Best/Worse/What did I learn/chat about our day!Just Gab'n

GRRR ! I will try again...

Thank U for the HUG!!!! :)

Okay... Trying again...
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=455872308999&comments

In case you can't view this one either... I'm sending you the latest in the Hibiscus Festival going on in my backyard....
Today had Three Tropicals... Here is one I haven't posted yet...

HUGS!,
Mary

Trying again...


http://vimeo.com/8054255

Mary...... this is so beautiful! I sent the link on to my two sisters (the other one doesn't have internet! go figure........). I know they'll appreciate it. IF Alice has Facebook access. I know Ruth does.......

I was able to view the one you attached the Hibiscus picture to......

OH! Susan ! I'm so glad ! I hope they can view it... Maybe the last time I tried will work... Maybe a more direct link..... It's a Wonderful video !

Which Anise recipe do you think I should try first ? Tomorrow is a cooking day for us... so we will have time to try different things...

I'm up for another few minutes so message back if you can...

Hugs,
Mary

Oh Mary I LOVE your hibiscus - I bet your garden is looking mighty purty right now. Have you cut them back at all? I am not sure when is the right time of year for you to do that, I do it when I bring them inside in the fall.
Susan the second recipe sounds like it but I swear Momma used to deep fry these cokies. Course it was 40 years ago so my memory might be cloudy. Alot of things from that first marriage are vague for me now except for the time I spent with momma. She was 1 in a million!
Oh Betty I had so many sleepless nights caused by my mam. Know the cold shoulder trick oh so well. One of her favourite tricks was to hang up on me and if I called her back she wouldn't answer the phone no matter how many times it rang.I remember 1 time I was about 15 and was babysitting. Mam did not want me to go as "she" needed me to clean her house... anyway I called and the phone rang 82 times. I just let it ring. Mam finally answered and said your father made me pick up the phone. Goodbye! No wonder I was just a stick then, she would get me so upset I couldn't keep anything down. Now I am a rollypolly!
Hope everyone has a good Sunday. Remember to do something nice for yourself - think my treat will be a nice piece of dark chocolate.
Betty and Laura hope you are both sleeping right now!!!
Dianne

I was sleeping Dianne until at 5:30 or so, having troubles connecting to computer of late..think I might ask Santa for a new one but not before I have Rogers replace the main router!! called them enough times that they should..

Look at all those recipes..going to check the links on my next coffee break..posted this on the incorrect thread...oh/oh..

Morning, all, been up since 5:30am

I am so thrilled about what I accomplished yesterday that I set today aside for decorating..will be lots of ooohs and ahhhs as you forget what treasure you have from year to year..thought I'd start with the trees thought..Brought the tree box into the basement, fluffed up all the branches, oh it looked so pretty with all the lights aglow,flickering, Reba singing loudly throughout the house, hot chocolate and chelsey bun in hand (I'll share) me feeling the warmth of the fireplace..got it set up and something didn't quite click,oh no, it's the outdoor deck tree not the basement tree..so now I've got the tree out on front deck, basement tree brought in and going to try this again..lol..thankfully the living room tree is not large and the french cafe has but a little one or else I'd be playing a game of match the tree to the room all day.. can any of you guess I LOVE Christmas..

Had so much trouble getting to sleep last night NOT because I couldn't, I sure could..layed on the chesterfield when Greg came in, he'd been Christmas shopping with Melanie for the boys all day and dropped in to say he'd pick them up at the arena where I dropped them off...it was then 8:30..thought terrific, have a bath and of to bed..as I climbed in and last leg hit the mattress off to lala land I went ..about 9:30 my girlfriend Dianne called for a chat, she was going to come over this morning and we'd to out for lunch but because they are calling for a lovely day she decided to go with a group horseback riding, which was fine by me, already knew what I wanted to do today...chatted for about 20 minutes and barely hung up the telephone that I was sleeping, telephone rings again, it's Kyle, I had told him to let me know one way or another if I had to pick him up and he didn't know his dad had dropped in so he called...let's try this again..found it harder to go to sleep this time, could have almost got up and done a midnight shift..lol..telephone rings again, Jeff my youngest, he and Julie had been out for supper, did some shopping and call me to find out if I had any idea what I wanted for Christmas??? drats and more drats...said he should have called all week but after putting a computer program on the market and working mega overtime (almost 24/7 for past 3 months) he was exhausted, wasn't feeling the best so he stayed home and worked from the chesterfield..NOW he calls to chit/chat..finally I was dozing off in our conversation ..nearly...so he said he'd call today so we can gab..

But the hours without telephone calls I slept well, in fact woke up several times and said 'no you don't, stay in bed even if you just watch t.v.' must have dozed for another hour then was thinking of decorating and thought, get up and get with it..today's a fun day..

So hoping you all have the same..see you on my next break.

Glad you were able to snooze between wakeups Betty. Unfortunately I am not one of those people who can. Once I am awake that is it, I'm up. Think I will try for a nap this afternoon though. Usually I just lay down and read and that can refresh me.
Think we are the first on the lake to have our outdoor lights up - usually we are the last. They look so pretty with their reflection bouncing off of the lake.
Time for more coffee - wish I had that chelsea bun here in my hand!
Dianne

I can just imagine what it looks like, lived all my married life with Roger with house almost sitting on the lake, only feet between us..always did the pines (until they were destroyed by tornado) lights on boathouse..the house had a spanish type design with arches and all had lights, often Roger and I would drive out onto the bay with snowmobiles and just sit and admire...I envy you!!

Told you I'd share my bun, only about 3 left though..mini they are..was looking at them, think they took breadrolls and put in a pan and let rise and then put all the goodies ontop, tastes more bread than bun..delicious though..might have to try and make some..

2 trees now standing with lights flickering, off the get the other 2 in postition then later I'll decorate them all..got to tell you, you sure do make a mess when you are decorating!!!!!

Dianne what a beautiful image you painted in my mind. The lake and lights.....Naps are something of the past.Guess when the little ones are older then maybe?????

Good Morning Everyone!! Only have a minute because it's cold in here but did read everyone's posts.

Debbie DH is going to be Tired, poor guy I've had to do things like that before in order to keep me in a home. I definitely feel his pain.

Mary that brought tears to my eyes too!! That Hibiscus is Gorgeous!!!!!!

Betty glad you got some sleep even after all of the interruptions.

My day was wonderful yesterday too, even though Tiga has been stricken with what I think is Arthritis this year, poor thing can barely walk around, sit, and we have to pick her up so she can lay on the couch or bed because she can't jump up. I'm going to call the vet tomorrow morning and hopefully get her in immediately. She has Feline Irritable Bowel Syndrome so she's on steroids for that, plus I have a joint medicine I'm supposed to be giving her every day for Hip Dysplasia in her shoulder but I only give it to her about once every three days because she doesn't show any symptoms of the Dysplasia in her shoulder. My poor kitty is old and is now showing signs. :( :( :( :( :(

Ok, about MOM'S, I've got to tell you I spoke to mine last night and she almost created a temper tantrum lol. She said that her husband Lynn went to the VA hospital for a complete physical and they said that he has plaque built up in his veins, she called it something, so she went to research it online and she couldn't find anything free, she said Ask.com wanted $18.00 to look up anything and Google wanted $20.00 to look up anything. Now, anyone who researches anything online knows better than this, I use Ask.com as my main search engine and Google.com as my second. I told her that, plus she can always get good information from webmd.com, or wikipedia.org, the internet is designed as a research tool and they don't charge to surf the net. She said that surfing the net is no longer free, everyone wants at least $18.00. Ooooh kaaayyy no they don't, so I offered to look it up for her, she threw a fit and said I swear in one breath talking really fast, "Well I'm not going to do this right now, you don't have to do that. I know that they all charge for their services and it's not free to surf the internet anymore like it used to be. I don't know where I was looking or where I was at and it just is too much for me to do. I get so overwhelmed from looking stuff up all the time for everyone else I don't have time for me. I'm not going to try to look it up again, I don't know what I'm looking for anyway." OH MY for some reason I got mad, probably because she uses the internet every day, always has, and now suddenly she can't handle it because it overwhelms her and has to make this big fat lie about it? I work in IT and have a degree, who does she think she's talking to here? She needs to call 80 year old Aunt Jo and tell this to! Now I know she never even tried to look anything up and is making her story up as she goes, and since I offered to do it for her it would catch her in a lie and we can't have that! Shortly after she remembered that she forgot to take her pain pill at 5pm, it was 8:30 then, so she had to go. This completely reminds me of her mother! That woman had some sort of problem and I think my mom got the gene. Lordy I hope I didn't end up with the gene! LOL

Thing of the past for sure..time is coming where you'll have time for yourself and miss them all..

Took a break, had to wipe all the tears..no bad tears but tears just the same..as I unpack the boxes and see some of the decorations Roger bought and loved, taking out each ornament for every Christmas he's not been with us and knowing the 20th Christmas decoration will be put on the tree this Christmas Eve by one of the children or grandchildren and Elvis singing about not being home for Christmas it doesn't makes for a teary eye..once the trees are up, presents are under the tree and I hear Roger saying 'you've done your thing yet one more time' then smiles return..in the meantime.....

Best I not linger too long..

OMG Crissy, I'm laughing because I can just see you so wound up, we're so lucky to have moms BUT nerves get shattered especially when we know what we are talking about and know when they are being unreasonable...told Jeff about my episode with mom and first things he says 'yes, parents are like that, yours,mine and I to my kids!' if he were in the room with me think I would has smacked him..but know it was in fun as he started to laugh..

We'll have to muster up more patience..

Poor Tiga, hope the vet has something that doesn't affect the other medication. Sailor so far is doing well with the weather but then it could be that Cathy drops in almost every day and takes her for little walks, maybe that kind of excersize is doing her good...

Time to put up the upstairs tree...back shortly..

Greg and family dropped in for 10 minutes, Noah has hockey game but he said they might come back and put the out door metal trees out for me..we'll see..

Some of me must have rubbed off on my boys..they're all in the Christmas mood.. Jeff just called, had been to buy his big gift on Thursday and there was a recall, so no go..just called me, was shopping saw something he really wanted, makes things easier as I just have to transfer his $$$ into his account this aft. then he's taken care of, thank goodness there is a lot of gifts under the tree or he'd have nothing to open Christmas morning..

Then I asked Melanie, as she was decorating as well if she wanted to look at the nativity scene I bought on the sly after Christmas last year, told her she w ouldn't hurt my feeling if it wasn't her taste....beautiful set, all adorned in cloth/gold but not her taste so unless I can find a mini corner someone will get them...

As they were leaving told them all to come out and pick up a tote and bring it in the house for me, got told I shouldn't be out no coat because I'd have a cold this week, told Greg that it might be nice being in bed resting for a few days, only took him a second to say, 'you've Saturday and Sunday to rest and sleep in, no one to bother you, that works well doesn't it' lol...kids..aren't they grand

Debbie ask your kids for a passport, as I'm unpacking tote after tote after tote I see I have much to much..you being the closest, I could share...both DIL's say they've far too much already..

Betty, that is at the TOP of my list! I might be able to get Shane to go with that one, as he wants to go to Canada also, I think he has only been across once to a field trip to MarineLand when he was in 4th grade. HOWEVER, he DOES have a passport already! brat! I made a Santa wish for a treadmill so I can walk inside and get healthy...it wont' happen, but I am trying. lol My hands are still so swollen and painful, my fingernails even hurt from the pressure underneath.

DH actually put some of my outside lights up for me yesterday. He didn't even argue much with me, gave me one of those "you have got to be kidding me woman" looks...but he did it.

Betty, that is such a hard thing going through the Christmas decorations. I have the same problem with Moms things, can't imagine a spouse. And I do know all about Elvis singing and bringing out the tears...happens so easily especially at the Holiday time.

I got news from a childhood friend this morning that her sister died. DH & I went to school with Robin & her husband also, and Robin was in our wedding. Her sister Patti Jo was 2 years younger than us, and she lived a "wild life" at times. I don't know the specifics, but it doesn't matter. She has two girls at home, 19 & 14. It is amazing how you don't talk to someone for years....but you can pick up the phone and pick right up where you left off.

DH is zonked out...got home about 7:10 this morning, and goes back in for tonight until tomorrow afternoon. I woke up about 6:00 this morning with most of the kitties on the bed ....dang things just wanted my electric blanket! lol

be back in a bit
Debbie

Sad news Debbie, sending hugs and prayers..

Overwhelming sometimes but that's part of life and after the cry comes all the good memories, the fun, the laughter..over it now, when Greg was here he asked why my eyes were red...dah...it's Christmas again! just shook his head!!!!

Well if you don't think you'll get the exercise machine tell them 2nd option is passport as I'll fun you off your feet when you visit..

Making one heck of a mess, don't know how when you think you are cleaning and organizing you go two steps backwards..

emptying totes, the emptying isn't the job it's where to heck do you put everything? no idea...

Good Day!

Betty, so cool to see your Christmas decorations! Especially smiling to see the Blue Victorian Santa, giggling 'cause I have that one from you...It's one of my favorites.

LOL, i hear you on the two steps backwards, So We rented the carpet cleaner, which started the tornado. Steve and i tag teamed and cleaned the house! Cleared the rooms and cleaned the carpets. We barely stopped working. Then Julia came home around 8 in the evening and decided to clean her carpet too...So pulled all of her stuff out of the room, vaccumed and cleaned hers as well. Geesh, didn't go to bed until very late. But on the great side, We are pretty much done cleaning, yipppeeee and hoorah!
...its time to get back to sewing and fun projects, now I won't feel so guilty about playing...And, reading time is about to begin.
Awe, Betty, I cry at Christmas decorating too...LOL, it's a bittersweet time of year. Mumma always loved to Christmas decorate. She was heavy into the gold and silver garland. and lights. She always decorated the day after Thanksgiving!

OH My Goodness, Shirley and Tubby, i am so sorry to hear about your DD. Will be praying they caught it early.
So nice of your family and friends to come help finish up projects.

Mary that video had me all choked up...What a beautiful tribute to family.
Oh How Beautiful your hibiscus is!! Love the color.

Maggie, I can so relate to the painting coming to a screeching halt. Hope it's not for a bad reason. I finally did finish painting the kitchen. Tomorrow I will do the floor trim and the touch ups. Had to buy some blue painter tape for some of the tiny spaces...Now, I need to decorate that huge wall space...And i am trying to decide if i should paint the window too! LOL, it's no wonder i never finish, can't make up my mind half the time, And Dh wants me to paint it White!! How boring is that?

Oh but today it's cloudy but kind of warm, so DH went off for a Bike ride! Asked me to go, but i'd rather be home playing and watching television, I have a bunch of shows to catch up on.

Oh Crissy, so sorry to hear about Tiga. Poor Kitty, I hope he isn't in too much pain.
Glad you had a good day yesterday, hey maybe you should get an electric heater for your computer room. Then you can visit longer without freezing!

Dianne, How pretty a picture I have thinking of your house all lit up, and reflecting on the Lake! Sounds like a Christmas card...Hey there is an idea for you. We have friends who always make their Christmas cards with their piece of nature. Their first one is one i treasure. It's a sillouette of their tiny log cabin with the Timbers in the the back and a single star. They entitled it Silent night.

Debbie, so nice you gt your lights up too, Sending you some Giant Armwraps, my friend. I wish, I wish i could get DH to put the light on the house. But, he always waits, lol I'll just add it to his list.

Well, I have been typing and retyping, keep making mistakes on spelling, so obviously I need to do something, got brai freeze or something.

See you in a bit.

See only a few are around today, everyone must be working getting things ready for you Thanksgiving??? See that's what Judy's doing..

Judy, just hung your lovely christmas stocking on the christmas tree in the french cafe..do you know the beads say you sent it in 2007..it does have a place of honor just as your Victorian Santa does to you..

Too much to keep painting things, no place to put them, maybe I can paint some when nothing to do and send them all your way (meaning all of you)

Judy, nothing like clean carpets to get you into cleaning mode, everything after rugs are cleaned seems to need a lick and a spit.
Remember the old silver garland, I just through out all I had, so many nice beeds, metal ribbons etc that it look kind of old and tattered, actually have a box for garbage, imagine that!

Won't be many more days for Steve to ride his bike, soon time to store it...I'm much like you, Roger would want me going snowmobiling but it got I much preferred to make soup and treats for when they came home cold and exhausted.

It's just a comfy time of year..

Living room pretty well done, of course none of the rooms have the floral arrangements but perhaps next week they will, can't do everything in a day now can you?

So laughing, Sailor is in craft room sleeping under the table, Riley is on my bed, all cozy between the pillows, and Missy, she's enjoying the Christmas tree..maybe she likes the twinkling of the lights, or, I've tired them by watching me go upstairs/downstairs all day long.

Put some of my Christmas smellies out, lordy the house smells wonderful that with the cedar on the fireplace just makes me want to sit, feet up and take it all in..no go..can't rest now, few more totes to go and I'm done for the day, well nearly..want to put the flashing snowflakes in all the windows, at least tonight if the rest of the outside doesn't get done I can enjoy the inside..

Now where is those kids??? think I frightened them off..lol

Back to work..

Forgot to show you Missy..

Hello All !

Betty - your Christmas tree is SO beautiful ! I LOVE silver! Missy looks like another present... Shadow likes to sleep under the tree too... Not sure what Christmas tree/decorations will do this year with Belle around... She Loves to chew on anything...

Judy, Susan, Crissy, etc... I was so hoping you would all like that video ! It made me cry but made me feel good too...

Dianne - I think I'm supposed to cut them back around Valentines Day? Or maybe Good Friday... tried to tie to a holiday so I'd remember. (It didn't really work did it ! LOL)

DH is in there now fooling with Christmas lights...So much drama in the house today I'm exhausted. He's exhausted.

When DS gets back from movies with GF... we're supposed to cook steak dinner and make cheeseballs. Hoping to bring one each to everyone's Thanksgiving.... FIL LOVES my cheeseball :)

Back in a bit...
Hugs
Mary

Dianne - here are some fried...
Florentine Love Knot Cookies Recipe

This variation on the fried pastry recipes of Italy comes from Tuscany. These cookies have the fresh flavors of lemon.

Florentine Love Knot Cookies
(Cenci alla Fiorentina)

Ingredients
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 Tbs butter, room temperature
* 1 tsp sugar
* 2 eggs
* 2 egg yolks
* 1/8 tsp salt
* 2 Tbs rum
* 1 Tbs lemon zest
* flour for working dough
* oil for deep-frying
* confectioners (powdered) sugar

Directions
1. flour into a bowl and mix in the butter.
2. Add the sugar, eggs, egg yolks, salt, lemon zest, and rum to the flour.
3. Work the ingredients into dough. If the dough is too dry add a little water.
4. Place the dough on a floured surface and knead well for 10 minutes. The dough should be smooth and shiny.
5. Cover and allow to rest in in a cool place for 1 hour.
6. Heat at least 3-4" of oil to 350F.
7. Divide the dough into fourths.
8. On a floured surface roll out one quarter of the dough until it is thin (1/6") and cut into strips about 4" x 1/2".
9. Tie each strip into a simple, loose knot.
10. Fry the knots, 4 or 5 at a time, until puffed up and golden (about 1-2 minutes).
11. Remove and drain on paper towels.
12. Repeat with the rest of the dough.
13. Before serving sprinkle with sifted confectioners sugar.

Note: This cookie exemplifies the greatness of simple flavors. You don't need fancy toppings, nuts, or (gasp!) chocolate. The only way you really need to experiment is to use orange flavoring instead of lemon. Other than that, this recipe is best when kept basic.

I can just see christmas balls and decorations all over the house, perhaps Mary you'd best only decorate the top part and the bottom part with doggie treats...do you all purchase pressies for your furries?

Susan you are making me hungry once again, off for fudge then calling it a night..

Night everyone

YUP Betty... that's what I'm thinking... Or even a tree toppled over... She knocked over a bird bath outside today. Gotta love her... :)
And yes... Santa always leaves presents for the animals... Not so much fun with the cats... but I remember even growing up ... watching the dog unwrap her Christmas present... LOL

I've seen the upside down trees at the Garden Gallery..love how they hang from the ceiling..Greg promised to have all the heat ducts done after the holidays so I can have the ceiling in family room done, I'll be doing the happy dance when that happens then maybe I can hang one...are your ceilings high Mary...ooohhh hope birdfeeder didn't get damaged!

Even got to sit and finish the afghan sitting on the chesterfield..talk about accomplishing much..

This morning I got up at 4:30a.m. and did an extra for the placemat swap which I shall mail this morning, forgot that the battery in basement clock isn't working the best so guess who now has to run in order to get all done..want to stop at Walmart this morning..

Gab when I get to work

Even got the little tree in the cafe done

Morning ladies....(and Tubby)

Gosh, Shirley...so sorry about your news....hope things turn out okay.

We went to the oncologist with Mom last Thursday and she has ordered a PETscan for this coming Monday. Then we'll meet with her to go over treatment options on Friday. She did give her new medicine for her diarrhea, so we're praying that that will help, cause the cancer is giving her no pain, but the diarrhea is a BIG pain in the arse! Oops...sorry...

Still no news on the job. How about you Susan? I finally called last Thursday since she had said she'd call me one way or the other by the end of last week or the beginning of the next, so when I finally got a hold of her she said they'd had a couple of unexpected hurdles in the department and the higher ups hadn't come back with their list of who they wanted to interview yet, so she said probably the beginning of THIS week. Please, oh please pray for me to get this job...things are going to be unbelievably bad in 3 weeks when my unemployment stops.

I did get some wonderful news...I'm going to be Nana again! Chris and Kevin (in FL and heading to CO) are expecting. This will be their 3rd and we are so hoping for a little girl this time.

Just have to share this picture with you...The little guy on the left is Kavin, he's the 3 y/o GS in FL. The little guy on the right is Will. He's the 3 y/o GS here in OH. Aren't they adorable?

They are too adorable Joyce, congratulations on being grandma again..sad though that they will be so far away from you..prayers for your mom, looks as though they are getting test done quickly at least by our standards..good news about the job is that it's still in the offering so will send prayers for that as well..think you need a hug so hold on, just sent it!

Are you have Thanksgiving at your house?

Do you know it's 57 here today but raining...that's ok..stopped into Walmart and already at 8:15a.m. it was busy as could be ..

Greg and the boys did come last evening, bundles up, the wind hand come up and temps dropped so told them to go home..if weather stays like this tonight, rain or not, putting outside decor

What do you all have planned for today..busy?

I'm at a stand still, lordy, from one extremem to the other..brought some wool with me though and bought a magazine at Walmart, that will help.

Can you believe so many years have gone by since John F.Kennedy died...

Thought it was time to move us over..

Come sit awhile..

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1142288/

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1142288/

LOL Judy, I've thought about that but it would raise the electric bill way too high. Something needs to be done though, it's way cold in there in the winter and way hot in there in the summer. That bedroom is built different than the rest of the house, vaulted ceilings with a big window, the other rooms have normal ceilings with normal windows so that's probably why as it is part of the house. I was also thinking about one of those electric fireplaces.....

I'm at work, Tiga's going to the vet at 9 in the morning, gonna try to get Dave to go with me so he can bring her back home and I can head up to work after that, otherwise I have to take her 20 minutes to Benton, then take her 20 minutes back home, then drive right back up through Benton to get to work, I don't want to do all of that. I should just have Dave take her but I'm kinda attached LOL

Well I sat on that thread before I sent it for a long enough time! LOL

I'll copy and paste it over