Just checking in to see if anyone was in the flower patch today. I realized that my last post rolled over to the second page so will copy it here.

Hope all is well and you have a great week! I am looking forward to a break from school. (and kids!)

Good Afternoon - Evening, Flowers!

The sun has set and it is starting to get dark outside. That is my least favorite part of fall changing into winter. It was 71 degrees today and so nice outside!

Gloria -- Our neighbors were out putting up Christmas lights when I came home from school. We will probably be out when the snow is blowing and it's below zero!

Maggie -- That is the file that was trying to download! So far it hasn't tried to come back, thank goodness! Have a safe trip!

I am off to dream up something for supper. I feel like I am getting a cold and have that "do I or don't I" scratchy throat. I drank ice water all day at school and feel like I slosh when I walk.

Have a great weekend!

Jean -- from Iowa!

Hi Magnolias

Well I completed my first week of work and I am starting my second. I received a crash course in all of the programs and disc work that needs to be done everyday. Good thing, because I was trained for one day and then I was alone for the rest of the week because the Librarian's Dad passed away. So, needless to say, I was worried I would mess something up. But everything went okay. Our weather has turned very cold today. Yesterday it was in the 70's and tonight we are going to have a frost!!!!!

Jean: I have neighbors who have their decorations up outside, and they have their tree totally decorated. They have their curtains pulled back and they light it every night. I have a long way to go before I can say that about my house. I know we will start to put some lights up over the Thanksgiving break...(Hopefully).

Well, I need to run the boys to scouts. I hope everyone has a great Monday night and Tuesday

Good Evening, Flowers!
It is BRRRRY here . . . was 28 degrees this morning!

Well, card club is over for another year. My house is still "clean" for Thanksgiving so now all I have to do is figure out the menu and head for the grocery store. DH bought the turkey today; it's way too big for the 5 of us but guess we will eat it leftover and send some home with the kids.

Lorriane -- I'm hoping to get our tree and outside decorations up this weekend. I have a lot of stuff I don't even put out, either because the cats won't leave it alone or else I just don't have the room. I love Christmas and buy something new every year. I'm glad to hear that everything is going well in the library. I'll bet you are looking forward to a long weekend too.

I am heading for bed. Last night was a late night since I clean up and put everything away before going to bed. Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Jean -- from Iowa!

Just wanted to wish you all a "Happy Thanksgiving"!

Jean -- from Iowa!

Here to say "Happy Thanksgiving from MA! Hope you all had a great day.

Gloria....

Hi Maggies:


I want to wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving.

Good Morning, Flowers!
It is raining here! It started yesterday around noon and hasn't quit since; we need the rain but this is getting to be a bit much. At least it is "warm" so it isn't freezing.

I hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving! We spread it over two days because the kids ended up coming home at different times. We did decorate the Christmas tree yesterday and today I hope to get the rest of the stuff out.

Not much else is going on; I am still fighting the scratchy throat and stuffy nose. I may have to break down and go see my favorite MD although I feel fine and have no cough.

Have a nice weekend!

Jean -- from my wet corner of the world in Iowa!

GOOD AFTERNOON STEEL MAGNOLIAS

It is unseasonably warm but we will take it. People in the neighborhood had been doing last minute touch-up painting, (windows, stairs, etc) which is something we could not do in a normal fall because the temperature would be too cold. My, my does this mean a real cold, snowy winter. Although I hope not I do realize we do need the moisture!

Jean Hope you will be feeling better soon. It is too soon in the season to start having colds. It is nice to spread the holiday over a couple of days. Usually it comes and goes so fast! We went to DD#2 and it was the usual fun time. She even ran a treasure hunt after dinner and the kids, 8 in all, had a ball. Because the weather held up she was able to hide clues both inside and outside. She had scratch tickets on the lottery for prizes and the kids ate it up.

JEAN You are ahead of me with the decorations. I won't put up the tree until next week but today I put together the package of gifts for NC. We will mail it this week. It is good to get that done early. After the tree is up I will start wrapping so as the gifts are done I can put them under the tree. Storage is a problem. Right now they are piled on the beds in the spare room under a sheet. No GK us allowed upstairs for the next week or so.

Been a busy day and now I need to think of gettin food on the table. I think it will be a quickie meal....maybe frozen food!!!


Gloria in MA....going to the kitchen to mess around.

Good Evening, Flowers!
It's turning colder as I type and they have changed the weather forecast to freezing rain tonight. I hope not but if it does, I hope we have a late start for school in the morning. I hate driving when everyone else is trying to get to work and aren't used to the winter driving conditions yet.

Gloria -- Sounds like you had a nice Thanksgiving with your family! When our kids were little I used to hide gifts in luggage or if it was something really big, we would take it to the neighbors. They never figured that out as far as I know.
I didn't do any more decorating today so it will probably be next weekend before I do. I caught up on laundry and newspapers; Beth stayed long enough to watch a football game with her dad. She doesn't have cable so she was enjoying all of the different games that were on over the long weekend. So the house is quiet again -- too quiet. My scratchy throat is gone and I am a happy camper about that!

Hope you all have a marvelous Monday!

Jean -- from Iowa!

Hi Maggies:

We had another beautyful day today. We were up near 80, with a nice breeze. We finished putting up the outside decorations and now it is time for the inside. It is a good thing we decided to do the outside first, because tomorrow night they are predicting freezing rain. Unbelievable....today almost 80, and by Wednesday, we won't get above 30!!!!! It will be nice decorating the inside when it is cold outside.

Jean: I know what you mean about driving people who don't know how to drive in bad weather. I am from the north, so I have a little experience in driving on snow and ice.....but down here, they have no idea how to drive on it at all. They still seem to think they can do 75 on the interstate and be able to control their car. I am worried about driving to school on Wednesday. They are saying we could get some freezing rain and snow...maybe they will cancel school, or start later.

Gloria: It sounds like you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Hopefully you don't have a bad winter.

Well I need to get the kids out of the tub and into bed.
Tomorrow we go back to school, so it is the school schedule for tonight.

Have a great Monday Maggies!!

Good Afternoon, Flowers!
It is raining, windy, and so gloomy again today. I want our nice weather to come back! The territory north and west of us got freezing rain last night so the schools all started 2 hours late. No such luck here though.

Lorraine -- Our interstates have so many accidents when the weather is bad. The main problem is that if you are in the flow of traffic there isn't a thing that you can do to avoid them either. Can you take the "long" way to school?

We have the first of our Christmas dinners tonight. DH thought it was next week and just happened to talk to a secretary today. Next year he will be chairman of the board for a retirement community - nursing home facility so it's kind of important that he be there. I'm sure glad it was his misunderstanding and not mine! And also that we found out about the correct date in time to go!

Have a terrific Tuesday, Flowers!

Jean -- from Iowa!

GOOD EVENING MAGNOLIAS

Well, we are also starting a cooler, rainier few days. I know we need the rain but hoping it clears up by Sunday. That is going to be a busy day. We are having our town 'Stroll' from 3 to 6 and at the same time the Gardener's Guild will be hosting an open house at one of the newer homes in town from 1 to 3. The members form committees and decorate a room each. The houses are usually very large and most have two staircases so people can go up one and down the other. DD#1 is in the Gardener's Guild but this year is working the Bazaar associated with the open house. They sell all kinds of home made Christmas crafts and dried floral arrangements as well as coffee and goodies. Naturally we will be attending both.

JEAN I think it is your weather we are about to get. Maybe it won't be freezing by the time it gets here. DD is also on the board of directors of a retirement community. We will be having our Christmas dinner on the 13 th at one of the area's nicest restaurants. Then DD#2 is having her annual Christmas bash on the 16th. She started cooking for this the day after Thanksgiving. I thought because she was trying to sell her house she would not have it this year but no she is going for it. She has already hired the 'Santa Claus
that she first had. He is the best! Started bringing up some decorations from storage in the basement and I think I will just do a little each day and maybe I will be through by Sunday.





LORRAINE I know what you mean about people forgetting how to drive in bad weather from one year to the next. It also happens here and it doesn't have to be bad weather to bring out the worst in some drivers. Thankfully we were not on the roads over the Thanksgiving holiday as it was one of the worst travel days in our area. Traffic was backed up for 5 to 10 miles around some interchanges. I just watched it on TV.

Gloria in MA.....heading off to watch some TV before bed.

Good Afternoon, Flowers!
The temperature has dropped some more and it's a definitely winter coat day here! I am a tad bit nervous as it gets dark. In our local paper there was an article about an "intruder" who just rings the doorbell and if he sees some movement in the house, he will take off, or else he waits until dark and then walks right on in. Evidently he is after money because that is what he has taken. One family was watching TV in their basement family room and heard the footsteps upstairs. No one bothered to go up and check because they thought one of their kids had come home. He took some Christmas gifts that were under the tree. DH is out of town for a two day meeting; I think I will leave some lights on all night tonight!

Gloria -- your Sunday sounds like a fun one! I hope the weather cooperates for you. I love to go see what other people make as I'm not at all creative. Your daughter must be so organized to have her Christmas get together along with trying to sell her house. I don't suppose there is much house hunting during the holidays though. I always have good intentions and even buy the ingredients but never seem to get it all put together for one time. One year I made Christmas cookies for New Year's! The year we moved here we thought we would be moving in Dec. so I didn't send any Christmas cards. We ended up moving in Jan. so I sent Valentines and got a lot of positive feedback.

Well, guess I will go and check the garage walk in door to be sure it is locked -- I hate this! I hope you have a wonderful Wednesday!

Jean -- from Iowa

Hi Everyone

It is so cold right now. We never made it above freezing today, and we are having freezing rain, sleet, and snow. They had school today, but dismissed early. Tomorrow we are starting two hours later than usual. Monday, we were at 75 and today we can't make it above 29. burrrrrrrr.

I hope everyone is keeping warm tonight.

Have a great Thursday everyone!!!!

Good Evening, Flowers!
It feels like winter is in the air . . . cold and "brisk" out . . . it even smells different! One more day of November; this month sure flew by fast.

Lorraine -- you are getting Iowa weather -- enjoy! So far we haven't gotten any snow but it landed just to the north of us earlier this week. I need to get geared up and start getting my cards ready to send out not to mention some shopping done! I don't plan on baking anything unless my daughter wants to when she comes home. I'm sure December will be here and gone before we know it.

Maggie -- it's time for you to check in again! We have missed you.

Have a fantastic Friday!

Jean -- from Iowa!