Best/Worse &What did I learnt today/Chat with Friends #83

I understand the void you feel for Smoky.

Hi everyone!

Oh, I am so sorry to hear the loss of your Smoky.
May many memories ease your pain.

Bev, thank you for Birthday wishes...OH my gosh you have a great start!!

Hoping Betty and Debbie having a=nice visit.
Trisha, so glad you had a wonderful meeting with Rachael.

Oops..brb.

Mary, So sorry about Smoky. Our one little dog Snuggles is over 20 yrs old so anytime now I will be crying too. HUGS BEV

Hi Everyone!

Here to report Betty & her DM arrived in NY safely. Poor ladies, they have had a "rough" evening! Darn hotel had no heat, and they were pretty much frozen when I got to Cracker Barrel. I will leave that story for Betty when she gets home.

Betty is so wonderful, and she gives the best hugs. Her eyes just dance and sparkle. And her Mom, oh, I felt as if I had my own Mom there. She is so much like my DM was...it was very very heartwarming.

Breakfast was wonderful, but the company was the best.

When we left each other about 10:30, they were loading up their purchases from Cracker Barrel....and heading down the road. They followed me a bit...and turned into JoAnns! LOL

Here is a picture from this morning. We had the waitress take one.

Bettys DM, Betty & myself.

Nice picture, thanks Debbie.

Finally after 9 days and 37 minutes, we have electricity. It has been a nightmare, and will continue to be until I can dig myself and my house out from under all these trees and branches.
But all is well and life does go on.

Hope you all are safe as well.

Oh! Sharon, So sorry about all that. Glad you are safe and well. I wish I could come down and help you clean up that mess. Don't go over working yourself now. Go slow or get someone to help. LOVE & HUGS BEV

goodness its all happpening there.
sorry to hear about your cat mary...
sahron are you ok? goodness.

stay safe...
very hot today around the 120.....yuk

Thanks, Bev, Laura....
It was tough, but I was very fortunate to have friends who had a fireplace and an extra bedroom, so I was safe and warm. When things get cleaned up, i will be much better.
Some lost their homes and lives as well, but all is well in my neighborhood, and everybody is helping everybody, so I am just glad it is over, at least maybe the worst is over.

Oh Shar,
So good to see you home and safe.
Sorry to hear about all that has happened.

Great Picture Debbie.

Well, Company has started to arrive for my Big Bash Tomorrow!
Just got back from picking up Sister from Train station. Brother due in around 7 tonight.


jacob in the Variety show tonight so will be running about again in a few minutes.

Hope you all had a good day...

Mary I am so sorry to hear about Smoky. Sending my love and prayers.

It looks like you ladies had a good time tonight even though Betty and Mom were frozen.

LOL my mom has made friends with her Oklahoma turkeys over the 5 years she's been there, now there's about 30 of them that won't leave and they're potting all over her porches.

I didn't come on last night, I got into a fight with my dishwasher, I did a load of dishes and opened the door to empty it and there was rust splatters all over the door and the splattered on the bottom rack. I only had 4 metal pans in there, the rest was glass and plastic so I ran a regular cycle with nothing in it and found tons of soap caked under the door so cleaned it up and found no rust this morning when I checked after I got up. So I put the same four metal pans in this morning and ran it again and told Dave to not touch it, I want to make sure one of those metal pans isn't rusting. Of course he wanted to put all of the metal pans in it lol I'm trying to do a process of elimination here LOL!

Well, I'm trying to get my mom off the phone so I can have some time to myself and chat with ya'll before I get tired and she refuses to hang up, I've told her 4 times now I need to get off the phone and she says ok and starts a whole new conversation. How about, "Mom, I love you to death but if you don't give me my space I'm going to hang up on you." Do you think that would work?

so sorry mary. I hate that kind of horrid surprise.

You guys I officially got offered the promotion at my job today and I start early Monday. So all you who pray, please pray for me, that I catch on easy and that my boss will not be mean to me and I will be trained well.

I am nervously excited though.

Judy no seed trade this year? lol

Criss those are the most annoying things that can overshaddow a good day for some reason. I hope the dishwasher did not win.

It is pouring here tonight. I love the sound.

Hellnzn11 I don't know if it did or not. I put the 4 pans in, told Dave to leave it alone, and when I got home from work he had taken the 4 pans out and put them away and loaded the dishes up from this morning in it, no rust splatters at all, anywhere, so I don't know. The metal pots and pans are a new $300.00 Calphalon set, they better not be rusting, and the dishwasher itself is almost exactly 2 years old. I hate the thing and would have never bought it myself so I'm kinda hoping it is the dishwasher lol!

As far as the turkeys go, she loves those things and will sit and talk to them. What's hilarious is they'll talk back! She's even named one, Archibald.

This message was edited Feb 6, 2009 9:50 PM

Oh I love it, that is so what I would have done and it sounds like a name that I would give to a big ol' turkey too.

I doubt your new pans could rust like that. Stress. If it is your dishwasher, do you have one of the home protection insurance plans?

morning all,

mary sorry to hear about smokey hugs out to you.

dawn, you go girl! congradulations well deserved! im so happy for you, know you have been waiting, see that old saying" good things come to those that wait" is sure true...

judy, you have help now hope you got everything in order for your party..
bet your excited to get things started.

betty, how fun for you looks like you all had a good time nice to meet dg members wow looks like that crackel barrel is loaded with goodies.

shar great news your back home, hope there is not to much clean up for you.

crissy lol died laughing with your mom too funny, how is the neighbor situation?

hi carol, what are you up to.

hi vicki, hows work going? were still short handed think were getting someone in for a interview on monday will be a relief!

hello LK. trisha, laura , bev, ruby know your out there hope to see you post soon
hi gilli and everyone i may have missed have a wonderful day..

Debbie-isn't she wonderful!!! And such a great description-her eyes do dance and sparkle!!

BETTY-when you get back, can I just tell you I mailed you a package and it was an experience to say the least!! It took me 45 mins, about 10 phone calls as they wouldn't let me send the thing til I had your # which I FINALLY tracked down Judy's # to get it!!LOL The big brown truck will be delivering it to you soon I hope:)

Hellen-you will do great-buy yourself something new-like shoes-gives you a whole new feeling to wear something brand new that you look fabulous in!! Brings your confidence level up 10 fold!!

Hellnzn11, I have no idea if there's a warranty on it or not and I won't claim it on the home policy. We bought the house when it (the whole house, not just the dishwasher) was 6 months old, it's 2 years old this month. It's a base model Kenmore Standard and I can't stand it and wouldn't get another Kenmore anyway, I'm a Whirlpool person even though their customer service does suck more than any other companies, their products have better ratings than any other companies (I learned first hand on that one dealing with a defective refrigerator.) I'm ready to go dishwasher shopping right now LOL! And a big CONGRATULATIONS!!

Yea, my mom is a funny one, I would have never thought of it and she does take full blame for the turkeys "knocking" at her door. They do, especially Archibald, he'll walk up to the front door and gently peck it until someone shows up. Actually there's a funny story about him, I visited her in November of 2006 and there were these 3 brother turkeys who were fairly mean and pecked hard at car tires and acted like they were going to attack you, after I left Archibald showed up, it had been several months since my mom saw him, you know he chased those 3 turkeys off and she has never seen them since?

Liz, He hasn't been back, hopefully he won't be. I did learn that his continuously barking dog only has 3 legs, it's a smaller dog, I've seen the breed before but can't think of it at this moment, his other dog is a waaaayyyyyyy overweight wiener dog, you should see those two dogs walking down the road! I don't think my 4 legged perfect weight cat is in any danger there, so that's good. Cracker Barrel's are awesome, but I don't think there are any on the west coast.

Well, I need to get in the shower, Dave left a JC Penney ad out for a new crock pot, a big one at 75% off so I need to get my tail there and get it!

Love ya'll, see you later today!

Good morning everyone!

DD did get her tattoo...and much to my dismay....NO ouch, no tears, no discomfort whatsoever! starting to think she feels NO pain ever! LOL! well, unless you brush her hair! Lol! when she was a wee bit... she had little ringlets (natural) in her hair and would scream if I even came near her with a hair brush! LOL! that may be the only revenge I ever receive LOL!

now if I can just figure out how to get the photo off my cell phone.... LOL!

Anjil, sounds like Sage....can fall on lava rock, no problem...go near her with a hair brush...oh my!

e-mail the picture from you phone to your e-mail address....then you can save it to your pictures where you can post it on the computer.

I tried emailing it... but says no modem? grrr! have a pop3 server thing, a MMS thing and the phone line.
I have a palmpilot, but never set it up to beam to puter.... maybe I should get out the program and install it so I can beam it! that would probly take me a day! LOL! guess I'm just a little technically challenged these days.... used to be able to learn the tech stuff easier.... maybe its the medication they have me on, but cant seem to remember technical stuff these days grrr!

I finally transplanted the thyme in my new patio! got out there and did it in the nick of time too! cause now its sprinkling again. at least I dont have to worry about watering it! lol!

will post a pix in a few minutes. but it looks really nice out there now :o) very happy with the outcome!

funny story crissy when i went to chicago to meet judy and betty,
betty talked about cracker barrel omg i was in such a panic because i hate every kind of cheese ,cracker that may taste like it, so when betty said lets go there for breakfast i was in a tizzy thinking omg how am i going to eat there, lol thinking it was nothing but a cheese factory.
so when we got there to my surprise i couldnt believe the store and the prices were so reasonable i had to behave because i didnt know how i was going to bring things home lol i saw there are none out here:(
my boss heard this story shaking her head, i told her you just got to love californians lol

Had to smile about Archibald the Guard Turkey! What a great story....

Anjul - I wonder if you could plant your thyme in 9b...if I could go ahead & plant mine (8b) DH brought me to the nursery today....I know it's early! They had lemon varigated thyme, a lavendar thyme, and a creeping thyme. Loved them all. We bought a small Bird of Paradise. I 'got the bug' and cleared out my old potato vine. (DH said I had to) It was so pretty last year. Does anyone know about those? DH was proud of me for clearing it out....but I left the original root with a bit of vine....hoping it will come back (If DH doesn't kill it behind my back:) ) I had to keep an eye on him wandering the yard with Round Up. :)

Crissy - that must be so frustrating. We replaced our dishwasher with a Whirlpool a couple years ago....no problems so far. But even with a Kenmore...you'd think they'd last more than 2 years...

I LOVE Cracker Barrel. We used to eat at the one in Tallahassee FL when I was as young as 13 or so...on the way to visit Grandparents. (30 years ago!) They built 2 here in Baton Rouge a few years back. Makes me think I'm on vacation when I eat there. Omelet for B'fast and Roast Beef lunch. (w/ okra and mashed potatoes).

Thank you all again for the kind words re: Smoky. Shadow is extra affectionate lately... We all miss him.

Evening all, just walked in, it's 10:05 here, I'm yawning...had the greatest time with mom, truly/truly enjoyed it..will gab in the a.m.

Debbie, you know how mom was spoiling me a Cracker Barrel, well it went on ALL weekend..lol...

Mary, so very sorry about the kittie...hugs for you..
Shar, I'm so very pleased you are ok..know it's been rough for you, you've been in our prayers since we heard of all the destruction in your area and state..

Dawn, jumping up and down about your promotion..can see you smilling..

Please forgive, my warm bed..lol...is calling me...

4004, it was in our gardening section this past Thursday that herbs could be set out now--makes me wonder as it was one of the days it was so cold and hard freeze that night. The cutting celery I had from last year is still going strong--freeze didn't phase it so I can tell. Good thing as we use it often in our cooking.

The Cracker Barrel you are referring to is still going strong!! My granddaughters think it is the absolute best place to go eat--any meal.

Waving to all the others, don't want to stay to long as I do not want to spread these germs from the "crud" I seem to have gotten.

Laura, I saw Melbourne on the news online, I'm praying you weren't in that fire, it killed 25 people so far, they're expecting the count to go up, and you have been staying cool. This was the hottest day there on record since they began keeping records, the second hottest day was 114 in 1939 I think it read. You're in for a big cool down! Yay!!

Betty glad you made it home in one piece. Can't wait to hear all about it.

I'm doing better today, finally. I hope all of you sick ones get better soon.

Archibald is funny, this is what happens when you feed the turkeys lol!

I had the best shopping trip ever! I went to JC Penney in West Little Rock to get Dave's crock pot and ended up buying his crock pot, 3 pairs of slacks for me, a new purse, and a wallet for $100.00! Then I had to buy gas, every station I drove by was $1.80, $1.85, so I decided I would just drive back to Benton and get it at Wal Mart since I had to go grocery shopping anyway, $1.65! I should have went to the horse races in Hot Springs, I bet I would've won some money.

Well, I'm tired, Dave's asleep on the couch but he's got to get up to go to work here in a bit, so I think I'm going to go to bed.

Waving at everyone!!


This message was edited Feb 7, 2009 10:06 PM

Oh Betty, so happy you are home safe and sound! How was night two, I hope you found a much warmer hotel! I am also happy your DM spoiled you! I can't wait to hear of your outtings.

Betty, remember I had to get back home to pick up Shannon, and also for Shanes competition? He had started the Aca Dec testing at 9:00 a.m., and they finished about 5:15. So many tests, in all educational areas.

Well, I thought I was just to be there for support, and a shoulder to tell him he would do better next time...it was his first time on the team, and he is only in 10th grade. Most of the kids were 11th and 12th graders. Well that kid surprized us.....3 gold medals, 1 silver, and 3 bronze medals! Somehow, he won the most medals of our school. The school overall, came in second place.

DH and I are just so proud of him...and glad I got back in time to see it with my own eyes!

I am enjoying all of your stories on Cracker Barrel....I too thought it was a cheese store the first time I heard about it...and then we went! I don't know how I made it out of there without buying anything.

Here is my boy...all smiles with 5 of his 7 medals.

Debbie

Hello All: AbbisGranma - I would love to grow celery - we use it all the time. I suppose I would have to plant it in Sept/Oct. They didn't have many herbs at the nursery. But I noticed that last year I planted Parsley (in March) and thought I killed it....it looks gorgeous right now....so I suppose it was a cold loving plant. Same thing with Marjoram...and Oregano. I planned my herb garden in one of the hottest - full sun areas of my yard. It worked well with the Sweet Basil...not so much with everything else. But I would love to go ahead and plant some Thyme if I can. Do you think I should put it in the "Full Sun" area ? I do have another area that offers more shade.
Debbie - WOW - you have so much to be proud of! That is wonderful!
Can't wait to hear about Betty's Get - Together.
Love to all - Mary

Congrats to Shane..what a great accomplishment!

Welcome back Betty..glad you had a happy time with your Mom.

My brother is coming for a quick visit and taking me out for breakfast.
We had a bit of warmer weather yesterday and some of the snow has melted...

Morning all, well can't tell you everything lol in 1 post nor respond to some of the fun/some of the sadness, the excitement many of you have what in 2 days I was away so will do it in little bits throughout the day...

It's cold outside but yesterday brought mild temps not only in Buffalo where we thought spring had arrived but here as well, no more snow on the front deck and walkareas I can see ground as I also see it in the driveway so today would be a good day to put some of those outdoor Christmas things away, if I've enough energy for manual labor...lol

First about my visit with Debbie...the patrons of Cracker Barrel must have though it was going to be an enjoyable stay for them as several women who might have been Debbie came in and I walked slowly towards them with the biggest smile, beaming from ear to ear and as I approached them they'd nod and smile and walk away...so funny, ok so I was happy...

Then about 10 minutes after our arrival I just knew as Debbie walked in it was 'she'...you know when you gab with people for months/years you know their inner beauty so not surprising when you see them that they are exactly as you know them on-line...Debbie is a beautiful woman, I kept staring at her eyes, a vivid blue and with wearing a blue blouse same color of her eyes, she was picture perfect...it's like meeting old friends you haven't seen in awhile, we chatted, just too bad we didn't have longer but she did promise she make a trip to Victoria Harbour one weekend and spend time with me..I do hope that will happen...

During our breakfast in the Cracker Barrel, mom did not find anything she wanted to take home, that's a first for her but I did see a few things...I'll have to take a photo for you..there was the cutest 'bird bath' and then a 3' metal/glass candle holder for either a deck or in the garden, mom thought it would be beautiful for my garden..said to pick it, would be a gift for me....I said I loved the bird bath but she kept going back to the candle holder, so it was the candle holder she bough..hey, went with my first choice and got myself the bird bath than one can plant flowers in the base openings...Debbie said perfect for strawberry plants...then bought 2 more bead watch band for Cathy who was looking after my critters...

While having breakfast Debbie mentioned a 'Christmas Tree' store, well that peeked our attention, although between mom and I we have enough christmas things to fill their store..lo and behold, there wasn't a Christmas think in the store but I will tell you it had enough 'I'd like' in it to have brought a truck..much came home with us..
I bought 3 quilts (all the same-great price) gave one last night to Cathy with her bracelets as she's always willing to house sit for me..one for me, and I'll keep the 3rd for when I need a gift...then they had the prettiest garden fairies..oh how I wish I'd have had more room, they had about 8 designs, more would decorate my gardens this year..but I will tell you, it's only a 3 1/2 hr. drive from here, I can see me going again in a month or so and just spend time at the Christmas Tree...

Although there was much at Joanne's I didn't purchase anything..but there was a commercial quilting machine system, wow, now that could have come home with me..but NOT! knowing I'd be back in 5 or 6 weeks I thought I'd get a list of materials and wants together then I'd be set at Joanne's..

Debbie did get mom to American Freight and OMG all I heard was how if we had the way, we'd be taking all new furniture home for her cottage, great prices...

We had left our cold hotel room, the one without hot water as well at 8am and didn't settle in till almost 9pm so we did have a full day of shopping..I must say, we laughed so much and I enjoyed our time together so much that I told her anytime she wants to go again, let me know...

Know she's a gambler so early Sat. morning I went to the lobby and asked about the new casino on the USA side of the border in Niagara Falls, got the address, keyed it into my GPS...went back to the room, mom thought we'd just rest for part of the morning but once I said my GPS is ready to take you to Seminole Casino, wow, was she in high gear...15 minutes later we were travelling...

It truly is a beautiful casino, I'm not a gambler, I'm a spender..I don't mind throwing away money on something tangible, something you see but not in a machine..so as I sat there watching the $20's and yes $100.'s go into the machine I'm thinking, ok there would have been 3 gnomes, there would have been a sewing machine etc. etc. (silently that is) knowing that it's her money, it's her interest and not mine so kept my big trap SHUT...hard as it was...so there went 2 hrs. no winnings but a happy mom having seen this casino..all was well with the world..I made it HER weekend, anything she wanted to do, we did, well she thought of a few things back at the Christmas Tree store so off we went, then to Kmart for new spring jacket and pants for her, out to dinner and more shopping..so by the time I dropped her off, drove home I was ready for MY BED!

Debbie, know I'll be back and we can meet and perhaps spend a bit more time together...thanks for the gift..most appreciated...

Don't want to bore you, but mom and I had a nice talk, more about what happens to her things once she's gone..she wants to mentally know what she treasures someone else will also, guess who is going to get the things she's enjoyed making or collect..???? Hope it's not wrong to make a promise and not entirely keep it???

Anyway, when I got to her place she wanted me to take photo's of some of her procelain dolls so I'd know what I'll get...here is my troupe...and me, with no girls...have to put an extension on the house..

Love the little couch chair she had made though

Another

yet more

so many dolls,

Don't know how my step-father of 42 years lives in such a feminine house...he just loves that my mom has interests..

These big girls have Christmas red velvet outfits as they are carollers...

a pretty girl

I must admit she does a lovely job on them but some are just so big, almost human size

This one I want and probably would take her home now...

Didn't even take photo's of the miniatures in her cupboard...

My sister Sharon says, 'none for me thanks' my only niece says 'not my thing grandma-I don't want any' and my SIL says 1 maybe..so mom is trusting me that I'll be the guardian of these treasures..

My SIL Kim said she'd take a few Royal Daltons but the rest come home to me..I do have a china cabinet some could reside within..