Good Evening, Flowers!
I just got home from bell choir practice and my fingers hurt! I play bigger bells and we have a song that goes from ringing to hitting them on the table and/or using mallets and/or using your thumb to stop the sound after you hit the table. My part goes from one to the other without any rest between measures. After about twice through, my thumbs have had it. I just need practice, practice, and more practice!

Bubbles -- I hope your cold weather will end soon. It was -11 this morning on my way to school and it is 5 above right now. The sun was out and it wasn't so windy so it didn't seem as cold as yesterday. I hope you can find a home for the puppy. I have a "new" orphan -- he/she is still a kitten, long haired and black. I think he/she has been around people because I can pick him/her up and love him/her; he/she purrs pretty loud for such a little fur ball. I'm hoping to find an inside home for him/her.

I need to get some clothes ready for tomorrow and catch the news. Also have to make a grocery list as I have to take a salad to a "get-together" on Sat. Haven't decided what kind to make -- may end up with just a good old fashioned lettuce salad with all the "stuff" in it.

Have a fantastic Friday!

Jean -- from Iowa!

My neighbor plays the bells and was the director for several years. However, she took a hiatus, as she's working on her National Boards. I took a look at the syllabus.......probably 5" thick, which is her guide for her portfolio............what BS!!!!!!! She's expected to spend 400 hours outside the classroom......she's probably spent 1,200. Has to do videos of herself presenting a lesson, then critique it. All this for an extra $2,500/year? I don't think so! AND, it cost her $2,600 to do it, although she's supposed to get that back. She was the state Teacher of the Year in 2000, so it's not as though she doesn't know her stuff. Sounds like this is like getting a PhD or a National School of Excellence..........tenacity and documentation. Have I told you lately how much I miss all that BS?
Still frigid, but we're supposed to maybe make it to 15 today and the wind has died down. Lots of people with frozen pipes. No school yesterday or today............too cold for the kids to be out waiting for buses, and because we're so rural, if one of the buses were to break down, they'd have a real mess. Other than the main highways, the side roads are all still snowcovered and slick.
We had class at the hospital yesterday, and a surprising number of people showed up to weigh. Those who were on duty walked over from the hospital........maybe 50 yds., and their faces were very red.
Off to exercise. then home to put on a pot of stew.
Have a great Friday.
Bubs

Hey Jean, How are you? I used to post about a year ago very regularly under a different user name and you and I e-mailed personally, but I became upset with the "leader" of the thread I belonged to because of some unkind things she said to someone and left. I quit my job, my dieting and pretty much gave up until a month ago and now and definitely on the right track and going at getting this weight off for good and forever.

I have a cat ? for you. Last Nov we ended up with a stray kitten that wandered onto the back door at the plant my husband works at. Poor little guy was left out in this wilderness area to die or got separated from his wild cat mommy. Though I am not a cat lover and we have a Yorkie, we brought him home and made him part of the family. It is a male and not quite old enough to neuter yet. My problem is he is a biter and I don't know if he'll outgrow that as he gets older, when he is neutered or what. We don't allow him to chew on us, but it doesn't seem to hinder his enthusiasm at keeping at it. (His name is Butterscotch)

Hey Jackslady,

Welcome to another "southern belle" I may be called a lot of things, but that ain't one of 'em!

I'm a cat person also, and have two Maine Coons who run the ranch. Neither of them is a biter. As a matter of fact, I've never had a cat who was once they got beyond the kitten stage. If your guy is as young as you say he is, he may well be still teething. Sometimes when they've been declawed they'll become biters too. I keep a spray bottle of water handy, and whenever either of them starts to sharpen their claws on the furniture, I spritz them with a little water. If you or your husband plays roughly with him, that may also be the cause. They're strange little creatures and definitely have minds of their own!

Good luck on your weight loss journey. I lost 101 lbs. 30 years ago, and put it back on over time...........teaching Jr High Special Ed will do that to you, huh Jean? That's not an excuse. Anyway , I rejoined almost two years ago, and have lost about 40 lbs.......should have been 3X that, but I'm not even going there!

Where in Tenn. are you? We're in Eastern WV, used to live in Greenville, SC and would travel through Bristol, Johnson City, Erwin area frequently on trips back and forth.

We're going down below 0 again tonight.............enough already!

Happy weekend one and all. I can pass on the Super Bowl! Went to the library, so I'll read while it's on.

Bubs

I am !!!!!!!!!

I just wrote this wonderfully (?) long post and it didn't post on through to the board. GRRRRRR! I don't have time to rewrite it as I am off to the grocery store!

Jackslady -- WELCOME!

Bubbles -- I will be back later!

Jean -- in Iowa!

Well, I will try this again. I don't know what the problem is but my server is slower than slow tonight. My patience is rapidly disappearing!

Bubbles -- I have no desire to go beyond my BS. My next round of classes will be "fun" ones like knitting, crocheting, quilting, etc. We almost never ever, ever never have late starts or early dismissals, let alone a "no" school day. Certain people in this down do not make such arrangements for their younger children. The few times we've had a late start, these students show up for school at their regular time -- usually somewhere between 7 and 7:30. We did have a couple of area schools that cancelled because of the cold weather. Locally, we provide busses all over town so no one has to walk very far. Hmmm, stew sounds pretty good in this cold weather!

Jackslady -- As I said in my very brief post, WELCOME to the SM thread! Needless to say you have aroused my curiosity. Did we, by chance, meet on 1234Ever? I've never had a cat that bit but I do know that some declawed cats will bite afterwards. I guess I would try the water bottle or else thump his nose when he tries to bite you. I still have my menagerie; 3 inside fur people
and several outside orphans that I feed. This is our 4th winter for the outside "grandma" cat; we've relocated 4 batches of kittens to area farms. She would be an "it" if I could only catch her! Are you enjoying "not" working? I've been thinking about retiring but this year I've had a pretty good bunch of kids to work with. We also have a new grandson, born in Nov. Of course we think he is the best thing that ever happened. I hope you will visit often and post; we need (and try to give) all of the support we can!

I am heading off to bed. Have a great weekend, Flowers!

Jean -- from Iowa!

Brother, I didn't tell much did I?

Jean, I am from Memphis and posted on this site about a year ago under another user name, which I would rather not tell due to the circumstances of leaving the first time. You and I corresponded a few times through e-mail. Anyway, thanks for the info. No we do not play rough with the cat and do not allow others, though of course the cat and dog play. Maybe you are right and he will settle down once he is old enough to have all his teeth I hope. We use the spray bottle technique also. Thanks for the welcome. I have a long way to go and a lot of weight to lose, but I am very very committed to this being a life long venture not "just until I lose the weight" kind of thing. I have to be honest though! I am not a southern belle but for shame, a yankee transplant. I am originally from Indiana and moved down here two years ago for husband's job prospects and to be close to my grandson.

Well, I need to get downstairs, get my morning chores done (feed pets, put away dishes in dishwasher, start a load of clothes, etc) and get my morning walk (ugh!) in. I do a puny 1/2 mile in the morning and 1/2 mile in the afternoon, but at 360 that's not too bad I guess.

The pic below is my pride and joy grandson, Thomas and his mom, my daughter, Kelly.

Donna

GOOD AFTERNOON MAGNOLIAS

Well folks you didn't get rid of me afterall. We have decided to keep the internet connection as long as I can continue to pry open this lap top. Seems all the damage it did to itself was to warp the lid and break a hinge. Must have gotten very at one time but we don't have a clue why. Well I did it! Got my hair cut short like I had it when I was in High School and Cowboy, bless his heart, said it is the best cut I have had. Well, well retro is good.

JEAN that was just too funny about your finger. So you play the big bells ~ I like thier tone better anyway. .

BUBBLES I certainly hope your weather has gotten better. It is still top down weather here.

JACKSLADY welcome to our group. We are very supportive of each other and welcome a new face to walk this road to thin with us. That grandson of yours looks so darling. Thanks for sharing.

GOOD EVENING MAGNOLIAS

We are getting warmer. Today it was in the 20's and may even get over the freezing mark tomorrow. A heat wave Last nite was the church appreciation dinner/dance and we had a great time. They had a 5 pc. band and they played all the really great old songs. Two of the gentlemen were singers and one sang some of the old Louis Prima songs. They were great. This week we need to make another trip to Bedford Air Base for a Commissary run. Then on Friday is the "Flurries".

JEAN: I will be making a Baked Stuffed Shells dish. Not too difficult and it can be baking while we are at the appetizer house and then I will just run in and get it hot from the oven to bring to the entree house. I try to make things easy for myself. I can actually have it ready early in the day and just bake it before we need it. Those bells sound like they make great music and anything great means hard work on someone's part. I guess that means you.

MAGGIE: So glad we will have you with us for as long as your computer can hold up. A short hair cut is a good thing. I have had my hair short for the last 10 years and it is wash and wear. I love it.

DONNA: Welcome! We always like to have new people here. I am retired and DH and I have 9 grandchildren and spend a lot of time with them. We also like to travel. I am an avid reader, also.
As with every one else here I am battling my weight. I was at goal but this last year has been a bad one and now need to get back on the band wagon and lose about 25#.

BUBBLES: Hope your weather is easing up. That was so nice of you to take that long drive the get the pamphlets for WW. Your a nice leader.

Gloria in MA.....of to do some reading before lights out.

Good Evening, Flowers!
I am heading off to bed shortly; we just got home and much later than we had planned. We spent a nice late afternoon/evening visiting and watching a very busy one-year-old. Jason and Amanda were glad to take a sleeping Ian and go home!

Donna -- Thank you for sharing the picture! I just got a scanner but haven't plugged it in or figured out how to run it yet. How old is your grandson? He is a cutie! Kelly looks like a very proud mom. Any amount of exercise is better than NO exercise so keep it up.

Maggie -- I'm so glad you are going to stick with us! I wonder what happened to your computer? It is 7 degrees right now; I thought we were supposed to be warming up . . . I think the weatherman is confused!

Gloria -- I haven't made stuffed shells in a long time; that does sound good! I hope you enjoy your evening and have decent weather to walk about your neighborhood.

Have a relaxing Sunday, Flowers!

Jean -- in Iowa!

Good Morning Ladies

It's a gorgeous day here. Sun is shining and very few clouds. I think it's going to be in the 50's today.

Maggie - So good to see you still here and that your computer still works even if isn't as pretty as it once was. hehe Kinda like me - I am still getting along even if things are a little wrinkled and bent and have some hinges that don't work like they used too..

Jean - I hope is has warmed up out there. That is TOO cold. Brrr

Gloria - Are you folks retired Air Force? My dad and brother are retired from the AF also. So I've grown up with it.

Donna - Welcome!! That sure is a cute grandson!! I think you will enjoy your weight loss journey with these wonderful ladies. I just recently became a regular visitor here. I have been on this current, and last, journey of weight loss for over 5 years now. I have lost 76# and have quite a few to go. DH and I are planning for retirement in just under 3 years now.

I think I missed a couple of days of visits. We have been busy around here. Things like repairing the pipes and fittings around the water heater $$ Having the sewer lines roto-rootered $ DH wants to do all this stuff himself. He can do that kind of stuff but it takes him a LONG time to get them finished. And I do like hot showers.

Well, I need to run. See y'all later!!

Good morning to you all!

I am dragging my bum today for sure! Unlike a couple of you ladies, I am sitting on the fence between menopause and menstruating still and boy do I pay for it! I feel 105 this morning and my exercise was torture, but I got that puppy in!

Thank you, thank you for the comment on T from everyone. He is 2 1/2 and very very funny. He is very precocious (probably from being around adults a lot) and can come up with some real hoots. He is spoiled rotten as both sets of grandparents only have him to spoil!

It is still chilly here today, but it is warming up. I thought I would freeze the last couple days with the highs in the single digits. I know some of the rest of you have it really cold too, but Memphis is not used to it.

My hubby is downstairs cooking and watching Gettysburg. We missed church today because I just couldn't get myself out of bed so he probably feels like he is playing hooky.

You ladies all have a great day! Donna

Good Afternoon, Flowers!
It's a beautiful day in my neighborhood; the sun is shining brightly and a bright blue sky. The temperature was a -8 this morning on the way to church but it feels much "warmer" now. We made a quick trip to a hardware store and they were having 30% off their toys so Grandma bought a couple in order to start a toy box here. I do have a couple of the Fischer-Price things from when our kids were little, but I understand that the people have been ruled unsafe. They won't be nearly as much fun without the people!

Joyce -- I had to laugh at your description comparing yourself with Maggie's computer. I know the feeling well! We are supposed to hit 40 degrees sometime this week so I have my fingers crossed. We don't have much snow and it will be gone if it warms up at all.

Donna -- I took HRT for 12+ years so avoided some of the menopause symptoms. I did have to wait 6 months, after surgery, so I do know what hot flashes feel like. NOT fun! Hope you are feeling better as the day goes on.

I need to search for a baby blanket that was given to Jason when he was born. I think it is in the bottom of the cedar chest and if not there . . . where?

Have a great week! One day at a time, one meal at a time, we can do this down the road to thin!

Jean -- from Iowa!

GOOD AFTERNOON MAGNOLIAS

What a lovely Lord's day it is. Another Top Down day but on Sunday we don't put the top down because of chruch services. Gotta tell you this BRAG I got so many compliments on my hair today I lost count. Got told so many times I look 10 years younger! I loved it to say the least. I had forgotten how easy this hairdoo was to take care of till I got up this morning to get ready for church. When I cut it this short when I was a teen you should have heard what my drama teacher said about it Cut off all those long luscious wavy locks she adored.

GLORIA I like those old songs. I am listening right now to a Kronos Quartet CD and love their sound.

JEAN the "unsafe" standards have taken a lot of fun out of being a child but guess they make sense in some cases at least. Guess your weathermen are normal - it is just a guess they make. We guess also but thiers is an educated guess.

DONNA what church do you normally attend? Cowboy is a preacher for the C of C. We lived a couple years in East TN and did get some occasional snow there. Boy was it beautiful there. In fact we still have a horse out there ~ Katy. Cattle Kate.

JOYCE you and me and my computer. I know what you mean about liking hot water for those showers. Hope your hubby has it all under control now. Seems like one thing after another needs fixing when one things goes.

Everyone have a glorious day that the Lord Hath Made.

Hey everyone! I have the "husband watching the superbowl" lonelies so what better way to be cheered up than with you guys!

Jean: Don't you wonder how our children survived with all those unsafe toys? My son had a weebles treehouse that he adored. My grandson is a devil on wheels, yet he doesn't put stuff in his mouth etc and he won't be 3 until June. Personally, except in rare instances maybe it is because mom is not paying any attention. I have toys here too. I kind of buy two sets for him, one for his house and one for mine. He loves to be read to and puzzles. He also loves leggos and this little battery operated train. As for the HRT, I am more than a little nervous about it so have refused to take it and just try to ride the wave. One of the worst things is food cravings. I can't believe how bad they have been yesterday and today. I can usually put them out of my mind by doing something else, but I thought I was going to go nuts today!

Maggie: We attend a Baptist church. We haven't found the right fit yet and are still visiting around town. We found one we really really liked except Sunday School was awful. The teacher read from the ss book instead of teaching. My husband was an adult teacher and though he taught 150% (handouts, overheads and the like) a person who can't even prepare enough not to just read the book isn't much of a teacher. Anyway, our former landlords and former neighbor both go there and wouldn't understand why we weren't attending SS let alone possibly hurting the teacher's feelings which we would never want to do so we continue to look.

Gloria: My husband is retired Navy! He retired in 1989 after 20 years. I married him after he was in 3 years so that was all I knew and boy what a culture shock being outside that blanket. We moved back to South Bend (my home) after he retired and the nearest base is in Chicago a 100 miles away so I kind of was out of the military cold turkey! Paying for insurance and prescricptions, no commissary, etc whooeee. I crack up when people think that because Jack is retired he shouldn't have to work. What a joke! Pays the mortgage and not a whole lot more! It is an experience only those who have been in it can understand. Especially the Navy. His last sea duty tour (his rotation was 3 years shore duty, 3 years sea duty) he was home 93 days in 3 years. At least living in Memphis I can go to the commissary. The one here at NSA is really pretty good.

Well, I better check on Jack. Don't want him injuring something yelling at the football players! lol

Donna