[Jean]

Good Evening, Flowers!
I am REALLY late checking in but wanted to do so before I head off to bed. I woke up at 5:30 this morning and it was pitch black as there was no electricity! The wind was howling and I didn't even want to look outside! We didn't get any snow but with the fog, it must have iced everything because it was all shiny outside. I'm glad I was home so I could feel my way to the bathroom first and then to the flashlight. I lit some candles and when DH woke up he thought the place was on fire. Some transformer blew in town so the whole west side was without power; we were out for about 6 hours and it doesn't take long for the house to cool down with it being 0 degrees and the wind blowing 40+ mph. The sun finally came out and the wind quieted down around noon. We have a gas fireplace so had that on and it was toasty as long as we sat in front of it . . . the 3 cats were all lined up in a row and they hardly ever sit that close! We did go into town for breakfast . . . everything else I wanted to do took electricity!

My "mom" got home from AZ although the planes were late and her car was under a layer of ice at the airport. They got quite a bit of snow and her driveway wasn't plowed out very well; she sounded a bit frazzled when I talked to her. She says she's never going again! Hah! When she called her AZ daughter to tell her she was home, Julie asked if she wanted to come back to get away from the weather.

Beth and Maddy came this afternoon so I've been "playing." We even baked some Valentine cookies, the kind you just plop on the tray and into the oven. Maddy is on a "I'm not eating" kick but she does like those.

Tomorrow is church and laundry for sure. I hope you all have a nice day. Stay warm wherever you are!

Jean -- from Iowa!

[nanacas]

Good Morning Magnolias

It is in the low teens today and we are in the middle of a 2 day Blizzard. It started about 4PM yesterday and we have about 24'" til now....more expected by the end of the storm. We have had almost hurricane strength winds and of course that makes for much drifting especially since the snow is the fluffy kind.

We have food, reading materials, candles and heat....can only hope that the electricity does not go out.

Jean: Isn't terrible how much we depend upon the electricity. At least you have a gas fireplace, when we loose power....that's all she wrote!

Faye: Hope you are well and can still get out and about even though you temps are down in the 20's or 30's. I know when you are not used to that it can seem aweful. However, I'll trade!!!!!

Gloria in MA....hunkering down for the duration.

[Jean]

Good Evening, Flowers!
I'm heading for bed shortly but wanted to peek in here first. Beth and Maddy left about 6 pm so I'm trying to get caught up on the laundry. We went to church and Maddy entertained the ladies sitting behind us. She's good but she likes to peek around and say, "what's that?" She didn't clap for the choir today, she must not have liked their choice of songs. It wasn't very lively music.

I'm not ready for it to be Monday but it will be a four day week for me. The teachers have an all day inservice on Friday which I don't have to attend. I have got to clean out the bedrooms so we can paint and pick out new carpet.

Gloria -- I sure don't envy you your weather! The last storm did go around us and the weatherman says it will hit 50 degree temperatures this week. That is almost too much of a change! I hope you don't lose your power . . . roasting in front of the fireplace isn't as much fun as it sounds. I can't even begin to imagine 24" of snow at one time.

The dryer is buzzing so I need to fold a load of towels. I sure didn't get much done this weekend! Have a marvelous Monday!

Jean -- from Iowa!

[gma22]

BRRRRRRR! I don't envy either one of you. I talked to my sister that lives in Indiana and they got your blizzard first, Gloria. Her spouse has MS and she said it was so bad that they couldn't leave the house all weekend. I feel so sorry for her as she is the breadwinner and works sometimes 80 hours a week then has to contend with a contentious husband who is not satisfied with anything and a big pain in the behind. She practically has the fire department on call as he is a big man and falls all the time now and she can't get him picked up anymore as he cannot help.

It is pretty nice here today, upper 40's and sunny. I have a sinus infection so am not doing much. I wanted to clean house today, but bending over to dust, mop or whatever is excruciating! Guess all the gunk rushes forward or something!

We are having what Jack calls mutant chicken for dinner. I have this great spice mix that you make for rotisserie style chicken and I put it on a couple cornish hens for tonight with some garlic mashed potatoes. I am cheating a lot with them. I buy frozen mashed potatoes and jarred minced garlic then just put a couple tsp of garlic in with the potatoes and milk and make them in the microwave then put some cheese on top. YUM! Jack really likes them and the rotisserie stuff is a breeze because you just put the spices on and cook them on low heat for several hours. It is better than any chicken I have ever bought anywhere.

Guess I should toddle out and check the mail. I try to keep up with it since the kids foisted it out of my box last week.

Everyone have a good day and keep warm!

Faye

[Jean]

Good Evening!
I'm waiting for DH to get home from a meeting; he wasn't sure what was on the agenda. It was a typical Monday at school -- the kids act like they'd never heard of a fraction let alone what to do with one. The stuff we are doing in algebra is getting harder and I don't get it! I will have to go in before school tomorrow morning and have the teacher re-explain it to me. I can't believe that I've lived for 59 years and have managed to do without knowing anything about x and y intercepts! LOL She is a wonderful teacher and very patient, lucky for me!

"Gma" -- I've had sinus headaches/infections and they are not fun! I hope you are feeling better. It was so nice here today! The sun was shining brightly and it was 45 degrees -- we lost alot of snow! People were walking outside without coats on and the birds were chirping. I hope no robins get confused and show up early -- I always feel sorry for them sitting on a pile of snow! Your supper sounds yummy!

DH just got home so I suppose I should go be sociable. Have a terrificTuesday!

Jean -- from Iowa!

[gma22]

Good morning ladies! Well, I let dh kind of talk me into something I was hoping he would forget about it! We are going to Vegas in Aug for 9 days and seeing and doing everything we missed the first time. With the wedding and family and all, we really only got one good day of sightseeing in. Anyway, Jack has always wanted to participate in the Richard Petty driving experience and it is going to be in Las Vegas while we are there. Basically, he is there for 4 hours and learns to drive a Nascar type car and gets to take 8 laps ALONE in it at high speed. It isn't cheap either! He has just always been so good to me and he would really love to do this, so I put it in with the rest of the stuff, like Hoover Dam (which we are going to if we don't feel it is too uncomfortable weatherwise.) They have never had someone get hurt anywhere and they do these at every Nascar track in the country so I guess I will just have to grin and bear it!

Jean: I would have to take a remedial course in Algebra to even take a class in it. I have forgotten everything pretty much. My opinion is that a teacher that is really good gets across to a student who wants to learn and they don't forget. After being out of school more than 30 years, I can tell you who the best teachers are that I had. The ones that I can remember stuff. I had a lousy Algebra teacher and a worse Geometry teacher (she was an old biddy that had been at the school for years and catered only to those of her students who were good at Geometry and the rest of us could fail as far as she was concerned and I almost did.) I never understood it and even my neighbor, who tried to help me, couldn't get through to me. Now put me in an English class or a composition class and I am off and running!

I have most of the upstairs cleaned except for the vacuuming. I am still not feeling well and forced myself to do it but have to do it in spurts. I am really shaky today so I suspect that maybe my sugar is low. I have occasional problems with hypoglycemia but not enough to medicate myself.

It is supposed to be sunny and 60 today so it will be a nice change. It was pretty breezy yesterday so I was cold all day.

Guess I better get that vacuuming done

Faye

[nanacas]

Just dropped by to say Hi!

Faye: Now, that's not fair! 60 deg. in you neck of the woods and we are still in the teen. We did get plowed out, finally, yesterday afternoon. The plowman is a fireman and he had to work Sunday night into Monday and did need to get some sleep. But he did a great job with our long drive and he even used a snowblower to even it out. Of course, we are to expect more tomorrow.,..just not as much. Our totals were about 28" with drifts down the drive of about 5'. We did get out this AM and went food shopping, naturally! Made a batch of Chicken Soup so that is in the fridge and should keep us warm. Hope you are feeling better by this time, Faye.

Jean: Algegra, now that is a real problem. I am not mathematical but all my kids did well in Math. When they were in grammar school it was the time of the 'NEW' Math. They would ask me questions and when I gave them what I thought was the it should be done we would end up 'arguing' about it. We would go round and round until they finally decided they knew how it was done. I think it was because they had to explain it to me that they did so well in Math. One went on to get a degree in Computer Science, another got a degree in Electrical Engineering/Computer Science. The third is a Nurse, and then there is the Business Major. I guess just because I didn't know Math I didn't hold them back.

Gloria in MA.....heading to the kitchen to figure what to prepare for supper.

[Jean]

Good Afternoon!
It was 53 degrees as I drove home from school this afternoon. Alot of the snow has melted and the lake is looking pretty "soupy." I could get spring fever very easily!

"Gma" -- I admire you for letting your DH "race!" Maybe it is my age but I am beginning to wonder what I would ever do without mine and appreciate him more every day. Today's algebra was easier and I understood what I was doing and why I was doing it. Tomorrow may be another story! I had one of my study hall students walk me through a problem today and my main problem is that I try to do my "homework" at school while trying to help other students do theirs. I make careless mistakes and usually can find them on my own. I hope you are feeling better!

Gloria -- You are getting snow and our's is disappearing! It's so nice outside today; people (kids!) are out without coats on although it's not quite that warm in my opinion. Way back when I took algebra, we had a student teacher who didn't know any more than we did so I didn't get the solid groundwork to build on. "My" current teacher was a teacher's aide in special ed. and got her master's in special ed., before getting a job teaching in the math department, so I think that is why she has more patience than the other teacher does. My kids had the "other" teacher and she ruined Jason as far as math is concerned. He hated her with a passion and she didn't like him either. Beth got along with her fine and even invited her to her graduation reception and she came! That didn't make Jason's day. I think math is something you either "get it" or you don't! Like I told the trig./calc. teacher, "I've lived 50+ years and never needed this stuff!" He laughed and replied, "until now!"

Not much else is newsy from my corner of the world. I hope you have a nice evening and a wonderful Wednesday tomorrow. The days are flying by fast!

Jean -- from Iowa!

[gma22]

Morning ladies! It is sunny and starting to warm up here. I guess my hometown is in a real mess. They got so much snow that the river is jammed with it and ice and is causing spillovers that are taking out piers and creeping up to houses. My niece and her dh and kids live on the river but I think their house is high enough up so no trouble. Think I will e-mail her and make sure everything is ok

I am having dry cereal this morning as Jack got the last of the milk and I am not in any condition to walk to the store. I didn't go to bed until nearly 2 am and got up at 5. I have "cottonmouth" and it is causing me to cough and gag a lot so I can't sleep. Cereal is not bad dry but the fruit in it is a bit chewy! I figued I would be over this stuff, but it is hanging on.

Gloria: Hopefully you can just hunker down until the worst is past. I have seen picks of the northeast and it is a mess. When I think I could be living up north and trying to manuever in that mess! ICK ICK ICK!

Jean: I was pulling Jack's chain last night about the racing. I told him he just had to remember that if he did this then I could take $400 and go shopping and buy handbags or shoes (I have about 75 handbags and about 40 pr of shoes) Stunned him! Actually, I bought a handbag when we were out there last year at Caesar's Palace and will probably take it with us to Vegas because it is a nice big open style so I can stuff books, puzzles and the like in it for the airplane ride. Our flight LEAVES at 6 AM and dh is one of those, buckle in and go to sleep kind of people so I have to amuse myself! I will have the new Harry Potter book if I can keep from reading it though so I might do that. It comes out the middle of July. Just finishing the new John Grisham book and it is ok, but I wish he would go back to legal thrillers. This is kind of espionage like and I don't particularly care for those.

Well, better go and make sure everything is a-ok with the house this morning

Faye

[Jean]

Good Afternoon, Flowers!
The "cold" has returned to my neighborhood! Darn, I was hoping spring was here to stay! I think two of my outside orphans are going to have kittens . . . I thought they were smarter than that in the winter!

One of my coworkers has a daughter who was in Jason's class and they dated some in high school but were more like buddies from junior high on. She was pregnant with her second child and had to have her cervix stitched (?) with her first one and also with this one. She started spotting a couple of weeks ago and lost the baby last night. There was no amniotic fluid left although the baby was born alive but only lived for an hour. She was due in June around the same time as Amanda so I just feel so bad for them.

"Gma" -- Maybe Jack will think twice about racing if you want equal money to spend! I've been catching up on magazine reading during our 15 minutes of reading time at school so haven't read a book in quite a while. If I find a good one, I want to keep reading and don't get anything else done.

I have bell choir tonight so had better dream up supper. The water softner is on the blink and I think the repairman is to come tomorrow so I will need to clear a path for him . . . and clean the litter boxes before I leave in the morning. He always says that the washer/dryer, water softner, and water heater are right by the litter boxes!

I hope you all have a nice evening and a terrific Thursday!

Jean -- from Iowa!

[Jean]

Good Evening, Flowers!
I slept the evening away in the recliner. I didn't realize I was so tired but am sitting here yawning and wishing I were in bed.

We are supposed to be getting some freezing drizzle turning to snow during the night; I hope that prediction is wrong. Even though I don't have school tomorrow, those of us in special ed. are putting together a meal for the coworker whose grandbaby died. By the time the list got to me, the meal was pretty much put together so I am adding paper products. They are having a private family service for him on Saturday; I'm kind of glad it is just family because that would be a tough one to go to.

Not much else is going on. Hope to "see" you tomorrow! Have a fantastic Friday!

Jean -- from Iowa!

[gma22]

Morning girls!

Jean: That is so horrible about the babies dying. I worked OB/GYN for 6 years with the Red Cross as a volunteer and sometimes, sewing the cervix is the only way to keep the baby. More than likely, she was losing amniotic fluid day to day so the sewing was useless. She was probably on complete bed rest and that means not even getting up to go to the restroom that is how fragile pregnancies of this sort are. With my son, I couldn't shake him loose if I had jumped from a building. He was nearly 3 weeks late (back then you know, they didn't induce unless ther was a problem) and he weighed almost 10 lbs. He was nearly 23 inches long. They thought is was because I was borderline diabetic during my pregnancy, but the boy is 6'5" and weighs 250 lbs now so I think he was just a BIG BOY! I was so incredibly miserable I thought I would die. His head when he was born was 14 inches! Guess that is why my dd's birth was a snap; 6 hours start to finish! I was in labor 26 hours with Jay, 14 of them less than 5 minutes apart! UGH! I didn't know why, because I was really naive, but I couldn't walk for 2 weeks after he was born it hurt so much. I will have the two families in my thoughts. I think about losing my gs and it would kill me.

Busy busy yesterday and forgot I had promised to babysit, but thankfully I was home. He brought over his triominos and I would rather play the regular ones. It is humilitating to get beat at every game by a 4 1/2 year old. The darn box says 8-adult so he shouldn't be able to play! Sometimes, I do give him an edge, but most of the time, he kicks my behind without help when we play games. We have played, Crazy 8's, old Maid, War, dominos, checkers (which he is REALLY good at) and I can't seem to beat him. He even beats me at tic tac toe! I am a pretty pathetic grandma I guess! He was so funny last night. All Kelly has to do is give him this stern look when he gets into trouble and he will cry and say something like, "Not the look, mommy, please not the look." He got into trouble for climbing over the back of my couch (which I allow) and when she looked at him he said, "Mommy, not the look, give it to Nonny, she let's me do it!" I got a really ugly one and a chewing out on top of it! She says she knows I don't mind but he thinks he can do it at anyone's house then and I understand that. He told me last night coming home from the restaurant his mom stole some quarters and 5$ from his piggybank. I told him I didn't think she stole it, just borrowed it but he was adamant she stole it (she hadn't been to the bank for cash to replace it) so I gave him $5 and a couple quarters and she got upset and told me he doesn't need money. Her dad told her that giving him money is something we like to do and it doesn't cause problems like junk food or getting toys she doesn't want him to have and if she wasn't careful, he would give him a $20! She just laughed and told him ok.

I guess I should go. It is cold here this morning and my feet and hands are freezing even with the furnace going so I better get some socks on and maybe go ahead and shower and dress.

Everyone have a great weekend!

Faye

[Jean]

Good Afternoon, Flowers!
I've done alot of running today: made two trips into town to deliver food to my coworker since they weren't home the first time, a trip to the post office and the bank, wrote a couple of letters that I owed, paid some bills, started the laundry, etc. I could sure get used to a 3 day weekend!

"Gma" -- I had to chuckle at T beating you when you play games. I'm looking forward to when Ian and Maddy are old enough because I enjoyed playing games with my grandparents. They are the ones who taught me how to play Rummy and I remember my grandpa was not a good loser! One of the other aides, at school, found a silver cross for a baby, and we had the baby's name and date engraved on it. It has a baby angel "charm" hanging from a blue ribbon on it -- really a nice momento from all of us. I'm thinking it might possibly be intended for a baptism gift but chose it anyway; we got one for the mom and the grandma. Roxy wasn't on bedrest, she just couldn't work. She is a nurse on the orthopedic floor of a large hospital in Sioux Falls. She developed an infection of some sort and went into labor. The doctor didn't want to stop the labor because they weren't sure what kind of infection she had and what it might do to the baby. It is so sad. Thank you for your thoughts!

I hear the dryer buzzing so have to go fold towels. Have a nice "rest of the day!"

Jean -- from Iowa!

[Jean]

Good Afternoon!
It's another gloomy day in my corner of the world although it is not windy and not real cold out. I would really like to see Mr. Sun . . . he has been AWOL for too many days!

I cleaned out my pantry drawers this morning . . . I was looking for something and ran across a boxed mix with "use by 9/2003" on it and decided I had better do some sorting. I have a bad habit of buying things instead of using what is on hand because I don't check the cupboards first. I did find a bulging can hidden behind some boxes where I don't normally put cans. When I opened it, it was pretty gross. I'm thinking someone else dropped it, put a dent in it, and never said anything. I'm just glad it didn't leak!

The washer and dryer are humming away and I need to sort some catalogs and magazines into "pitch," "school," and "hospital" piles. I'm supposed to be getting paperwork together for taxes but visiting with you all is more fun.

I hope you all have a great day! We are driving over to spend some time with Ian later this afternoon. His mom has gone back to work so he is home helping his dad "clean" house which I have to see to believe! LOL

Jean -- from Iowa!

[gma22]

Morning ladies!

Jean: Ok, Jean, you are gonna howl at this one. Per your post, "I cleaned out my pantry drawers this morning . . . I was looking for something and ran across a boxed mix with "use by 9/2003" on it..." I read, I cleaned out my pantydrawers this morning I was look for something and ran across use by etc etc. That was the chuckle I needed. I have been up since midnight with Jack. Dinner didn't sit well (he craved Sonic drive in and had chili frito pie) and vomited most of the night. No fever and he is up in bed now asleep without a tummy ache so all is ok, but I always do the little freak out because of his heart. Guess I was just sleepy and missed the actual post until I got down farther and saw you talking about bulging cans. That straightened me right up!!!!!!!

We kind of had a fun weekend. There is a restaurant in Sikeston, MO about 2.5 hours from here called Lambert's Cafe. One around Branson and one in Alabama somewhere I think. Anyway, pretty famous because they "throw the rolls" to you at your table. They also have a huge menu of country cooking stuff, roast beef, fried chicken, catfish, etc and the prices are pretty good. They bring around big bowls of country veggies, like fried okra, tomatoes and macaroni (which is gross because they put sugar in it), fried potatoes and onion, black eyed peas and then you can eat free as much as you want, you get huge and I mean huge portions of food with two veggies for around $10. The rolls are as big as your fist and yummy. Anyway, we decided to take what we shout out together when we want to do it as, "ROAD TRIP!" Just little overnighters to get us away from things. We had never been to this place and had passed their billboard every time we go to Indiana. I found a Holiday Inn Express a mile from the restaurant for $70 a night and off we went around 4 PM. Checked in to the nicest hotel room with a couch etc and nice big bed and NO ANIMALS to have to share it with for one night, unpacked and went to the restaurant. It is loud, country and fun! I couldn't decide and ended up with fried chicken and Jack had chicken fried steak almost as big as the plate. It was good food and fun, then we just went back and watched tv, Jack messed on the computer and just relaxed. Had to drive home in the rain yesterday, but that was ok.

I should brave the geriatric scooter maniacs and go to the commissary today, but I don't feel up to it. They are closed tomorrow so will have to go Tues if I don't go today. Ah, me, back to life!

Everyone have a good weekend

Faye