I got the neatest little glass nail file to carry in my pocket which is only 3½ inches long which came in a plastic case. I have a longer one that I love to use and keep with my nail stuff.
Will is going to be gone much of the day so I am going to get some more things in boxes to carry out to the MH. The weather should be nice enough next week to drive it over here so we can load the things in and put them where they belong.
Not much else going on here today.
DONNA FAYE That looks like a good sewing machine. I bought a little one that doesn't weigh much but has lots of bells and whistles to do doll work with. I got rid of my nice big wonderful do everything Bernina.
JEAN Isn't that a good feeling when all your balancing goes well and you don't have to hunt & hunt.
Good Afternoon! It's another gloomy, very windy day in my corner of the world. We got up to fog and slippery streets but no snow. We are heading back down to below 0 tonight. I'm getting so I don't much like the weather predictors! I've been doing laundry which seems to have grown in volume when I wasn't looking. I tell myself the trips up and down the stairs is exercise. Right?
"Gma," I always enjoy shopping at Target. The one in Sioux City has turned one end into a grocery store which makes me mad/sad. I know they are following K-Mart and all the other stores that have done the same. You did find lots of goodies there and online too. Have fun decorating your mirror! The sewing machine looks like a nice one with lots of fancy stitches. You can decorate Jack's undies for practice.
Maggie, our weather is supposed to warm up by the end of the week. I hope so! I can't help but wonder what kind of weather we will have this summer. I'm so thankful we haven't the ice and snow the southern and eastern states have had. You will be all set to move things into the motorhome soon.
I need to unload the dishwasher and fold a load of towels which should be dry by now. Hope you all are having a sunny afternoon! Enjoy!
Good afternoon, ladies. 37 degrees was our high today. Tomorrow it's to be in the high 60s and Thursday we will get another 1-3 inches of snow! That's how the weather goes in Virginia.
Went to Kroger, WalMart and Food Lion today. Tuesday is 5% off for seniors and I haven't been to the grocery store for 2 weeks so I need a lot.
Faye, my eyes are fine. Glory didn't have to have cataract surgery yet but they put plugs in to combat dry eye. My friend Sandy is the one who had cataract surgery. She is doing well, too. Brother makes a nice machine. It should serve you well. You might want to re-think paper piecing a quilt. It's not easy. Get a quarter inch quilting food for your sewing machine and you'll do just fine.
Jean, our KMart got rid of most of its grocery section. They have a few boxed snacks and mixes and that's it.
Maggie, can I send you some of this snow? Our average snowfall is 7 inches and we've already had 15 inches in the last 2 weeks. LOL
Good morning to you all. It is quite mild this morning but by this afternoon it is supposed to cool off drastically and they are calling for the Memphis are to get 4 inches of snow. I sure hope not, but at least I don't need to go anywhere just worry about Jack out on the highway and such with the nuts around here.
I got my machine and it is beautiful but I haven't put it together. I am going to probably do that this weekend. My case is supposed to be here today I guess along with several other things like more hangers. Jack has decided he likes the flocked bigger hangers so I have had to order new hangers. I like them because they keep your clothing from falling off and they are a bigger hanger.
Nothing much going on here today. I am going to enjoy the quiet I think.
Susan: Well, even though I screwed up who was having what done, I am glad Sandy and you are both doing well having had the surgery so you can see better. I think before any quilting is started we will do a couple classes at least and I am sure they will tell her that paper piecing is not the way to go for beginners. We shall see. She can be stubborn.
Maggie: I think I will enjoy the machine. They have certainly come a long way from when I initially learned to sew.
Jean: I told Jack what you said about his undies. He told me, "not a chance!" So, I guess I will have to practice on something else. I should walk around stores with blinders on if I only want to get exercise. It will do me in every time walking around.
Good Afternoon! The sun is shining, the wind is blowing, and it was above 0 when I came downstairs this morning. I had some bills to pay and church birthday cards to address. Also did another load of laundry which needs to go upstairs. In a few minutes I'm going to the gift shop to check in greeting cards that were delivered yesterday afternoon. I will have that bill to pay and maybe another one that was half checked in on Monday. Later this afternoon is bell practice. Wednesdays are usually Bob's night to cook which means eating out.
Susan, I wonder how much longer the K-Mart and Sears stores will be around. I read in the paper that Sears continues to show less profit; the article also mentioned the association with K-Mart and Lands End. Guess your weather is anything but boring lately.
"Gma," when I first got my sewing machine I stitched designs on all my tea towels. I offered to do Bob's hankies but he didn't like that idea. My intention was to make baby clothes for Jason -- never happened.
Hope all is well with all of you, and you are enjoying your day!
Good morning all. We have at least 2 inches of sleet/ice then about 3 inches so far of snow and it is snowing hard. They expect 8 inches here and this huge metro is at a standstill. Pretty much all schools, churches, doctor, eye dr and dentist are listed as closed along with colleges, day cares and most government stuff is closed like traffic stuff and courts. I am hoping I can convince Jack to take a vacation day because I really don't want him out in this. The city has no plows so the streets out to the plant will be awful. The interstate will be slippery and yesterday afternoon it had just been raining all day and it took Jack an hour to get home for a 20 minute drive because of all the accidents on the interstate. He counted 4 I think.
I am going to put the parts on my machine together today and put it in its case since it came yesterday. It is sitting in a box on the couch right now and driving me nuts. Jack forgot to take the new hangers upstairs so going to have to haul them upstairs today too. I saw they have a hook on one side and open space on the other so you can hang stuff vertically, which is kind of cool.
I feel like death warmed over. The sleet was so bad until around 2 AM that it kept me awake whacking the window glass. I am just pooped so I do hope Jack stays home we can nap together.
Jean: Kelly texted me last night and wants me to come to her house early on Sunday so she can show me how to use the machine. She said she is planning on sending me home with fabric and thread to practice. I think she wants to keep me from embarrassing myself at the workshop. We are all going out to lunch together than. I read yesterday that even Target is laying off hundreds of workers as the CEO said they have to cut costs. Don't tell me the economy is better because if retail hasn't bounced back that means people do not have money to spend.
Good morning, ladies. Rain and 37 degrees. It was 41 when I got up 2 hours ago. Snow on the way. Yesterday it was 69 degrees so most of the snow was gone.
We're supposed to have First Thursday Bee tonight but I'll cancel it if it starts snowing.
PBS had a special on John Denver's life and music last night to celebrate his 70th birthday. It was extremely interesting. His father was an Air Force test pilot and taught him to fly.
Faye, I read in the paper the cause of the brick and motar stores closing is not a poor economy but internet shopping. It's good to know the basics of how to operate your machine before you take a sewing class.
Jean, our KMart gave up half its space. It's actually a nicer store now because they got rid of the junk. Kroger took over the other half and is putting in a Super Kroger - kind of like a WalMart - and gas station. Since I get money off on gas, I'll be glad to have it so convenient to redeem.
With my left leg in its brace it is hard to swing my up leg over the center console hump in the MH so I ordered something today that just may help that problem ~ a Swivel Cushion which turns a full 360˚. That way I think I can swing my leg up an over the console while swiveling to get in the seat. The seats are cloth covered and very difficult for me to slide in as it is so hopefully this will solve my problem.
I am down a pound at weigh in this morning so I am going in the right direction once again.
Not much happening around here in this cool weather we are having. The little bit of snow we got yesterday is all gone now.
I have some nice steaks out to thaw to make for dinner with baked potatoes and green salad. I will probably be doing the steaks on the inside grill.
SUSAN Too bad JD crashed his plane and died in the process. He made some good music in his day.
DONNA FAYE It will be nice if Jack did stay home out of that mess. You could get a good set of ear plugs that would shut out the night weather sounds and you could sleep better.
Good Evening! Another cold day in my neighborhood, but with sunshine, -8 early this morning. The sun has moved around enough I had to close the blind by my chair. I made a ham loaf for lunch and somehow got the bottom too brown. The meat shrunk like meatloaf often does, and I've never had that happen before. After lunch we made a quick trip to Sioux City. One of the new cupboard handles didn't have deep enough screw holes and I also now have a new bathroom sink . . . sitting in the downstairs bedroom. I'm hoping that will be the weekend project. We made several stops looking for a new wastebasket that would fit in the drawer hole in my cupboard; finally found one on our last stop at Lowe's.
"Gma," I'm sorry about your crappy weather! I hope Jack did stay home today. Lunch out on Sunday sounds like fun. Do you have to take your own sewing machine to the class? I think practicing before you go is a good idea.
Susan, I hope you are able to go to your Thursday Bee tonight. I've heard several people say they do all of their shopping online. For us, we have to drive a little over an hour to a smaller mall in Sioux City, two and a half hours to a larger mall in Sioux Falls, three plus hours to a choice of malls in Omaha. The older I get the less I like to shop! I like John Denver's music; wish I'd have known about the program last night.
Maggie, on another pound GONE! I hope the new seat will work for you. The sun has more power these days for sure. We noticed snow melting across the highway even though the temperature was still below freezing this afternoon.
I need to think about something for supper. Cheese, crackers, and fruit sounds easy! Hope you all enjoy your evening!
Good morning to you ladies. Jack stayed home yesterday because the streets were covered in about 5-6 inches of snow and ice and we have no snow plows. He went to work this morning and it took him about an hour to get to work and usually takes 20 minutes. He left very early as we had no idea what the roads were like.
I am staying indoors today and moving some clothing around. Jack set up my rack yesterday and it is great. I ordered two more, one for our bedroom and one for the spare bedroom. Jack put the current one in his office. The hangers I ordered can be attached vertically so I am going to put my handbags on hanger vertically and hang them on the ends of the racks and put my shoes across the bottom. It may just clean up that spare bedroom some.
I got my machine out of the box and put everything in the case so it is ready to go to Kelly's. She is so excited about teaching me about my machine and such. It is nice to have a decent relationship with her now. I just hope it continues to hold as I am sure it will with she and her dad having coffee once a month to talk things out.
Susan: I am sure the internet has taken a chunk out of physical store sales for sure. I don't like to shop in stores and do a lot of internet shopping, but all the stores that are in trouble have internet stores too. I think with Sears it is seen as an old people's store and it isn't along with Penneys. I don't do much with Sears, but I do shop online at Penneys. People want deals and they go where the deals are anymore. I try my darndest not to pay full price for anything so watch for sales and buy then, ie new towels and sheets and stuff like that. I am more of a impulse buyer than I ever used to be, but we have a lot more money than we used to. Hope your weather holds and you don't get today what we just got. It is nasty.
Maggie: Congrats on the loss. I have a harder time getting into lower cars like sedans because a lot of weight has to go on the bad knee if I am getting in on the passenger side. It isn't easy hiking up into the SUV and won't be if we buy a van next year, but it is easier than sedans. Hopefully you can find something that works for you.
Jean: Yes, you have to take your own machine or rent one of theirs. Renting costs about $60 per workshop so that's the reason I just went ahead and bought my own machine. They have a bunch of rules you have to follow with your machine though. It is kind of funny. We are taking Kelly and Thomas to this bbq restaurant they all like. I have never been but I hear they have killer bbq nachos. Who knows?
Well girls, I am off to start my day. Have a lovely weekend. Faye
We have been out and about today in a nice sunshiny day. I am going to cook for dinner what I had planned to cook for dinner yesterday but we went out to our favorite Mexican restaurant where my meal only costs 8p+ and I had a few chips so I charged myself 10p+ for the outing. We had finished shopping and it was meal time so that is the reason for the change in plans.
I just finished eating my bag of cut up veggies and they were yummy.
DONNA FAYE To give you a better picture ~ the reason I wanted that swivel seat was that there isn’t an outside door on that passenger side of the MH and the only way for me to get in that seat is to swing my legs up and over that high hump in-between the seats that is the cover when removed gives access to the running mechanism of the MH. Otherwise if there was a door on that side I could easily get into that seat.
JEAN AH today felt like it was Spring. Hopefully it will stay like this. Sometimes where there is more fat in the bottom of a ham it is the part that shrinks most and browns more because of the fat.
Good morning all. It is warming up today so hopefully the ice and snow on the deck will melt enough to at least shovel a path.
Kelly was a little nervous to drive so no coffee with Dad this morning but we are going over there in the morning to set up my machine and then go to lunch.
Jack is upstairs in his office and I am watching Law and Order. I have to fold clothes when I get finished here.
Maggie: I imagine I would have a time of it getting over the hump too. I am ready for warmer temps and done with ice and snow.
Good Morning! The sun is shining, wind is blowing, and the thermometer says it is 41 degrees outside! I have sheets in the washer and need to make a grocery list for later. I think lunch is going to be grilled hamburgers. Bob is off making his Saturday morning rounds and plans to install my new bathroom sink after lunch.
"Gma," hope your ice and snow are gone by now. We lost a lot of snow yesterday where the sun could hit it. The streets are a sloppy mess. Glad all of your new sewing machine parts were there and you have it put together. Bar-b-q restaurants must be really popular down south. There is a Famous Dave's in Sioux City, and I noticed it's now available in the grocery store. I don't if it is national or still pretty local. Anyhow, have fun tomorrow!
Maggie, I guess I have never noticed doors on motorhomes. I will make it a point to look. We have several friends with 5th wheels and, of course, they all have the doors needed. I told Bob I would cut the dark part off the meat, but he said he liked it.
Don't forget to set your clocks ahead today. I do my bedroom clocks when we make the bed so I don't forget. Hope you all enjoy a super Saturday!
I am doing pork chops for dinner and having asparagus and some other things. Not much going on this Saturday here in the ♥-Land. The weather is up in the low 70˚s and sure feels like spring.
JEAN The motor-home has two doors ~ one on the drivers side so the driver can get in and the other on the opposite side in about the middle of the coach that leads into the living area. Travel trailers and 5th wheels may have more doors.
Good morning to you all. It warmed right up yesterday and the snow melted a lot. One more day and it should all be gone. Jack got out yesterday afternoon and shoveled a path to the garage and an hour later the deck was dry so I am good to go to Kelly's this morning and get my machine all put together. Well, it is put together, but you know, get a bobbin in and the presser foot and needle in and such. She wants me to practice. I do think she thinks I have no clue, but I have used a machine before so it is just learning my way around my new machine.
We were pretty lazy yesterday. I did a load of laundry and a load of sheets and got all that done. I put a roast and carrots in the crockpot all day and it turned out great and we had that for dinner.
We are taking Kelly and Thomas to lunch today so that should be fun. Either Tom is on a business trip or he doesn't want to come. He may change his mind. He does that a lot when he wasn't planning on going.
Maggie: I like to fix pork chops in mushroom soup. When I fix pork chops for dinner I have to fix some for Jack separate because he hates mushrooms. I really like mushrooms so I like them that way.
Jean: Glad you warmed up yesterday. We are supposed to have higher temps now pretty much continually so maybe spring is just around the corner. BBQ is very popular in the south but Memphis BBQ is famous and we have the largest BBQ cooking contest in the world here in May every year. We have dozens of bbq places here, and a lot of them are totally different. We have a lot of small mom and pop places, famous places that have repeatedly been on tv like Rendezvous or Neelys Interstate BBQ. Corkys, which now has restaurants in several states sells on QVC all the time, has physical restaurants, you can get their stuff shipped straight from their website too and it started as one little restaurant years ago. All of them have a story to tell. Probably next to BBQ, fried chicken is the big thing here. Almost if not all of the famous chicken places are owned by blacks. A couple of them have been on Diners, Drive In and Dives and on the travel channel food shows. Each area of the country that is famous for bbq is different. North Carolina is pulled pork with a vinegar based sauce, Memphis is ribs and a dry rub, Kansas city is both beef and pork and heavy into bbq sauces, and Texas bbq is all about brisket and beef bbq. I am not a fan of dry rub as it makes ribs very strong, but I don't particularly care for Memphis style sauce either, which is heavy on the molasses and smoke flavor. We like Famous Dave's and have eaten their several times. They have them in Nashville and South Bend has one. I buy their bbq sauce at the commissary and really like it. I get their sweet and spicy. Now that I have bored you to death about bbq, guess I will get out of here.
Have a nice Sunday all. Hopefully we are all warming up. Faye
Titilating Thursday
I've been doing laundry which seems to have grown in volume when I wasn't looking. I tell myself the trips up and down the stairs is exercise. Right?
I can't help but wonder what kind of weather we will have this summer. I'm so thankful we haven't the ice and snow the southern and eastern states have had. You will be all set to move things into the motorhome soon.
She can be stubborn. 
I hope Jack did stay home today. Lunch out on Sunday sounds like fun. Do you have to take your own sewing machine to the class? I think practicing before you go is a good idea.
I've heard several people say they do all of their shopping online. For us, we have to drive a little over an hour to a smaller mall in Sioux City, two and a half hours to a larger mall in Sioux Falls, three plus hours to a choice of malls in Omaha. The older I get the less I like to shop! I like John Denver's music; wish I'd have known about the program last night.
on another pound GONE! I hope the new seat will work for you. The sun has more power these days for sure. We noticed snow melting across the highway even though the temperature was still below freezing this afternoon. 
Bob is off making his Saturday morning rounds and plans to install my new bathroom sink after lunch. 
Anyhow, have fun tomorrow!