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#1

Jean , 04-13-2010 10:18 AM

Good Morning, Flowers! The sun is shining and so far the wind hasn't kicked in. I think I will walk this morning since Bob has a steak supper tonight which is put on by his county board. My watch died yesterday so I need to make a trip to the jewelry store for a new battery; I hope that is all that is wrong. Other than that it is the "usual" pick up the clutter and work on my ironing. It's about time to switch Bob's long sleeved shirts for short sleeves!

"Gma" -- Thinking of you this morning and hope all is going well.

Sitting here is not getting my chores done. Have an enjoyable day in your corners of the world!

Jean -- from Iowa!

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#2

Jean , 04-13-2010 06:00 PM

Bob had his doctor appt. this afternoon and the doctor told him that if it was his shoulder he wouldn't do surgery because he could lose some of the mobility that he has now. He's in no pain and I guess that is why most people opt for the surgery. The doctor also thinks that the rotator cuff was probably torn some time ago and when he hit it, he aggravated the muscle around it. He can play golf, fish, or do whatever and won't injure it anymore than it is now. He pretty much had decided against the surgery, if not necessary, before the appt. So now we know "the rest of the story."

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#3

Maggie , 04-14-2010 01:17 AM

Tuesday
GOOD EVENING MAGNOLIAS

I said evening but it is 5 minutes till midnight here. We had a busy day this day and that is that. Will went to the store where he bought me the great pans and he buys his coffee beans there. She has a store full of high falutin' stuff that is neat but real spendy. She is going out of business and selling all her merchandise plus the building. He brought me home a couple of things and one is a piggy bank like you have never seen before, at least I haven't. She is a peralisint white color with a two piece bathing suit on or maybe it is underwear but it has a pattern of red apples on it. She is wearing red high heals and a straw hat and red rimmed glasses and pursed lips with red lipstick on them. In her ears are earrings of silver with some sort of yellow stone carved like corn and has green corn leaves on them. Real cute she is. She sold for a couple hundred and he got her for 5 bucks. Also he brought me a silver bell charm made by Jewelry by John out of Texas from his handcrafted bell collection. He got it for the price of a pound of coffee beans. Since it came with a neat little card telling about it and named it the "Love Bell" I looked it up on line and it sells for $70. so I think Will got a real bargin. The bell has little heart cutouts around the top and a real nice design on the body with a key as a clapper. I now have it on my charm bracelet. On the web site there are several silver bells that John has made and has nice names for each of them. Will is going to miss buying his coffee beans there. Oh, yes and Ragg Mopp wanted my pig but she now sits on a shelf in my office. I'll have to come up with a name for her. She is definitely a pig with an attitude.

JEAN That sounds like great news about Bob's shoulder. Since he has no pain he can surely be happy about that. Did you get your watch going? I have a bunch of watches that need bateries and don't have the inkling to get any for I don't wear one anymore anyway. There are clocks everywhere these days.

Well I think I will end this and go to bed. Type at y'all later.

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#4

Jean , 04-14-2010 09:33 AM

Good Morning, Flowers! The sun is peeking through the clouds, but we are supposed to have more thunderstorms throughout the day. I hope this crazy weather settles down sooner rather than later. I have lunch bunch today and need to take a sack back to the grocery store. When I got home I had a huge bag of potato chips and 2 pkgs. of a noodle side dish along with my stuff. I wasn't charged for them so either the checker, or the bagger, wasn't paying attention.

Maggie -- The piggy bank sounds cute! Beth collects pigs and a friend bought a box of junk at an auction one time. In the bottom of the box was a figurine of a mother pig curled around her little ones; it was the "old" glaze type finish from years ago and had $.50 written in pencil on the bottom. She gave it to Beth since she wasn't interested in pigs. The bell charm sounds like a real find! Bob doesn't wear a watch either since there are clocks everywhere. Every once in awhile he will ask me what time it is and my reply is ALWAYS, "it's a secret!" I have a couple more watches that need batteries but they aren't my favorites so rest in my jewelry box. Someday I will give them to Maddy and Zowie.

"Gma" -- I hope you are on the mend and feeling good today!

Susan -- Is today a "work in the office day?" I can't remember.

Well, I need to do a quick vacuum run, and make an errand list to do after lunch. Have a wonderful Wednesday today!

Jean -- from Iowa!

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#5

QuilterInVA , 04-14-2010 10:22 AM

Good morning, ladies! A cool day at 51 degrees. We had a little rain last night.

Monday was a busy day...applique bee from 10-4 then bible study in the evening. Yesterday was a work day and then quilt guild in the evening. Today is a "nothing" day. Work at getting my house back in order and pitching more stuff.

Faye, I hope things went well for you yesterday and you are having a speedy recovery.

Jean, what a relief that Bob doesn't need surgery! We have a store here that sells nothing but batteries. They have everything from hearing aid to truck, computer, etc. batteries and they will install them, too. I just stopped there to get a battery for my pedometer.

Maggie, isn't that just the way things go - you get a store that sells just the thing you want and that's the one that ends up going out of business. I love Scottish Tea and it is very hard to find. The one tea shop that had it is out of business now so I have to order it online. That sounds like one hot pig!

Work calls, have a good day!

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#6

Maggie , 04-14-2010 04:19 PM

Humpday
GOOD AFTERNOON MAGNOLIAS

It is a breezy day here in the Heartland. We went to Home Depot today to look at their fence sections. We picked out the sections we want to put down one end of our patio to enclose it for privacy a bit. It is so open and we just have a chain link fence around the back yard so everyone driving down the alley can see everyting we have back there. All the other houses along the alley have tall wooden fences and we are the only ones with chain link. At least we can enclose a little patio area for a bit of privacy. We will put pre made fence sections along one end where the wind comes from most and we are planning to install roll down bamboo curtins across the long end. It will be nice to be eating out there without everyone looking on. We will plant climbing roses along the fencing and it will look real nice.

DONNA FAYE I do hope all is well with you and you are getting better each day from your session at the doctors.

JEAN How neat that Beth has a pig collection. We had a friend in CA that has a huge pig collection. In fact when ever we went anywere out of town I would find a different one that she didn't have to bring back for her. My great aunt collected elephants. I don't collect. I used to have a brass bell collection but sold it when we downsized and i don't want to start collecting anything anymore. Whoever bought those extra groceries you ended up with will no doubt thankful that you bring them back. Or did you end up paying for them with your other items? We had thunder and lightening last night through the night also. What a light show.

SUSAN My pig even has long luscious eyelashes. Now that store is closing up we can get our coffee beans at a different place that carries them and Will can get his liquorish which comes from Australia on line. I don't have a clue where I can buy anymore of those heavy, heavy pots & pans he was getting me there. Maybe I will just settle for what I have now. I was going to add a few more pieces to the set though. Maybe he will ask her where I can order them from if I do decide I really want more. I'm telling you, that place is high falutin'. No wonder she is getting out of the business the way things are going now. Folks are just not buying like they used to, especially stuff like she has been selling.

Have a wonderful evening Magnolias Type at y'all later.

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#7

gma22 , 04-15-2010 06:12 AM

Good morning my dear friends. The surgery was a breeze and I had little to no pain, but my computer crashed and I had to wait for Jack to bring his laptop down for me to post.

Jean: Glad Bob doesn't have to have surgery. Jack went to the dr yesterday and he has his knee surgery next Tuesday so then he will be off work for a week after that.

Maggie: Your pig sounds cute and what a bargain.

Susan: Sounds like you have been a busy gal. I think it is sometimes great to be real busy and other times just to have some time to relax.

Nothing else going on here this week. I am just sitting around as Jack wants me to relax for at least another day or so vbefore doing anything. Faye

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#8

Jean , 04-15-2010 10:08 AM

Good Morning, Flowers! There are lots of dark clouds floating around with the sun trying to peek through from time to time. Bob decided it was time to dig out the short sleeved shirts so that is my project before I head to WW this noon.

Susan -- You did have a busy Monday! I hope you enjoyed your "nothing day." I missed those when I was working.

Maggie -- You will enjoy your privacy fence, I know. Our barn/shed blocks our view of our cat hating neighbors and the "nice" neighbors on the other side are rarely outside anymore. I wouldn't be surprised to see a "for sale" sign in front of their house this summer. The party people in back of us spend most of the summer months at the lake so we don't have to put up with them either. I called the grocery store about my extra sack of groceries and was told to keep them because the store will just throw the items away if I bring them back. What a waste; I wasn't charged for them so can't complain. I need to pay better attention at the checkouts. I'm usually the one who is missing a bag when I get home! I ordered a pan online -- I wanted a 3 1/2 qt. size and did get one in my set, but it is more like a fry pan. I wanted a deeper one for boiling pasta, soup, etc.

"Gma" -- I was glad to see you here this morning! It's great that you are feeling good, but I'm sorry about your computer crashing! I hope that surgery will fix Jack's knee pain. Enjoy your day relaxing!

I need to get busy! I hope you all have a nice day today!

Jean -- from Iowa!

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#9

Maggie , 04-15-2010 12:28 PM

Thursday
GOOD MORNING MAGNOLIAS

I think the wind has left us with a slight breeze. The sun is out and the garden is growing. Our next door neighbors told Will not to plant any cucumbers or jalapenos because that is all they are planting and will have lots. Well, we already planted them so there will be lots between us for sure. We planted some of the pickeling kind of cukes also though so maybe they didn't have them. I wonder what is going on in the neighborhood for all the dogs are sounding off. I haven't yet decided what I will get into this day as of yet. I really don't feel like doing much of anything. Just Blah. Maybe after I have my first coffee I'll feel better, usually happens that way. Will wants spaghetti tonight. OK I can do that. This is his day to go to the library and then to his volunteer job for the cancer folks. He said tomorrow we get me a new phone. I really haven't decided if I want a new one. I certainly don't want one like his Droid. He has nothing but trouble with that thing and I don't want the agrivation. Maybe I'll opt for a Blackberry. Any suggestions? I don't make many calls anymore and I certainly haven't gotten into texting. I am getting too old for that stuff. Maybe. I just don't want to lose my ring tone and have to go on a quest to find it again to download. I am hoping they will just transfer all from this phone over. My ring tone is a voice saying "pick it up, pick it up, pick it up." Will's is a John Deere tractor starting up.

DONNA FAYE I am so happy for you that your procedure went so well. Please do rest for all that housework will wait for you. Those little cleaning brownies don't do as good a job as you do. I noticed that the soda can I left on the side table in the front room is still there and so I know my brownies are a lazy bunch. I do hope Jack's operation makes a big difference for him and he can rest his knee afterwards as much as he is supposed to after he has the procedure. Yikes that was a run on sentence.

JEAN That is the way of it with the grocers now days. They aren't supposed to restock the returned items. They don't want to take chances that a kook has tampered with it in some untoward manner. Even when Will worked for a company when we were in Texas he found that they threw lots of neat stuff that had been returned in the dumpsters out back. Cheaper to do that then to return it to the manufacturer. Some of the larger items they would discount and sell for much less than it origionally sold. He got a really nice smoker that was missing one leg for mere dollars. Easy to get a piece of angle iron and make a matching leg and "valla" got a good smoker which we left with our friends in Texas. We smoked a lot of good brisket in that thing. Also when fast food places give you the wrong order they will let you keep it and then give you the right order. Even yesterday we went to colonel cluck and they gave Will the wrong chicken. He wanted the regular kind and they gave him the grilled kind. Well I have a grilled breast in the fridge even as I type that will be my lunch. Once it has come out that window into your car they can't take it back. If they do take it back it goes right into the trash.

SUSAN I hope all is going well with you this day.

G-L-O-R-I-A I was singing each letter ~ how are you these days?

GAIL I hope the floods didn't take your house and play with it.

Well Magnolias it is time for me to get going on this day. I have had my coffee now and am awake and am going to make some killer spaghetti sauce and get some in the freezer this day. Type at y'all later.

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#10

QuilterInVA , 04-15-2010 08:09 PM

Good evening, ladies! Pleasant day in the low 70s today.

I went for my walk after dinner. I'm going to do the WW 5K the first week in June so I'm following the plan in the booklet we got last week. Are any of you doing it?

Faye, I'm glad you are feeling better and have the surgery behind you. I hope Jack's fixes his knee, too. I finally unearthed the fingerless glove pattern and now my printer/scanner isn't working. I'll figure that out tomorrow.

Jean, the grocery was probably astounded to have a honest woman call them about returning the groceries. I need to finish turning my closets around this week end...and putting some of the stuff in the thrift store bag.

Maggie, Have you every made icebox pickles? Grandma used to make them and I've forgotten how.

Have a good evening!

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#11

Maggie , 04-15-2010 11:40 PM

Back Later In The Evening

It is raining and thunder and a huge light show along with the storm. I love a good storm.

SUSAN I have a couple good refrigerator pickle recipes I have made and am glad to post them here for you. One uses cucumbers and the other watermelon rind.

EASY REFRIGERATOR PICKLES
Traditional bread and butter pickles have
50% more sugar and seven times as
much salt as these.

6 cups thinly sliced cucumber
(about 2 pounds)
2 cups thinly sliced onion
1� cups white vinegar
1 cup sugar
� teaspoon salt
� teaspoon mustard seeds
� teaspoon celery seeds
� teaspoon ground turmeric

Place half of cucumber in a large glass bowl
Top with half of the sliced onion
Repeat layering procedure with remaining
cucumber and onion.
Combine vinegar and remaining 5 ingredients
in a saucepan; stir well
Bring to a boil; boil for 1 minute
Pour vinegar mixture over cucumber and onion
Let cool
Cover and marinate pickles in refrigerator 4 days.
Store in refrigerator up to 1 month.
Yield 6 � cups
Serving size: � cup = 1 POINT
Cal: 40; Fat 0.1; Fiber 0.5

GINGERED WATERMELON RIND
Watermelon rind is cured in salt, then pickled.
A Southern tradition. This relish is customarily
served at picnics and barbecues.

1 (5-pound) watermelon
3 tablespoons kosher salt
1� cups sugar
� cup white vinegar
� cup cider vinegar
1 teaspoon pickling spice
1 (1-inch) piece peeled fresh ginger
Thinly sliced

1. Cut watermelon in half. Scoop out
Watermelon pulp, reserve for another use.
(I freeze it and use it in smoothies)
Carefully remove outer green layer
from watermelon rind using a vegetable
peeler. Cut peeled rind into 1� inch
cubes to measure about 4 cups
2. Combine rind and salt in a large zip
Lock plastic bag. Seal and refrigerate
24 hours, turning bag occasionally.
3. Remove rind from bag; drain.
Rinse rind thoroughly under cold water;
Drain. Place rind in a large saucepan.
Cover with water to 2 inches above rind;
Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat,
and simmer for15 minutes. Drain and
rinse under cold water; drain well.
Place rind in a large bowl.
4. Combine sugar and remaining
ingredients in a large saucepan;
bring to a boil, stirring until sugar
dissolves. Pour hot sugar mixture
over rind; let stand at room temperature
for 2 hours. Cover and refrigerate
for 5 days Store in an airtight
container in refrigerator up to 3 weeks.

Yield: 12 servings of about � cup
Drained rind.
Cal 13; Fat 0g; Fib 0.6g
ZERO POINTS

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#12

gma22 , 04-16-2010 07:26 AM

Good morning to you all! I hope your day is starting out well and you will have a great weekend.

Gloria: I know I am a day early, but HAPPY BIRHTDAY!

Jean: I had a bit of a set back yesterday for some reason. Maybe the fact I went upstairs and cleaned bathrooms, did two loads of laundry and took to the laundromat? Ahh well, the stuff has to get done and with Jack's knee he can't do it by himself either. Hopefully, the dryer business will be settled soon and that won't be an issue, but the computer is going to be awhile as I don't want to put that on credit card or credit so will have to wait for it but I can use Jack's laptop until then even if the keyboard drives me nuts.

Susan: My grandma made the best pickles of all kinds. I hope you enjoy Maggie's recipe for them. No hurry on the gloves. I have a ton of projects to finish and haven't worked on anything in weeks and weeks. I imagine I will start getting back to it though.

Maggie: Boy, what a fiesta you and the neighborhood will end up having with all those jalepenos. Do you pickle yours? I would love to put one of those hanging tomato plants out on the deck but I know the squirrel would tear it to pieces.

Today I am going to go and get the car washed again since it is full of pollen again and get a haircut. Tomorrow is commissary day and I need to load up on WW program stuff so we can get down to business.

You all have a great day and keep smiling! Faye

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#13

nanacas , 04-16-2010 09:31 AM

Surprise!
I have not fallen off the face of the earth just got caught up in life in general. Thank you, Donna, for your birthday greetings. As Jack said I am now '77 Sunset Strip" Remember that show?

We have been busy here with the grandkids, four Confirmations this year and a high school graduation. He has not made up his mind on which college yet as he has been accepted at a few. His major will be in sports physical therapy. It is a doctoral program..6 years! Ugh!
Between grandkids and doctor's appointments time has a way of flitting by so rapidly.

Jean, Congratulations on your retirement. I see you are like me, never enough time for all you want to do. LOL

Susan, I envy you having your home all nice and newly painted. We have wallpaper and it is so costly to re do. Someday!

Maggie, I see you and Will are really enjoying your new location! You will really enjoy all the fresh, home grown veggies and herbs this summer and if I know you you will probably can up a storm this fall in anticipation of next winter.

Will try to get back again before the next century. LOL

Gloria

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#14

Jean , 04-16-2010 09:44 AM

I don't know why, but the site won't let me post my message this morning! The message I get is that my message is too short and I have to lengthen it by 1 character.

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#15

Jean , 04-16-2010 09:47 AM

Good Morning, Flowers! The sun is shining brightly, and it's a chilly 45 degrees this morning. The weatherman says it will be "breezy" today . . . in other words windy. I'm working at the hospital this afternoon, in the women's center which is where we have WW (I lost another # last week) and is a library/meeting room. I will be answering the phone, it it rings, as that's the number where class or special luncheon reservations come in. The church secretary called yesterday and wanted me to watch the church office this afternoon; she knew last week she would be gone so I don't know why she didn't say something then.

Maggie -- I have a cell phone with all the bells and whistles on it. Bob's died and it was cheaper to buy 2 new ones and renew the contract than to replace just 1. I don't conncect to the internet but I do text. I love it because I can send a message to the kids when they are working w/o disturbing them with a ringing phone. Jason and Amanda only have cell phones. When Bob worked at Sears, there was a huge room in the catalog center where all returned merchandise was displayed. Employees could purchase anything at a 50% or less than cost. We got some nice things! I bought an individual bag of microwave popcorn that was jalepeno flavored. WOW! Even though I shook it really well, some of the flavoring was more on some kernels than others. Thanks for sharing the pickle recipes! My grandma used to make both and they were oh, so good! I could probably even do the refridgerator pickles!

Susan -- I don't think there will be an organized WW 5K here, but our leader is encouraging those who want to walk to get together. She lives out of town and is a runner so participates wherever she lives. I love the icebox pickles! Do you make them? I've never canned anything but think I could do these.

"Gma" -- I thought you were "RELAXING" yesterday! I know it is hard to do that when you feel good, and know there are things that need doing. I hope you didn't overdo and feel good today! You will really appreciate having a dryer again!

Gloria -- I do remember "77 Sunset Strip!" I had forgotten about that show. It sounds like you have been busy, busy, busy. It's nice to attend the celebrations and not have to plan them. It was nice to see your post -- come back soon!

I need to vacuum the dust/fur bunnies, and do a fold of towels. Hope you all have a fantastic Friday today!

Jean -- from Iowa!

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