Well its rainy and cold here. Another day inside. Gotta get me a mug of coffee or I'm good for nuthin lol. Tomorrow I might be going to lunch with my sisters and kids but thats about it!.

Have a good weekend all.

Love Leens

Hi Leens and all to follow!

Rainy and damp here today to. My kids need to get outside, they are driving me nuts. DH got back last night from hunting, they ahd fun but no deer. My parents and brother left this morning and then my other brother just left, it seems very quiet here and sort of depressing. There are days I think we should have stayed in Florida. I miss my friends and I am sure DH and the kids do to.

I need to get my house in order so I can go back to work! YUK!!!!

I hope everyone has a great Saturday!

It's raining here in Wisconsin. That should slow down the deer hunters. Tomorrow is the last day and the neighbors here have pretty much given up. After the first day, the deer go deep in the swamp and lie down for the duration anyway!
The white long haired kitten I mentioned a few days ago has decided to live here. I don't blame it as there is food available all day, water and DH's kitty houses. The silly man puts up styrofoam boxes with doorways at the side against our house. He also makes sure the garage door is partially open at all times for them to go in. Such a softie! Then he wonders why we're over run with cats!
We're venturing into the city in a bit to go shopping...much as I hate the thought. Got to Christmas shop--BA-HUMBUG! Would like to cancel Christmas for lack of interest exept for the Christmas Eve service.
See you all later and God bless!

Tippy, Rachel, Leens and every one else on their way:

Seems that it's raining across the board -- it's happening here, too! And, it's cold.

My parents are taking DD#1 out for a day by herself with them today. She really needs that. Then tonight we are taking both of them to see the lights at the Portland Speedway and big tree in downtown Portland.

No shopping for me. I am happy to report that it is all done and the ONE gift I have left for my parents is on its way! I can't deal with the crowds from Thanksgiving to Christmas. Two years ago I had a really bad experience at the Target with a lady who slammed right in to my cart because she wanted through and the lane was jammed -- well, DD was only 2 1/2 (and I was 8 month pg) and DD smacked her mouth against the handle of the cart, started bleeding and had a fat lip. I, of course, went off on the woman who didn't even bother to apologize !! So, last year I did half on the internet and half in the mall. This year I did it all early and ALL on the internet. I am SO happy it's over.

I am still retaining water and can't seem to drop a single ounce. I have cut WAY back on my coffee and increased my water and I'm staying OP, so hopefully it's just the scale -- my pant size had decreased from a tight 22 to a loose 18, so I won't complain too badly.

OK, I've ramble enough. Happy weekend everyone! Enjoy yourselves and hum a Christmas carole!

Jenniwookie
265/237/180

Morning everyone.

Country Christmas is underway here in Delta and it's a glorious sunny day! The bake sale and craft sales are humming and the kiddies are at the Fire Hall making costumes for their parade this afternoon. We have a real donkey for the parade - I made the costume last year but it's the owner's job to put it on the stubborn beast. I hope I can catch the parade and take some pics.

I am pleased to announce that despite all the frustrations yesterday, I did not even lick a finger while I was baking - just glugged the water. I knew if I took one taste I'd be gone! DH was kind of wondering why there was so much extra cream cheese icing being thrown out! Hot water can wash your temptations down the sink!

Now, I have a bit of time to make King Herod's costume and dig out the Wise Men's costumes, crowns and gifts. Still have not firmed up the Narrator's script but the Narrator is Mike, our minister, and he is relaxed and easy with the whole thing. He is delighted to be dressing as an Irish monk to tell the townspeople the story. We transform the Church into the throne room in Jerusalem at 3 p.m. , then home for an early dinner, and off to do the scene at the Church. Whew!

Today is my darling's 80th birthday. He was just delighted to wake up this morning and discover no pieces had fallen off in the night. (Shaddup, Tippy!) Tomorrow will be the official birthday celebration. I had booked a classy B&B in an Inn in Perth with dinner in a great restaurant but had to cancel because of the Grey Cup game. We will probably go away one night next week.

Hope everyone is having a good post-Turkey weekend. Now we can start the Christmas countdown.

Whew, I'm so tired I don't even feel like eating so I'm going to finish cleaning and start quilting! That should keep me safely from temptation today, as sister brought a hugh batch of leftovers from turkey day and plopped them in my fridge! The nerve!!!!!

Hope all of you have a wonderful OP weekend!!

Last night my neighbour called me all excited because in Walmart she'd found a string of lights that looked like grapes and were just what she wanted to put on a fake evergreen garland that she's putting up in her kitchen. (She has a wallpaper border with grapevines & grapes so it matches more or less). She's also in the midst of sewing matching little fake fur coats for each of her three little grandaughters. This morning I went over to have a look in the hopes that her enthusiasm and start at decorating for the festive season would inspire me. I'm afraid it just made me more reluctant to even think about all the hassle and mess, not to mention the shopping crowds. I think I'm also jealous because she has a huge extended family (including little grandkiddies which I no longer have) and lots of friends because both she and her hubby's family were pioneers in this area. We're newcomers (even after 6 years) and, while I envy her in theory, in reality I'm so glad I don't have all the social obligations that a huge family and tons of friends entail. I'm trying to gear myself up to writing about 60 Christmas cards, about 10 of which will include a letter (I'm going to be lazy and do a group letter this year, what the heck). I'm refusing to bake anything until I absolutely have to because I'm my own best customer when it comes to baked goodies. As for decorations, I'm trying to think how I can make the house look festive by doing the bare minimum. What an old Grinch I am, and I freely admit it! Ruth, you make me exhausted just thinking about all your activities.

I have basecoated several little gift boxes and will spend the rest of the afternoon starting to paint two of them with blackberries and a couple with cherries (those are my best things to paint it seems) and perhaps a couple with pansies (I'm pretty good at them too, LOL). These are for members of my women's club who had wanted to buy them at our craft fair but were beaten out by customers. The money they pay me will go into our club coffers. I had earmarked this weekend to alter several men's undershirts to open with ties up the back for the seniors' home our group tries to help out but somebody else had time on their hands and did the whole stack of them herself. No doubt I'll be called upon at another time because we've taken this on as a long-term commitment. The nursing home says so many of their patients don't have family to keep them in decent underwear. It sounds very prosaic but they are so grateful for any kindness, it's really touching to see. We also make up decorated empty ice cream buckets and fill them with whatever toiletries the caregivers say they need.
Did I mention that our Craft & Bake sale last weekend made a profit of over $2000? That was our best event ever so we're all quite happy about that success. On Dec 6th we will have our December meeting and Christmas pot luck luncheon. I've tried to convince them that for once we should splurge and go out to lunch somewhere but they all seem to really love their darned pot lucks. I have a terrible time navigating the table loaded with casseroles and all sorts of goodies but it's only a couple of times a year. (is this a good time to say "oy vey"?)
Don't know if I told you that at yesterday's weigh-in I was up nearly two whole pounds. I'm never going to make that 20 lb loss at this rate. Lose one pound one week and gain back two the next. As I mentioned, though, it was a bad week for me full of German chocolates and burnt peanut brittle (what are a few bits of charcoal when it comes to candy?)
Anyhow, today I'm back on the straight and hopefully narrow so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I can stay OP before next Fridays weigh-in. My older daughter just informed me yesterday that she has now joined WW too so I will have somebody to compare notes and recipes with, always a help.
So, my friends, enjoy the rest of your weekend. Keep guzzling that water. (glug glug)
LindaBC

Good Sunday Morning Chickies

Spent the whole day in Toronto yesterday to spend time with my new nephew. He's getting really big now, almost 12 pounds and he's quite 2 months old yet! Miree got to meet her new cousin for the first time and it was really cute. I got some nice pictures but have to wait to get them developed. Dh went to the computer show (surprise surprise because he's such a techno geek! ) and bought a bunch of stuff for his coworkers. I tell you he's just too nice. He wants to start a home based business around fixing computers. What do you all think of the name Reboot Computer Services? So far we've had a pretty good reaction to the name.

For today it's just last mminute Christmas crafts, tea with my neighbour and general cleanup.

Have a great day chickies!

HI Gang: Linda, I'm feeling a little Grinchy too - just can't get my Sh_t together, thanks goodness my husband's put all the lights on the trees outside, and outlined the gazebo outside with lights, and our two garden arbours, but I'm .... sort of ambivilent about Xmas this year.

Husband's going in for surgery Dec. 17th, and will be in for 5 dys., so not too much dancing in our kitchen this year. It's a foot surgery, actually rebuilding his whole foot, so it'll mean breaking bones, pins and resetting...ouch....so I'll be Florence Nightingale this year, my tree and stuff will be done probably by my grown children and their "partners"....

Must dig up the tree and decorations prior to that tho, things tend to get moved around in our crawl space during the year, we live in a 3 story house, but the storage area is miniscule...

It's overcast and blowing snow, and we're off to church (had high winds overnight and both of out life-size reindeer blew over), must deal with that - right now they look like they've been shot...hahaha.

The snow will make the lights look wonderful tonight when they're on.

Weigh in on Tuesday, and I have to admit I'm looking forward to that! Must have had a good wk.

Kermie