We have just returned from another round robin trip... Red Racks to drop off stuff, Michael's to pick up an online store pick up and then Price Chopper for my list and some impulse things! Put everything away and now to decide what comes next..
oh yes.. did check my emails and paid my credit card bill!
Made a batch of giant ginger cookies...
I have all sorts of Christmas goodies to make planned. We'll see how much I accomplish!
Tonight I have our quilting/craft group meeting. Looking forward to it.. plus I finally can return the totes my friend's daughter brought all the mohair and fake fur in!! They are both in the craft/quilting group.
That will empty out the living room!!
Didn't get as much made ad expected... but no problem. There is time left.
Quilting/craft group was fun
It's been a busy day...it started with our daughter picking up our senior adoptees gifts!
Then we brought down from the attic our Christmas tree, a huge Annalee Mouse, our small tree and all sorts of other "stuff". We moved the lamp that sits on Bob's Mother's oak table in the front window so the tree could take its place!
Then I made my first batch of peppermint bark ( the whole dining room now smells of peppermint) . I then wanted to make a batch of shortbread cookies... Bob lugged the kitchen aid mixer from the pantry cabinet but the bowl and the attachments weren't with it. We hunted all over and finally found them in the cabinets in the family room under the TV. I have no idea when we decided to do that!!
Made the cookies... currently they are cooling!!
So the Christmas box for my b-i-l in Rochester is getting there! My younger daughter made him a batch of pfeffernusse to go in the box too.
Tomorrow means more baking...
Six boxes are too many to leave on the front steps for our mailman to pick up... so we will be headed off to the PO later today!
I also need to go to Michael's to get a few things to finish up that last order.
Bob filled the bird feeders for the first time this winter and soon needed to refill them... looks like I will have to bring out the Birds of North America book to refresh my mind!
Our daughter will drop by to pick up our "bags" for our senior adoptees.. She will take them to Phoenix Family's office so that they can be delivered !!
The online bear show is ending tomorrow. I have only order to finish so it is time to work on the Christmas "foodie" items! So off to Price Chopper we went with my list of "needed" items... plus the weekend always means the end of the three day sale!
I came home with Italian pasta I found in a clearance cart, 8 cans of Progressive soup, candy canes, 3 lbs of butter ( on sale), a pair of socks with the rubber dots ( no slip) for our senior adoptee and regular list items!! The store was busy and our cashier was delighted to have Bob be her bagger!! Bob came home with the first huge bag of bird seed for this winter!!
On our way home I told Bob some of the recipes I was planning to make. I think I may turn him into my assistant...
spent the rest of the day puttering around
Tried a new recipe for dinner... went over well
All the sold bears and a cat have been boxed up... some already gone with the mailman.. More boxes to go tomorrow! There are three left.. will they be bought? The show ends Monday evening, so it's possible.
A buyer liked my felt gingerbread ornaments but wasn't quick enough to purchase either box and so she emailed me with an order for six. Of all the felt I had... I only had red, white and rose colored left. She was ok with two of each...Now my felt supply is gone!
Here I sit at the computer waiting for the online bear show to open...
I spent some of the time adding more of my retiring bear maker friend's fabric to etsy. I am surrounded by the smell of moth balls ( I have been storing fabric in totes with mothballs).
I am looking forward to giving my friend a check for the recent fabric sales !!
Looks like the mailman will have boxes to pick up on Monday !! Hooray!!
Bob and I have started bringing down the Christmas stuff totes... Tigger ( the orange cat) was delighted to get into the attic area and thought climbing up to the landing overlooking the lobby was great fun. I had visions of him falling since he's not as agile as he used to be. He got down when I turned off the landing lights!!
I had an appointment to get my haircut today and Bob had errands to run .. since we have only one car, we combined things He dropped me off at the "salon" and went off for his errands, He went to Habitat for Humanity, the gas station, the PO and then walked into the salon just as the stylist finished. Perfect timing.
We went to Aldi to pick up a few things plus a GC for one of our senior adoptees...
Then it was home where I found another sale at etsy. I've boxed that up , did the paperwork and it will be out to the mailman tomorrow!
BTW ..it was 15 F in the car!! It did get somewhat warmer... it's now 26F.
It looks like the snow will have a chance to melt today. It better ,since the temps drop again tomorrow... but then back up. So far no precipitation is forecast!!
Went for my annual eye exam yesterday at Discover only to find that it doesn't accept our Cigna Medicare. So I did a self-pay.. not too bad with the discount Discover applied. I have a year to figure out what do do. But the good part was nothing had changed and the glaucoma figures are stable and no problem. I don't even need new glasses.
Nothing like trying to get home with dilated eyes and super sun! Luckily Bob had gone with me and drove!! Finally, by bedtime my eyes were back to normal.
Spent today just piddling around... finished up a few things... the online bear show starts Friday morning!!
BUT SURPRISE... went to turn off the computer and get ready for bed when I found I had sold another 3 pieces of mohair on etsy for my retired 94 year old bear making friend! I boxed them up.. did the etsy paperwork and added a click and ship label for the PO. Hurray!!
turn off the computer and head for bed!!
On a bathroom visit this morning around 6 , there was no snow to be seen. At 7.30 everything had a light covering and it was still snowing. My daughters both had problems... one only made it 7 miles in 45 minutes and so decided to go home and would work from home. The other's 45 minute trip to her school was over an hour. Would her school district do an early closing? Around noon it was decided yes.. but the buses had such problems that the elementary schools still had students waiting for an extra hour.
Other school districts decided earlier and went virtual instead of trying to open physically.
Currently we have about 4 inches of snow... we went nowhere! But I did have "work" to do ... boxing up another piece of mohair from my etsy store and a bear from my online site!!
Daughter talked her way home ( in the car) ... I think it helps when the way home is bad for one reason or another. We can all celebrate when she pulls into her driveway!
After dinner we turned on the fireplace again and settled into a night of streaming ending with an episode of "Great British Baking Show"
The snowplows haven't hit us yet (?) ... Bob is waiting till tomorrow to take out the trash bin ( will the trash men come?) I have an eye doctor appointment tomorrow. What will things be like ? Will I have to cancel??
When I arrived at our neighborhood WalMart I was amazed!! Then I remembered the weatherman talking about snow tonight and tomorrow and I realized that shoppers were doing that stock up routine! The parking lot was full... the store was full of shoppers, non-WalMart stockers, and workers filling carts for home deliveries!!
An older man decided I was an expert and asked for help in what he needed for the stuffing he was going to make! Expert..no.. but willing to help.
I got everything on my list and even found where things were that I hadn't needed before..success! Checked out... got the cart to the car,, and then the trunk would not open. Frozen shut. I had to load everything into the back seat and headed home.... btw it was 25 degrees... now 23 with a winter advisory.
Bob lugged 75% of the groceries into the house while I did the rest. Everything is put away which left Bob able to wash the kitchen floor and the entryway area. Hooray.
Tried a new recipe for bread pudding. It tastes great but too much bread. ... but the old bread I had in the freezer is used up now!!
When we returned from another of our round robin trips we were tired and cold enough to turn the fireplace on for the first time this winter!!
A needy buyer from my retired freind's stash on etsy needed a piece of faux fur to fill a Christmas order. So I boxed it up , put on a "click and ship" label and dropped it off at the PO during our jaunt. It's going to Maine!
We went to a craft and vendor show in Independence and picked up the cutest hand-made reindeer and a crochet gifted for a family member...The vendor mentioned 80 sellers and there were lots. It seems like every room in the hotel was full!
Then it was a stop at Hy-vee for Nilla wafers ( hard to find) and chocolate morsels for peppermint bark.... I am going to make rum balls for our Christmas munch-a-long.
Temps have dropped The rain we had off and on is gone. The wind is whistling around us...they are talking about snow tomorrow or Monday morning...
Our turkey day buffet at Ophelia's was great!! Rooms I had never seen in the restaurant were filled with tables and people!! A long set of buffet tables were filled with delicious foods ... the dessert table was to die for.
Anyway... we all enjoyed ourselves. I wish I had been "allowed" by my family to take pictures but am determined to take them at Christmas! We enjoyed being together... lots of "Happy Thanksgiving"s. I am thankful for it all!!
I took a long nap when we got home... the Moscow Mule and all that food.. did me in!
Today ?? probably a quiet day...
The thought of not having turkey sandwiches for leftovers enticed me to buy our own turkey during the sales. It currently sits.. a frozen lump.. in the freezer. I think the thawing process will start next weekend.We won't have all the trimmings etc... but we will enjoy turkey and then TURKEY sandwiches . I remember years of turkey sandwiches with Hellman's mayo and lettuce of Pepperidge farm white bread. Also remember years of my m-i-l's 7 day "soup" which had everything in from mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, turkey from de-boning the bird etc. Even my kids shudder at the memories.
She was a good cook but could not bear not to use up everything ... the result of living during the depression when she was young and always having to stretch things as an adult.
We decided to stay home today.. no crowds... no lines and so on.
It was a weird day.. no Thanksgiving prep since we are all going to Ophelia's on the Independence Square for its buffet. No house cleaning... no putting stuff away and so on. So traditions be gone.. at least for this year. We'll see how it feels next year.
Our grand daughter called to check on us.. a big accident near us on 7 Hwy near I 70 with a sedan like ours. She wanted to make sure it wasn't us!!
W treated ourselves to a special cheese box from Green Dirt Farm ..so an unusual dinner for us two. The cheeses, fig jam and walnut biscuits were wonderful... all sheep cheeses. I think I liked the blue cheese best. We did have a green salad too and glasses of Shiraz.
While I grocery shopped Bob found where he could buy gift cards ( in Wal-Mart ) for our senior adoptees. We've pretty much bought the wants on their lists but with the gc's they can buy their "needs" for themselves.
Now we are going to switch and start shopping for the family ... again. We did buy some things but there are some members without.
Fresh cranberries are now 92 cents a mesh bag!! Good thing they can be frozen! The piles of sweet potatoes are high in their wooden display containers and 78 cents / lb. !
Finished my red cat and accessorized him ... took pictures and put him on my online show site... next show starts Dec. 5.
I headed out this morning on another Christmas shopping trip... managed it before the parking lots started to fill! Hooray!
Home Goods was filled with loads of Christmas temptations.. some of which I put in my shopping cart. By the way... the aisles are so narrow with all these goodies that one can barely make through. No British All Sorts though... Amazon will be sending them instead!!
The checkout line was full but moving quickly... noticed the security monitor above it...I could see myself and everyone behind me! Easy peasy area for shoplifting!
The weather people said we would have rain to day... and we have. Not steady but off and on. The temperature is 51 F... cold enough to make it chilly. My subdivision is beginning to have lots of Christmas lights and yard decorations. Nice to see lights on ! I haven't been able to talk Bob into bringing down our boxes from the attic, but I hope to soon!
Michael's was my destination but on the way a road leading out of my subdivision was closed. So after going around the long way I was at Michael's along with many others. The shopping area was packed - Target, Kohl's, Home Goods, and many others.
Picked up what I needed at Michael's and headed home. I could imagine the check out lines and didn't want any part of that!
Checked out the closed road... loads of men and machines digging a huge area where water runs under the road.. Long way home!!
It's a day of little tasks... I posted the last piece of fabric from my retired bear maker friend up on etsy! Hurrah! Fingers crossed that these pieces will all sell.. I would dearly love to give her a nice check.
I've been working on things for my next online show... I have almost finished a red cat. Fitting for Christmas ( or a holiday), right?
Trying a new recipe for dinner. Our grocery store hands out a booklet ( Gathering) full of recipes and ads... and this one was in it.... roasted sweet potatoes with bacon and onions in a maple syrup sauce...plus some seasonings.. Well...it was too sweet to my liking. But the combination of roasted sweet potatoes, bacon and caramelized onions was good. I may fiddle around with it.
Boy is it easy to spend money with all the online "stores" and sales going on!!
When I look out the window near our computers I see today is going to be cold and gray but not foggy!!
I am going to make the first batch of "Rita's Chex Mix" today...I have all the ingredients... just need to measure them equally into two pans .. stir and start baking... timers set to 15 minutes for stirring!
Finished...the mix has been ladled into plastic containers to finish cooling.. then tops go on and wait to be handed out to "lucky" recipients!! Both daughters are excited!
As I looked out our windows when I came downstairs I noticed how foggy it was... barely could see across the circle!
Just looked again from my computer... it's still super foggy...
Yesterday was a make it day... getting ready for the show December 5th -8th. I decided the newest bear needed a quilt so I made him one from scraps - a 16 block. It was fun...though I really don't enjoy the bias tape edging.
My younger daughter didn't have to work yesterday and so we went out to lunch at Olive Garden... It was cold out so the soup, salad and breadsticks hit the spot! We had a great chance to talk and a very helpful server!!
Today is a good day to start things ( but after a box of mohair from an etsy sale got packed, labelled and put out for the mailman!) So after finding my bottle of dry sherry I made a batch of "sherried walnuts" It's an easy peasy recipe just having to boil sugar and sherry to 240 degrees and dump in the nuts and stir!! Bob tasted and ok'd them!!
fog is lighter!! But still not bright enough to take pictures for my online show site.
The pile of things for our senior adoptees grows.... as does the things for our family.
Tomorrow is Chex Mix day...
Started my Christmas shopping today with a trip to Wal-Mart. My daughter has requested the annual "Rita's Chex Mix"! So boxes of Chex cereal, Cheerioes, mixed nuts, pretzels made it into my cart. I already have the rest including the 9 sticks of butter! Though I am missing Wheat Chex... not a box to be had in Wal-Mart.
I also picked up a big bag of "Crafter's Choice" polyester fiberfill for my bears ( it was on the highest up shelf and I had to ask an employee with a ladder to get one down!) ... and found a KC Chief's lap rug for our senior adoptee... it was on his want list!
I will schedule an afternoon for making the Chex mix... I will put everything into two huge baking pans and into the oven ... then stir everything every 15 minutes for several hours! So... time to pull out the pans from my pantry and the plastic storage containers...
Watched another episode of Ken Burns' "American Revolution" on PBS. Amazing ! I am also amazed and horrified about all that I did not know... We have watched all of his historical documentaries and I am so grateful for what he has done!!
Tomorrow will be a busy one... another round of an errand run to Price Chopper for wheat Chex, the purple Ripple box to get rid of our glass for recycling, Habitat for Humanity to donate Bob's stuff and maybe the library!
As I sit at my computer I am listening to my neighbor using his driving lawn mower to mulch all the leaves into huge piles. I was wondering what he will do with all of them when Bob reminded me that he and his family own a popular trash service including pick up for yard waste..
Bob and I have been "trolling" online stores for the things our seniors want or need. We have got to do better with printing out receipts and tracking info!! This year's searches are turning out to be enjoyable ones.
Our daughter called to tell us she had made her grandmother's Glorified Gingerbread... it's something the whole family loves/loved....great way to use up some milk that has soured though vinegar can be used.
We haven't done much today but I did clear the pots of dead plants. Going to miss them until new ones next spring. Bob cleared the driveway of all the acorns and leaves. Driving over all the acorns was a very crunchy trip. He also did come cleaning out back.. getting rid of sticks and leaves. The garden waste trash bin will be full!
I also worked on things for the December online show!!
Dinner is sending its aromas all over the house... Italian sausage, tortellini, spinach, mushroom soup!! Wal-Mart's bulk Italian sausage is tasty and so much easier without the casings!!
It was good! There is enough for leftovers!
I thought I would go early to our Aldi store... hoping for an empty parking lot. No such luck... loads of shoppers ad even the self-checkouts were all taken. But happily I found everything on my list.. even a smallish turkey.
We ( all the family) will be going to Ophelia's for the Thanksgiving buffet. We've never done this before. It maybe the last time too... who knows.
The smallish turkey is for Bob and me after Thanksgiving.
Believe it or not but the thermometer registers 72 degrees currently!It actually went up to 78 at 3 pm!!
Bob and I are officially Phoenix Family Holiday elves again this year. We have been assigned two senior citizens - one male, one female - with wants and needs for this Christmas.
We've done this for quite a few years and enjoy shopping with a list for someone else!! There are other elves and organizations that adopt whole families! I went on one of the shopping trips armed with lists of wants and needs for a family... The list included ages, sizes, likes and dislikes and so on. You would not have believed with face on the check out clerk when we arrived with several shopping carts full of stuff!!
Definitely a Christmas happy mood maker event !!
My living room couch is empty!! All the faux fur went home with a young couple who drove 40 minutes to my house. All of it was bagged up and they loaded it into their car..... Hooray!
Now just to sell some more of the mohair on etsy...To help with that I am having a sale next week. Would love to give my retired friend more $$$.
Hard to believe but it is 67 degrees right now ...sunny and no wind!
Believe it or not... I've started working on new bears etc for the December show.
Another one of those circular trips.. first to drop off toys for the Marine's Toys for Tots box at our fitness center.. then to Bob's doctor's office to drop off paperwork and then to Target to pick up my pills and stuff Bob wanted!
By the time we arrived home the car was toasty warm and I had loads of "steps" and there was a message on Facebook about the pile of faux fur on my living room couch ." More pictures please" which I did and posted. Fingers crossed she wants all that faux fur!! New message.. she'll be here between 10.30 and 11 am.tomorrow. Fingers still crossed.
Saturday someone "wanted"the orange faux fur... said she'd be here Sunday but no show. So the fingers stay crossed until $$ is in my hand.
Daughter called to remind us to look outside... KC can see the aurora borealis .. a bit
It's definitely cold this morning... at 9 am it is 29 degrees. Sadly my computer doesn't let me be ignorant of temps outside!!
Boxes of bears waiting on the steps for our mailman to pick them up. They are all paid for via "Click and ship" and he will log them in!! He has a hand held scanner which reads the labels.
On her way home my teacher daughter told me all about her districts program on medical issues ..... she had to do tourniquets , wound packing and so forth. Some other teachers were reluctant even though the models used were rubber! Anyway... she did it well.
Tomorrow and Wednesday her students will be working on kindness. It will be interesting to see the differences between the two grades. My daughter has been stressing politeness ( thank you, please etc) to their classmates, the workers in the lunchroom, the janitors... Pert of what triggered this is an online contest about kindness.. no rewards but just what the kids think is kindness
The weatherpeople... all of them it seems... had predicted really cold below freezing temps this morning. Didn't happen. Yes, it was cold.. colder than it had been days before... but not below freezing!
If the temps drop mightily tonight... it will be time to turn on the gas fireplace and enjoy the "flames". I am making chicken pot pie soup to go with the "fire". First time trying a recipe I had downloaded.
Spent the afternoon boxing up sold bears... ready for the mailman to put them into his van!! Still a few left so keeping my finger crossed that they will be sold too.
The soup was good.. next time I will break up the dried rosemary.It was like having small sticks in the soup...
The online show is having problems with its web host...When I try to access my promoter's page I get a security notification. Means buyers can't access the show either. The show's promoter is working with the web host... oh well...
later... seems to be fixed
we went to the local craft show.. It is being held in the Blue Springs senior center. Most of the booth holders were OLD. We bought some great looking jam - Gooseberry and Frog - some small pecan tarts and a nice scrapbook Christmas card for a friend in Florida.
As we left it started drizzling ... also found a desperate message on etsy from someone who needed to get one of my fabric items up to Houlton, Maine by the 13th. I answered her.. she decided to take a chance and paid.. and we boxed it up and it is waiting for the mailman... So my retired bear making friend gets some more money.
Bob decided to replace the flapper valve's on the two upstairs bathrooms...no more listening to the water running every so often.. Tigger, the orange cat, had been sleeping all morning but was unhappy when he couldn't join Bob in a bathroom!! Unhappy means yowling and scratching on the door.
Our daughter dropped by with some gorgeous white sharp cheddar cheese from Costco... yum... that she had bought today.
Christmas lists became a topic of conversation...
It looks like today will be warm... 70 ! But there is a possibility of snow and cold on Sunday.
My online show starts tomorrow so I will be sitting at the computer and hopefully boxing up sales.
Our local senior center - Vesper Hall - is hosting a craft show Saturday. It's their first so Bob and I will give it a look see.
Our craft/quilt group met last night. It was held in the common room of one member who lives in a senior living facility. A man joined us.. a friend relative of the hostess. He said the facility is dead quiet after dinner and he was delighted to find us. Guess he's a little lonely.
If one is thinking about moving into this type of a facility... that would be something to consider. Bob says we don't do much in the evening either but we do have each other....
Bob and I headed off to our voting site this morning... There was only one item on the ballot and the voting site was almost voter free. We did see a few people leaving and a few more came in while we were there. Most were unbusy oldees like us!
When I logged onto the computer I found I had sold another piece of fabric from my retired bear maker friend's stash. So did the USPS click and ship... put the box outside for the mailman and emailed the buyer that it was on the way... still lots more.... Bob suggested and pushed...nagged..for me to have a sale on etsy. I gave in... it's set up for a week later this month.
If I do sell during the sale... it means less money for my friend, but fabric leaves mt house!!
Watched the news this evening. We are keeping our fingers crossed ( later .. it looks good!!)
it's been gray enough and dull enough that changing the clocks hasn't made much of a difference.
Bob did all of the changing... though I did nag a little about changing the bedroom clock. I kind of want to know what time it is when doing the pee trip routine!!
I headed out to the grocery store "early" thinking it would be empty because of the time change... but no it wasn't.
Later I had two more tasks... a batch of tunafish for sandwiches and a pumpkin pie . The cats were delighted with their "tuna juice" ... the water in the can of tuna.
Did a little of this and a little of that
I think the week plus " trunk or treats" all over Blue Springs made the numbers going house to house last night much smaller. I read on Facebook that some houses didn't get any!
We did get some... the best was the group of teenagers all dressed in great costumes and very polite!
So what do we do with the leftover candy!! Some people are doing another trick or treat tonight. Some talk about making smallish bags of candy and donating it to food banks or to the little book libraries that have switched over to food. Just so we don't eat it all!!
The weather people are posting a freeze for tonight...
Don't forget to change your clocks tonight if "applicable".
It looks like today will be a sunny day and so I will be able to take bear pictures for the December online bear show!!
The last few days have been so gray and occasionally wet that Bob and I were a little down!! Our front lawn is covered with wet oak leaves! Bob will have to start picking them up for our "green stuff" trash bin pick up... though there have been ads on Facebook saying they will pick up one's leaves if curbside... wonder what that would cost?
spent time this afternoon adding Pay Pal buttons for the next online bear show... a week from tomorrow. Also cut up fabric for a red cat for the December show...and read a JAJance JP Beaumont book.
That date is a big one here... it's the date when I picked Bob up at a Halloween get together my freshman year at Syracuse.... yup 63 years ago!!
He was wearing a dark aqua shirt and the baggiest tan corduroy pants! Me? I was wearing a madras plaid shirt waist dress... oh well.
Next February will be our 60 wedding anniversary...
Harper loves to chew and to get out... and combines the two. First she chews on the bottoms of the cedar vertical boards ( which go to the ground) and when she has chewed enough she digs under the fence.
Bob thinks he may have a solution..... a horizontal board screwed into the bottoms of the vertical boards going from post to post. If Harper can't chew she won't be able to dig!!
Fingers crossed.
This last time she got out she wandered down the road with a line of traffic behind her!
So far this day has been a gray one with mentions of rain for the next few days by local weather people.
Gray means I can't take bear pictures ( for my online bear shows)... my flash does nasty things to the bears colors so I prefer natural light. I have to find other things to do.
Did... finished a new bear and made a big pot of chicken vegetable soup for dinner and leftovers.
Bob received a text from our daughter... Harper ( her large hound type dog) had managed to escape again. Would he find out where and do a repair? I went with him.. to keep him company etc. Harper had dug under the cedar fence gate and chewed the wood to boot. Bob screw new boards across the chewed ones and placed heavy concrete blocks too. There was more he did... but one would have to look at the fence!
Saturday we are going to see what else might need repairing...
There are days when I'm not sure what day of the week it is. Our days are pretty much the same..but today had some different things. Our grand daughter called ... just in case.. her apartment smelled of smoke and since the complex has a history of fires, she called the firemen. She did check all over and the phone call was if she needed help getting things ( including her cats) out.
The firemen came... they checked all over and found the smell was coming from the HVAC's fan. They turned it off and told her to call maintenance and not to turn it on ! They admired her artwork while looking around! She's an artist and art history major!!
After she did what they told her she called us back again to report and to tell us she didn't need our help !
Dinner turned to to be a good one... salmon with home made cranberry sauce, mashed butternut squash and scalloped potatoes...left over raw veggies and dip too!
The numbers of protesters is amazing.. They are saying there were 7,000,000 marchers ( my daughter and her family were part of that!)
Kansas City's official tally is 18,000.... the biggest protest numbers ever!
Aside from this..
Today is much cooler. It is only 58 early this afternoon. I went to the grocery store earlier and was shocked at how cold it was. I wore just a T-shirt... not enough! I wanted to pick up a few things for the new soup recipe I had found... a creamy cauliflower! Plus wanted to pick up a few more things from the 3 day sale. We now have 16 cans of Progresso soup stockpiled. That's an easy peasy dinner with grilled cheese, tuna fish, or egg salad sandwiches and so on!
Finally made cranberry sauce from the berries I had bought the other day. It really turned out well and it is so easy. I think I may buy some more cranberries and freeze them. Currently they are quite cheap.
Green Dirt Farm https://www.greendirtfarm.com/.. about an hour west and north of us... makes wonderful cheeses from their sheep. and hosts chef cooked dinner events.. We had an email from them today saying they had decided to take the wool they had sheared from their sheep and have it processed and turned into wool pillows and duvets. Oh so tempting... They also have a store in Weston and one in KC.
Neither of us can manage going downtown KC to the protest... finding parking... standing for hours and so on. So a sign on our garage doors will have to do!!
But looking at Facebook's postings of all the protests is amazing! All those US cities plus Ireland, Paris, Amsterdam . Really wish we had been able to go... Our daughter and her family went. They went to the last one too but this one was way bigger. More diverse! There were lots of booths.. food and water, first aid, protest signs and so on.
Fingers crossed that today's lower temps are just the beginning.
My quilting group has shrunk and morphed into a craft group.. so what. We all get out of the house about every two weeks and TALK and work on whatever we want to. Lately it has been those dot pictures but some are switching to Legos...I usually work on a bear or a friend or bear accessories. Another of us corrects high school papers/ home work. I think my daughter is going to make more Halloween teeth from polymer clay tonight.
Bob helps ready the house for them... partly I think because he enjoys participating and the refreshments!! Only man... and only when we meet at my house.
Our temperature has gone up again... currently 81... miss those 60's and 70's of last week.
The craft group was good...refreshments were enjoyed... lots of talking. Things like parent teacher conferences mean that the next meeting won't be till Nov. 5th.
We started our morning with a round robin errand trip... first to Target/CVS for our prescriptions mine and Jack the cat's... then Michaels for acrylic paints... the Disabled Vets (Thrift) .. then Ace Hardware and then home!!
The paints were for my "No King" protest sign. Going to downtown Kansas City for the big protest on Saturday is just too much for us, so I made a sign to go in the front yard!! I finished it and will put it out Friday or Saturday .
Blue Springs is pretty red (politics) area and when I mentioned why I was buying yellow, red and black paint for my protest sign at Michaels...the cashier had no idea what I was talking about! My daughter and her family will be going to the protest downtown KC.
So after the errands and sign painting it was tidying up time ( quilting/craft group Wednesday) and finishing up a new bear.
Didn't even have much to do for dinner... green salad, leftover sausage and leftover taquitos from MooChoo in Oak Grove. Of course that means I will have to cook something tonight!
This morning was errands... grocery store ( the Neighborhood Wal-Mart), car wash and library. We headed out early after a text asking us if we could be available to sign a petition... about the gerrymandering proposal.. of course we could!!
So we signed and then spent time talking to the person bringing the petition!!
Then came a phone call asking for dog fence repair help. Evidently Scout ( my daughter's black dog) wanted OUT of the fenced bacy yard in the worst way. She chewed the vertical boards and the horizontal one too trying to get out. No one has any idea what she wants to get at!
So Bob is repairing the fence and doggy-proofing that section. Luckily he and our daughter have leftover boards from the last repair/gate area repair!!
I'm not needed so was left at home...
BTW... a sign that fall has arrived. Mesh bags of fresh cranberries at Wal-Mart!! Only $1.42 a bag. Bought one and will be making cranberry sauce soon!!
Bob is back... the fence taken care of and Scout no longer is interested!
Its a little warmer today though Bob had turned on the heat a day or so again and we added another quilt! And I am wearing a sweater.
More pieces of my friend's mohair I listed on etsy have gone to a new home in Washington State. I have been wondering what she will do with them!! All these pieces have been bought by one person.
The non-mohair.. non-listed on etsy .. pieces.are piled on the living room couch. I am going to offer them ALL on FB Marketplace . Pick up only and must take them all!! Hope I can get a good enough picture to tempt buyers!!
It is going to be another soup night.. the Italian sausage, tortellini and spinach one. I will add a few items to the basic recipe! After finally eating all the leftovers in the fridge it will be nice to have something new! Add to that ... a small green salad. Dinner was good.
Bob has gone off to a ham radio group meeting. Tigger has decided that he needs to follow closely the one human left in the house ! He was on my lap for awhile but didn't like my kindle and moved to the floor by my feet.
Currently it is 57 degrees out and rain is supposed to be on its way. We had errands to run - prescriptions and cat food from Target and special dry cat food from the vet (the kind made for male cats with urinary problems) and surprise we had to turn the car's heater on!!
The leaves haven't turned but are falling. It must be this crazy up and down weather cycle.
Our subdivision has loads of Halloween decorations up. I will have to bring down our box of decorations and put up the spider web and spiders on the front steps. I saw somewhere that people are not doing "trick or treat" because candy prices are so high...but I have seen on FB local churches, charities, businesses are going to be doing "trunk or treat".
So after our errands I spent the day making things and reading... Luckily dinner was another attempt at cleaning out the fridge's leftovers. I made a green salad and carrots to go with the leftovers and as usual it was too much. So these are the new leftovers...lol
I spent the morning at work on my friend's stash...a box from etsy sales and a box to go to a bear making friend in Alabama. Put them both on the front steps for the mailperson to take.
Then it was off to the grocery store. Bob dropped me off and he headed to ACE hardware for a new smoke detector. The old one - more than 30 years old - finally bit the dust. And then he came back for me!
Then to work sorting through more of the stash. I actually threw some pieces into the trash...either too small to be useful or from someone's fake fur coat ( who wants that?) There's still LOTS in my living room!!
I think it's time to do something fun or to start a new book..... which I did!
The money from my etsy sales goes to my friend ( minus the USPS shipping costs).. the retiring bear maker has moved into a senior living facility. She is 94. I was so amazed at just how much fabric/stash she had.
I have my doubts about being able to sell some of the stuff.... and I don't know what I will do then.
Later... two more pieces sold
I didn't expect to have another busy day. When I returned from my quilting group's meeting last night I found that I had sold more fabric from my etsy shop.
So today it was pack things up and get the box ready for the mailman! I will write a check for my friend. It makes me feel good to make some money for her!!
Then for my own bears I went off to Office Depot for more packing tape and then next door to Hobby Lobby for Christmas stuff for my bears' accessories. The Halloween section was tiny.. but Christmas was all over. About half of the store!!
Driving home I discovered the new coffee places were either open or just about to open. There are now 5 along 7 HWY from Tim Hortons at the north to the new 7 something ? to just in front of Hobby Lobby.. Starbucks was pretty empty .. no one in the drive through!! It's going to be interesting to see how things settle out!!
Getting home I posted more fabric.
Didn't feel like cooking so we went to the Texas Roadhouse. We had tried the fried pickles when we were in Rochester so I was determined to see if the Blue Springs ones were as good. They were...the Ranch dipping sauce really added to it all. Don't have to cook tomorrow either...lots of leftovers!
I thought I was going to have a quiet day with Bob off to the dentist... but no such luck.
Packaged up the sold bear fabric and put it outside for the mailman.Then I took pictures of some more. So 5 new pieces up on my etsy shop. That's easier said than done... each piece has to be measured and described and all the stuff etsy requires.
Yesterday's buyer emailed and asked whether I had anything else... wrote back telling her about the new postings.
I am going to give myself a break and not post any more till this weekend. But if more sell I may have to change my mind... The living room is looking a little less crowded.
I am looking forward to giving my retiring bear maker's daughter a check!
When Bob got home from the dentist we went off and voted...
Today has been a busy one...
Yesterday I noticed that one of my right hearing aid's wire was broken. So I made an appointment at Costco to see if they could repair it. Bob and I headed out in time for the appointment and much to my delight everything was repaired and cleaned at no cost. The Costco employee and I talked about the new hearing aids - rechargeable - because I know my present ones are OLD!
When we got home it was picture taking time... putting some faux fur on FB's Marketplace !
Then work on my current bear...a pink one.
After dinner and a little "Antique Roadshow" Bob noticed I had sold FOUR pieces of fabric on etsy.. the stuff I have been trying to sell for my retired bear maker friend. So Bob and I packed things up and did all the book keeping type stuff. Tomorrow the box goes out to the mailbox..USPS click and ship.
I was going to write my friend a check but found I am almost out of checks and no new pack. We figured out how to order replacement checks from out bank's website so I should be ok pretty quickly !
Here's hoping tomorrow is a little quieter. Bob has a dental appointment so the house will be empty. YAY! When he gets back it will be voting time...
After Jack's mouse incident we found that the kitchen sink was plugged up... my fault. I sent too much butternut squash peelings and seeds through the garbage disposal... but the sink was plugged below the disposal and the second sink.
Multiple attempts with the plunger. No success... so off to bed we went without running the dishwasher. Next morning we took everything out from under the sink and Bob removed the traps... tried the plunger again. No deal... next was the snake... no success.
Next he called the plumber and we sat and waited.. The plumber came with his much bigger snake ( 25 foot) and after listening to Bob's explanations... got rid of the plug. Bob is now running the dishwasher!!
Life is exciting ...at times.
The leftovers are gone...neither of us minds them but the fridge does get overwhelmed sometimes!! Now we can start over...
Today is sunny and high 70's... not bad!
Bob had an unexpected phone call from his classmates back in Geneva , NY. They were finishing up a class reunion and were calling class mates who hadn't made it. Bob graduated in 1959.. a class of about 40 from DeSales HS.
That got Bob and I talking about whether people left their home town after high school or not. Obviously we did. Bob did know a few who never left Geneva!
Jack ( the OLD striped cat) killed a tiny mouse this evening. We discovered the mouse in the family room and after noticing us hid under one of the recliners. A little bit later he scooted out and tried going down the stairs... the ones to the garage. Jack sprang into action and attacked when the mouse tried hiding on a stair step. Bob convinced Jack to let him take the corpse, put it in a small box and take it out to the trash bin! BTW Jack is going on 18+ or so.... Jack then spent a long time at the head of the stairs hoping for another mouse.
We've had quite a bit of rain today... periods of on and off. Pools of water down at the back of our place... temporary swimming pools! All the house lights are on because even if it is raining it is very dark! BTW we don't have a rain gauge.. We measure rainfall by those "swimming pools".
So Bob has been working on his computer table and I finished my blue bear.
Tonight it will be an empty out the fridge night.. too many bits of leftovers!
I almost wish we were cold outside...it is gray enough and wintery enough to wish for a fire !!
LATER... I swear leftovers just get bigger and bigger.... even after dinner there's still some left!
No... not the cats this time. We looked at our paper calendar and found that this week is empty. I mentioned that to my elder daughter and she replied that she had a really busy week. Did I want to switch? The answer , of course was "NO".
I knew she had a last minute grant application to write... and if I did that, Phoenix Family surely wouldn't receive any money!!
So instead I have been working on a blue bear. Bob has been working on a table for his additional new computer... a place where he can do all that's necessary to get it up and running and then do the same to my new one which is still in its box. Bob had been in a hurry ( sort of) because of Microsoft no longer supporting older computers... but now it has added an extra year of support which takes some of the need to get the new computers up and running ASAP.
Yesterday the doorbell rang... three cub scouts with their popcorn as they do every year. One has a sister who comes so we can order girl scout cookies! They know we support them just like others supported our scouts (long ago).
Two legs and the tummy to go... and the blue bear will be done.
The two cats seem to have settled their differences. The yowls and fighting exhausted them so after eating breakfast they settled TOGETHER on one of the recliners!!
Life is much quieter.
I've been working on a bear and Bob has been doing whatevers ...including Sudoku and Xbox...
Things are better but not back to normal yet. Would love to know just what Jack got so unhappy about... though it must have had something to do with Tigger's trip to the vet.
BTW... I've never heard Jack make so much yowling noise plus attacking Tigger!
Went grocery shopping early. Price Chopper was almost empty and I was the only one at a cashier ! On the way I saw a large older John Deere tractor heading south on 7 Hwy... He was in the bike lane .. probably heading to the Blue Springs Fall Fun fest parade!
Dinner out with elder daughter...lots of talking!!
LATER. the cats seem to have settled their differences. No more yowling... no more fighting. Not totally happy but it's liveable.
Tigger, the orange cat, had a checkup today. No he did not eat any of the food with tranquilizer on it last night or this morning but the exam went well. Blood taken etc, he is a little lighter but still 13.5 lbs which the vet is happy with considering his size.
But Jsck, the striped cat, is really unhappy with Tigger. Something about Tigger does not smell right and the two of them have been howling and fighting. Jack is currently downstairs and Tigger is locked up with us in our computer room...
Wonder how long this will last...
A piece of mohair will be leaving shortly...someone wants to make a costume. Hooray!
Awoke to thunder, lightening and rain this morning... and it's cooler (thank goodness).
So it has been a good day to work on a bear.
The bear making material piled in my living room is still there. Some has been posted to my etsy shop... but has not sold. I feel somewhat unhappy. I would love to be able to give my retired bear maker friend money from some sales... but that's not happening.
Our grand daughter called on her way home from work this afternoon. She is excited about getting all the info about her college graduation this December. UMKC is going to live stream the affair ..which means no getting downtown KC, finding a parking spot and finding a place to watch from!!
Today was also laundry day... all washed, dried, folded and put away . All set for awhile...
Bob is off at the dentist . She wants to replace the caps on his front teeth. He had them broken when working under our 2000 Rover car back in the "70's. So today is temporary caps day.
So I made his blueberry crostata for him...easy easy for dessert tonight.
Missed the timer ...so it's a little dark!
After that I started work on finishing up a new bear... accessories later. Then back to photographing more fabric and posting on etsy.
Bob back... the cats were waiting at the front door! He was delighted with the crostata
Our local tv weatherman posted on Facebook that the temperature this afternoon will be terrible again today ... 95 degrees. Don't think I would want to be sitting in the stadium watching the KC Chiefs play...
I did go out earlier to the grocery store. Spent an outrageous amount on needed stuff plus stuff on sale to stockpile. Some of the new prices are unbelievable. BUT there wasn't a single stocker, bagger or cashier that didn't have nice greeting!!
So it looks like picture taking and etsy posting is ahead ... and maybe a little kindle reading? And PBS' Create? Watched a session of adult grilled cheese and creamy tomato soup yesterday. Will have to give them a try!
Going up and down the stairs to my "workroom" with Tigger ( the orange one) lying across one of the steps which are outside the door to the garage. He was waiting for Bob to come back out of the garage. Had a hard time not stepping on him .. esp. his tail!
So far the thermometer only reads 90 degrees. How much hotter will it get this afternoon??
I managed 2 more postings in my etsy shop. I've been enjoying working on a bear for my next show instead. People have been looking at my postings but no sales.
The temps reached over 94 this afternoon.,,, definitely a day to stay inside.
I managed to get few more pieces of bear fabric into my etsy shop for my friend. Now I just need to get bear makers to take a look! GlassDragonBearsEtc
The weather people are right.. the temps are back up again. It is currently 93 degrees and the rest of the weekend is supposed to be the same. Yuck...
Our elder daughter posted a request for Bob to do a doggie run this afternoon. Evidently Harper did a number on the wall next to the door going down to the cellar with her claws and she wanted him to take a look.Harper must have heard something . The damage wasn't anywhere as bad as Bob thought it would be... repairs would be easy he thinks.
PBS had an interesting documentary on tonight.. part 2 of "Prohibition". I had some general knowledge but Ken Burns of what was going on during Prohibition... the lawlessness, the increase in drinking, bootlegging and so on.
I remember my stepfather telling about his aunt crossing over the bridge into Canada at Niagara Falls ( the family lived outside of Rochester) with her special coat. Lots of pockets. She would cross back over to the US with bottles of liquor in the pockets. As a kid hearing this story I had visions of her waddling across the bridge with all the bottles clinking.
We saw part one last week on the times up to Prohibition. Next week is part three...
Etsy seems to change things too many times... and I seem to not be able to figure them out easily... So RATS!
I did finally manage to post 4 pieces of mohair fabrics. Now to measure and take more pictures and figure out a good description.
Our weather has gone back up... Bob had turned on the heating so ended up being too hot. Now he has turned on the A/C again and I should be more comfortable... by next week he will have to do the reverse!!
Well... it's been a busy day but remembrances of Sept. 11 was part of it....it surely changed us all!
I started prepping some of my friend's bear making fabric today. Tomorrow I will start taking photos...I need to show almost the whole piece and close ups of the pile and texture. When I am happy with all this I will start posting onto my etsy shop.
I hope to have some sales for my friend but will be keeping my fingers crossed.... and hoping to empty my living room!
Tonight my daughter will be picking me up so we can go to a "quilting/craft " get together....Bob gets leftover Italian sausage, tortellini spinach soup. The recipe came from my other daughter and its easy and quick... and tastes great!!
Later... quilting was fun...good snacks, lots of talking and some "work" done
Not a lot of bear and bear friend sales but enough.. the show closes tonight . I have packed up those that sold this weekend and did the USPS click and ship. The mail person has picked them up.
The next step is getting some of the fabric sitting in my living room up for sale. Of course that means taking pictures and measuring. I think I will start by posting on etsy. I am afraid this all will take forever.Some fabric was given to me... but the rest I am going to try and sell for my friend.
Tomorrow I will try replicating my daughter's Italian sausage , spinach and tortellini soup. Bob really likes it and my daughter sent us her recipe.
Bob has almost gotten his new computer finished. He just added Malware Bytes!
I finished my 7,000th bear today ( actually it is a mouse and I still have to accessorize). But with all the fabric given to me by my retiring friend... I am afraid I will not be stopping
Looks like this weekend will be a hot one.. even back up to the 90's. Bob will have to turn the a/c back on. Too bad I have been enjoying the cooler weather!
Here I sit at the computer watching the online show.... I cut out a largish mouse yesterday for the show in November and will start sewing etc on him/her as I sit.
I've been pondering how to empty my living room of all the bear making material. I do want to make some money for my retired friend and won't be selling things very expensively.... so maybe FB's marketplace and a bear making supplies group and etsy?
Bob and I will have to measure each piece and include the pile length ... and describe.
Our two computers cannot update to the newest Windows thingy so Bob bought two replacements before the prices went up. He's now doing whatever needs to be done to new computers. Mine comes later with the promise that all my files etc would be moved and new versions of things like Photoshop would be bought.
I think he's enjoying the challenge...I certainly wouldn't . He's my IT guy...
BTW.. Bob felt cold enough to put on a sweater.. surprised me because no way was I that cold!!
My retiring bear maker friend's daughter came with a SUV load/bags of fabric for making bears.
Bob and my friend's daughter piled it all in my living room...and I will have to decide what's next. I am going to try and sell as much as possible and I have permission to donate the rest...WHEW!
In the meantime I am ready for the online show starting Friday and have been working on things for the next show in November.
Our weather has been nicely cool and will get cooler next week and then back up to normal September temps.
We have had a few days of cooler weather... what a relief. Today looks like one of them!!
I am still trying to adjust to my new-ish pill routine. It has left me with a desire not to do much of anything. Though Bob and I did spend time readying things for my "quilting/craft" get together on Wednesday. Best part of that was seeing everyone!!
I have an online bear/bear friend show this coming weekend. The promoter just emailed me saying everything was copacetic (?) . I really am close to my "stated" 7,000 bear retirement... at least I was until a retiring bear maker friend gave me LOADS of her leftover mohair fabric.
Her daughter has said she would be dropping off more fabric....that sort of leaves me in a quandary. I am going to try and sell some on Facebook for my friend.
Bob and I watched "Thursday's Murder Club" on Netflix this afternoon...boy are we all old : Pierce Brosnen, Helen Mirren, Ben Kingsley and ? But it was fun and a great way to spend an afternoon!
Haven't felt much like blogging...partly due to the weather ( though the last few days have been much cooler and quite nice) and partly because I don't feel much like doing anything.
Today I planned on tuna fish for dinner... the orange cat Tigger came quickly as I open the drawer for the can opener... no smell of tuna fish,, just the can opener! Both cats were treated to tuna juice ( the water in the can) and the chance to to lick the cans clean!!
We both love tuna sandwiches made with onion. celery and Hellman's mayo!! We had a great summer dinner... tuna sandwiches, cantaloupe, green salad and some of those really luscious green grapes from the grocery store!!
So what have we been doing while it is super hot here?? Not much really...
Bob has been working on setting up a new tiny cube computer for his brother. The computer is 5" by 6" by 1.5" thick. Unbelievably small.. right? But it can do as much as a big one!!
I have been working... working? Sure... on some bears and friends and Christmas accessories (again.. still) and reading.Not feeling very much like doing anything.
I have been grocery shopping and visiting the podiatrist and today managed a trip to Michael's for more stuff.
So that's about it
I am finally back at my computer... It has been a rough week. I did "something " to my back and a new prescription ( not pain stuff) did not help.
What ever I did would not "allow" me to sit at my computer ... only in my recliner with a cold pack. Bob became my go -fer guy and managed to keep us both fed and watered... and do a batch of laundry.
Weather has been its usual up and downs.. a few days of pleasant temps but now it's back to hot and muggy.
Thursday our teacher/daughter volunteered for her older sister's back to school back packing filling day. She and the other volunteers filled 600 back packs with school supplies. All ready to be handed out at Phoenix Family sites...different supplies for different ages...elementary, middle and high school.
More supplies are arriving some more back pack filling events will be needed!!
Went grocery and veggie stand shopping this morning... this year's tomatoes, cantaloupe, tiny potatoes etc at the veggie stand have filled my fridge!!
Even though it is a little cooler, not much is going on here. Reading is still very tempting as is working on the Christmas time accessories for my critters.
Bob had an errand at Home Depot ...which didn't turn out. While he was gone I made a blueberry crostata ( Joanne Noragon's... Cup on the Bus ...recipe).
I am also working on a little mouse... his accessories are going through my mind!
My younger (teacher) daughter and her family went to the Plaza today to participate in a protest. It was smaller than earlier ones but people were enthusiastic.
It rained earlier ... like before 7 am... but it is cooler but muggy. Bob is feeling stiff from his lawn mowing yesterday plus our steps at the Brass Armadillo. So no front lawn mowing today.... except he just said he was going out to mow and did!
I am working on the accessories I started yesterday . I am pleased with them. Light in my picture taking area is too dull and gray for successful picture taking . Hopefully things will be brighter tomorrow.
I want pictures for my online shows to be accurate color-wise and that take good real sunlight ( for me).
Made shrimp scampi, sweet corn on the cob and fresh peaches for dinner... not sure about tomorrow except for the huge cantaloupe I bought from the veggie stand man!!
Hy-Vee is having a three day meat sale starting tomorrow...the sales ad look tempting!
Bob and I decided we just has to get moving. We haven't done much these hot days. So off to the Brass Armadillo ( Blue Springs antique mall). It wasn't a finding something trip... neither of us saw anything tempting... but we did walk the whole mall and got enough steps it!!
Must have triggered something in Bob because he managed to mow the whole backyard... with rests and re hydrating. The front will be done tomorrow...
My efforts led to Christmas/winter accessories for my creatures! Not very physical but fun.
Things have been very uncomfortable here so we have been doing very little... reading, XBox ( Bob), catching up with far away relatives by phone, bears and friends... everything done by air conditioning!!
I did do a grocery shop this morning and stopped at the veggie stand on the way home. Couldn't resist another cantaloupe and local peaches and a nice chit chat with the "stand man"!
As for food...it has been easy going... sandwiches, salads, cantaloupe , fresh tomatoes. Tigger loves it when I bake bacon and it gets crisp and he gets a bit crumbled over his wet food. And we love it on sandwiches ! Bob has discovered that wrapping crispy bacon in paper towels and put in a zip log bag it stays crisp!
My daughter needed to replace a plug in her kitchen... bought a replacement at ACE and when she went to replace found someone had filled the new plug box with a much cheaper light switch! So back to ACE with her receipt ! Someone found a new way to shoplift!
Our landline phone started ringing in the middle of the night.. I forced myself to answer because you know those calls are usually awful.... I was totally asleep
Well .. it was. Our daughter had water leak... water spraying from who knows where. She turned off the house's water supply and called us.
I wasn't making much sense so I handed the phone to Bob...
Our daughter called a plumber and left a message and went back to bed... no water... no toilet flushing.. no coffee.. no showers the next morning.
Our daughter waited for the call back.. her husband went to work.. Bob took our grandson to his work The plumber called back and arrived before lunch and fixed the problem... it was a pinhole in the pressure tank above the hot water heater which he replaced. He also checked the house water pressure just in case.. no problem.
As a treat for all of them our daughter is going to pick up bananas when picking up our grandson after work and will make banana boats ( girl scout memories).
Banana boats are - slit open the banana skin and put it chocolate chips , marshmallows and a bit of peanut butter in the opening. Close up and wrap in foil and grill on the campfire till everything melts together. Our daughter is going to bake them in the even since they are not camping.
We will be heading to the Texas Roadhouse for dinner tonight. I went to one in Rochester with my daughters , Bob and my brother-in-law. The restaurant had fried pickles as an appetizer. I wasn't sure about them but we decided to try them. The pickles were dill and had a coating and we ALL loved them. Here's hoping the restaurant here will have them too.
We've been trying but when you need to run errands its nearly impossible. Out errands this morning were prescriptions at Target and groceries. By the time we unloaded the car I was wiped and sweaty...So glad to put on shorts and collapse...and an afternoon nap!
Our dinners lately have been sandwiches, wonderful veggie stand tomatoes and cantaloupe melon!! And lots of liquids!!
We did have an afternoon thunderstorm... really wild winds and a lot of rain. We even turned off our computers. Back on this evening but things are starting to rumble again and the computer says more storms in an hour or so.
while jaunting through the curvy roads and hills around Ithaca we found ourselves behind this behemoth... it took up more than a lane and we were on a double yellow lane marking.... so patient we were until SHE turned into her farm yard!!
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We did "tastings" at the distillery ( on top) and the cider house where we also had a wonderful lunch!
After our daughter's thing we headed back to Rochester stopping in Dresden ( Seneca Lake... Bob's parents place on the lake) ... at the town park.
Our plane from Rochester left really late Friday night and we didn't roll into Blue Springs till after 2 am... the KCI airport was totally empty except for us and our fellow passengers!! All the stores and restaurants were shuttered ( closed)! Our parking lot bus took forever!
We miss Rochester ...the Finger Lakes...Bob's brother
Our trip went well... really well! We visited with Bob's youngest brother who lives in Rochester...looked at all the well remember places.. Went to the restaurant up by Lake Ontario for white hots... visited the park where the Genesee River empties into Lake Rochester
well... things don't look very promising weather-wise. Central NYS... Rochester south and east will be having rain this afternoon and possibly flash flooding along our route South to Ithaca....rats...
Packing our jackets we bought for our supposedly rainy time in Ireland... No rain then... hopefully not much in central NYS now!!
It poured this morning with loads of rolling thunder and a little lightening.... now it has started again. It has been dry and windy so I am sure everything growing will be happy.
Slowly our "getting ready to leave" things are getting ready ! Rolling suitcases are filling up...clothes are decided upon...pill containers are full... My kindle has new books...I've been emptying the fridge...what's left will go out in the trash bin Sunday night!
Must not forget the charging cords!
Things around us are just too depressing right now...The only thing making me happy is planning our trip to Central NY...
We will visit with Bob's brother... look at all the memory places... go South to Cornell for teacher/daughter's bird class...hit the wineries and spent time (the four of us) together...
So see you all when we get back... the 19th??
from Debby at
Our new washing machine was due to be delivered today... the company bringing it ( contracted by Home Depot?) texted saying it would be here sometime between 8.30 and 12.30. We were lucky they came early... did everything super quick and took off with the old one!! Hooray!
Bob ran a cycle with nothing but water just to try things out and then did clothes... all of them! More than usual since we had been waiting for the new machine. I helped fold and put away... BTW .. it works super. Bob loves the glass top where he can watch things!!
Today did not get super hot and we did have one session of rain... a gullywasher!! The weather reports more rain over the next few days... but by the Fourth things should be fine. We have been invited to our older daughter's for dinner! Loads of her neighbors will be shooting off their fireworks.. should be noisy!
Tomorrow I will be going out with our younger daughter... The BS South library is having a blood drive. I am going along to make sure she can get home after she gives blood.. BTW.. they won't let me donate. I would if they would!
After that it will be another round robin of errands... grocery store, pharmacy for Bob's pills and BS North library! Must remember to pick up a birthday card for our younger daughter!
Woke up this morning to rolling thunder but only a bit of rain. BUT ... the weather men from our local tv stations say we will have more of both later today and probably all day off and on.
Tigger ( orange cat) has been sitting in the office window enjoying the cool damp breeze. A baby robin sitting on the oak tree just outside is not so happy about it. It has been yelling at him... but Mama showed up and they both flew off. Tigger decided the entertainment was over and has left too.
For once the weather forecast was right ... sporadic rain .. more supposedly overnight. We'll see...
new washing machine to be delivered and set up tomorrow...Bob has cleared a path through the garage and down to the basement. The delivery guys will take the old one.
