Good evening, ladies. It's still raining buckets and windy. I came home from work at 1 pm when one of my friends called and said the intersections were flooding. The James River Bridge has been closed due to high water and the midtown tunnel is closed due to high water. A lot of the Interstate ramps are closed due to high water and we have trees down all over. I parked my car 2 blocks away on "high" ground because the water is just about to the top of the bank. High tide will be here in another half hour so I'm trying to keep and eye on the water but its hard to see in the dark. I'm warm and dry and still have power so I am blessed. There is all kinds of refuge floating in the water. The police are out in boats in some areas. The city of Poquoson (just over a mile from me) is cut off because the roads are all underwater. You have to understand, I live on a Peninsula and there aren't many roads that cross it. All the developments have their own unconnected roads.

Jean, the water comes in the garages so that is no help. We have had a whole lot of leaves come down in the last 2 days.

Faye, T is so smart its almost scary. I can't wait to see what he decides to do as an adult. I'm quilting and listening to books on tape to pass the time.

Maggie, our leader gave us a similar recipe for the Chocolate Pumpkin cake but she added 2 egg whites and 1/4 cup of water. It doesn't taste of Pumpkin at all. Have you ever made the old recipe (not WW) for the Tomato Soup cake? My grandma used to make it.

Well, I need to keep an eye on things, so if the power stays on, I'll check in tomorrow.

Evening ladies! I thought I better post tonight as tomorrow is busy, busy. I need to get my nails done first thing as I had one come off, then I have clinic duty tomorrow all afternoon.

I am including a picture of Jackson's first sock. It was knit with sock yarn and size 1 needles. I call it "knitting with toothpicks and thread." I don't know if I told you but I have this wonderful sock book I bought several years ago that allows you to use any pattern, yarn and needles to make socks for anyone. You just follow their charts and do a little arithmatic adjustment and voila, socks! Even I could do it as I used a worsted weight pattern for adult socks to make this one for Jackson. I was smart enough to write the number of row differences and such so I can whiz through the second sock.

Here is the scoop on the ole dr appt today. She still isn't satisfied with my bp on the new med so she increased it then we discussed this hormonal thing. She says my test shows two areas of the test I am post menopausal and one area either post menopausal or menses. So, up on the table I went and the head of gyn/ob did an endometrial biopsy today. I was a little leery as I had not planned on it today and didn't prepare by taking any pain meds, but not to worry, as soon as the doctor told me she was going to arrange it, I popped some Advil then her nurse brought me in something and I told her I took Advil but she said to take it anyway. I had to wait at the dr's an hour and a half so the meds had kicked in. A bit of cramping afterwards but nothing like I expected. So we shall see in three weeks when I go back what she says. Unfortunately, she says my "symptoms" can't have much done for them. Still, I have not gained any weight since last appt so that is good.

Susan: I do so hope you are going to be ok. I would hate for you to be stranded for any length of time given your asthma problems. You just hang tight and wait it out and hopefully it will be past you soon.

Jean: Hope you found some nice fall colored plates and such. You would think with Halloween, fall and Thanksgiving they would be all over the place. I know, can you imagine hand painted yarn. I have no clue how they do it, but maybe the dwarfs really do help out!

I think I am going to go to bed. I have so many things I want to accomplish tomorrow I have to get right to them first thing.

Have a great day tomorrow! Faye

Good afternoon, ladies! Rain has subsided to drizzle today and its 57 degrees.

I ventured out to the grocery store - with everyone else in town. Not only did I need groceries, I had to go to Walmart for printer ink. Walmart, Kroger and Food Lion were not only crowded, they were trying to restock the shelves. I was completely out of milk so I had go or I would have waited until after church tomorrow when there aren't many shoppers.

I saw a lot of water standing around, a few trees and a lot of branches down, and people out all over, despite the drizzle, trying to get it cleaned up. My yard man called and told me not to do anything and he'll get it all next week when it dries out a little. Asthma is keeping me indoors as much as I can be because there are a lot of mold spores in the air and I'm allergic. Some areas are still unaccessible.

I really missed this site when I couldn't get on. Thanks for the email updates.

Faye, I love those socks. I should take a little time off quilting and make myself another pair. I have some beautiful pink yarn that knits up into an interesting pattern as you go. I hope everything comes out well with the biopsy.

Jean, I hope they get lots of pledges tomorrow and the dinner is good. We are asked to tithe 5% if we can but there is no one looking over your shoulder. We get envelopes in the mail.

Maggie, how's things in the hearland today?

Going to go make a cup of tea and start quilting now.

Good morning to everyone! We are leaf blowing again sometime today to get more of the darn things off the deck. The tree still has plenty though so I imagine it will take another round or two to get it all cleared up.

Jean: When we went to the commissary yesterday, the firemen and police on the base were collecting food and money for a food drive for active duty folks needing some Thanksgiving help. Jack let me off at the door because I had to go to the bathroom and the guy standing there with his boot ask about contributing. I dug into my wallet to see what I had and gave him a $5 bill, which was about all I could give because I had to have a couple $ to give to the baggers, which is all they make. Anyway, I went on in and went to the bathroom and we did the shopping and were standing in line to check out. Jack and I were talking and I don't know how it came about but he said something about how he had put money into the boot. I told him I had given them money too. It is unusual for him because he doesn't do that much. He will put money in the bell ringers bucket from time to time over the holidays and we give to St Jude's and Navy Relief but Jack doesn't trust a lot of people hanging around with buckets collecting so he doesn't do it. He WILL however do anything that is attached to military families. I teased him that he was a big softy even if he didn't want people to know it. He said he was not but I just smiled. Many a time in our 20 years of active duty, the good ole Navy Relief Society helped us out when we were in financial trouble or when one of our parents passed away and we couldn't afford to go to their funeral so we always do for them. Nowadays, people hang on to their money be it church or charity. I always believed that if you gave to the church because you felt you "had to," you were better off just keeping it. Like the Bible says, you should give with a joyful heart.

Susan: Hope things are calming down over your way now and starting to get back to normal. I sure feel for you. Whenever there is even a hint during the winter we might get snow, the stores are swamped and sell out of everything fron diapers and milk, to space heaters and batterys.

Well gals, I am going to sit and knit for awhile until Jack gets up and we have some breakfast then tackle the ole leaves. You all have a wonderful day and !
Faye

Good morning, ladies! God has blessed us with sunshine today.

We had a Benedictine priest filling in today and his sermon went on and on. We always have a second collection the third Sunday of the month for the poor of York County who need food. All the money goes to the Food Bank. We tried bringing in food but this works better and they are able to get a lot more for the money. We also have a Salvation Army Angel Tree up so we can take a child or two to get christmas for. I chose 2 teen agers. I think they get left out because everyone goes for the little children. One is a girl who asked for drawing materials and shoes. I'll add a nice outfit for school to it. The other is a boy who asked for a winter coat and books. I'll put in an outfit for him, too. I don't have anyone to buy for so this gives me Christmas joy to think of the children with their gifts. We are also collecting sock, gloves and hats for the homeless this month.

I'm doing laundry today, making a pot of soup, and have swiss steak going in the crockpot.

Faye, I'm with Jack. We had a young lady at the Walmart parking lot exit with a homeless sign. Then one day I actually saw her walk down the block and get into a very nice car. I figure she was supplementing her allowance. I do give to the firemen and bell ringers and Toys for Tots.

Jean, the Governor came yesterday to survey the damage and declare a disaster so people can get help. Fort Monroe is still flooded but the Navy ships are coming back today. We still have thousands without power.

Have a good day ladies!

Good Afternoon/Evening, Flowers! I went to early church, then the grocery store, home, and back to church for dinner after the 2nd service. There were very few people there for it being "pledge" Sunday. I think they made a mistake in saying there would be no follow up visits for those not attending. I know some of the snow birds have left, but out of 313 giving units, only 114 submitted pledges. Sad! The highlight of the dinner was that afterwards we were visiting with a couple we don't see very often when a nice looking lady came up to Bob and said, "I'm sure you don't remember me, but I'm Nancy and we knew each other years ago!" She and her husband moved to town the same time we did and we were in Welcome Wagon together. They have a daughter Jason's age but left after a couple years so he could go back to grad school; we eventually lost touch when they divorced. We had the nicest visit and she is living here now -- in charge of catering at the college. It's a small world.

"Gma" -- We don't have many that stand outside stores with donation buckets . . . just the Salvation Army at Christmas and the Veterans on Poppy Day. I don't mind giving to either one. I'm thankful that we've never needed outside of the family help over the years.

Susan -- You are so thoughtful to adopt teenagers and to add extra to their wish list. We have 'Adopt A Family' here and we usually choose someone who is alone with a pet as well as a family with children. I can't imagine children not having a Christmas of some sort. We can buy food, clothing, toys, or whatever we choose to do. Over the years we have come to realize how much our family has been blessed.

I've been making food for card club and keep getting a catch in my thumb. It hurts to stir or grab anything. Bob helped me clean the glass shelves in my curio cabinet and I washed all of the cut glass and collectables in it. What a pain that is! I need to clean up the kitchen and call it done for today.

Hope you all have a nice evening and a Marvelous Monday tomorrow! The choice is yours.

Jean -- from Iowa!

Good morning to you all! It is raining pretty steadily this morning, but not cold at all. This week is filled with cleaning and packing and getting the dog ready to go to the kennel next week and such. We are really looking forward to getting out of town for a few days.

Happy Birthday to my baby girl today! Kelly is 32 today! Not too much cake and ice cream Kelly! lol

I thought I had been in here and posted, but maybe I didn't. Who knows?

I have Jackson's sock up to the toe decreases so it is almost done and have a fair handle on my niece's sweater to take with me to Indiana and finish up. I do hope the yarn for T's socks comes in a couple days so I can whip them out. I want to wrap them for him to take to Indiana. We are not giving him all his presents, but since Jackson is getting all his at Thanksgiving, I didn't want T to feel left out so I bought him one of his presents and am wrapping up his sweater, his jeans and his socks too. His jeans should be here this week too I hope.

Jean: You interested in wrapping Christmas presents? I have a bunch to do this week to take to Indiana. You know how I hate to wrap gifts! Hope your weekend went well.

Susan: Hope the flooding has now subsided and you are getting back to normal. I know, Thomas is scary sometimes. He sometimes gets on the internet and just looks stuff up just to know things. He cracks me up though because there is all these smarts wrapped up in a typical 9 year old boy. He had a friend staying the weekend so I wonder how that went.

Well gals, back to work. I want to get this sock finished up. Have a good start to the week. I have a vet appt at 10 to get Fortune a Bordatella shot so I have to get jumping I guess.
Faye

Good morning to you gals! Fortune wanted out so I just decided to stay up and sit and knit. So, that is what I will be doing when I get done here.

I have both socks done and being blocked, I have the zip up jacket knitted, except for the collar and you have to sew it together first, so I will steam iron the pieces this morning and sew it up and finish it except for the zipper then get it this week and put it in. I am coming along on Ruthie's sweater, but it can be slow going. It is a k6 p6 pattern and then a k row which makes the right side pattern stripes of stockinette then garter stitch. It looks nice, but when you increase at both ends, you have to remember to change your pattern or you end up with the stitching off. So, I just made myself a chart and am checking rows off as I go with the increasing. It is a gorgeous color I think.

Maggie: Jack tried to do a Microsoft upgrade about a week ago and it had a corrupted file and he spent at least an hour on my pc with Microsoft and his laptop and they never could get it working so he had to reinstall everything on his laptop. It may be the same thing you did.

Jean: Hope card club went well last night. It is 43 here this morning and wet. It is only going to get up to 51 today so it will stay cool. Looks like it is going to be in the 40's in Indiana so no snow. It does look like a bit of rain traveling possibly. Thomas is not going to be going with us so we are leaving very early Tuesday morning instead of Tuesday afternoon. Kelly called and said there is some snafu with her sil's birthday or something so he won't be able to go with us.

I guess I will start cleaning today and tonight get some of the gifts wrapped. I do so hate that job, but I have so much to accomplish to leave next week I have to start now so I can have them done by Monday so we can pack the car. I have started my lists, but as usual, they just get longer and longer as I think of things that need to be done.

You gals have a wonderful day today. Talk to you later!
Faye

Jean: Thomas is going to Indiana, just not with us. I didn't explain very well. His Aunt's birthday party is Tuesday so he can't go with us, but his parents decided to take off Wednesday so they are going to leave early Wednesday morning. So, we will all be together for the holiday, which will be fun. We are again doing our Toys for Tots gift exchange between us so it should be interesting what everyone got each other. Have a good one today! Congrats on your BIG win!!!

I also noticed the pic I included of Ruth's sweater pattern was dark so I lightened it up a bit so it was easier to see. Well, back to Jackson's sweater. I am almost done with the sewing then can put on the neckband and go get a zipper for it. The arms looks like something for a gorilla, but when I looked at the pattern pic, his arms are longer too, so it must be the pattern.
TTFN Faye