Good Tuesday morning gals! I finally got T's monogrammed turtleneck at 7 o'clock last night. It looks really nice. I have to show you the tote bag I am getting him for Christmas to carry his piano music to lessons in. I can get a zipped variety, which I am going to do, and they put heat transfer whatever you want on it as long as it isn't copyrighted or trademarked in any way. They come in three sizes too! I thought it was pretty cool so below is picture of the bag (T's is going to be a light blue tote) and what I am having heat transferred on it. (I noticed when I posted that the picture rotates to other thin

Jean: I didn't know what felting was either until I started knitting again. I had never even heard of it before. It does make whatever you felt pretty indestructible though. It is pretty amazing actually. Hope you have another nice quiet day at school.

Maggie: My sister lives in Southern Calf and I talked to her yesterday morning and she said it was raining cats and dogs on her way to work. I guess we will eventually get it. At least we don't get the snow, thank goodness. What a mess that would be living here!

Jack has his allergist appt tomorrow, but he hasn't had any swelling for almost 2 weeks now. Maybe his body has just righted itself. He is going to go and get checked out just in case, though. Unfortunately, he has to take a whole day off work to do it.

I am looking forward to my Red Hat luncheon and meeting some of the ladies. The chapter "queen" said she is not sure how many will be attending because some are out of town. I think it will still be fun because it is a big chapter, like 40 members or so. She splits them into two groups and they lunch on the first and second Sat of each month. I will have to get in the routine of going each month.

Susan: That is terrific about Stan. He will be used to that ole leg in no time flat. I hope he is able to do well with it and it give him his quality of life back and yours too!

Well, Jack will be up in just a couple minutes so I guess I better get going!

Have a good day and if it is cold in your part of the world, stay warm!

Good morning! Just a real quick jot as we have the appt today and I need to get upstairs and get showered and such. I hope they can settle all this swelling stuff once and for all.

Jean: I agree, sounds to me like the teacher wants her "secretary" back. Maybe they will keep the little jerk or he will get into trouble between now and then.

I am finally done with the sleeves on that blasted sweater and am now doing the collar. I had to do it three times, but I now seem to have it right. I am still not proficient at picking up stitches, especially on a cast on area. It looks pretty good though and I will be glad when it is done. I did find an error in the pattern, which threw me off no end, but once I got over that hump and figured out what I was supposed to do, it went ok. I am not experienced enough to recognize a booboo. I just blindly follow the pattern.

Well, I have to run gals. Hope you have a nice day. It is balmy, but rainy here this morning.

Faye

Good morning ladies! It is pretty balmy here. The house got up to around 76 yesterday afternoon and we had to turn the AC on for awhile. It is still pretty warm this morning. I think the rain has moved through but the temps are supposed to nosedive about 20 degrees today and go back to normal.

Dr Duncan said exactly what I told you we thought was wrong. He did have hives and they were almost assuredly caused by the surgery trauma goofing up his immune system. He did some allergy tests, which all came back negative, told him for two weeks to take his Toprol only every other day instead of everyday, and put him on Allegra for 3 weeks even though he hasn't had an episode in a couple weeks. Dr Duncan said we were right to come in even though the swelling had quit because he now has his history and what not and can treat him if it reappears. We are hoping it is all done with.

Poor Jack must have gotten Bob's sneeze from Iowa. He is really sick, but he has to go to work because he has no sick time. He has a pretty bad sore throat and I ran out of honey for my famous "elixer" so he is having to resort to lozenges. He wants to pick himself up a Lean Cuisine at the store for lunch this morning so I am going to have him get some more honey so I can have some ready for him to drink when he gets home.

If I ever get this sweater finished I am never ever ever using this pattern again! First off, one part of the pattern was rearranged, then the yarn for the trim isn't heavy enough, I put on the neck and one placket according to directions and it droops really badly. I tore it all out and went in and doubled the yarn so we shall see if that will work out right. I would have to tear out the whole sweater to fix the bottom and that is notgonna happen so there will be two thicknesses of the trim, but at this point, I just want to get it finished. It looks so cute and I don't want to have to scrap the whole thing, but the collar and front buttonhole bands have to be firm enough to stand up a little. I decided to lay it down last night and did these instead while we watched the movie CARS on dvd last night. That is such a cute little movie. Jack felt so bad I didn't fix dinner he just had chicken soup and a grilled cheese and I just had a grilled cheese for dinner.

Jean: Good luck at bell practice. How come you guys are doing an extra song? Are you doing holiday music already? Hope you can stay warm in the ole drafty halls of the learning world.

Well, I am going to start a load of clothes, clean out the cat box, and unload the dishes then either read or knit until Jack gets up at 5:15. I may go back to bed for a couple hours then. I didn't sleep well trying to listen for him.

Have a great day gals!

Faye

Hi, ladies...75 degrees today and my roses are still blooming on this last day of November. Faye, your rain is supposed to arrive here tomorrow and temps drop to 40's so winter is coming.

Faye, I hope Jack is feeling better. Stan has a cold right now but not too bad. He's walking better every day. Theraphist said he'll be ready to go to a cane and put the walker away in another week.

Jean, I think the old days were better in some respects - those kids wouldn't have been coming to school anymore back then. I don't know how you stand it.

I just got a copy of "YOU on a Diet" - Dr. Oz has been on Oprah and Discovery Channel and it is a very good book - pretty much like SB or WW Core as far as the food but excellent information on how and why we gain and the inner workings of the body and how different types of food affects us and its very wittly written so its not at all like reading a text book. In looking back over the the last year, I'm 11 pounds less than I was in January so that has been positive but I could have done better. Still want to get 10-15 more gone which is where my doctor thinks I should be. Maybe we all need to recommit and get going January 2.

Evening ladies! I am doing the happy The sweater is finally finished! I have never had such a worrisome project in my life. What a nightmare! I threw the pattern away it was so bad!

Jean: If you find any of the kids having trouble with their knitting, have them go to www.knittinghelp.com and she has videos online of practically everything showing them how to do all kinds of stuff. She has a huge glossery of terms and symbols and it is just great! My remedy is 1 TBL white vinegar, 1 TBL honey and 8 oz hot water. I have never had it not take a sore throat away after several mugs. Jack even drinks it and says it soothes his throat. I make up big batches and he can even cart it to work and heat it up in the microwave to drink during breaks and such.

Susan: Hope Stan's cold is getting better! Jack feels awful and part of it is because he can't stay home and in bed. Thank goodness tomorrow is Friday!

Well, I just peeked in to see who had posted and to show you my finished project. If I ever find out who wrote this pattern I am going to punch them in the nose!

Have a nice evening. I am going upstair early and watch tv and wait for CSI to come on.

Faye

I never can get the attached pictures to show - and I do have it set in my options but when I click view image nothing happens!

Hot now - 72 degrees but it has clouded up and the winds are starting so the rain must be on the way. Supposed to be down in the 40's tonight!

Too warm to feel like Christmas or other holiday stuff.

HI All!
It 's been a while, again! I have been having some arthritis problems and I can't sit or stand for too long as I get stiff! Both DH & I seem to have developed the problem...his in his right knee and I have my in my left knee. We make quite a pair. It has dampened my Christmas shopping quite a bit and I think this year the gk's will get a small gift and a gift certificate or check. Mall walking is an exhausting event.

My it is good to see Maggiehere again. I see that you are still living in your RV and I think you are doing better in it than I would. Do you still have your yellow convertable? I always remember the picture of you in it that you displayed here a while back.

SusanI am so happy to hear of you DH's improvement! He will be on a cane in no time then you will have to run to keep up with him. Hope you both are feeling better from the colds.

Faye Glad Jack has done so well after surgery. I know the hives and swelling was not fun but maybe you have a handle on it now! You are a knitting machine. You sweaters, purses and baby clothes are adorable.

Jean Since today is Friday you have a couple of days to recuperate from those kids in school. I don't think that kids got away with half as much stuff in our school days.

We went to DD#2 for Thanksgiving and have a party to attend on the 8th and, I think, that's it for this year.

Have a great weekend everyone. Gloria

Good morning ladies! I was so tired yesterday I went to sleep about 7. I had gotten up really early yesterday morning so guess that was it.

I had my Red Hat luncheon yesterday and I enjoyed it. There are a couple of real characters though. One of them is loud and obnoxious, about my age, maybe a bit older, bleach blond, wore heels, skin tight purple capris and a lace blouse. Sat through the whole meal making cutting remarks about her husband and men in general. If you have ever seen the sitcom "Reba" she reminded me of the character Barbara Jean from that show, except Barbara Jean is dopey and this woman was truly obnoxious. I thought I was a loud mouth! The lady I sat next to was really nice and doesn't live very far from me so we had a nice conversation. The group is so big it is divided into two groups and when Natalie the chapter "Queen" ask me which group I wanted to be in, she said, she wants to be in 2 with us so I am in 2! I guess the whole group only gets together a couple times a year because there are about 38 women in the chapter. I found a hat I can knit and felt so I have another hat to wear next time.

Jean: Don't feel bad, I ordered a bouncer for my new grandbaby and had it shipped to Indiana and I ordered a video game for Thomas and had it shipped to me because neither South Bend or Memphis had a store for them to be picked up at. It is a stupid service if no one can use it! Hope the bell ringing goes well and no sour notes this morning. I will be thinking about you too when you play. I am sure it is lovely! Wish you didn't live so far away, I would love to hear the group play sometime.

Gloria: I hope you and dh are starting to feel better. Arthritis can be so debillitating. The chapter queen of my Red Hat group had a cast on her arm and when I asked her what happened she said she had surgery on her hand because of arthritis. She had no cartilege in her thumb area. I think a lot of people discount it as just some old age disease and not what it can really do to a person. Hope you are feeling better, we miss you around here!

Susan: I think you probably got what we had on Friday by now. Boy it sure took that 70 degree weather and blew it right out of here. It was horribly windy and freezing cold on Friday after being that warm here on Thurs. Hope Stan is coming along great with his new leg/foot and you are feeling tip top and not having anymore trouble with your asthma.

I need to skedaddle girls, I have the commissary to go to today, UGH! I don't have my list or even my menu planned for the next two weeks so have to get to it!

Faye

HOWDY

What a beautiful day we had today. Sun shining and now it is a clear night with "almost" a full moon. Lots of stars and quite lovely. Got our lights up around the outside of the MH and they sure are pretty. We put up colored ones ~ little sparkley things. Twisted a couple strands together and they will burn all night long.

Will bought me a Panini cookbook and it has some really good sounding recipes for the spreads used. I am going to make a couple of them that last forever and then make just a little bit of the ones that have to be used within 5 or so days when I want them. Good to find some recipes of some of those lovely spreads. Tonight I made pininis with roast beef very thin cut deli style and mozarella cheese on sour dough bread. The spread was pesto and garlic. Good.....UMMMMM. I love making them at home because I can that way control the points in them. I got rid of my electric panini maker (much too big for this small kitchen) and have now a small one burner stove top grill which is reversable and press to make the paninis. There is a mustard concoction that I am going to make that takes 7 days of having it out of the fridge and stirring it every day. It is great in potato salad and the such and not just sandwiches. Another I will make is a purple onion one that is slow baked. I think I will be able to get started on the both of them tomorrow afternoon. We have to go back to town tomorrow morning and get some things that we didn't get ~ much to much traffic and folks in the stores over the weekend.

My Weight Watcher leader gave each of us a little brass jingle bell last meeting and I silver soldered it onto my bracelet. It stands for one of my favorate sayings ~ DON'T EXCHANGE WHAT YOU WANT MOST FOR WHAT YOU WANT AT THE MOMENT. It is on the same link along with my piece of the puzzle. All the empty links are designated for charms waiting for me to lose 10 pounds for each of them. My bracelet will be a bit heavy when full. Have a wonderful week everyone.

Maggie out west.