[gma22]

Good morning to you all. Well, today is commissary day and I always look so forward to that. It will probably be really busy too because military payday was on Friday. I hate it when it is bumper to bumper with the carts!

Susan: Sounds like you had a good time. I emailed Kelly about Thomas and he has given up on trick or treating I guess. He didn't go last year and isn't going this year either. Well, his big canister of goodies should make him happy. It has all kinds of stuff in it. I usually give him a bit of money in his card and buy him a Halloween tshirt. This year I got him a skeleton that is doing the surfer salute thingy where you hold up your thumb and pinky in sort of a wave. It's cute. I got Jackson a shirt that has a big pumpkin on it and snoopy is bent over looking into the pumpkin. I always look for deals at restaurants if I can get them. You go out nowadays and it costs you $40 for two people with a tip. I mean even fast food is going to cost you practically $15. We do the Chilis two for $20 occasionally, or Applebees, but usually we just eat at home. I hate guns and would never allow one in the house. I have no problem with others having them, but I don't even like the toy kind in the house. They make me nervous. Thankfully, Jack is not a hunter.

Jean: I know, Thomas and Jackson just shoot up. Kelly gave me Thomas's socks back I knit him and said he only wore them twice because they got too tight to put on. I am going to tear them out and reknit to a bigger size. He has skinny long feet and I did them narrow, but he needs regular ones now. He is so skinny though you can't buy him jeans unless they have the tabs with the buttons so they can be tightened. He is tall so she gets him 10 slims, but they are still too big in the waist so she says to always buy the ones with the tabs and buttons. He is built like his dad and Jack and Jay were both bean poles too in their younger days. How much longer does Bob have fall farming to do? Does he get paid or does he just like to help out? I wondered because you guys don't have a farm for the others to come help out at.

Maggie: I read that as well about cotton clothing. It is one of the few things we seem to grow and use in this country without buying it from others. I didn't read the whole article, but I imagine it might be rain this year as the south has been pretty darn dry.

I was hoping to sleep in this morning, but Fortune and my body tells me at 5 am it is time to get up. I may get back in the recliner with Fortune now that he is fed and snooze for a couple more hours. I still need to get my grocery list done so I best get on it. Have a good Sunday all. Faye

[Jean]

Good Afternoon, Flowers! We have lost our sunshine to a cloud cover and it's a cool 60 degrees. We went to early church and out for breakfast. Bob dumped some of my flower pots so the bulbs will dry out and then headed for the farm. I've read the papers and turned on the dishwasher. Not much else going on exept sorting through some more magazines and catalogs. I assume the holiday catalogs will be arriving soon although I'm not getting nearly as many as I used to.

Maggie -- It's nice that friends you know bought the house from your friends that are moving away. You are talented to recycle the greeting card; I take mine to church or the nursing home. I missed the news that cotton is going up in price. The oj I buy (gallon size) has gone up $2 since late winter/early spring. None of the restaurants around here offer coupons nor a 2 for 1 special. Once in awhile we'll get a coupon for Burger Kind or McD, and usually something we don't eat, otherwise nada.

Susan -- You will make sure the 2#s are gone in no time. I feel your frustration for sure! The VA bar-b-q meal sounds delicious. I don't think the price for your Thanksgiving dinner is all that bad considering what you would spend if you bought the turkey and the rest of the fixin's, not to mention your time and labor involved. I always buy pickles and olives, etc., which have become more expensive.

"Gma" -- I hope you were able to make a quick trip through the commissary this morning. Bob is hoping that harvest will finish in another 2 or 3 days depending on any break downs or wait time at the elevators. They have moved to the last place so are going to a different elevator which is actually faster because there are fewer stop signs along the way. I had to at T outgrowing his socks already.

I need to get the recycled papers bagged and ready to go out in the morning. Enjoy the rest of your day!

Jean -- from Iowa!

[QuilterInVA]

Good afternoon, ladies. 68 degrees and sunny today.

I went to church this morning then came home and put a load of clothes in the dryer. Then I decided I needed to change out my closet. I've got it half done and decided to stop for some lunch and an email check. I've entirely too many clothes. I counted 29 pair of pants. I'm sure a lot of them are going to be too big so I'll send them to the thrift store.

Faye, I hope your trip to the commissary went fast. I hate to shop in a crowded store. T is a growing boy! I'm sure T and Jackson will enjoy their Halloween loot.

Jean, you can get a lot of restaurant coupons for the chains on the internet. I new last spring that cotton fabric was going up. Good quilting cotton fabric is now between $12 and $15 a yard. The best cotton thread is from Egyptian cotton because it is long staples. That means there is less lint in the machine and less breakage. I buy it and it is $8.95 a spool (big one). That's why I don't sell my quilts. People don't want to pay for the good stuff. I hate most of the fabric at Joann's because it is poor quality. Once in awhile you can luck out and get something good.

Well, I better get back to the chore I set myself. Have a great day.

[Maggie]

GOOD AFTERNOON MAGNOLIAS

It is another lovely day here in the heartland in the low 80's. We had pot luck at church and I ate sinsibly. Took the skin off a chicken breast and had a chicken enchlada that was mo hotta and mo betta, a green salad with out any dressing. Stayed away from and the dessert table also. Since JD had to scoot back (takes an hour and half to get here) right after lunch I had him just walk me home and gave him a huge bag of little candy bars. I don't need them and I am not giving them to Will for he is trying to lose weight so off they went with JD. Will ate his half of the booty and showed a huge weight gain from it so I wanted to get mine out of the house even though they were in the freezer and he wouldn't get into them but I might give them to him. JD is a youngster and likes candy.

JEAN Prices on everything is going up and it hasn't peeked yet I am afraid. Buckle your seat-belt for the ride is going to be bumpy for awhile. We are so glad we have a garden still producing. If, or when, we move to that ranch in Texas we can also have some cattle and a pig and some chickens along with a huge garden.

DONNA FAYE Kids do grow so quickly don't they. How nice she sent the sox back and you can redo them. I think the price of cotton going up may be in part because out in CA where they grow lots of the stuff isn't growing much anymore because of the eco folks shutting down the farmers because of a little tiny fish that lived in the watering system. California used to produce lots and lots of cotton but not anymore. Olive groves have now died also and look so sad. Folks don't realize how much of what we eat did come from that valley.

SUSAN I love that Egyptian Cotton. We have sheets made of it and they are so soft and the best. Spendy but OH so worth it. I have also sewn garments with it in the past. Like I said, spendy but well worth it. You are right that folks don't really understand the price of the goods that went into making a quilt. There are a few out of the many that appreciate the good quality though.

Everyone have a lovely day. Type at y'all later.