Good Afternoon! The sun is playing hide 'n seek this afternoon, but it's a nice day with just a breeze. I took my paperwork in to the hospital to make copies so I can be paid for the credit card charges and a department charge. It would be nice (for me) if they would do their paperwork when I do mine instead of weeks later. I've been hungry for potato salad and decided to make one when I got home. Bob was to help his farmer friend but they had a breakdown so he was home for lunch which I hadn't planned on. He's gone again, the kitchen is put back together, washer and dryer are both doing their jobs, and now I can sit for a few minutes. We are home tonight! In checking the calendar for next week we could go to Sioux City four times -- Maddy's band concert and three soccer games; think it will be the concert and two soccer games on the same night. Could go to Sioux Falls four different times -- Amanda's 40th "surprise" birthday party, Zowie's spring concert which is on Amanda's birthday, and two soccer games. Think we will be at the party and concert skipping soccer games. I hate to think what our gas bill is going to be this month!

"Gma," are you going to take more sewing classes? I'm glad you enjoy sewing. I hope you feel better as the day goes along. I hate nights when I don't sleep well; I think I was too tired last night or too hot/too cold because I remember looking at the clock several times. Thank you for starting the new thread.

The dryer is buzzing so need to fold towels and get the next load started. Enjoy the rest of your day!

Good Afternoon! It's another nice sunny, NO wind, warm day in my neighborhood. I had a hair cut first thing this morning and have been putzing ever since. Bob has been in and out. There is drama going on in the office and he is steering clear of that. He has been picking up seed corn (corn seed?) for his farmer friend, Rich, when he calls, so he can keep planting. We have the dinner at the hospital tonight so our clothes are ironed and ready for that. I should vacuum the fur hunks that are floating around, then again maybe not. There is always tomorrow!

"Gma," I hope Jack's knee won't give him too much trouble. The problem is that it most likely won't get any better but maybe manageable. Actually, soccer should be over by the middle of May. It just seems like everything piled up in a short amount of time. Here is what is really stupid. There are four small towns within 5-15 miles of us. We have a public high school and a Catholic high school plus the college. Of the six high schools, five are having graduation on the same day and at the same time. There are many families who live within a 45 mile circle that have relatives in different school districts. Kolby and Zowie, plus a cousin of Zowie's who lives close will all graduate the same year. The larger schools seem to choose a week night for graduation while smaller ones pick Sunday.

Guess I had better drag the vacuum out and chase the fur. I am doing cat chores this weekend for a cat on the other side of the lake. I see her when we play cards and she has the softest fur, almost like a rabbit. Hope you are enjoying a wonderful Wednesday! April is just about history.

Good Afternoon! We got up to rain drops this morning but now the sun is shining. We have been having trouble with our TV picture freezing and/or no sound. The cable company has changed owners again; when I called a real person answered the phone. She wanted to know everything but my blood type, and then said she would pass my message along so a tech person could call me back. After two hours I called back -- same story. The next day I sent a not-so-nice email to their website and a rep called shortly after. He decided we needed a new box and we could exchange it or wait for a repairman to bring one to us. Bob has done it before so that is what we agreed to do. Local office was closed yesterday! Bob again disconnected it this morning and took off about 8:30 because that is the time painted on the door. Hand written note on the door says 9:30 today so he goes on to work. Picks up the new box and brings it home at noon. There is a different cable this time, and the remote, TV, and box won't "talk" to each other. This time Bob calls tech support and the guy walks him through the process. Come to find out the serial number was different between the box and the cable company. He got the TV to work and guess what . . . the picture is still freezing although not as often nor for as long. Frustrating! In a little while I have to go balance out the gift shop for the week, and do cat chores.

"Gma," long story, short version is that Bob's secretary has been there for 40+ years and thinks she is "the boss." She actually works for the federation but answers the phone for the agents. They pay part of her salary but since she has been cut back to a three day work week, she refuses to do anything beyond answering the phone. She had a knee replaced and has had trouble with the leg swelling ever since. The cancer doctor said that could be a result of the chemo. The pain has gotten so bad she is back to using a walker. Went back to the orthopedic surgeon and the X-ray showed the pin going into the bone is off center so she was to get a new knee. He wanted to do it ASAP because he was afraid the bone could break and he is worried that there may be some infection. If there is any infection, no knee, and she would be on IV antibiotics until it's gone -- could be months. She was set for surgery and her heart began to beat irregularly so no surgery. Now she has to see a cardiologist. Meanwhile she made no provisions for anyone to do her job, nor did her federation boss. Lots of hard feelings and negative vibes there right now. Have a nice weekend away -- sounds like fun!

Maggie, I am so sorry about Ragg Mop. How old was he? It seems like you just got him. Have fun at the shooting range. I hope your scope will work properly.

Hard to believe it is May. We had to explain to Maddy and Kolby what a May basket is. How sad is that? I have laundry to put away before I leave. Hope you all are enjoying a nice day!

Good Morning! It's a beautiful sunny morning in my neighborhood with just a breeze blowing. I have sheets in the washer and have been to the bank to deposit the gift shop money. When I count the money in each daily envelope I check it against the total written on the daily sheet. Then when I'm ready to fill in the deposit book I always compare the actual cash and checks with the totals on my weekly sheet. Our bank has all of the employees take turns working on Saturday morning, and I have never seen the gal at my window in the main bank so assume she works "behind the scene" somewhere. Anyhow, she said I had too much change and gave it back to me. When I got home I double checked all my figures and then had Bob do it again. We both think I was right in the first place and the teller will be short when she balances. Of course there is no phone number for the drive through, so I will have to call the main bank on Monday. The fur bunnies are multiplying by the minute and Sonny wants the deck door open. He is "talking" a blue streak to the squirrels and birds.

I need to drag out the vacuum and corral the flying fur. Enjoy a special Saturday!

Good Morning! It's a beautiful day in my neighborhood with sunshine and a breeze. The birds are chirping up a storm in the back yard. When I opened the door earlier a squirrel was sitting in the tree scolding something. I put some food out and he made a mad dash to the deck. He must have been scolding me. Bob is at the farm doing chores and checking on the planter. I need to do my cat chores after lunch and pick up the clutter. I know we have more now than when the kids were home. I must not be as diligent in my "senior" years.

I need to dream up something for lunch. Have leftover grilled steak from yesterday and a salad maybe. Bob picked them up and thought he got two for $10.59. Come to find out that was the price per steak! LOL Enjoy a super Sunday!

Good Afternoon! It's a cloudy cool day in my corner of the world. I went to the P.E.O. breakfast this morning. It was catered and she served the egg casserole, fresh fruit, and a berry muffin. I thought the muffin was dry so I picked out the big pieces of fruit and left the rest. Then I made a WM run and stopped to do the cat chores. Her "mom" is coming home today. Snoopy must have been bored because she had several kitchen cupboard doors open. We will be leaving for Zowie's concert as soon as Bob gets home.

Our excitement for the day was Bob ran over his billfold with the lawn mower! Somehow it fell out of his pocket and he didn't realize it. He had just cashed a check so all of the bills, driver's license, credit cards, membership cards, etc. are history. His Medicare card and insurance license survived somehow. So we matched serial numbers on the bills, they were all cut in half so paper clipped the halves together, and he headed to the bank. His billfold was shredded but his driver's has part of his head cut off so will have to get a new one. I'm just glad he saw it after the fact. I have visions of the wind blowing pieces of paper money and plastic every which way.

"Gma," I'm glad you enjoyed your weekend away. That is too funny about the toilet -- not really. I hope your sister's surgery goes ok. I was back subbing after three weeks, but was able to sit most of the time and only went to the high school. We were comparing cable costs at lunch bunch and one gal said their bill was $225 a month. They have two HD boxes and lots of sports channels, also bundle phone and Internet. Our's is $125 for one box, expanded basic, phone, and Internet. The company was sold again so I wouldn't be surprised to see the rates go up again. Everything is going up!

I have towels in the dryer and they should be done. Enjoy the rest of your day!

Good Morning! It's a cool rainy morning in my neighborhood. I'm hoping for enough rain to cancel soccer games tonight. I can't get excited to wear "concert" clothes to a soccer game in icky weather. Obviously someone didn't check the school calendar when they scheduled the games. Zowie's makeup game is tonight and a regular game is Thursday, but we will miss both since we are going back up there on Saturday. I've been to church and counted money, now need to make a grocery list and head to the store after lunch.

"Gma," it's not as much fun putting trip stuff away as getting ready to go. You are one organized lady! I always think of you when I need to dust and vacuum. I need to wash fan lights and I can never get all the screws back in, so will wait until Bob is around. I have the same problem with our two grocery stores. I will pick up a thing or two if I happen to be in WM but never go there to specifically grocery shop. They are not always cheaper here. Can you bundle with Direct TV? My neighbor is thinking about switching, but she also talks about TIVO, which I know nothing about. It's frustrating, to me, to try and figure out which is the best deal. It seems as soon as we switch to something else, we like what we had better.

Not much else is newsy from Iowa today. Hope you all have a terrific Tuesday and enjoy!