We had a nice day going to Cedar Rapids.  We were amazed at how packed all the stores were we went to. 1/2 Price Books had 20% off everything and there were lots of people there...same with restaurants, grocery stores, etc.  We ate lunch at our favorite place and stopped by our coop grocery and then home.

We've had more smoke in the upper atmosphere so no sun, but ok on breathing!

Severe storms possible tonight.  I'm off now to watch some football.

Stay safe...esp. with Irma now coming up the Eastern Seaboard possibly.

Glad you had a good day, jane.

Those fires are awful.  And Irma is getting scary looking.

I didn't think I was going to duplicate tonight - my partner wasn't going to play.  But then another gal called and I wound up playing after all.  And we came in second!  All in all, a good day.

Hope your team won.

Gee Jane, I'm surprised the smoke from the West is coming in as far as IA.  With all the different natural disasters on the West Coast, I would never live there, even if it is beautiful.  Glad you had a good day in CR. Guess all the bargain hunters were out.

Mary, thanks for the good words.  I'm glad you got to play duplicate tonight and did so well.

It's 2 AM again and here I am on the computer!!  My cleaning girl is coming at 9:00 and then I'm going to try to get a hair appt in the aft for a trim and highlight.  I have to get beautiful for all my old boyfriends!  Yeah right!  Most of the guys I dated weren't even in my class.  But still want to look my best.  I have lost about 10 lbs now--not for the reunion, but because of the gall bladder diet, etc.  Hope I can keep it off and also adhere to the diet while I'm gone.

I pray that Irma heads NE into open water and doesn't impact FL or the Carolinas.  Sharon

Good morning, Buddies.  I was up early today as I'd scheduled my "bug guy" for 10:30 and wanted to get my breakfast, paper read, and walk in before he got here.  He sprayed inside and out and told me he didn't think he needed to come back in October, but I'm going to call him anyway.  We may have some hot and rainy days prior to the end of September and that usually sends a few bugs under the doors!

I'll probably do a little weeding this afternoon after lunch and my "nap" where I usually read, not sleep.  I don't have anything going on tomorrow, either.  But will have bridge at Bonney's on Thursday afternoon.  It is my turn and she usually comes after me, but she has some DAR event on my Thursday, so we swapped.

I'm also praying that Irma heads NE into open water.  Last year Anne and Richard stayed in the Jacksonville area, but not in their home which is only a few blocks from the beach.  In past storms they've driven up here, but Richard really isn't able to help with that now due to eye problems, so I think she's probably already made reservations at the same motel they used last time.  They can always cancel if the storm heads up the coast.

Joy, I'm glad to hear that you and your family are OK.  I'd called grandson Nick at LSU and he said the campus was fine, plus called his parents in N.O. and they had rain but no flooding.  God is Good!

Have a nice day,
Sue

I'm glad to hear everybuddie is safe...and also that Irma heads out to sea and not FL or the east coast. 

It's a nice cool day here, and I've had a massage this morning.  I now need to get a walk in and maybe talk Ray into going with me.  He golfed this morning and is spraying the basement now for "bugs."

Stay safe, Buddies!!

jane

I am making homemade spaghetti sauce today for our supper tonight. Made bread yesterday and will bake Keith another cake tomorrow.  I have been about to get two walks in today but the smoke is bad again and I don't want Freckles out in the smoke.

A storm line blew through here about 4:30.  Lots of wind, lightning, and thunder.  It came up so fast, I didn't have time to crank down my umbrella, and it blew over (not damaged, though).  In about 30 minutes, we got nearly an inch of rain.  Plus, I later found out it must have blown the local NBC affiliate station off the air (my usual source for local news).  We're still due to get another band in about an hour or so.

But then there was Harvey. And the fires out West. And there is Irma heading our way.  Wow!

Next Wednesday (13 September), if you can, please watch Dr. Phil.  I've never seen the program before, but his program on that date features family of our dearest friends from Hendersonville (and still).  Their daughter/granddaughter committed suicide last year, brought on by an abusive relationship.  They're still being harassed by the abuser, and this is to be their story.  They're doing it in the hope that it will prevent this happening to some other young woman.

MaryZ.  Can't stand to watch Dr. Phil. but will try next week.
Your friends in Texas sound like they were well insured. Still a mess but many people found them selves not that well insured.
My family still had no trouble but friends who lived in such beautiful homes thought lucky. Had no problems on the first run but then they had to open flood gates over by Katy and in the water came.
Many now have 5 ft water in their homes. The homes  are not that old and were  always told that floods would never get there. Even if mortgaged they did not have to have it. So many didn't get any. Really now going to be expensive. Most of their home not listed as "Not repairable
" Now I heard that if you do have Insurance over Hundred thousand on your home you can't claim for Gov. Help. Don't know how true that is.

Sharon.  I thought that your Friend Ms Frances was close to the end.  Sound like it was a peaceful one. It is hard loosing them regardless of age.
Sounds like you are really looking forward to your Reunion. I know my Eldest daughter does. She usually helps putting them together. The more years that go bye then the less people attend.I like seeing the photos they take because I know lots of the people since all young. Danville is a smaller town  and my girls seems to have known everyone. Some you can recognize but many have changed so much. Specially the men. Heavy, Bald the more handsome they were back years the more changes now.  Same with some of the women. I guess that is part of the fun in going. Just to see what changes in people.

Our days are really nice right now but getting colder at night. Tonight extra cold. Down to 40 deg.  I had better start closing windows. Need to clean down in the heat registers before the furnace comes on. I had  them out a few months ago to check something and so don't need them in Oct., the time I usually have them service it. I can put new filters in.

I went out of town yesterday just 40 miles away and had to drive back in such a storm. Could hardly drive on the interstate more than 40 miles hour. Yet by, come the fools and specially the big truck splashing it all so that wiper couldn't work fast enough. Hate driving in that. Don't do it often now.

Morning, Buddies!

Jeanne...I'm with you in hating to drive in bad rain.  It's almost as bad as a snow whiteout or heavy fog.  All 3 make me just stay home, if at all possible.

A rather chilly one here this morning...low 40s.  Fall definitely here...some fields of soybeans are golden now and drying in this continued windy days.  No rain here again...been more than a week now. 

I think the folks in FL and the Carolinas and the Panhandle are taking Irma more seriously after seeing what Harvey did to Tx.  Scary times for those folks.

I'm off to lunch and bridge this afternoon...the extent of my "work" for today!    I love retirement!!

I've talked to sister Anne in Jacksonville Beach this morning and she has reserved a hotel room for the days the storm is expected to hit.  She's upset with her son whose family lives only a block and a half from the beach because he is planning to stay put.  She's also upset with the daughter of her 90 y.o. friend, Betsy.  The daughter went up into middle Florida for a golf vacation.  Her mother will be evacuated by bus with other elderly residents who cannot drive anymore.  My prayers are for all those in the Hurricane's path.

I'm planning a quiet day inside.  I've already had my walk and will soon fix and eat lunch.  Have a nice day, Buddies, and stay safe if you are expecting any heavy rain from the storm.

Sue

Hi Gals, I am just back from the grocery. John went with me since I needed to get food for him for next week. It is raining here also, but very lightly so far.  My sil & niece in CO called. They are near the end of their summer stay at the cabin and then will be going to IN. We had hoped to overlap our time there but no such luck.  Her sister is in a nursing home in northern IN and is in her last days. Expected to pass before Marilyn can get there, but the son scheduled the memorial for Oct 1 when she will be there.  So many people passing these days.

After the grocery, we drove down to Lancaster south of us to find the funeral home for John to go next week. He'll probably take a car full of bridge players who knew Frances.

It was 64 according to the car driving home!!  After hearing Jeanne's temps, I may need to take a heavy jacket. One of our events is a cruise on the river!

One of my niece's lives in Tampa and her husband just got his knee replaced!  My sil said he had hired some guys and was outside supervising them boarding up their windows.  They said that there is no water or gasoline to be bought in the area. Natalie says she has only enough in her car to drive up to Tallahassee--assuming it isn't hit too.

Melanie & hubby are headed for Tampa next Thursday where they have rented a house for a month!  Nothing like giving your mother sleepless nights!

Marilyn, it sounds like you're keeping busy cooking while you can't go outside.  Poor Freckles. I bet he wonders why his walks have been curtailed.

Sue, I hope your sister and family stay safe in the storm too.  Let's just all pray that Irma takes a turn NE out into the atlantic and spares us all.  It looks like Key West will be wiped off the map.

Stay in and stay safe.  Sharon

Irma and the wildfires are both so scary for the people in those areas. 

It's still cool here...just mid 60s.

jane

Sharon....are you in danger from Irma at this time?  I know you're leaving for IN, and that's probably a good thing, but will John stay or evacuate?

Cool morning here...just low 50s now, so I had to turn on our gas stove to warm up the family room and I turned the heat on for the lower level to take the chill off. 

Nothing much planned...still working on the Latin project I do every year and will wind up my part tomorrow.  I want to get my oriole and hummingbird feeders in and cleaned up and put away. I also need to clean the finch feeder and refill the cardinal and other birds feeders.

Everything is so dry here...farmer's wife says soybean yield will be down because of the dry weather...no rain when needed to fill out the pods.  Corn looks good, so probably a record harvest again.

Jane, what are you doing for the Latin project?  For a couple of years, I kept up with the website that had previous posters when Senior Net.org was the website, but have fallen behind and only occasionally look into the new website with the Latin group. 

I've been up since 7:30, had breakfast, took a long walk, read the paper (not much in our local paper!) and have showered, shampooed, and dressed for bridge this afternoon.  I'll eat left overs for lunch and Olyne will pick me up about 12:15 to go to Bonney's for bridge.

I'm watching the weather channel as I type.  The traffic going north is bumper to bumper.  I'm afraid lots of them won't be able to get gas to continue on north. 

When we lived in Key West, we had one hurricane that was supposed to hit us, but fortunately blew out to sea.  By the time we knew it was a hurricane, it was too late to drive up the keys.  And Bob was on standby to fly the P3V out of Key West if it became necessary.  We played bridge that night and I was afraid he'd be called out and the boys who were all under 10 years would be left there with me.  Thank goodness it didn't develop--and I hope Irma diminishes soon, but it looks pretty ominous.  If it hits Key West as it is now, the place will be blown away.

Anne and Richard will go inland a bit to a motel, but I'm thinking if the Hurricane turns east and goes up the coast, they may still have lots of problems.

Prayers going up here for all those in Irma's path.
Sue

Sue...I do what I've done for years...I handle the enrollment for the classes.  It's incredible how many people want to learn or continue their learning of Latin.

We're just back from our walk. It's warming up out there, so I've turned the heat off. It did take that early chill out of the house.

Our friend from our Friday nights is back in the hospital.  She fell and her husband could not get her up. In trying to get her up, he fell and has a big gash on the back of his head.  She ended up in the hospital, so we'll have to get up there this afternoon.  They're 87 and 89 and have been so active and healthy.

Jane, it is possible that we will get part of Irma, it all depends on what turn she takes. Right now it is predicted to go up the coast, but as big a hurricane as it is, it could impact us. We are about 150 miles from the coast.  I fly out Monday before she could get here. John is watching the forecasts and if necessary will pack up Bunny and head west to a motel in GA probably. However, they will have to be really insistent on the news to evacuate before he will. I will stock up some gallon  jugs of water for him and fill my car with gas. He said he would do the same with his. I need to remind him to charge up his cell phone in case of loss of power, however with our lines underground and trees not huge, we probably won't have a problem unless the grid goes down or something gets hit with lightening.  Tornadoes also follow in a hurricane's path, so that is another worry.  But it is all in God's hands and nothing we can do to prevent it but pray.

I'm leaving in a few minutes to get my hair cut and highlighted and to pick up another Rx and fill up with gas.

Jane, I'm so sorry to hear about your neighbors. I know how close you have been to them. I hope they heal quickly. I imagine TX would be more than happy to send you some water for your crops!    It's always too much or too little, it seems.

Sue, hope you have good hands at bridge today--or at least have fun.  I just can't imagine living on the keys. I'd be a nervous wreck every fall.  Like you said, Key West will be wiped out if it hits directly as predicted.

Marilyn, hope they are getting the fires contained and the smoke dissipates soon.

Hi to all I haven't mentioned. I need to leave for my hair appt.  Sharon

Sharon....travel safely!  These friends are not my neighbors...they live here in town, but about 8-9 blocks from us.  Our friends and neighbors are on a river cruise in Marilyn's part of the country...from Spokane to Portland and I wonder if they can see anything or breathe with all the smoke from the fires. 

jane

jane, your friends on the Columbia River trip are right in the midst of those awful fires in OR.  Normally, that's a great trip - we took it in about 2011, I think.  Awful for all concerned.

Sharon, I hope you have a great time at your reunion.

Sue, enjoy your card game this afternoon.

It's looking now like Irma will be heading up the US East Coast.  Sarah (granddaughter in Bluffton, SC) has already headed to her parents' house in the NE corner of South Carolina.  Paul (grandson in Charleston) works in the same building with the Emergency Response Center, so has access to all the latest updates.  He says he has plywood for their windows, and is prepared to head for the Upstate when/if the situation warrants. Our 7-day forecast just up on the Weather Channel shows us getting wind and rain on Tuesday with just rain on Wednesday.  So I guess that'll be when the edge of Irma is predicted to get here.

Jean came in yesterday for a couple of days.  She took me downtown this morning to the glass-making place.  I've been wanting to take the last of John's ashes there to get some small pieces of glass made with them.  Parking there is all-but-nonexistent, so I needed somebody to let me off and drive around or find a place to park.  She managed to find a parking place, so was able to help a lot.  We also got to go to the Sculpture Fields to check on John's two trees.  Both seem to be doing well.  She'll head back home tomorrow.

Mary Z....that's interesting....what is the glass mixed with ashes..if you don't mind me asking....Jane, when do y'all head to Texas....I have grandson in Daytona Fl.....don't know if Irma will visit there...We are having cooler weather..nice cool mornings to walk...it seems the days are already getting shorter....Hi to Sharon..Sue !marlyin...Jeanne and any others reading Darlene

Thanks, gals, for all the good wishes on my trip. I suspect I will be taking lots of Tramadol!  I usually only take 1 or 2 a day but have permission to take 4. 

I got my hair highlighted and cut and even let her style it.  I was going to go to the nail salon & the gas station, but had to go home instead. Will go in the morning.

Mary, I didn't realize you had a daughter in Bluffton! That is right near Sun City HIlton Head where we lived, so our church was in Bluffton and we did all our shopping there.  I hope she gets out of there fast. That really looks like a bad area to be.  Obviously, Charleston will be bad too.  Prayers for them both. The glass/ash project sounds interesting. I hope you will explain it more fully.

Darlene, I would think Daytona is in for it too. Prayers for your grandson as well.

Jane, I wonder if the Columbia River trip has been aborted or if they went elsewhere.  Sharon

Darlene....we don't head south until the end of Nov. 

We went up to the hospital to see our 87 yr old friend.  She had a heart monitor on and was waiting for a cardiologist to appear and hoped she could then go home.

Quiet night here...will watch Thurs. Night Football.

It has gotten a bit cooler here.  I had to cancel my meeting with the grief counselor and our plans with our very good friends.  I haven't been feeling well all day. It might be many things causing my discomfort...weather, fibro, allergies. We were to go out to eat with them, then go to their place to play cards.
Sure hope everyone stays safe. 

jane, I hope your friend is okay - always scary, though.  My friend had a pacemaker installed a couple of weeks ago, and last week, the leads became detached.  She had another one installed today, and is doing well.  Obviously we hope things go better with this one.

For those interested, we have a local glassblower here.  His downtown shop has lovely pieces to sell, and does demonstrations, and has sessions with individuals so you can make your own glass piece (or at least start it).  Anyhow making pieces with ashes is one of the things they do.  What I'm having made is a glass ball, about 3" in diameter, with swirled color (you get to chose the color), white (the ashes), and clear.  It doesn't take a lot of ash - I had saved (for this purpose) about half of a regular Rx pill bottle of ashes.  I'm having four balls made, and it should use up all the ashes.  It'll be 2-3 weeks before I get them, but I'll take pictures.  Maybe jane or Marilyn will be able to post them to share.  If you google Ignis Glass, Chattanooga, you'll get to their web site and get more information.  The guy we talked to today was very nice to work with.  Daughter Sue had some beads made a year or so ago, so there are other places with other choices.

Ginny Ann, sorry you're having a bad time.  The weather can certainly do that sometimes.  Hugs.

Bridge was fun.  I had good partners (everyone in this Thursday group is a good player) and GREAT cards.  I won first--a big $2.00!  Bonney had some delicious ice cream and some cookies for dessert after round 2.  Then we played round 3 and came home.  Olyne and I stopped at a jewelry store on the way home and picked up her beautiful diamond which was being repaired--the setting was loose and now it's fixed--and is gorgeous. 

I'd had my diamond and Bob's mother's diamond made into a lovely ring at this same store.  Unfortunately when the *$#**! crook broke into my house he stole that along with all my good silver and it never turned up at a pawn shop.  Tim thinks he  had a way to melt it in his truck and then sold it to a dealer in gold and silver.  The detective praised me for swearing out a warrant for his arrest, but so far, he hasn't been found.  He's probably in another state.  The detective said the only way they'd catch him is if he'd run a red light while a cop was watching!

I'm just glad he didn't hurt Stubby or Ard and Dave's 3 dogs that I was dog sitting while Ard and Dave went to Ohio for 2 weeks.  I had an appointment in Montgomery with my Oncologist which usually takes a long time, so he evidently watched my house for a long time.  I'd put all the dogs outside as Ard's oldest dog was incontinent and needed to be outside.  They probably all enjoyed a couple of doggie treats while he was in my house!

I'm just glad the dogs weren't hurt.
Sue

GinnyAnn....sorry you had to cancel your appt and time with friends.

Mary...what a great idea with the ashes!

Sharon...hope the trip to the reunion goes well.

Sue...hurrah for the big win!  🤗

Cool morning here...mid 50s...and neither of us slept well.  At 2:00 am I went to the guest room to sleep....Ray was making so many "noises" and my head wouldn't turn off!

So...after his doc appt in Dbq this morning, we'll come home and take it easy for the rest of the day.

Mary, the glass balls sound pretty and interesting.  Unusual too.

Ginny, I'm so sorry you had a bad day yesterday and had to cancel your plans.  I hope today is much better. I'm sure the weather affected you too.

It looks like Irma is going West and head for Atlanta and peter out in Nashville, avoiding the Charlotte area. I'm so relieved. Hopefully, my plane gets out of here before the winds reach us.

Jane, sorry you had a bad night. I'm all too familiar with those.  Do you think Ray needs a cpap machine? They are a pain, but do help a lot with snoring and oxygen levels. I think I've mentioned that I have one. I hope your friend continues to mend now with the new pacemaker.  Nap time for you!
Sue, yesterday must have been a good bridge day!  John played in a sectional in Charlotte and won 9 silver points yesterday afternoon!!  I feel for you losing your diamonds and other items in the burglary. It seems as if they don't catch them immediately, they don't get caught.  When I had the theft of a lot of jewelry in HH, we knew exactly who did it, so called the police and described each piece. They caught them at the pawn shop! I got most of my things back, but there were a few that they had disposed of before they were caught.  One thing was John's gold wedding ring, so obviously I bought him a new one.  It's such a violation to have a burglary.  Ours was done by the daughter of our regular cleaning lady and I was in the house at the time, but never realized she wasn't working right by her mother. I'm glad he didn't harm the dogs too.

Have a good day everyone.  Sharon

I just finished dividing up some homemade dog food into containers that hold two days each of food for her. I  will give her   Â½ cup of that mixed with ½ cup of her low-calorie kibble to equal  264 Calories per meal she is allowed 550 calories per day for weight management. She will be getting 528 close enough. When she gets to the weight the vet wants her to be I will increase her food just a bit. I just want to be able to monitor her food intake and not have all the additives that come with commercial dog food.

All is well here, Keith is doing better since he started taking the Aricept., I have noticed the difference. Air quality has improved since we had some rain yesterday.

Marilyn, glad to hear the Aricept is helping Keith stabilize.  So tough to deal with.  I hope the rain helped with fire control, as well as the air quality.  Such devastating weather.

Still not well, but I am a bit better. 
The coming storm sounds horrible. My cousin lives in Florida and I am worried about her.