GOOD EVENING MAGNOLIAS

It was a gorgeous top down day and we had a great ride and picked up some books at Barts to read. I got three more Clancy novels to read for 35 cents each. Hope everyone is having a wonderful OP evening.

GLORIA I would think that the dentist that installed your husbands bridge would have gotten the whole tooth out before so as not to have this problem later. Did you get an explaination why he didn't? I can imagine what a wonderful grand daughter you have. Not sleeping in! WOW she is a sweetheart.

Catch you all on the rebound.

GOOD MORNING MAGNOLIAS

It is a lovely day and I am still OP. How are you doing ya'all?

Good Afternoon, Flowers!
It's a beautiful day in my neighborhood! The sun is out and the snow is MELTING!

I am taking a few minutes to call my own before I need to get going again. I tried to make some bars this morning; a recipe I have never tried before and it looked simple enough. I don't know if it was me or the oven but they got way too brown (as in burnt!) on the bottom while the top was just right. So I tossed those out and baked some Pillsbury cookies from the fridge. I have to take a "dessert" for 8 to 10 people tonight and they are getting cookies instead of bars! There are some serious drinkers and they never touch the sweet stuff so won't know the difference! The birds and neighbor dog got the bars! I wanted to do something fancy but have no place to keep the dessert cold while we do some Christmas shopping beforehand. I am tired of social obligations! It's getting closer and closer to Christmas and I'm further behind than ever.....no one's fault but my own!

Gloria -- I am surprised at the winter weather that bypassed us and hit the eastern US. Hopefully it will warm up and thaw for you. I hope you and your DH are both feeling tip top again. I have a big aversion to the medical profession! It's nice that you are sharing your home with your family -- dog included!

Maggie -- Hope you are enjoying another top down day in your neighborhood. The little foot prints are cute! I'd need a merry-go-round this week! I'm hoping next week will be a little slower.

Have a nice weekend, Flowers!

Jean -- from Iowa!

Good Morning

I thought I'd stop in for a minute. Everyone is still asleep and it's after 7. We are usually up at 5. Too many late nights for me. DS leaves on Tues. GS leaves today. He's going to be 11 on Christmas day. We're going to DIL's this morning and all the cousin's will exchange their gifts. Too many different families anymore. Too many places to be. This GS was adopted outside of our immediate family. It's more like we have a mutual adoption. They have 2 other boys they have adopted that call us grandparents. It has worked out wonderfully. Truthfully, an answer to prayer because we knew we would have a hard time raising this gs ourselves. He is truly ADHD and his mom and dad are a lot younger than us with a lot more patience. Long story. But today 5 of my grandkids will be exchanging gifts. Gonna be fun. I think DS is going to get money that he can carry easily back to Fairbanks. He's got a few things he'd like to buy. He can do that there. Cheaper than trying to send it there.

And NO FOOD, I hope. This has been hard. I like being in the food rut I was in, makes it a lot easier. I have my "safe" meals. And I can plan the meals at a restaurant. But eating over at DIL's makes it hard. I went over on Friday some. I gave up trying yesterday. I have to get more water in too. Today back at it - hope I don't have to face any surprises. I'm not very strong at the moment.

Maggie - It's interesting to listen to you talk about top down weather while there is so much snow back east. It's fairly chilly here. Too much for top down.

Jean - Thats too bad about those bars you were making. At least you had something else on hand.

I just realized it's that time that I always call my mom and dad. Before they go off to church and get busy with their friends.

Gotta run.

Happy Sunday Ladies,
Had to go back to #204 to get up to speed on what was going on. First of all, thanks for the concern for Ann's daughter, kara. They went to the Cleveland Clinic last Tues. and within a few hours had determined it was Pericarditis.........very treatable, not chronic, and sent her home. What great news!
Jean, the CR-V is the Honda small SUV. It has all the time four wheel drive, and I've sure put it to the test. The snow we had last week ended in freezing rain and sleet, so there's an icy crust on everything. The main roads are fine, but the back roads are still not cleared. As you can imagine, in a rural area, most of the roads are back roads and hilly, so they're not real easy to clear. Many of the farmers have plows they can attach to the front of their tractors, so that helps. Anyway, I took Jimmy down to camp and the trail yesterday afternoon. The road hadn't been touched, nor had many cars been down there, so it was a good test. I let Jimmy run and sniff while I perused the owner's manual. He was happy and so was I.

Maggie,
Hitting the 60 lb. mark is wonderful! I'm 1.4 away from 40, and should have my tail kicked for not having done it months ago. I'm determined to be there by the holidays.

Today my goal is to tackle upstairs, where my son has been living. It's nasty. We're going to have a heart to heart when he returns from Ft. Lauderdale the 14th. He can either play by my rules or find an apt. I am constantly vacillating........I'm the only family he has, and he'll inherit my estate, so do I let him stay upstairs or send him off. He's still paying off student loans, and uses most of his paycheck for that. Unfortunately, in a small town, he doesn't have much of a social life, as most women his age are married. It seems nuts for him to be paying rent somewhere when my entire upstairs is empty........two bedrooms a sitting room and a bath. However, shortly before his surgery I had it completely remodeled, and I resent the heck out of him taking it for granted. I keep telling myself he could've been triplets.
I'm outa here, or the day will be over and I won't have done anything.
Have a great week youall. We're supposed to have another storm coming in Tues. and Wed. with heavy snow......we'll see. School was closed Thurs. and Friday because of the roads, so who knows. The pressure is on the teachers, of course, to finish material and have kids ready for the achievement tests........and then when the "no child left behind" law kicks in..........Jean, I hope you're out before it's fully implemented.
Later,
Bubs

GOOD AFTERNOON MAGNOLIAS

What a beautiful day that the Lord hath made. Will preached a great sermon that certainly kept every one awake this day. Yep, before you ask, it is a top down day. I am OP and Life is good.

JEAN too bad about those bars but the cookies should have satisfied those who you baked them for. Cowboy was saying to day that we will be over in your neighborhood around October. Those foot prints denote me walking down the road to thin.

JOYCE I can imagine your are having a great time now at that gift exchange. What fun. Just do your best to deal with the food and enjoy all those people.

BUBBLES no need to fret over the past ~ can't do a thing about it but you can do something with your weight now. Keep your FOCUS and you will continue to lose. I do hope your heart to heart does you some good. Even though the house will someday be his, your son needs to live by your rules while you are alive. After all he can trash it after it is his. He surely can wait.

Good Evening, Flowers!
It is cold here tonight -- 14 degrees and falling. We spent most of the day Christmas shopping and I am tired! We went early to avoid the crowds but once the strollers and screaming kids hit the mall, we headed for our son's house to watch Ian sleep away the two hours we were there.

Joyce -- I hope your day was a fun one. It's always fun to watch kids open gifts.

Bubbles -- I don't mind the snow but I sure hate the freezing rain that sometimes happens first. You could try some "Tough Love" on your son -- give him a time limit to shape up or ship out and then stand by your deadline. That's easy for me to say from this far away. I can imagine how aggravating it must be. Hang in there.

Maggie -- Glad you had another top down day! It was nice here this afternoon but is getting colder as the night goes on. October is a pretty time of year to travel east . . . I'll be waiting!

Hope you all have a great week. My goal is to get the tree decorated and finish my cards!

Jean -- from Iowa!

Another day, another dollar earned . . . or something like that!

I am going to work on decorating the tree and cards tonight OR ELSE!

Have a terrific Tuesday, Flowers!

Jean -- from Iowa!

GOOD EVENING STEEL MAGNOLIAS

We got some shopping done this day and are through. Thank goodness for that for the growds are horrendous. But it is a good thing which shows the econemy is good for there is a lot of money being spent out there. We have our decorations up and it is going to be a happy holiday. This is an 18 point day for me and I gotta say that it was not easy today but I am making it. Since we were out among 'em it wasn't as easy as it is when I am home during meal time. When we got a deli sandwich I had trukey on Italian bread and didn't eat the top piece of bread. I brought it home and toasted it to eat with the cup of broth I had for dinner. I am determined to do this thing. I didn't drink enough water though being "out there" but will be better tomorrow. OH and I didn't eat the chips that came with that sandwich - my redlight Cheetos. I brought them home and put them in a cupboard for another day. FOCUS has been with me today. I am going to have him as my constant companion during 2003.

JEAN don't you just love decorating the tree at school! What fun ~ is your school putting on a Christmas program? Yep, expect us in October.

GOOD MORNING MAGNOLIAS

Before I get going today I thought I would say Last night I finished the tree and all I have left are cards and wrapping. Hoping to get that all done before the weekend. This PM I will have that Lazer surgery on my right eye and tomorrow is a Post-op visit. DH has an appt at almost the same time with his Cardiologist and a meeting of the Board of Directors of the nursing home that he is on. Thursday evening we have the Christmas party for the BOD. Whew!!!! Got a call this week from DS and he will be in town (Boston) for his company's Christmas party on Saturday. He will stop by for a couple of hours before the party. A very nice surprise. DD#2 took her dog back yesterday and informed us that she is going ahead with her annual Christmas Party. It's the one I have spoken of before with a couple of hundred people and scads of kids. She has Santa come and present the kids with gifts that their parents have brought for them. The 'new' house should be finished by the 20th. I thought, with all that had been going on, she wouldn't have the party this year but . She is a very stubborn woman and determent to follow her yearly schedule. She has been cooking for weeks even with all the turmoil of having the 2nd floor of her home put on.

MAGGIE: You are strong. That's how you have done so well this year. I know your FOCUS will be just as strong in 2003.

JEAN: If you finished the cards you are one step ahead of me. I had high hopes of finishing last week by ....the best laid plans of men, etc.....

BUBS: Wishing you strength in you efforts to change the housekeeping habits of your son. I remember the mess my girls lived in when they were here at home and now I look at their homes. The difference is incredible. If he lives on the 2nd floor and you on the first maybe you could just tell him that as long as you don't have to call the Board of Health and his mess does not infringe on your living area you could compromise. I always said as long as food was not the problem and the girls wanted to live in a messy room I would keep the door shut. It solved a lot of problems. The minute they moved out I went after their rooms with a vengence.

JOYCE: I can understand the "food rut" if you mean that as long as you are in charge things go OK. It is for me and it is when I go out or am away from home that I run into problems. It has been better but could still stand improvement.

Gloria in MA.....of to get ready for the Surgery......let you know later how it turned out.

GOOD MORNING MAGNOLIAS

Another lovely day... going to get my wrapping done. That is my favorite part ~ love to wrap and make the boxes and things look so festive. We really had to scale back this year due to unforseen happenings but it doesn't dampen our spirts one whit. Since I have had to bite the bullet lots of times during this walk down the road to thin I was looking for a certain charm to put on my weight loss bracelet. I looked high and low and everywhere I could think of and finally found a sterling silver bullet and have it on order. I just had to have that bullet to bite on. It was necessary bite the bullet yesterday to make it through the day intact. I just love it when it happens that I can manage to stay within the lines when what I really want is to eat something. It ain't easy, it's just the way it should be. I guess that is the price I have to pay for letting myself get in this situation in the first place. I have determined not to squander this month and not stumble in 2003.

GLORIA I remember your talking about the party your daughter put on last year - WOW how time has flown. I am sure she will do a wonderful job again this year. Feels good to be done with the shopping doesn't it. Hope all goes well with you and your husband with your doctor appointments. Isn't lazer surgery great now days!

Everyone have a wonderful day. Catch ya later.

Good Afternoon, Flowers!
The sun has been in and out all day long; now it is getting dark and it looks like it could rain. The air "smells and feels" like a late winter day with spring just around the corner. . . . don't I wish?!

Maggie -- We don't do anything CHRISTMAS at school any more! We have a HOLIDAY Dance, a HOLIDAY tree in the student center, and a HOLIDAY break. In the spring we don't have an EASTER vacation, we have a SPRING break. You did a super job with your 18 points . . . I would have probably snarfed the whole sandwich and thought about it later after the fact. I don't know why but I have been in the mode lately. Wish I had my gifts wrapped but I have lots of time! I still have a few gifts to buy yet. How many charms do you have on your bracelet now? I never thought about looking for jewelry online.

Gloria -- Wish I lived close enough to take a peek at the Christmas party. I would be a wreck trying to plan one and fix food for that many people, let alone working in a construction zone. Your daughter is one gal! I know you probably have said but are you having the Lazer surgery done so you won't have to wear glasses? My eye doctor mentioned it to me a couple of years ago but so far I haven't worked up the courage or $$ to do it. DH had the surgery where they cut the eye a few years ago. At that time he was right on the border agewise but it did help. I got about 1/3 of my Christmas cards done; I try to do the ones that have to travel the greatest distance first.

Well, I see that's it fast approaching "time to eat supper." Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Jean -- from Iowa!

JEAN currently I have 7 charms on my bracelet. I put one on for each 10 pounds lost. The extra one on it right now is my Thin Within doll so she doesn't count for total pounds lost for she was just the beginning. Also I ordered an extra one for my 50 pounds lost which is a cutout Indian head nickle which denotes the 50 pounds lost for me. Each BIG event I may add an extra one. I have a silver dime with my birth year on it which I will use as the 100 down one plus another of my choice. I have currently found all the ones I want to get and each one means something to do with my program. I'll have them all soon and when I lose each 10 pounds I can have them on hand to take one down to the jewelry store and get it soldered on. I could type out the whole list........ if you would like.

Hi All,
Well, looks like we're in for more ice and snow/rain tonight and tomorrow.........oh joy. The next batch is supposed to set in Saturday........that's when Mike's supposed to fly into Roanoke from FL.......if he can land, that is.

Well, being the jerk that I am, gained another .8 this week. That's it. I'm going to FOCUS!!!!! And if I knew how to do all the fancy stuff Maggie and Jean do with the computer I would

I'm with Jean and Maggie re: your daughter's party, Gloria. That just baffles the mind to even contemplate! A friend had a dinner party for 12 last Saturday, and she was a wreck. Of course, her oven's out of commission, so that added to the confusion. She baked(?) Cornish hens in crockpots.........they were delish.

I love,love, love my little car. Can't do the top down days like some people we know, but I do have a sun roof, does that count for anything?

What a great idea about the bracelet, Maggie. Did you know WW is coming out with a stretch bead bracelet for tracking points the first of the year? It's going to be around $10, I think. At first I thought it was rather superfluous, but the more I think about it, the more I think it's a good tool. Would help to keep me, here's that word again.........FOCUSED, and on track with the points. It will be interesting to see what it looks like.

Off to bed. Did copy a bread pudding recipe from the WW site tonight. It looks really good, and I love bread pudding. Take a look at it.

Guess tomorrow we'll be "slip sliding away" all day. Four wheel drive doesn't help much on ice, either, so guess I"ll stay home and wrap packages. maggie, may I send them to you to wrap? I'd rather take a beating.........and you can tell by looking at them

Later,
Bubs

BUBBLES I sure hope that the weather is clear so Mike can land at Roanoke. I saw an advertisement in the WW magazine for a bracelet that is made of freshwater pearls and sterling hearts that you can move around to track your progress through each day that costs $75. There is also one that has pewter cast grapes instead of the hearts that is #35. It will be interesting what the ones that WW will be offering at the meetings will look like and what the cost will be. I have also seen lots of different styles on EBay for sale made of all sorts of materials and various prices. I have known of those who have made their own also. I also got that Bread Pudding recipe and put it into my MasterCook program so I can make it later. It sure looks good. That .8 of a gain will be gone next week because you are keeping your FOCUS. I would love to wrap your packages. I used to do for folks because I liked to do it.