[gma22]

Morning gals. Last thread for the year then we start over I imagine. Looks like we talked a lot this last year!

I am going to try and get the downstairs cleaned today. It is such a mess and or at least I think so, Ruthie says my house is really clean as she put it. It is driving me nuts so I am going to get have get it done today and Tuesday. Tomorrow I am taking her for her haircut and that will shoot the day for cleaning and such.

Kelly went through her closet and got rid of a bunch of stuff and let Ruthie try on what she liked and told her she could have what she wanted so she feels like she just hit the lotto. She got a ton of "new" clothes and Kelly's stuff is always nice so I am sure it is in great shape for her. Her sister got the new IPOD and I don't think they bought her anything since they let her come down here so Kelly tried to make up for it. She has so much we have to ship it to her. Her mom is so conservative that I imagine it might be a fight or two about it.

Oh my gosh, Jack and I went to see "It's Complicated" yesterday and laughed til our sides hurt. This was a hilarious movie and though aimed at the 50+ crowd, was a real belly laugh for any adult, especially couples. The theater was filled to capacity with mostly over 50 folks and it was a continuous laugh riot through the whole movie. I would gladly see this one again and will definitely buy it when it comes out on dvd.

Maggie: Sorry about the headache. Kelly gets them really badly and suffers greatly so I know what discomfort you must have been in. Sounds like you had a wonderful time with your friends and a birthday party to boot. My bil's birthday was Christmas Eve so we got to have a mini party for him too.

Jean: These airlines really get my goat. They are now building their new planes to add more seats to planes that are the same size as they are now to make more money. They know they have you captive so they gouge you big time when you fly anymore. Jack and I are avoiding flying at all costs if we can. We are going to dry to Florida next year and Vegas in the future rather than fly. My sister and bil drove straight through from Phoenix and then left Saturday and drove straight back. That I won't do. I am too old to drive 1400 miles straight. Of course, they had 4 drivers then could trade off, but Larry wouldn't rest when anyone else was driving except Neita so she had to drive a big chunk of it.

Susan: The weather is going to be nuts again this year I am afraid. It was cold and windy here yesterday and who knows what it will be this week. I just take it as it comes I guess. Congrats on the hold in WW I know I have gained with all the fatty foods, but I am gearing up to get us back on track and on the straight and narrow back to eating without all the junk and sweets.

Well gals, I want to get started on the cleaning. Have a good one today! Faye

[Jean]

Good Morning, Flowers! The sun is shining and it's colder outside today. Bob is out blowing snow . . . again. We aren't going to church this morning; neither one of us felt like getting up early and digging out. Poor Santa is buried and you can barely see the glo of his light through the snow. The base of the big tree, where Bob just wound the lights around, is also buried. The branches higher up still look good though! The snow is level with the top of our mailbox, partly from the snow plow going by and the rest from the drift across our front yard. I have lots I could do today but so far have just read the paper and had coffee.

"Gma" -- Thanks for starting the new thread! I didn't realize we had so many posts this time. I hope Ruthie doesn't get a lot of flak from her parents about the clothes that Kelly gave her. That's really nice of Kelly. Like I said before, Ruthie would probably prefer living with you! I've seen the movie advertised on TV and definitely want to see it. It's Complicated is my kind of movie! Bob isn't good at relaxing when someone else is driving either. He's more apt to stop and walk around a bit or get coffee, then keep on going. After a couple hours I have to get out and walk around because I get so stiff from sitting.

I need to get dressed and put in another load of clothes. Have a nice day today!

Jean -- from Iowa!

[QuilterInVA]

Good evening, ladies. It's 50 degrees and foggy.

I didn't go to Church today. I've had a bad breathing day so haven't done a thing but sleep, eat, read the paper, and email. I'm having leftovers - Prime Rib, baked potato and green beans - for supper. After supper I'm going to get to work on my menus for the week beginning January 1. It's kind of nuts, but if I have it on paper, I eat it. If I don't plan ahead, it's anybody's guess if I stay OP or not. Also, I can plan so leftovers don't get forgotten in the back of the fridge. I have a new 3-month points journal already to start the new year. I have an appointment with my pulmonary doctor on Tuesday and a page of questions for her.

Faye, your niece will remember this as the best Christmas of her life. That was so nice of Kelly to give her the clothes. I hope her parents appreciate this and don't give her a hard time. Can you post a picture of her with her new hairdo? Thanks for the thumbs up on the movie. I think I'll go see it one afternoon this week.

Jean, I'd be in until Spring if I lived where you are. That's way too much snow for me.

Maggie, are you snowed in?

Have a good evening.

[Jean]

Good Morning, Flowers! We are supposed to have sunshine today, but so far it is cloudy and cold. The next few nights will be below 0 if the weatherman is right. We had one deer visit this morning and Bob thinks he/she has a broken leg. The snow is so deep they are having trouble getting around but this one's leg is bent the wrong direction between the hip and the "knee."

Susan -- I hope that you are breathing easier this morning. It sounds like you have a plan with your menus and journal! I know that writing down everything I eat makes a big difference for me. I need to make it through our family Christmas next weekend; I'm determined to get back on track! Good luck with your doctor's appt. tomorrow.

Maggie -- I have sent you several emails in the past few days and they are coming back as undeliverable. I see that yours came through this morning although I haven't had time to read them.

"Gma" -- What are you up to today?

I need to get busy! I basically have done nothing since the storm set in and my house looks it. I don't seem to accomplish much when Bob is home and stuck inside with me. Have a marvelous Monday!

Jean -- from Iowa!

[QuilterInVA]

Good morning, ladies! Foggy morning in the low 40s.

Jean, the poor deer with a broken leg! I need to get busy on the deep cleaning I was planning for this week, but my heart isn't in it. My breathing is still a little congested but I don't have a cold. That's why I give big bucks to Dr. Naja tomorrow.

I think Faye and Ruthie had an appointment this morning to get haircuts.

I have tried to attach a picture of the First Thursday Bee Christmas tree quilts. If it works, mine in on the bottom row, 1st on left.

Well, I guess I better get busy and get something done for a change.

Have a good day.

[Jean]

Good Morning, Flowers! It's cold in my corner of the world this morning . . . -6 degrees as I'm typing. I need to run some errands this morning and we have a retirement coffee to go to this afternoon. So much for working on my "to do" list around the house. I did get my laundry finished yesterday, but the pile of ironing is waiting for me.

Susan -- The Christmas tree quilts look beautiful! Thank you for sharing the picture. Bob has started bringing the bird and squirrel feeders in at night. They knock enough out during the day that the deer can clean it up during the night. They are getting braver about coming up on the deck -- Ernie really gets his fur on his back and tail fuzzed up when he sees them! I hope your doctor has some answers to your questions today.

I've got to get moving. Have a terrific Tuesday and keep warm. It sounds like more snow is on the way. *groan*

Jean -- in Iowa!

[QuilterInVA]

Good morning, ladies! It's cold - 34 degrees - but sunny.

The doctor's office called and said she was in a car accident and they needed to reschedule me to January 15. The library called yesterday and said the book on tape I had picked up on Saturday was missing disk 5 because someone has just brought it back so I need to go get it today. I want to go to Joann's but the sale doesn't start until Thursday so I better wait. I'm going to do a little grocery shopping while I'm out - seniors get 5% discount on Tuesdays at the stores here. I'm out of eggs, bread and milk.

Since we all want to get on track after New Year's, why don't we try setting a weekly goal for ourselves to work towards? I'm starting a new 3-month journal on Friday and my goal is to get in all my healthy oils for the week. I seldom do now.

Jean, I sure hope you don't get anymore snow. Enough is enough. I hope Faye is alright. I though sure she'd post sometime yesterday or this morning.

I get to clean the bathrooms today - more fun than one woman should have! Have a good day!

[Maggie]

GOOD AFTERNOON MAGNOLIA

This is a very overcast day in the neighborhood. We went to look at a small motor-home this morning and it was totally a piece of junk. Take more to fix it up than it is worth by a long shot. In fact it was in horrible condition. They guy should just pull the engine and sell it and junk the rest. Believe me there was no fixing it up at all. We will find what we are looking for ~ maybe an older pickup and small pull type trailer. We don’t want anything as long as we have had this go round. Shorter will suffice quite nicely. There are quite a few out there for sale this time of the year.

Getting back OP is going to be harder than I thought since I have been out of bounds for some time now. I have just got to do it for sure and work it the whole year of 2010. I have actually stayed for the meeting the last two times I went to weigh in at the WW meeting so that is a start anyway. I have written down everything I have eaten this day. I used to do that all the time and just got out of that habit quickly and picked up old habits that weren’t friendly ones. I got my monthly hair trim yesterday and it looks so much better now. We had scheduled the rug cleaners to come tomorrow so it would be nice and clean for our party the 31st. While we were out of town we got a call from the rug folks and they were at our front door knocking and no one was home. Well, Will informed them that our appointment was tomorrow. He had especially requested them to come in the am on Wednesday for we have mid week meeting in the evening. They were here today and we weren’t and now they are full tomorrow so we don’t get it cleaned before our party, Just as well for someone always does have an accident and spills their plate or drink or both at these get to-gathers. I think we should just wait now until the bad weather subsides and get it done in the Spring. It isn’t really that bad ~ just wanted it freshly cleaned for the party. We don’t have the equipment to do it our self or we could just do it or if we lived closer to Donna Fay maybe we could talk her into doing it for us.

SUSAN Thanks for posting those quilts ~ I love the different ways folks do the same idea. And I am not just saying it but it is true that I find I like yours the best. I am so sorry your Dr. got in an accident and now your can’t get in till the middle of next month. I sure do hope she is not hurt badly. Discounts for seniors sounds like the time to be shopping for sure. Ace Hardware and DJ’s Chicken and Dillon’s grocery give senior discounts here to name a few. It at least covers the taxes. I started my 3 month tracker booklet today since weigh day is Monday’s.

JEAN I have been keeping my mail program cleaned out so it can’t be that it is full. I don’t have a clue why your mail isn’t coming through. I don’t have you blocked for I checked to see if I may have done that accidentally and it is fine. Hope it is all cleared up by now though ~ I just may think you are ignoring me. You know that we are in the 100 year cycle now and are getting more snow like they did 100 years ago. The weather does cycle.

DONNA FAYE That is so neat that Kelly gave your niece so many nice pieces of clothing. That girl will never forget this year for sure for she has been treated like a princess for sure. Yep, lets quit with the junk and sweets this year and stick to the business of losing weight. Down with the pounds ~ and no ~ I am not in a race with you because you lose in chunks and I squeak the pounds out slowly.

Well folks I need to go and do something about my dishes in the dishwasher. They need to be put up now that they have dried. I love my dishwasher. By for now and I’ll type at y’all later. Be safe now.

[gma22]

Ladies, I have to hurry this one. I haven't had phone or internet service since Sunday afternoon so that is why I haven't posted.

Please pray for Jack. He called here around 2 yesterday afternoon said he had 3 sharp chest pains at work and had left backside shoulder pain so we took him to the er as soon as he got home. They did an EKG and no heart attack, his blood panels and xray looked fine but they kept him overnight and are rerunning everything and his cardiologist will see him this morning an decide what to do with him, ie do a catherization or what to find out why the chest pains. They gave him morphine and an aspirin and it took the pain away but the shoulder pain came back and he wouldn't take more morphine because it gave him a headache. I was running back and forth to get Ruth settled at Kelly's, than back to the hospital, then back to the house to get him some pj pants, clean undies and socks, etc and I got myself and him a sandwich and back to the hospital. He hadn't eaten since 11 am and it was around 8 pm. I imagine the hospital is short staffed because we arrived around 2:15 pm and they didn't get his blood results back until 6, in the meantime said he would stay the night, but it took them 4 hours to get him a bed (though there were several rooms empty on the floor he is on) then he was fit to be tied when the nurse came in at ten til 8 and said they had a room for him and they didn't move him until 10 pm. I didn't get back home until near 11 and of course haven't slept much worrying about whether the phone was going to ring.

Ruthie's hair is absolutely adorable and the color looks spectacular on her too. I will get before and after's on here as soon as the heart drama settles down a bit. I was supposed to take her to the mall today and she only has Wed, Thur and Friday then goes home early Sat morning so maybe things will work out that either Kelly can do it or Jack is fine and I can do it. She bought her first pair of "expensive" shoes these wild and outlandish high top sneakers with every color in the rainbow on them. She is in love with them of course. She is a hoot, she puts on her makeup everyday whether we go somewhere or not. I will make a girl out of her yet! lol

Susan: The quilts are adorable! Hope you are feeling better.

Maggie: Nope, I wouldn't clean them, but maybe would let you borrow our machine! I hate it when they screw up appts. If you screwed it up, they would make no effort to help you get into whatever the appt was for, but when they goof up, it is "oh, well, too bad," sort of attitude.

Jean: Hope you thaw soon. I can't imagine having that much snow. I think I would scream from not being able to get out and around. Of course, I would stay home all the time if it were nice, but the minute it got bad I would want to go somewhere of course.

I need to go and get a shower and get back to the hospital. Have a grand day ladies and I will keep you updated about Jack and I can find the time.
Faye

[Jean]

Good Morning, Flowers! It is seriously snowing again! I wanted to run some errands that I didn't finish yesterday, but our streets still have snow ruts where the plows didn't go back and finish what they started. Now they will be an even bigger mess. I have one lonely deer snuggled in under our evergreen tree. They have dug down in the snow around the tree, and Bob said there were four there last night when he came to bed. I guess it must be warmer for them that way. Last night a buck was up on the deck and stood facing the door. I never thought about them charging through the glass until he showed up; he was big! The others usually point the other direction . . . I'm out of their sight out of mind kind of thing. The neighbor across the street is a deer hunter and I've been concerned he might do something 'stupid' if he sees them in our back yard. He is an EMT at the hospital, but also the police medic so doubt if there would be any legal repercussion against him.

Susan -- I'm sorry about your doctor being in an accident and your appt. being postponed. My goal for right now is to cut out the mindless eating! I know one of the tips is to always eat at the table with the plate, bowl, and silverware in place. I'm good at taking a bite here 'n there; that's one bad thing about having the kitchen and TV area wide open. The TV is usually on when I'm in the kitchen. Enjoy your squeaky clean bathrooms! That is my least favorite chore . . . next to grocery shopping!

Maggie -- I definitely would clean the carpet after company, but I guess you don't have a choice now. We have a carpet cleaning machine that we bought when Leonard lived here. I don't care what cycle the snow is in because we've had enough! This morning I had three returned emails I sent to you yesterday.

"Gma" -- I hope the doctors can figure out what is going on with Jack. The pain has got to be scary for both of you! My prayers are with you both. I'll just bet Ruthie is having the time of her life with you! You are so sweet to have her visit and do all of the things you have had planned for her. This will be a Christmas for her to remember! The high top sneakers are popular here, but I haven't seen anyone with multi colored ones yet. Bob's pickup is 4 wheel drive so if I feel I can't go with the car, I talk him into taking me.

Well, snow or no snow, I need to finish my errands. Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Jean -- in Iowa!

[QuilterInVA]

Good afternoon ladies - only 32 degrees at noon!

I tell you, I get some stupid ideas. I just decided to move my stove so I could wash the wall behind there and clean the sides and the floor. I don't think it's been moved in 6 or 7 years. Now I have a really big cleaning job to do before I move it back. Oh, well. It needs to be done and I need something to do. Everything has seemed to concentrate into an old-fashioned head cold. I took some daytime cold pills and they are helping.

Faye, I am so sorry Jack is in the hospital. I'll pray for him and put him in the prayer book at church. I just knew something was wrong when you hadn't posted. I look forward to seeing the pictures of Ruthie.

Jean, I'd be crazy with the snow by now. I'd probably be out of books and CDs. I just can't find much on TV I like anymore. I hope they get you plowed out soon. My father-in-law once got a ticket for shooting a deer from his back porch. It was across the creek and not in an occupied area but the game warden was in the area and heard it. I think the fine was nothing to him but having the warden confiscate the deer was the biggest punishment. My family room flows into my kitchen, too. I make sure my chair is where my back is to the kitchen - out of sight, out of mind. The BLTs sure add up to points quickly.

Food Lion has a good special this week - buy 6 Lean Cuisine for $1.99 each and get a free box of Skinny Cow Treats (regularly $5.49). I'll probably go to at least 2 stores so I can stock up on treats. I take LC for my lunch at work several days a month. I'm cheap - I won't pay $5.49 for Skinny Cows so this will be a real treat.

Maggie, I'd probably waited until after the party to get the rug cleaned anyway. I have a Hoover carpet steamer I love...good exercise, too. If I don't write down everything, I find myself over points for the day. I have etools and what I am going to do is plan my meals there, and then write down - before I eat - what I'm eating. If I have a menu in front of me, I eat what is on it. I've been messing around December and I'm down 2 pounds but it could have been a lot better than that. I took a hiatus from writing or entering in etools and just used my points calculator. Big mistake.

Well, I need to fix some lunch and get on with the cleaning. Have a good day.

Maggie,

[Jean]

Good Morning, Flowers! The sun is trying to peek through the clouds and lazy snow flakes are drifting down from up above. I've got the last couple of gifts to put in bags and make food for tomorrow. I can hardly wait to get the Christmas stuff out of here so I can clean. The dust/fur critters are taking over big time!

Susan -- I hope your cold is gone soon! We don't get a tv guide for the higher channels that carry the movies and they don't all start on the hour or half hour. I hate trying to play musical channels to see what is on. We also get a game channel that is reruns of the old, old game shows. I've always enjoyed Family Feud; the hairstyles and clothing are a hoot. Bob just if he happens to come home when it's on. The travel channel and the food channel are my other favorites, but they don't always have interesting programs either. Do you like the LC dinners better than WW? Our stores rarely run specials on anything that is diet related; I guess because there really is no competition in town. We didn't have any deer last night, that we saw, but the water level is way down this morning. Since we've been bringing the food in an night there isn't much for them to clean up and they've eaten off the lower branches of the pine tree.

"Gma" -- We are anxious to hear how Jack is feeling today. I hope that he is home again.

Wishing you all a and a blessed 2010 from the land of snow!

Jean -- from Iowa!

[gma22]

Good morning to you all! Hope you are going to have a fun New Year's Eve. We are just staying home and staying in as usual.

Jack is fit as a fiddle. All his tests came back clear and no blockages anywhere so the pains are a mystery. We will just keep an eye on him and if they happen again it will be back to the ER. We aren't going to mess around with it even if it is 50 trips.

Ruthie went home last night, (late night for sure ) and she is probably with her dad as the bus should have pulled in around 7 am. I haven't heard from them that she got in ok. The bus was loaded to the max, poor thing and the first stop the bus made was her stop so she had to ride that way. She had a grand time and couldn't stop talking about it. I did forget to take a picture of her, darn! Everything was so nuts with Jack and all. I have to say I like the solitude again though I loved having her visit.

We got rain yesterday, but it seems warmer this morning than yesterday. I talked to my sister this morning and they are supposed to get a big snow storm today.

I have loads to do to get back to normal so won't do replies today. You all have a great day and I will talk to you later. Faye

[QuilterInVA]

Good afternoon, ladies. More rain and low 40s today.

Faye, I am so glad Jack is OK for now. Will keep sending prayers that he will stay that way. No snow in the forecast here but more rain.

Jean, we'll be having sales the next week or two of diet items. I do like LC better than Smart Ones, mainly there is better variety and I get the Spa ones that have at least 5 grams of fiber and whole grains.

Joann's sale started today so I went. I wanted a rolling sewing machine case but the only one they had was $200 and I sure wasn't paying that and I couldn't find anything else I wanted. I had a phone call from a woman I used to work with at Tandy - 17 years ago. She and her husband moved to Dayton, OH but we still keep in touch. It was nice to talk to her.

No New Year's party tonight. I'll be asleep before midnight, I'm sure.

Happy end to 2009!