I committed a big BOO BOO today.  My cleaning ladies were here as scheduled, although late.  Bonney came to pick me up to go to Opelika so that I could drop off my Icelandic sweater at the knitting shop over there and then we went to the pub for lunch and afterwards to an ice cream shop for ice cream.  When I got home I had 2 very worried calls from my once a month bridge club. Brownie and Sandra came to pick me up about 11:00 and were worried when I didn't answer the door and Libba called, too.  They thought I might have had to go back to the hospital.  I had so much written on my calendar that I just overlooked today's luncheon/bridge game.  I hope they'll forgive me.

Not much else going on here.  Tim has asked me to go through my check book and make a list of donations.  I'll try to get that done tomorrow.  I need to call my accountant and tell her I'm getting my paperwork together.  She only does a few taxes--she used to work for a big accounting firm and had no family time from February through April.  She now works in a state accounting office, but is able to go home at 5:00 and that is better for her.  I think Tim will come over here tomorrow or the next day and start printing out some of the reports that have been sent to me by e-mail.

I hope you've all had a good day.  Jane, I hope the weather stays clear for your last leg home.

Sue

Sorry about your missing bridge, Sue - I hate it when that happens.  LOL

The fierce line of storms went through here in about 20 minutes this afternoon (3:25-3:35 pm).  There was no damage in our immediate area, but some in surrounding areas.  We were pretty lucky, I think.  But we did get about 0.6" of rain in that 20 minutes!

So Much damage around Illinois. We  were so lucky. Like we were in a Bubble. just went around us.  Heavy wind but no damage.

We're home!  We were tired, so only brought in the cooler and our suitcases.  We can unpack the car tomorrow.  The heat is getting back up to where we keep it when we're here, and we've called the TV people to put our bill back up and take the tv off vacation mode. 

Weather was perfect!  We may have some snow tomorrow, so we came on home, rather than stay in Des Moines as we usually do. 

Tomorrow night we're having supper with friends and will be going out for Friday, I think.  So, just need to stock up on the normal stuff we always have on hand. 

Jane

Mary and Jeanne, I'm glad that the storm has not brought damage to you.  Hopefully it will die down soon.  We are having a thunderstorm now, but I'm thinking it is just passing over.  No emergency signals on radio or TV now.

Jane, woo hoo on making it home safely and before the snow.  Welcome home!

Hi to every Buddy checking in.  I'm listening to the classical music channel on my TV and reading, but I'm going to bed soon.  Our bridge club is meeting at Chicken Salad Chick tomorrow at 11:00.  Ethel will pick me up about 10:45.  We'll eat our lunch and then play bridge there. 

Sleep well, Buddies.
Sue

Hi Gals, just now getting in here because I did my usual Thursday grocery shopping, ate lunch and then had an hour long phone conversation with Lori!  Found out that Scottie, her younger son who is graduating from UIC in May has been accepted into NYU for his PhD studies. He would rather go to U of Michigan, but hasn't heard from them yet.  Georgetown also accepted him for a Masters, but they don't offer a doctorate.  Her other son got a good job offer requiring a move to Ft. Wayne, but don't know if he will take it or not.

Jane, so glad you got home safely and quickly ahead of the storm!  You'll need to rest up a day or so before you get everything unpacked, laundered, and put away.

Mary, glad you didn't have any storm damage. Charlotte had some and some power outages, but we just had heavy blowing rain for a short period. No problems.

Jeanne, you were lucky. Illinois is tornado hell!  All of those flat MW states get way too many of them.  Although southern IN isn't as flat, we still got a lot too.

Hi to all. Sharon

Ethel forgot what time to pick me up today and didn't get here until almost 12:00.  Evidently some others were late, too, as we all ended up in line about the same time.  I had a cup of soup and a pimento cheese (home-made --well really store made, but like the kind I make) sandwich.  We ate together at a table large enough for 8 people and then moved to their larger dining area with tables for 4 and played bridge.  I had good hands and bad hands, but enjoyed the company and a nice outing.

I'm going to a funeral home in about an hour.  One of the ladies in my once a month bridge club who lived in the assistant living where we played died last weekend.  Carolyn is driving and picking up my neighbor Brownie and me at 5:45.  The family is having visitation this evening and will have a service tomorrow, I think, but I won't be able to attend.  They might be having a small private service at the same place as the visitation rather than at her church.

Have a nice evening, Every Buddy.
Sue

good Morning Yesterday we had a wonderful time at the Hospital visit. One lady in particular, We had finished our floor and went down to the 2nd to meet the other 3 teams. there was a blind lady who want the dogs to come to her room, so we each (all 5) took our dog in and  described to to her what the dog looked like, the breed, a description of  the way the dogs fur looked the coloring etc. She really knew her dogs and asked all the right questions about each dog and bred. It was really a fin visit with her.

Today we have our first school visit at the Nazarene Church school.

Saturday afternoon greetings.  It's beautiful out, but mid 30s, so feels cold to me. 

I'm exhausted.  We went out for Friday fish fry, and I suspect something in the oil or whatever is something my body doesn't like.  I had such itching of my legs and horrible leg cramps.  I suspect some sort of peanut oil and some nuts make me itch.  Weird!

I'm trying to catch up on laundry and we've now been through the mail...and have tons for the recycle people! 

I haven't tackled the tax stuff yet...maybe next week.

jane

Marilyn, glad you had such a good hospital visit.  Good work!

jane, I'm sure it's always a temperature shock when you get home. My friends are finally getting to head to the Valley after the 15th. They're planning to spend a few days there, and then just do some general touring in the area (San Antonio, etc.) They know it's spring break month, but only plan to be gone for about a month.  Fun to just wander.

Absolutely nothing going on around here.  Duplicate was okay yesterday - nothing special - ended up in the middle.

Happy weekend, Buddies!

Hi Gals,  Sue, sounds like you had a nice bridge luncheon. Sorry about the loss of one of the members.  I guess we're at that age where we are losing more and more of our friends and acquaintances. The gal in our SS class that has liver cancer is going down hill fast and is on Hospice care.  So sad and she's only my age.

Marilyn, what a nice visit with the blind lady.  I know she enjoyed every minute talking with you and feeling the dogs.

Jane, I'm sorry you're having an allergic reaction.  I presume you have taken Benedryl. Sounds like you need to check on what kind of oil they use to fry things. I'm sure you are tired. Trying to get everything back in sync is a real job.  The taxes can wait.

I have nothing out of the ordinary to report except that we had a hard frost last night that took all our magnolia blossoms.    They were so pretty and now are just brown things.

Hi Mary, you snuck in while I was typing.  Glad is all okay on your end.

I hope everyone is having a nice weekend.  Sharon

Nice Sunday morning here in Iowa.  We got out for a walk while the temps are mild....52...and stopped at a cafe for breakfast before coming on home.  It's nice to be home at 10:30 am with our walk finished and breakfast over (and no cleanup!) 

I feel so much better today....I think sleep finally has restored me...I don't feel like I'm in an "exhausted bubble" as I have for the last few days.

Time to put away all the laundry and begin to look at the income tax stuff.  UGH!

jane

I did absolutely nothing yesterday except read the paper.  At least today, I've done laundry.  LOL

Hi Gals.  We're back from SS & church and a special fellowship time for one of our SS class members who is leaving us to go back up to NY to an assisted living nearer his family. He had been a member of the church here about 30 years and sang in the choir, a quartet, taught SS and Bible Study, so an important member of our church. He is the one who lost his wife about 6 mos ago to liver cancer.  Sad to see him go but I'm sure it is best for him.  Then we heard at church that the wife of another important member of our church had died suddenly yesterday from a diabetic coma (they think). She was probably in her 60's.  Her husband taught one of our disciples classes and their grown kids were in the class as well, so we  got to know them all pretty well.  So sad.

Anyway, I have my usual load of towels in and need to go change them and put in another load.  Nothing else going on here.

Jane, I'm glad you're feeling more rested and ready to tackle the dreaded tax stuff!   

Mary, we all need some days like yours yesterday.

Hi to all.  Sharon

Hi Buddies.  Nancy G. picked me up for SS.  We only had 3 students in our class this morning.  We have a special class going on downstairs and it sounds interesting, but I would have to walk down the hall to the elevator and then walk back under the main floor and down a ramp (where I'm afraid of falling) into the large meeting room where the new class is held.  The topic is race relations and might be worthwhile, but not worth another fall.  In the sanctuary this morning at 11:00 we had communion but the 2 female pastors were in charge and it moved smoothly and quickly.  Afterwards I went to BK for lunch.  My friend Ethel brought me home.

I've been watching women's basketball games since coming home as well as reading this morning's paper which was late today.  South Carolina had a tough game with Mississippi State, but managed to get the Win.  Now UCF is playing UConn and I'm hoping UCF wins, but I think Gino will pull it out.  UConn is now ahead.

I worked for a long time yesterday writing down the donations I made--and when finished realized I'd written the ones from 2015, not 2016, so I need to start over with 2016.  Tim will probably come by and be disappointed that I did this.  I've contacted my accountant and she knows I'm working on it.  Not all my forms are here from the accounts I need to report. 

This up coming week is going to be busy.  I have several appointments I need to keep, a garden club meeting, and a haircut appointment.  I think the maid service will be here at 9:00 on Tuesday, too.

Sharon, I'm sorry to hear about the 2 members of your church--the gentleman who is now widowed and the wife who died from the diabetic coma.  It looks like you'll miss the member who is moving back to NY and the husband of the recent diabetic coma victim. 

Not much going on here except basketball.  Mostly women's games today.

Have a nice evening, Buddies.
Sue

Sharon, sorry to hear about your friends' losses - always tough to deal with.

Sue, enjoy your basketball.  Our Lady Mocs are the Southern Conference champions - they came from behind to beat Mercer this afternoon.  I'm sorry to say I didn't get to a single game this season.  I don't know that I'll buy tickets next year - but I think I'll probably continue to financially support the team.

Hope everybody has a good week coming up.

Hi everyone.
It snowed here again this morning, we still went to church though as the streets  were not icy and had cleared before we left.

I did a couple of loads of laundry today. Next project this week will be to get  Keith's papers ready for the Accounts to do his taxes. His secretary always did all that so he doesn't really know what he need to take and what  he doesn't need to take.i saved all the receipts even those that won't be going to the accountant.

yesterday I made a loaf of Sour Dough bread, mmm good.

Sue, I left a note on Adrienne's wall on Facebook, but still waiting to hear back from her.

Hi Gals. Well, my face is red today--I went to my psych therapist this morning and discovered my appt is scheduled for next Monday!!  So embarrassed and ticked at myself for wasting a morning.  I did stop at the Dollar Store and got some greeting cards and then went to the library to see if they have the first book we're going to read in our church book club that starts next Monday night.  I didn't think I could join because of not wanting to drive at night, but one of the new gals in our SS class was thinking of joining and lives here in SC and is willing to pick me up.  That is so great and it will give me a chance to know her better.

I did 2 loads of laundry yesterday and have 2 more to do today.  My cleaning girl is coming tomorrow and I'm going to have her help me clean out drawers and cabinets in the kitchen in addition to the normal cleaning.  I can sort and rearrange, but she will do the cleaning part.

Thanks for the condolences on our church members.

IU men won their last season game before the Big 10 tournament.  But they have not had a good season.

Mary, sorry you haven't made it to any of the games this season, but with your knee, I'm sure it wasn't possible.  Hope you're enjoying a good swim and coffee hour.

Jane, hope you're having a nice day.  How are the taxes coming?

Sue, too bad about wasting all that time on the wrong year's deductions.  I keep a large envelope in my file and put donation receipts or cancelled checks and other things through the year that I know are deductible in it. That way, it's not such a hassle to find things.  I'm surprised all your tax forms aren't in yet.  They should have arrived by the end of Feb.

Hope you enjoyed all your games yesterday.  Don't blame you for not attempting to go downstairs at church for the Bible study.  We do have an elevator in our church.

Marilyn, you've gotten a lot more snow than usual this year, haven't you?  Seems like. Good luck on getting all Keith's tax stuff together. I would think that that would be difficult since it isn't yours.  What would Keith do without you?!   Bread sounds good.

Hi Darlene, Ginny, Joy, and whoever else pops in.  Sharon

Hi Buddies.....we had rain yesterday...still cloudy today...waiting to do some work in the yard....my Dr appt with urologist....went ok.....no new test or Meds...thank you God.....time change and spring break right around the corner...probably have some kids in...hope everyone is having a great Monday....Jane..glad u made it home safe....Darlene

Sharon: I've gotten as far as downloading and printing out some 1099s that are only sent online.  I hate that!  I keep track of our charitable deductions and out of pocket medical and dental in separate files on my Quicken so I can just print them out come tax time.

We drove down to CR today to get some items at the CoOp on Senior Monday ...discount of 20%!On an expensive probiotic Ray takes, that adds up.  We came on home for lunch since my digestive track was acting up and I just wanted to get home.

I do need to do some more on our taxes today.  It's a gloomy, overcast and very windy day...so good to be inside doing tax stuff.

jane

My friend, Judy, is nine months younger than I am. Last month, she had a heart attack, was taken to the hospital, and had two stents placed.

I saw her today for the first time.  She looks great, and feels great, although she does tire easily.  I asked her if she knew she was having a heart attack.  She said she did.  I asked her how she knew, and this is what she told me. She had gotten up on Sunday morning, gotten dressed, and was eating some breakfast.  Her husband was still asleep. She noticed some pain in her left hand, but didn't pay too much attention to that since she has arthritis in her hands.  A few minutes later, she felt some chest pain.  And then she quickly took action.

She called 911 and asked for an ambulance, saying that she thought she was having a heart attack.
She took an aspirin.
She called her daughter and told her what was happening and that she needed to come.
She unlocked her front door so the EMTs could get into the house.

This is one smart lady, and I'm so proud to have her as a friend and to use her as a good example.

Pay attention!

I got all Keith's papers ready for the accountant. It wasn't hard since I am the none who writes all the checks and puts evedrything away. So I know exactly where it all is and what to  put in the envelope.

I amnaged to get in two walks with freckles today in between rain spells. Wnt to the gym and Tai chi too.

I'm glad you could get the papers ready so quickly, Marilyn. 

I'm about 3/4 there, I think.  I had to call one place to find out how to get to the tax forms.   

We had storms last night and tornado sirens went off so we went to the basement for a bit.  The storms were moving at 70 mph at times!  Lots of rain and hail and, of course, winds.  I just got a notice that they're to be 50 mph today so warning people in the country not to burn outside.  That's not allowed here in town.

Jane

I spent most of the morning at my ENT's office. Tim dropped me off and I had to wait my turn, he examined my ears, removed wax, and sent me down to the other side of the office for a hearing test.  I had, like last year, some hearing loss, but when I went back to the ENT's office, he said there is no need yet for hearing aids @ $6000 dollars.  I am able to hear speech, TV, radio, etc. and happy that he agreed.  He said there will come a time when I may need a hearing aid, but he didn't think I need it yet.  I was very happy at his advice!

I spent most of my afternoon reading.  Tammy came by with my cellphone which she had updated, so I'm good on that.  I can't find my charger, so will have to get someone to take me to the phone place and get a new one.  I'll probably find the charger after I buy a new one--my cleaning ladies tend to put things in different spots and I'm sure it's here somewhere.

TCM just started a movie with Richard Burton who dallied with Elizabeth Taylor and is playing an Anglican priest.  He just started ranting from the pulpit and scared his congregation so much, they all left the church.  I see that it was written by Tennessee Williams.  He lived in Key West when we did and I met him at a few parties--he was a strange person to say the least.

I hope you've all had a good day and are avoiding bad weather.  We had a rain shower just about 30 minutes ago, but nothing bad.

Darlene, I've sent you an e-mail, but haven't seen one from you, yet. 
Sue

Sue, did you see my note re Adrienne?

It has been years since I have seen or heard anything on Adrienne. What is she up to?. Still living in SanFrancisco?  I just met her one time. That was when both she and I were visiting Family in UK. At the time there were a group over from the Seniornets.

She posts regularly on Facebook, still living in San Franciso and she now has the cutest dog.

Thanks Angelface, for the update on Adrienne.  I was pretty sure she lived in California somewhere, but didn't remember where.   I traveled alone to England in 2003 and she was at her family home near London and we met at Selfridge's (or perhaps another large department store) for lunch. 

Today is a busy one for me.  I am waiting now for a Garden Club/Bridge friend to pick me up for a Garden Club board meeting.  I have agreed (and shouldn't have) to take the president's office for 2017-18.  I will be installed this afternoon at our 2:00 meeting.  I need to say NO more forcefully!

I hope all are well and happy this morning with nice weather.  We have a sunny, but cool day.  I've taken my morning walk and would love to stay home and read, but duty calls.

Have a nice day, Buddies.
Sue

Good Morning Ladies. today Freckles and I will be going to the cancer center to give the patients some doggie love and chat a bit with each person in the chemo romom and in  the waiting room. Yesterday we went to the Coos Bay Head Start school to give the K-9 ambassador program to them on Safety and care for dogs.