Coffee and...Part 3 :-)

Yeppers! It's time for a new installment on our GOBs (Glorious Old Broads)group session. Hey! It's cheaper than paying by the hour for a "couch." (understudies and gentlemen also welcome)

If you haven't visited us before, come on in, grab a chair, pour yourself a 'cuppa'...we have good fresh HOT coffee, lots of luscious teas, and Hot cocoa. There's lots of nice "ands" floating around here...and if you come at lunchtime you'll probably find some soup, stew, or chili on the stove. Help yourself...Oh, and the seed catalogs are scattered all over, you might have to move one off the chair before you sit down.
:-D

~julie~
~ Edited to add ~
People Pics:
meezersfive (Sheila) http://davesgarden.com/forums/fp.php?pid=1237553
julie88 (julie) http://davesgarden.com/forums/fp.php?pid=1237874
Darius (Darius) http://davesgarden.com/forums/fp.php?pid=1237891
roadrunner (Jo) http://davesgarden.com/forums/fp.php?pid=1238025
MaryE (Mary) http://davesgarden.com/forums/fp.php?pid=1238167
okus (Carol) http://davesgarden.com/forums/fp.php?pid=1239179
Langbr (Brenda) http://davesgarden.com/forums/fp.php?pid=1239841

This message was edited Jan 16, 2005 9:04 AM

Well, I'm up and been to Mass...........where is everyone? I'll take some coffee, for my husband is still in the shower and haven't had any yet. I got some muffins....

Nancy Lee

Hi Nancy Lee! Glad you found us...and I hadn't even posted the link in the part 2 yet! LOL Those muffins look yummy...and I could certainly use another cup of coffee. It's almost ready...I think I hear the last little dribble bubbling in the maker. Yep! It's done...and just in time. Thank for the muffins!

Hey guys...just so we don't lose our pics from the last installment, I'm going to put links in my first post so we can bypass loading the whole thread if we, or someone new, want to "see" who we're talking to. I guess we could all just put pictures on our member pages and link to those when we want to 'strut our stuff.'

I'm taking Carol's advice today...I'm making NO plans! :-D BTW I didn't run into too many 'but firsts' yesterday.

Brenda...I want to know more about your sour dough bread. That's something I've wanted to do for a long time. But while I was working I didn't have time to think about it. Hey! How do *you* have that kind of time? ;-)

See ya later!
~julie~

I'm a GOB, too. Will retire June 6. My neck, shoulders and all the way around to my collar bones are much better. I actually cleaned the bathroom this morning, although very carefully. Took me about 2 hours, because I kept spraying stuff and waiting for the cleaner to do it's work without me. Of course, that way I got to check Dave's, check e-mails, make phone calls and eat breakfast.
I'm spending my days that I'm not working, perusing catalogs. Finding a nursery that sells reblooming iris in my cooler climate was a bonanza. Some of them bloom continuously after they start the rebloom around July.
Spousal unit is all into strawberries that will do well here. I'm looking for a source of Chandler Strawberries....

Hi all,
Its a chilly day here today. I feel in need of a quick coffee to warm what Grandma used to call "the cockles of my heart" and my bum! Those cookies look tempting too .. oh well here goes nothing.
I think that pants manufacturers do something to the fabric, so that it shrinks in winter. Either that or there was a bad batch, but it seems pretty widespread across the country. Do we all wear the same style I wonder? Is this something else that GOBs have in common?
Watched seeds do sprout! My Cardinal Climber have all germinated, I only planted five and I can count that high still. Nothing else yet though, mind you its only 3 days. I thought the peppers would be first .
I had a new visitor to the yard this week and today I managed to get his picture through the glass, a yellow rumped warbler I think. If so hes really a little out of his winter range. I've put some pictures in the wildlife forum http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/479147/ At first I thought it was a sparrow with a blob of bright yellow paint on its bum, but than he finally sat still for a minute or two. He's very cute.
Well better go and do lunch before DH decides he's starving to death!! See y'all later.

Woodspirit...GOOD for you! Your's must be a consitution of IRON. There's no way I'd be cleaning the bathroom when I'm in pain...fact is...I wouldn't even be *thinking* about it! (unless, of course, if I was "planning" my strategy on how I was going to *get* there in the first place. :-D)

Carol! My lady, according to my Peterson's Guide, You're RIGHT on with that sighting! Since I can't see a yellow spot on the top of the bird's head, I'm thinking we have a female here...and she's beautiful! We get them from time to time...but never do they sit long enough for me to get a good pic. Congratulations!

~julie~

Afternoon gang! Just breezing by as I try to mix a little DG in with my laundry chore today. Ugh. My most dreaded of chores.

Carol - many thanks for that detour. I've never been over in the Wild Life forum and I need to be! Stayed over there for about 30 minutes reading threads! Here's one of my winter friends. He's a teenager from his size and he frequents my window daily. Sometimes he stretches out on my deck railing and soaks up the sun. This photo was a couple of days ago and we both surprised each other when I walked into my computer room and discovered him not 2 inches from my window peering inside. I think he must have been looking in to see if the eatin' was any better indoors. LOL I was quick on my feet as the camera was there on my desk. He tends to go motionless when he spys me thinking I don't see him unless he moves. He and the birds have been my diversions so far this winter. I put up 2 new feeders yesterday so we'll see how much of a crowd I can gather.

Stay warm everyone....we're at 16° right now at 2pm. That's a warming trend though and I'll take it!

Hello. A cup of tea with a little honey and one of those muffins will be just prefect, thanks. I'll sit here where I can see out the window, since a good view of the outside shouldn't go to waste. Welcome to our little party chefnl, come back anytime, the door always seems to be open here and the coffee is always on. My sister's name is Nancy Lee. Do you go by both names? And are you a chef? Good muffins!! Thanks.

Great pictures, Carol and Brenda. You really do have to be in the right place at the right time and FAST to get those animal shots. Here is a shot I got of an out of place bird last winter. Right now I don't remember what he is, but he needs to be near water. I wouldn't have been surprised to see him down in the pasture by the pond but that is almost a quarter mile from where he was near the shop. The pond was frozen over so maybe he just got tired and sat down a while before resuming his search for open water. He didn't come back so I'm glad I got the picture.

My gardening neighbor Pam had a mild stroke a couple of days ago, spent one night in the hospital for tests and monitoring. She is home now, getting around slowly and carefully. She doesn't seem to have any lasting damage but feels pretty weak, her sense of balance is not as good as before (maybe just due to weakness) and her husband doesn't hardly let her out of his sight. He was there when it happened and got the ambulance there ASAP, which takes about 30 minutes from town. Our local first aid crew responded but we don't have an ambulance out here. I bought a pot of Iris Reticulata in bloom to take to her, I don't think she has any of them. She can enjoy them now and plant them about April when the ground reappears and thaws. Later I will trade some of mine for some of hers, maybe in a couple of years after hers have had a chance to multiply. Don't we always buy what we would like to have ourselves? When she saw mine blooming last spring she said "OOOOOOOOOO what's that"?

We got about 3 inches of new snow overnight and now the sun is out and it is getting nice and warm in my greenhouse. After I get back from Pam's I will do some repotting and keep myself entertained while my hubby watches football. He isn't a hard core football fan but does like a good game, and gets very disgusted with multimillion dollar players who can't catch or hold on to a ball.

I'd better get going, back later. See ya.

Brenda...that's a GREAT shot! Squiggles (that for when I can't remember how to spell 'squirrel' :-D) are so much fun to watch...and they literally get in *anything*. I wish I'd had the camera the day I walked up on the high deck at our place on the river, I went to put the key in the door and heard a rusltling behind me. I knew the only thing there was a plastic container of birdseed... Yep! The squiggle was IN the container, he/she had gnawed a hole large enough to fit inside and it was having a blast! Until, I showed up, that is. Oh...and that reminds me of another cutie...I think I know where the picture is, so I'll upload it as soon as I'm finished here.

Mary, if that's the bird's bill in the picture, I think you might have caught a Woodcock with your camera. At first I was thinking 'shore bird' of some kind, but the silhouette sure matches the Woodcock in my guide book.


Now here's my nature shot for the day...
This little guy was probably the one in the plastic container earlier...but here he decided to "move in" to my empty feeder. I just love this shot! (Look at his face! :-D)

~julie~

I believe that fella has a grin on his face!!!! He's shamless.

Sorta looks like yours, Bren. :-D They are such 'cheeky' critters!
~julie~

Hi all...sorta draggin in here....where's that coffee? Okay - I'm not sure I'm a GOB yet - maybe an understudy.....but here's the most recent photo of me (and family) Christmas day. In the photo left to right are: Brother in law, David; Step Father in law, Lauren; Me front and center with green shirt on (only one NOT in red!); Mom in law, Audrey (with cane - she was still recovering from her hip replacement!) and behind Mom is DH, Tom....

Not a bad pic even if I do say so myself!

So - you tell me - GOB or not?

Join me in the understudy program. :-D

HI, down here in the freezer catching up.
I breezed through the last batch and can't remember who pulled the muscle-but anyway, Arnica oil can sometimes really help those hurt areas and it only takes a bit.
Julie-nice of you to let him move in , now I bet he would love some muffins with blackberry jelly.
Shopping at fabric store today-lots of sales and coupons-now if I just get on with the projects.
Workmen coming tomorrow, so will be down here with all the animals-tucked in blankets with the heaters on ( and books and snacks and the computer and teas etc.)
Nice photos ladies. I will get one on and have a couple of nature ones that I would like to share.
Take care all and stay warm, or cool as the case may be.

Meet "Merle the Squirrel", well known for sunbathing on the porch deck. Unfortunately I was not there to capture any sunbathing shots...

mbock...definitely NOT "GOB" material at this stage of the game. Sorry, sweetie, you're way to young and way too cute. But you can have an "understudy" position...we'll be happy to help you ALL the way to 'seniordom'. :-D (Great shot and nice family, too. Looks like you all had a good Christmas together.)

Marcia...sorry...you had me laughing (silently, of course...NOT!) picturing you in the freezer for the day. Don't worry...we'll supply you with the snacks and warm drinks. Hope your day isn't *too* long. Oh...I didn't "let" him move in...that was entirely *his* idea. :-D

Darius...that picture is definitely a 'keeper!' Thanks for sharing it...got more?

Got a few more batches of seeds in their container this afternoon...would you believe that I'm *out* of milk jugs? I'm thinking of cleaning out the fridge. LOL

Save me a muffin for morning...I'll be heading to bed shortly.

~julie~

Brrr Marcia, hope you are warmed up by now. I'm ready for a cuppa and something tasty, I just vacuumed cat hair off my front window screens! (our screens are on the INSIDE, and removable so you can clean them. Sometimes I just throw them in the shower and clean them that way. ) Suppose I could clean the inside of the windows too.....nahhhhhhhh...rather chat in the kitchen. Still cold here....guess it won't warm up until Wednesday and then we'll probably get snow.

I just posted a question in the Home Decorating Forum about my (lack of) proper window treatment for the living room. (They called it the great room in the builder's plan, but personally I don't think it's so great....lol) Take a look and see if you have any suggestions. The drapes are in their third reincarnation, and really aren't a good fit, but I put them up because I ran out of money! Been haunting Penney's Warehouse where they have all their returned catalog stuff hoping to find something that would fit, but haven't been lucky. This is a pretty high ceiling, and standard 84" aren't long enough plus the window shapes are unusual...hope someone has a suggestion.

Oh fine! It's already 9 am and I'm not dressed, as I've had my nose stuck in a book all morning. See y'all later!

Good Morning, everyone! It's a bright sunny day looking out over the woods here. Nothing but vac-ing the carpets on my schedule for today. DH says he'll help with that, we'll see. LOL Tomorrow morning I have one of those 'mandantory' resume sessions with Job Service...supposed to last for 3 hours (ughhhhh!) and I'm supposed to be "guided" by the young 'snot-facer' that told me I was "too old" to get a job. If that's the case, then why don't they just PAY me my unemployment and not hassle me with these stupid 'meetings?' Oh well...it's the government.

Hi M5...sound like you had a lazy morning going there, reading and all. I'll go check out your thread in 'housewares' (lol) but I doubt I'll be of much help. The only 'treatments' in my house are cornices and mini-blinds. Back in the old days, I made draperies and cape cod curtains for every window. Now we just let them go 'naked.' :-D (I miss the draperies!)

Hey Marcia...you didn't tell us what kind of fabric you brought home yesterday. And where were you shopping? The last fabric I added to my stash was purchased on the Internet...can't remember the site name, but I got some darn good deals. Too bad I never sewed them up. :-D I really need to get busy with those sewing and embroidery machines. I realized a few months ago that I'd actually forgotten how to *thread* my *sewing* machine...can you imagine what it'll be like when I open up the serger again? :-O

Later
~julie~

Brrrr... I hope there's some HOT coffee!

It was 60º in the house when I awakened, and I finally have it up to 66º after running the propane heater full blast for 2-1/2 hours. Lots of cold air comes in the windows right in front of the computer, and it's still in the 20's outside.

Sure hope it warms up some soon... I need to go to the grocery store and unfortunately also to WallyWorld... and I have NO CLUE where my silk longjohns are. Sigh.

Uh...Darius...do you remember where you had them last? :-D
~julie~
P.S. HOT coffee, coming up!

LOL... on my body last March... and they aren't there now!

Ohhh I'm truly hoping they are in the back seat of some unspeakably rich guy's Mercedes. Ooops, was that not tasteful?

Coffee I need coffee bad today. I have the flu again so I need to stay away form everyone. Don't want my friend's to have this bad thing.

Jim, didn't you and Bobbie get flu shots? I know it doesn't cover all strains, though...

Don't worry, we will ALL wash our hands well after your brief visit here today. And throw your cup away, LOL.

Don't worry about the flu virus, Jim...they will only "infect" computer, since we are on the internet...(*psst...everyone update your virus program!!) LOL Jo

M5...I don't know why you'd think your comment might not be in good taste...it's along the same lines as the thought behind *my* comment! ROTFL

Ahhhhhh....Poor Jim. Bobbies' got it too? I feel for both of you. Let's see...Hot cocoa wouldn't be the best treat to offer you...but how about some tea and honey? That always makes me feel better. But then Irish coffee ain't too bad at doing that either. Hope you feel better soon. (Maybe I should have a pot of chicken soup on the stove for people who catch Jim's flu...)

Jo...you're absolutely right! Get those anti-virus 'boosters' and make BACK UPS in case you get the flu anyway. LOL

~julie~

Hello, time for me to wander in and yack a bit with the kitchen table gang. This morning I was in an instant message conversation, got booted off and couldn't get back, couldn't get online, couldn't do anything. I called my server's tech support and here I am! Should have done that sooner.

Welcome Jim, please don't sneeze, you and Bobbie do need tea with honey and some chicken soup. Meanwhile, I'll double up on the vitamin C. Here's an orange, it will be good for you. I brought enough for everybody.

Julie, what kind of job are you looking for? My daughter in law just went through this, and they are paying to retrain her. She's a bookkeeper, going into nursing. You would think a good bookkeeper with good references and work history could find a job, that is what her mother told her and why she went into it, a field she really doesn't like. She gave up a good job 350 miles away to move here with her husband, my son, and now she can't come up with a job in that field. They have her jumping through hoops, they consider her long term unemployed and are paying for her schooling, but she still has to be looking for work and jumping through those hoops applying for jobs every week. Part time days might be easier than full time to find, but so far nothing has turned up. She has classes in the evening.

I'm going to go play in the greenhouse awhile and get away from the movie my hubby is watching. Why do men like war movies? It's quiet in the greenhouse. See you later.

Just needed to stop by for a bit and put my feet up. Hope you don't mind, Julie. I'll just take my boots off first for the sake of your chairs, and hope I don't run everyone out of the room!

Don't know why I feel so tired... I only went to 4 stores (35 miles away) and then refilled all the bird feeders after I got home. Man those little buggers are eating a LOT! Some days it looks like I have the entire goldfinch population of my whole county eating here. I did get cornmeal so I can make more suet mix for the woodpeckers, though.

Going to make some butter cookies tomorrow to send to my uncle in the nursing home in Kansas. Shall I bring some by here too? Thin cookies, not too sweet, but a real buttery taste.

Darius, those cookies would be lovely! Please do bring them. I know what you mean about being exhausted - I went to wallysmarket for thistle seed and that has left me feeling like I just ran a marathon.
Sorry you guys are feeling rough, it seems to be everywhere just now. I swear by hot diluted lemon juice with a tot of rum in it. Makes you feel so much better, and if one doesn't do it a second usually helps you sleep anyway!
As for Darius missing underwear, well perhaps she just doesn't want to remember where she let it??? :>) Like the socks though!!
We had a Sharp Shinned Hawk sitting on the patio this morning, I don't know who was more surprised him or DH - they both just looked at each other for about 30 seconds then DH came in for the camera and of course it was too late! I've had a lot of birds just looking for water in the last few days, I think thats what he was after. We have a fountain on the patio - not going - its full of ice in the bowls and they are trying to break the ice. I keep using the kettle to thaw it out a bit and add some more water but it freezes again over night.
Texas is supposed to be warmer than this!!
I think tonight we will have a roast of beef, and I might do Yorkshire Puddings to go with it. They soak up the gravy so well. That means I won't have to cook tomorrow so I can clean the oven before it catches fire on me! Not my favourite job by a long way.
I'm begining to need to get outside and do things out there, but its not the weather for it. I go stir crazy if i have to be indoors for too long, oh well spring is getting closer!
I think I might just sneak a refill on this coffee before I go if I may?
Carol

Carol, I try to be really choosy where I leave my underwear, LOL!

Oh you are all so much fun to hang out with. I brought my blankie and a pillow down here, along with the 2 dogs and Casey the cat. We all had a nice long nap while the guys worked upstairs.
I got the fabric at Joann's Fabric. The new store, across from West Towne (for those in the area) is having wonderful sales on everything from thread to quilt stuff to upholstery to regular cloth. I got some purple (aubergine) corduroy and also a teal to do pillow covers. The purple has diamond stitching for interest. I also got some light teal satiny fabric for another pillow. May go back for other projects. The stuff is 50% off, some stuff (holiday) is more. Was always wondering what a Serger was. Last time I was there, they had a machine that was doing wonderful embroidery-All by itself.!! Maybe it can teach my vacuum and iron to do their own thing..ya think?
The birds here are busy, especially the finches and woodpeckers. I keep the bird bath full and they are happy little peepers.
Julie, hope that you catch a break and get someone who knows what they are doing, instead of treading water and hassling wonderful folk. If you don't, just let me know and I will come and smack them...softly...so that they can get on track.
MaryE-hope your DIL can get something going. The re-training is good-but don't know why they can't just leave her alone to get on with it. Sometimes the system drives me a little crazy.
Darius, butter cookies-yum. I don't have to worry about my silk longjohns-know right where they are-in the pile that obviously has been shrunk by that vicious wash machine/dryer thing that wants to browbeat me into eating brussel sprouts instead of fresh bread and cheese and cookies and...
Okus-hot lemon, honey and brandy are useful for me-really keeps the cough down , opens up the lungs and lulls you to sleep. Works better than most meds for me.
Tah Tah for now. :)

Never got back yesterday for my second cuppa...out buying plants. Just found out my daughter from cold chicago is coming in tomorrow. I told her to bring her gloves for we are gardeneneneninginginging...........get my drift. It's chilly, 54, but that is +54....not the weather I heard in the north tonight.

I wish you all good nite and sweet dreams of buttercups.

Nancy Lee

Marcia, I may have to bring my own blankie and my Fat Cat and join you. These windows leak like sieves! Wall mounted (and non-vented) propane heater going full tilt can barely keep it at 64-65º and the temps have not even fallen much outside yet.

Yes, I shall bring butter cookies tomorrow... and make another foray into the "storage room" to see if I can locate my silk long johns. Fortunately, I bought a size larger...

Ohh poor flu babies! Drink lots of citrus=y beverages. And take lots of naps. I didn't get my shot this year; first there wasn't any vaccine available, then there was, but there really wasn't, and now there is and I don't even care any more...! I just make a point of not inhaling when I'm out in public.....LOL Anyway, now that we know Darius is careful about where she leaves her possessions, we can close that door! I think shopping is more tiring than anything else. Must be those concrete floors and fluorescent lights....drains your energy along with sucking all the ready cash out of your wallet. Friend of mine's husband got laid off almost two years ago, went through retraining to get some skills in the medical field, but the paper work and the bureaucracy was just hideous. He's found work, but the pay isn 't anywhere near what he made before. I swear I don't know how anyone makes it on mininum wage even if they don't have kids. See you tomorrow, looking forward to the butter cookies. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm

YIPEE....I finished up my Sun Porch today...have to use the same old porch furniture though...it looks good and is so cozy...and the weather today was great...I washed some new sheets I've had for about a year..now when my neice (Dufus1) comes to visit next month I will have the "starch" washed out of them. It was a good day for drying them on the line...dried in about an hour.

Darius I can't think of anything better to go with tea than Butter Cookies?

Happy...a 54 in Fla is better than the temps in Chicago I'll bet!! I had the heat off and the doors open today...but I think it will turn chilly in the next day or so.

Well...I'm tired and time for me to get some shut eye.

Jo

I was just going to turn off my computer when I sat down here...but DG was open on the desktop and I couldn't resist seeing what you guys were talking about. I'm feeling really dizzy right now, so I'm not going to try to reply and/or comment...but there's NO way I pass up the LOL on Darius' missing undies. LOL & LOL (Whew! That made me even *more* light headed) I wanted to talk about jobs and fabric, and 2nd cups of coffee, butter cookies, & yorkshire puddings...but I'll be back tomorrow. Probably *after* the fiasco at Job Service...I don't think I want to look for a job *anyway*. Maybe I'll just stay home. ;-)

Nite ALL!
((((~hugs for all who need/want them...they're virtual so I'm not contagious! ~ ))))

~julie~

Aha! First one up gets the cookies!! Brrrrrrrrr it's still cold here... anything over 50* sounds heavenly to me. Supposed to "warm" up tomorrow, I hate to think what my gas/electric bill will be this month, last month was $300.........gasp! Of course, we've got stuff running all the time, computers, lights, FURNACE, tvs which aren't really off when you turn them off, cats blocking the floor vents, etc. and the billing period was longer because of the holidays, plus the outside lights..ah well, whatcha gonna do. Hope the flu sufferers are feeling better today, and Julie is over her dizzy spells....hard to enjoy the kitchen when you arent feeling right.
DS is out in Washington DC for a job, what a week to go there. Boss booked him and another guy into some seedy motel,and he's not real happy with the location. There's only two neighborhoods in DC, ritzy and slum, and since they are working on a military job they are not in the ritzy...I gave him his cousin's phone number as he's nearby so maybe he can escape for a visit and get a different perspective. Having lunch with his wife, my absolute favorite DIL,(the only one actually...lol) at our favorite pie place today. Did I say something about being strict this week? Never mind, pass the butter cookies.
I wouldn't be up this early, but cat #4 decided he needed to nibble my fingers and breathe in my face at 4:30, probably hinting for an early breakfast. Want to guess whether or not he got one? Check y'all later.........

I'm up too. Just put the coffee on, hope you don't mind. Need a cup before work. My staff doen't have the coffee ready until after 8 and that's way too long for me. Off I am to a nice warm kitchen. See you for lunch. Oh, no, I won't.....my baby daughter (41) is coming in from Chicago....froze out....and we are going out to lunch. Whippeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. See ya later...

Nancy Lee

I think your baby dtr got out just in time, have fun!!

Good morning. Just tea for now thanks, haven't had breakfast yet and don't want to get by blood sugar out of balance. Julie, are you ok this morning after being dizzy last night?

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood! Well, not in my neighborhood, somebody elses. lol Currently it is raining on top of our snow, turning it into a mess and making the roads a challenge to drive on. Rain and snow showers are in the forecast for tonight and we have a meeting to go to. It includes a potluck, the folks that will be there are mostly vegetarian so I'll take maccaroni and cheese. That's ususally safe.

Jo, your sunporch sounds great. You will probably use it more than you would ever have emagined. Do you have a picture to show us now that it's done?

Nancy Lee, having lunch with your baby daughter! I had to smile at that because when my hubby calls his oldest sister who is 16 years older than he is he always says "this is your baby brother" because it gives her a smile. She is the oldest in the family and he is the youngest, the child his mother was not supposed to be able to have. It's important to make people smile. I always tell people if they smile a lot their wrinkles will be in the right place when they get old.

Gotta go. See you later.