Thanks Honey and ..T. Thinking of you too. Yes, VG.. I lived in the San Bernardino area from 1940 until 1951. Then in Riverside until 1953. My parent's home was near Loma Linda. EP

I had a fire today. The living room is now 'closed' and the cats are in there enjoying the remains of it. And I went to the grocery store to stock up on candy ingredients. Most years I make white chocolate dipped apricots for my sister (I know, complex), and some years I make a lot of other types for gifts. It must be 'some year' because I'm in the mood to make candy. Maybe it's because I found a bunch of decent containers when I was cleaning the attic last month. Covered dishes and tin candy boxes that I'd saved but don't need. Or maybe it's because I'm in the mood for candy myself. Actually I like giving somethings that can't be bought. Anyway, I did the apricots this afternoon, and dried prunes too since they were there...pretzels in dark chocolate and then made peppermint fudge with crushed candy canes. Still on the list are pumpkin fudge, maple fudge, divinity (my mother always loved divinity), ritz crackers in dark chocolate (my personal favorite!) and something with butterscotch chips in it. I can't remember that recipe but bought the chips and I'll figure it out... And I bought coconut just in case I want to make chocolate chip macaroons. I know, those are cookies, but if I make them small, who'll notice.

T, it's funny you had Bailey's for breakfast. I was thinking about having a cup of coffee with Bailey's in it last night. It's seemed just right for a cold cozy night. But I didn't bother looking for the Bailey's because I remember throwing it out when it curdled (yep) a few years I go. Pretty sure I didn't replace it. Shelf life of that is just a couple of years. So drink yours quickly.

I brought the portable humidifier out of storage and plugged it in in my office. My skin is so dry it hurts and keeps me awake at night. I read that if you put three ice cubes in a glass, add water, stir and wait one minute it should sweat. If it doesn't it's too dry. I put vodka in with the ice in the interest of science. Then took oatmeal bath and checked the humidity. Office is up to 40%, so my keyboard will get sticky soon.

VG & Deanne, thanks for the additional veggie book recommendations. They all sound good, and I may acquire a few of them for myself! VG, I didn't realize you had taught cooking seminars, how neat! Any tips for those of us who try to eat healthy and/or avoid meat?

OK, I was trying to take updated pics of Foster Rippie in front of the fire and this size>is what happened with most of them...

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That's Monty in his lovely green velvet Christmas collar walking in front of the sweetly posing Rippie just as I was clicking the shutter!

Katie says 'those boys are tupid.'

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This is what it's really like most of the time. The only time they get energetic is when I take out the camera.

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That's Monty with Katie's pink blanket, Rippie with Monty's blue blanket and Katie with Rippie's purple blanket. Rippie could have had the bed on other side of my desk, he just felt like company so splayed himself in the middle....

Here's the one decent shot of Rips. He looks fat, but he's lost weight since he got here and at least has a waist now! He's just more 'square' than most greys:

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Too late to make more candy, so I'll eat some instead.

Ta ta, Cynthia

Cynthia, I see Oreck Air Purifier web sites at the bottom of the page. EP

Ive missed a lot here. Its been a busy weekend. Friday night was DHs office party. Not a fancy affair. Nice place and nice meal, but other than the boss wife, daughter and sister-in-law who all work there, everyone was fairly casual. Everything from beaded dresses to blue jeans. I was somewhere in between.
Sat. all day was shopping and we got most of it done. Lots of wrapping to do. The guy that I used to work with passed away on Friday. He is related and also a good friend to Ricks son-in-law and daughter. They left early this a.m. to go to the funeral which is in Missouri. Ricks 4 grandsons came home from church with us. We ate a quick dinner and then went to the oldest boys Christmas concert. It was a high school band and choir concert and lasted almost 2 hours.

Honey, so sorry about your friends news. I lost a very good friend to it 2 years ago, she was 43.
Marie, hopefully your nephews brain tumor is treatable. I know several survivors of brain tumors.

Sylvia, your house looks very much like the house I grew up in. Next time Im at my parents, Ill have to take a picture.

Sue and Monique both look fabulous in their holiday finery. The pup and kitty pictures are fun too.

Mary, your room looks great. A very cool lamp too. How did the tiling the floor go? Im considering trying that in the 2nd floor bathroom.

Taryn, maybe someday you will have a granddaughter to do girly stuff with :o)

Cynthia, I plan on making mixed nut clusters, truffles, pecan tassies and thumbprint cookies. Nothing too hard. If I have spare time I may add more.

Other comments: Quiznos is here but not Home Goods, Ive read all the Sue Grafton books but passed up the latest when I saw it at Sams yesterday (had to stay focused on Christmas shopping), I purchased a book that contains the 1st three Elm St. Quilters books for mom for Christmas, I have the perfect person to get a bag of snowman poop, I remember when the milkman left glass bottles of milk in a box at the back door and a truck came around in the summer and mom always bought our school socks from the lady, I remember George Carlin and we eat meat.

DH got a huge bone as a grab bag gift at the party. It was called a meaty mammoth bone. Jaden was elated. We arent sure what kind of animal the bone came from, but the knuckles were the size of a softball. Jaden cant even carry it.

Later
Michelle

Okay, you have unleashed a monster. I'm trying to size the pictures now. The first are the fish..outside in the summer eating from my hand and the 2004 babies in the pool in the basement where the water temp is 46.The kitty on the wing chair is 12 year old Maddie, and the next Izzy is the one beside the twig cradle..She followed me home a year ago this week in a cold snowy night and I'm still fostering her. She tripled her weight..The Tuxedo is my sweet Minnie who died last month and the tiger looking thru the window is Emma who died in March. They were sister's and died w/in months of each other...Sylvia

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I'll need to get a better picture of dear Emma. She loved looking out the back window..The picture of Izzy beside the cradle was taken LAST Xmas when I just found her. I'll post another of her fatness soon. She's not cute anymore...really obese..
Deanne..I did have some Dove pecan turtles today..I so love them. I can resist a lot but never them..
Monique..Dear doggie pictures..my parrot was named oliver...
EP..Funny you noticed my rag balls. I now have fresh Xmas greens in there but that's the center piece of my farm table..a big bowl of about 25 rag balls and in the other wooden bowl are some of my collection of antique pincushions..I also have a large collection of wooden sewing boxes which is weird since I have never been a sewer in my life except for 7 th grade home ec. Mrs Stoner was in fact Ms Stoner..never married. She was a child in the 1840's, her father was killed in the 1860's ..shot by rebel soldiers going to Gettysburg by train. He was standing in front of the town pump which is still standing in front of the house. I get all my gardening water from it. I don't know if it's visable in the picture I posted yesterday. Her name was Ella and she lived w/ her brother and mother till they died and then continued living here till 1927 when she was declared of "weak mind" and the house was sold at auction. Apparently it wasn't in good shape and they were going to tear it down, but they divided the 6 plus acres and made a side street called Stoner Ave. and put an ally in back and built all the houses on my street from my land. My neighbor has my small barn on his property. Good people got the house and put in a clay tennis court..long gone, the pond, many rose bushes..also gone and built the back porch and sunroom. Every one was good to the house but two architects who lived here for 2 years in the 60's..a married couple . They took out a kitchen fireplace..three still remain and put in cruddy looking cabinets and did stupid things in their short tenure.
T pour me a cup w/ Bailey's..love it..Cynthia..never had it around long enought to curdle.....
Lily just jumped on my lap and I realized she was excluded from the pictures. I featured my deceased cats and forgot her..She's a tiny tortie w/ a white bib. I have three torties in all...the mom and fat daughter and Lily isn't related. She was found on the street in the city at 3 weeks old. No wonder she's a ditsy cat...Sylvia

Good morning all,

Love all the pics. Cynthia, thanks for the look at the furbies. They are all so 'cat like'. I love the way they just curl up like kitties.~~ Your chocolate covered apricots sound yummy! Glad I'm not close by or I'd be scarfing them up. I've been fighting this chocolate thing lately.~~ Cynthia, we have the Sharper Image air cleaners and I love them. They do what they are supposed to and I find it amazing the amount of stuff they get out of our air. They aren't cheap but I've had mine for a couple years and they've operated as advertised with no problems in that time. And they are totally silent. Essential for me as I have one in our bedroom.

Sylvia, great pics of the fishies and kitties. The koi look like they are all tucked in for the winter.~~ Your house looks like a treasure trove of interesting antiques. You must miss those kitties. They look like sweethearts.

Hi Honey, thanks, glad you like the Driveway Garden map. It took me forever to update that because I had to do it in PHoto Paint but I'm really glad that is done. I hate having unfinished projects hanging around. ~~ I'm with you on I wish I had a tree closet. There is a company around here that is doing people's Christmas decorating and can't keep up with the business. Right now it is just the exterior decorations and lighting but I'd imagine that they could expand into interiors also.LOL

Michelle, glad you had a good time at your party. NO pics?

OK time to get myself to the gym to pay for that chocolate I ate over the weekend and to put some calories in the 'bank' for Sue's party on Saturday.

Have a great day,
Deanne

Today they tell me my computer will be down.

I will spend part of my day at the dentist's. Somehow I've been shifted over to a new dentist, a woman named Jamie Liu. I've met her once. We shall see what joy it brings. There's a Quiznos near the dentist's offices.

5F and rising here!

And now it looks as though our family Christmas will be in mid January! How things change! April will be Oklahoma family time.

Here we eat some meat but not a great deal. I've recently read both Q & R by Grafton, also Quarry by Sara Paretzky. I remember separating the cream from the top of the milk bottles brought by the milkman. I also climbed through the milk box when I forgot my key. The vegetable truck used to have a horse pulling it, but that changed. Movies were 10 cents at the Varsity, 12 cents at the Kensington. My allowance was 25 cents per month. A Hershy bar was 5 cents. I remember liking the trolley better than the bus. The coal truck dropped coal for the furnace down a chute to the basement. My parakeet was cremated in the furnace. :-( I got my hair cut at the barber shop along with my Dad. We bathed once a week (whether I needed it or not!) and shared the bath water. Eeeew. Shampoos only every second week... Prell shampoo, which was green.

Time to start the day!
'bug

So as I'm looking out of the office window at the snow-covered ground and the frost on the miscanthus sparkling in the early morning sun, the skidsteer that is clearing the parking lot moves on and I hear a red-winged blackbird trill. Huh? Oh, it's a promo on NPR for a story about birds later today.

Darn! If it had really been a red-winnged blckbird, I could have run outside, captured it and started driving south. But instead I'm stuck here in the snow and cold.

I spent most of yesterday blowing my nose. I'm feeling better today but still not up to par. So I'll wave hello to everyone and sign off so that I may blow my nose again.

V.

Do you 'cat people' grow catnip for your kitties. I grow it for the grand cats. It is a 'survivor' plant. Daughter rubs the cat toys with a fresh leaf of cat nip and they love it. Sylvia what are the interesting objects in the background behind the black and white kitty? Good morning to all. EP

Marie , we only bathed once a week also , and all 5 of us siblings used the same water . The oldest were first ! I presume because they were cleaner to begin with . We bathed in a round galvanized tub . The water was heated on the wood-burning kitchen range . It is amusing how the modern generations think it is so unhealthy to not bath daily , and yet , check out how many people from that era that have lived to be 100 or more !
Our milk was from our own cows . We had a separator in the kitchen . It had many parts that mama had to assemble and disassemble daily . I loved the thick cream from our guernsey , jersey , holstein and shorthorn cows ( daddy had a 'heintz' mix ! lol ) .
I do remember a man coming around with stuff to sell , but since I was only a child , and much more interested in other thngs , I do not know what all he sold . There may have been 2 differant peddlers . One had vegetables ...if I remember right .
After we moved to Jerome , when I was 13 , we burned coal . The coal man dumped it in a pile outside our side yard . Mama carried it into the house in a coal bucket . ( No wonder she had a rupture ! ) She dumped the clinkers in the driveway that went around our fenced yard . I have scars on my back from being shied off my horse in a clinker pile !
I don't remember the prices of things , but we siblings would take a bucket with a dozen eggs in it to the local store to buy a soda pop and a candy bar .
Mama frequently sent us to the store with her grocery list . In the winter we would pull sleds to haul the purchases on . We had to go over a raised railroad track . When the snow was wet , it would cake on the bottom of the sleds ! We would be dragging a snow bank ! Not easy . I guess the older girls had their share of that , but all I remember is my brother and I doing it . In the summer we pulled the little red wagon .
Back in those days that area had only 2 seasons ...winter and August ( lol ). I had seen it snow there every month except August !
We lived 8 miles from the nearest town ( a very small town ) . Mama took me there , to the beauty shop , and I got a permanant from the old fashioned machines that clamped on your hair . Usually she rolled it herself , or braided it .
Okay , that is an addition to the ancient history for today ! LOL
Here is a picture of me and my siblings , beside our studebaker with the wooden trunk . I am on the left , with the teddy bear .

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Marian

Not quite so ancient history. ;) Growing up in Chicago, I do remember the scissors man who used to push a cart through the alleys. There was a bell that would ring slowly as the cart was pushed along, and the man would sing out "Scissors! Knives!" as he went along.

There also was a man who brought a pony and some western-style clothes in kids' sizes, and he would take your photo. I have a wonderful hand-tinted photo of me on the pony wearing chaps, a vest and a cowboy hat, posed in front of my mother's red rambler rose in full bloom.

We had a small grocery store across the alley from us and occassionally our moms would send us over there to pick up milk or bread or some other necessity. My mother was not a smoker, but I know some other kids in the neighborhood (only 5 or 6 years old) could take a note from their mom and get mom's cigarettes. I was sad when the little store closed when I was still fairly young. We had a grocery store about a block away, but going there involved crossing a busy street without a traffic light, so I couldn't do that on my own until I was older.

We lived a block away from the intersection of two busy streets (thoroughfare with stoplights) and it's amazing how those streets defined our world. Someone who lived on the other side of either of those streets might as well have lived in China.

If we wanted to play with one of our friends on the street, you would go stand outside their back door and call their name, "Yo, Mary Grace!" If they were home, they'd come out. You wouldn't waste a phone call on someone whose house you could walk to.

Saturday night was bath night, then Lawrence Welk. My brother and I each got our own tub of water, though!

V.

Hi Everyone! These past two months have been absolutely crazy for me, but I have hopes that things will settle down now. I don't know what happened, but all of a sudden my time was shot and unbelievably I haven't even had time to read or lurk, let alone respond to the idylls. I skimmed the previous ones a little bit, but probably have the details mixed up. I think it is easier if I check in and try to read a little at a time, instead of speed reading a bunch. So, I am officially going to try to get back in the groove here.

My big news is that I am getting a new job. I start on the 19th. I am looking forward to it, but am sort of nervous about it, too. It will be a one hour commute for me through the city. I bought an mp3 player and am filling it up with music, which will also come in handy for exercising. I am going to be working at a local university, so I am pretty excited about that. It will be a new adventure for me. It could be a big mistake, but I am going to give it a shot. Hopefully I will learn and grow from a new experience. Hopefully my sons will go to school there, they can go for free if they are accepted. I have to drive right past the gym every day on my way home from work, so hopefully I will be working out every day. Now it is in the total opposite direction from my way home, so I have to make a special effort to get there, and sometimes I don't make it out there after work. I have been at the hospital for 13 years. Definitely a change....

Honey, I am SO SORRY about your friend. My thoughts are with you, and her.

Yeona, hope all is well with you. I am afraid of pit bulls or any kind of dog that is agressive like that. I have a friend at work who has 3 pit bulls and she said that they are very nice, but they still scare me.

Sue, you look absolutely gorgeous! And your tree is so pretty, house looks very cozy. By the way, I have one of your pictures from Banff on my desktop for the holiday season. I haven't seen a wrap like that, does it have sleeves?

Monique, you look lovely too! I loved seeing Oliver and Emma in the snow. Personality shows through!

Slyvia, thanks for sharing your pics. Your house is very pretty. Now you can just post lots of pictures.

V. Skip was stuck at Midway airport last weekend. He was flying Southwest, and they cancelled one flight after the other, and there were no guarantees he was going to get out on Sunday either, so he ended up renting a car and driving home. That was actually Devin's idea, because we were supposed to go get our tree on Sunday, and we can't do that without Skip.

Ei, nice to see you posting song lyrics again! Gardenbug, I loved the picture of the blue jay? in the snow a few idylls back. Very cool. And T, I have always thought you were hilarious, with a funny sense of humor. Cynthia, love the green velvet collar. Marian, glad to see you are hanging in there!

Hi to all!

Drema

In 1997 when we left Toronto there was still a knife sharpener man who walked the neighbourhood ringing his bell. DD was just complaining that my knives were dull during her last visit here...and that reminded me how I used to save my things for that man's next visit.

We never had novacaine for dental work. I still don't have "freezing" when I have dental work because I hate seeing the needles. It worries the dentist at first, but they adjust.

And during this season, I am reminded that in the US it is "confectioner's sugar" but here it is "icing sugar". In the US I went to first grade, but here my children went to "grade one". Mom always bought margerine with the yellow dye tablet inside for my sister and I to squeeze and colour the lard. As we got older she pleaded with us to remove the tablet altogether. Cashiers had to actually count change in those days and use their brains a bit, but Mom could always compute faster than them. I remember Dad changing from 45 records to 33 1/3 rpm, then to taping things, then to CDs. We never had a TV.

My girlfriend Kathy was one of 5 children. Her Mom had an ironing machine! I was impressed. (I didn't mean that pun!!) She gave us both Toni Home Permanents. My mother never noticed until I made a fuss about having my hair combed, so she had it cut off. :-( Kathy and I had roller skates with a key for tightening them up.

The Sears catalogue provided hours of entertainment and I remember dresses we got for Easter one year that looked much like the ones in Marian's photo, with tiers of ruffles.

This really makes me feel like an antique today!

Not a lot of time to yap but I just HAVE to congratulate Sylvia-you are a picture poster now! It really is fun when you can post pics-for us as well as you: )
Your house is just the style I love-it belongs on a Christmas card.I think Deanne should paint a portrait of it for your wall(I'm sure she's not busy...heehee)

Sue may I say you looked radiant for your party! You clean up good,girl: )

Love the dog pics.
Very sorry to hear what you went through Yeona regarding the pitbull dogs-so scary.

Michelle & Honey what a hard time for both of you-I'm thinking of you both.

Monique! That is a cute dress-you are looking marvelous!

V! look at that blonde hair of yours! What a great photo.

When does the weekend get here-Oh it WAS here?I must have missed it...

~B

Wow, sylvia, you really get into the fish don't you. I'm impressed.

Marian, thanks for sharing the adorable picture of your family.

Drema, good to have you back. Best of luck on the new job.

I'm enjoying all the old time stories. It makes you more grateful for modern conveniences, but I sure would like that knife sharpener man to come down my street :o)

Later
M

I was going to say good morning but no it's good afternoon. Where'd the morning go? Just back from UPS to mail back the heat registers. Now that they're all computerized there it seemed to take twice as long, lol. I hope the new registers I ordered fit. I also made a trip to Target this morning. I can sure tell I'm part of the grandma generation and not the mom. I wait until Bella's not here before I go out to any store. It's just not worth it to me to drag her out. But this morning there were moms with shopping carts full of little kids. I know I was like that when mine were small too. Now days I'd never be able to even remember why I was at the store for trying to keep up with the children.

Oh Cynthia all that candy sounds so good, especially the fudges. I went to Homegoods yesterday after you talked about your trip there. I love that store too. I found a few things I would like to have but nothing for anyone on my list so I was good and left empty handed. The pups look like they're at a slumber party. Cute pics.

HI Drema, congrats on the new job. I hope it's one that you'll love and you can't beat free tuition.

Yeona, I sympathize with you on the pitbulls. We still have them living across the street from us too and I've tried everything I can think of to get rid of them. The ones by me never have gotten loose but I'm always afraid one of them will. Hope you can convince someone to do something about the ones terrorizing your neighborhood.

Marian, I love, love, love the picture of you and your sibling. How cute you all were. We had a milk man who left the milk in a box on the front porch when I was growing up and I remember coal being delivered down the chute to my grandma's cellar. No knife sharpener though. I too would love to have one now a days. I can't stand trying to prepare food with dull knives. Brad sharpens mine for me.

Honey and Michelle, I'm so sorry about the news on your friends. Also for you nephew Marie.

T, I'm really enjoying getting to spend so much time with Bella. When I was a child my grandma lived 2 houses down from us and watched my sister and I while my mom worked. I always felt just as at home at her house as at ours and I had a wonderful, carefree, and happy childhood. That's just what I want for Bella too.

V, sorry to hear you have a cold and glad it's a little better today. We used to go to our friends houses and call for them too. When I told my kids that they thought that was crazy. Also had a corner store with penny candy behind the counter. And my mom used to send us for things too.

Monique, you look so pretty all dressed up . Oliver and Emma always remind me of cuddly big stuffed animal dogs. They're so cute!

Sylvia, how great that another person here has mastered posting pictures. It took me a long time to figure out but it's fun being able to show things that you're talking about. I love all the kitty pictures. Can't wait to see more from you.

Time for some lunch here and then I'm working on organizing my gardening books. When I was cleaning up the other day I kept finding ones I'd bought that I'd forgotten about and I need to stop doing that because then I buy duplicates. Not good.

Eden

Sylvia, your house is very picturesque (sp?) and your cats look quite content. Thanks for sharing. And now the fish. I was hoping you would show them. Interesting history of your property.

Monique, happy to see Emma and Oliver enjoying the snow. Also good to see you with your group of friends. You all look very nice. I am thankful that I don't have to get dressed up for any events tho, because it is my least favorite thing to do. (Get dressed up, going out is fine.)

EP, I chuckled to myself when you described the hose on your old sears canister vac. That is exactly how mine is too. It must be at least 20 years old also. I just purchsed a new one and delegated the old one to the basement to clean up around the wood stove. That way I don't have to drag one up and down the stairs.

Deanne, I can just hear Rahjii expressing his displeasure on his trip to the vets. Jasmine always does that too.

Martie , I too am excited for Kyle and you. We have one grandaughter in college and know it is a struggle for her parents. I like the way you relate to the kids in your neighborhood. Hubby and I have always enjoyed the neighborhood kids.

VG, I enjoyed your account of taming the birds.

T, my favorite tale of yours was the goat that got stuck in the fence. Though probaly not funny to you at the time, you have a great way of looking at things. About time for some more pics of that special little guy of yours.

Cynthia, I was just hoping for new pics of the gang and here they are. I have sort of been in the mood to make some candy and cookies too. Buuuttt... in light of my actions the past couple of days I think I will rethink that. I have gone a long time staying out of that kind of stuff. Yesterday I had a melt down and ate a lot of sugar and starchy stuff. Sometimes my body just tries to take over and get me eating that way again. It is hard because that is the stuff I love,but a few bites just calls for more. So I got out of the house early this morning and walked in the woods. The birds were so noisey. They were everywhere. Yesterday I noticed the cedars were full of cedar waxwings stripping the berries.

Michelle, sorry to hear about your co worker.
Our grandson had a band concert this past week too. I felt bad because it was so cold that night I just couldn't drag myself out of the house. Also the thought of sitting on those bleachers for two hours was less than appealing. Last year DH and I both suffered the whole time. I did appoligize to him for not comming and promised to be there next year.

My favorite Quizznos sandwich is toasted turkey on rosemary bread. Mnnm yummy!

I have read the first two Janet Evanovich books, and DH is reading them now. I have more of them but am missing 3 and 4. I have the thrid one on reserve at the library because I want to read them in order. I think I will have to look for the Elm Street quilters series too. I bet my DIL would enjoy those too.

Marian, we had a cream seperator too. I hated washing it. What a cute picture of you and your sibs. You look quite spunky then too. LOL

V , I love those old pony pictures. Show us please?

Drema congratulations on your new venture. I hope it will be just what you need. Great that the boys can go to school there too.

LOL, Marie. At being impressed. I am envisioning a flat you. LOL. We had one of those too.

Hi Babs, How is the playground monitoring going? Did you say that was at AJ's school? Ryann is not in school already is he?

Hi, Eden and everyone else. Time to go accomplish something . Norma

Hi everyone. Finally got the report on the miniature dobie, (Doberman Pinscher), attacked by the pitbull. The same pitbull who tried and failed to attack Leah was the culprit in the attack on the Dobie. The Dobie has three broken ribs, was torn open in the stomach to the guts, and has a multitude of other bites. The Dobie survived, thank all that is good, and will recover. And the woman was bitten as well. Not badly but enough for the cops to become involved, hurray! Her BF, David introduced himself to Richea, and said he was sleeping and didn't hear a thing for the longest time. I feel better about that. Some people sleep, and very heavily, lucky them. Now I can at least have hope that the pitbull guy will lose one dog, if not both. Maybe the fool will move, too.

I feel badly for anyone with these types of dogs living near them. Maybe with enough people objecting the breeding of too strong dogs, like pitbulls, will stop. It would be nice.

I have to get back to work, but wanted to update. Hope all is good for everyone.

Yeona

Yeona - that was such a scary story about the puppy and the pitbull. I'm glad the puppy is going to survive and I hope the pitbulls leave one way or the other!

Great doggie and kitty pictures on this thread - loved the snow terriers and cozy grays. I would like to get one of those black and orange kitties - I like that color combination best. Unfortunately I developed allegies to cats a few years ago. I got by on anti-histamines while our last two cats were still alive but we probably wouldn't get any more now. I miss having cats though...

Sylvia - I agree with whoever said your house should be on a Christmas card!

The Christmas party girls look great too!

Marian - I've enjoyed your 'history' stories - a lot of that is familiar to me too. We lived with my grandparents when I was small. My grandfather was 80 when I was born and lived to his mid-90s. He was firmly rooted in the Victorian era and did not permit a lot of 'new-fangled' things in the house so we lived more like people did in the early 1900s rather than as they did in the 1950s/1960s!

GB - do you have dental work like fillings done without freezing?! A dentist could do that on my left, paralized side, but certainly not on the right side! I hope your nephew's tumor is a benign type. I have lived with two brain tumors for 16 years now. Disabilities go with the territory but people can survive reasonably long periods reasonably well with some of them so I hope he has the 'right' kind!

Honey - good luck to your friend too. That's a scary prospect.

The planter bench project in the basement is moving along well. The three boxes are assembled as of this afternoon. Hopefully, next week we should be able to assemble one or both of the benches. We have to widen the cut-out area for the side pieces before we can assemble them. Then we just have to sand it all and put a clear protective finish on it all. Here's what it looks like as of this afternoon (the work area in the basement is an unfinished mess so don't look too closely at the background...:-)
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Picaso sounds like fun. More photos please, Sylvia. Don't know if our service would be powerful enough to handle it. Wonder what Ms Stoner would think of all this going on from her house. We appreciate the history but sure am glad we aren't living in it now. EP

Waiting for penuche to cool so I can beat it..waiting for dinner to heat so I can eat it...

Drema! Congrats on your new job, changing after 13 years takes courage. Half of the expertise any of us has is in the company knowledge, so it can be daunting to move to another place. You'll love it. A chance to work out every day, who could pass that up lol!

Norma turkey on rosemary has my mouth watering. I'm having pasta and veggies.

Marian what a terrific picture of your large family! And all of you so blonde. I got blonde as I aged :-)

I forgot to mention earlier that I really liked the bird feeding story too Vg.

Woody, I'm envious of the insulation that I see in your cellar! Wow. Oh yeah, nice bench :-)

Lots of other things to mention, but I think my supper's done, so that's it for know... I have to eat quickly before the fudge gets to 110F. Hi Babs!

Cynthia

Cynthia , the sister on the tricycle is my only full sister . She has never been blond . The tallest one wasn't either ( it's the sun on her hair ) , and neither was my brother . My hair got darker and darker as I aged . I still have very few grey hairs . ( Actually , none of us grew up blond . ) I never knew what color my dad's hair was . He was grey from the time I was born ! Mama was dark haired .

We only had the one tricycle , and no bicycle .

I think I am having a rebound from my nasal spray . My nose is soo stuffed up ! I hate it . I am not a mouth breather !

Woody , I am anxious to see the completed project . Have you already settled on what you will plant in it ?

Drema , good to 'see' you . Congrats on your new job . Sounds challenging , but great .

Marie , my sister is like you . She does not let the dentist deaden her gums . She says he really would prefer too , but she just puts her mind on something else , and toughs it out . I don't think I could do that .

Sylvia , congrats on learning to post pics ! Your house is lovely . Your kitties are too .

Monique , I love your doggies in the snow . That is a good looking group of friends ( and you ) .

Yeona , I'm glad the pitbull episode is being taken care of . It is so good that the woman wasn't badly injured . I hope the Dobie recovers . I am very afraid of pitbulls and any other dog with that temperament . I can not comprehend what kind of people would harbor such creatures .
( It's a scary world ! )

V, I'll trade my plugged nose for your runny one ! LOL

Woody , my dad was sort of like your grandfather . He never lived where he had an indoor bathroom . He went with mama to visit my sister in Boise . He wouldn't use her bathroom , but went to a neighbor's outhouse ! lol
( I wonder what the neighbor thought . ) He didn't want a TV until we lived with them for awhile , and had one . He would go to sleep while it was on , but if it was turned off , he would wake up and want it on !

I'm just skipping around on my responses , so am surely missing a lot .

Marian

Cynthia , the sister on the tricycle is my only full sister . She has never been blond . The tallest one wasn't either ( it's the sun on her hair ) , and neither was my brother . My hair got darker and darker as I aged . I still have very few grey hairs . ( Actually , none of us grew up blond . ) I never knew what color my dad's hair was . He was grey from the time I was born ! Mama was dark haired .

We only had the one tricycle , and no bicycle .

I think I am having a rebound from my nasal spray . My nose is soo stuffed up ! I hate it . I am not a mouth breather !

Woody , I am anxious to see the completed project . Have you already settled on what you will plant in it ?

Drema , good to 'see' you . Congrats on your new job . Sounds challenging , but great .

Marie , my sister is like you . She does not let the dentist deaden her gums . She says he really would prefer too , but she just puts her mind on something else , and toughs it out . I don't think I could do that .

Sylvia , congrats on learning to post pics ! Your house is lovely . Your kitties are too .

Monique , I love your doggies in the snow . That is a good looking group of friends ( and you ) .

Yeona , I'm glad the pitbull episode is being taken care of . It is so good that the woman wasn't badly injured . I hope the Dobie recovers . I am very afraid of pitbulls and any other dog with that temperament . I can not comprehend what kind of people would harbor such creatures .
( It's a scary world ! )

V, I'll trade my plugged nose for your runny one ! LOL

Woody , my dad was sort of like your grandfather . He never lived where he had an indoor bathroom . He went with mama to visit my sister in Boise . He wouldn't use her bathroom , but went to a neighbor's outhouse ! lol
( I wonder what the neighbor thought . ) He didn't want a TV until we lived with them for awhile , and had one . He would go to sleep while it was on , but if it was turned off , he would wake up and want it on !

I'm just skipping around on my responses , so am surely missing a lot .

Marian

Here are various scenes from last summer around the yard..None are great, but I have some more to go thru...Aren't you sorry you taught me how to do it? Sylvia

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Sorry I posted almost the same picture twice..First one is side of carriage house and the perennial garden. Pond netting can just be seen. Second is Big Pinky and Sunny and other babies and goldfish. 3rd and 4th are almost the same..sorry. It's the path to the garden house which was shipped form Walpole, Mass. in 1935 on the train. Label is on the wall. Small shade garden is on the right w/ a tiny pool in it.
Marian ~~Sweet picture from the past..My grandmother had a coal stove and lugged coal upstairs till she was in her 80's. When her first son was born 18 years before my dad he wasn't supposed to live the night. They put him on the back of the stove to keep him warm and he survived. Hard to believe. We actually had a house when we first were married that had a coal furnace..$19 a ton. In real cold weather, we might need two tons, and it was hard to come up w/ the $38. We were 22 and 24 and had a baby, and even tho he was a college grad, he made under $5,000 a year and I was taking classes at the local college.
GB..I remember the dyed margarine well. I was allowed to squeeze it in the bowl. I also remember the cream freezing on top of the milk bottle pushing the cap up, 21 cent movies, 5 cent cokes and candy bars..and also Prell shampoo. My mother used Breck or Halo on me and did it every other night. And I HAD to take a bath every night...whether I needed it or not.
EP..Tomorrow I'll post a pic of my roosters you commented on. I bought them in the mid 90's from an old guy who was a retired art teacher. I still attend that folk art show twice a year but he's never there so he could have died. I love them. I have the prices still on the bottom...from $25-30.
Michelle..would love to see pictures of the house you grew up in..
Cynthia..Showed husband your greys and he said like i did that your Katie is Ruby's twin..Uncanny.
Babs..Thanks for the compliment on the house. Some people call it the Xmas House because of the colors , I guess. There was a poem about it printed once called "Yesterday House"..I always loved it for 15 years we lived in this area before we bought it. I wanted an old house but was constricted because kids didn't want to leave their school district which this was in. I was going shopping when I passed the for sale sign and said ..too bad it's not a period house. I was thinking it was a 1930's because of the sunroom which WAS built in that time .But we called the Realtor and ended up making a decision at midnight that night because another offer was coming in. I never even saw the basement!!!!It's loaded w/ charm, way too small closets and upstairs bath is teeny!!!
Drema..Congrats on new job..Much luck
Yeona...Just awful about the Dobie's injuries. So glad he'll recover. It's too scary w/ dogs like that out there. One doesn't feel safe even walking anymore.....Sylvia

How delightful to share Sylvia's gardens!

Today is preparation for tonight's dinner for DH's students. It is still very cold out here, but some sun to make it a bit more cheerful.

Yes, the dentist was an interesting experience. The new lady was OK, but not confident. She was worried about the no "freezing" aspect. I had part of an old silver filling replaced and a chip filled. It was not terribly painful, but the smells of the removal of things and the tastes of various products along with the rubber stretched across the mouth are not terrific. Still, I prefer a healthy mouth to the alternative and, unlike some, don't need anesthesia to enter the office!

I have been enjoying reading Alexander McCall Smith's "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency". I am reading the books in order. It is particularly fun for me because of the Botswana setting, but even without that, it is rich and humorous and touching...

Back to cleaning and laundry. I bought 2 amaryllis plants and a small burgundy pointsettia. Spring seems so very far off!
'bug

Poinsettia!(Oy, the spelling!)

The amaryllis are one white, one pink.

Morning! I feel pretty good about myself. I spent 10 hrs. yesterday in the basement!!!!
When we finally finished the repairs down there last winter, we just shoved things back in storage in no particular order. Also, I didnt get a chance to clean the patio furniture before I put it in storage down there. Since we use it to lounge on when the kids ar playing ping-pong, I needed to get it cleaned up. So yesterday was clean, organize, find and/or pitch day. I also am putting things aside for a garage sale in the Spring. I didnt go thru everything, but the rest is a chore for the doldrums days of winter. I have a few things left to do down there and itll be liveable.

Today I also have a busy day planned the toy store, some returns, grocery shopping and make a goodie for DH to take in tomorrow for his multi-staff party.

V, Id forgotten about standing outside and calling your friends name to come out and play! But then again, my memory is not what it used to be either! So sorry youre under the weather. Hope you feel better soon.

Yeona, thanks for the update on the dog attack. I know some folks think its how pit bulls are raised. I dont agree. Its bred into them. Wish theyd outlaw them.

Sylvia, all your furbie photos loaded for me this am. Theyre all cuties! Oh, the new pix of your gardens, etc.! Bestill my heart. Gorgeous, gorgeous gardens!

Cynthia, those animals look REALLY STRESSED! LOL. I agree with Deanne, they are really cat-like. Speaking of which, how are your lil furbies? LOLOL re "I got blonde as I aged". Yep, happens to a lot of folks.

Drema! So good to hear from you. Congratulations on your new job! Thats great news, expecially the free tuition! You go girl! Thanks for your thots on my friend.

Michelle, so sorry to hear about your friend. She was so young. Its such an awful disease.

Hi Norma. Good to hear from you.

Oh, Woody. I didnt know you were living with tumors. You are truly amazing. I love your bench project. Itll be beautiful.

Marian, Im one of 5 children, too! You look adorable with your teddy in hand.

Bug, we, too, used the Sears catalog as a source of entertainment!

OK, do you guys remember getting your feet x-rayed in the shoe store? Did your Mom save the cream from the top of the milk to make whipped cream for the top of your Jello dessert?

OK, Im off to get this day started! Ive procrastinated enough! Hi to anyone I missed!

Honey, it is a wonder that I have feet at all! I must have x-rayed my tootsies 25 times each time I went shoe shopping.

I received Nina Ballerina as a Christmas gift from my Mom...from the Sears catalogue. I still have her, even though I didn't enjoy doll play much. She is now mildewed and in pieces...yet I have hopes of some day finding a doll repair person.

Does anyone remember a pepper liquid that was sold to put on your nails so you wouldn't bite them? It sure was awful if you rubbed your eyes by mistake!

Woody, the project is looking super! I'm happy that your new assistant Teresa is now interested in wood working projects too. Also, do NOT give up on French. Your attitude of guessing and daring is terrific! The worst students are those who are paralyzed with fear of making a mistake. How do you learn anything without mistakes?

Today was a suit and tie day for DH. Those are pretty rare.

Later,
'bug

Am I a ditz or WHAT? : ) I mixed up Marian with V (the car photo). I'm just cracking up because I was thinking V seemed too young for the styles in the pic. Silly me...so MARIAN...you are so cute in that pic(love the hair styles and serious faces!) .

Sylvia-I liked your story about buying your house. We kind of did a similar thing. For several years we drove by our present home(for Chris it was most of his life since he's from this area) thinking how cool it was and talked about what we would do to restore its original look(they did some muddling) but we never imagined we'd happen to find it up for sale when we needed a house-the sign hadn't even been put up yet and we toured it and put the offer in a couple days later and the rest is history. Also no/small closets=old house: )
Your gardens look as inviting as ones I see in garden books! I want to wander those paths!

Norma-I didn't have time to explain that I am only doing lunch/playground once a week. I didn't want to drag Ryan there daily when we have our own activities to attend to-I figure while he's got one last year before school starts I want to do mother/son fun activities as much as we can. Ry starts kindergarten next year. He comes with me for playground time on Thurs. and he does enjoy the kids since we monitor two different grades each Thurs. So far we've been with the 3rd,5th & 7th grades. I imagine I will increase my volunteer time once Ry's in school too...

As far as that sewing job goes I've decided to pass! Apparently there are aspects about the boss that are less than desirable(I am being nice)and many of her employees are frustrated by her lack of organization...I don't need/want that so I'm still looking for other options. I've also been brainstorming for products that I could make and sell(something on the creative side)but most likely I will get back into general garment construction such as women's formalwear. I really don't want to get into alterations but I might need to use that as a stepping stone to get started. Doing the costumes for the Annie musical last year did get some recognition so at least people are aware of me around here.

Drema! Congrats on the job!! Can I tell everyone that you're working where Chris is?? oops I just did huh. He's located extremely close to your building! Wow that IS a long drive-crossing my fingers that winter is mild for your drive this season. You can camp out here if you ever get stuck due to snow: ) Thanks for your email-I'm lucky I found it since it went into my junk mail. Good luck-that's so exciting!

I need to cut this short-the cupboards are screaming to be filled...first,I must shop

~Babs

Quick greetings from Frozen Connecticut. Home day today and finally caught up with emails and forums. Whew!! Busy cyberfriends!!!!

Wishing good things to everyone. Stay warm!!

Martie

Drive by post. Check out these photos. They are amazing!

Hi, I will write more later but wanted to toss out an idea for Babs.

My SIL now does custom drapery but at one time in her life she teamed up with another lady and had a thriving home business. SIL made custom children's clothes and the other lady sold them through home parties. They were extremely popular and the business was really growing, then SIL's husband was transferred to another town and she's never found anybody willing to to the party side of it. Just an idea for you to think about:-)
VG

VG and Babs,

Years ago 2 friends and I did just that! We had knitting machines and made infant clothing which we sold at home parties. It was ever so tasteful stuff in shocking colours (for the period). Personally, I hate home parties to sell stuff, but my one friend loved it and was good at it. We had a brief life as various moves and jobs came up. We were called "Usually Upside Down" and that is exactly what our lives were like! We're still friends though.

Can you tell I'm avoiding work?

Another trip down memory lane..Honey..I had my feet xrayed many times and always loved getting new shoes for that reason..Mother also made topping for Jello from cream at the top.
GB..My sadistic mother used to put that awful pepper stuff on my fingernails so I wouldn't bite them. Later I started again but for many years now I have had good nails but constantly bit my cuticles!!!Neurotic as a child and still am..Also had a Nina doll and Sparkle Plenty..Remember her? I left mine in the car and she turned really dark brown. So I had the first African American doll w/ long straight blond hair which I cut off...Hang on..for all who love or hate my pictures , more tonight. Just took cute kittie pictures awhile ago. Finally got Lily who never slows long enough...I've taken way more pictures of my cats than my kids..Sylvia

Hi, all...
I have no hope of getting all caught up and posting right now..Jim's in the shower, then we're heading for the grocery store before we get snowed/iced in tomorrow. Just had to stick in my two cents worth on the inappropriate humor....I love George Carlin, Airplane, and my kids got me to watch Dogma-thought I was gonna split a gut on that one. I love anything that pokes fun at us taking ourselves too seriously. Speaking of....anyone else watch the Daily Show with Jon Stewart and the Colbert Report? Too funny. Got Christina Jon Stewart's book America for Christmas. Hoping she reads it quickly so she can loan it to me.
Okay, just heard the shower shut off, so guess I'd better put shoes on.
Later all,
Brenda

I spaced out :) I'm also a fan of Cheech and Chong, beginning with their album Big Bamboo when I was just a youngster. Ah, the good ol' days ;)

Okay. My brain is now focused enough to say something intelligeble ... New job is wonderfully challenging -- lots to learn and smart clients with whom to keep up. A lot of travel through gorgeous old towns to businesses that are in existence for all the right reasons. It is also incredibly social and as a result, I'm not going to make it to Sue's party. I'm am totally bummed, but hope to meet at least one of my fellow NE'ers before Logees on January 22.

Next Okay: I was given a beautiful Cyclamen in full bloom and I've never been able to keep one of these plants alive, much less flowering. Right up there with Holiday cacti. HELP???? I follow the directions on the tag but they don't work. (Bright but not full light, keep on dry side, keep cool, keep in humidity.) Why is it that I can make Leptospurnum scoparium and various Citrus and Rex Begonias bloom but not something as "simple" as Cyclamen????? Is my level of humble frustration rubbing off on the plant?

I'm blathering, I know.

Have been keeping up with everyone's goings on and the talks of things in-the-day. Love the pictures and memories. We take so much for granted.

Not much to tell, so bye for now!

Martie

The Library of Congress is displaying a selection from a rarely seen
trove of color photographs taken in the late 1930s and early
1940s. The result is a revelation for those who didn't live through
that era, and whose only images of it may be in black and white...

Jerri... those are amazing photos. Thanks. How is everything in OKC..? Here in the hills everything is so quiet. We were a very busy and involved family during the 70's and 80's... 'traveled a lot during the late 80's and 90's decided by 2000 enough was enough of that.. had a lot of 'house company' anyway... It's good to get out of our own space once in a while, however comforting it might be. There are no malls nearer than 70 miles. Nice to have our space, woods, and gardens to get out and move about. Good to read that there are still talented women who sew, garden, do things with children, have challnging employment, and take care of pets. In 1976 a friend taught me how to make ornaments from egg shells. Have been doing it ever since. The shells have to be strong and I prefer goose eggs if I can get them. Have about 6 new ones on the tree this year and still have a few unfinished. Have decided we all have enough of them now. I tried to get some pictures but it might be next Christmas before I share them. Have a big bag of unused yarn and need to do something with it this winter. Have enough of everything and too much of some things. Been giving away things that have gone unused for too long. Sylvia, fun to see your space. Partner's Grandmother, Aunts, and Mom all lived in houses filled with antiques. We kept some of the special things to pass on to the family. Still have some of it including a bushel size basket my maternal grandfather made in 1933. All of the family has something special from the past. We have note books stuffed full of pictures. Glimpses of history are interesting .. the trains, memories of the first time we heard a 'sonic boom'. Now we watch how many jet streams are in the sky at a given time from different directions, wondering who is up there and where they are going and why. However, here , they are up so high we don't hear the noise we had to endure in our previous environment. I'd rather stay away from Air Ports and busy roads. Marie, will you be flying into Tulsa International in April? There are some pretty gardens in Tulsa and Ponca City. I suppose you are more familiar with the Bartlesville area that we are. We've passed thru there a few times. Never have gone to Woolarc but have heard it is a beautiful area. How long do you plan to be in Oklahoma? Sometimes such events are good when we are seeking closure and getting on with the next phase of living. It is a 'shocker' to realize when the time comes that we are 'the elders'.. thinking of all. EP

Hi All!

Just quickly popping in to congratulate Sylvia on her picture posting progress. It's always fun to have another garden and home to peek into.

Marie, I saw a segment about the color depression era pictures on the national news tonight. Very cool.

Glad to see Honey posting again.

Drema, congrats on the new job! Some headhunter called me today about a position at one of the local Fortune 500 companies (Stanley Tools actually). I wish I had the qualifications-I could have doubled my income for less of a title than I have now. Incredible what some places pay. If I wasn't so happy with my hours and work environment I'd probably go poking my nose around.

I'm attempting to get the Christmas cards addressed tonight. Usually I send them out every year but last year I got busy and never got around to doing it. With the party crunch looming, it's now or never.

Record cold predicted tonight. Jeez, this does not bode well for actual winter. With January weather in December, what are the chances we'll get February weather in January and March weather in February? Now that I could take.

OK, enough from me. Stay warm!

Sue

Trapped at home with no car and annoying dogs! Oh,`nooooooo!

My "cold" has turned out to be nothing more than an annoying sinus thing that is on its way out.

My book sold on Ebay and I'm now figuring out the next steps.

The dogs will bark at anything, include mysterious, threatening black shapes in the driveway that turn out to be nothing more than fenderbergs.

Drema, congrats on the job! Great news!

Okay, I'm gonna get back to the figuring out job.

V.

Quickie here, just poppin' in to thank Marie for posting the link to those absolutely fascinating photos! Just spent half an hour perusing and will go back for another visit another time. The dance, the boys, the sleeping kids, the homestead family, the 4th of July celebration, the convoy of trucks filled with barrels, the black Rosie the Riveter, all of them, wow! Tried to pic a favourite as I was going along but then another one would take it's place. VERY neat tour! And one my Mum will enjoy I think. Been enjoying all the trips down memory lane here too. We still have a sharpener guy come around in spring, ringing his bell. But he drives a truck...

Going to check out Jerri's pics now, then zzz's. To sleepy to catch up, so waving hi...

Taryn

P.S. Quickie to Martie, cyclamen DO go die back and go dormant so don't feel bad. Link below on aftercare...

Okay, another quickie for V. As seller you will now see 'send invoice' under your 'sold' section in My Ebay. Buyer can also request invoice then you will just have to click on the link in the email you receive from Ebay to send it. You specified shipping in the listing so just add that amount in under shipping costs, pick the method (media mail, etc) then send a little note congratulating them for winning the auction, specifying any payment options, and thanking them, for dealing with you. Once you have more things up for sale you can also mention that of COURSE you combine shipping if there is anything else that they are interested in.

When they pay (if mailing payment) you can mark the item as paid on Ebay and print that out as a receipt or if they use paypal Ebay will do this for you. You can print a packing slip right from Paypal. Package and mail it out and you're done! Almost--don't forget to leave them positive feedback, and somewhere in your packing slip remind them to please do the same for you upon receipt and inspection. NOW you're done...Have fun!

T

OK.. one story re the pictures Marie shared.. very much a way of life for people with instruments to get together and play music and have dances in homes. When living on a ranch in Arizona, I remember as a small child sitting at the side of the room watching dancing to 'Put Your Little Foot Right There' and others. We didn't have churches on the ranches but held religious services and had Christmas programs at the school house. Singing was bilingual in Spanish and English. The words to "Silent Night" in Spanish translate to: " Night of Peace, Night of Love, All around is filled with brilliance, enter the heavenly beings glowing with light, happily announcing the baby Jesus, brilliant the star of peace, brilliant the star of peace. (I could sing it in Spanish but probably wouldn't spell it correctly.) "Noche de paz, Noche de amor, Todos duereme en derador, entre los astros que esparcen su luz, bella nunciando el nino Jesus , brilla la estrella de paz, brilla la estrella de paz...."
We would hear people riding horses on the the road near our home singing in Spanish. Christmas dinner was green corn tamales. (To the 'newcomers' I have shared this every year so it it an 'old story' to everyone who has been here for the past 3 years).
Sue, I wonder if that 'head hunter' saw and read about your beautiful and smart head 'right here' . Wouldn't surprise me. Drema good to read your news. Hi to all. EP

Here are some more kitty pics
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I am so stupid..I wrote a post on here and it totally disappeared. I don't know what happened. So this will be brief..The last kitty pictures are above. First is Lily, second is Izzy, third is Nellie and Annie, mother and daughter and 4th is my grey sweetie Phoebe, and last is Louie. Sorry this is the last of the thread for you dial uppers..I forget what else I said..Brain fog..It's quite cold here 11 right now. Weird weather we are having..Keep warm....Sylvia

I'm still working on perfecting this picture posting stuff. I wrote a post w/ the pictures and it disappeared. I apologize in posting these at the end of a thread because I know how it affects dial uppers. Sorry...First picture is Lily, second is Izzy a year later and many pounds fatter, next is Mom and daughter, Nellie and Annie and next my grey sweetie, Phoebe, and last old Louie...Missing is Maddie who you saw before. I'm done. I won't be boring you w/ any more . I'm like a kid w/ a new toy..I'll try to do the kitchen one day because I think it was Deanne who wanted to see the soapstone sink and counters..
Sue..I just got most of my Xmas cards out today w/ just a few I need to write notes to. I'm very late this year. My daughter and her generation are giving up sending..I guess they do e- cards. Kinda sad...I read that much history will be lost because people don't write letters anymore. I know I don't..I just email friends..I used to write to my mother and aunt every week and I have letters my grandmother wrote to her daughter in the 40's. I saved them when she died this year and found I was mentioned as .."Sarah brought baby Sylvia around today and stayed for dinner"...I wrote to my husband every day for three years when we were in college and I saved them all in a box in the attic. It's like a diary of our lives..My kids will probably pitch them. I need to get GD interested in old stuff...
It's supposed to go down to almost 0 tonight. This is very weird weather and I worry about my fish outside....Sylvia

Just a test