Good morning to you ladies! Hope you are all well this morning. It is quite warm for early morning and I imagine it is going to be a beautiful sunny day for Thomas's reception. I am going to razz him about getting his gifts before he actually earns his arrow of light. They are going to bring their dog over here this morning and he is going to stay here for the day so he doesn't drive people nuts at the reception then they will come and get him I imagine. We love Marty so don't mind him being here at all.

We had "issues" with Lowes over delivery of the dryer. It was supposed to be yesterday morning and they didn't deliver it until almost 4 pm yesterday afternoon. We hadn't had any lunch as I didn't want to be preparing something when they showed up since they have to go through the kitchen to get to the laundry room so we were starving. We flew out the door when they left and went to Changs for dinner. Jack loves their seafood. I had these yummy asian tacos with mongolian beef and great veggies and put some of their great soy sauce mix on them. They are definitely on my list of things I will eat there from now on.

Maggie: Jack having grown up in New Mexico has been to the 4 corners, but even though I lived in New Mexico for awhile we never got up there so I have never been. Fortune is back to normal. I gave him some Pepto in a baby syringe and he was right as rain. Enough so I even gave him his food in the early evening and he ate it right up with no signs of it upsetting him. He ate fine this morning so he is back to normal.

Jean: Boy do I have laundry. When we were going to the laudromat, I did it about every 3 days and we were on about the 4th day so I have lots of towels. I have a load in right now. I am still working out the kinks of understanding all the buttons and such to get the stuff dry. I did make an appt with Sears though to have them come on Tuesday and clean the dryer duct so we don't have any problems. The reason the GE dryer burned up is that unknownst to us the vent blocked and caused the lint to back up into the dryer and onto the drum which overheated it. We had the vent cleaned out but they did a very poor job, in fact I got into it with the owner over not being satisfied. I finally gave up on it because we didn't get any satisfaction so we went with Sears this time. She sent kids and I mean kids only around 18 or so to do the work and I don't think they even cared. I am hoping Sears takes a better approach to it.

I sat and paid some bills this morning. We always get a message on our online bank account a couple days before we have a direct deposit going to be made. We have Jack's Navy one coming up which I knew about of course, but a couple days ago a pending deposit showed up for $130 and I had no clue what it was as they don't say who it is until it posts. Anyway, it drove me nuts so I sat up until the balance was done by the bank at midnight last night and found out it was a refund for the car insurance on the Grand Marquis! I felt like an idiot for sitting up!

Well gals, I need to go. I have a couple things to do in the house this morning and will have to get around and get cleaned up and dressed early since they will be bringing Marty over this morning. Have a grand Saturday all! Faye

Good Morning, Flowers! We are back to clouds for the next few days, with a 30% chance of snow. Usually it has to be 40% before we get anything so I'm hoping. The washer is running, I've read the papers, had my coffee, and am dressed. I have a Good Will/SOS box started so plan to work on getting rid of some more clothes. I can't believe I acutally wore some of these things.

Bob just left to work on the organ at church. He may have found his part-time job after he retires! The organ was built in Lincoln and he was on the committee to decide on which organ to buy. Over the years he has fixed a few things by talking to the organ guy via cell phone; this time it may need a more major fix. The organ guy asked Bob if he was mechanical so to let them know when he retires. They charge from the time they leave Lincoln, which is probably close to 5 hours from here, until the time they get back. Bob could work from here which would save the company time, and the churches money. He thought that sounded better than being a WM greeter. Besides, I could go with him and check out the shopping areas.

Maggie -- Yes, that is the email I sent to you. I see where it went through and received your reply. Spencer has a Fashion Bug and I have bought a few things in there.

"Gma" -- I know you will enjoy Thomas' reception. I didn't realize it was going to be at his house. I'm glad the weather is cooperating. I hate waiting around for delivery and repair people to show up. I try to pin them down to morning or afternoon, but that doesn't always work. I'm glad your dryer if up and and running. Mine is supposed to be "smarter" than I am, but there are times when it says things are dry and they are still just a bit damp. Bob cleans the dryer pipe out quite often because it has a long way to go to get outside plus it has a 90 degree turn. When we added on there was no other simple way to it. My dryer has a top filter which I much prefer, and think it picks up more lint than my other one did. I don't think my brain would work with online banking at midnight!

Susan -- What is on your agenda today? We missed you yesterday!

I need to get a move on or the morning will have slipped by. Have a nice weekend and enjoy!



Jean -- from Iowa!

Good afternoon, ladies! We're having a heat wave - 42 degrees right now. I do know winter is almost over - there are no winter clothes left in the stores and all the shorts and sleeveless tops, swimwear, sandals, etc. are now out. Not that I'm ready to even think about that stuff.

I worked both jobs on Thursday and then from 9 until 6:30 yesterday.

I went to WW this morning and was down 2.2 pounds. I'm nearly at goal and only .2 from where I can quit paying again. I'm loving this new plan.

Jean, I have a bag ready for the Monday DAV pickup. I'm finally letting go of some of the clothes I have been wearing that are just too big and baggy. I love a little spandex in my clothing because they fit better. 2 - 5% is what I look for. That would be an interesting job for Bob!

Maggie, a shortage of chocolate won't bother me. I seldom have more than what is in a cup of FF SF hot cocoa or a teaspoon mixed into plain yogurt. Our location didn't have the new cookbook you got. Maybe next week. This was the first week I used all 49 of my WPAs. I think I may have not been eating enough when I just ate my dailys. Our meeting last week was on using them wisely.

Faye, I got a dryer vent cleaning brush at Loew's for less than $8 and I clean it every other month. It's very easy. I'm always amazed at how much lint comes out. A house in the next block had a fire due to a blocked dryer vent. Have you got the new dryer all figured out? I'll stick to my simple old one.

Time to get on to some housework. Ugh! Enjoy your day.

Good morning to you gals! It is near 60 here this morning though overcast. I wanted to get the car washed as it really needs it but may hold off if it is just going to rain all over it.

The reception was so very nice. Some of T's teachers came, which was kind of funny. Kelly has a relationship with all of them so it isn't just a teacher coming to a student's party. There were like 4 of them that came, then a bunch of Tom's relatives came and a couple of Kelly's friends that have little kids. Her food was wonderful. It was all hor doerve type and she made it all, God bless her. She had these fabulous stuffed mushroom caps and she had these tiny little popovers with bri cheese in the center. She had fresh fruit and tons of other stuff. She even made his cake with an arror of light she did on top with fondant. She made Thomas this beautiful shadow box with all his ribbons and badges (which unlike when Jay was little they now do these cute metal things that slip on the boys' belt. Pat told me they had to buy his a new belt and I said since when has he gotten fatter? She said he hadn't but needed more room for his badges!

Sears will be here between 12-2 on Tuesday to clean out the duct from outside clear through to the hose. I hope they can get it cleaned out once and for all. We have vented it into the house at the moment so we can get the laundry caught up and we now know the vent is plugged because of a couple things, when the dryer is vented into the house, the clothes dry on the first round and when it is vented into the house instead of into the wall vent, there is lint in the dryer's lint catcher. I do love the dryer but like I said have to get used to the abilities it has.

We are just hanging around the house today and I am getting cleaning done a bit and I did a load of laundry to wash all Jack's new tshirts, undies and socks. I am going to sit and work on that darn last sock and try and get it done to give to her sometime this week. Even if I finish it by tomorrow, I can't get them washed, the color set, blocked and dried in time to take them to her tomorrow night at the ceremony.

Susan: Do you use the thing you bought at Lowe's to clean the vent hose? I am getting the hang of the dryer. Mostly it is figuring out whether what you are drying should be on timed dry or on their programmed drying. For example, I have found that using their programmed dry on high, most dry, which sets it at 60 minutes doesn't totally dry my new towels. I guess they are just too dense. They need about 10 extra minutes so I just put it on the timed dry on high. It also has a sanitize program, which is nice for germ kind of things. Congrats on the losses! That is terrific.

Jean: It is lovely and fairly warm here today even though we have no sun shining. I am hoping we are done with winter early this year!!! I absolutely love chocolate anything so that would be a huge disappointment for chocolate to be lacking. I quit buying Nutella because I would go in and eat it by the spoonful instead of using it on bread! I actually have a couple dessert recipes that use Nutella. Jack hates the stuff, but I adore it.

Maggie: Marty did fine here and we took him home yesterday evening and I am sure he was happy to be back home with his family. Fortune was a hoot yesterday while he was here. I was sitting in the recliner and Jack on the sofa. Fortune was up on the sofa between Jack's legs sitting on his haunches. Marty was standing in front of the recliner barking at me. I believe he wanted up in my lap and he is so old his hip dysplasia is really bad. Anyway, Fortune would look from Marty to me and back to Marty as if to say, "What is his problem and why don't you solve it?" It was funny to watch.

Well girls, I am going to get some knitting done then finish up cleaning downstairs. I may take a nap because I went to bed at 9, was up at 10 with heartburn something awful then back up at midnight because the power went off and then on and then off then on and finally off so I had to come downstairs and call MLGW and report the outage then couldn't go back to sleep. So I didn't go back to sleep until around 5 am so I am sleepy. You all have a beautiful Sunday! Faye

Good afternoon, ladies! A nice warm 50 degree Sunday here. Were through January and then February will be a toss up. The Mid-Atlantic Quilt Show is always the last weekend in February and it has had snow and temperatures in the 70s so who knows, but Spring is just around the corner.

Faye, the dryer brush I got is on a long coiled wire. I use that to clean the inside of the dryer and then do the vent hose, too. My laundry is on the second floor and I have a floored attic with stairs (my furnace is up there) so after I get what I can from the laundry, I go upstairs and undo the hose and clean both ends from there. It's amazing how much lint you get in just a few weeks. Thomas' party was lovely! Kelly is a talented young lady.

Jean, I hope it warms up in Iowa soon! I couldn't stand those below zero temperatures anymore. I'd have to be in the house all winter. I used to like those MC pot pies, too. I had a small one last week and it just didn't taste good anymore. Too much pastry. It sat in my stomach like a lump for a long while. I'd like to find one that only had a top crust.

Maggie, you have a busy day tomorrow! I only have the Y and housework so that's a good day in my book. You are doing well with the new plan, too!

Have a good evening!

Maggie -- You do have a busy day planned for tomorrow. No sleeping in for you! The snowflakes finally gave up, but it's anybody's guess what is coming our way. Like the weatherman said, "we live in Iowa!" This morning the weather channel was predicting 3 - 7" while tonight it's up to 9". We are right in the middle instead of on the edge like we usually are.

Susan -- I'm anxiously waiting for a 50 degree day! It doesn't look like we will have much of a January thaw. I wish my laundry was upstairs with the bedrooms. We briefly toyed with the idea when we remodeled, but the plumbing would have been a nightmare because of the different levels. I dumped my pie upside down on the plate and ate all of the crust . . . my favorite part. You could do that, and then flip it back over to just have the top part. Enjoy your time at the Y tomorrow!

I need to iron some of Bob's favorite shirts for work, and then I'm heading for bed. See you all tomorrow!