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#16

QuilterInVA , 11-22-2012 09:54 AM

Good morning, ladies! 44 degrees right now.

Glory and I are sewing today and having beef tenderloin, baked potato, asparagus, rolls and butter and cranberry walnut torte for dinner.

No Black Friday shopping for me - tomorrow is English Paper Piecing Bee at Bella (well she is giving 25% off on total purchase from 10 am - 1pm).

Saturday we are selling the ActiveLink at our meetings and WW had a 25% off coupon in the newsletter this week so I'm sure we'll be busier than usual. The changes come out beginning December 2 and there won't be many, more to the meeting format.

Faye, I am so sorry for all your problems, especially at the holiday when family is coming. You are going to have to be proactive on this. It seems you have endured much with no good result so maybe it's time for surgery. I suppose the guy who sent everyone home thought it was a great joke. Or maybe he really did think it was okay. It sure wouldn't be fair for them to have to work Christmas Eve because of him.

Jean, that salad sounds like a wonderful treat. We have Grand Illumination in Williamsburg next weekend. Stan and I went once. The crowds were terrible and getting back on the road after it was over was a nightmare. It's the time they "unveil" the decorated houses and have fireworks at the governor's palace, armory and courthouse. We also have lighted boat parades in Yorktown and Norfolk. Sandy and I will go to the one in Yorktown if it's not too cold for me to be outside.

Maggie, Will finds you the best stuff! I know that shopping cart is so cute. Could you share the cranberry curd recipe?

Have a wonderful holiday!

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#17

Maggie , 11-22-2012 08:39 PM

Titilating Turkey Thursday

GOOD AFTERNOON MAGNOLIAS

It is a beautiful day in the neighborhood this Thanksgiving day. I am currently taking a rest from getting out all the food items I prepared for our meal then cleaning up afterwards. The turkey breast turned out very moist and nicely done for I cooked it in a bag. I have always had such wonderful outcomes from using those bags. The turkey and all the other fixin’s are put up in containers in the fridge now and my kitchen back in order. I love having a dish washer. Our guest didn’t come after all. She called this morning to say she was driving home. I am sure her folks will be happy to see her. Her father is a doctor and just this year retired. We will tell her she is welcome to come over for left-overs when she gets back. After it all cools down in the fridge I will make up some TV type dinners out of some of it. I am just too tired right now to deal with it anymore today.

JEAN I would love to have you closer and feed you. I do so love to cook for folks. I'm sure you snicker salad goes over will with the kids. Anything with snickers in it sounds yummy.

SUSAN I mailed you that recipe. You can lighten it further if you have a mind to. I haven't made it yet but am going to come Christmas time. I mixed up a tad bit of SF seedless raspberry jam with some lemon curd and it was very tasty so I can imagine that raspberry curd will be divine. That little shopping cart now holds those little things that used to "float around" on my desk. With my M&M screen cleaner sitting on top of all of it.

Have a great day Magnolias ~: wave: Type at y’all later.

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#18

gma22 , 11-23-2012 09:56 AM

Good morning ladies! I hope none of you are black friday shoppers! It is nuts out there at least here in Memphis. Jack the procrastinator, waited until the people from Lowes called this morning to check our old hoses and found one he said had an "anuerism." So, he had to go to Lowes at 8 this morning and buy new hoses as they upped our delivery time to this morning. He said Lowes was dead and he got a front row parking place. So now you know where to shop for Christmas on black friday; Lowes! He said Best Buy and Target which are just down the road from Lowes was packed to the rafters so to speak. He said the whole parking lot was full and this is a strip mall kind of thing. So we now are sitting and waiting for them to call us half an hour before they deliver it.

The brunch was primo and fabulous. I have never been to one so big except at a casino like Bellagio. The food was delicious. We didn't even get to the carving station and get anything there. They had a salad bar with regular salad mixings and cold salads and they weren't your ole cole slaw either. They had potato salad, but they had this wonderful italian pasta salad that had artichokes, and peppers and black olives in it. It was really good. There were bread and roll selections, they had three kinds of pasta dishes including vegetable lasagna, fetticine alfredo and some other one. They had seafood dishes, soups, a delicious sweet potato casserole I only got the dregs of, sliced turkey, dressing, mashed potatos and gravy, a really good meatloaf, beef tips in gravy, several vegetables and on and on. They had this huge table lines with all kinds of desserts. I had a piece of really good pumpkin pie I think was Sara Lee! It wasn't cheap and they raised the prices from what it was in the newspaper. They also added in gratuity to each person with tax. Tom was really sick and didn't go so for the 4 of us it was $140 but it was really fabulous. We went to Kel's for a little while and sat around and talked with her. I gave her birthday present to her and she loved the socks and the colors. I laughed when she said, "You know mom, your are really good at this!" Well, I have learned some tricks along the way. We came home early and I found out Jack had not been feeling good either all day. He now has a roaring head cold and sore throat so we loaded him up with Nyquil last night and I made him some of my famous sore throat brew and hopefully by Monday he will feel better.

Susan: Sounds like you had a lovely day. Kelly asked me to ask you what your sewing machine is. She is a sewer and a few years back was given a 50 years old sewing machine that sews one stitch. For her birthday she got a new Brother that has like 135 stitches, and a quilt arm and a bunch of stuff. She was so funny showing it to me, who is totally clueless about sewing pretty much. She was like a kid in a candy store all oohing and ahhing all the things in the little attachment bag. I told her you were an expert quilter so she said you probably had one of those fancy Bernina machines. I told I didn't know but if I remembered right you bought a new one a year or so ago.

Maggie: Kelly thinks I should go into my doctor and tell her my kids are having fits about me and want me to get a second opinion. I didn't tell you definitely yes or no, but something radical is going to have to be done because frankly I am about at my wits end. The quality of life right now is rotten and I want to feel good enough to get weight loss healthy and female healthy and be able to go on walks again and such. I am a recluse now as I seem to always feel so bad I have to force myself to get out of the house most of the time. I think those bags are wonderful. They do lock in flavor and moisture. I hope you and Will enjoyed your feast.

Jean: They had a Roper on sale so we bought it. I want to buy the matching washer to my new dryer I bought last year, but the thing is like $800 so I just bought what was a good sale and got good reviews online for now. I will probably buy a new washer and dryer set when we remodel in a few years or at least buy the washer that goes with my dryer, which I really like. Can you send me the snickers salad recipe? I would like to try that out on the kids sometime.

Well gals, I need to go. I hope you have a nice weekend. We have commissary to do this weekend so you know I am thrilled! Faye

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#19

Jean , 11-23-2012 10:33 AM

Good Morning, Flowers! The wind is blowing 30+ mph, cloudy, and wind chill of 2 degrees. I plan to stay inside today! I'm thinking about "maybe" putting the Christmas tree up later, or at least getting it out of the box. Bob puts it together and I decorate. I suggested, at Ian's birthday party, not putting one up since we are leaving so soon after Christmas. Beth's comment was . . . "Moottthhhheeeeerrrrrr!" I have lots of clutter to deal with today and need to put some things away if Christmas decorations are going to appear.

Susan -- Your Thanksgiving dinner sounded delicious to me! I am not a big turkey fan so wouldn't feel left out if we didn't have it, which we always do. I know you will enjoy your time at Bella's today. The Grand Illumination sounds like a fun thing to visit. I hope the weather cooperates and you can go.

Maggie -- Fixing any meal is a lot of work imo! Holiday meals, with the extra touches, are nice but the average person who doesn't fix them doesn't appreciate the work involved. What is the curd in your recipes? I think of cheese curds which are "chunks" around here.

"Gma" -- What kind of hoses are you waiting for? I hope that Lowes will deliver asap. There was a huge newspaper yesterday, full of all the Black Friday ads. I'm not sure if Lowes had one or not, but the store in Sioux City always seems to be busy. I'm glad you enjoyed the brunch yesterday. I don't mind paying more if the food is good. I hope Tom and Jack both feel better soon. The Snickers Salad is super simple! I will send it to you.

I need to get dressed; spent some time watching the Today Show and crocheting this morning. I have got to work at getting the deck cat to the vet next week. Hope you all have a fantastic Friday!

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#20

Maggie , 11-23-2012 12:03 PM

Finally Friendy Chilly Friday

GOOD MORNING MAGNOLIAS

I just don’t have a plan of what I will do this chilly day today except make up plates of leftover food to go in the freezer. That is the extent of my “to do list” this day. The place still looks good from the last cleaning we did so there is no housework to attend to. If my new soldering iron comes today I can work on my house. Don’t get me wrong, I have things I could do but nothing interests me at the moment. Guess I will decide when I wake up what it is that I will accomplish today. After I drink some of the sf ff vanilla latte that Will has gone to get for me along with his coal car that he drinks.

DONNA FAYE Where you went to eat sounds like it had great choices and one could certainly stay OP eating there. How nice to have a good place to go eat and not have had to cook a large meal at home with the way you have been feeling. That’s sad that a couple of your family feel ill during this holiday and hopefully they will be well soon.

JEAN The cranberry and lemon curd are smooth and spreadable ~ not like the “regular milk curd” you are familiar with. They sell the traditional “curd” at the A & W place in a near city. Like you we don’t get a “traditional” Christmas tree either. We put little lights on one of our Fica trees in the front room. I also have lights on some of the houses in my village. I hang up a few crochet snowflakes around that are sprayed with some sparkle and are very pretty. I give my village a Santa and a glass tree with tiny gifts around it. That’s about it for the decorations but it does give the room a festive look. We also have this new mom and pop snow people to set out. Your daughter wants you to have a tree up and decorated ~ sounds like.

SUSAN Let me know how that Cranberry Curd turns out ~ I plan on making it next month. I can just imagine spreading some on a piece of toast with some WW cream cheese.

Have a great day Magnolias ~: wave: Type at y’all later.

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#21

Jean , 11-24-2012 08:24 AM

Good Morning, Flowers! I woke up early, couldn't go back to sleep so finally gave up and got up! It's just now beginning to get light. The wind has finally died down some and it is supposed to be a bit warmer. I plan to do some serious dusting and vacuuming today. The Christmas tree didn't materialize yesterday, maybe today.

Maggie -- I like your idea of decorating for Christmas! It's a lot of work, but I don't put as much out as I used to. My card club friend, who likes to host in December, decorates every room in her house. We always enjoy going to her house as she changes her regular decor quite often. Would you please send your cranberry curd recipe to me?

I hear Bob coming downstairs so it's time to plug in the coffee! Hope you all enjoy a relaxing Saturday!

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#22

QuilterInVA , 11-24-2012 04:28 PM

Good evening, ladies! 45 degrees right now but we are getting a cold front that will bring us our first hard frost and 28 degrees tonight. That's cold for us.

Faye, I have a Huskavara Viking sewing machine. I wasn't about to get a Bernina because you are paying a lot just for the name and their extra feet are $75 a pop. Mine are $30. I got the Saphire 875 which is the top of the line before you get into the embrodiery line. I have a couple of hundred extra fancy stitches, too and 5 alphabets. It was $3,000 before I added my extra feet, etc. and that was a sale price. Brother makes a nice machine, too. Kelly will love it. I think a second opinion on your female issues is definitely in order. I hope Jack is feeling better.

Jean, I got all my Christmas decorating done. I hung the Christmas tree quilt on my front door, the angel from the lamp post and put out my quilt with the navitiy scene on it.

Maggie, the Cranberry Curd is excellent. I got some of Trader Joe's scones and have half a one with the curd and a cup of tea. YUM! We sold a lot of ActiveLink today so I decided to get mine out of the box and activate it. WW gave one to all the employees at our last meeting. I've been using my FitBit and really like it, but the ActiveLink is waterproof so I think it will better track my water zumba and water aerobics. I put it on a chain to wear under my shirt.

Have a wonderful evening!

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#23

Jean , 11-25-2012 01:58 PM

Good Afternoon, Flowers! It's a cloudy, breezy, cold day in my corner of the world. I'm waiting for the sun to come out! We went to church and then out for breakfast. Most of the snowbirds are gone so I'm guessing it won't take long to count money tomorrow; there weren't many in the first service. I'm thinking about going downtown as the Hallmark store is having a Sunday only promotion, and the shoe store next door is having a post-Thanksgiving sale that starts today.

Susan -- Your Christmas decorations sound lovely. I'm just not in the mood to drag everything out yet. I'm thinking maybe something new will inspire me! The gift shop has some pretty things and I haven't looked in a couple of the local florist shops either; they always have nice things. It was nice that you got an ActiveLink from WW! I suppose they want the employees to try them so they can tell the clients how well they work.

I came upstairs to change clothes so better keep moving. Enjoy the rest of the day and evening!

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#24

Maggie , 11-25-2012 03:34 PM

Simply Sunny Beautiful Chilly Sunday

GOOD AFTERNOON MAGNOLIAS

My professional stained glass soldering iron came Friday and I am a happy camper for it is just like the one I used for years. It should last as long as I want to use one. I have my current building all ready to be soldered together. After this building is finished I am going to make some boxes, sun catchers, and night lights to gift folks with. There are enough buildings now to fill up a third shelf nicely and get it all decorated for Christmas. I changed the computer screen picture on my lap top to a yellow jeep coming down off some rocks and it startled me when I first opened my computer for it really looks like it is headed for my keyboard. The Jeep is almost as big as the screen. Large.

My goodness the wind around here blows junk into our yard. Packing material from all around and a huge black tarp that looks like it came off a truck were all hauled to a dumpster this day. We picked up lots of trash that wasn’t even ours nor our brand of stuff. Our trash stayed in its container also so it wasn’t in the yard at all. Last year amongst the trash was a $10 bill which was a treat.

SUSAN I just know I will like that cranberry curd ~ thanks for the review of it. Your scone made my mouth water! I may make some soon and give some of it to a friend here as a gift. She gifts me with homemade sugar free jam on occasion. I’m sure you like using your Activelink while doing your waterworks. I think one of the neat features it has is that you can tell it when you change it’s location on your body by notifing the computer program.

JEAN The sun is shining here and we are in the mid 60� today without any rain in the near forecast. No rain means the winter wheat won’t grow and there are fields and fields of that here just waiting for water. I don't feel like I need to decorate to the hilt anymore. It is different when there are little children. I just want the place to look a bit festive for we really aren't Hum Bugs.

Have a great day Magnolias ~: wave: Type at y’all later.

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#25

gma22 , 11-26-2012 09:14 AM

Good morning gals. A little cool but climbing into the 50's this morning I guess. At least I am not freezing my bunnies off like Jean! We have had one crazy weekend for sure. I have had one thing after another and Saturday night I had this horrible deep groin pain on my right side and was almost ready to go to the ER fearing a ruptured ovary or appendix when it went away and didn't come back. Well, I had put a heating pad on it on low and burned the area around my incision and because of the other stuff going on, I woke up this morning with it red and sore to the touch. I put some antibiotic cream on it and it feels better. Jack has sounded like a baby with croup all weekend but he went to work this morning feeling better. He had to or would have to pay back all his time off (has to work day before and day after any holiday time off.) He and I forced ourselve to go to the commissary yesterday. He lugged everything in and I put it away and we just collapsed on the recliner with blankets and napped for a couple hours. He felt better but I still felt crummy. I can't get rid of this backache.

Jean: The hot and cold hoses to the washer. The guy at Lowes said we didn't have to buy them we could use the old ones but that's not true. You warranty is void and they won't hook it up if you don't have all new connection stuff. So, I am glad he went out and bought them before they got here. Didn't take them long to have it up and going but it sure does make some weird sounds and such. Washes those clothes clean though. I think better than my old machine. I think I would have said, "Dddddaauughter, you want me to put it up, you come back here and help me take it all down! " We aren't putting anything up again this year. It just isn't worth all the time and effort when no one comes here to see it and you can't see it from the street or sidewalks.

Susan: She was all excited about the quilt thingy to make the sewing part longer and she had a bunch of feet in her little bag she was all excited about. I know she is going to love the thing. She likes to sew, but she sure doesn't have much time to do it with everything else that goes on in her life. She made her Carol Burnett Gone With the Wind costume. She was made because she didn't win. I guess the gal that won was dressed in a short skirt and vest and lots of makeup. More than likely, the only people who knew who Kelly was were the old folks. She said she is going as Rosie the Riveter next year. She is just like Thomas. She does these wonderful costumes and no one knows who they are. That's why he stopped trick or treating several years ago because no one ever knew who he was.

Maggie: I am sure your glass projects are just humming along now that you have your new stuff.

Well gals, I need to go and get some work done. You all have a good start to your week. Faye

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#26

Jean , 11-26-2012 02:55 PM

Good Afternoon, Flowers! The sun is shining but it's cold and still windy in my corner of the world today. The sun does help the attitude though! The secretary wasn't at church this morning and my part of the job wouldn't work on the icon I've always used. When I finally got in through the "back" door the report was for 2011 and I didn't know how to change that. I left the whole pile in a drawer and a note for her telling her to call me when she fixed it. It looks like a whole new set up to me. It's also end of the month newsletter time so probably will help with that later in the week. The gift shop was closed last Thursday and Friday so there wasn't much money to count. I need to make a bank run later this afternoon.

I wonder who will win the mirror ball on DWTS tonight?

Maggie -- I'm glad your soldering iron arrived and now you can work on your Christmas projects. Still don't have the tree up . . . I have NO interest in putting it up. What is wrong with me anyhow? Maybe because we are leaving so soon after Christmas that I just can't get a move on.

"Gma" -- I hope your burn will heal without blistering. I can imagine how painful that must be. I feel sorry for Jack having to go to work if he still doesn't feel 100%. The way they treat their employees sounds petty to me, but I suppose there are many who would take advantage otherwise. I know lots of teachers took "mental health" days. My fridge is making weird noises so hope it makes it through the holidays. The tv snaps, crackles, and pops when the weather changes but it has always done that.

I need to run a couple errands and stop by the bank so better keep moving. Enjoy the rest of your day and evening.

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#27

Maggie , 11-26-2012 10:21 PM

Monday Monday

GOOD EVENING MAGNOLIAS

It is down to 31 degrees as I type this evening. YIPEKIO I showed a loss this evening at WW of 2#s. There sure weren�t many in the group that did show a loss this evening so it was all about helping them to make better choices for there are holidays all through the year to contend with. We did hear about some of the neat things that will be included in the new upcoming year of the WW program. Things to help keep our heads in it will be totally welcomed by me. I have lost weight this past quarter but not enough for I was slack with myself.

I have some cute boxes to make and that will keep me busy for the weeks before Christmas is upon us. I never eat when I do glass so it will be good to keep busy with glass work.

We have been busy picking up other folks trash that has blown into our yard and putting up some privacy fencing to hide the bin that Will uses to store his wood for smoking meat. Folks driving down the alley don�t need to be looking at that bin for sure. Makes the place look neater besides. Tomorrow I will be busy inside once again with my glass.

JEAN You are absolutely correct when you said sunny days help with ones attitude. Gloomy days bring a person down for sure. We came home in the dark tonight and were pleasantly surprised at the large number of houses in the neighborhood that have their colored lights around thier roofs and yard art out for the season. We will be putting some colored lights around the huge picture window that is in the front room and decorate that Fica tree. Looks good and cheery from outside when the drapes are open. And when they are closed the lights even look good because it is just muted a bit. We don't do the "around the shape of the roof" bit. It is all so pretty when it snows here to see all the lights on reflecting in the snow.

DONNA FAYE OUCH ~ gotta be carefull to not go to sleep with a heating pad on for they can burn you ~ as you found out. Hopefully that area will heal quickly with that ointment you used on it. Poor Jack having no sick leave to really stay in and get that cold out of his system. This time of the year can bring on the miseries for sure.

Have a great day Magnolias ~: wave: Type at y�all later.

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#28

Maggie , 11-27-2012 10:58 AM

Titilating Chilly Tuesday

GOOD MORNING MAGNOLIAS

I have been trying to go to bed earlier these days without TV and consequently I have been getting up earlier and feel better. 8am to rise and shine has always been considered �early� for me but now it, hopefully, will be more of the normal. Working so many years at that 2 to 10pm shift was my normal to not get to bed until the wee hours of the morning. I needed all that time to �wind down� from being totally �on� for those 8 hours. I don�t need winding down time anymore.

I will finish up the glass project I am currently working on and then decide what Christmas type gift I want to make next. I have a lovely shade of green glass and a nice piece of red and think I will make a small holly leaf and berry candle holder. Those little battery operated candle flame thingies would work well with that and be safer I would think.

I don�t have to think very hard about what to have for dinner this day for Will wants to grill burgers. He got a package of very lean burgers at the market from the sale bin when he was shopping and they are in the fridge waiting to be grilled. He can grill them all and I will freeze what we don�t eat. It�s nice to have some in the freezer for a quick meal when we are having a very busy day of it.

Will is off to the museum so they can measure him for the Santa suit. They are getting him one of the very old timey ones that will be fitting for the museum. Ho Ho Ho he is going to have so much fun playing Santa down there.

Yikes I just realized that Schwans� will be here on Friday but I don�t think there is anything we need to place an order. I ordered the yummy morsels of treats to set out at Christmas time last time so don�t think there is anything else we need at the moment. They are running some great specials this time of the year.

Have a great day Magnolias ~: wave: Type at y�all later.

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#29

Jean , 11-27-2012 01:46 PM

Good Afternoon, Flowers! It's a cloudy windy day in my neighborhood, but the sun is trying hard to show itself behind the clouds blowing through. I just finished meeting with a rep to pick out something to cover my sliding doors -- decided on horizontal cell shades because Ernie still has his claws and I didn't want him digging at a vertical shade. Vertical blinds are OUT of style now; I still like mine in the livingroom and will wait a while to replace them. I'm meeting a friend for coffee this afternoon. Still haven't heard anything from the church secretary so don't know if she is in the office or not. My note to her said to call me when she fixed my problem.

Maggie -- on losing 2 more pesky pounds! You are doing great! It's always windy around here so it seems like there is always stuff that blows into our yard. As a rule people around us are pretty good about picking up trash. Isn't there a saying, "early to bed, early to rise makes one healthy, wealthy, and wise?" I'll bet Will will make a great Santa!

I need to file some bills and receipts, getting rid of another "to do" pile. I don't know where the time goes but it sure flies. Enjoy the rest of a terrific Tuesday!

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#30

gma22 , 11-27-2012 04:10 PM

Afternoon gals. Gotta make it quick as Jack will be home in just a bit. I forgot I hadn't gotten in here this morning.

Nothing much going on this day. It is cool and pretty windy today but it is sunny outside with no rain. We had that yesterday most of the day.

I have to get that other sock on the needles and get it done. I just haven't felt like it combined with Jack being sick I haven't messed with it. I hope to get it going again tonight and get going. Rizzoli and Isles starts their new season again tonight so looking forward to that. Maybe I can get some of it done watching tv tonight. I have been so exhausted I go to bed really early because I am up a lot overnight, but the last couple nights haven't been too bad and last night I slept all night without having to get up which I haven't done in a very long time. This stuff is slowing down, so I am hoping it is out of my system and going to stop soon. I haven't had cramping or the heavy stuff and no surprises for the last few days either.

Jean: Jack has cell shades in his office and really likes them. Of course they aren't very big windows but the have good coverage, he has colored ones and they are darkened so no one can see in. Have you ever read these cute books by an author named Anne George? They are about two older sisters who get into trouble all the time with dead bodies. I think you would like them a lot.

Maggie: Big congrats on losing those pounds. It is especially good over an "eating" holiday. We are having a ham steak for dinner tonight. Nice and easy to fix and low in fat and calories.

Jay's family will be here in just 3 days and I am excited to see them, especially the little one, though his dad says I won't recognize him he has grown so much. We are all looking forward to a couple days together anyway. They can only come over the weekend, but it is better than nothing.

You all have a nice evening. Faye

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