JOAN....
...not certain but I feel after we turned them flat down, it may well have been them who put in the offer on the other last house standing just a short distance from ours...if so, it was the house that our buyers got pipped at the post with, so we were told from our Estate Agent, so one bad turn done a good turn for us at the time....

Vanilla-Jackie--It sure did.

Home from work, have a headache and I want to try to squeeze in a nap before meeting my daughter at the bank to put her on my accounts.  That's at 4:15 so I have about an hour to find those zzzs. I've taken a couple of Alleve and it's time to stretch out.  I haven't had a headache in a long time. 

Good morning, it's cold, minus fourteen and I'm on the couch with my first coffee. The snow removal trucks went at it all night and so did their backup chimes. I never really did much more than dozing last night and of course, there is lots to do today.

The town is in the process of digging itself out and there are piles of snow everywhere it seems, but at least the towing companies and snow removal folks are busy and happy.

Jackie, "house that our buyers got pipped at the post with," I'm curious as to what that means?

Jane, hope that nap fixes your headache right up. I used to have them, but not that much since I retired.

Good afternoon, When I got up the snow was just starting to stop, they say we had 4in. Schools had delayed openings and are Homemakers was cancelled, as the roads were very slippery . I had not plan to go as I still do not feel up to par.  But better then yesterday

Phyllis, I have and electric fire place, then I can be a heater or you can turn it off, and use it just for show. I use it most every night, when I am in the living room, as it is always cooler in here.

Joan, I enjoyed those chuckles. People will sue for everything, and a stupid judge will pay them,

Gloria, I sure pray that this doctor will help you, maybe you will go back to cooking. I really felt bad yesterday, I even had my hand on the panic button, but after I took 2 nitros the pain lessoned. I could not get warm all day. I did have a bowl   of Fernia at night.

Larry, that vegie soup sounds good.

June, where are you to day? Jane I hope your headache did not last to long.

Janie--I hope the nap and the Aleve take care of your headache.

Angelface--That sure is some storm you're having.

Linedancer--Glad you are feeling better, but it was smart not to go out on the bad roads. 

My headache is better but I think it was the Alleve and not a nap that did it.  The oil delivery came and whenever he's out there, the dogs think it's their duty to take turns barking at that sid of the house until he drives his truck away and then they both jump up on the couch to look out the window to make sure he's really gone.  That sort of gave the zzzs a chance to hide again.  Now it's time to get myself ready to meet my daughter at the bank so we can get her on my accounts.

Hope all's well with all of you...especially Lindancer.  You be extra careful.

ANGELFACE.....
..." pipped at the post...." means they lost out, someone else beat them too it.....

....be pipped at/to the post  (British & Australian)
examples:

....to be beaten in a competition or race by a very small amount, " I'd have won quite a lot of money but my horse was pipped to the post...."

...."  to overcome a prominent competitor, gaining his position, especially by making a smart sudden move..."

Thank you Jackie!

Janie--I am glad to hear your headache is better.

Hi Vanilla-Jackie and Angelface.

Gloria de....I am finally here. They give me my pain pill early in the morning now,and I find myself falling asleep again till after 10 a.m. So my day is nearly half over before I come alive. I am wondering dear, if you could possibly post the three paintings you did last year. I would love to see your work. My son was an Artist by profession, so I am very interested in others work.

I am running late as I have been more active today...when I was awake that is...right now I have a load of laundry in the dryer down the hall. Went to a program of a great group of elder choristers and really enjoyed their talent, as they appeared to be enjoying themselves too. Most songs were familiar enough to join in.

I must go check my stuff in the dryer.......nope..about ten more min.

I had a big lunch at home today..left over beef pot pie..but I plan to go down for a half serving of Lasgna anyway. It is so easy to slip into our small dining room just downstairs, and a bit less social than the big dining room. I still tire quickly so prefer a slow speed.

I have a stack of cards to acknowledge staring me in the face plus three I have yet to open. I do hope my friends don't give up on me till I confirm receipt and thank them for their loving kindness.

Laundry is done, hung, drawer-ed and I am finished. A nothing bit of laundry compared to the "old days" when a day of ironing scheduled for the day after washing..white shirts, school uniforms...Lord have Mercy. And starched aprons...remember aprons...remember starch ??

Leg is throbbing so I will go lay down and take a rest before supper hour arrives.

June's thinking about supper and I'm falling asleep in my chair.  It's only a little after 9 but I'm heading for bed.  I simply can't keep my eyes open any longer.

Good night Everyfriend and may God bless us, every one.

Seems I always come here after the Soda Shoppe closes!

Joan - We're having heavy rain with thunder and lightning tonight. Any chance it found its way down to you?

Janie, don't feel like a party-pooper...it is only 7:30 here and I am off to wash and brush and medicate and go to bed. I will read for a bit though, as I still have my sleep aid to be delivered to my door, and if in the middle of the night my leg should start acting mean, I can still call downstairs at any hour of the night, and ask for medication. What a blessed thing that is to have available.

I had a nice dinner downstairs, brought home a snack, wrote a long letter to a friend, caught up on some snail mail, with still some to go. Had a nice thank note from my Grandson in Idaho where he is now entertaining his Mom and Dad, and so the day comes to a quiet and very thankful close.

Sleep well dear hearts, knowing our God is watching over you at all times. I love you. June

Snow has stopped and we actually had sun shine today......sure felt good.  It is still quite cool, but will be warming up more each day. 

Thank you, LARRY.  I expected your granddaughter to be younger than she is.  Just so thankful that she is there and able to spend time with you and Pat. 

Our Chicago Son called this morning with wonderful news....a neighbor is buying their home so they will not have the worry of it being shown, etc.  they can now go to the Boston Area and move right ahead with a new purchase.  We were so happy to hear his news.

JUNE, I hope you are not over doing it.....seems you are running at a normal speed, rather that recuperating from your recent infection.  Please take care. 

I am sorry for all of you that are getting the storm we just had...it was a nasty one. Sure hope no one has any extreme problems from it. 

We managed to get all of the Christmas Decorations put away...that is always such a big job.  The house sure looks bare with out them. 

I wish you all a good weekend.  Pleasant dreams to all. 

Jenny

Good Saturday morning, Everyfriend.   There's assorted mini muffins to accompany your coffee or tea. I wish everyone a good day!!





Mice Walking

A mother mouse and a baby mouse are walking along, when all of a sudden, a cat attacks them. The mother mouse yells, "BARK!" and the cat runs away.

"See?" says the mother mouse to her baby. "Now do you see why it's important to learn a foreign language?"



Oscar the Fish
(AKA "Freedom: Finding the right set of rules")
(By Cathe Laurie, based on a true story that happened to her husband Greg Laurie in his childhood)

Oscar had a good life. He was a hearty fish, the size of a grown man's hand, and the boss of the entire aquarium. One by one, the other fish had to be rescued from his bad habit of nipping at their fins. Despite this naughty behavior, the little boy cared for him and fed him, along with a menagerie of other creatures: a bird named Popcorn, several snakes, and a favorite pet mouse.

Oscar's home was a comfortable aquarium that sat atop a chest of drawers in the boy's room. Every day, after the boy went to school, Oscar would eye the empty room. He was not happy. How long had he been unhappy? Your guess is as good as mine. But this went on until one day when the boy came home from school and discovered the aquarium empty! The little boy panicked. Where on earth was that naughty fish?

Running to the chest to investigate, the boy found him stranded, gasping and gulping for air. Somehow Oscar had flipped himself out of the water, clearing the sides of the aquarium and plopped helplessly in a bed of birdseed that had tipped over and spilled in the top drawer. There lay Oscar, covered in seeds, like he had just been breaded and was waiting to be fried and served up with a slice of lemon and some tartar sauce! The boy quickly grabbed him and ran to the tub faucet to rinse off the seeds, and safely returned him to the water where he belonged.

Cute story, but here's my point. Many times we define freedom as being free from any rules or restrictions that may hinder us. Most Americans identify with the attitude, "I'm the boss of me!" But I beg the question, are we really?

Think of all the things that control you and your behavior. The list is endless. We are not truly free. What is it that you love and desire most of all? A beautiful body? A successful career? A house with a picket fence and two perfectly adorable children? You need to realize that if these are the things you live for, then no doubt they will limit your freedom.

Beautiful bodies demand that you better not eat that red velvet cupcake. And if you do, you'll feel guilty at best, or stick your finger down your throat at worst.

A successful career will demand you stay at your desk and finish the project due Monday even when your cousin from out of town is pleading that you join her at the beach this weekend.

The two adorable children will demand you be willing to give up your svelte pre-baby figure, get up at night for feedings, change diapers, patiently attend to the unreasonable tantrums of a 2-year-old, and remain in constant vigilance-mode to keep them safe, healthy, and clean! (And guess who gets to paint the picket fence?)

All our choices are competing for control of our hearts. Even the "good" ones will make demands and place restrictions on our freedom. The key to true freedom is finding the right restrictions and making the right choices that fit our immortal souls!

All that we most love and cherish is already controlling us. The only question is, will we be under the control of the Lord of the Universe, who can fulfill and satisfy us, or will we be under the control of some other lord who can't?

Here is where the Lord who designed us and loves us wants to come to the rescue. In the Bible, we have the guidelines and instructions for living to our Designer's specifications. We have Scriptures which are able to make us wise. Teaching, correction, and training are all clearly given to us in His Word (see 2 Timothy 3:16-17).

Submitting to the good and gracious "rules" that fit our immortal souls is the only way we will find true freedom. This is a great paradox: True freedom is in obedience. As Derek Kidner has said, "Freedom is found in following God's commandments, not in the release from them. If we foolishly disregard them, following our own hearts, we will end up violating our own being...much like Oscar the fish!


Let God have your life; He can do more with it than you can!

----Anon.

Good Morning everyone. it is 2:59 A M here current weather up dated to the Minute is 2º with a 1/4 Moon and Clear. I am going to go make a cup of hot chocklet  dunk a couple of cookies and drink the rest of it and hit the recliner for the rest of the night.

Lloyd

Bis you were posting your deal as I was typing my post Have a great day see you later.

Lloyd

Good morning, Lloyd.

Good Morning Everyfriend and special greetings to you Joanie and to Lloyd who is probably asleep on his recliner by now.

I slept in a bit this morning.  I went to bed early last night and slept until about 6:45 this morning.  I was really tired last night.  I'm thinking about making a trip to the Amish store this morning but so far, I'm only thinking about it.  It's 17 degrees out there and only supposed to hit 25 all day.  It's a good day to stay home.  But I have a gift card for the Amish store that my granddaughter gave me for Christmas and I do need a few things.  Still thinking!

The doggies are in the doorway making noises so I think they might want breakfast.  I'll go take care of that and I'll be back to see what's up with Everyfriend later.  Have a good day!

Good morning, Janie.  I am listening to the local weather, and they say mid-afternoon our temperature will drop 30°.  They also are predicting rain, which we need so bad.  If you decide to go out, dress warm.

It is not a very pleasant morning here in central NC.  The good news is that we aren't getting as much snow as they predicted but the bad news is that we are getting a mix of sleet and freezing rain.  Ice is coating the trees and is beautiful to look at but can be treacherous for falling limbs and car accidents.  It is supposed to get very cold here, too, and that will make the icy conditions even worse.  My heat pump is working just fine, thank you, Lord, and it is warm and cozy in the house.  I just hope that the ice will not take out the power lines but the propane logs are working just fine, too, so we will be OK.

Yesterday was son David's birthday so I baked a Red Velvet cake for him.  We had planned to go out for dinner but when the weather turned bad we decided to delay that until next week.  Something nice to look forward to.

The electric fireplaces are nice to look at and a good alternative for heat.....as long as the power stays on.  Our propane logs will keep us warm even if the power goes out.  I love having an all-electric home but it can be a problem when we have an ice storm in that EVERYTHNG goes off.

I must get some breakfast....nice warm oatmeal with lots of fruit and nuts.  Take care, everyone.  Stay warm and safe.

Hi everyone.  We are fortunate and they have taken the predicted snow out of the forecast for today.  We have had a lot of rain starting yesterday afternoon and throughout the night but it is suppose to end later this morning.  It is now 33 degrees and will stay in the 30's today and get down to 22 degrees tonight. 

I don't expect to leave the house today other than walk the few steps to the mailbox.  I just plan on working more on getting my taxes started and also preparing a devotional for our Sunday School class tomorrow.

Joan, the soup was delicious.  It has a pound of hamburger in it and used the juices from the recent beef roast we had that had been frozen.  There is enough for another meal and might finish it up today.  I guess the electric fireplace is just for appearance.  It is totally useless but we do make good use of the mantel as that is where the big television sits as there is an recessed space behind it with the cable outlet and electrical plug.  It makes it nice and tidy.  All of the homes in this development are electric so there is no opportunity for a gas fireplace.

Jackie, we don't have the ability to have our fireplace put out any heat and the glass in front of it is permanently in place and doesn't open.  I guess this is a safely matter. I had never heard the pipped term used either.  Thanks for the explanation.

deAngel, I sure wish our fireplace had that feature.  Glad you were feeling some better yesterday and you didn't miss the Homemakers meeting. 

Jenny, that is good news regarding you son being able to sell their Chicago home so quickly.  They sure were not there very long.  I bet your kids make a mess of your address book. 

JaneS, that was a thoughtful gift of the gift card for the Amish store. 

Phyllis, sorry to read that you are getting ice up your way.  From what I read this morning the Atlanta area also got ice yesterday and last night.  Glad you are warm and cozy.  Happy Birthday to David and wise choice to wait for the dinner out.  Sure hope you don't lose power.

Good morning, Phyllis.  GREAT you are all supplied and can stay in.  I hope you don't lose power.  Happy Birthday David.

Larry--Glad your soup turned out so good.

Good morning everyone, well the snow due today has jumped up since last night's forecast. Now we are in for 5-10 inches of heavy snow, last night 3 inches of powdery snow. Has nor started yet. My son called last night and said he would be here early today before the snow started.

JANE  that Hooray is how I felt yesterday morning when I first stood up. Stood straight for the first time in more than a year.  When my CNA came yesterday she noticed right away. Same this morning. Feels great. Next shots at the end of the month will be at my spine. If this keeps up I might be able to cook again.

LLOYD  at least it is not as cold here as you  have. I just might spend the afternoon looking out at the snow falling. Hope Nancy starts feeling better soon.

AMY  I had shots in my back before that never helped, that doctor used all the modern equipment. This one used his hand to get a feel of where the shots were needed. When I yelped he knew he had the right spot. Hope your hubby feels better today.

JOAN  I asked my CNA to open that can of coffee yesterday and she noticed the smell, too. That can it's now out in the trash bin. I walked out with her when she left  and it felt good but I could feel in my legs the lack of the exercise.

PHYLLIS  This is one time we cannot say that Canada is sending the snow, it is coming up the coast. Just heard at times it may be blizzard conditions here. I do the vinegar cleaning of my coffee maker the beginning of every month, a habit I started a long time ago. II miss the forded hot air heating I had. Base board heating does nothing for me. No feel of that bit of hot air when a person gets chilled.

HAL  it has not been much warmer than here where my daughter is now in Arizona. They have been getting quite a bit of rain, too. For all the back doctors I have been to, this is the first one who looked for the site of the pain.

LARRY  I like the way I feel again today and looking forward to the end of the month to see what the next ones will do.

JACKIE  some people think the deserve to pay less but they get left out in the end.

PATRICIA  every time it snows here  the maintenance man and his little sidewalk plow of the big plow wakes me. Part of the walkway is right in front of my windows and wakes me. Then the big plow with the backing up and then the sound of the plow dropping to the ground again for another pass in the parking lot.

GLORIA de  like you I sure hope this doctor can help my back more. He started good. Hope you feel much better today.

JUNE  oh yes those starched clothes. We washed, dried and then what needed to be ironed was dampened to iron. No more starching or ironing these days.

JANE  I think I have slept more this past week than I have in quite some time. Been sleeping a hour or 2 in the afternoon and in bed by 9 most nights and waking around 7 in the mornings.  No twisting and turning to find a comfortable spot.

BEVERLY now I know you would really love to be in Vermont now waiting for this snow we will be getting. Ask if I really believe that.

JENNY  after the snow yesterday morning the afternoon was sunny and blue sky. Snow has not started yet here but I noticed on the TV that a lot of things have been cancelled already. Most of those were for this afternoon or evening. Yesterday they finally took down all the Christmas decorations here. I now look out at the porch and it looks horrible with no decorations at all. From spring till now there is always some decorations there, from flowers to Halloween and then after the first of the year it is just the beauty of the building.

JOAN  a mini lemon poppy seed muffin would be very tasty. Love Chuckles, Wonder if I could learn to  bark or meow.  Maybe meow would help keep mice away? No mice in this building, no ants sneaking in either. Not even a mosquito getting in. Food for Thought should make us think about the freedoms we do have. Good quote. Thank you for all today's goodies.

My son just left. He did some shopping for me so now I have things to put away. The snow has started. 

JANE  no new snow there today?  On the news they said it was snowing in Northern Georgia. Glad I do not have to go anywhere today.

JOAN  now I know the 30's is cold where you live. Stay warm. Wow just heard the plow, looked out and the ground is covered already. Not even half an hour since my son left.

PHYLLIS  for a change the forecaster said no rain involved with this storm. I know what you mean about how pretty the ice on trees looks but how treacherous it is. This building is all electric. What scares me is the thought of trying to get down to the first floor. Happy belated birthday to your son.

LARRY  hope nothing freezes tonight there.

Gloria--I am so glad your back is feeling drastically improved.  I am sure you are glad you don't have to go out in that snow.  It's nice that your son does some of your shopping.

HURRAH!!  It is sprinkling out!!

12;13 CURRENT TEMP regular heat wave 27º and sunny. but I am a couch bunny today. hope you all are haveing a great day.

Lloyd

Lloyd--The temp here at my house is 63° and falling fast.

Oh Joan!

I hope that you have your fluffy slippers, and your leg warmers and your flannel shirts and pants and your down vest to keep you warm !!!     (A furnace should help, too!)   

Stay warm and stay safe!
Sandy

Good afternoon all...I want to say Good Morning, as I haven't eaten lunch yet. I started my day differently today. I was told to have some prunes for breakfast, so I went downstairs for breakfast and ate my prunes along with bacon and eggs and a pastry and orange juice and coffee. No room in there for lunch.

Jenny, I am trying to get back in routine, but I won't over do...honest...I can't. The old grey Mare ain't what she used ta' be. The body rules.

Bis, Food for Thought, was what I needed to read this morning. Feeling Free to be my own Boss is ridiculous, and yet it is something I strive for. Hopefully after all these years behind me, I may be learning to bend rather than break. Thank you for the reminder.

Janie, I spent my day "actively" going down for breakfast and I am pooped. Body is saying,"See, and you think you are the Boss." Hah !!!!!!!

Gloria, what wonderful news that your new doctor is giving you back some freedom to stand straight. Things we take for granted and you have suffered with. I am SO happy you finally have proper help in this Medic.

Bis..we are expecting rain on Monday, but having cloudy days before hand. Now you can cuddle up at home and watch the rain drops come down. Enjoy dear.

I am awaiting to hear from my dear nurse to discuss my medications. I will have new ones added to the old ones, so there is more learning in store for me. New rules too..some meds, like pain killers, we have to order when needed. I don't like it, but house rules are rules. And I am aging, so evidently need more guidance. I don't want to end up flopping around outside my bowl, like that goldfish this morning.

I have a nice slice of trout in my fridge that I saved from a meal downstairs, so I heat it up for my lunch.