Happy Easter! It's a beautiful day in my neighborhood today, sunny and 70 degrees. The deck doors are open and the birds are chirping away. We had a record 192 in church this morning with lots of visiting grandchildren. We have colored children's bells and for part of the children's sermon the bell choir director held up colored cue cards so the kids would know when to play their bell. Needless to say the younger children played their bell every time! They were so cute and most dressed up in new Easter outfits. Bob is washing windows and I have been sorting through magazines and catalogs. I do good on getting the newspapers and junk mail to the recycling pile, but not the other. We had a nice early Easter with the kids yesterday; it is such a treat to go, except for the ride home which always seems longer than the ride going.

"Gma," I hope you and Jack are feeling better today! You will have to go out and enjoy a brunch some other time, maybe it won't be as crowded as today. Where did you order your dress and top? I need clothes badly, but I just hate to shop in stores any more. The weather in Sioux Falls was warmer than here and they are 21/2 hours north of us. Strange weather up there too. They had a downpour around 5am and there was water standing in the fields and ditches along the way. Ian had practice for two hours so Jason took Kolby the the shooting range. He brought home his target sheet full of holes; he did pretty good for the first time! I told Beth he'd want to do that again.

Susan, have you had your second knee done? I'm glad you are doing so well!

I have laundry to fold and put away so need to keep moving. I hope you are enjoying a nice day!

Good morning everybody! We are expecting rain all day today so guess I'll decide which to work on cleaning, up or down.

It was mostly quiet here yesterday except coughing. We went out to WM to pick up a few things, had breakfast then came home. My stomach was a little queasy so I got Sprite at breakfast and it tasted like mold. Euww! They needed to flush out their lines. I had Jack try the other machine and it was ok. We came home and put everything away and watched the ballgame. Jack wanted chinese so I ordered it and mine was inedible. I got sweet and sour shrimp and the batter was as thick as corn meal batter and the shrimp were like rubber bands. I ate my egg roll and tossed everything. Never order that again!! I will stick with what I know they can make.

I have stuff coming in all this week. I know the postal and delivery people just love me! I hope Zales didn't screw up again. I ordered a replacement for the bracelet they sent in the wrong color but when I looked at how the shipping was coming along it says necklace. I am going to tear into them if they goofed again. You have to pay to ship back and I am not paying for their screw up again. It cost me $8 last time because of insurance and all that.

Susan: So good to hear you are doing well. Hope the other knee goes just as well.

Jean: I get most of my clothes at Woman Within. They are owned by Brylane, which is the parent company of Lane Bryant. I don't try on clothes in a store anymore. I rarely buy anything in town but just shop online. Rarely do they not fit. If I send something back it's because I hate it in some way. They charge you to ship back and a restocking fee so I really have to dislike it! I bet the kids were cute. It was pretty quiet driving around town yesterday morning. WM wasn't very busy and Hardees was deserted pretty much. This was before church time so maybe that's why.

You all have a nice week. I'm going to work on my last white square then start on the last green color.

Good Afternoon! The sun has been shining all day and it is so nice outside. We had a lot of money to count at church so it took quite a while. The donation program mysteriously disappeared from the computer I use so had to use one I've never used before. This gal's desk is so cluttered with junk, I had to move stuff around just to lay my envelopes down. I hope I got everything put back the way she had it. She probably won't know the difference anyhow. I had a P.E.O. Meeting this afternoon which lasted longer than usual. Tonight is card club and since this is our last one until fall, we go out to eat first. I'm hoping for an early night!

"Gma," I feel for you that the Chinese food wasn't good. I'm not a shrimp fan so that would do it for me. I just got the Woman Within catalog! I'd never heard of them and haven't had a chance to look at it. I think I am on every list there is! Today was a phone call about walk in showers . . . "we have one, take my name off your list" and they call right back the next day! I'm going to have to unblock some numbers so I can block that one. Crazy!

I need to change clothes and get ready to head out. Enjoy your evening!

Good Morning! We had a thunderstorm roll through a couple hours ago and it has been raining off and on since. The sky is getting lighter so maybe it will clear off. Some farmers have started planting so have had to take a break today. We had three sunny nice warm days in a row. I've been to church all ready this morning; Bob and the bell choir director's husband loaded the bells in my vehicle. We will be taking them to MN for repairs, tuning, and polishing tomorrow. Bob's "brain," as he calls his iPad, says it is a four hour trip one way. We will see some different territory than we usually travel. I have laundry in the washer and dryer, need to vacuum, and decide what I am wearing to Maddy's honor choir concert later this afternoon.

"Gma," Bob and I both take Amlodipine and haven't had any trouble with it. Sometimes my feet will be swollen by the end of the day in the summer depending on what sandals I wear. I really notice it if I have been walking a lot. I agree the recorded messages are a pain! We get them from the local area code, with different phone numbers, and the same message. Sometimes they will talk to the answering machine and sometimes they don't. The gal who hosted card club last night has known for a year this was her month. I always have the cards, pens, paper, and score cards ready days before. I get glasses, pop/water pitcher, ice bucket, cups, coffee, serving dishes, etc., set out the day before. Bob brings the card table and chairs up from the basement and will vacuum, or do whatever to help me get ready. Her husband is clueless and no help at all. Because we ate supper together beforehand, she made a key lime pie instead of snacks for after we finished playing. When we got to her house, her kitchen table had lunch dishes, crumbs, drips, etc., still on it. No glasses, water, ice, pop, pens, nor paper in sight, although the card table and chairs were set up. She has had chronic fatigue syndrome for several years and had to have a lung removed a couple years ago. She had some chemo treatments and it has affected her memory in that she has to think about her next move or what she wants to say. I didn't think the meal was anything to write home about, I ordered a half ham and cheese sandwich, toasted, with a half dinner salad. They didn't melt the cheese with the ham like they usually do.

The dryer is buzzing so need to change loads and drag out the vacuum. Hope you enjoy a terrific Tuesday!

Just stopping by to say, "good night." It's been a long day and I'm heading for bed. See you tomorrow!

Good Afternoon! Another gloomy, windy, cold day in my neighborhood today. It's supposed to get down to 37 tonight. I'm still waiting for spring to show up. There are green leaves where the tulips are supposed to be and we think maybe a rabbit, or something, ate the flower part. This morning was my monthly coffee date and afterwards I went to the grocery store for funeral casserole ingredients, made that, and delivered it to the family. The mom is a retired elementary teacher that I subbed for a few times and is now in my crafty club. Her 54 year old son, never married, was found dead in his MN apartment when he didn't show up for work. Her husband has severe COPD so she has her plate full. My kitchen is clean once again and I think it is Bob's night to cook. We had a late lunch so I'm not at all hungry.

"Gma," I hope you get a better nights sleep tonight. I had to laugh at Jack's comment about your BBQ sandwich. There are times when neither one of us remembers what we ate the night before. I hate trying to straighten out problems! I ordered a nylon jacket that has a flannel lining but the sleeves were not lined. It was a mess of wrinkles when it came so I put it in the dryer with a wet bath towel, still wrinkled, did a quick wash in cold water, still wrinkled, so then ironed it. One sleeve has the flannel lining between the outer nylon and the inner nylon. They asked for a review and I explained all that . . . . no response from them. When it came and it fit I threw away the paperwork and emails. I need to call the company but just haven't had time. Hope your hip is better after being warmed up.

Guess I will go get the mail and pitch the junk. Enjoy the rest of the day!

Good Evening! I spent most of the day at the hospital filling in on the auxiliary scholarship meeting. We applications from high school students, hospital employees who wanted to continue their education, and a son or daughter of a hospital employee. Requirements to even be considered were grade point average, a transcript of current grades, letter of recommendation, activities and honors, work experience, and goals to work in a health related career. Several failed to include one or more of the requirements so were automatically disqualified. There were a certain amount of points allowed for each requirement so we had to study each application carefully and in the end we had a tie so had to re-evaluate those two again. There were 32 applications for $8000. One family gives $6000 as a memorial to the mom who was a big volunteer and the scholarship committee was her favorite. Anyhow, it was a long day! I brought the gift shop money home so have the counted and ready to deposit. Tomorrow we are off early to Ian's basketball game, Zowie's soccer game was postponed because several on the other team would be gone for band contest.

"Gma," I hope Jack doesn't have to do jury duty. Bob just finished and lucked out never having to go. In reading the court reports in the paper, the judge seemed to put everyone that pleaded guilty on probation, which around here, is dumb. They end right back up in court again for breaking the rules. Bob had to call in on Mondays after 5, and they would give him another date when he had to check in. Our court days are Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The casserole is chicken, wild rice, cheese, water chestnuts, French cut green beans, cream of chicken soup, and mayo, topped with buttered cornflakes. If you think Jack might eat it, I can send you the recipe. It would be easy to halve for yourself.

I need to check the weather and decide what to wear tomorrow. We'll leave before 7:30 and I know it's supposed to warm up. Hope you have a nice weekend!

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Good Afternoon! It is a sunny, warm, NO wind, gorgeous day in my neighborhood! Maybe spring is really here. The birds are chirping away, squirrels are coming and going on the deck, and Ernie is keeping watch just to make sure he keeps track of them all. Ian had an early game at 8 and we made the second game at 11. His team won both, and we had a quick lunch at Wendy's afterwards. He had baseball practice at 1:00, busy guy! I have a load of laundry in the washer and need to iron a church shirt for Bob. He has to make the new minister announcement in church tomorrow, at both services. Hopefully second service will have it the first thing.

"Gma," I don't want to pass on my nice weather but hope yours shapes up soon. We have our Maui condo reservations set for February, 2018. After our last experience with flying, I told Bob I wanted to go first class this time and he said, "go ahead!" I will check the price difference and be prepared for a shock, but just once I'd like to board first instead of last. One time we got moved to first class on the first part of our trip; larger seats, complimentary food and drinks, pillow, blanket, anything we could ask for whether we needed it or not. Nice! We also pay for as much as possible in advance except for food because we usually eat out. We try to eat a big breakfast later and then a bigger meal towards evening. I think the other gal would be willing to do some cooking but not me. There will be four couples this time, one we have never met but from the same town as the other two. We are the only ones who share a condo stay for two weeks.

The washer should be done so on to the dryer. Hope you enjoy a nice evening.

Afternoon girls! It is quite chilly here today. I wore jeans to the commissary today. The shelves were sparse and they had almost no seafood! I wanted crab cakes and shrimp and they had neither. I bought canned salmon instead. I did get some nice fruit, I hope anyway.

We finished and came home and put it all away then sat down to watch the baseball game. I am irked at them for playing crummy so decided to go shopping online. I bought J'Adore body silk, soap and perfume as it is Jack's favorite that I wear. I have been looking at this handbag for a couple weeks and Jack said, "Just buy the darn thing. You will eventually!" It is called "tomato" and I don't have that color. I know the delivery guys hate seeing my address on stuff.

We bought tickets for the Iowa Cubs playing here in Memphis over Memorial Day weekend. We get club tickets which includes all your drinks and a buffet. You can either stay inside and watch the whole game through big floor to ceiling windows or go out and sit in your seats. We opt for the AC.

Jean: We always flew 1st class when we went to Las Vegas because it's 5 hours for one thing. The last time we went it cost about $1200 total and now it's over $1000 apiece. Back then they didn't dollar you to death either. I'd seriously consider it for a trip of your distance. On our traveling days we eat a good breakfast then dinner. If we get lunchtime hungry it's usually chicken mcnuggets, a hot dog from a convenience store or just chips and drink. We don't like to stop for lunch when we are driving.

Everyone have a good day!

Good Afternoon! Another nice sunny day but with wind so was cooler. Not many in church this morning for some reason. Bob read the new minister information and someone else read it at second service so we didn't have to hang around. Saturday night service will hear it next week since the last time they got it first and blabbed to someone in the other church before their announcement was made. The powers that be want both churches to get the news on the same day. Not sure why but I am tired today and took a nap this afternoon. Not very productive that's for sure.

"Gma," can you buy crabcakes ready to cook, or do you have to add other ingredients? Not being a seafood person, I don't think I've ever had them. My mom used to make salmon patties, not sure what was in them, but remember her browning them a little in a fry pan. I like the new handbag! Do you have any idea how many you have? I'm only good for a couple hours of driving before I need to get out and walk around the car. I get stiffer the older I get.

Bob grilled steaks for lunch so I'm not even hungry after we ate later than usual. Might be popcorn later. Enjoy the rest of the evening and have a marvelous Monday tomorrow. We have a week of colder temperatures and rain in the forecast.