Good afternoon, ladies! Overcast today but already 68 degrees. Rain in the forcast for tomorrow and Friday.
This morning I had an appoint with the research clinic and had a complete physical, EKG, spirometry (breathing) and blood and lab tests. I have now passed into the next phase. I have to go back in the morning to do another spirometry test. They gave me and electronic journal and twice a day I have to answer the questions and it is saved in the pda. When I go back, the office nurse will download the information directly to the drug company. She will be able to look at the results on line. It has an alarm set for 9 in the morning and 9 in the evening (my requested times) so I don't forget.

I had Quilt Guild last night. After my rant about quitting, you see I didn't. We had a wonderful speaker last night with truly beautiful quilts. I was so captivated I came home and ordered all 3 books the author has out from Amazon and even paid for standard delivery. 2-day was way too much, drat! As soon as my appointment was over, I went to Joann's and got the fabric to make the quilt. I'll get it all cut and this will be one of my projects for retreat (only 3 weeks away).

Faye, It is a brand new quilting bee we are starting...in on the ground floor, so to speak. We all take our own projects to work on and inspire the others. I'm so sorry Jack's knee is out again. I thought he had recovered rather quickly. I was on crutches so long when I banged up my knee and then still had to wear a brace. I was a lifelong GE customer, but the last washer I had only lasted 5 years. Now I have Hotpoint. We have a nice laundromat near by. The only time I go there is if I make a flannel quilt. The first few washings have a whole lot of lint I don't want in my machines. I do clean the out before I leave. I'm thinking I'll be in sandals in a week or two. I need to get a pedicure first. I like the Fresh Market, too, but it's not too convenient for me to get there.

Jean, are your sump pumps going full blast? Water is high here and we'll get the run off as the snow melts to the west and comes down the James River and York.

Maggie, I know your butcher was delighted to get the glass shop. It'll certainly be the talk of the town for awhile. I hope you get plenty of commissions from his customers.

Dryer is buzzing so I need to go. Have a good day!

Good morning to you all! We had a huge thunderstorm overnight and everything is soaked now, but mild outside.

Jack and I ran an errand last night and came home to find two police cars and about 8 cops next door. They were all going through the gate next door and we had pushed out garage door opener so our garage door was sliding up. As we drove past, one cop signaled to the last cop something about us as we went past the second cop just smiled at us and waved. Don't know what that was about, but instead of getting on my pjs like I usually do and watching tv, I sat there dressed in case we had to make "a run for it." As we were going into the condo they were knocking on the door and talking and joking with someone not dressed in a uniform so I wonder if it was the condo owner (rental property) and they were going to evict the ghetto trash that lives there. Who knows? We always have some kind of drama here.

Susan: I hope that all the work you are doing will benefit you in the long run. Boy I got a shock at the laundromat. The prices sure have gone up considerably. The dryers were 25 cents for 5 minutes! I feel for the people who have to do their laundry there all the time. The washers cost $6.25. At least it is clean and non threatening, which was nice. I can stand it until we decide what we want and where we want to get it.

Jean: Did you have a good time with your school friends? Alicia posted a picture of Jackson standing on this little circle of snow in their front yard and he was growling about all the rest of the snow being gone. I imagine they are happy though. They are trying to get their rental in shape to re rent it and it is always better in dry weather for painting and such.

I went to Walmart and picked up my contacts, another clothes basket, a couple movies we wanted to see and a book I want to read on the way to Atlanta next month. Hope I can keep my hands off it. It is a series I read and I especially like. One of the movies we got was "2012" and it was pretty good. Thomas told me the movie was bad when he stayed with us, but I imagine he thought it was hokey and that is why he didn't like it. It was a disaster movie and with all the earthquakes recently really brought the possibility of it happening home I guess.

Well, I am going to get back into the recliner and snooze for an hour then Jack will be getting up. He has a recheck on his knee today and wants to get there as soon as it opens. My appt is at 10 so I want to be over there early and get it over with so we can move on with all of this.

Have a grand Thursday all! Faye

Good Morning, Flowers! It's raining hard right now and is supposed to rain all day long with a mix of rain and snow tonight into tomorrow. Where oh where is the sun? I need to go down to the basement and vacuum the litter and dust bunnies. The outside pump is pumping but with all the rain I can't help but know we will get water in the basement sooner or later.

Susan -- An alarm to remind you to journal you research info is a good idea! I use my timers a lot and have one on every floor! I'm famous for putting clothes in the dryer for 'only a few minutes' and then forgetting to get them before they are completely dry. There is nothing like a good speaker for motivation. I'm glad you enjoyed your quilt guild; I hope you get your books soon! Bob had to go out, in the rain this morning, to dig the pump hole a bit deeper. It wasn't pumping as often as he wanted with it raining so hard. When it pumps it sucks the hold dry though.

"Gma" -- I can't remember the last time I went to the laundromat. You can guess who is hanging around the ones that we have here. My neighbor's dryer quit on her and she brought her laundry over here to use mine. I know I could use hers in a pinch. Our lunch bunch sat and visited for 3 hours yesterday. The one who is on the school board couldn't be there so it wasn't quite as informative as usual. It would be interesting to find out what your neighbors were up to in order to get a visit from the police. Our snow is so icky looking with the rain, mud, and slop that I'm glad I don't have kids trying to play in it. Neither set of grandchildren have big yards so they get a kick out of playing in our huge yard. I hope it dries up before they all come again. Good luck to you both with your doctor appts. today.

Hope you all have a terrific Thursday . . . may the sun be shining on you!

Jean -- from Iowa!

Good evening, ladies! It was pouring rain when I left the house this morning, but by the time I got out of the doctor's office the sun had come out. We have rain in the forecast for the next 3 days; we'll see. At least it was close to 70 today.

I have always contended that my breathing was worse when it was raining and now I have proof. I had the test yesterday and I felt like I was breathing good and the result was lung capacity of 41%. This morning I had the same test and my lung capacity was 30% and I felt like I was breathing through a straw. Dr. thought it might be a mild mold allergy since a lot of people around here have them and they are worse with rain. I think I'll get it tested after this trial is over in June. After the first 3 tests, I was given atrovent and then had to wait an hour and repeat the test. The med helped get me up to 37%.

Faye, I hope your and Jack's doctor's appointments went well. Gosh, I'd be dirty if I had to use the laundromat. I could probably afford one a month at best. Did you ever find out what the ruckus was about next door?

Jean, I love getting together with old friends. It sounds like you had a nice time, even if you didn't get the full in depth info. Snow this time of year would be a real rarity here. I'm thinking about what I'll put in the flower beds this spring.

Maggie, I'll be there is a glass guild. I'll have to see if I can find one. Our quilt guild has over 400 members so we couldn't actually work there. We have out business meeting and then a speaker, preferably one with lots of quilts, and then we have show and tell to show off our latest quilts. The guild does offer classes a few times a month very reasonable priced at $10 for a half day and $15 for a full day. We own nearly 600 quilting books now that are lent out by the month. It's just a lot of fun.

Tomorrow is day chapter meeting and lunch with the girls. I got an email from Amazon this morning and my books are on the way UPS ground so they should be here by Monday or Tuesday for sure. I need to get all my cleaning done so I can just quilt up a storm.

Have a good evening!

Good morning to you all! It is pouring rain here again today and is probably going to be an all day thing. Kelly will be bringing Marty over in just a bit for us to keep for a week while they are on their cruise. They leave tonight after they get off work I guess.

Jack's appt was finally with someone who knew something. She is requesting the OJI people to send him to an ortho doctor, which I said he should see all along. He has fluid on that knee and he said she pressed in a certain spot and he about went through the roof.

Me, not so much. I got to the dr's checked in and waited for them to call my name. When they did, I went up to pay my copay and she informs me the dr called in and wouldn't be in yesterday and I would have to reschedule. GRRRRRR! I told her it took me three weeks to get the one I had. Anyway, I was pretty mule headed about it and told them I wanted an appt asap because I wanted to get the procedure done and over with. I have an appt for the 19th, which is still a week away, but best they would do for me or could do for me. Now I just sit and wait again.

I can't do replies this morning. I have to run and get a shower and get dressed before Kelly gets here. You all have a nice weekend. Faye