[gma22]

Good morning to you gals! Looks like we were chattier this year than last as we are already at #49 for the year!

We showed up at 9 on the dot and no one was there yet so we whipped right through and were done and out of the commissary before the crowds started coming in.

Susan: I looked back and saw I said memory instead of hard drive, duh. No my hard drive is almost filled up. We deleted stuff, cleaned the disc and only have 5.13 g so I think we are going to move pictures and all the tax programs for the last 4 years upstairs to Jack's external hard drive to save and we might go ahead and put pictures on discs and save them so I can just delete them off my computer all together. I am terrible about getting the photos processed. I have a great scrapbook for our Vegas trip that I bought in Vegas several years ago and it is still in the package in the bag I brought it home in. I found these yummy Michelina Light snacks that are 4 pt a serving or 6 pt whole box. They are like the little "pillows" you can buy from Chun King that are little egg rolls only these are either buffalo chicken or pepperoni pizza. I love hot wings and have to stay away from them since being on WW as they are horribly fatty, but I can enjoy them with these snacks. They are really good and I want to get some ff bleu cheese if such a thing exists to dip when I crave a fattening snack. I am making chicken fricassee tonight. I am going to use skinless thighs tonight and see how it tastes, but will switch to skinless breasts if I feel that dark meat doesn't really add that much to the dish and save a pt or two. There are tons of recipes for fricassee and since I found out it is basically chicken stew, I am going to play with my own version and instead of potatos, rice or noodles I think I may put some little dumplings in made with egg beaters and ff milk.

Jean: I imagine her mil will check in on Marty since they live across the street. He definitely doesn't do well at the kennel. He doesn't eat at all and last time they kenneled him lost 10 lbs. Poor little guy was skin and bones when he came home. That's why they have asked us to keep him a couple times. I may ask them to keep Fortune when we go to Disney next year as it will be school time so they won't have travel plans. Fortune is well behaved except for the getting on the bed business and barking when they don't get out of bed and put him up on it. I am working with him and he will jump with encouragement, but only if he has room on the bed itself to land and if the room isn't totally dark. I have to turn on the tv in the middle of the night to get him back up in bed so I wonder if he is having trouble seeing as he gets older.

Man we were miffed yesterday about flu shots. We went to a Walgreens clinic not real far, but not close to the house either. It was around noon and they close 1:30 to 2:30 for their lunch. They had 2 patients in the rooms and five on the list, 4 were flu shots, so she said to sign in and come back at 2:15 then we would be first in line. We went and got Jack's hair cut then just went back home for an hour and were back right at 2:15 like they said and she wasn't going to be back until after 3. I was irked since it is a drive to come back and forth and then on top of that, she had 3 people ahead of us stil so we would have had to wait until 3:30 to get the darn thing. Jack was mad and stormed out so no shots. I am going to another one, out by Kelly tomorrow or the next day and get mine as they take Tricare now and we won't have to pay for the shots. Jack is going to wait until his dr appt the 12th and see if per chance they get more back in, but I doubt it. I can't see paying $25 apiece if we don't have too and that is what it would cost to go to Kroger or to the regular Walgreens. I emailed Walgreen's clinic comment line and gave them a piece of my mind, which does no good, but I wanted them to know how I felt. It wasn't waiting if it were purely patients ahead of you, it was being told to come back at a certain time then they were still gone when you showed up. I also said that I thought during flu shot season they should have their dr/nurse practitioner AND a nurse available. The nurse could do the shots and the dr see the sick people and they could get through a lot faster that way and people who needed just a shot wouldn't have to wait forwever.

Well, I need to do morning chores and get some breakfast in me. Have a nice Sunday all.
Faye

[Jean]

Good Afternoon, Flowers! It's another cloudy, breezy, "cold" day in my corner of the world. We had such nice weather up until a week ago I shouldn't complain, but I am! I've been up since 5:30, so could use a nap. The bells sounded good today if I do say so myself. We ate breakfast at the local restaurant after church; they have raised their prices so there isn't nearly the crowd there used to be. We made a stop at WM on the way home, I've read the papers, and started another load of laundry. I don't feel very ambitious that's for sure.

Susan -- I hope your Fall Festival was a huge success! How many quilts can you make with 2000 quilt blocks? All of your computer explanation made no sense to me! I know how to defrag and that's about it. I have enough trouble with my own memory without worrying about the computers memory.

"Gma" -- You were smart to be the first ones to shop yesterday! The older I get the more I hate crowds, and especially when people are rude. I don't blame you for being upset about the flu shots. I don't think our WG has a nurse on duty. We don't get our prescriptions there so I really couldn't say, but I've never seen anyone who looks like a nurse. The pharmacy open on Sundays where the rest of the local pharmacies are not, so I know a lot of people switched when WG came to town.

I hear the dryer so need to change laundry around. Have a nice "rest of the day" and a marvelous Monday tomorrow!

Jean -- from Iowa!

[QuilterInVA]

Good evening, ladies! It was a beautiful day in the high 70s.

Fall Festival was a lot of fun. We had over 1900 blocks signed when I left and there was still 2 hours to go so we'll have all 2000 done. That is enough for 50 twin-size quilts. We had a young man who had received one of our quilts stop at our booth to thank us.

I'm tired tonight so will be in bed before 9. Have a good evening.

[Jean]

Good Morning, Flowers! It's another crappy weather day so enough said about that! Bob is gone for the day as he has an out of town meeting at noon, and then a nursing home board meeting at 5. I should be able to accomplish a lot or a little today.

Susan -- I'm glad the Fall Festival went well. Do you help to make the quilts now? That is a very worthwhile project, and I'm sure much appreciated! Hope your day at work is a good one!

Time's ticking away and I need to get moving. I may not even put my face on today! Have a marvelous Monday . . . in spite of the weather!

Jean -- from Iowa!

[gma22]

Good morning ladies! It rained all day yesterday and I have no idea what the weather day will bring today. I have housework to do so I what it does outside today isn't too important to me.

I do have to get out and unlock the gate as I should be having packages this week. I am waiting for my yarn for Jackson's sweater, the two boys Halloween pails and a pair of shoes that I hope once and for all will fit me so I can walk (exercise.) The Skechers were a disaster, cost me $80 and are being given to my niece to wear. These things are outrageously expensive and I am going to walk on the treadmill with them a few days before I go outside so that if they don't work I can send them back. I am not going to wasted nearly $200. I am totally flatfooted and always have been so shoes have always been an issue with me.

Jean: I went to another Wlagreens yesterday and got my flu shot and it was totally different. She told me they have a lot of complaints with the store I originally went to. I did get a response back on the email I sent. I told the nurse supervisor I thought the store needed inservice on the proper way customers/patients should be treated and their expectations. I stopped at Fresh Market on the way home and got some nice navel oranges and some chinese 5 spice and bay leaves.

Susan: Hope the festival went well for you and the quilting went well too.

I have to get going and get things started. Have a great day.
Faye

[Maggie]

GOOD MORNING MAGNOLIAS

It is a rather cool day here in the Heartland and will be a full day for me. Ragg Mopp has been taken to the groomer, (the kittens get operated on tomorrow), I have a roast in the crockpot for we are having guests for dinner and I will make rolls, mashed potatoes and green beans along with a green salad for dinner at 5:15. Then ~ drumroll ~ I will head off to WW. Yep I rejoined on computer last night and have a temporary pass. I have to get past what a lousy leader there is here and focus on myself and what I need to loose. It isn't about her anyway. This is for me. I truly don't do well on my own and certainly admire Donna Fay for her stick-to-it-tive-ness so good. I just don't have good quality. I just have to lose weight and it is just such a struggle with me. I just can't seem to keep my FOCUS and get past the one third of the way to thin. I get to that point and it's all she wrote. I am getting back to WW before I fool arond and gain it all back. UGH. But life is good and I need to get some rolls made.

Type at y'all later.

[QuilterInVA]

Good afternoon, ladies! Cool (68) and overcast today.

Bible study tonight on Matthew 2. Very interesting comparisons back to OT.

Faye, I'm hard to fit for shoes, too. I'm waiting for Acis to go on sale again and then I'll try them all on (and probably none will fit right) to see if they work with my bunion. I love Fresh Market. We just got one in Newport News.

Jean, I'll be helping make the quilts. We have workshops where 20-25 of us get together and sew like mad to get them done.

Maggie, poor little kittens with sore paws. It's amazing how fast they recover and are jumping around again.

Have a great day!

[gma22]

Good morning to you all! Going to try and get some work done on T's sweater so I can finish it. I haven't been working on it for the last couple days, but need to forge ahead and finish it. The new yarn should be here in a couple days and I want to start Jackson's.

Susan: These shoes are NAOT brand. I have never heard of them, but they are rubber soled and very flexible so I am hoping I can wear them. I truly only have one pair of shoes out of the myriad I own that are really comfortable long term and that is a pair of sandals I bought at Land's End several years ago. Because I am flatfooted I walk inward on my feet and shoes that have a big arch in them really make my feet hurt. I need support but it has to be a certain kind. These are horribly expensive shoes, almost $200 for the pair so like I said, I am going to walk around on the carpet only for awhile and see if they will do the trick before I forge outside with them, thus having to pay for them and not be able to send them back. I have a pair of New Balance, but they are a walking shoe and heavy so doing treadmill work is difficult for me in them.

Maggie: I am struggling this week with food. I am not binging or even eating bad stuff as I don't have bad stuff in the house, but I did go over points last night so I have to right myself this morning. I am still having hormonal issues I think that cause a bit of the problem of being hungry all the time as any other time I breeze through my day with no thought about it and stay in points easily.

Well gals, not much news around here. Kelly and I are planning a trip to Nashville to Opry Mills to shop and stuff for the weekend. T may or may not go as he hates shopping, but they have lovely Christmas decorations at the Opryland hotel from what I hear. Kelly was funny she said something about Cheesecake Factory being in Nashville then said, "but since breathing the air there is like 1 million points it is probably a bad idea."

Have a good one and enjoy the weather if it is nice in your area! Faye

[Jean]

Good Morning, Flowers! The only "good" thing about this morning is that I'm up and at 'em under my own power! Another crappy day today, with sunshine promised for tomorrow. We'll see I guess. The dump trucks are hauling more loads of sand to the new house at the end of our street. I can't imagine how much that must cost; I wish I would have kept count, but I'm guessing we are close to 50 truck loads by now. I just hope the fancy house doesn't sink in the swampy muck in a few years!

"Gma" -- Where did you order the Halloween pails from? I don't seem to have the online shopping luck that you do. Good luck with the new shoes! Have you ever tried having orthotics custom made? A shopping trip to Nashville sounds like fun; I'd opt for cheese cake over lunch any day.

Maggie -- I will be thinking of the kittens today! The vets in Sioux City are using the lasar method, but ours is the old fashioned way. Congrats on going back to WW! We have a "no pizazz" WW leader here after having a really dynamite one years ago. The one now doesn't have the following and I just can't stand her meetings. I don't do well on my own either -- I need to face the scale and be held accountable.

Susan -- I have a hard time finding comfortable walking shoes. I used to wear Nikes, but have New Balance now. They are too wide in the toe box so have a wrinkle there.

I'm on the schedule to donate blood this afternoon so have to get my chores done this morning. Have a terrific Tuesday -- hope the sun is shining on you!

Jean -- from Iowa!

[Maggie]

GOOD AFTERNOON MAGNOLIAS
Cool sunny day here in the Heartland. Sure seems quiet with the kittens at the vet. I got them used to the carry case and they have been playing in it for a week now so when Will put them in it they didn't even meow once on the way to the vets. AH, but they probably won't get near it when he gets them home. Ragg Mopp was looking all over the house for them this morning. He misses his kittens.

JEAN Giving blood is a good thing. I commend you for doing that. You know there is an illustration about those who build upon sand in the Bible.

DONNA FAYE Nashville sounds like fun. Cheesecake ~ ummmmm. I remember ummmmmmmmmm. I most often only wear SAS. I too have flat feet and wear this brace so the wide ones do great for me. They are spendy but well worth the bucks. Comfortable from the moment I put them on new.

SUSAN You have quite a large number of quilters in your area. Different pockets around this country have those that quilt.

Type at y'all later Have a great day.

[gma22]

Good morning to you all! Cool this morning but I am keeping my fingers crossed for sun. It rained on and off all day yesterday again.

I have clinic tomorrow afternoon then the direct tv guy will be here on Friday morning. I went upstairs last night and both upstairs tv has a message that there is new software to be loaded only it won't load it and is stuck so he will have to look and see what is wrong with the darn dish.

Maggie: I have never bought SAS before. I will keep it in mind. The kitties will be fine. Butterscotch had no problem after his front claws were removed. I just was always nervous about him getting outside by accident. He did once, but we caught him in time.

Jean: People are stupid when they build in a swampy or water logged area. I don't care who they have surveying, there is never a definite that any water or whatever that is pumped out and such will not come back. Ahh well, people do dumb things all the time. We have a place that I could have orthotics made and maybe I should then I could just move them shoe to shoe, right? I know I hate not being able to walk any distance without having a bad backache and I know it is the shoes. I am shipping my shechers to my niece in Arizona as soon as she sends me her school address.

Got my yarn yesterday and only have 30 more rows of sleeve and then I can finish T's sweater. I am going to take off the front pocket thingy and try and redo it as it doesn't lay right. We shall see what happens.

I will need a project to take to Nashville and will have the boys' sweaters done so am making myself a summer sweater in a smaller size for vacation next year. I am deciding between these three. Which do you all like? I picked out these three colors as all three sweaters use sport yarn. I have to decide which color I like best. The green will look good with my red hair and I just like the aqua color. I also picked out an orchid color, but it only lets me upload 5 files at a time so I will have to show it to you later. Which is your favorite? You get to way in to help me decide.

Got to get to work and get something done this morning. Have a great day ladies!
Faye

[gma22]

Here is the third color

[QuilterInVA]

Good morning, ladies! Fall is definitely in the air and we are having a rainy day.

Faye, I vote for the 1st sweater in turquoise/aqua. It'll look nice with your hair. I thought I posted yesterday but it must have gone into cyberspace never to be seen again. I have quilting bee tonight.

Jean, thanks for giving blood. I wish I could but they don't want mine. I was working on my 7th gallon.

Maggie, how are the kittens?

Have a good day - I need to get to work.

[Maggie]

GOOD MORNING MAGNOLIAS
It is a tad cooler this day in the Heartland. I don't have the fans whirling today. Not yet time, I don't think, to shut off the air and turn on the heater. It may get hot again before winter hits. It sure is quiet around here with the kittens gone. Well they weren't noisey just nosey. On my list to do this day is to dye my hair. I am getting my monthly trim next week for I have been keeping it short since it has gotten so thin from my meds. My weight loss program is going fine so far ~ haven't hit a snag yet this go-round. Not much else doing here except I will solder my firehouse together.

DONNA FAYE I vote for the green for I love that shade. Your day sounds like it will be a busy one. I do so hope you do find a shoe that is good for you. I got my first pair of SAS when we were living in TN. Shoes do have a lot to do with our backs and come to think of it ~ it was my back doctor that recommended SAS to me. I told him ~ but I love my sandals and he said "You will love these more." I do love them more but on occasion I do wear my sandals ~ but not all day long, like just to church or other dress up times. But my black SAS look good with all my casual clothing. They come in brown also and when I contacted the company one time they did say they would make me a pair of red ones.

SUSAN They will keep the kittens until late afternoon Thursday. They will be getting all their shots while they are there also. Since we have a dog they need some shots so as not to get things to pass along to Ragg Mopp. This is a really good vet and he is doing both kittens for less then one cat cost in CA. Go figure. AH, but this is the Heartland. Ragg Mopp sure misses his kittens. They sure play good together. The kittens knock things off Will's desk to watch them fall to the floor where Ragg Mopp is. They don't do that in here though....maybe because I didn't let them get started. Little Blackie chewed the corner off one of Will's books.....

Have a good day, unless you get a better offer. Type at y'all later

[Jean]

Good Afternoon, Flowers! I tried to get in here this morning and no such luck; the site looks weird right now -- lots of Xs where pictures should be. The sun is shining, the sun is shining in my corner of the world! It's not all that warm out, but seeing the sun sure helps. The Black Hills got 8" of snow yesterday and were closing roads according to a trucker at the bloodmobile. I'm not ready for snow! I need to vacuum as soon as I'm done here. The dishwasher and washer are both going right now.

Maggie -- I'm sure your house is quiet w/o the 8 little furry feet scampering around. Do you wear flat SAS shoes or the ones with the wedge type heel? Many years ago when I had a heel spur, the physical therapist told me she could visit a nursing home and instantly tell which ladies had worn wedge heeled shoes. That is because the angle of the shoe caused the tendons in the ankle and back of the leg to shorten over time. I wore them when I worked in the dept. store and was on a cement floor; they were the most comfortable shoes I could find.

"Gma" -- I hope you don't get charged an arm and a leg for upgrading you TVs. We just got our bill and got charged for a partial month in addition to the full month. When I called to find out why, I was told that because we got a new box, remote, and upgrade. She couldn't give me an answer to why the monthly charge for next month will be the same as the original charge. It wasn't our fault the box needed to be replaced. One time Maggie, who had no front claws, got outside and ended up on the garage roof. The only way she could get up there was to climb the tree beside it. She was a jumper so imagine she jumped half way up the tree and then hung on with her back claws. I vote for the V neck sweater in aqua!

Susan -- The last time I donated blood I "leaked" quite a bit once I got home. I mentioned it this time and the tech put a cold pad on the spot which worked like a charm. It takes longer to fill out the paperwork than to actually donate, but I can go earlier now that I'm not in school, so don't have to wait. I'm glad I can do it.

I need to get moving and attack the fur/dust bunnies. Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Jean -- from Iowa!