Steel Magnolias -- #13
 

Good morning ladies! It is chilly here today, but dry at the moment. Boy it sure rained hard most of the day yesterday, which meant no doggies outside so I was cleaning up stuff all day pretty much. I did finally ease them out once but it was a quick peepee and back in cause it was raining steadily.

Jack has another ortho appt tomorrow to discuss what was found on the MRI. It isn't until the afternoon, but he is going to take the day off again. With all these dr appts he is using a lot of sick time, but that's what it is there for I guess. He has about 6 weeks built up but because of all of it, he won't be earning any bonus days anytime soon. You have to work 90 days straight without taking a sick day.

I am hoping to get upstairs and clean bathrooms and such this morning, but my feet are swollen today so they are tight. Don't know what is with that, but I take a med that is notorious for causing feet and hand swelling so it must be that again.

We are going on Saturday to see my sister and her husband. His mom lives across the other side of Arkansas and this is the sister from California so am looking forward to spending a few hours with her anyway. We can stay over with having both dogs. If it were just Fortune we would take him with us, but not both of them. For one thing we don't have a restraint for Marty and I won't travel with him unrestrained it is too dangerous and stupid. Tom lets him sit on his lap while driving too so he tries to get into the front seat when you put him in the car. So we will just get up mega early and start out.

The morons next door did it again. I had water leaking under the wall yesterday about 10. I decided not to even bother going next door and called the landlord directly. I had to leave a message, but when I hadn't heard from her in an hour I called her cell phone. She said she would send someone over and she did. I went out to check the mail around 2 and he was getting out of his truck and putting on his tool belt and such. He asked me if I was "miss donna" and I said I was. We talked about the problem and he gently asked if he could come in and look at our pipe and such. She had requested it and he was very nice and said I could refuse, which I knew I could, but I wanted once and for all to put it to rest as far as it not being from us. He came in and looked under the kitchen and bathroom sinks, at the toilet and where the fridge is and declared it was not from us. I had by then sopped it all up and sprayed it with bleach to kill any possibility of mold but he asked where it came in at and I showed him. I told him it had to be they were overloading their washer and it was overflowing. I said when the plumber was over there a few weeks ago, we hadn't had anything until that morning and you can hear the washer agitate through the wall when you are in the bathroom and I had heard it several times with no leaking. I said it had something to do with their washer. He said it was a puzzler, but he was going to get to the bottom of it. I hope they have now told them either buy a new washer or learn to wash your clothing. I told him also that until they moved in, except for the incident where the girl moved out and they bent the pipe taking the connections off, I hadn't had one of her tenants have that problem. There had never been a leak until the jerks next door moved in. So, we shall see. I have been in there several times this morning and not heard a peep from the washer and I usually do.

Susan: Ok, that one gobsmacks even me. I have done some really goofy things knitting but I seriously can't figure out how your poor friend put the toe on the cuff. I have yet to venture into toe up socks or even doing magic loop socks though I do know how to do magic loop. I also tried two at a time and didn't like doing that either so will just stick to my dpns. Thought I would never get the hang of those, but I did and am really comfortable with them now. One of the things I bless the lady that wrote the sock pattern that I first used learned is that she said to cast on one extra stitch and instead of casting on all the stitches then moving them, she casts them all on one needle, then knits each group of stitches onto the next needle, then the next, etc and with the one extra stitch, she slides it to needle one and knits the first two together and it gives a nice "seamless" cuff instead of a possible gap or whatever. It always works no matter what the cuff down pattern. Ooh I like Mah Jong and what is called Mah Jong Shanghai. I actually have a CD to play both. I didn't know this until I started playing the CD, but the games online where you remove pairs of like tiles is the Shanghai style. Mah Jong is a bit different with you having tiles in front of you sort of like scrabble then you play them onto the board, but I love them both. I guess for me playing mah jong is just another little old lady thing I have picked up. :lol: I a firmly entrenched as a senior now with mah jong skills, a little dog, I had a big car, I knit socks, etc. :lol: :lol: Wow working as a receptionist would be cool, but where the heck would you fit that in?

Jean: The Gin game I play on Iphone is the same, runs and 3 of a kinds, but it allows you in some instances if you have 2-2 pairs (in other words 4 cards left each a pair) it will bring up the word "knock" and then if you click on it it adds your points subtracts pts etc and gives you the remainder and says you win. If you do the knock and your opponent has less left pts then you, you are penalized and they get the pts and 25 pt extra. If you gin with one card left to go out, you get the opponent's left pts and 25 or if you gin having made all your runs and 3 of kinds then you get their left pts and 31. We do play to 100 but I can usually win in 2 hands with this game. It is the free one so I am sure that is why it isn't very hard to beat. I miss Euchre playing, which no one does down here and I would like to go back to playing double deck pinochle, which is usually only played by people in the military from what I understand as most people play single deck pinochle. I have played in 30 years so would have to learn all over again.

Maggie: I grew up on fruits and veggies as my mom and grandma canned so I eat quite a few different kinds.

Well gals, I am not getting anything done so far this morning and I see it is already 10 am. I need to get a move on if I want to get anything done before Jack gets home. With him going to work so early and getting home so early I feel my cleaning time is cut short! :lol: Have a good one today. Faye

Titilating Tuesday
 

Good morning to you all! It is pretty chilly this morning, but supposed to be warm and sunny later on today. We are supposed to get into the upper 70's tomorrow or Friday.

Jack stayed up and watched college basketball last night, booooring. I just sat and listened to an audiobook on my Iphone. I just finished a Nora Roberts book that was really good and am on to her "alter ego" J D Robb and her new book. I have read all of the "in Death" series and am hooked on them.

Jean: I haven't decided whether I am going with him today to the doctor's or not. I guess if I am ready I will go otherwise not. How indecisive is that? :lol: I actually got a call from the repairman last night about next door, which pleased and surprised me. He said he had another guy go in with him and look also and it is definitely their washer. He quoted a price to fix it, but they said no. He asked me if I wanted him to call the landlord this morning and tell her and I said absolutely. I told him that she had told the leasee last time this happened to fix her washer, quit using it until she did or buy a new one so I wanted her to know she never did it. I am hoping she will really be steamed about it and give it to them. One thing that disturbs me though and I have no proof is there was a large piece of chicken on the deck after this that Fortune got ahold of and I wonder if those dirt bags threw it over the fence or if it was the squirrel. Whose to say. I hope she evicts them over this, but they had a devil of a time finding someone for the condo they own directly across the street from us.

Maggie: I am looking forward to grilling out again. I know you are enjoying watching those birds.

Well, Jack fixed breakfast this morning and it is finished so I have to go. Everyone have a great hump day. Faye

Jean: Have you thought about buying Bob a one cup coffe maker for the office? I looked on Amazon.com and they have several under $20 and a couple are under $15. It would save money in the long run and they come with their own cup! I believe I saw that Sears has them too.

Wonderful Wednesday
 

"Gma" -- I thought about getting him a 1 cup pot, but he likes to leave the office for a few minutes to make a coffee run. :) I have a little 4 cup pot he could take if he wanted to.

Maggie -- It is 55 degrees according to the weather bug, the sun is shining yet, and the wind is blowing. I don't think we'll be buying coffee at $40 a pound! :fr: We like our coffee to taste like coffee instead of colored hot water. We usually only drink a cup at breakfast but once in awhile will make more later in the day. Bob thinks if it's something we want, then go buy it. :?: I've started drinking more tea since the crafty club members are tea drinkers. There aren't any asparagus eaters living here, but the liquid part does sound tasty.

Back For A Bit
 

Here I am! I know, I know...I come in and then leave for awhile. I've been thinking about y'all though! Really! :) I have a few minutes before the granddaughters arrive so here I am!

Well, I had a birthday! I'm 60. Yep. Me. :) We called it "Gailfest" that day. :D I did not have a party (both daughters were out of town but they phoned) but Wayne took me out to dinner at the Texas Roadhouse (my choice). He also gave me a Pandora charm bracelet...well, started one for me. I have a Pandora charm bracelet already but that is for weight loss--every five pounds I lose I get a new charm--30 lbs. so far. This new bracelet will be for anytime I get the "need" for a new charm. I love it. I love the other one too. ;) We were going to a movie as well but the movie we wanted to see does not start until this Friday...so we're going next Monday in the afternoon. The movie? The Lincoln Lawyer or it may be Limitless. We haven't made up our minds yet. Wayne says I can choose. :) Love that man! Anyway, my birthday celebration will continue this Friday as both daughters are taking the day off to spend with me and we're doing something but I haven't been told yet. Love them too!

I went to WW this morning. I lost .8 lbs. For the past week, I was in possession of the traveling food tracker. I had to write everything I ate, drank, exercised, commented, etc. It was a great eye-opener as I thought I was doing everything 100%. I was not. On the old program, I counted light margarine 2 t. for 1 point. I didn't know that I get a whole tablespoon for 1 point! It really got me focused again. Over all it was a good experience. I made all kinds of comments--some funny and some not so funny--so no telling what the person is thinking about it all!

Maggie, thank you for the email! I will answer it! I'm loving my new computer. Yes, it's a laptop but not my first. I still have the old one even though it's not working like it should. Our weather is just starting to get warmer and I'm grateful for that because I'm so tired of being cold all the time. We did have a new heater and air conditioner installed...and it is so quiet!!!

Donna Faye, you have had the worst luck in neighbors!! Bless your heart. I'm still knitting socks...but like you have never heard of anyone putting the toe on the cuff. I knit socks with double pointed needles....and do it the old-fashioned way--cuff down. Never have knitted the magic loop, toe-up, two at a time, etc. I'm lucky I can knit what I do knit! And I am so slooooooow. We almost got a 5-month old dog Monday night. It is a poodle-maltese mix. Cute. But the timing is wrong. This dog is in need of some vet care and a good grooming from a professional. Money that we do not have right now to spend on a dog. But I have heard the poor thing (name is Oscar...of all things) now has a home...and I feel better about not taking him in.

Jean, coffee is going up here in Delaware as well. And it doesn't matter if it's take-out or if you buy Maxwell House by the can in the grocery store. And gas. Do you want to talk about gasoline? Today it is $3.49 for regular. But things could be worse. I feel so sorry for those people in Japan!

Susan, I'm sending a shout out to you--Hello!

I promise to get back in here sooner. Like tomorrow morning!

Good morning ladies! It is going to be near 80 degrees here today and sunny. I just wish I had windows I could open and get a cross breeze, but no such luck. I do not know why they put two huge windows across the back that cannot be opened. Like I have said before, the front ones are blocked by huge bushes so they don't get any air if they are opened either.

I just finished paying bills again. Seems like that comes around often. :D This is the month for our quarterly insurance payment so I had to make sure that is paid pronto to keep the ole insurance coming especially with all of Jack's stuff going on, :lol: .

Well, the verdict is in. Jack has to have surgery on the other knee now. His surgery will be June 22. He has to wait that long as he has to have 6 weeks off. When he had the other knee done, since it was on the job, he was back at work about a week after on crutches sitting and doing paperwork and such until he was released back. With this, he can't come back at all until he is released because they don't have light duty with the city. That is fine, he will enjoy all the time off, but he has used so many days lately with dr appts and will need one for his colonoscopy, one for his cardiologist in August and one again for his pre sugery tests and such. He does have another torn meniscus and the doctor said that he can only do what he did with the other one that it won't be perfect and did he understand that? Well, even though Jack has on and off pain with the right knee because of arthritis, he says it does feel better than it did so this knee will have to feel better than it does now, which is pretty bad.

Gail: Congrats on the loss. Anything is anything and it is almost a lb. :carrot: I am sending you a link for a company that makes Pandora style charms and they are less expensive that the Pandora charms. You might like them you might not, but here you go. http://stores.newdreamz.net/StoreFront.bok I think they have some beautiful and some really cute charms and fillers and such. Glad you had a nice birthday. They seem to come around awful frequently. I told Jack I wanted him to hurry and get to 62 (He turns 62 in Oct) because they we get the senior discount at almost all places and especially at all the hotels! :lol: Right now I can get senior or aarp discounts at Hyatt, choice hotels, red roof inn, Hilton, which is 62 unless you are aarp, which I am, but Marriott requires 62 period.

Jean: I never drank coffee and don't like it to this day. The sister we are gong to visit is a huge coffee drinker. She seems to always have a Starbucks in her hand. I just can't see paying $5 for a cup of coffee. I do get a couple things there once in awhile. I get their peppermint hot chocolate at Christmas time and I used to like there carmel apple drink, but they changed it and I don't like it as much. When we were in Vegas last time the Starbucks at one of the big strip hotels had this thing called "liquid chocolate" hot chocolate. It was in a tiny cup about the size of the larger paper cups you use at home in dispensers. It was truly liquid chocolate and woweeee. If you are a chocolate lover this was at the kids used to say, "the bomb!" Unfortunately, it was also really expensive, like $4 for this tiny little cup, but for this chocoholic, it was worth every penny.

Maggie: I haven't seen the red bud trees yet and we have scads of them. It is going to be warm this weekend so I imagine they will be sprouting out. I see my azaleas are blooming big time again this year.

Well girls, it is almost 8 am already. I need to get a bite to eat for breakfast and work on this sock. My problem is I am almost done with it and don't like it! :lol: The yarn isn't as soft as I would like it to be. Ahh well, they need to be finished anyway. Have a good one all! Faye

Good Morning, Flowers! It's a foggy morning in my neighborhood. When I opened to door for Ernie's sniff of fresh air, it actually felt much warmer (48 heading for 60) this morning. The weatherman says it will be "breezy" today, which means windy. I have WW later and then crafty club this afternoon.

Gail -- :congrat: on losing almost a whole pound! Onward and downward is the way to go. It sounds like you celebrated you birthday in style with more to come. Enjoy!

Maggie -- Bob wouldn't mess with a thermos as he usually just drinks one cup of coffee in the morning at the office. I did some searching for caffeine info and found this online which I thought was interesting. "It all depends on how strong you make the tea or coffee. All types of tea contain caffeine, however the amount of caffeine varies according to the way in which the tea leaves are processed. Green tea contains the least caffeine, Black tea the most, and Oolong (:?:) falls in the middle range. A cup of Green tea (6 oz) contains 8 mg of caffeine. A cup of Oolong tea contains 12.50 mg of caffeine. A cup of Black tea ranges from 25 - 110, depending on the variety. Coffee generally contains 60 - 120 mg of caffeine. According to Stash Teas, here is the breakdown in milligrams:

Coffee (5 oz. cup) 80 (don't think any of my cups are 5 oz.)
Black Tea (one tea bag) 40
Oolong Tea (one tea bag) 30
Green Tea (one tea bag) 20
White Tea (one tea bag) 15
Decaf Tea (one tea bag) 2" (end of quote, not inches ;) )

My Good Earth tea has the following milligrams chart on their box: (8oz. cup)

Coffee 100
Black tea 50
Green Tea 30
White tea 20
Original tea 16
Decaf. tea 4
Herbal/red tea 0

I didn't realize there were so many different kinds of tea. I ususally make "boiled" water tea in the summer rather than sun tea.

"Gma" -- Do you own the bushes in front or does the association? In other words could you trim them back to get some air to come in through the windows? I'm glad that Jack has a plan of action for his knee! :cheer: As I've gotten older my taste for chocolate has changed some. I used to think that was the only flavor (got that from my dad!) but sometimes I'd just as soon have something else. Bob, Jason, and Ian all think chocolate is the only was to go! What don't you like about the sock?

I need to get dressed and get moving. Have a terrific Thursday and enjoy! :D

Jean -- :wave: from Iowa!

Good afternoon!

Doncha just hate it when you ask someone a question and they answer back with a question? Yep. And that certain someone is now outside washing the car. And I thought he was ready to go walking. I'm ready. What part of that previous conversation did he not get?

Last night the granddaughters were over. The oldest (10 year old) asked me what I've been knitting lately. Sweet voice. I told her I just got finished knitting a sock. She asked me, "Grandmom, you gonna knit the other sock too?" Like I said, she has a sweet voice. I did tell her that I'm knitting that second sock now. :)

Donna Faye, my goodness! I'll put Jack on the prayer list at my church for sure. Thanks for the link. I'll go there in a few minutes and browse! :) Life for hubby and I will be easier (financially) when we get to retirement age but that would be like wishing our life away and we don't want to do that. I don't mind turning 60--I can get a few senior discounts now and I will take advantage. Every little bit of savings helps. And both Wayne and I are members of AARP and we use that card for discounts as well. We love the bulletin and magazine we get from them.

Jean, good luck at WW today! It is getting warmer here in DE as well. It's sunshiny and when we do go for that walk today at the park it's going to be nice. It was nice yesterday afternoon when we walked and it was a little cooler. It's going to be in the 60's today. Tomorrow, it's supposed to get up 75-80 degrees! Then it will cool down a bit but it will still be nice. Spring is arriving. Yaaaaay! I love coffee. Wayne does too. In fact, there is a sale on our brand of coffee at one of the grocery stores in our area. $6.50 a big can. I'm going to buy two. Sales starts tomorrow.

Well, I need to go outside and see how the car-washing is coming along. I need to get my walking shoes on and be ready to go when he's finished or he will start washing his truck....

Titilating Thursday
 

:drinkup::goldpot::patrick::luck2you: Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Good afternoon, ladies. A love spring day in the 60s...headed for 77 tomorrow.

I had work at my regular job today, went to the Y and did my weights and then tonight I'll go to my Ladies of the Evening bee.

Faye, I hope Jack gets a lot of relieve from this surgery. I had to stop for gas this morning so I went in to get a cup of coffee and the cashier said "I was just looking at your hands." She went on to say they looked like her mother's and she had bad arthritis in her hands. I didn't think they looked bad enough for anyone to know, but the thumb I dislocated is pretty knobby. I sympathize with Jack's arthritis! Thanks for that website, I'll check it out.

Jean, Thanks for the tea info. Tea also has a lot of antioxidants. I prefer the stronger black teas. I get the loose tea for daily use. Here in the south we have Luizanne tea which is specially formulated for iced tea (never gets cloudy). Sweet tea is the house wine of the south! We drink it all year long.

Gail, :carrot: on the .8 pound loss. It all adds up - 3 sticks of butter!

Have a great evening!

Back To Yack
 

Good morning gals. It is sunny and warm already here this morning. We are getting ready to head out to take Fortune to the doctor for a recheck on his kidney issue then will drop him off and head out to Target. I have to get a couple things, drinks and such and birthday card for my sister, etc.

I am tired today as I had one heck of a case of heartburn last night even after taking some Zantac so sat up until around midnight. I am part of a basketball tourney brackett challenge with some people I went to high school with and Jack is in one on ESPN so we had the basketball games on. I am holding my own having only lost three games out of the ones they have played so far, and they were big upsets so I should be in good company. I sat and played gin rummy last night for quite awhile afterwards too.

Susan: Geez I don't think I would draw attention to someone's hands if I noticed something unusual. People nowadays just open up their mouth and say anything they darn well please and never think how the other person might take it. I know you probably weren't upset or anything, but I think it was kind of cheeky to say something. Hope you have a nice weekend

Jean: Luzianne is great tea for iced tea because it doesn't get cloudy. We have one of those black and decker ice tea makers and like it just fine. We are on our third one and Jack drinks tea all the time. We are not sweet tea drinkers but get it unsweetened and used sweet n low in it.

Maggie: Hope the day is going well for you.

I gotta run! Faye

Finally Friendy Friday
 

Good morning ladies! Well, we will be off in just a little while to go see my sister. It is a nice morning, cool, but not cold and supposed to be a nice mild temp and sunny.

Fortune's #'s are down from 68 to 35 but they need to be below 27 so he will continue with the meds. The darn blood test cost us $90!! He is going to have to have that monthly for awhile and his meds cost us $38 so we will be shelling out nearly $130 a month for awhile. He costs more than our stuff does! :lol: I am just glad he is coming back to normal range though.

They have been feed, watered and taken out so they are good to go. We laid puppy pads all over the dining room since they will be in all day.

I have to run. You all have a nice day and I will talk to you tomorrow. Faye

Good afternoon, ladies! Spring day in the 60s.

I went to WW this morning and maintained. It's going to take forever to get this last bit off but I'm going to add some different machines at the gym, in addition to the ones I already do, and see if that will get it off. I told my leader I would like to be a receptionist so she is emailing me the paperwork. Jean, I know you were wondering how I'd fit it in. My second job will be over April 15 and the WW receptionist training is not until the middle of May. We have 4 meetings at my center on Saturday morning, starting at 6:30 in the morning, in addition to 2 or 3 meetings a day all week except closed on Sunday. There is another center about a mile farther in the other direction, and then there are the meetings in locations other than the center so it won't be hard to get a couple of meetings a week worked into my schedule.

The doctor said I have neuopathy in my fingers and there are many things that can cause it. Before we start doing a lot of expensive tests, he's having me take B-12 every day because a lack of that can cause it. Meantime I have to be careful not to injure my fingers since I have no feeling in them.

Jean, sweet tea in the south is very, very, very sweet. I never order it in a restaurant. I put 1/4 cup of granulated Splenda in my gallon of iced tea and that is plenty sweet enough for me. You sure got bargains at Penney's!

Faye, I'm glad Fortune is doing better. We have to take care of our "children.!"

Hi, Maggie and Gloria.

Cloudy Cold Saturday
 

Here I am! :D What a day! What a week! Okay...hopefully, this will be a summary and not rambling...

Thursday, we continued our walking at the park making it the 5th day in a row. 2.6 miles each day. We continued to put the applications/resumes out there for Wayne. I even started looking for myself. Nothing. Friday, we went to a movie in the afternoon and saw "Limitless" (Bradley Cooper and Robert DeNiro). Good movie. Bradley Cooper has the bluest eyes--reminds me of Paul Newman's eyes! If you get the chance, see the movie. One thing, Wayne noticed was there wasn't any foul language or if there was it so little as not to make us notice...and Wayne does notice. I think we're going to see "The Lincoln Lawyer" next. Today, I met Heather at the mall (part of my bday present) and she took me out to eat lunch. California Pizza Kitchen. I did very well until the Key Lime Pie (17 points). I love their half-size Cobb Salad with Beets and Ranch dressing on the side (6 points) and Raspberry Iced Tea (2 points). My nutritional info came from their website. I love it when restaurants put their nutritional info on-line. Spent the whole day at the mall. I was supposed to buy a few clothes (as I hardly have any in my closet due to weight loss) but I didn't. Honestly, I tried but today was not the day--there was nothing out there that said "buy me, Gail"...but that could change any day! ;) I am tired.

Hey Susan! Are you going to be a WW Leader? Or are you already? That would be so cool! Okay, just saw the post about being a receptionist. That is what I would like to be. I congratulate you on that maintain. I know you want it to be a loss but you've been at this for such a long time, you know it will drop off as soon as your body thinks it's time to go. ;) Maintaining can be frustrating but I honestly am happy with anything as long as it is not a gain. You're doing so well. I admire you so much. I am starting to lose feeling in my hands. It's not all the time but I do notice it. And my hands hurt when they are cold. Achy. Arthritis, do you think? Anyway, I know I probably should see my doctor and I will. Soon. I hope your hands will be okay.

Jean, Amanda is 10 years old. Oh my, she's going to turn 11 in two months! She is such a sweetie. I'm like you, mostly I just drink Lipton tea. I do buy the Lipton Tea for Cold Water and I never have a problem with it turning cloudy. It's a little pricey but worth it. I love a good sale! You did very well! :D

Donna Faye, I haven't had a professional manicure in ages! Nor a pedicure either. I've been doing those myself. Perhaps I'll treat myself soon. Thanks for the idea. I loooooooove Target! I really do. I very rarily get heart burn and I'm glad of that because I always feel I'm dying when I have it. I'm glad to hear Fortune is doing better. Vet bills can be outrageous! One of these days, Wayne and I are going to get a dog but I don't think now is the time. There is so much uncertainty where Wayne's job or lack thereof is concerned.

Maggie, thanks for the idea--I have a roast in my freezer now and I think I'll get it defrosted for tomorrow. That would make a great Sunday dinner. :) Easy in the crockpot. Ya know, I don't mind turning 60. I think it's pretty cool I made it this far! I've heard that 60 is the new 40 but I just think being 60 today is different than being 60 twenty or thirty years ago. Now 70...THAT is something to think about! :D Wayne used to like to go four-wheelin' in the mud until he had to wash it all off and that can be a difficult thing to do. Right now, Wayne is a little upset that he discovered some rust on his truck. He keeps that truck in top notch condition--engine-wise and outside-wise. I'm not sure what he's going to do about it but I know he will not let rust take it over. His truck is 10 years old. Okay, I'm seeing that park bench you're talking about; however, I fall asleep in the chairs in our gazebo in the spring when there is a slight breeze. And the newspaper/magazines are fluttering all over the place. I just hope I'm not snoring! Speaking of snoring, I don't snore as much as I used to since I've lost this weight; however, last night Wayne was snoring so loudly I had to move to the guest room...then moved back to our bedroom around 3:30am. He was sleeping like a baby...a snoring baby! (Bless his heart!) I hope your headache is gone now. Heather gets headaches if she doesn't have her usual daily intake of caffeine.

Well, this is getting long. I'm going to go put a load in the washer and get my gown on for the evening...

Good morning ladies! We had a fabo time at my bil's mother's and visiting with family and all. He has 7 brothers and sisters and they are all adults of course and all have children, many of them grown children with children of their own so it is quite a clan when all together. They are like my own family truly because like I said before my grandfather's wife is my brothers-in-law mother's mother. She has always been like my aunt and Larry's sisters and brothers I always considered cousins. Four of the siblings came over while we were there and had lunch with us (which my frail 75 year old "aunt" cooked by herself as she always does) We had the best time, the guys watched college hoops and the girls sat in the kitchen and blabbed. My sister loved her socks as did everyone else including her daughter who wanted them. They all got on the knitting bandwagon and wanted to know if I had pictures of stuff so I pulled up my facebook acct, which has 60 pictures of my knitting. They oohed and aahed and wouldn't believe me when I told them they could do it to, it really wasn't hard. :lol: My sister bought me this over the top vintage outrageous red hat. She thought I still belonged to that group. The hat would sure fit in. It was felt, had a huge ribbon bow on one side and feathers and beads on the other. Don't know when I would ever have an occasion to wear it, but love it anyway.

I am including a recipe that my aunt made for dessert. First off, this is NOT WW friendly, but something you could make special sometime. It is without a doubt really delicious. I thought those of you who go to potlucks and such might like to have it for a special occasion.

SOPAPILLA CHEESECAKE

16 OZ CREAM CHEESE
2 CANS CRESCENT ROLLS
1 CUP SUGAR
1 TSP VANILLA
½ CUP MELTED BUTTER
½ CUP CINNAMON SUGAR

IN A 9 X 13 PAN, UNROLL ONE CAN OF ROLLS, PINCH SEAMS TOGETHER AND LINE BOTTOM OF PAN. MIX CREAM CHEESE AND SUGAR AND VANILLA. SPREAD OVER DOUGH IN BOTTOM OF PAN THEN UNROLL SECOND CAN AND COVER CREAM CHEESE MIXTURE WITH OTHER ROLLS. POUR THE BUTTER OVER THE TOP OF THE ROLLS THEN COVER COMPLETELY WITH THE CINNAMON SUGAR. BAKE 350 FOR 30 MINUTES

Maggie: Sounds like you enjoyed your burritos. I will have to try the onions soup thing sometime. Jack really likes the taste of onion in roast and such and I am not a big fan.

Susan: Great news that you maintained! I think you have found your niche, but the couple more lbs will come off eventually. I have neuropathy across the bottom of the toes on my left foot. It is from the excess edema from the meds for BP I was taking. Sure can sting sometimes so I feel for ya.

Gail: Keep up the good work walking. I think both those movies look good. I may download an audio book of the Lincoln Lawyer. I have heard good things about it.

Jean: I got tickled at Kolby and his movie money. Kids at that age don't seem to realize mom and pop would probably "float a loan" if they were short on popcorn money. What did they go and see? Yesterday my "uncle" brought this little boy that was there at the house named Marshall into the kitchen where I was. There was this big bowl of salt water taffy on the table. He proceeds to tell this little boy (think in your head a very pronounced Arkansas twang) "This here's Donna and she is the candy boss. Whatever she says goes with the candy and you have to ask her if you want to eat the candy." He was about 6 I would say and had a fistful of this candy already. He looks at me and says, "Can I?" I said, in my best southern accent as I get caught up in with with all them talking like that, :lol: "Honey, you sure can!" He came back an hour or so later and walked up to me all serious like and said, "Can I please have more taffy?" I told him he could as long as he asked his mama first as she was standing right there in the kitchen. Later Bill came back in, the candy bowl was almost empty as the ladies had been helping themselves, and ask me "What happened, I left you in charge of the candy bowl?" I told him he should know better than to let a grandmother in charge of candy where there are kids!

Well girls, I need to get up and get the chores done as I have to get some grocery shopping done today. It is commissary weekend, but with yesterday and the dog and all, I haven't gotten a menu done or a shopping list, etc so am going to just stay in town and pick some stuff up for now.

Have a great Sunday all! Faye

Good morning, ladies! A little cooler today but the sun is out.

Nothing but housework on the agenda this afternoon. Now that Spring is here, my sunroom windows suddenly look terribly dirty so I'll be cleaning them today (thankfully they are the kind I can clean from the indside. I need to make a new valance for them, too (5 windows). I have a couple of loads of laundry, too and vacuming. It just is never ending isn't it - housework I mean.

Faye, I'm glad you had such fun with your family yesterday. You should get together with the ladies who want to knit and meet somewhere for a weekend and you could get them started and have a lot of fun - a knitting retreat like the quilting retreats I go on. That recipe looks like it could be made WW friendly fairly easily by using FF or lite cream cheese and Splenda and either soft margarine or butter spray. I think Hungry Girl had something similar a few months ago but she put cherries in it and called it a danish. I'll try to find it.

Jean, WW centers aren't open all day but have several hours throughout the week that they are open for purchases. You have to have proof that you are a member to purchase and online members are only allowed to purchase food products. That's the WW rules for corporate. Some are lax and will sell to anyone. One of the sad things that has started around here and I suppose in other parts of the country, is people just coming in and sitting down and if approached they say they are lifetime and weighed in last week, and they are obviously overweight. So now all lifetime members have to show their books every time they attend. I got one of the portfolios for my Weeklies and it holds everything back to the first one they gave out. I'm going to have to get another because it'll only hold a couple more. I do go back and reread them and I like the recipes in them.

Maggie, It's just my left hand that has neuropathy which concerned me more than if it had been both because I was afraid it was a sign I'd had some sort of mini stroke. Everyone in my family has died from stroke or heart attack so I'm sure one of them will take me off, too, although my blood pressure is low (102/60 on Friday) and except for the pulmonary hypertension my heart is great, too.

Gloria, you are walking your way to fitness and lower weight for sure. I forget if you still go to WW, but the WW 5k will be coming up in May or early June. I'm going to do it if it isn't too hot and humid. I can walk as long as I have my MP3 player to entertain me. I download a free Biggest Loser workout CD from Subway and purchased a couple of walking CDs - on with music from the 60s and one from the 70s. We have a nice walking path in our development. I can walk outside in the spring and fall, but not winter or summer when it's cold or hot and humid because of my asthma.

I'm having steak, baked potato and a salad for dinner. I won't feel like cooking much after cleaning and that is a no brainer meal for me. I don't know what I'd do without George (Foreman).

Have a great day!

FYI: Just some fun trivia for you today. The attached picture is of the State Theater in downtown South Bend. As a kid, we would troop there on Saturdays for movie, 5 cent popcorn and 5 cent cokes and watch the latest Disney flick. It sadly went into disrepair years and years ago when the big megatheaters came about. It has sat empty had some tenants that didn't last etc. It recently was bought by auction. The trivia of this grand ole theater is this, there are bullet holes in the walls from a shoot out between the police and John Dillinger. His gang did their very last robbery at a bank in the very same block. I just hope they do something grand with it.

Sunny Warm Sunday