Cold Tuesday Dec. 19

[Irmi]

Good morning ladies!

Judy, I'm glad you took a trip on your bike and feeling more confident about riding it. Martha, Luna is so cute. I'm looking forward to your Luna stories.

It is cold here today. It was 44 degrees when I got up and we'll struggle to get into the low to mid 50's. And with the winds we're still having, it's down right chilly.

Today is going to a run errands day. We need batteries for our candles in the window and our wreath. The wall clock in our sitting area needs batteries as well. I need to take something out of the freezer for dinner. With the wintery blast we're having, a pot of chili sounds good.

Enjoy your day.

[SoCalGalcas]

Martha, I love the looks of Luna! Think hard about the doggie door. My GS has a Giant Snowzer and she goes through their little doggy door with no hesitation at all!
The Sempra Energy headquarters is right down the street from me. They have a veritable forest of Christmas trees in their lobby! There is the main huge one and then, I think, 11 more smaller ones all decorated with white lights! They don’t have to worry about the electric bill though!

I put on a warmer jacket this morning for my first walk. It’s getting cooler here too!
My daughter left this morning to return to NH. It is always sad when she leaves. She is scheduled to return the end of March so that takes some of the sadness away.
Lyn

[Cudedog]

My daughter left this morning to return to NH. It is always sad when she leaves. She is scheduled to return the end of March so that takes some of the sadness away.
Lyn

Good morning, Irmi, Lyn and all who follow.

Lyn, how is your daughter liking New Hampshire?

I have always wanted to live in New England - Vermont, specifically. I was lucky enough to live in Vermont for a time many long years ago - dumb enough to leave there to return to a bad marriage in California.

But then, had I not returned to California, I likely would not have had my children, which are the loves of my life.

I pined - for many, many years - over the beautiful hills and valleys and landscapes of Vermont.

But it was just not to be.

I miss it still.

Anne

[chalet05]

Martha, what a sweet companion! Lyn, I agree it always helps to know when the next visit will be.

We had a bit of sloppy snow this morning. Not what I was planning on since I have some outside things to do - trash, mail and load thrift store donations. Maybe later. With winter break, upstairs neighbors are home - never know if it'll be quiet or brick shoes. I did finally knock on the ceiling at 12:15 a.m. the other night - no idea what the mom was doing but she quit! Kids are coming for dinner tomorrow so hoping for quiet during that time!

[Acadianmom]

Anne, just think about all the snow you missed in New England. I do not like snow. It is probably going to be in the 70"s here for Christmas.

I have an annual checkup next week and the doctor told me to get blood work done this week. This morning I went to town to get get the blood work done and I wasn't suppose to eat. Someone neglected to tell me that. So, back to town tomorrow. I went to Tractor Supply and spent $60 dollars on the new dog. She has so many toys and chews toys that I had to make her a toy box. She is a hard chewer like Sugar was. I don't know how they don't break their teeth. My son's dog loves those rubber chicken toys so I got her one of those.

I can't have a doggie door here with all the wild life. I would have a possum in the house. I saw an inside gate with a cut out for cats somewhere. I'll have to see how big the cut out is because Lune could probably get thru a pretty small opening if she could get to food.

They have a mess going on in town with barricades all over. Someone had the bright idea of making the parking around the court house back in. I can just see that working since everyone has to go around the court house. Wonder how long before the first rear end accident?

I keep looking at the small battery operated scooters to take camping. The only thing I don't like about them is they have Lithium batteries. I would not have one of those in my house.

Martha

[OregonLuvr]

Good afternoon now..... didnt realize it was almost lunch time. Rainy morning but so far no fog so let it rain. OK so I have come to the conclusion that my Fitbit is a dead soldier. Bummer. So I ordered a new tracker yesterday.......another learning curve coming my way.....sigh There are just some things I can do without but a watch is not one of them.
Lyn so glad you had a good visit with your daughter...AND...she will be back YAY
Irmi maybe it will warm up by the time you are done with your errands. I went out this morning and got my hair cut, She did ok, nothing special. I think I would have liked it a bit shorter in the back but next haircut we can do that. Now just going to have a salad for lunch and a bowl of soup. I have some paperwork to finish so think I will eat and get busy before I dont want to anymore LOL

[JudyJB]

I was supposed to go to the bird sanctuary area today, but when I woke up at 10 am, two main roads showed their being blocked, one for several miles, and my GPS said it would be a two-hour drive instead of a 55 minute drive. Plus it was really cold, so I decided to stay home. Will check again tomorrow or Thursday. Traffic west of here, around Fort Myers, is horrible, so I may just wait until January.

California son is having a melanoma on his back removed today, and possibly one or two nearby lymph nodes. He was very blond and fair-skinned as a child, as was his dad, so he has a lot of moles he gets checked often, except for the past couple of years. Finally saw a new dermatologist at University of California San Francisco Medical Center, who found this melanoma. He has also been having problems for the past several years with a pancreatic cyst growing, then shrinking, and now growing again, so he is having a very serious surgery in January at UCSF medical center to remove it to prevent cancer. It is called Whipple surgery, and dangerous, so you never want to have it at any place that does not have an excellent group of pancreatic specialists, which UCSF is known for. He will spend a couple of weeks in the hospital, which is quite a drive from Napa, before he will be able to go home. I offered to fly out and stay with the "kids", but they are now 16 and 18. The oldest is in community college and very responsible, plus they have close friends in town and relatives a bit farther away, so they said it was not necessary. Son will be on medical leave from teaching for two months, and his wife will take a month leave from her job as a vice-principal.

Serious stuff, but I know from my past experience with pancreatitis a few years ago that he has some of the best doctors in the country. Lots of stuff to worry about, however. At least I am glad that I do not have current problems, so I can fly out on the spur of the moment if I have to.

Anyway, today is a sunny, if chilly, day in Florida. I need to get out and walk before it gets late.

[BarbaraRose]

I accomplished a couple things today; got the trash and recycle bottles taken out. Then decided to do laundry. I have been putting it off but now have 3 large loads. Put it all in 3 washers and then went on the app to pay for them but it didn't work. Wouldn't read the QR codes. I called the company but they were no help. Then packed up all my clothes and went to another laundry room in the park. Just took one basket in to try. Same problem. So it must be something with my phone. Always something! So I will just get several outfits together to get me thru Christmas and take that load to work with me tomorrow and wash it there. I liked it better when I just needed quarters to do laundry! Why do they always need to "fix" everything with technology?!!

I got one of my Christmas gifts today... I love it! Gourds in the Orient are called Wu Lou and are for good luck, wealth, safety, peace, health, and success. I need all of that! It is about 7 inches high.



Was mostly sunny and nice today but another storm system is coming in tomorrow and supposed to last into Saturday! We will most likely get rain, and the local mountains will get snow for the first time this season.

One of my neighbors down the street from me showed up today. Was surprised to see her since she had ankle surgery recently and didn't thing she would be coming down until February.

Martha, Luna is adorable! I hope things go well for you and her.

[snowball]

went to the store today noticed that my gas light was on don't usually let it go that far out. So had to get gas it's a tad bit cheaper and the 60 cents off didn't hurt think I paid 3.33 or close to it I didn't hurt my feelings to use that amount off..
mom had left over sea food enchilada from last night so I grabbed a frozen meal didn't taste bad at all and would be easy to replicate... except that mom doesn't eat much rice any more... my sister in law said that they made a shrimp and spinach dish the other night that she didn't seem to enjoy not sure if it was the spinach or the rice it was served on or what but guess I will not look for that recipe.. they don't use a lot of salt either which can make for a pretty bland dish I don't think that they use much of other seasonings either but it's been awhile so can't say that for sure... she ate half of her enchilada last night they were so surprised yes she will occasionally surprise me even...I tried telling them that she doesn't eat here that well either... not sure what we will be doing for Christmas day going to Nephew's for dinner Saturday night as niece works Sunday and Monday so we will do that for Christmas but I'm sorta thinking about inviting brother down for Christmas dinner but really imagine that he will be with his two boys... looked for a small frozen turkey couldn't find any looked for a turkey breast couldn't find that either did find some fresh birds though to the tune of about 44 dollars a bird... don't want a turkey that much will look at another store and see if anything is there... can't wait too late or it won't thaw enough..
have a church Christmas party tomorrow night suppose to make a dessert for 24 people decided on apple crisp make that apple, pear, and cranberry crisp... now to find the recipe again... mostly for the topping was going to get whipped cream in the can but forgot so it maybe without whipped cream... or there will be other cans of whipped cream that people will use if they want it bad enough
I had to laugh as I was reading Lyn's post I thought I ought to ask how her dd likes the snow and read on to see that it was asked
I had to laugh my dd got a new Christmas tree she told me they went to Lowes saw this tree in a box called the grand teton but couldn't see what it looked like so went to another lowes to find the Grand Teton on display and all they had was the one on displayed so back to the first Lowes to get the tree... and it is so pretty if brother hadn't brought one I would have so gone and gotten it it was only 10 or so more than what he paid for this one...
I can see tech for a lot of things but to have to use it for the laundry I don't get it... although I guess it makes not having to have quarter's on hand better but I'm sure it would be so irritating to not be able to use the machine that you had loaded ...
that sounds scary Judy for your son hope all will go well with him
been sorta looking at the decorations on the tree thinking that some are not there... nephew decorated it his wife wouldn't have over looked any.... the snow mobels aren't on it I don't think but who knows
oh well I won't complain the topper still needs to be put on they didn't know where it was...
we do have a bit of snow but not much they still are not skiing not enough that just is scary
you all have a great day
sheila

[Cudedog]

Artificial Christmas trees have really gotten expensive, although I had considered getting a new one this year.

Er. . . nope.

I have a little four-footer that I put on a box to make it seem taller. It has the lights already on, and the decorations already on. When Christmas is over, I'll just throw a bedsheet over it and put it out in the garage. Just like I did last year.

In a couple of days, just before my kids get here, I'll take it out of the garage, take off the sheet, put it on the box, and plug it in.

Good to go!!

Anne

[Bethers]

I'll be the one who loves the laundry not needing quarters. We have the machines here and I had them at the CG in Iowa this summer. Every time someone came to the office for help (which didn't happen very often) it was operator error. Sometimes just not starting the machines lol

I went into town today to take a package to the UPS store with a return to Amazon. Credits already on my Amazon account. So I did a pick up order at Walmart and stopped at Dollar Tree for a few things. Yikes it was busy in there. I'm so glad Walmart was a pickup order or I wouldn't have gotten much. I didn't get 1/2 what I planned at Dollar Tree.

I'm still staying up way into the night most nights. With the cooler mornings we've been having I'm glad for it. It keeps me from having to change clothes lol