[Maggie]

GOOD AFTERNOON MAGNOLIAS

It is a tad warmer here today but I still don't have to have the air on. I put a roast in the crock pot last night before bed and put a packet of dry onion soup and some garlic powder and a sliced up onion on top of it. It cooked all night and the odor wafted through out this trailer and was a killer. But it made a dozen beef, rice, salsa and cheese buritos, most of which are wrapped and in the freezer now. Good for popping in the microwave later on.

WELCOME BACK JEAN good to see you made it home safe. Send some of that rain this way for we are so dry we are crackling.

COOKIE I saw MB years ago and it was excelllent. I am sure you will enjoy the performance.

Have a good rest of the weekend everyone.

[Maggie]

GOOD EVENING MAGNOLIAS

Guess it is me all alone here today. Good think I don't mind my own company Hope everyone is having a nice weekend. The campground is full and people are being turned away. WOW and the season is just started.

Have a great tomorrow.

[JLStevens]

Hi Greybubs...love the name BTW

I like the bike with the automatic...I, too, could never figure out when to gear up and when to gear down...so most of my riding was on flat land!! I think you are mixing me and Maggie up. I'm the one that was foolish enough to wash all the windows and it was me who went to see Ya Ya while the guys went to a tool sale. Not that it really matters, but I thought you might like to know. I was a camp counselor during the summer while I was in high school...my "camp name" was Buggies...don't ask!! As part of my student teaching program, we had to spend a week at an Outdoor Education program. The student teacher's job was to sleep in the cabin with the ten students and keep them under control and get them to the various classes on time. I had 10 ten year old boys that were quite a handful...but it must not have been TOO bad because I became a teacher anyway! LOL

So enjoy the bike!!
Jackie

[JLStevens]

Welcome home Jean!!

You were missed in the flower patch! Glad that the weather held off until you were ready to come home!!

We are still recovering from the "window experience"...next year I think I'll help some poor starving student and let them do it!!

I've been faithful to my "swim 1/2 hour every day program"...I haven't gone yet today...DH was up early trying to get rid of the streaks on a few windows...you can only see them when the sun shines through them...thus the early attack!! But later this afternoon I think I'll do my swim. Tomorrow we are going into San Francisco to see the opera Madame Butterfly...such a tragic story but Puccini outdid himself with the music. We are going to try a new little restaurant near the Opera House...hope it will be worth the calories spent!

Well...on the laundry, dishes, and other mundane things!!
Jackie

[JLStevens]

This was posted by Graybubs...I just moved it over from page 2 of #170
Jackie

Hi All
Summertime is starting off gloriously, except we've been in a drought for the past couple of years, so the river is really dropping fast for this time of the year. At least the nights are still cool.
Jean, welcome back, and congrats on all that walking! I've had company since Thurs., in town but not at my house. We've eaten out several times, and I haven't gotten as much exercise as usual. Plan to start doing aquarobics classes Tues and Thurs. They were supposed to have started Memorial Day in a heated pool, but the instructor got a little greedy, and nobody would pay the tariff. Now it's warm enough to have them at the outdoor pool........it'll probably feel chilly when we first get in, but all that movin' and shakin' should warm us up pretty fast!
Aren't the forest fires in Ariz. and Colo. awful?! Beyond belief. We had a small one near us on the Blue Ridge Pkway, but they were able to get it under control within two days.
Oh Maggie the Window Washer, you do realize you could become a fulltime traveller washing windows across the country, don't you And we'd even feed you the right kind of food!

Ordered a new bike yesterday that has an "automatic transmission".........pretty much of an idiot when it comes to gear shifting on a bike. I was able to sell my other one for what I paid for it, so feel I'm not being too extravagant. This one is made for us Mature Students , or so the manufacturer says...........we'll see.

Have a great rest of the weekend. I'm hoping to get the kayak wet tomorrow. I have to figure out how to get it on top of my van with a step stool...........when you're only 5'2", and there's fat between you and the ends of your fingers...........I'll figure something out.

[Maggie]

GOOD AFTERNOON MAGNOLIAS

It is warm and beautiful. We are down to just 6 campsites that have folks in them now. From full yesterday this is quite a change but most folks have to work tomorrow so pulled out this afternoon. I have been OP and do hope for a loss to be shown at the Iron Monster's lair tomorrow.

BUBBLES you are too funny. It surely isn't me that does windows but my dear friend Cookie. Cowboy does the windows around here. But since she didn't change her name but you have a mistaken identiy can I please use those activity points from those windows?

COOKIE I used to work at a camp also in my younger days but I got to be the life guard since I had my Senior Lifesaving Cirtificate and was the "qualified" person. What a great fun job that was. I have been to camps since as a counselor and teacher which wasn't near as much fun.

Have a great evening folks. Hey JEAN where are you now that you are back?

[Jean]

Good Evening, Flowers!
It has been another HOT day here in my corner of the world . . . as in 96 degrees! The wind continues to blow and dry things out.

We made a quick trip to Sioux City and then to see the kids today. Bob wanted to go to Menard's for some plumbing parts for his shower that no one here in town seemed to have. While we were in MN, he had a deck built so also looked at tables and chairs for that. Sears had tires on sale in their ad and what should have been an hour job turned into two because the idiot salesman read the wrong line on the computer and didn't bother to have us paged until the first hour was almost up. I was really ticked to say the least. However, another customer had been there for 5 hours for what should have been a 2 hour job -- he may still be there as it was almost closing time when we finally got out of there and his vehicle was still up in the air w/o tires. His wife and 4 children had made numerous trips around the mall. It's a small world . . . he grew up a short distance from where we lived in Ohio.

Jackie -- I have never been to a "real" opera -- what fun! Hope you enjoyed it.

Graybubs -- I have a mental picture of you trying to put your kayak on top of your van. I am short too, 5'4", so I can identify with the problem. The pool aerobics sound like fun! The local college offers them here during the school year but it is at 7 AM and another class at noon. In my next life I would like to try that!

Maggie -- I was on the move today! After the wedding reception last night and going to SC today, I feel like my last 3 days have been spent in the car! Tomorrow I will finish putting my house back together and iron!

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

Jean -- from Iowa!

[graybubs]

Hi ladies,
the computer troll is out to get me. I've tried three times to post a reply, and keep getting told to log in...........I don't know what I've done.
I'm tired of futzing with it now.
Happy Monday.
Bubbles

[JLStevens]

Hi Flowers,

It's late...I'm tired...but just wanted to check in and see what was going on in the flower patch!

The opera was fantastic...the lead soprano...Madama Butterfly has an extraordinary voice!! What talent! The new and improved Opera House is stunning to say the least! Just the kind of a building you should see an opera in! As magnificient as some I've seen in Europe! San Francisco should be proud! The little boy that played MB's child was so adorable!!! I think I'm ready for grandmotherhood!! But that might have to be put on hold for a while...SIL might accept a position as General Council for a firm in Finland!! They would be there for 3 months and then could move around the world to various locations...sounds like a great opportunity to me!!

So ladies...hope your week starts off well tomorrow... MAGGIE...here's crossing my fingers for you at weigh -in!

JEAN: wow...96 IS getting a bit warm!! How is the humidity with that? You need to lay low for a couple of days and rest up!

GRAYBUBS: Hope that computer demon is leaving you alone! I HATE it when the computer thinks it has a mind of its own!!

Later Gaters
Jackie...aka Cookie

[Jean]

Good Morning, Flowers!
I'm just checking in while I wait for a load of towels in the dryer.

I went for a walk at 6 AM; it felt like it is going to be another hot and sticky day in Iowa.

Bubbles -- I see your post made it through the gremlins! Isn't it so aggravating when things don't work right? I hope your day is a good one!

Jackie -- Glad you enjoyed the opera! Our humidity has been running around 50 - 60% which is sticky. I don't mind the heat when the humidity is low. The job prospect sounds like an exciting opportunity for your kids! Jason and Amanda will be moving but not sure just when. He will be driving a half hour in the opposite direction now but his new employer wants him to live in town, which is understandable. He has an opportunity to work for a bank doing their insurance work. It would take him at least 10 years with his current company (same one DH works for) to attain the same income level so he jumped at the chance. They will be moving closer to us. Amanda will not have to work after the baby comes so she is excited about that. She'd really like to continue doing massage therapy on a part time basis.

I hear the dryer buzzing so better keep moving. You all have a nice day!

Jean -- from Iowa!

[nanacas]

GOOD MORNING MAGNOLIAS
It is a beautiful day in the neighborhood. About 86 and there is a slight breeze that is keeping everything so comfortable. We just came back from a trip to the supermarket to change the umbrella for one of the tables on the back deck. The original one had given up the ghost and DH got another one which I liked then he went back to get a second for the other table but got a completely different set of colors! This morning we went back and exchanged for one to match the first. Looks much better this way. Of course, he claims that I am the one that is color blind. I never said a word!

DD#2 has been to Universal Studio, Fla. since Thursday and due back tonight. I have been watching the weather down their and it has been horrible. Rain, heavy at times, then thunderstorms. Today it is sunny, wouldn't you know just as they are leaving.
I don't remember if I told you but they are having a second floor put on their house. We took a ride by and stopped to water their flowers and what a change. They have the roof entirely off and have started putting in the joists for the second floor. We have inherited their dog for the duration but she is no problem.

MAGGIE: Hope that today's WI went as successfully as they usually do. It should as you really are FOCUSED. Having fewer campers should give you and Cowboy a breather.

JEAN: I smile at the campers in the group but I am more like you. Camping out means indoor plumbing, preferable in the next room to mine. I also like airconditioning and that kind of thing.

JACKIE: It has been a long time since I have been to the opera but Madam Butterfly was always one of my favorites. Growing up we listened to the NY Opera on the radio every Saturday afternoon. The only kind of music in our house. Now I am into old-time music....40's, 50's etc.

Greybubs: I have been the computer troll route more that I want to mention. I can only fool around with it for so long and then I say see you later and come back when my patience has been renewed.

The Iron Monster showed 1/2# loss yesterday. I had hoped for more but I will take it. Did go for the full 2.5mile walk this AM and hope to get a few more in this week. I think that will make the difference.

Gloria in MA.....of to see if what else there is to do that I may not do!!!!!

[JLStevens]

Good Afternoon Flowers,

Well...all you folks having HOT weather...it is creeping over here too!! Starting in the low 90's today and then working up to the mid 90's by Friday. Wed. we are going to DD's to dogsit. She lives right on the ocean, so it will be nice and COOL!!! Just in time to miss our heatwave.

I swam this morning...tried on the infamous "green pants"...they are going all the way on now...but I don't think I could sit in them!
Other clothes are fitting looser so I know SOMETHING is happening. We are leaving for Alaska on 8/23...I think I will make that my first weigh date! Then I can see how much damage I did the 3 weeks we will be gone!

GLORIA: I totally understand the umbrella thing!! You wonder what makes them tick sometimes!

JEAN: I'm so glad Amanda will be able to stay home with the baby! They grow up so fast as it is. Having them closer will be great for you!!! And it sounds like a great opportunity for Jason!

MAGGIE: Hope the Iron Monster was kind to you!!

GRAYBUBS: Down with the computer trolls!!

OK...No laundry...no dinner to cook...but a really good book is calling me!!
Jackie

[Maggie]

I have one huge headache so am only going to say this one thing or maybe two.

The Iron Monster has me down ONE POUND more for which I am eternally grateful. That is one I won't have to lose again. Tomorrow I start my next set of 6 months on this journey to thin. This first six months I lost 41.3 and would be happy to lose that amount this next 6 months. That is a tad over 6.8 a month average loss which is a tad more than 1.6 a week. That, my friends, is quick enough for me.

[JLStevens]

Fantastic Maggie!!!
Cookie

[Jean]

Good Morning!
Just got back from a half hour walk . . . it is hazy and very humid out there! As soon as I relax for a few minutes will head for the shower and then the dreaded grocery store!

Hope you all have a GREAT OP day in your neighborhood!

Jean -- from Iowa!