11/30 ~ Last Day of November 2017

[ladyebug]

Good Morning.

Has anyone been in contact with Val? Was hoping for some word about what happened to her grandaughter.

There may be something on FB . Have not looked.

We are deep in pecan shelling. Had them cracked, which is never a good idea. But at this point neither John nor I can crack these things, so had to have them done by machine, which essentially crushes them.
You do what you have to do.

Need to check on jostoy. Have not been around for the past couple of days. Kind of out of the loop,

Hope everyone has a good day. Say goodbye to November.

[boffler]

Hello Elaine, Goodbye November....Elaine, we have so many walnut trees around here and a pile of them that are about 4 ft. high, the squirrels eat good that is for sure...and the chipmunks.

Got most of the decorating done yesterday, just a few more finishing touches with towels and such and it will be complete....I do have some window swags ordered for my front windows that have the dusk to dawn candles in them...ordered them from Plow & Hearth...I use to make them each year for my front windows at our other house, don't do that kind of 'stuff' now, its all about convenience...

I had my finger poke yesterday, for now it is a weekly poke, just wish it wasn't a 40 mile round trip each time...stopped at the store afterwards and got needed supplies for baking, baking brings me pleasure, relaxation and I can stop and go at will, so let the relaxing begin..plus I love giving holiday baskets/boxes/plates to others.. And a lot has to do with carrying on a tradition in this family, I don't think anyone else has an interest in doing it...but that's okay, to each his own...just like chocolate pie at holiday time, the oldest son went right for the pie this past Thanksgiving BEFORE we even had Thanksgiving meal, LOL..

Today like I said I will be finishing up the decor and getting everything put away and wiped down then clorox wiped....ready, set, go...

Sometimes life can really throw you a curve ball, will explain in a post later, death can bring out the best and the worst in others for sure...

Have a great day one and all...

[Aunt Maye]

Good Morning ,

Hi Elaine!...so you and John are no longer "nutcrackers".. ..did you try a hammer and a brick? .. ....they are sure good eating tho'.

Yesterday I finally got all the yarns sorted out I want to use in Logan's Crib size afghan.. and got it started . think, 2-3 hrs of time.. decided on mainly 3-4 Blues, with red, white, various shades of purples.. no girly pink or yellow or greens.. will have done before Christmas if I work at it off and on every day...my thumb joints have arthritis so I have to stop and give them a rest ..

Also, called the Grand daughters to see if they still wanted to make,bake decorated sugar cookies .. another tradition we started when Bethany was about 5 , she is now 17..and I got resounding YES, of course.... so getting a date and time may be a problem.. as they all have jobs and Hannah is in middle of College finals.Going to get all the needed ingredients together today.. so we can do bake whenever we get the date,,, by the way,, baby Great grand , Elsie will be here too.. THAT makes me smile!

hi to all, I will be back later today to see how YOU are doing

ps to Sharon,,, I do very little house decoration,,, a small tree and things like holiday towels. but no outside . David can't do it and I don't miss it.. I just enjoy everyone elses prettys.

[maxie]

Decorating is so nice when you go to others homes and see the effort. I just look around here and see what I have to put back away in a month. How did these granddaughters grow up so fast? I think it is wonderful you still maintain your traditions...the girls will always remember those baking afternoons.

[jostoy]

Good morning all.

Got all the protective covering off the furniture yesterday so today is to clear the floors. Since it is raining this morning, I'll do the floors. Want to go near T.H. this afternoon to the camper supply place. Need to get a screw in thingy so I can blow the water lines out. Bought the 12 volt air compressor at Lowes Monday.

Other than that, my day will be slow and steady. Hope all have a wonderful day.


My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE.

"If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning."

[maxie]

Morning. Spent most of yesterday on the road and back home. I renewed things for 2018, had the blood work/ekg all done and that seemed to take a while but only because when you go back home you always run into people and have to catch up. Stopped at the Dollar Store and Sierra wanted an application for a fund raiser so, again, you run into people. Got home to Jon starting the grill and then woke this morning to the ceiling fan all over the couch and floor...all I ask of him was to replace a light bulb and I even set the bulbs out. I dunno what goes on around here anymore! But I do know with him on vacay he will sleep in and this may lay around a while.

Tonight will be take out night and ANdrew needs shoes. He had another enormous amount of math last night... 20 problems for a slow worker is a lot of time even if he does know how to do it all. His dad sat with him for math and I went in to watch the Blues. I ask Drew if he needed a new shirt for the Christmas program and he told me he had shirts...so there, but maybe he could use new shoes.

Sierra has already been up this morning with another blow. The third girl in the car that killed the sisters died this morning. We have been trying to prepare her for this and when she came in with questions we never downplayed the seriousness of such a head injury. Yesterday was a private funeral for the sisters and Saturday will be a public memorial. Now it starts over with the third death. I cannot ever imagine the pain of those families...now 4 young girls died in that crash...3 local and one in another vehicle.

I have not finished the house decorating but have been trying to make an attempt. We are playing that dumb Elf game now and have to hide that everyday. Yesterday he climbed up to Andrews money jar and was caught with his hands in it. While Jon is home he will take care of it because he is just as big a kid as Andrew. At this rate we will be hiding that darn elf when the kid is 30!

Today I have laundry and need to pick up and get organized. This house is in total disarray...We just are not finishing anything and lay around like we are exhausted. The vacuum has been sitting in the living room since Sunday. Dishwasher was so full we could not get all the dirties in so I have a dish washer full and a sink full to be hand washed.

Things to do today and sitting around is not doing a thing. Have a wonderfully sunny and happy day all.

[boffler]

Oh Maxie my heart goes out to Sierra, that has to be so hard on her....I get a laugh from those that do play Elf on a shelf and also post pictures, I never got into it, don't think hubby would be to interested.. Hubby and I usually only have to run dishwasher once a week...we could just wash them by hand each evening but we are both lazy, Hope all your blood work and EKG come back normal...

[Paula A]

Oh, good morning. Thursday and this week is going fast. Of, course, it starts really slowing down today...end of the week and all.

Our cookie giving out is going well. took some to neighbors and to the yard groomers and to the church.
My tree is not as tall as I would have liked. Why did I think 5' would be a good size and why didn't I realize 5' meant the entire thing??? Like 5' from the floor (stand and all) and so now I know this will be the daycare tree next year and I will get a bigger one. I am just going to get a Balsam Hill, like I should have in the first place. QVC got me this one and now ...well, I will stop. It needs to be decorated but the lights are fantastic!!

Gotta go. I am late and fro no good reason; I just have taken my sweet time, I guess in getting up and going.

Have a great day!

[boffler]

Paula I love my tree from Balsam Hill, and our daughter and family love the bigger one we gave them...so easy I got the 6' one and it is perfect, plus the basket I have to put it in makes it look more real and gets it off the floor..
Glad you like the new child you got in your care now, the Mom sounded perfect...and we know you are so good at what you do..

[JoGee]

Good morning, and goodbye November.
So that means tomorrow morning I go get my MRI, for a followup cancer checkup. It was early this year that the doc said it was gone! I’ll see the doctor next week, and he’ll tell me what the MRI revealed.

We won’t be decorating this year either. Maybe the small tabletop tree, at best. The mistletoe we had our entire married life has disappeared, but E bought me a new “blingier” one last year. Anyway, neither of us can do more than that. Not this year. (I used to put up garlands around a doorway, and attach our received cards to it. Looked festive.)

Today’s a very cloudy, dreary day. I feel chilly. Soup for lunch today, I think. The temps are going down gradually. Only in the 70’s lately, but the forecast says in the 60’s next week. My sweaters and sweatshirts are ready and waiting.

No particular plans for today. Will just take the day as it comes.
I think I’ll wait for E to get up before I have breakfast. But I’m having orange herbal tea right now. ☕️

Have a super-duper day,☀️

[jostoy]

Forgot to write what happened to me this morning.

Now Sharon and Maxie to NOT laugh until you make yourself sick.

Just so you know....I did not hurt myself, so go ahead and laugh.

Mother Nature woke me up, so instead of sitting on the bed until I got my head clear, I got up and walked into the bathroom, which is just across the narrow hallway. I got myself on the toilet stool with my jammies pulled down just to my knees. Well I started leaning to the right, which there is nothing to grab or hold me, and I fell off the stool onto the floor hitting my nose on the floor in the hallway. It was probably a "pretty sight" watching me trying to get my jammies pulled on down off my knees so I could get my right leg under me so I could get up off the floor.

I guess I'll stay sitting on the edge of the bed for a few moments from now on. Has anyone else EVER fallen off the stool after having your butt squarely planted on the seat of the stool?

[maxie]

Do you think we would laugh at that? Well maybe! Bet the paramedics could tell a tale or two about finding people in distress in their bathrooms! Glad you were not hurt but bet you will be sore. So very happy you were not hurt...not laughing out loud but do have a comical vision..

[boffler]

Taken Rudolph the 'Red Nosed Reindeer' to a whole new level....me laugh well let's just say glad my windows are closed...glad you are okay, might want to consider a portapoty, they have handles that keep you from falling left or right, LOL...glad you are okay but like Maxie said you might be a little sore tomorrow like you needed anymore sore spots...

[cookielady]

Hey all! The sun is shining.

Yesterday was good. We baked 50 doz ladylocks and I eventually got them and the other 30 doz in the freezer filled and packaged up. It took me all day to accomplish all that. I did cook a decent dinner and watched Toy Story 2 with Blaise.

This morning Sue & I seemed to get nowhere fast. Got only one type of cookie baked off and still have 4 other kinds to bake off. It wouldn't be bad, but we are talking about 20 doz of each kind. Tomorrow will be icing/decorating day.

No, Jostoy.....I've never fallen off. I just know that if you are going to be sick, you sit on the toilet & barf in the waste paper basket.

Hope you had a good one!

[boffler]

50 doz of lady locks????? Now that is a lot of cookies, I just never have any luck freezing cookies, seems they always are to 'moist' when plated...guess I am not a professional, LOL...Your icing and decorating is always beautiful, is Sue that good also?

[cookielady]

No, Sue is not as good decorating. She's blind in one eye, so sometimes things tend to be a little lopsided. She's great doing other things like scooping, cutting, washing the dishes. We just work very well together. We made & baked 50 doz LL yesterday and I had another 25 doz in the freezer waiting to be filled, so I got them all done.

Sharon....it took me about 20 yrs to FINALLY figure out that the best way to thaw frozen cookies is in the refrigerator. It does it slowly and they don't "sweat" as they thaw.

[Paula A]

50 Dozen?!
I almost need a calculator to figure that, but for sure, that is a huge bunch of delicious-ness!!!!