[Jean]

Good Morning, Flowers! It is a beautiful morning in my corner of the world. The weatherman promises some higher temperatures and scattered rain showers later today. We will be heading to Sioux Falls this afternoon for Ian's game. Jason has a meeting so we will be picking the kids up from daycare, grabbing a quick McD supper, and head for the game. Jason should be there before the game begins; I hope so since he is one of the coaches.

"Gma" -- Enjoy your trip to IN!

Susan -- I hope you have a cooler day today!

Maggie -- We missed you yesterday. Hope you are ok.

I'm off to get my nails done and then more laundry/ironing before we leave. It will be a late night! Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Jean -- from Iowa!

[QuilterInVA]

Good afternoon, ladies! Hot and Humid - 98.

Glory had to take her car to the service station today so I picked her up and we went to breakfast and then off to the quilt shop. Tonight is quilting bee . A fun day but not much work getting done. My friend in Moon called and asked me to come up Saturday and stay until Sunday so we'll spend a lot of time quilting. I'm starting work on my challenge quilt and will post a picture when it is done. It's due early in September and I just got inspired.

Jean, enjoy your day.

[Maggie]

GOOD AFTERNOON MAGNOLIAS

It is a beautiful sunny day here in the Heartland. We had a wonderful storm come through last evening with lots of thunder and lightening and a real gulley washer with rain making the road out front look like a river. It is 100 this day and cooler than it has been so hopefully the hot spell has snapped. My rotisserie chicken last night turned out so good that I had forgotten just how much better it makes it than the store bought kind is. I shredded the left overs and we had sandwiches for lunch out of it. I mixed it up like I do tuna and it was yummy. For this evening meal Will requested blue box mac and cheese with burger meat in it and that put a big smile on our guests face. So that will be done for sure. I can have veggies along with it. I think I'll make a canned version of that recipe posted by Susan. I feel much better today than I did yesterday and I thought yesterday I was back to exact. Go figure!

JEAN I just know you will be having fun at that game. Be safe and enjoy yourself. What color did you have your nails done in? I was just looking at mine and thinking I need to trim them for they are getting too long. I really did think I posted yesterday but I guess I didn't. We were out and about quite a bit and then I started with my new rotisserie and time slipped away.

DONNA FAYE Be safe on your travels.

SUSAN Waz up?

Type at y'all later ~ Off to do some fun stuff.

[Maggie]

GOOD MORNING MAGNOLIAS

Another very warm day here in the Heartland. I am here drinking my first cup of coffee for the day (I drink on the average 2 a day ) and really enjoy this first one the best. Gets me going for the day. I don't have much planned for the day ~ this is the day Will does his volunteer work at the museum. He is going through old, very old documents and finding them very interesting. The old pictures are so in good shape still for they have been taken good care of. Seems that folks pass on and their kids donate the trunks of "stuff" to the museum. Sometimes they donate them to another place and that place in turn passes them on to the museum. What fun to gather it all in one place and have a nice running history of the area which is so rich in times gone by happenings. We are going to make a trip down or over to Texas one of these days soon for Will has some reloading to take to our friend there. Plus we just like going to Texas. I don't have a clue yet what I am making for dinner but when I get off here I will go "shopping" in my freezer. I just might make parmesan chicken. Yesser that sounds good. I may even have the ingredients to make a jello salad to go with it. Life is good and there are so many good low point dishes to make the program work. I think Ragg Mopp slept downstairs again last night. It seems he does that every other night. One night with us and then the other with JD. There is something about JD that Ragg Mopp absolutely adores. I do hope when JD settles down and has a family and his dog will adore him like Ragg Mopp does.

SUSAN Have fun quilting at your friends. What fun to spend the time with a friend Moon that shares your quilting interest in doing the things you love. I am looking forward in seeing that picture of your challenge quilt when you get it finished.

JEAN Busy this day are ya.

DONNA FAYE Guess you are out and about now. Be safe.

I am going to go stick my head in the freezer now. Well actually it is an upright like a fridge and I open the door and step back and gaze. I keep the contents arranged on the shelves with like items. Fruit all on a shelf and then Meat on another, etc. Makes it easier for me to see what I have and what I need to purchase. Right now I am out of big meat like roasts and round steak so that will go on my big shopping list for the first of the month. I do have some pork chops, steaks, skinless, boneless chicken breasts and lots of one pound packages of lean burger in there. I have choices, just have to put on my thinking cap this time of day so I can get something thawed.

Type at y'all later.

[Jean]

Good Afternoon, Flowers! I had a LOONNNGGGG post written this morning and for some reason my computer hiccuped and shut off. The sun is out and it's very humid although only 82 degrees according to the computer. We didn't get home until midnight last night. Long story short, we thought maybe we could find a quick/shorter route from the baseball field to the interstate rather than sit in 2 lane traffic, several stop lights, then a connecting 4 lane highway, and finally back on the interstate. Jason said it took them 45 min. Monday night. Wrong! We ended up on a gravel road then backtracked because we weren't sure where we would end up; the road was not well maintained so think maybe it was just "the end" of a new housing development paved street. On the good side Ian had 3 GREAT hits -- he was so tickled and Jason was too; we all were.

We'd eaten supper at 4 so at 11 we were in McD's an hour from home. Two adults were working which one doesn't find very often. The lady was making interesting drinks for the drive-thru and I asked what they were. "Mocha frappes, and they are delicious!" she said. After we got our order and were sitting down she brought us 2 child sized samples. YUMMY, YUMMY, YUMMY! I did go to WW and the weigh-in wasn't pretty as I knew it wouldn't be. This is a new week, new journal, onward, and downward!

We got up to a wet basement floor this morning. The electricity went out for 2 hours during the night and the sump pump quit. The rain gauge says 5 1/2" but at least wet kitty litter is easier to clean up than the sewage that homes across the street had. They all have bathrooms in their basements and have to go outside and shut off water valves when it rains hard or the electricity goes off.

Susan -- It's nice that you can visit your Moon friend and gets lots of quilting in while you are there. I'm anxious to see you challenge quilt also. Hope your weather is better today.

Maggie - The nail polish is Revlon's Ice Mauve. It's a little dark for my fingernails since I usually wear a pale pink that hardly shows. I do like my toes though. I'm glad you are feeling better. Will RM travel to Texas with you? I haven't paid attention to how hot it is down there, but probably the usual hot and humid. We are meeting everyone at the lake on Sunday (to avoid the bikers coming to town) so need to think of food to take. Why does food have to take up so much time!

Well, this isn't getting my trip to the grocery store done so I'm off. Have a nice rest of the day!

Jean -- from Iowa!

[Jean]

Good Morning, Flowers! I woke up to loud thunder about 5 and couldn't go back to sleep. We got a little more rain which we don't need right now. Bob needs to bring his tractor home and then on to the fair grounds for the ride tomorrow. The weatherman is promising a beautiful weekend with a cold front moving in tonight. I've got a load of towels in the washer and need to make a grocery list after I decide what food I'm making for the lake on Sunday.

Guess I had better get a move on. The junk paper pile is growing again. Hope you all have a nice day!

Jean -- from Iowa!

[QuilterInVA]

Good afternoon, ladies. 99 degrees right now and so humid. Jean, I envy your cold front! Please send rain!

I thought I posted yesterday. Getting my housework done today so I can go to Moon with a clear conscious. This hot weather and I don't get along at all.

Jean, I got a coupon for a free smoothie or frappe at McD's. If the scale is down at WW tomorrow, I plan on trying one.

Maggie, I love to shop in my freezer. Once a year I start and eat from the freezer until it is just about empty. If I don't, I keep adding food and then I end up throwing stuff out.

Dryer is buzzing...have a great day.

[Jean]

Good Morning, Flowrs! It is cloudy and very humid in my neighborhood; we got another 3/4" rain during the night. My laundry room has several trickles running to the drain. Ernie walks through and takes a lick, then leaves paw prints on the floor upstairs. Bob is long gone and gets to "lead" the tractor ride again this year. It is sponsored by his county board; I asked how come he is first in line. He said his tractor goes 12 mph and some don't; they like to keep a steady pace I guess. Tomorrow 20,000+ bikers and support vehicles/people will arrive here to spend the night. We are heading for the lake!

Susan -- The "cold" front doesn't feel very cold with the high humidity. It would be a lot worse if the sun were shining. My feeling is that if I drink a treat, it doesn't hang around as long as if I eat a treat. I know the McD frappes are loaded with calories but oh so good. We don't go to McDs very often because our's is in WM w/o a drive-thru. Have a great time in Moon today and tomorrow!

Maggie -- What are you up to today? Missed you yesterday!

"Gma" -- I know you are having fun with Jackson! I'll bet the bike was a hit for sure.

I'm meeting two other retired teachers for lunch later this morning. I should put in another load of clothes and chase the dust/fur bunnies around first. Have a great weekend!

Jean -- from Iowa!

[Maggie]

GOOD AFTERNOON MAGNOLIAS

It is a beautiful day here in the Heartland in the 80's and we are supposed to get some rain this evening. I made spaghetti for dinner last night and a loaf of Rosmary Focaccia bread. Needless to say the bread is all gone. It seems like the guys just inhailed it. I am making a new loaf today which is called Crusty Mustard Focaccia. It is in my bread machine as I type on dough setting. When it is ready to come out I let it rest for 10 minutes then pat it into a nice circle on a baking stone. After it rises for 45 minutes I will make indentations all over the surface and rub some olive oil over the top and sprinkle it with course salt. Bake it for 15 to 20 minutes and then . . . I will be grilling some steaks for dinner and make a nice green salad with fresh tomatoes sliced up in it. Life is good. We just got back from a nice hour drive in the country. It is so green yet here and quite lovely. Our guest will now be gone for a few days working in a different part of the state too far to drive each day. He is such a nice young man we will miss him when his work here is done and he moves on.

JEAN I really though I posted yesterday but guess I spaced it. I can imagine how that tractor line looks like ~ neat. I imagine your lunch with those other ladies turned out good. Bet you had a lot to talk about.

SUSAN Enjoy your smoothie. I didn't know Micky D's was serving them. Do you know the points value? I love smoothies for breakfast.

Well Magnolias my bread is just about ready to come out for its rest so I need to wind this down. Type at y'all later

[Maggie]

GOOD AFTERNOON MAGNOLIAS

It is a lovely day here in the Heartland with the temp in low 80's. We do have a 50/50 chance of rain tomorrow. Went out to eat for the noon meal and I stuck to my program and had plenty to eat but I didn't eat much. Anyway haven't decided yet what I will order at Applebees tonight but I can stick to program there easily enough. I am sipping on a sugar free fat free latte that I got when we were out for a nice drive in the country this day. We were only gone an hour and really did enjoy the drive. I looked at silver charms on my favorite dealers web site and have picked out the ones I want to get for my little friends birthday in October. Of course I will get her little 3 year old sis one who wants to start a charm bracelet when she gets 5 like her older sister. I told the older girl I would give her two charms for her birthday and she wanted a "heart" charm. I found a really neat open heart design that I am sure she will like. The other for her birthday is one I get to pick out as a surprise. When she saw the little tag on my bracelet with my name on it today, she lit up and got so very excited and said she wanted one of those on her bracelet. Well, I will get her one and have it engraved and not tell her but will tell her mother so she won't duplicate it. I will go ahead and get her little sis a tag also with her name on it so I will have it when the time comes to give it to her. Also since she did tell me for her first charm she wants is a "star" so I found a cute silver one for her. So the first of the month I will be ordering two tags, a heart and a star. I can get the tags engraved at the same place that engraved mine here locally. The father of the girls is flying to a different state next month for an interview for a job at a hospital there and if he gets the position they will be moving and I will be so sad to see them go. If they do end up moving I plan on sending them charms for thier birthdays through the years.

Have a lovely afternoon Magnolias. Type at y'all later.

[gma22]

Evening gals! Just a quick one to let you know we got home safe and sound. Jackson was a total blast. He is so hilarious. I will fill you in tomorrow. Cubbies won their game so we were happy, but it wasn't all great and will fill you in about all that too.

Talk to you tomorrow morning.! Faye

[gma22]

Good morning gals. Well I figured out that my meds are not to blame for my feet and leg swelling. I had no swelling the whole weekend and I got home last night and they are all swelled up again. I believe it has to be this intense heat and humidity here that I didn't experience up there. So, I am going to have to do the best I can with it until the heat scales back.

As for the trip, we left out at 11 pm and got up there around the same time next morning. We couldn't check into the hotel as they didn't have a room ready so we went shopping at Meijers then Jack had an idea for lunch and we went to this old B and K root beer stand that is probably at least 50 years old there in town. We had a car hop and everything and had a great hot dog and a frosty root beer. We called Jay and let him know we were in town and Jack called the hotel and they said a room was ready so we went back across town to Elkhart and checked in. Come to find out, there were several black family reunions and some kind of baton twirling competition going on while we were there so that is why we had such a time getting a room at a decent price.

Jackson loved his bicycle, but dad is going to have to work with him on the pedals a bit as they are harder to pedal then his trike was. He also got this cute little motorized car from Kelly for his birthday and he played with it all weekend long. He was absolutely hilarious. He and Thomas are opposite ends of the spectrum, Thomas is more quiet and laid back like his dad and Jackson is all rowdy and rough and tumble like Jay. He, Jack and his dad played sword fights with these soft rubber sort of Nerf type swords. He really got into it but everytime he was losing to his dad he would run over to Jack and say , "Grondad, GET HIM!" His face would be all screwed up like he was in a real battle, it was so funny we laughed until our faces hurt. We then went to dinner and I sat on the outside so I could sit next to him and entertained him while his parents and Jack visited. Jay has taught him to play ball and for a 3 year old he is darn good. He has a big Cubs soft plastic bat and ball and Jay pitches to him and he can hit it pretty well. He can also bounce a ball and catch it and he throws like a killer. He and Jack played catch and like everything else he really gets into it. Everytime he would go to do something he would yell at me, "Nonny, watch this!"

Oh, the trip to Wrigley. What a day! The bus company was owned by one of Jay's advertising clients and the bus was practically brand new. It had dvd screens where a rider could watch whatever movie was inserted in front, very comfortable seats, but narrow between the seats and a super clean restroom, that I checked out before anyone else arrived to make sure I could fit in it just in case. We were going to sit in back but since I could fit in it, we sat only about 6 rows back and thank goodness. The AC didn't work properly the whole time and the bus was stifling. You can't open the windows in them anymore and I would bet the back of the bus was 95 degrees the whole 3 hour trip. We stopped once on the toll road and they arranged to either swap it out or get it fixed while we were at the game but it was awful. I did find out that Jay and Alicia's best friend's brother was married to a woman I worked at the law firm with. She waved at me when she got on the bus and I waved back but told Jack though I recognized her face I had no clue who she was. I questioned Alicia about it, but nothing she told me made any connection so when we stopped she walked up to me and I apologized and ask her how I knew her besides she being Kelley's sister in law and she said, "Baker and Daniels!" I used to do her filing for her and would stand around at her desk and talk to her! Always a small world!

We get there, get off the bus and since we had our tickets Jack and I wandered into Wrigley while everyone else scattered to the local bars (this was a big drinking and partying bunch and they weren't necessarily young either.) We knew that they would be and no prob with that. We went in, found out they had an elevator that would take us to the top section where our seats were, which was great. I knew the climb would kill me. Unfortunately, we were the very last row at the very very top of the ballfield and those steps were steep, narrow and no handrails whatsoever. Jack even had trouble getting up them without grabbing something. I pinched a muscle in the fat pad on my hand leaning on the iron armrests and such and man oh man, it colored up from where I pinched it up a good 2 inches up my arm. It got really purple. We had the very top seats, I mean the very top with an iron mesh fence at our backs. Unfortunarely, I absolutely could not fit into a seat at all even with my stadium cushion to keep me up more away from the arms. Our section of seats started on each side of the steps and I sat in front of one seat on the concrete step and just cried. I have never been embarrassed about my size ever, but I knew that if whomever had the two seats in front of the steps wouldn't trade with Jack and I's tickets I would have to go to underneath the seats where the concessions were the whole game and there are no benches or anything to sit down there. I was very, very upset. We were there about half an hour when a couple of gals from our party showed up. She was pregnant and her friend was underage so they couldn't do the bar scene. She was pretty sure the tickets in front of the stairs were part of their group's so later on we found out it was her fiance and his dad and they so graciously and sweetly traded us. Jack sat in his seat on my left and and I sat on the top step the whole game. Thank goodness it was the very top row as the Wrigley people never ventured anywhere near us so never told me I couldn't sit there. It was probably more comfortable than any game I have been at actually. Everyone in our group shared the food they brought with them and Jay bought these loaded nachos for $15 that were in a full size Cubs batting helmet!!!!! They were spectacular, but boy oh boy I only ate a couple of chips because they had to be a gazillion calories. He passed them around to everyone, one of the guys had big bags of peanuts and boxes and boxes of cracker Jacks (Wrigley is one of only a couple parks you can take stuff into) and of course everyone but those two girls and Jack and I were endulging in the beer that was horrendously priced, $6.75 for a can of beer poured into a glass! I think during the game we spent $50 on a bottle of soda, two glasses of soda and three hot dogs!!! Boy, glad I don't drink we would have gone home paupers. My Cubbies beat the first place Cardinals 5-0 hurrah! When we left the park, we found out the bus wouldn't be there for two hours! Yikes, there was absolutely no where to sit for that period of time. I knew I had to find someplace. It was horribly hot, in the mid 90's and very sunny. The bars around the field are packed before and after the games so I knew we would never find anywhere to sit. I walked across the street and sat on the stairs of a small apartment building in the direct sun and Jack stood against the wall of the ballpark because it was in the shade. Everyone else had gone to the bars for the two hours. About 45 minutes into it, the tenants of the building came out, some very sweet guys around 30 or so. The one named Mike, was all jazzed about my red hair but said I should dye it Cubbie Blue lol I told him I would think about it. They loved my hair so much that I became sor of a celebrity and the three of them took turns taking their picture with me! They then had their girlfriends bring Jack and I cold bottles of water and told me to sit on the top step where it was shady and they left for a bar down the street (which they invited me to be with their group, but I declined saying my husband was across the street and we would just wait for the bus.) They were all so very nice. The bus showed up around 5 instead of 6 and Jack and I piled in to a wonderfully ac'd bus with no noise as we were the only ones back besides Jay and Alicia. The ride home was to blaring rock music, a spectacular thunderstorm, and pretty sloshed partiers. They were all polite, loud and fun except I did get miffed at one of the guys who spilled his soft sided cooler icy water all over my left leg then later stood up and swayed, jostled into me and spilt beer all over my left arm without so much as a sorry. He was not a direct friend of Jay's but the brother of the girl I knew from B and D. We knew Jay's friends were partiers and no prob with that. I enjoyed the ride home until my left hip started aching so was glad when the bus finally got back to our starting place. We got off, said our goodnights to Jay and Alicia, ran through takeout and went back to the hotel ate a bite and relaxed until bedtime. We didn't get back to town until 9 PM so it was near midnight when we went to bed.

We had a nice visit on Saturday with my sister then was with the little guy and the kids the rest of the day. We took them to dinner at Carrabbas as that is Alicia's favorite and her birthday was Wed then went back, played with Jackson until it was bedtime and went back to the hotel. Got up yesterday morning and got on the road and came home. I now have the mess to put away all the laundry and am going to try and get this tower fan that Jay and Alicia have in their home that really does a great job of cooling off everything. We upped the ac to 85 when we left and it has been upper 90's the whole time so the condo was stifling and never got cool much last night even with all the fans going. I couldn't sleep upstairs because I just couldn't breathe so slept in the recliner.

Sounds like all of you had a nice weekend. Jack is off today so we can get everything back in place, get all the laundry done and such and get the car washed. We have to get some groceries for the rest of the week as the commissary isn't open on Mondays then settle back in until our trip in Sept.

Have a good one all! Faye

[Jean]

Good Morning, Flowers! The sun is shining and it's a beautiful morning in my neighborhood. We left town early yesterday morning and didn't get home until almost dark. Because of the bike riders and roads being closed, we had to travel extra miles to come in the back way so to speak. There were lots of tents, motor homes, busses, and support vehicles in our neighborhood last night. A lot of them got up and left town as soon as it was light; the rest have left by now. There were still riders coming into town last night when we got home so the 20,000+ riders do stretch out during the day.

Maggie -- Bob's secretary lives in an area that was blocked off (close to the parks) and she spent yesterday sitting in her yard visiting with the bike riders. The ones from out of state were so impressed with how pretty and green Iowa is. I wonder what they were expecting? I googled McD's and a 12oz. frappe is 450 calories, 16 oz. is 560 calories, and 22 oz. is 680 calories! It's sweet of you to get the charms for your little friends. I know you will miss them if they move.

"Gma" -- It sounds like your IN trip was a whirlwind time! I'm glad you were able to enjoy Jackson and that the Cubs won their game. Since it is a well known fact the the people of today are taller and bigger around, it would be nice if public places would update their seats to accomodate the increased size. I know that tall people never seem to have enough leg room -- that problem I don't have! Airplane seats never have enough wiggle room for me, especially if I get stuck in the middle.

Susan -- I hope you enjoyed your weekend!

We are leaving, after lunch, for Sioux Falls. I'm hoping to do some shopping before Ian's game at 6. Jason and Bob worked on the internet yesterday to figure out a shorter quicker route for us to get back to the interstate. We'll see if it works tonight.

I'm off to change laundry loads. Have a happy day today!

Jean -- from Iowa!

[Maggie]

GOOD AFTERNOON MAGNOLIAS

It is a very pleasant day here in the Heartland. Not much going on in my neighborhood this day. Got an armload of cucumbers out of the garden and now I think I will make fridge pickles out of them. Well they aren't the pickeling kind but I bet they will work for a recipe I have. I weighed in and show a tad bit of a gain and that was expected since I had that big loss after my bout of being sick. So it leaves me with a loss for the two weeks of a pound and a half which I will gladly take.

DONNA FAYE I would never go to another ball game again if I had to sit in the nose bleed section. How could you even see from way up there. To each his own and I am glad for you that you ended up having a good time after going through some trauma before the game. What nice folks whose steps you sat upon. I do believe most folks are nice but we just see the bad folks on TV. What a nice time you had with your "folks."

JEAN Yeppers those frappe's are loaded ~ come out to be 14 points for a Mocha one. The smoothies are better points wise, 4 points for a small, 5 for a medium, and 6 for a large. I have a coupon and will spend it on a small berry smoothie and stay away from the frappe's. Lots of bikers are regular folks. I have known of lawyers, judges, teachers, mechanics and others all being weekend bikers. I imagine that lady friend of yours had fun conversing with some.

SUSAN Did you have a fun weekend?

Too, Hip ~ gotta go. Time to get something constructive done this day. Type at y'all later.

[QuilterInVA]

Good afternoon, ladies! A little cooler today - 88 after being 104 on Saturday and Sunday.

I had a great time with my friend. We quilted and watched movies and talked a blue streak. What fun.

Faye, I'm glad you enjoyed your trip for the most part. Jackson will be a star baseball player by the time he is ready for the majors!

Jean, the fruit smoothies at McDonald's are 210 calories for a 12 oz, 260 and 320 so not bad at all. Mine was delicious. I hope the water has stopped in your basement! Both the President and Vice-President of the company where I work ride bikes. It's a huge industry and growing!

Maggie, you can print a $1 coupon for the fruit smoothie on the McD's website. They actually use real fruit!

Enjoy your evening!