[Maggie]

GOOD EARLY AFTERNOON MAGNOLIAS

We are in for some weather. It is currently 86º here in the ♥-Land it isn’t even noon o’clock yet. We had lots of thunder and rain last evening and “they” say we will get more this day. It was a real gulley washer and fun to have the drapes open to watch it come down. I made a wonderful low p+ dessert yesterday. I cut up some strawberries and put a little Splenda® on them then sprinkled Grand Mariner over the top so the alcohol would evaporate come time for the serving of them. I put some sf ff vanilla pudding on some angle food cake and then some strawberries on top of that. There is enough left for a re-run for today. We are going to pick up some ribs from the market here that has them cooked and hot for lunch and have a light dinner. Our lawn is looking great and we get compliments from folks around town that have driven by and seen it. It is a huge area of green that has to be taken care of and Will has done a bang up job getting it into good shape these years we have been here. The plants he put in are growing nicely and the flowers are gorgeous. Life is good.

SUSAN Sounds like state of the art exercise equipment. The more you like it the more you want to use it. It is nice to spend weekends with your friends doing what you both like.

DONNA FAYE I'm so happy little Fortune is feeling better. We didn't go to the dog roast afterall ~ Will was "on call" so we ate at home aferall. Hope you found all you went for at the commissary today. I don't like grocerie shopping either but make good lists.

JEAN I hope you are able to find the correct sized life jackets. Guess that is a reason there is an expiration on pop. I never have it around long enough for it to "expire." Yep you have to be in the right zip code to get the proper information for you area with the Weather Bug. I have both the Weather Bug and the Weather Channel on my Blackberry. I think they both came on the phone ~ after all it is called the Blackberry Storm.
Have a great day Magnolias. Type at y'all later.

[gma22]

Good morning to you girls. It is very, very hot here today so we are just staying inside. We will go to Walmart tomorrow to pick up the rest of the grocery list, get hair color and I am going to check out nail color for my hands and toes for the cruise and hopefully buy something. That way if it chips I have it and can repair whereas if I use one of the salon colors, I am just stuck with chipped nail polish. Jack really likes the french tips so I don't know for sure about my hands, but will definitely get polish for my toes so I can wear all those sandals and flip flops on the ship.

We did get the commissary shopping done. Have mercy it was totally nuts. It was not only a holiday weekend where everyone was getting bbq food and supplies, but they picked this weekend to have a case sale. The line to check out wove out to the back of the store. I decided to try and walk it yesterday and I got about halfway through and the muscle cramping in my lower abdomen started but I just sucked it up and finished. I was pretty miserable by the time we got in line, but it is what it is. It is weird because it is only in one place, right at the bend between your leg and groin on the left side and feels like a pulled muscle. It continues cramping and aching until you set down then after about 2 minutes it completely goes away. There is no other place on my abdomen it does it either so I am wondering if that area is where he reconnected my limited bowel and walking tugs at it.

Jean: Sounds like it might be quiet at your house this weekend with the kids using the lake and you staying home except for your trip to Sioux City. Hope you found your life jackets. Jack told me they don't make you put on life jackets anymore when they do the drill on the ship. I just hope they are at hand!!!! If you want to try those towels, Target has L'Oreal brand that has 6 towels, which you are supposed to be able to do your whole body with one towel and the box is $10, which I bet 6 trips to the tanning salon are more than that. I am anxious to see if they work since I cannot tan.

Maggie: Sounds like you had a great dessert. I bought fresh strawberries and blueberries, pears and bananas yesterday and I like to cut up the strawberries and mix them and the blueberries and put ff cool whip on them.

Well gals, I need to get out of here and fold some laundry. Have a lovely Sunday and holiday tomorrow. Faye

[Jean]

Good Evening, Flowers! It is hot, humid, and windy here with storm warnings until midnight. We went to early church and then headed up to the cabin. It was so windy there I stayed in the cabin and read my book. The kids said the water was too cold to swim so they were in and out of the sand and cabin. We grilled brats for lunch and headed home late afternoon. Needless to say I don't feel like starting any projects now.

Maggie -- Your dessert sounds delicious! We need rain as everything is so dry. Our yard has some cracks forming but the grass is still green. On our way to the lake we noticed some farm fields that haven't been planted yet. Bob said the crop will be beans and the soil is too dry; they don't plant beans deep and the wind would blow the seeds away. We did find life jackets at Scheels and getting them to the lake was the reason we went today. The neighbors sometimes invite the kids to go in their boat so we wanted them to be able to go.

"Gma" -- Maddie just loves her new life jacket! It is pink and baby blue w/o the crotch strap which the kids all hate. Zowie's is the same color and Kolby's is blue. Ian can still wear his from last year and it is red. Does the doctor think your muscle cramping will go away eventually? I sure hope so! Thanks for the tanning towel tip. The Sioux City Target has added more groceries so that one whole side of the store is now like every other K-Mart, Shopko, etc., part grocery and part "other." That makes me wonder what merchandise they no longer carry. Target used to be in the mall and my store of choice. They moved out and now stand alone quite a ways from the mall so we don't stop there as often.

I'm off to read the Sunday paper and see what's on tv. Enjoy the rest of your evening!

[Jean]

Good Morning, Flowers! It's cloudy, breezy, and much cooler today. We are supposed to have sunshine this afternoon according to the early weatherman. We did have a thunderstorm roll through during the night but no wind damage around us. Beth called and they got the thunder and rain but no wind there either. A neighbor in a year round home invited them over if the storm got too bad. Bob is at the office doing catch-up work and I have laundry going. I need to start on my vacation food list, which is no vacation for me.

Our pastor recognized the veterans in church yesterday which was nice. Whenever Jason sees someone in uniform he always makes it a point to thank them for serving. I know he still wishes he could have been in the military.

I need to get the next load of laundry downstairs. Enjoy a marvelous Memorial Day!

[Maggie]

GOOD EARLY AFTERNOON MAGNOLIAS

I hope everyone is having a nice Memorial Day and remembering the troops that have kept us all safe. It is another warm day here in the ♥-Land with a temp of 80ºs and sunny. Very few clouds in sight when we were out and about. Went out for breakfast and I brought most of mine home and it is now in the freezer for later use in an omelet. I had ordered the “sampler” with beaters. I ate most of the beaters but was full so left the rest to be brought home. I am one happy camper this day for at ‘weigh in’ I showed a pound down which brought me to 80 pounds gone from this body. This little ie only has 7 and a ½ pounds to go to reach the half way mark on this journey downward. I am getting there slowly but surely. For dinner this day we are grilling since it is such a lovely day to cook outside. I have the fixin’s for a nice salad and some sun tea will be put out to brew when I finish here.

I saw a little video on TV that showed a dog with a long stick trying to get through the doggie-door with it. He had it in his mouth in the center of the stick and no way could he get through that door no matter how many tries he gave it. Well yesterday when I was out back I observed Beanie pick up a long branch and head for the doggie door with it. He had it in his mouth in the center and no way would it go through the door. He backed up and dropped it then picked it up on one end and went through the doggie door that way. Smart little dog our Beanie is.

JEAN When we are "out and about" we always make it a point to thank what ever service men and women we see in uniform. We have struck up some lively conversations with folks that way. That is terrific that you found proper sized life jackets in lively colors. Yep gotta have a life jacket if they are going boating.

DONNA FAYE Don't you just love this time of the year when we can get so much fresh produce ~ especially the fruit. Frozen is good but fresh is so much better. Can they fix it if that is the area that is causing you distress when you walk. That is a good idea to take along matching nail polish so you can do touch-ups if needed. The polish I have on my nais said on the bottle that it lasts up to 10 days. So far so good and no chips and I have even cut and filed my nails with the color on. It is "Rimmel from London" called "Lasting Finish PRO". Really good stuff. I also use a good base coat and top coat with it.

Have a great Memorial Day Magnolias. Type at y'all later.

[gma22]

Good morning all. I never did get a chance to get in here yesterday. We are still dealing with Fortune being sick. He hasn't eaten and this morning we found a place where he had runny stools again so I am calling the vet this morning. I am not going to have a full 10 days of antibiotic so I need to get some more. I think this time he just got a really bad bout and it is going to take time to get his system righted. We decided to just go out to eat last night as it was so very hot here. I think most of the country is way above normal for this time of year. Should heat Kelly and Tom's pool up nicely though.

I am trying to clean the downstairs today in bits and pieces. The humidity is 85% and it is already in the 80's so it is a sticky day. With us using the big room ac unit, it can get warm in the back of the downstairs so it gets hot to clean in there. It will all get done today.

I finished my audio book, Death Match and downloaded another one totally different. It is a young adult book called, Theodore Boone, Kid Lawyer by John Grisham and it is a very cute book. I am enjoying it. Audio books really do well for me when I knit. Makes the time go faster and I get a lot more done than when the tv is on or it is quiet.

Maggie: I use other Rimmel products because frankly they are much cheaper and no different than the expensive brands. I will search out their nail polish this weekend when I go shopping. We went out for breakfast yesterday and I tried eggs benedict for the first time. I have a feeling they did a cheap version as it was kind of bland. I knew it was egg emulsion with butter, usually an acid like lemon juice and a lot of time cayenne, but this one had some kind of oil and the eggs only. It was pretty runny. So I know never to try it again at that restaurant. Congrats on the lb down!!!!

Jean: I bet the girls love the "girly" life jackets. We have a Super Target here and it has a nice grocery and a very nice bakery, deli section. The choices are more limited than they would be in like Kroger or something, but you can usually find what you need. It is a heck of a lot cleaner than Walmart that's for sure.

Well, I guess I should get up and do the dusting then have a bowl of cereal. I finally got around to buying more skim milk. Have a great day all. Try and keep cool and drink lots of water when you can. Faye

[Jean]

Good Morning, Flowers! It seems like a Monday to me! I've been to church and not much money so we balanced quickly. It's a sunny breezy morning in my corner of the world. We have Ian's game in Sioux Falls at 5:30 so will be doing a road trip this afternoon. Otherwise I am making my vacation list and checking it twice, maybe three times!

Maggie -- on losing another pound last week! WOW! 80 pounds would be A LOT of kitty litter to carry around! I enjoy eating breakfast "out" because I always order something I rarely make at home. Lately I've been on an omelet kick.

"Gma" -- Do you have any idea what upsets Fortune's digestive process? Poor dog! It was chilly enough that I wore a jacket to church this morning. We've had very strange and unpredictable weather this year. I hope you get your cleaning done, but don't over do in the heat and humidity.

I'm off to count the gift shop money. Hope everyone has a terrific Tuesday and enjoy whatever you are doing!

[gma22]

Good morning girls! It will be a smidge cooler today and dip into the 70's tomorrow, which will be nice. I am gong to do some work on the upstairs this morning and finish it up tomorrow. I told Jack to leave the ac on upstairs and the bedroom door open so it was cooler to clean.

After the 6th time of ripping out my dil's sock, I finally got it right and am coming along. I needed to use a small sock needles for this yarn and for the stuff I bought for my husband and it did the trick. The larger needle just allowed it to stretch out too much. This gives a tighter, smaller stitch and it doesn't stretch a huge amount.

Jackson got his birthday package last night, but mom put it away for a few days. His birthday isn't until the 10th, but Target gave me a 3 weeks window for shipping so I went ahead and ordered it and of course they shipped it out the next day. It is all Avenger stuff. He is still very much into the super heros stuff so I bought him a legos hulk thing that my son suggested, all 4 of the avenger super heros large action figures, and a pair of hulk fists that he was really badly. Hulk is on back order though so won't join the group until the end of the month.

Jean: Fortune has one of these really sensitive stomachs I guess. I think he is coming around though. I have him on the antibiotics for 10 days, he still isn't eating dog food and wouldn't even eat the egg and rice I made for him. I did something awful and gave him some of my rice a roni from dinner as we were sitting there eating. He ate it off my hand and since there was leftovers in the skillet, I gave him about 1/3 of a cup and he ate all of it. The sodium isn't great for him, but at least he ate something. I don't put the butter or margarine in the stuff, just brown the vermicelli mix in some spray Pam then make it so it has a lot less fat. I put out food today but he hasn't touched it. I will pick it up and put it in the fridge in a bit to keep it from spoiling then bring it back out later on and try again. Ok, what did I miss in the posts about vacation and you???

This week I am going to order my caftan cover up and my long black skirt to go with my knitted sweater and another shaper. Though it doesn't stop the cramping completely, I noticed when I didn't wear one and walked around in Krogers on Sunday that I started cramping almost right away. In the commissary I got about 1/2 to 2/3 of the way finished before it started. I have talked to my gp and my surgeon, neither knows what is causing it, finds nothing wrong with my surgery and such and says in this case it is not connected to my weight. So I don't know if I am going to have to live with it or what. My instinct tells me that when he put my colon back together the second time that it is tight now and when I walk the motion of the leg and groin area spasm it. Like I said, it only lasts until I quit walking and goes away a couple minutes after I sit down. I just deal with it the best way I can.

Poor Jack had to work out in the sun yesterday and overtime to boot. He barely made enough to make it worth his while considering taxes being taken out of it. He got a sunburn on his face, neck and lower arms and he will probably be in the sun again today trying to fix the same problem.

Well, I am out of here. I am going to listen to the end of my audio book and get some more knitting done then fix myself a bowl of cereal. Have a great Wednesday all. Faye

[Maggie]

GOOD AFTERNOON MAGNOLIAS

It is a bright sun-shiny day with T-storms predicted here in the ♥-Land with the temps in the high 70ºs. We have been out to lunch at our favorite Mexican place and I had my usual which I can count the points on easily. 2 shredded beef tacos and rice + 10 chips which all costs me 22 P+ and I will call it the main meal of the day and eat light this evening with the remaining 8 p+ left. (Plus I do have the extra weekly points+ we are allowed but I am trying not to use all of them this week.)

Oh, my ~ Will just handed me his list of 2 items he wants me to order from Schwan’s®. He wants Pecan Rolls (13P+ each) and a Double Lemon Supreme Pie (11P+ each piece – pie serves 9). Granted those are excellent desserts but I will steer clear of them. I have yet to look at the book and decide what I need to order and get it done in time for delivery on Friday. I think I will take that pie to pot-luck next month so it won’t be in the freezer calling my name and Will can have a piece there. That will work and Will will go for it when I tell him what I have decided.

My jerky order arrived today and it has gone up in price just like everything else has. There may come a day when I can no longer afford to order it and turn to making it myself ~ for I do know how and have a dehydrator in which to dry it. I have a real tasty recipe from my mother who used it to make it by drying it in the oven. Plus other good recipes and one by Emeril in which he uses his Creole Seasoning. I use his season recipe as a rub on ribs sometimes when I do them in my indoor Smoker. After while I will weigh the jerky out in 1-oz portions and bag it all up and pop it in the freezer. One ounce equals 2p+ of this jerky and it is so good with a couple of Cuties and a boiled egg for a healthy 4p+ breakfast. One ounce of this jerky is usually two pieces that fit nicely in a zip lock snack bag. I have 2#’s to bag after while. I will do that after I have had my lunch.

Will has gone now to the museum to work today so we will have tomorrow free to go out and about on a long drive. He got a call from one of the college kids that works there who was given an assignment that he doesn’t know how to accomplish. Some of the plaster has fallen off the bricks in the men’s bathroom and he was told to fix it ~ so he called Will. Will can surely help him patch it up nicely. Evidently the kid had received a note to do it and the man who assigned it wasn’t there when he got it for the kid to inform him he didn’t know how to do that ~ so he called Will for help. Good thing Will can teach him how.

I now have my back door key back. Paul has officially moved out. I wish him safe travels to and from work. It is a long drive and he works long hours. My bet is that he will get a sleeping bag and sleep on the floor sometimes in his office for that long drive home will get tiring for sure ~ I can imagine. In my working days I didn’t want to live more than a half hours drive from work but that can’t always be, now can it. But a long drive to and from work sure cuts down the time you can spend with your family. His little girl is so cute and growing quickly. Kids do grow up so fast don’t they.

DONNA FAYE I certainly hope Jack is slathering himself with sun screen so he doesn't get too deeply burned. Nice that you have figured out to use smaller needles and your knitting will go faster and you won't have to be undoing it anymore. My glass work isn't so forgiving for I can't re-use the material if I have not used it correctly the first time. It is good thing that you aren't wasting your materials when you have to re-do a project. You are a good momie to your special needs doggie. He is so fortunate to be living with you for he gets such good care. Isn't it so neat that they have so many of the flavored sprays now that we can use to lighten up dishes such as Rice a Roni ~ that San Francisco treat. And if you need the butter flavor there are always those Butter Buds or the spray that you can add to a dish to make it more tasty. Yep we have "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter" spray in the fridge as I type. There are so many products out there now that we can take advantage of to make our dishes we cook lighter and tasty at the same time.

JEAN Yes, 80#'s of kitty litter would be too heavy for me to lift and to think that it used to be hooked to my body is mind-boggling. I don't want to ever lug that 80#'s around again. An albatross around my neck, so to speak. Yikes and I plan to lose that again plus a few pounds one at a time. Omelets are good. When I have one out I have it made with "Egg Beaters" to cut down on the points+. What kind of omelet is your favorite? How was the game? Hope Ian did well while playing.

SUSAN & GAIL Howdy to the two of you beautiful Magnolias.

Have a great day Magnolias. Type at y'all later.

[Jean]

Good Evening, Flowers! I thought I had been here today but realized I'm a day behind! I had my nails done this morning, stopped at the hospital to leave my gift shop checkbook and deposit book in case they needed to pay bills. I spent the afternoon at church working on the monthly newsletter. Other than that have been doing laundry, making my food list, and sorting through the paper piles.

"Gma" -- My furnace has run off and on today! It was 47 degrees outside at 6:30 this morning! We are leaving for the annual fishing trip to MN. This year we have rented a house and will all be together: my "mom," "sister," and her husband. We each are planning 2 days worth of meals and I need to get that organized tomorrow. I hope Jack has a cooler day to work outside tomorrow! I'm glad Fortune ate something even if it was people food.

Maggie -- The Schwans desserts sound yummy! I would have a hard time staying away from them. Ian's team won last night but he struck out twice and walked once. It is kid pitch this year and he can hit 'em hard and far when he and Jason practice. I don't know if he gets nervous at the games or what. He likes to pitch and play the catcher position. I wore a t-shirt, a sweatshirt, and my spring jacket with another sweatshirt wrapped around my legs. It was quite windy and I was still cold! My favorite omelet is one with cheese, ham, onions, and green peppers. However, that combination doesn't always like me so I'm careful where I order it and ask for just a few pieces of onion and green pepper.

I need to address my church birthday cards for when I'm gone. The church secretary will send them out for me. Enjoy what is left of your evening!

[gma22]

Good morning ladies. It is cooler this morning in the upper 60's and going to be upper 80's today. It is only supposed to be upper 70's tomorrow, which will be a nice change. I have to go downtown first thing in the morning and pick up Thomas and take him home from his dr appt. I think his dr is downtown now because it is close to St Jude's and makes it convenient for Kelly. She asked if I could come get him and I was happy to do it though parking and stuff can be nuts down there so I think I will just park, text her where I am and tell her to have him come to me when he is finished and she can go on to work them.

My shoes get here today so I will be interested how they fit. They aren't expensive shoes so I don't know if they will be comfortable or not. I can take them back here in town though and not ship them back if they don't feel right or whatever which is nice. Jackson's last action figure will be delivered today so we will get everything all together since she hasn't given it to him yet. I am waiting for the tan towels yet. They should be here tomorrow. I am anxious to try them and see how they do. It sure would be nice to have a nice bit of color for the cruise and not be orange or streaky. All the reviews for all the different brands are pretty positive.

Maggie: Yum, those desserts sound great. Like Jean, I would be hard pressed to stay out of them I think. Jack and I are kind of each other's worst enemy. If either of us gets something un-WW friendly, then the other person is likely to buy something too. So, we have to avoid getting anything of course. The rice a roni is only 2 pts per half cup, which isn't bad at all. The only thing is the sodium level is of course higher and you can't do anything about that if you are going to make it. It isn't like canned veggies where you can rinse them!

Jean: I guess I missed you talking about Minnesota. I know you guys go up there every year, but just zoned it out I guess. Are you guys leaving this weekend or when are you going? Wonder what the weather will be like up there this year? It has been so hot all over the country so far this spring. Fortune is now feeling better, will take his meds in a piece of cheese so no more bit fingers for me (he doesn't mean to bite me, when I shove it down his throat he tries to chew and clamps down on my fingers) He isn't eating dog food though and we are going to have a test of wills. I am not going back to making his food. He has two types of dog food here so he is going to eat it or go hungry until he is desperate I think. I put it down for 2 hours then put it in the fridge then bring it out later for a couple hours, etc. Sooner or later he will eat. I am not allowing him to have treats either so mama is getting hard nosed with the doggy now!

I was really sick yesterday from the pills again so I never got upstairs. I need to try and get to it today, especially this morning. It is not in a desperate situation yet, but I would prefer it didn't get to that.

We now have all the shows reserved for the cruise. You can make reservations and get better seats from what I understand. There is a production kind of song and dance show, one with what they call a headliner, a comedy show with the cruise director, a magic show, an ice show, and a crack grimms fairy tale show where the story telling is a bit off and supposed to be really funny. We are going to all the late 9 PM shows hoping less kids and less people will go to the late ones. Since we eat early seating at 5:30, that gives us plenty of time before the show to grab a nap or whatever if we need to.

Well I need to get going. It is slower going with the sock using tiny needles because it causes more discomfort to my hands and I have to put them down more, but it is coming along finally. Have a good Thursday all! Faye

[Jean]

Good Afternoon, Flowers! It's another windy cool day (so what else is new) , and the sun is trying to shine this afternoon. We had a little rain during the night which was most welcome. I went for coffee with a friend this morning and then stopped by the library to leave a book, renew one I'm almost finished with, and choose a couple more. When I went to check out the gal said I owed a fine from the last time. I don't think my books were late but had no proof so paid the 40 cents. One time I looked at the date wrong but that was a few months ago, and they caught it the same day. I need to go to the grocery store and have started my list. I just hate that chore!

"Gma" -- We are leaving Saturday and will be home in a week. I have no idea what to pack for clothes since it has been colder than usual. We are going a week earlier this year but I can remember a few trips when it was really hot. I'm sorry your pills made you sick again. I hope your shoes will be comfortable for you and you can keep them. It would be so nice if every company used the same pattern for clothes, shoes, etc., so a person would know a certain size or style will fit. I had to about Fortune will eat his dog food or else.

I need to finish my list and get moving. Any more if I don't get things done in the morning I seem to lose my "steam" later on in the day. Enjoy the rest of your day!

[QuilterInVA]

Good morning, ladies! Heading for the high 80s once again this lovely day.

Another busy weekend on tap. Tomorrow I have a graduation and funeral and Sunday is a beading class in the afternoon and a evening wedding reception (they got married in Las Vegas). Today Sandy and I are going to the Greek Festival, quilt shop, and lunch. I was at the Y at 6:30 am to get my workout in. I'm really loving ActivTrax but it sure is kicking my butt! I've been using the nutrition portion to plan and record my meals. I have put them all in for next week and it generated my grocery list so I'm all ready for grocery shopping.

Faye, it surely is not like you to have a problem with socks. I'm glad you figured out the problem. I really enjoyed the purse class last Saturday and
had a finished purse when I left.

Jean, enjoy MN! I hope the weather is fine for you.

Maggie, you are doing a fabulous job with your weight! Thanks for the calendars, they are hanging on my pantry and fridge.

I need to get ready to meet Sandy so have a fine day!

[gma22]

Afternoon gals. Didn't have time to get in here this morning. I had to go downtown at 7:45 so I could pick up Thomas from his dr appt. His mom works close by at St Jude's so she asked if I could come down and pick him up and take him home. We were going to go swimming but we had a huge thunderstorm move through last night so it is only low 60's today and the pool ended up with dirt and stuff in it. They had a guy put in a new liner this year and he is dragging his feet finishing the job and it involves the pump drains and stuff in the pool so the dirt didn't clear out. We did go frog hunting in the pool though! Thomas had said they have frogs bad this year and he took me in the back way to the house to look at the new liner and there were 3 frogs in the pool, ICK! We chased them down and he netted them and flung them into the grass! I took him to breakfast at IHOP and we had such a good time talking and eating. They have been "training" for the Kilamanjaro hike. He said it is a 5 1/2 day hike going up and 1 1/2 day coming down. They have 12 "porters" that will be hauling their stuff and a guide. They leave in 4 weeks exactly. We also talked all about the cruise and all the things to do and see and eat and play, etc, etc. I realize how much I miss him. He is so very busy all the time, I don't see him very much. For instance, next week is band camp all week, the following week is boy scout camp all week, then he has a week off then two weeks on vacation. When he gets back he is going with his Aunt to South Dakota for a week then school will be starting again soon after that.

Sandals fit perfectly so as long as my feet don't swell I will be ok. If they swell none of my dress sandals are going to fit I am afraid. So far, I haven't had trouble with swelling this year and we have had some really humid weather, which usually causes the problem. They are pretty cute and will look nice with the long dresses I think. I ordered a cover up and a long black skirt this morning. They sold out of the caftan I wanted. Bummer!! I ordered another shaper too because I may wear a shaper all the time on the cruise when I am dressed. I hope it will help with the cramping some.

Susan: I had a tough time with the larger socks. They would gauge properly but when I would knit them, they would be too big. I finally saw a notation I had on my sock book that has my charts and it said, 2.25 which is a size 1 needle so I went down to a size 1 and it seems to be doing the trick. I will try it on when I am done. The calf will be too small for my leg, but the foot should fit perfectly as we are the same size. My niece made me the cutest purse one year for Christmas. She made it out of placemats. I am taking it on the cruise to use on the formal night as it is black and has a crystal high heel shoe pin on it. It will be perfect.

Jean: Hope you have great weather and a wonderful time this next week in MN. I guess I am glad Jack is not a fisherman. I am not much of a cabin kind of gal, more the Holiday Inn type! I went camping as a kid and always hated it. We went camping once when Jay was about 2, he fell off the side of a mountain/hill and tore up his little knees and hands. I was mad and refused to go camping again! Nowadays, I am too old and fat to sleep in a tent or anything not at least 3 star! :0) Fortune is getting the idea I am not fixing him people food so he ate some of his dog food twice yesterday. He has turned his nose up today so far, but he gets hungry he'll eat as he is no longer sick. Thank goodness he is finally well enough he will take his antibiotic in cheese. I take a small piece off a slice of sandwich cheese and warm it in my hand to make it pliable then put the med in the center and roll it around in my hand into a ball. He gobbles it right up. No more bit fingers. He has to take it through next Wednesday.

Well, I guess I should get back to knitting. I would like to get the sock done no later than tomorrow so I can start on the second one. Have a great weekend, Jean enjoy your trip!!! Faye

[Jean]

Good Afternoon, Flowers! It's a sunny cool day in my corner of the world. I finished doing necessary laundry this morning, made a WM run which has become the $100+ store, and then the grocery store which was also over a $100! I try to take as much food as possible because everything is twice as expensive in the resort area.

Susan -- I think I would be worn out if I followed you around for very long! You have a busy schedule of past and upcoming events. Enjoy! How's Casper?

"Gma" -- Thomas is a busy guy! It's nice you could spend some time together today. I'm glad your new sandals fit and hope your feet don't swell. Our cabins had cable tv, WiFi, microwaves, air, and heat, etc. I'm anxious to see the what the house is like. I know I will miss all the other resort guests coming and going by our place, but we were at the opposite end from our relatives and their partying neighbors which would get old fast. I am not a camper for sure! My idea of vacation is eating out (that's why I don't consider this a vacation for me) and a nice hotel room!

Maggie -- What are you up to today?

I need to start sorting clothes and decide what to take for next week. Guess I will check MN weather and see what is in the forecast. Enjoy the rest of your day!

Here is the link to where we will be next week. www.vrbo.com #358865