Steel Magnolias #28

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  •   #1  
    Maggie's AvatarMaggie , 06-12-2011 06:04 PM
    GOOD AFTERNOON MAGNOLIAS

    It is a beautiful day in the neighborhood and all is well. I have been working on making new Index papers for all my binder cookbooks where I put recipes I cut out and saved. I have a binder for about each category like main, fruits & veggies, sweets, breakfasts, bread, sauces & mixes, soup, and sandwitches don't save many recipes anymore because so many of the ones in the magazines are repeats from years back. I am so glad I started indexing them when I started saving recipes because now it makes it so easy to find something I want to cook that I may have not cooked in awhile.

    DONNA FAYE All that dog food you have been cooking sounds yummy. Can I send my two over for a meal or two? Your potato recipe sounds like an easy one to make. I got a real chuckle about Jack and the blinds. OOO sounds like you got some real good fruit for the week. I love fruit and need to re-stock my supply also.

    SUSAN What a wonderful success at that yard sale. He sure did clean out his house for that one. Glad you didn't end up getting to hot out there.

    JEAN That boat sounds like too much work to be messing with. Just when he got it all cleaned up and running well it would be next year probably. I don't have a window in my bathroom but the one off the bedroom has one and I sure like having it. It looks out to our back yard.

    GAIL Howdy to you this day.

    We are going out to eat at Applebees this evening. They have some yummy things on the menu that are WW friendly. Type at y'all later.
    Reply
  •   #2  
    gma22's Avatargma22 , 06-13-2011 06:59 AM
    Good morning y'all. I hope this day finds you well. I am going to work on some house stuff today and then start cleaning tomorrow. I want to clean up my desk and bag up books and take them out to the garage to go to the Good Will, get my shoes under control downstairs and put all the stuff on the shelves on my desk in folders to straighten it up a bit. It looks like a hurricane blew through my desk.

    I worked a lot on the scarf yesterday so should finish it today then I am going to make my dil's slippers since she is the next birthday. I will then finish my girlfriend's other sock and if I have enough yarn, make her a pair of slippers too.

    Weigh in was this morning and I am steady, but I expected that as I think it has all caught up with the Nashville trip and such. I am having some constipation problems so am drinking benefiber every morning now and hopefully that will help with getting things back to normal. I am hoping the swelling will go down more too so all that will cause more weight loss that at the current time is causing me grief!

    Fortune is in love with orzo! I gave him the chicken, orzo and carrots this morning and he attacked it while I was in the bathroom. I came out and he was just inhaling it. I talked to the vet tech and she said that dog food can carry bacteria that the plants are not always kept the way they are supposed to be kept so I guess I am glad I am doing this even with the mess if it keeps him healthy. I imagine dry dog food has much less chance of that sort of thing and he quit eating dry about a year ago and absolutely refuses to eat it. I have an expensive bag of dry and about 8 cans of food that will end up in the trash. I do have 3 weeks worth so I can make enough at one sitting to get through the following shopping trip. I don't even want to think what it costs to make, but I imagine not that much actually.

    Jean: I hope you like the potato recipe. It is easy and is just as good at the ones where people put butter all over the top of the casserole. It isn't necessary and certainly isn't good for you. There is no taste difference using margarine and ff milk either. If you want to use regular potatoes, you might have to up the time in the oven a half an hour and in the microwave about another 10 minutes or so, I am not sure as I don't use peeled potatoes. I gagged my way through the chicken casserole last night. Jack really likes it and I hate it so I ate the baked chicken part and threw away the rice part and ate fruit instead. I don't like the taste of cream of chicken soup in the rice or at least ff cream of chicken soup in the recipe.

    Maggie: I have a file folder full of printed recipes I use more than anything. I am a seat of your pants cooker so only use recipes where I need exact amounts. I have a ton of cookbooks but rarely use them unless I am looking for something and then usually go online to find it.

    I guess I better get my day started. I am going to go up and open up the windows in the bedrooms upstairs and cool things off then shut them before Jack gets home so he won't have a fit. Men, they think we are persnickety! Faye
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  •   #3  
    gma22's Avatargma22 , 06-13-2011 08:10 AM
    GRRRRR! Ladies, I want you to pretend you are customer service agents for a hotel. I am going to pose a question to you and you tell me what you think I want to know. In other words read the "email" I sent to customer service and tell me what information I am requesting. I have talked to two people on the phone and 3 now in emails and they keep saying the same thing instead of answering my question.

    Here goes:

    "I made a reservation at your blah blah hotel for 6 days. The rate I used was "third night free at checkout." I would like to know since I am staying 6 nights will I get two free nights at check out or only one since I am basically staying for 2-3 night periods. In other words is it every third night or just the first one?"

    Ok gals, tell me what you think I want to know! Every person I talked to tells me this "When booked at the "3RD NIGHT FREE" promotion, the free night will be applied at check-out." I didn't ask them when I was going to get the night credited back but every person I talked to this is all they concentrated on was that I didn't get it until I checked out.

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  •   #4  
    QuilterInVA's AvatarQuilterInVA , 06-13-2011 09:19 AM
    Good morning ladies. It's only 72 degrees right now and barely going to pass 80. I'm waiting for the AC guys to come. We had rain again last night. The paper says we've had nearly 2 inches in 3 days so that is good.

    Faye, I think they are saying you get one free night, no matter how long the stay. It isn't credited every 3 days which would give you two. Thanks for the potato recipe. I'm trying it out for supper. Fortune is sure lucky to have found a mommy who will be his personal chef, too.

    Maggie, the yard sale was only what was handy on the first floor. Margaret had a room on the second floor that is floor to ceiling quilting and craft stuff. You can hardly get in. I scan all my recipes and make my own cookbooks. It seems to be easier for me to go through them that way.

    Jean, the yard sale was mainly quilting stuff. I doubt we had a hundred dollars of other stuff. There is a whole lot more in the upstairs and the barn loft. I have a rider on my homeowner's insurance for $15,000 for the contents of my sewing room and keep documentation through pictures and receipts up to date. That is not a large stash for a dedicated quilter. I have friends whose sewing machines cost more than that.

    Gail, this is the big week FIL comes to Delaware? I hope it all goes well while he's there.

    Have a great day.
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  •   #5  
    Maggie's AvatarMaggie , 06-13-2011 12:22 PM
    Monday Monday
    GOOD MORNING MAGNOLIAS

    It is currently 76 degrees and expected to get up to the low 90's this beautiful day which isn't windy yet. Our strawberries are going to be so good. One got ripe and we halved it and it was absolutely wonderful tasting. We also got some radishes out of the garden for they grow so quickly. We get our Jeep back today! Will had them check the brakes while they have it. Then we can give the truck back to our friends that loaned it to us. They have 5 vehicles so haven't missed it for they said so. I am a happy camper for at weigh in this morning the iron monster showed me a pound down. Will is also a pound down so we are the same in the losing department this day. We are waiting to go to the market this day until we get our Jeep back. Life is good. The wall behind my desk is looking good. I have been saving pictures of food out of my two magazines I get and taping them on the wall and they are a couple of feet from the ceiling now and all around the shelf I have above my desk and all the way to the wall at my left. It looks so good with all those veggies and fruit and good things for my program. Some of the pictures are huge ~ bigger than the actual food. I am sure you have seen these pictures in your magazines. They are all out of the WW and CL mags. One of my favorite ones that isn't food at all but an attitude ~ a cute little rabbit on the back of a big turtle.

    DONNA FAYE I can tell your place is cooler because you are back to your knitting. It is so wonderful that your little pooch is attacking with vigor the food you made for him. Little guy is getting gourmet in the true sense of the word. Our two scudders are at the groomer getting a cut and bath this day. They will smell good for a day anyway. That is good that you have a maintain this week for your system will lose the weight by the chunk when your water retention subsides. I am so thankful that the meds I take keep me from packing liquids. So very thankful. Plus is a duretic and I love my sf ff cappuccinos with a double shot of espresso. Your message to find out about the 3rd day free deal was clear to me. However I do think their deal is 3 days or more then you get one free. So you could stay 15 and still get one day. If they had worded it a day free for each 3 days then it would be different.

    SUSAN We seem to be alike in how we save our recipes you scan and I cut and paste well I do use double stick tape. Graceous sakes your friend Margaret did have a lot of "stuff." Good thing that you and your friends that are helping with the sale know the value of the items you are selling for the gentleman. He is fortunate you are doing that for him.

    JEAN & GAIL Hope you are both having a wonderful day this day.

    Type at y'all later.
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  •   #6  
    Jean's AvatarJean , 06-13-2011 02:56 PM
    Good Afternoon, Flowers! We've had a very strange day for weather! I drove to church in pouring rain, drove home in strong winds that was blowing "for sale" signs over in yards, now the sun is peeking out and the wind has settled into a gentle breeze. It's 60 degrees and on the damp chilly side. I'm waiting a couple days to do laundry so I need to put some tops 'n bottoms together to see what I have and what I need for MN.

    Maggie -- on losing another pound this week! I keep a sheet of paper in cookbooks with page #s of favorites in that book. Most of my cookbooks have sentimental value to local people or my hometown churches so I hope that someday Beth and Amanda will want them. Glad your Jeep will be home today!

    Susan -- You are smart to take pictures for your insurance man. We should but just never have. I watched a sewing machine demonstration one time and was just amazed at what it could do. Mine are plain and simple -- forward, backward, hem stitch, and buttonholes. My old one has embroidery discs that I've never used.

    "Gma" -- on your maintain today. I'm so glad Fortune is enjoying his food that you make for him. I have to admit I've never used canned potatoes, but will give them a try. I'm guessing you get one free night at the hotel as long as you stay the 2 nights, no matter how many nights total.

    Gail -- Wishing you safe travel to and from VA!

    Well, I have a dishwasher to unload and should vacuum fur bunnies. Ernie should be bald but he just keeps on shedding. Enjoy the rest of the day!

    Jean -- from Iowa!
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  •   #7  
    gma22's Avatargma22 , 06-14-2011 07:20 AM
    Good morning to you ladies. It is cool here this morning so I went upstairs as soon as Jack left and opened the window in the bedroom and put the fan in it and it was drawing nice cool air into the room so it should be a lot cooler in there today. Hopefully in another month I can buy another unit to put upstairs.

    I finally got an answer from the hotel. Thanks ladies for giving me your opinion. You answered my question exactly so you obviously understood what I was asking. She finally got on the ball and told me the same thing you did, so I cancelled the reservation and booked with the Radisson. I found out that besides the higher rates at the first hotel, you also had to pay 8$ a day for parking and $10 a day for internet service in your room. Bologna with that, even the cheap hotels give you free parking and internet service nowadays. Like Jack says charging people that is basically free profit, well they can take their profit. The Radisson in Branson is lovely has the same amenities but has a pizza restaurant, a sports bar restaurant and a bistro in it, free parking, free internet and is right off the strip so easy access to shows and such. The just renovated the whole hotel too so all their rooms have been undated. The only thing this room doesn't have is a mini fridge, but we take our cooler for our drinks so that is the only reason we would need a fridge at all anyway. The plus side is even with the one day free, we still save over $240, which is about 2 1/2 days of meals. The only thing I am concerned about is that Jack's knee surgery will have been 2 1/2 weeks and the hotel is on a hill. I may have to do the car parking and such if he finds it difficult.

    I finished the scarf for Alicia this morning and will start on her matching hat then will have the three piece set done and can do the duffer slippers (this is a picture of the ones the designer made, aren't they cute? The ones I wanted to show you another lady knitted and she put embellishments on them and such but her photo isn't showing up on the website anymore) I can't wait to start on them and may just jump over the hat for the time being and start the duffers.

    Jean: We had a real nasty thunderstorm roll through here yesterday afternoon. It got black as night out right after Jack texted me to "batten down the hatches." I texted him back, "why?" and before he could answer me back it got all black and thunder and lightening and wind and rain. I got my answer and had to go out and roll down the patio table umbrella so it wouldn't twirl around in a circle with the wind. It passed fairly quickly then the sun came out and dried everything up before bedtime. I did accomplish what i had on my list yesterday so now today I should start cleaning again, but I have been up and down a lot last night and am sort of sleepy. I am going to make myself some breakfast and maybe start those slippers.

    Maggie: Thanks for you input. I thought I had asked the question fairly easily to understand and obviously so because you all were able to answer me, but seems they only hire goofballs at this hotel chain since I couldn't them to answer until this morning what I was asking. Congrats on your lb down! Fortune really likes the orzo pasta. He is having turkey with orzo and mixed veggies today and has already eaten about half of it. His favorite was the chicken with orzo and carrots though. Other than the mess it makes cooking all the stuff, I don't mind making his food really and if it keeps him well I am all for it.

    Susan: Wow, I didn't know you could buy a machine that expensive. I know they have some beautiful machines that do some extraordinary things these days that projects almost sew themselves. I watch the quilting show on PBS from time to time and enjoy seeing the patterns and such them make. Oh, the thing about the raspberries molding is they were in the plastic containers they come in and were molding that way so I took them out and put them on paper towels to make sure they were nice and dry then put them back in one of my own containers with a dry paper towel in the bottom and they seem to be doing fine. I saw that Jack took a fruit medley for lunch the other day. He didn't have to sit and cut them up is the reason, he could just take them straight out of the container all ready to go.

    Gail: Hope all is going well with you today!

    Well gals, time to go for today. I have chores and cleaning and knittng and reading to get done. Have a great Tuesday and hope the weather is nice where you are!!! Faye


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  •   #8  
    Jean's AvatarJean , 06-14-2011 09:51 AM
    Good Morning, Flowers! It is dark and raining in my corner of the world this morning. I have a couple errands to run and need to stop at the library sometime today. For whatever reason I woke up an hour after I had gone to bed; I finally got up and read for another hour then managed to go back to sleep.

    "Gma" -- I hope you have a cooler day today! I know that sometimes hotels will add extra charges after the fact. In the fine print, non-owners are charged $15 a day for valet parking where we stay in Maui. It doesn't cost anything if you go to the garage and get your own car. It sounds like you ended up with a better hotel all the way around. The slippers are cute! What color yarn are you going to use? You have a busy day planned for today!

    I need to get busy! I'm dressed and ready in case the dw repairman brings the part today. Hope you all have a terrific Tuesday and enjoy!

    Jean -- from Iowa!
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  •   #9  
    gma22's Avatargma22 , 06-14-2011 11:00 AM
    From the now I have seen everything file: Someone actually knitted a whole digestive system! (I was looking for knitted buttons or flowers etc to put on the duffers and I came across this and just had to look at the link) too much time on somebody's hands!


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  •   #10  
    Jean's AvatarJean , 06-14-2011 11:42 AM
    EWWWWWWW!!!!
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  •   #11  
    Maggie's AvatarMaggie , 06-14-2011 04:28 PM
    Titilating Tuesday
    GOOD AFTERNOON MAGNOLIAS

    It is a beautiful day but for the high humidity. Reminds us of the days we lived in TN. Just got back from taking a dear friend out to lunch that is moving to Florida. We had a great time and I had a sandwich and cottage cheese while trying to stay OP. Then the guys wanted apple pie so I ate a few bites and gave up the rest. It didn't go to waste or my waist either. Life is good. Will is out putting treatment on the Jeeps ragg top and such today. Making it all pretty and like new. We will get the new breather system put on this coming Thursday which will give us better gas mileage and be better for the system. Open up its airways so to speak to breathe better. Next will be some external items like a new front bumper set up. Anyway we like it to be user friendly. Funny thing, my knee hasn't 'gone out' since I bought that brace. Fine with me. I don't have a clue what I am going to make for dinner so I had better put on my thinking cap and get something thawed. The folks at the building center just gave Will a huge piece of marble counter topping which he will use for his leather works. They make custom kitchen counter tops and this is a cutout from some order and no good to them. A much smaller piece from the place he buys his leather is @$200 so no telling what this huge piece would go for there. This piece is 1 inch thick, 21 inches wide and 27 inches long. And then an ovel one that is 11 1/2 inches wide and 14 1/2 inches long by 1 inch thick. I have the ovel in my office for when I do some pounding.

    JEAN You could send some of your rain here for we could use some more. Did you get your dishwasher all fixed up now? Hope so for we have all become so dependant on that appliance in out homes.

    DONNA FAYE Some one sure had more time on their hands to knit something like that. I hope they donated it to a doctor of their choice to hang in his or her office. Could you just imagine me making one like that out of glass ~ could be done but not by me! After making the dog food for awhile you will get better at it and it will be a snap. Your pooch will thank you for it by the gusto he shows as he eats it.

    SUSAN & GAIL Hope this day is good to you.

    I need to go and get some chores done. Kitchen counter is calling my name. Type at y'all later.
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  •   #12  
    gma22's Avatargma22 , 06-15-2011 07:59 AM
    Good morning to you ladies. It is going to be another hot one in the south today climbing up near 100 degrees again. It only cooled off to about 80 last night so you don't get much respite from the heat.

    Jack and I went swimming with Thomas yesterday afternoon after he got off work. The water was pretty chilly but it was nice to get in and do some swimming around and hopefully going a couple times a week my feet will not be so swollen. This heat kills them even in the ac.

    Jack keeps losing weight and is now down 30 lbs. He has about 15 more he would like to lose before vacation I think and that should put him at goal. His work pants are becoming pretty lose and he is losing his tummy too so all in all he is pleased as am I.

    I have one of the slippers knitted and it looks huge, but of course it loses about 30% of its length when you felt it so it will be just right. I was pretty impressed with my color choices as they blended terrific and they aren't even the same brand. On top of that, I bought them online and it can be difficult to match colors sometimes, but these look great and I hope she likes them. I have started her hat too and hopefully have enough yarn to finish it and not have to get more, but it is going to be close. I hadn't planned on making a hat, but saw this cute one on the bernat site using the yarn I used for the scarf and gloves so I decided to make it too. It is sort of a beret style.

    I am rearranging furniture a bit today to make the ac more efficient. I am hoping it helps. It is working great, but the loveseat recliner was sitting right in front of it and may have blocked it a bit from cooling the whole room so I turned the loveseat around so we shall see.

    Fortune is on his last day of antibiotics thank goodness. He is really a sweetheart about taking them but I still get some teeth because when I stick it back in his throat he wants to bite down to swallow it. He never really hurts me, but those little teeth are sharp anyway!

    Maggie: You should see some of the other stuff people make revolting. I think making something lovely would be better than making sex organs or this thing. I don't think it was like a med student or anything either because of the site it was on. It was all kinds of weird knitted stuff. I spent about an hour on Ravelry yesterday and found some cute dog sweaters I might make for Fortune for this winter when I get to a place I have nothing needed to be done and when is that? I still want to finish my pretty green sweater I started for myself for the cruise a couple years ago. I am hoping it will fit me by next year if I can ever get to it. I have a lot of gifts to make yet. At least it keeps me busy and knitting keeps your hands busy too as would you glass craft I would think. Is your craft easy to walk away from at anytime or if you start something do you have to finish it before you can stop? Fortune's favorite that I make is the chicken, orzo and carrots. He had that this morning and attacked it and it is gone! I think the turkey and mixed veggies is probably his least favorite but he eats it too. I am going to research and find out just what veggies I can put in dog food and be safe. I know you can't put onions or garlic in anything as they are toxic to dogs, not that I would do either there isn't much nutrition in them anyway.

    Jean: EWWWWW is right. I mean they knitte the thing from the tongue which is the very top part and ended with the rectum so they covered the whole digestive system for sure, but am not sure, why??? How's the packing coming for this weekend? I am not sure I would want to lug all that stuff all the way up there and back. You are a better woman than I that's for sure. We would be staying at a Hilton or something!!! I used a pumpkin color for the bottom of the slipper and a varigated that has a pink an orange some lavender. It sounds awful, but it worked out terrific. Here is the slipper before it has been felted. They felt and sort of look like little flats. I have to go to the craft store and get some fabric paint to put on the bottom. You make patterns on the bottom and when it dries you have a non skid surface like those socks you get in the hospital with the rubber bottoms.

    Well, I guess I should hit the road and start getting some work done. It isn't going to do itself and my house is a mess as I didn't get what I wanted to get done yesterday. Have a great middle of the week! Faye


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  •   #13  
    Jean's AvatarJean , 06-15-2011 09:25 AM
    Good Morning, Flowers! It's another cloudy cool morning in my corner of the world. I'm getting a pedicure in a few minutes; I'm thinking positive and hope to wear sandals next week! The dw guy is bringing the part sometime this afternoon so need to pick up the kitchen and vacuum the crumbs. Ernie tends to drop a piece of dry food and then plays with it on the tile floor. I'm usually the one who steps on it in the end.

    Maggie -- Apple pie . . . . ! Your Jeep will be pretty spiffy when you get all the parts for it. I still wash a few dishes by hand. I don't have a window over my sink and I do miss that although I don't mind doing dishes by hand.

    "Gma" -- A BIG to Jack on his weight loss! He is doing so well with the program for being a somewhat picky eater. The secret to packing for MN is a LIST! My "mom" used to bring everything, but I've pretty much taken over the last few years. She is still using a cane, and will at least until August, so it's harder for her to maneuver around the kitchen. I'd rather take my own favorite bowl, pan, sharp knife, or whatever than wash everything before I use it up there. Some of it is pretty ratty looking. I wouldn't be surprised if this is our last year; the prices have increased so much and the fishing hasn't been very good the last couple of years. I don't work on the clothes packing until tomorrow and Friday so I can do last minute laundry. I like the color of yarn in the slipper!

    Gail -- I hope you have your FIL settled in by now. May your time together go smoothly!

    Susan -- What are you up to today?

    Guess I will start on the kitchen pickup before it's time to leave. Have a wonderful Wednesday -- halfway through June already!

    Jean -- from Iowa!
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  •   #14  
    QuilterInVA's AvatarQuilterInVA , 06-15-2011 12:07 PM
    Good morning, ladies! 71 degrees. Haven't needed AC since they installed it. But that keeps the electric bill down and is alright with me.

    I was a slug this morning and didn't get up until 10 am and I went to bed at 10pm last night. I guess I really needed the sleep because I feel more energetic today. I'm rearranging the living room, cleaning windows, waxing furniture, etc. today. Friday will be the family room. I am getting rid of 2 bookcases and a china closet that is in the breakfast room (I have another in my dining room). The thrift store is sending someone to take them out of the house for me. They are nice pieces, but I just don't need so much anymore.

    I had quilt guild last night and dinner with the ladies before hand.

    Faye, I like the color of the slippers. Can't wait to see it when it is felted. Congratulations to Jack on the weight loss. I'm sure his knees appreciate it, too.

    Jean, I hope you enjoy your trip. It sounds like a lot of work to me. I'm for staying in a hotel with a pool and room service.

    Maggie, Will sure was lucky to get that marble.

    Housework calls. Have a great day!
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  •   #15  
    GailR's AvatarGailR , 06-15-2011 12:17 PM
    I am here. Since I last posted...and I'm not even sure when that was, a lot has happened or so it seems that way. Yes, my FIL is here in Delaware now. I won't go into it but as hard as he is trying, he is not the man he wants us to know him for. And the sad thing is, Wayne has not seen the whole picture yet because he has to be at work. I'm not complaining. I'm just scared. Scared for my FIL. Scared for my husband when he truly sees the whole picture (and he will by the end of the weekend) and scared for myself (because I don't deal with stress very well). My FIL cannot be on his own now. I'm not sure (at this point) IF he should be on his own. After the drive up from VA to DE and after this morning, the very least my FIL needs is assisted living care. There is so much to this. Okay. Enough.

    I want all of you to know how much I appreciate you saying hello to me in your posts. That means so much to me. Just knowing each of you are out there (in different parts of our country) ready to read my sometimes scattered thoughts mean the world to me. And I don't like being a negative person. I really am the sort of person that sees the glass as half full.

    I am taking one day at a time here.

    Jean, I know my FIL is trying to make things go smoothly. He has so many things wrong with him. When I went to pick him up at the hospital yesterday he was given 12 prescriptions. TWELVE. Everything from a urinary tract infection to a cold to cholesterol to atrial fibriallation to heart to different kinds of pain meds. We did not sleep last night because he coughed so badly last night and then fell asleep at 6am. Today, he has two people visiting him for home healthcare. I'm not sure who these people are but I will find out. And through all this because he was watching some of Dr. Oz on the tv this morning he now wants me to go out and buy him some anti-puff anti-wrinkle cream. Go ahead. Laugh. It's okay. I would love to have a pedicure today!

    BRB
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