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#1

Jean , 04-26-2005 05:53 PM

Good Afternoon, Flowers!
It's been another cold and windy day in my corner of the world. The heat was on at school today so that was nice.

It was kind of a ho hum day. I had my evaluation and it seems that two different teachers are arguing/discussing, with the special ed. director, as to which direction and with whom I will go next year. I know that I like where I am and said so; I'm hoping that the teachers I work with this year will stay the same for next year.

"Gma" -- I hope your weather holds for your ball game! It's supposed to be in the low 30s again tonight and it feels more like November than almost May! Our weather has been from one extreme to the other in the last couple of months. We had such a mild winter that I am kind of worried what our summer may be like -- both heat and tornado wise. My neighbors grow tomatoes in flower pots and have good luck with them. I've never heard of an upside down plant but sounds good to me!

Not much else is newsy. I need to call Beth; she is taking the baby in for blood tests for jaundice. Tonight is WW and I am expecting a gain but hoping for a maintain. I just can't do funeral food, birthdays, and a new baby all in the same week when I am just starting again.

Have a nice evening and a wonderful Wednesday!

Jean -- from Iowa!

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#2

gma22 , 04-27-2005 06:55 AM

Morning ladies!

Jean: What do you mean, who you work with? How does your department work anyway? Hope WW is not too painful! It is tough when you have that kind of stuff heaped up on you all at once. I know my weekend is going to be shot with ds and dil here in town. He wants to go out for BBQ Thurs night and I have yet to see anything on a BBQ menu that is the least bit low fat! I just looked at the weather report and it is now showing no rain for Saturday so maybe we will get to go to the game afterall. I know my son and dil are going to be going to what usually happens here a mud festival. It is down on the river at Tom Lee Park and for the last several years it has rained and everything is mud. Thur and Fri it is supposed to rain hard so it is probably going to be unpleasant for them Friday night at least. I heard on the news they laid down new sod all over the park to help with the mud, but sod or not, that many people (thousands come to this thing) will just tear it all up and make it mud.

Not much news around here this morning. I woke up early again so am trying to let Jack get his extra hour of sleep.

have a good day everybody

Faye

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#3

Maggie , 04-27-2005 01:57 PM

Humpday
GOOD LATE MORNING MAGNOLIAS

I slept in but don't think I had 8 hours sleep. I was caughing all night. I hate having this cold. I have taken all the meds I am allowed with my BP and I feel miserable. This too shall pass but in the meantime . . . Ragg Mopp was a bit better with his groomer yesterday ~ during his bath he took the sponge and she was able then to trim his face. I am so glad she likes him so much! Just think, I will have to be doing most of his grooming when we are on the road. OH joy! Cowboy will help hold that little wiggle worm down. He is a strong little thing but he does love his bath which is good. I think we are going to move into the motor home in May and that way we can see if we really need anything out of the house or maybe don't need something we put in the MH. We can do all this before having a yard sale to get rid of what we don't want to take.

Ladies I feel terrible and am going to go lay down. Type at you later.

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#4

Jean , 04-27-2005 10:37 PM

Good Evening, Flowers!
The computer is so slow tonight and I'm hoping it is the isp rather than my computer. It's cold and raining again -- supposed to go down into the 20s tonight. We still had the heat at school that this is good! Today was pretty routine and I like it like that.

"Gma" -- There are 5 special ed. teachers (we had 6 but the one resigned when he was charged with growing marijuana last fall and they are not going to replace him next year) at the high school and 2 special ed. aides. The 2 highest level teachers only get help (an aide) if they have a big study hall. The rest of the day is set up so that we go into regular classes as in speech and algebra as well as larger special ed. classes that would need extra help. I used to spend my whole day with one teacher who is a career teacher and one of those that you never know from day to day (hour to hour!) what kind of a mood she will be in. One day whatever is done is fine and the next day the same thing can be done and she doesn't like it done that way! I just let her do her thing and do my own job. She bluntly told the special ed. director that she wants me back for more classes next year. The second teacher that I spend most of my time with now is closer to my age and our daughters are best friends. The first teacher now has the other aide for 3 classes while I am only in there for a study hall helping math students that I am in math class with. She can't push any of her correcting papers off on me this year and I like it like that as I correct papers from the 2nd teacher's 5 classes. Some of the classes only have 6 or 7 students so it doesn't take alot of time. Part of the "problem" is that since I am certified and have been doing this job for 13 years, I just go ahead and do things without being told while the other aide is not certified and is working with a new supervising teacher (in the bd room) this year. I have no patience for behavior problems so I know I couldn't do her job. Now that I've told you more than you ever wanted to know . . . aren't you glad you asked? I did lose a pound at weigh in last night. I hope the weather holds for your son and dil's visit.

Maggie -- Sorry to hear that the cold is still hanging on. I would hate to have to groom a dog -- it would be like working on a moving target! I have enough trouble cutting clumps of fur off "Mom." She loves to be brushed but it seems like we always end up with a clump or two and she can't reach them. I hope you are feeling better tomorrow!

I need to get busy and wash my cat sheets that I cover the livingroom furniture with as they are really furry! Hope you all have a terrific Thursday tomorrow!

Jean -- from Iowa!

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#5

gma22 , 04-28-2005 09:20 AM

Good morning ladies! AOL kicked me off this morning and I ran out of time to re-post, but here I am again!

I have a lady that posts on my other thread and she has lost like 200 lbs on WW I think and kept it off for years. She said this morning that when the weather is such that she can't be outside, she goes to Walmart, loads the cart with 4 25 lbs bags of dog food and pushes them all over the store for 30 minutes, takes them back and unloads them and then leaves! Bet she gets a real workout!

Maggie: Hope you are feeling a bit better. Colds are always so dibillitating I believe. I hate them. Sounds like you are coming along with your RV packing etc. Take it easy today and get some good rest!

Jean: Gosh, I have never heard of so many special ed teachers all in one school. Why do you have so many? My dd went to a high school where her graduating class was like 900 or some such thing and they had maybe 2 tops. Ok, I think I have been blundering around this whole time I have been posting with you. Are you a certified teacher's aide? Maybe I misunderstood, but from you last post it sounded like it. I thought you were one of the special ed teachers and wondered about some of the things you would do! DUH!

DS and dil should be here late this afternoon if they got off as early as he wanted to. It is raining pretty good here and there is a big storm around us so we may not have a game tonight if it keeps it up. I kind of hope we don't but I know my son wants to see his nephew play. Maybe on Saturday morning it will be better and drier. We are supposed to go to dinner with them tonight and he wants BBQ so there goes my day! It is going to be nuts downtown this weekend. There are Redbird (the triple A team for the St Louis Cardinals) baseball games, the Grizzlies NBA playoff games, the music festival (which draws thousands all by itself) a big convention is in town downtown and some special motorcycle exhibit. So, what did the two dummies do???? Bought tickets to go to the baseball game on Saturday. We are going to have to park in Arkansas and walk! I dread trying to find a parking place on Sat and the prices will probably be astronomical too. On top of that, the main drag in town is down to one lane with construction and of course it goes right past the ball park! UGH, how do I get myself into these things!

I need to start getting some work done

Have a good day today

Faye

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#6

Maggie , 04-28-2005 06:37 PM

Thursday
GOOD AFTERNOON MAGNOLIAS

This cold is still hanigng around with a great cough. I really shouldn't complain because my last cold was back a couple of years ago. I don't get many and for that I am thankful. This is definitely a new strand going around this year that last a good 3 weeks. I slept better last night and only caughed when I got up. Yep I am getting all my things sorted out that I want to keep and what I want to sell. If what I want to keep is over the weight limit then I will have to rethink what it is I have to have. Cowboy will do the same thing. Daughter was up yesterday and we were able to give her 3 boxes of stuff she wanted which was a big help. She and her husband live in a small place so didn't want too many of the bigger items. They just downsized wihch is good. Folks are doing that nowdays ~ finding out they don't need such big places. Takes more to heat them not to speak of the amount of time cleaning them. My folks downsized to a 2 bedroom from a huge 4 bedroom a few years back. My older sister and her husband just finisehed remodeling a 2 bedroom they downsized from a huge 5 bedroom place. We used to have a huge 5 bedroom place and now look at us ~ gonna go live in our motor home. Works for us! Life is good. I am totally through with retched excess. But I do believe in "to each his own" and don't put anyone down for what they want in a home. I rotisseried a chicken yesterday and tonight I am using the leftover meat for a tortilla pizza thingie. I love to use the left over rotisserie meats in dishes hte next day. I am convinced that I need to take that appliance with me.

JEAN when summer really hits you will be wanting some of those cool breezes back. AH remember that heat from years past. I just don't like that humidity. Acutally grooming a dog is much easier than grooming a cat. Imagine washing a cat. It is a good thing that God built into a cat the mechnisim to give it's self a bath. When Ragg Mopp's groomer cuts a cats hair she insists that the owner be there with her to hold the animal. I can't imagine holding Turn to be clipped ~ he is going to a new home tomorrow. It has come to the point ~ we weren't going to travel with him anymore anyway ~ even if we didn't get a puppy. With his long hair it gets into every thing and in such a small space it is quite into everything more than in a house ~ like it is consentrated. We have found a gal that wants him and he likes her fine. He is 9 years old now and still a good old boy. We know we will miss him but the time has come.

FAYE ah it is raining here today also. The ballgame that Cowboy was to ump this evening has been cancelled. I remember how the streets fill up in TN when there are sports or car events. I loved how the folks came out for those events but didn't like the traffic jams. Ever go to Bristol? It is a sight to behold on race day. Some folks come from miles away and bring their motorhomes and they have a place for them to park near the speedway. On race weekend there isn't a motel or hotel room to be found with in a hundred mile radious. I know that first hand! Do you wear orange?

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#7

Jean , 04-28-2005 11:03 PM

Good Evening, Flowers!
I'm heading for bed shortly but wanted to check in with all of you first. My weather is still on the cold side but it was a sunny day along with the wind. It was a hectic day at school with an assembly just before lunch . . . the local college is putting on a production of "Grease" and wanted to perform a couple of the songs for us. A former student is in the group and sorry to say that they need lots of practice before they put the show on this weekend.

"Gma" -- Yes, I am certified and yes, I am a teacher's aide. My degree is elementary education and I taught kindergarten when I graduated from college. After my DH finished his degree, we spent a year in Minneapolis at a time when teachers were dime a dozen, so I didn't even try to find a job since we knew we would only be there for a year. Then we moved to Ohio and I did some subbing and tutoring out there before Jason was born. After Beth went to school all day, I started subbing again and found that I really liked the high school atmosphere better than the elementary and did quite a bit of subbing there. I just happened to be at the right place at the right time and got my job when the former aide retired. I love being able to leave school at 3:27 and not have to worry about the multitude of paperwork as well as the responsibility of lesson plans, meeting the state requirements and bench marks, etc. A few years ago the principal tried to talk me into getting my secondary certification so that I could teach one class of something when there were too many students. My certificate is K - 9 and I have several minors so could fill in most anywhere, but I didn't want to invest the time and money required on the "maybe" of a job for a year. I hope that T's game doesn't get cancelled and the weather shapes up for you! Enjoy your visit with your son and dil.

Maggie -- I must say that I am surprised you are leaving Turn behind. We moved one cat from Sioux City to Minneapolis, to Cleveland, and back to Iowa; it never occurred to us not to take her along. She had alot of miles on her and she lived to be 19! I hope you are feeling better and your cold is gone soon!

I need to keep moving and pick up some of the clutter. Have a fantastic Friday!

Jean -- from Iowa!

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#8

Maggie , 04-29-2005 02:03 PM

FRIDAY it's Friday
A GOOD MORNING TO YOU MAGNOLIAS

I feel so much bettrer this day! I wasn't able to get to sleep very well last night but figured I got in 7 hours of sleep since I was let sleep in this day. I am not quite back to exact but now know that I will get there.

JEAN Turn is a well traveled cat for sure. He was born in Minnesota, lived in Texas, Tennessee, Idaho, Nevada and California. He has been in lots of other states that we traveled through. We really had to think of what wourld be best for him and it is to stay here.

FAYE I hope you are dry now. The rain has stopped here so I guess the ball game scheculed today will be a go. We will be coming to Tennessee in our travels ~ are the red buds in bloom there now?

Have a wonderful weekend folks. And keep a smile on your face, makes other folks wonder what is going on.

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#9

Jean , 04-29-2005 05:58 PM

Good Afternoon, Flowers!
I got pulled to sub for the BD teacher today . . . the principal warned me this morning that he couldn't find a sub. When they don't start until 7:45 it's a pretty sure thing that everyone is either gone or has other plans by then. I told him I would do it if he would babysit a certain student that has been giving all of his teachers fits for weeks and in turn gets sent back to the BD classroom to spend the rest of the day. I decided I wasn't going to put up with him either. I had him for a few minutes a couple of weeks ago and told him I wasn't going to put up with his crap. So today I had him the very first thing and he never let out a peep . . . didn't see him for the rest of the day so he must have taken my warning to heart.

The high school spring concert is tonight and we have reserved seats because we made a contribution to the music department. That means we get to sit on chairs on the gym floor rather than the bleachers.

The sun is shining but it is still chilly - jacket type temperatures outside.

Maggie -- When are you officially leaving on your journey . . . do you have any idea where you will end up? Glad you are feeling better!

I need to iron something to wear tonight so better get moving. Have a nice evening!

Jean -- from Iowa!

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#10

Maggie , 04-29-2005 06:25 PM

Back Again
JEAN we will be leaving sometime after June 15th. End up? Heaven for sure is our ultimate destination. We haven't a clue here on earth for we are planning to travel until we are unable to anymore. There are places when that happpens we can just park it and live in it till we expire. Have fun at the concert ~ I always liked going to those events. Well I was always in them in Acappella Choir so it was part of my grade but they were fun.

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#11

gma22 , 04-30-2005 11:30 AM

Morning ladies, hope you are having a good weekend!

Maggie: What made you guys decide to leave the old homestead and start traveling again? DH says nowadays with satellite stuff etc, RVing is like home anyway. He would like to do that when he retires, but I am not really interested. Besides, I am not sure we could ever afford to buy an RV.

Jean: Sounds like you have a real pistol at that school, but then from what you say, you have a barrel of them.

No soccer today as the fields are too wet. We had a horrendous storm all evening so I am sure my dil and ds got soaked at the festival last night. I know it lost power when lightening hit a power line, but they had back up generators and the shows kept going on. We are going to be leaving in just a few to go and have lunch with them, then go to the ball game at 1 PM. It is really cool and windy today so I am not looking forward to that part, but I do like baseball and it is the Cubbies after all even if it isn't the major league team. We get to see them in Oct in Houston.

Boy, I am having a time of it with the pet sitters. Waiting for a third one to contact me. The second one waited 2 days to contact me back, then tells me she is neither bonded or insured, will have to charge me more for gas (she already charged $2 more flat fee than the first woman who WAS bonded and insured, and told me she really doesn't do my part of town but would consider it. I just e-mailed her back, told her thanks for the response, but we wouldn't consider anyone who is not bonded or insured and we feel her prices are inflated for what she does. We could board him for $13 and she wanted $18 to come every other day! I think that is awfully high just to check on him, feed him and check his water if necessary and clean his box out. So now I am pretty much at my last resort, but this person was listed with pet sitters international and they require them to be bonded etc and her area seems to cover us.

Well, I better get things gathered up for the game as we are not coming back home.

Everyone have a good weekend

Faye

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#12

Maggie , 04-30-2005 02:19 PM

SATURDAY in the MORNING
GOOD MORNING MAGNOLIAS

It is a beautiful day and the birds are twitterpated. Cowboy is out umpiring a ball game and I am getting over this cold. Slept great last night! I started weighing some things I want to put in the MH and OUCH...gonna run out of available pounds quickly.

FAYE We both love to meet people, and travel the blue roads of this country. No one is a stranger for we are apt to talk with anyone. A few years ago we picked up a book Full-time RVing by the Moellers. We were both hooked. You can be "out there" and everyone can get in touch with you when they wish or find you quick or you can completely disappear. Your choice. If a person wants to do it thay can. There are rigs available to fit any pocketbook and also there are places to work along the way if you want. Workcamper News puts out a list of jobs for campers. Some work a spell and then travel till the money is gone then work a bit more. Some don't work at all but just travel. Some campers are working at Dollywood there in TN as I type. If you don't like "camping" you can cook all meals in your RV for it is your home and self contained. We do inside and outside cooking ~ depending on the weather. Poke up a fire at times also. I think to do it you have to like to travel ~ not the busy highway kind but the mosey on the back road kind ~ meeting small town America. You have to not mind not mowing the grass. I carry with me a small pot with an Alavera plan in it for it is functional. I have known more men that want to do this than women which does hold the man back. We have a dear friend that has a MH and wants to travel and his wife absolutely does not so it sits there in the driveway. If both parites don't want to do it then it usually doesn't work and both are miserable. It is quite a change in life style and you have to want that. Get a copy of Ben and Jan Moeller's book and it will answer many if not all of your questions. You might even get hooked! We are so looking forward to hitting the road. And just think ~ all those ball games to see.

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#13

Jean , 04-30-2005 09:29 PM

Good Evening, Flowers!
We went to Menard's this morning, then had lunch at Ian's house, back to the mall, then visited Kolby and Maddy, stopped at KMart and headed home. I found the electric broom I wanted at KMart and it works great! Beth now has pink eye but I don't think she got it from me -- her's is much worse than mine was.

Maggie -- I meant did you have a destination in mind for the winter months or will you travel through them also? We drove by our campground last night and there were several motor homes/RVs/campers set up. It was pretty chilly last night so hope they all had good furnaces and heaters.

"Gma" -- Wish we lived a little closer and I would cat sit for you . . . for free! I even have references although two have moved away from here. We have even babysat dogs over a weekend. I hope you can find a good one!

I need to get started on the laundry so better keep moving! Have a super Sunday!

Jean -- from Iowa!

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#14

Maggie , 04-30-2005 09:55 PM

I'm BACK
GOOD EVENING MAGNOLIAS

Been making lots of decisions today on what to take along. Did find a great little BBQer though. Here is a Description:

Outdoor cooking is a whole new experience with a Cobb� Grill. Judged by TIME� Magazine as one of the best international inventions of the year, the uniquely designed Cobb� Grill makes cooking anything easier than ever before! Roast, smoke or barbecue meat, poultry, fish and seafood; bake bread, biscuits or pizza; simmer soup, stews and pasta.

The Cobb Grill is designed for safe, healthy, super-efficient cooking:
�Insulated stainless steel lid and high-tech plastic base keep heat in
�Outside stays cool, so you can safely cook on any surface
�Cooks for 2 hours using only 6-8 charcoal briquets
�Non-stick grill lets fats drain into the moat and is easy to clean
�Moat holds seasonings for cooking vegetables or liquids to moisturize meat
�Stainless steel fire basket and pot stand hold briquets in fire chamber
�Stainless steel bowl pops out of base for easy cleaning
�Compact 12�H x 13� dia. size makes it easy to store
�Includes a weather-resistant nylon carry bag

Now that is one thing I am going to order Monday and it only weighs 10 pounds and is such a small convenient size. I love it when I find something that will do more jobs than one and lets me for go taking something much heavier along like cast iron dutch ovens.

JEAN you can rest assured we won't be spending our winters where it snows. We can be in states that are having more decent weather and continue traveling about in them. When we first leave here we are heading to Montana to visit some dear folks up there. After that we may mosey our way back to Tennessee to see some dear ones residing in that state and Kentucky and Virginia. We will be out of there before winter hits though. It all depends on our desire when it is time to leave one area. We aren't going to map out too much road at a time for we are not in a hurry and we will just smile as if we have good sense. Some folks are called "snow birds" that live in one state in the nice weather in their house then when the snow hits they go south in their RV. Then back again. We won't be doing that back and forth routine. To each his own and it suits them fine to do that. We won't have a "land base" for the whole country will be our back yard that someone else grooms for us. It is a good life and LIFE IS GOOD. No lawns to mow and no snow to shovel.

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#15

nanacas , 05-01-2005 11:28 AM

Good Morning.

Haven't been here in a while and today is a good day to sit in front of the 'puter. Rain is still with us but once in a while a sunny day pops in with a touch of Spring.

Went to our friends on Cape Cod for a couple of days last week, it was good to see them after the Winter. She has Ostioporis (sp) real bad and has shrunk and leans over somewhat but that hasn't stopped her. She is still as feisty as ever. He has Parkinson's but has started a new regimen of med's and hopes they will help. At least he hasn't done any roof shingleing for a while. We had two nice days with a rainy one in the middle. Still love the Cape as long as we can see the water.

MAGGIE: Traveling the way you are planning sounds so much better than going with a deadline. Back roads are much more interesting and long as you can find a place to park at the end of the day. What more can one ask. Have fun. That BBQ sounds like a winner.

FAYE: I think the whole Eastern half of the US has had a very wet, miserable Spring. It will change and then we will start talking about the heat. Right?!!!! Have fun with DS & dil. Hope you will get more time with T.

JEAN: Kolby....what a cute name. How is Maddie taking her new brother? It is hard at first with two so close but with time Maddie will probable take great pride in her little brother. Hope your eyes are better...pink eye is not one of my favorite happenings.

Cute story....Ryan, DD#3's middle son (8) had his picture and a story about him in the local paper. Headline read "Up & coming Editor-in-Chief" It seems the family subscribes to the kids version of National Geographic and Ryan notices and ad for associate editors and applied. They have been sending him mock ups of covers, topics for future editions, and other items and he could access a special web site to vote his favorites. He and others across the country have been doing this for a year. As a reward they sent him a new DVD about wild animals to plaly and vote on and then keep as well as a world map for his room. He has brought the map to school so he classmates could enjoy it as well. They are doing a special report on their favorite wild animal and he has selected the Poison Dart Frog. Never heard of it but it is from S America. Talked with DD today and she admitted that she submitted the story and picture to the paper but they wrote the headline. Ryan is so proud of himself and as he is shy that is just what was needed.
Just one story from the big city....small town...but as a grandmother I did get a kick out of it.

Gloria in MA...Have a great day everyone!

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