage snootyness pretty much goes away with most people.

    Hey Gail, Hey Susan!!

    Well I need to take my meds, and get some breakfast in me. I think turkey roast and mashed taters with a veggie in on the menu for tonight. Have a wonderful day. Faye
  • Good morning, ladies! This will be our last day in the high 80s and then it's bad to HOT for us, too. Darn!

    After I worked at WW yesterday, I went to the quilt shop to work on a raffle quilt for Clara's Calling to raffle off. This is the project we started at Bella Fabrics to get donations of sewing materials, clothing, shoes, and things like that to send to Afghanistan. Clara is a master sargent in the Army and that is the Army's project that we were contributing to. I know some will say we shouldn't do it, but nowhere in the Bible does it say to only help those you know or who live in your area. These people aren't the Taliban. These women were educated and wore normal clothes before the Taliban moved in and put them in bondage, so to speak. Clara says when they have been out in the villages they are often given tips of activity or roads to avoid. The Army considers it as a way to save lives. Retired General John Bradley and his wife are shipping the things for us. This has grown into a national movement and we now have a website - www.clarascalling.com. Take a look at the pictures if you don't read anything. I'm going back to work on the quilt some more today.

    Faye, what a horrible thing to have happen! I'm glad you are alright. How badly was the Mariner damaged? Swimming is a great exercise for the whole body. Water walking burns twice the calories as walking on dry land.

    Jean, Maggie, and Gail - HI!

    Have a great day. I have to get going!
  • Sunny Hot Sunday
    GOOD AFTERNOON MAGNOLIAS

    Needless to say it is HOT here and expected to be in the triple digets all week. So here I sit in my air-conditioned office/crafts room and typing away. We had pot-luck this day and I ate OP so am fine with that. I don't know why I didn't think of taking a couple pizzas before like we did last month but they sure go over well with the teens and other folks also so we did it again. Never have a bit to bring home. Will ordered them last night to be picked up at noon today and they were ready and hot and I didn't have to cook. I have already decided how to spend $30 of my next months "allowance." I got the new Hammacher Schlemmer catalogue and love looking through it for it presents the "best" of several of the products it sells. There is always something on the front cover that I just know costs whay up there and is fun to read about. This time it is a 20 foot Animatronic Triferatops and has motion-activated cameras installed into each eye that work in unison with software that enables it to recognize multiple subjects facial features. So once it has recognized you it can track your movements and stomp its foot and make growling sounds as it shakes its tri-horned head right, left, up and down. The cost is a mere $350,000. Well what I am going to order doesn't cost nearly that much folks for it is only $30. It is a remote controlled tarantula which is "lifesize" 1" high and 6" long and weighs 12 oz. It takes batteries and moves like a real tarantula. It can move forwards and backwards and spin 360 degrees on command. It has a hairy exterior similar to a real tarantula's and the eight legs move independently. The picture looks like the live one I used to have whose name was Mellanie. I will name this one Mellanie in her memory for she died of old age. At least I won't have to be buying live crickets to feed it. I kept Mellanie in a back room so if anyone visited that was afraid, she didn't come out. Only those who asked to see her were allowed the priviledge. Surprisingly most folks weren't afraid and wanted their picture take with her. They crawl so softly on your arm and tickle the hairs, if you have them, as they walk. Speaking of such we were watching a program on "how they make it" last evening and they were featuring candy. One of the candy companies specialty is putting different kinds of bugs in clear suckers. Worms, crickets, scorpions and such like. Surprisingly it was the little kids that loved to have them. Braging rights to tell their friends they ate a bug of some sort.

    DONNA FAYE Sorry that you had such a scare. Was there much damage to your vehicle and shame on that hit and run person. He probably didn't have a lisence. Hope you didn't remain all stiffened up. Last time we had to call 911 they said "no one was coming." They do get busy. We the people have to be self reliant in some situations because there aren't enough of the force to be everywhere and there are more out of work folks and more crime going on. I am so glad for you that you do have a pool to go to and it is private which must be a plus for you.

    SUSAN How nice to send "stuff" over there for I believe it is a worthy thing to do. They are folks that surely need help at this time. It is good you have a conduit to get it where you want it to go. Do you know when you get your brace off? I was thinking of you wanting to get in that pool.

    GAIL & JEAN A HOWDY to you this day!

    Stay cool everyone for the heat is here to stay for awhile.

  • Maggie, almost 3 weeks until my crutches and brace go away. I can't wait.

    I'm afraid of a tiny spider in the house so I don't think I'd have wanted to see or touch your trantula!

    The "civilian" people in the Afghan villages live in unbelievable poverty - huts with no floors and no furniture. They have little safe drinking water. It's cold there and they don't always have shoes. The babies and little ones don't have diapers, sit in the dirt and get parasites. We have some groups who are making cloth diapers as their contribution. There is such poverty and you know when someone comes as promises to better their lives, they are easy prey. Clara says that the worst slum here would seem like a paradise to most of them. Isn't that sad? When I have extra cash, I go to the thrift store and buy shoes and children's clothes. We have the Bargain Box that only charges $1.00 for their most expensive items. Pizza seems to always go over good.
  • Back to Say . . .
    BACK FOR A BIT

    SUSAN Bet you can hardly wait for the next 3 weeks to pass and get back into your water routine. That is so sad what condition those Afghan folks live in. We here in the states don't have a clue what poverty is really like. It is good that there are societies that are helping them with their day to day living which is so basic. Shame, shame on that countrys leaders. Such an old society and look at the conditions.

    Type at y'all later.
  • Good Evening, Flowers! It's been another hot, humid, breathless day in my corner of the world. We went to church and then headed for the lake. The water level is higher so Bob and Jason took the top off the boat hoist and put the boat on the trailer. I was glad since they will both be gone next weekend, and I won't have to worry about the boat if the weather gets bad. Most of the docks have garbage cans full of water holding them down as the water is way over some of them. There was a breeze so it was bearable outside. Tomorrow is the church office in the morning and a meeting in the afternoon. I'm still debating about taking Ernie to the vet for a checkup; his nose is dry and he's not his usual self.

    "Gma" -- I am so sorry about your car accident but glad neither of you were seriously injured. I'm betting the other person probably didn't have a license nor insurance. It's nice of Kelly to let you use her car.

    Susan -- I think the Clara's Calling quilt raffle sounds like a wonderful idea. We have a couple of missionaries from our church and they always give interesting talks about where they have served. When I'm feeling deprived, I try to remind myself of those living in such horrible conditions as the Afghgan people.

    Maggie -- Now be honest, are you going to show the tarantula to the dogs? I must admit that wouldn't be my first choice for a pet -- dead or alive. Have fun with your new toy!

    Hope you all have a marvelous Monday tomorrow. I'm heading for bed!

    Jean -- from Iowa!
  • Back For A Bit Again
    BACK FOR A BIT AGAIN

    JEAN Nope I am not going to show that trantula to the dogs for they would probably pounce on it and destroy it thinking it was real or play it to death thinking it was a new toy for them. I will keep it in my office on one of the high shelves I have in here and it can crawl along the edge when I want to activate it. I think I'll put it on the shelf above my desk where Woody and my Bear it all Bear live. I used to have one that was stuffed and ran on a battery but it was a big plush one ~ a foot and a half in length ~ and Turn loved to chase it and pounce on it when he was with us. No the dogs don't get to play with this one. It is good that Bob moved the boat to higher ground so he won't worry about you having to deal with it if the water got higher and you wouldn't have to deal with it.

    Will had to make a run to Wal*Mart and brought me a spiral bound Crock Pot cookbook that incorporated the recipes from three other slow cooker books. Slow Cooker Favorites, Winning Slow Cooker Recipes and Slow Cooker Recipes for All Occasions. UGH ~ the recipes don't have any nutritional information in them so when I want to use a recipe I will have to run it through my program. It is chock full of good sounding recipes with yummy looking photos. I have a slow cooker WW cookbook that I got way back in 1905 that has some good recipes in it.

    Type at y'all tomorrow.
  • Good morning ladies. I am under the weather this morning nauseous as all get out and my lower back hurts. I think I probably bruised the inner area of my abdomen from the seatbelt because yesterday and today bending over makes it hurt, but once I stand up it is ok. Don't know what caused the nauseous feeling. Will get up from her and eat some soda crackers, which usually does the trick if it isn't some virus or something, which I don't need to deal with at the moment with everything going on.

    My faith in human nature has been restored that's for sure. On Saturday there was a message on Jack's phone from some place in MS. Jack listened to the message and it was the guy that hit Jack. I guess he got the number from the police. He said in the message he wanted Jack to call him back as he wanted to apologize. Well, thank heaven's the kid has good insurance so we are waiting for the adjuster from Liberty Mutual to call us today so we can get the repairs moving along and get a rental car and take Kelly's back to her house. Jack had to take two days off work. Come to find out, Jack said the kid sounded under 25 and was scared to death. He said he had never had an accident and panicked not thinking about pulling to the construction area so he kept driving until he could pull over. Jack was really nice to him as he said the kid was really scared. Stuff happens and I am just glad the kid is ok too but his car is a real mess. He hit us hard and caved in his whole front end. We have some expensive repairs, but mostly because of what got damaged not the extent of it. It shoved our muffler up against our back right tire, tore up the bumper, include buckling the rubber step up on the bumper. We have a trailer hitch and it peel back the metal on both side of that like a banana, and tore out two of our back up sensors onthe bumper. I will be glad when the soreness goes away. Part of the worst is the left shoulder I was having pain in a couple weeks ago. It seems to be back with a vengeance.

    Jack is still asleep, Fortune has been fed and the two of them are snoozing arging. Marty is sleeping on Fortune's pillow even though he has the exact same thing of his own right next to it. He is a sweet little dog though he roams around a lot like he can't sit still. I had to put salve in his little eyes yesterday which was interesting. He wasn't as difficult as I thought he might be.

    Today is a hurry up and wait day on the insurance company so nothing will get done I imagine with regards to the house. The upstairs is cleaned but it is time to clean the downstairs again and between being sore and not knowing when they are going to call so the car can be released to the repair shop and we can go get the rental car, it is a hurry up and wait. I just hope they call this morning so we can get this going.

    Susan: Charity is never a bad thing. Christ told his disciples that if a man needs your coat, give him your shirt too. One of the things I am the most proud about with regards to Thomas is that he does so very many charitable things. One year he and his mom made felt blankets dozens of them for the dog shelter for the dogs. He has does numerous shopping trips to give to food banks and organizations, he gives money and his time over and over again and does it willingly. I thank his parents for that. They instilled the inportance of loving your fellow humans. Hope the weeks move along quickly so you can get back to normal. The closer you move to freedom, the closer Jack moves to where you are!

    Maggie: UGH an arachnid for a pet? They don't bother me, only rodents. That current commercial for Orkin where the family comes home and these huge rats are playing in a band in their house totally creeps me out. Jack will always say, "Don't look!!!" He will then tell me when I can look again. Gives me the shivers just thinking about that commercial.

    Jean: Glad your boat and cabin have not been damaged, but I am sure it is a mess there. I always tell people the best way to look at your life when it is in the toilet is just to think there is always someone worse off than I. Like this mess with the city and Jack's pay. We are just thankful he has a good job because a lot of people lost theirs a couple weeks ago. I gripe about our condo issues, but we have a home and aren't living out of our car. I may grouse when I don't feel good, but wouldn't want to be in Susan's boat at the moment so I am just thankful all the way around.

    I am almost to the toe of the first sock and have 6 panels of the sweater complete so am moving right along on both of them. I am going to wait until payday but then I am going to get this beautiful yarn for something I am going to make for my dd for her birthday (I gave her the slippers so she could take them on the cruise and she liked them) and another solid skein to use up the stuff from you guys slippers. My niece made a comment about wanting a pair jokingly so I am going to make her a pair and ship them to her as a surprise. She is a sweet lady and has the most adorable boys.

    Well gals, lots to do today so am going to get out of here and get going. Have a good start to the week all! Faye