[gma22]

Thought I would start us all fresh since we are at 17. Susan won't post again until Monday and Jean doesn't come home until tomorrow I think.

Susan: Glad Stan is getting some help but I feel so bad that he continues to have to struggle with this stuff. The poor man has been cut on enough. Hope he gets to feeling better and hope you enjoy your laptop. We love having one.

I am about a foot short on the icord then I will have my handbag done and I can felt it and I got a great start on Tom's sweater last night sitting and watching the CUBS game then some of qualifying for NASCAR race tomorrow.

Today is PuttPutt day and though I am looking forward to having a day with Thomas, I don't look forward to being out in this intense heat. I think it will be one game of puttputt then into the building and he and granddad can play video games and I will sit and knit if I can find a place to sit down. We are going at 10 and I plan on taking my swimsuit in case we can go back to his house and swim. I don't know whether or not Jack will though.

Our pool water is getting pretty warm now with all the hot weather and no rain or such. I imagine I am going to have to fill it tomorrow when I go out to swim as I don't have time to even go out today. I did 40 minutes of laps yesterday changing the swimming up to try and include all my body parts as much as I can. I have to be careful with my knee because it will pop out sometimes doing overextended things, but I enjoyed it very much yesterday. I am all alone, it is quiet except for the birds and an occasional FEDEX plane flying overhead (we are in the airport landing path.)

Well, gals going to sit and knit for a couple hours then get my morning chores done and get around to go get Thomas at 9:30.

Here is a pic of the other handbag I did for the other granddaughter of my friend. I changed up the felting just a bit so they look a bit different.

[gma22]

Afternoon ladies! We had such a great time with Thomas yesterday. He and his granddad played video games while I sat in the snack area and knitted then we all three went out and played a game of puttputt golf. It was around 10:30 AM but had to be at least 90 degrees out!!! It was a lot of fun though. Thomas was a hoot because he would lay down next to the hole and try to blow his granddad's ball away from the hole! Jack beat us both soundly (Jack actually plays regular golf and we should have made him take a handicap! ) but I got 2 holes in one and Thomas got one so we held our own. He wanted KFC of all things for lunch because, "I lovvvvveeeee the mashed potatoes." We then took him home, got on our suits and went swimming at their house for about an hour. Their big yard is mostly trees so pool stays shaded most of the day and stays cool so it was chilly until you got in and got used to it, but being so hot it was nice and refreshing. We then smooched him up a bit and left to go grocery shopping, came home, then went to dinner at Bennigans. All in all, it was a fun day.

I finished my bag and even took it to dinner last night. It is nice and big for all my junk that I carry and I love the colors. I am well on my way with Tom's birthday sweater having almost finished the front now. I told Jack he is going to be my guinea pig as Tom is about his body size as far as length and such so I can use him as a measurement.

Today is kind of lay about day. We are just watching the ballgame and NASCAR this afternoon and I am knitting up a storm. I did finish a pretty good book this morning. When my hands get tired or sore from knitting I just sit and read for awhile to give them a rest.

Everyone have a good Sunday!

Faye

[Jean]

Good Evening, Flowers! It's been a beautiful day in my corner of the world -- sunny but not too hot and a little breeze. I've been doing laundry, sorting mail, and catching up on a week's worth of newspapers. I feel lazy and need to get going on my "to do this summer" list. It's hard to believe that June has one more week and will soon be history.

We had a nice time in MN -- the fish were biting and there were some new shops to check out. There is a huge Penneys store in the mall and I found several outfits that had both the tops and bottoms in my size. All will work for the start of school this fall and Maui next winter. The best part was everything was on sale! It's nice to go, but it's always nice to get back home again. I missed my bathroom (after the cat, that is) the most; the cabin shower is a tiny stall with no elbow room and there is no place to sit a make-up bag, etc., in the bathroom. I know I should just be thankful we have running hot water! I would not do well camping in a tent or camper w/o a bathroom!

"Gma" -- Thank you for sharing all of the pictures! The baby is darling and I can just imagine how hard it was to leave him. I really like the handbags; I think you should start selling them! I am assuming your PuttPutt golf is what we call miniature golf here. I love to play and am anxious to play with Ian and Maddy sometime. I'm glad you enjoyed your day with T. I know your were anxious for your pool to open and glad you are enjoying it once again. I am envious! Why does your sister keep calling you? I read through the previous posts quickly so maybe I missed it if you said. Perhaps you will just have to come right out and tell her not to call you unless there is an emergency or have a pre-arranged time schedule for calling.

Susan -- Happy Belated Anniversary! I'm sorry that Stan is back in the hospital. I hope things are going well this time and he is home soon. I'm sure you will enjoy your new laptop computer. I never have gotten used to the so-called mouse pad. Bob has one for his business accounts and I have used it a time or two.

I need to switch laundry loads. Have a marvelous Monday tomorrow!

Jean -- from Iowa!

[gma22]

Good morning ladies! It is going to be a beautiful Monday here and I am looking forward to jumping in the pool and getting some laps in. This is the last night for gunk food, thank goodness. Today is Thomas's 7th birthday and they are taking him, us and his other grandparents and sil's sister to Big Foot Lodge, which is geared for families and has such low fat offerings as fried buffalo chicken sandwich, etc etc. I told Jack tomorrow I will have us organized for WW and then we can get back to where we need to be. You know how sluggish you feel when your body is loaded with fat and such. I actually look forward to the good food of WW. I surely do love that program.

Well, only a little over 9 weeks until we zoom off to Vegas. It can't come soon enough for us. With all the baby stuff, the sister ordeal and such we are ready for some Jack and Donna time alone.

My brother, who lives in Chicago, called here last night right after the CUBS/WHITE SOX game. Jack thought he was calling to talk about that as Jack is die hard CUBS and Lee is a huge WHITE SOX fan and the CUBS shut out the WS three games in a row. Nope, he was in Tupelo MS and wanted to come by and visit! He didn't get here until after 7 and then wanted to go out to dinner and we ate dinner at 8:30! I cannot eat dinner that late without heartburn problems so I didn't eat much dinner though I hadn't eaten since 11 AM. I came home and promptly took Tagamet and hoped for the best. I laid in bed for awhile thinking I was going to have to get up, but I finally was able to go to sleep and didn't have any more problems, thank goodness. He has this really kook of a wife and she has decided she wants to deliver mail so somehow and I am clueless as to how he found this, he bought a used Jeep Cherokee from Japan and it was shipped to Jacksonville, FL. (the steering wheel is on the right and that is why he purchased from Japan along with something about Japan charges these humongous fees to their people once a car is 10 years old so they ship them out of the country) He flew down to pick it up and drove across the south instead of the shorter way. He left the restaurant at around 9 PM to drive the 8 hours home and had drank a daikari (sp) and he is insulin dependent diabetic. I tried to tell him it wasn't a good idea, but he is 48 years old! I am going to email his house this morning to make sure he got home ok.

Jean: My sister and the phone calls are a question for the ages. My brother said he has repeatedly called her and has yet to hear from her. I told him I hope she starts calling him because she is driving me nuts. Luckily, I have smartened up and when I don't want to talk to her, shut off the answering machine and don't answer the phone! She is just a pathetic person. She has already been bugging my son and dil visiting the baby and such. They were all ready for stinging advice to me about handling her, it will be interesting how much they take before they say something to her if they do! Glad you had a good time and new clothes are always fun. Kelly bought me a pair of pants about a month ago and I liked them so much that when I was in Indiana I hunted around the store and bought two more pair, one in white and one in tan. One of the big store chains in Indiana, Meijers, had these nice summer shirts and I bought two of them in one style and one in another so I have those for vacation too so I am all set with vacation clothes.

Well, I want to get downstairs morning chores done and then go to the pool around 7:30 or so.

Have a great day everyone!

Faye

[QuilterInVA]

Hello, ladies. Stan is home again and doing much better. There was a lymphocell but they also found a scardoma at the top of his graft that was pushing on his shoulder joint. They removed both. He has a very nasty incision (actually looks nice) about 4 inches long in his arm pit from back to front. There was so much padding and bandages and his arm was beginning to swell clear down into his hand. Yesterday I removed the whole mess, cleaned it up with stuff they gave us at the hospital, put just gauze pads and the swelling has now gone way down. Dr. G wants them to try using it on Wednesday. Dialysis nurse will change the dressing tonight and take a look at it. It just seems to be a bad place to get healing. I have to take him back to the mds office tomorrow so I'll ask for a better explanation of what he had and they did.

I've been enjoying peaches and strawberries and grapes - all on sale this week. I hope blueberries come down in price soon, I love them!

We're supposed to be getting some rain this week. Everything is so dry we surely need a lot.

Faye, your bags are beautiful. Lucky ladies that are getting them! I second Jean - start selling them...you'd have no problem getting a good price.

Playing catch up at work so ... more tomorrow.

[Jean]

Good Afternoon, Flowers! It is a hot windy day in my corner of the world. I wish it would blow in some rain as we are dry. I've been doing more laundry and looking for my check register from 2006. GRRR I know it is here someplace and I'm the one who would have put it in someplace stupid.

"Gma" -- What a nice surprise to see your brother! I hope he made it home ok. Around here the mail carriers put a second set of pedals on the right side of the vehicle (like a driver's ed. car) and deliver mail that way. They have portable flashing lights for the top that they take off when they finish their route. Sounds cheaper that buying from Japan. It sounds like your sister has too much time on her hands. Sad!

Susan -- I'm glad to hear that Stan is home once again. I hope his healing and recovery goes better this time. Poor guy! We need rain too! Hope your day at work is going well.

I need to keep moving. Have a great "rest of the day" and a terrific Tuesday tomorrow!

Jean -- from Iowa!

[gma22]

Good morning gals! Looks like another hot one here. I got tickled at Jean saying they needed rain after that week of hard stuff they had not too long ago! We really need rain that is for sure. We may get a 10 minute rain but we haven't had a good soaking and everything is beginning to look a little sad. The only problem with rain here is that it usually makes the humidity even worse instead of cooling things off.

We had a fun time at T's birthday dinner last night except the restaurant was incredibly hot. It was really busy too and I was a bit put out because they brought out Thomas's food and ours didn't come out for at least 15 minutes more so he was finished eating his grilled cheese when all the adults were just starting in. He got an i-pod from his parents for his birthday so he just sat quietly and listened to it. He liked our gifts and I am including a silly pic of him with the hat on. I am also including a picture of everyone. Let's see on the right side of the picture is my son-in-law next to the wall, then his mom, then his dad, then his sister and next to the wall on the opposite side is Kelly, then Thomas who you can't see then me of course. Jack was the photographer so wasn't in any of them.

Jean: Hope you found your check register! I have a checking account folder where I keep all of mine, but I don't date stuff in it, so it is easier to go online and find what I want from the bank. As for my sister, she actually doesn't have that much time on her hands with working full time and having to visit her husband at the nursing home everyday so it is surprising she has the time to drive me crazy. Did you get a postcard from Maggie?

Susan: I am so glad they have fixed Stan up again. The poor man must feel like someone's old doll that keeps having to be repaired. I sure feel for him.

I now have the back of Tom's sweater complete and have started the front side. It is coming along just fine. As for selling the bags, we are thinking about having me make some in smaller sizes when and if we decide to do the candles and bath stuff when Jack retires. Instead of making gift baskets make some gift handbags and coordinate the colors of the candles and bath stuff with the bag. They wouldn't be cheap though so I don't know if they would sell. For example, either the little pink striped bag or the blue one I made for my best friend's grandkids would cost someone at least $30 because the yarn alone. Something like the rainbow one I made for myself would cost more along the lines of $45 because the yarn is much more expensive so I am not sure they would sell at that price, but who knows? I know they are a quick knit enough that you could make several in a short period of time.

Well, I guess I should get morning chores done then around 7:45 get out in the pool. I love being out there alone in the quiet just swimming around with my thoughts!

Have a good Tuesday everyone!
Faye

[QuilterInVA]

Good morning, ladies. I just spent 19 minutes on the phone, 13 of them on hold, trying to make an appointment with the doctor for Stan's follow up. The girl said I had to take him to VA Beach or wait until July 28. I said "Thanks, I'll have the dialysis center call and make the appointment." Guess what - there was miraculous one available on July 3 at 1:30 at the Careplex. I asked her what we were supposed to do to get the stitches out (I've actually done it before) - take him to the ER. I swear that practice needs more doctors. The one who did this last surgery only sees patients once day a month in the office. I know they are busy operating but there need someone to do followup if you ask me. Now stepping off my soapbox.

Faye, people would pay a lot more for those bags. Do you have any local gift consignment shops? We have one here called "Kinks, Quirks, and Caffine" that sells jewelry, pottery, soaps and lotions, candles, etc. (ie gift items) and also has a coffee bar in the back.

I have my fingers crossed that Stan stays well and continues to improve so that I can go with my friends to the Gwyn's Island Festival on Saturday. We were talking over the weekend. We used to do something at least twice a month - now we haven't done anything since our birthdays in October. Shelly got a new job and had to work Saturdays for 3 months, Stan's been sick, Sandy's daughter has had problems so she's been babysitting for her. Life gets in the way sometimes. At least we talk, email, and see each other at Quilt Guild meetings.

Faye, you must be making some good lifestyle changes when you are anxious to get back to the WW way of eating. I try to tell people junky food doesn't taste good once you get used to the good stuff but they don't believe me. I have to admit that I ended up eating too much junk while Stan was in the hospital. Friday's lunch offerings were Taco salad (and they were deep frying the shells right before your eyes), pizza, or fried fish. I didn't bother to check dinner. Thursday I had to stay with him in the ER so I ran out to the snack shop across the hall and got pita chips and a drumstick for supper. By the time I got home both days, I was too tired to fix anything so I ate toast and tea.

We're starting Survivor Island July 1 at Curves. All you have to do is work out at least 3 times each week until Labor Day. If you miss one week, the jury will assign you 30 minutes of exercise for each day you missed. If you miss more than 1 week you are thrown off the island permanently. If you go on vacation, etc. you can get a Curves pass or do 30 minutes of assigned exercise 3 times in the week and have a family member sign you sheet. So it's pretty simple - and prizes for all the Survivors on September 1.

Got to get to work - have a great day.

[Jean]

Good Afternoon, Flowers! I'm on my way to a much needed hair cut in a few minutes. The sun is shining brightly and it is supposed to be another hot one. I need to make a grocery run sometime today. I usually come home and redo my hair so we'll see what it looks like today.

"Gma" -- Thank you for sharing the birthday pictures! It's nice that both sets of grandparents could be with Thomas to celebrate. I never did get back to looking for the check register yesterday. I just wanted to look and see when I wrote a check for the newspaper. We pay by the year and I didn't think a year was up yet when we got the bill last week. I will find it! Yes, I did get a postcard from Maggie. I was confused though. I wasn't sure if I could still write to that address after July 1st or not. They must have a mail pick up spot somewhere in their travels. Will's mother lives in our area so Maggie has promised a visit ever since I met her online several years ago. I agree that the handbags would sell for more . . . it seems like people are willing to pay more for unusual gift items. Go for it!

Susan -- The Survivor Island idea sounds like fun. I know you are looking forward to your quilting get together this weekend. Do you think Stan will be able to go with you? It is frustrating to get the run around over the phone. I had one of those a few years ago and never did get my physical done that summer. The next time I saw the doctor I let him know and he thanked me saying that if people don't tell them there is a problem they have no way of knowing. The problem here is that a "group" from another town bought both clinics and you are allotted so much time for whatever ails you. Don't ask about your toe if you go in for an ear ache! Our doctor is better than some of the others although he isn't taking any new patients, and he acts like he has all the time we need.

I need to be on my way. Have a good day and a wonderful Wednesday!

Jean -- from Iowa!

[gma22]

Good morning to you all! I hope this finds everyone well. I have been trying to get in contact with a young woman who used to post on the thread I ran a couple years ago. She lives in Sheffield England and they had massive flooding I guess. Problem is, I did a search on her and she hasn't posted anywhere on the site for over a year. I contacted the ladies on the last thread she posted to find out if anyone keeps in touch with her, but no one does and the last time I emailed her a birthday card and PM'd her here I heard nothing back from her, which probably means she has no internet service anymore. I would hate to think something happened to her. Sometimes this internet stuff is scary when a person just ups and quits posting or talking to anyone. I had that happen about 4 years back here when the thread I posted to just quit posting, everyone like overnight. Susan belonged to the thread, remember, Susan? To this day, I have no clue what happened to everyone except for Susan.

Susan: I hope Stan makes a huge turnaround and just keeps heading toward good health. With his situation I know it is never permanent, that stuff is going to keep occurring because of dialysis situations and such, but I do hope he is going to get stronger and stronger. Hope you can go to your festival this weekend and have a good time. I guess I never thought about consignment selling. I am not sure we have anything here like that except like used clothing stuff, but I will check into it. As for WW, I just like the program so much and it is easy to stick to and follow so yes, I suppose we have had lifestyle changes with regard to this. I don't know how people like living like they are dragging cement bags behind them and I don't just mean the extra weight. I mean how junk food makes you feel all sluggish and such.

Jean: I do that about my AARP membership. I forget when they are going to take it out. I have the majority of my stuff set up online so I have to be really on the ball with my budget so I don't forget things. I noticed on my spreadsheet budget that it is time to pay my health insurance premium again. I pay it quarterly and pay it online so it is easy. I tried to get them to set it up to take it out monthly from Jack's retirement check, but as usual they screwed it up and said no one ever got the paperwork so I am not going to try that again. I was puzzled by the mail business too. Let us know if she comes to visit you!

Better get on the stick and get my chores done. I hear the washer is finished. I want to really make some progress on the front of Tom's sweater today.

Have a great Wednesday everyone!
Faye

Keep your fingers crossed for us. The mayor has proposed a 1% bonus to city employees because they haven't gotten a payraise in a couple years. It is supposed to be paid in a lump sum from your yearly gross salary and in August so it would be a nice addition for vacation! lol We could afford a margarita that way....

[QuilterInVA]

Good morning, ladies!

Faye, my fingers are crossed! Everyone needs the occasional Margarita...or more yarn. I remember the other group. The only one I knew a reason for dropping out was Carol and her Bob passed away suddenly and she was trying to get herself back together. The rest were just "gone with the wind".

One of our tenants brought me a purple orchid plant yesterday with 8 beautiful blooms. How nice is she? I warned her I'm not good with plants and she said not to worry if it died.

Haven't heard from the boss for a week. Hope he hasn't fallen off a mountain. It's been nice to have him gone, and we have gotten the work done. Next week I cut back to 4 days a week - 20 hours. Suits me fine as I have several projects I want to accomplish at home this summer.

Jean, how did the haircut turn out? I love having mine very short and spiked.

Have a great day!

[Jean]

Good Afternoon, Flowers! It is a beautiful day in my neighborhood! The sun is shining, the humidity is down, and there is a slight breeze. Love it! I did a lot of piddly little things this morning: wrote a couple of notes/cards, did a load of laundry, sorted through some hanging clothes in the basement, found my check register, unloaded the dishwasher, and read the papers. The morning went fast! This afternoon is sorting through some more clothes. I hate that job! I should pitch one thing for every one thing I buy new. I just seem to restack and shove over in the closet.

"Gma" -- I hope the bonus comes through for Jack; that would be a nice addition to your vacation. I probably have mentioned this before that our church is encouraging people to have their pledges automatically deducted from their checking accounts. We just feel that writing the check each week has more meaning to us than having the bank do it. I belonged to a couple of different posting groups that have vanished. Maggie was in the first one and I'm not just sure why it fell apart. Several seemed to keep in touch outside of the forum and all of a sudden the whole group was gone. I happened to get an email from one of them and noticed she had also sent it to a couple other names that I recognized. I found out they had formed a private forum and was invited to join which I did. The so-called leader seemed to be posting less and less; finally no one was posting on a regular basis and now no one has posted in over 6 months. I check in from time to time to see if there is any activity. Maggie would know these gals also. It's a mystery to me -- maybe they started yet another private forum and I wasn't invited this time.

Susan -- I have a little bit of perm left so the haircut is "good" for a few weeks. I'd love to go w/o a perm, but my hair is pretty limp in the winter months. The humidity helps a lot. I would love your 20 hour work week! At one time the principal told me that anytime I wanted to go part-time to let him know. Since he won't be back next year I don't suppose that would be a possibility any longer. Unfortunately the benefits go part-time also. Hope Stan's days are going well.

Have a nice afternoon and a terrific Thursday tomorrow.

Jean -- from Iowa!

[gma22]

Good morning gals! I had one of those couldn't sleep nights last night so I feel a little drugged this morning. I am heading over to the pool in just a bit to wake myself up and get the day going. I have been sitting here for the last hour paying bills!

Jean: I guess I feel the same way about giving to the church. It just seems like of clinical or something to have your giving taken out of your checking account or whatever. I read somewhere that not only do older women lose their hair like men, that their hair loses its body and can become limp because not as many hormones are being stored in the hair shafts or something like that. My hair has thinned, maybe from years of coloring it, but it doesn't seem to have lost body. I actually have great hair though my hair is really fine. I always get the comment from stylists that they love to cut my hair because it does what it is supposed to do. ?????

Susan: Oooohhh, I like the more yarn idea. In fact, I need to buy two skeins of brick color and one of cream to make Jack a sweater out of the leftover from Tom's. His sweater is honey colored and I am going to use the original pattern st and put in a wide stripe of brick and then several thinner cream ones. I think it will look cool and since Jack has a nice rich brown still to his hair, I think it will look nice. I bet the orchid is just lovely, but I like you would probably kill it. I am not good with plants at all. I either over or under water them.

I guess I better get a move on and get the morning chores done and get to the pool and get a workout in.

Have a great Thursday!

Faye

[QuilterInVA]

Things went well at dialysis yesterday and they were finally able to use Stan's AV graft. He's complaining about his arm being sore today. The needles are pretty big. The nurse is having the doctor call him in a prescription for numbing cream to be used 30 minutes before I take him. His incision seems to be doing okay this time, still a bit of swelling in one of the lymph glands but the nurse said no sign of infection or lymphocell.

My hair is thick and coarse. Heaven know what it would be if I weren't hypothyroid. It doesn't take a perm well or do anything but be straight. So keeping it short is my solution. I wash it, shake it out and let it style itself.

Jean, I'm 65 so I need to cut back - but I really need to keep working for the social contact as well as the money. I've been working since I was 14 and don't do well having to stay home.

I wish we could get some of that rain that is flooding Texas sent here. It is so dry. Water restrictions are on now - no car washing, watering lawns and gardens, etc. They actually look at your water usage for the same period last year and if you are over, you pay a surcharge.

[Jean]

Good Afternoon, Flowers! We just got home from a "jaunt" to attend a retirement coffee for the man who hired Bob 25+ years ago. At the time he was district manager over the western third of the state. That position was eliminated and he stepped down to be an agency manager in another county about an hour from where we live. I'm not sure just what happened, but he ended his career as an agent the same as when he started with the company. They attended our church when they lived here as well as having children the same ages as our's. Anyhow, the north-south blacktops all had "road closed" signs so we traveled the gravel roads for awhile. I hate those! Bob headed up to see his mom and I'm back at sorting clothes. I'm finding nonclothing items I forgot I had!

"Gma" -- The only advice I've ever gotten about plants was to let them dry out before watering them. Bob even managed to keep them alive when I was home for 3 weeks with my mom before she died. I've noticed that there are quite a few women with thinning hair on top. I always associated that with "old". :O I know that perming and coloring is hard on hair and that's part of the reason I'd like to go back to the "no perm" look. We'll see.

Susan -- Bob and I both do some volunteer work. He laughingly says he has this day job that gets in his way of doing more. It doesn't seem quite fair to add a surcharge if you use more water than during the same time period last year. I'm thinking company, etc., not watering lawns or washing cars. We had a watering ban a few years ago, but we could water potted flowers, new trees, or bushes planted around the house. A lot of the lake homes water lawns from hoses dropped in the lake which doesn't seem fair to me. I hope Stan continues to have good dialysis sessions.

I'm off to fold towels and get busy on my stuff sorting. Have a nice "rest of the day!" Tomorrow is Friday! It's funny, but I don't look at Fridays the same way as when school is in session!

Jean -- from Iowa!