Friday, December 17

[Othersharon]

Good afternoon. Not sure where the morning went but already here it is after 1 in the afternoon! Yesterday was a lovely 64 here and mostly sunny. I was going to work outside it’s the never ending leaves but the wind finally won out and I said the heck with it! Pup and I went for a walk and then I decided to head into State College to get a few errands done. Managed to go to Sam’s and Petco but Walmart was just to busy for me so went to the grocery store here. I’ll go to the drug store later to get what I had planned to get at Walmart. I talked to the people in Petco vet clinic and decided to change to them from where I’ve always gone. The former owner apparently retired and sold out to a company with a whole new staff and vets. They are still doing the curbside thing which is understandable to a point but I’m not real comfortable in not having a face to face with the actual vet and felt like I only get a thumbnail of the visit. No chance to ask questions etc. So after almost 20 years I’m changing. So that was one thing off my list of things to do. Now I just need to contact the old office and have Rascal’s records transferred to the new one. Beth, I have never heard of such a rule in a campground before! Not sure how I’d keep Rascal from finding the first tree to mark! Kinda what they do! Karen, hope you are having a good trip home. And today is Barbie’s last day. Be interesting to be a fly on the wall as things move forward with the new owners! Weather tomorrow is supposed to be rain and possible snow flurries mixed in depending on the actual track of the storm. Snow may not make it this far south but it’s still iffy. I have been talking to myself about making a batch of butterscotch chip cookies so may do that tomorrow. I freeze them so I have them for awhile! No one in my family likes butterscotch so this is just a treat for me. And may make chocolate chip ones to to share. Tina, hope you are having a good time at the show and enjoying the warmer temps of FL. My friend down at Myrtle Beach said they golfed in 81 yesterday! Just got a pic of the fish they caught today deep sea fishing! So glad they are enjoying their stay down there. This is the longest they’ve been away in the camper. Not due back until mid March! So anyway, that’s about it for my exciting news today. Hope that the west coast gals get the much needed moisture but not to much at one time. Have a great rest of your day and be safe.

[OregonLuvr]

Good afternoon. Had a very pleasant drive home, it was sunny and the roads were dry. Some snow still left on the hills and side of the road. There were not many trucks on the road either, I think they all left yesterday afternoon when they opened the freeway back up both north and south. It was bumper to bumper into the night. Glad I wasnt on the road. But I dont drive at night anyway, just dont see as well as I used to so best to be tucked in at night. Got my hair cut while I was down there, it is a little shorter than I wanted but hey it is just hair and it will grow. We went out for Chinese food last night and it wasnt busy at all, guess everyone was on the freeway LOL Lois played a slot machine and won $25 in about 5 minutes so she cashed out and we went home.

I have a bit of a headache from my eye shot, it happens sometimes, so just resting in my recliner and maybe a nap could happen. as it was a short night last night. Always good to be home and back in my own routine but we had a good visit. I didnt stay as long as usual as she is busy getting ready for Christmas so I didnt want to interrupt that process.

I need to go to the store probably Monday and get a few supplies and fresh veggies and fruit in before the Christmas dinner buying becomes a frenzy. I will be heading up to Laura's on the 28th and will stay and visit for a few days so that will be fun. That is all my news for now.

[Bethers]

Luckily I'm only a couple sites from an entrance/exit so Ty gets lots of opportunities with trees, bushes and grass out there. And we get more exercise there, too. I walk him some on the inside roads everyday, too, but keep him right at my side unless we stop to visit (people or dogs). Ty has several friends of both kinds in the park, which is what got him (us) in trouble lol. I don't mind the rule, too much, but think it's excessive. Unfortunately I know how people abuse things (like staying out of other sites) and I have a couple people using part of my site to get to the laundry room instead of walking around. It's annoying, but so far I haven't said anything. Ty actually has it figured out and no longer barks at them. I figure if he can do that, I can be nicer, too. Overall I like this park and the people. And all the walking area outside the park with all the birds, etc.

I signed up to make a three bean/avocado salad for the Christmas potluck. Probably not something many have at Christmas, but I like it and wanted to do something I'll eat if there are leftovers.

Sharon, I was glad to be able to go in with Ty this past fall. Unfortunately I'm often going to different vets, but have been very happy with almost all of them.

I'm trying to convince myself to do something worthwhile, but it's 2:30 and haven't done a good job there.

Glad you're home safely, Karen. You have a good reason to relax. I'll also be heading to the store Monday or Tuesday for fresh veggies, etc.

[BirdbyBird]

The day is running down here in Orlando. Mr Player accomplished what he set out for. He is 2021 National Owner Handler Series English Cocker Best of Breed. There were 5 of the top 10 dogs that managed to travel to Florida the this year. Jane just smiles and quietly says, yep but that judge in Wednesday’s All Breed show like me best. And that is what makes it all a dog show. I don’t think even if she had been eligible that todays judge would have liked her. … neither of us entered the National Dog Show tomorrow. We are heading over to Jacksonville to have lunch with a friend of Cindy’s and then will make it as far north as we can before we seek shelter for the night…. Gordon Ramsay Fish and Chips for dinner tonight.

[JudyJB]

I repeated my really dumb trick of leaving a window open and letting in a bunch of mosquitos about half an hour ago. I went out to get some gifts to send to my aunt--even managed to get a parking spot in the big upscale mall for my rig. Got home and set everything up, then started to cook dinner, but before I could eat it, I noticed several mosquitos flying around. I am just recovering from four infected bites on my left arm, so the last thing I need is more bites. After using my electric fly swatter to zap a dozen or so mosquitos, I decided to make sure my windows were both closed in the front. (If you read my post a few days ago, you might remember I woke up one morning to discover I had left the passenger's window down all night!!) Apparently, I lean on the arm rest when getting out of my driver's seat sometimes and that opens the passenger window!! Started engine and put window up. It was only down about a third, but that was enough to let in lots of mosquitos.

Anyway, I went around inside my rig and zapped maybe 20 mosquitos!! How dumb can I be to let that many bugs in when they cause me so much trouble??? I was reading the other night that mosquitos hate lavender smell, and I have some lavender oil, so I washed any bare skin with soap and water because they say sweat attracts mosquitos and then anointed myself with dots of lavender oil. At least I smell good! I finally reheated and ate my dinner, but I still feel buggy and keep looking around to see if there are any more flying monsters. Hopefully, they will not attack me while I am sleeping tonight. I will make one last round tonight with my electric zapper.

84 degrees today and expected to hit 86 tomorrow, but I am going to dress in long pants and my turtle neck shirt and go out for a tram ride tomorrow. They take you all over the prairie and woods of this very large state park. Will also spray myself with Off just in case. Cooler next week, which is fine with me.

[Acadianmom]

Yesterday the high was 85 and today the high was 82. We have a front coming through tomorrow with rain so the warm weather will be gone for a while. I think they said it was going to warm up again by Christmas. I hope we don't get the storms some places are getting.

Yesterday I made a batch of butter cookies. The recipe says to refrigerate the dough overnight. I made balls out of it today. I only baked 5 and froze the rest. They are so good.

Decided to go to Walmart. I wanted some more cranberries while I can still find some. Walmart didn't have any but the other grocery store did. I don't know what I'm going to cook for Christmas. Nothing is starting to sound good. I don't want a bunch of food that I have to eat for a week. I looked at the hams but a ham is too big for me. I might look for just a slice of ham.

Martha

[Cudedog]

I don't know what I'm going to cook for Christmas. Nothing is starting to sound good. I don't want a bunch of food that I have to eat for a week. I looked at the hams but a ham is too big for me. I might look for just a slice of ham.

Martha

I like ham, now and again. My one and only time (so far) going to the grocery store since the beginning of the pandemic (the Sunday after Thanksgiving) I was really hungry for ham, so decided to look for a ham slice.

Found a nice center-cut slice. . . $4.59 pound. Right next to the slices was a case of half-hams (of various sizes - I don't think these are cut exactly in half (maybe this is just a west coast thing), so there will be a smallish "half" and a largish "half") of a brand I am familiar with and find delicious for $1.59 pound. Found a smallish 8 pound "half", so it was $12.72. A 2 pound slice was. . . $9.18.

So I went with the "half".

I'll probably cook it up for either Christmas or New Year's (traditionally in my family we had turkey for Thanksgiving, standing rib roast (beef) for Christmas and ham for New Year's. (LOL - talk about heavy, heavy meals - it's a wonder we survived them! ).

After I cook up the ham, I will slice it and freeze individual packages of slices. Easy to take one of these packages out of the freezer and make a quick sandwich. This should make a lot of nice sandwiches over the next few months.

My favorite sandwich is grilled ham and cheese. Yum.

Anne

[snowball]

will see if I can come up with anything tonight and then to post it correctly
when cleaning out some of the stuff in the bedroom I'd put them at the top of the stairs so next trip down the stairs I could take them down.... heard my nephew shoveling the walk and running the snow blower then when I went to take a load of laundry downstairs the stuff was gone...oops I was so worried that he took them out to the trash can as they were far from the garbage... yes probably some day that is what will happen in all likely hood but I'm not tossing her stuff before she dies... might displace it and truly I lived with a lot of stuff still in the room till now .... and one of the lamp's is one of one of my sister's baby booties that were bronzed and a lamp made with them... it was a thing a lot of years ago... problem is I don't remember which sister... it's the sentimentality of the whole thing...
went to the grocery store got some stuff like the staple stuff or some of it ... but in order to get stuff I need to know what we are making and no one is seeming to help with idea's eldest dd did some but she hasn't sent the recipe yet so I know what I need to get... but am doing ham need to check with mom see what kind of ham she prefers know it's bone in but not sure of the cut... oh and granddaughter wants mashed potatoes... this time granddaughter trumps mom lol she won't care I hope... my granddaughter is somewhat picky so want at least something she wants... and yet she eats a lot but when you are else where you aren't as likely to go and fix something...
guess I ought to go down and get the one batch put the other in thedryer... went down once but not dry so started the dryer up again so guess I need to go check it again...
and think it's going to be a hot chocolate night ...
the moon was sure full tonight...
it sounds like a perfect place to be able to walk Ty other than the restrictions. good you had a safe trip Karen...
we just don't have a really great place to shop here... hope you found what you wanted Judy...
Martha is your son joining you for Christmas dinner?
Sharon I think I would have given up on the leaves a long time ago
well got to face those steps no one else is going to
you all have a great night
sheila

[BarbaraRose]

Good evening!

Yesterday, we had a birthday party for one of my coworkers and that was fun! Today was our Christmas party at lunch time. As usual, the manager and assistant manager were very unorganized with the whole thing and everyone was confused about the Secret Santa and the White Elephant gift game. They didn't explain how it works so some people didn't get a gift for both. But it all ended up working out pretty good anyways.
I got a plush otter, a small water fountain, and a Hobby Lobby gift card, so I was happy with that. At the end of the day, everyone gave me hugs and said good-bye. I think my manager was almost in tears when he hugged me. He said he is really gonna miss me and miss my work. It was so nice to hear that.

I will keep in touch with a few of my coworkers, so I will find out how things are going with the new owners. Today both the old owner and new owner were there (not involved in the party at all) and neither one said hi to any of us when they came in. Usually they do, but not today. Yesterday, I texted a meme to my manager that says "the beatings will continue until morale improves". He loved it and printed it out and posted it on the wall. I wonder if they ever saw that while they were there?

Came home and did a haircut on a new guy. I gave his wife a haircut a couple weeks ago.

I am very tired tonight and am in bed. I have another haircut to do in the morning and then need to clean up the porch from the golf counters I made. Still have beads all over. Also need to redecorate the Christmas tree on the deck. Then clean up inside the house and do laundry.

It is gonna be cold tonight so I left the slider door open a little to the porch from the deck in case the cats want to come in there to stay a little warmer. Was supposed to get really windy tonight and tomorrow but so far no wind at all. Possible rain by Wednesday next week. Those tornadoes in Minnesota were crazy! MN rarely has tornadoes anymore even in the summer. They are at the top of "tornado alley", but now Iowa seems to be as far as they go in recent years. So to have them at all, especially this time of year is unprecedented!

I think for Christmas dinner, I will do what I did last year and order spaghetti from my favorite place. One order lasts me about 3 days! And that way, I don't have to cook! Just heat it up and eat! Still not sure if Linda and I are going up to Joshua Tree to visit her friend there.

My friends Dave & Debbie gave me a box of Trader Joe's English Toffee bars and a gift card for a very popular deli/restaurant near here. Judy and I got lunch there when she was visiting here. They had a small shop in an industrial park but now have moved into a huge brand new building on the main road.

Time to hit the hay! Lola's laying next to me purring and ready to go to sleep too. She hasn't sneezed for two days so am not sure what was causing it the other day?