So Where Did Our Moon Go?

January 31, 2018

Good morning.  Brrr, it's cold outside!  I bundled up, grabbed my camera and went outside early this morning to get photos of the moon, but alas there was no moon.  I walked around the yard as best I could to try to find the moon, but there was no moon.  Well, I tried. 

I tried watching the news this morning, but I finally had to change the channel and look for an NCIS rerun.  I get so sick and tired of listening to people talking bad about our President and going out of their way to make him look bad.  We elected him, now everyone needs to put on their big kid panties and let the man try to do his job.  You'd be surprised what we could achieve as a country unified.

Unfortunately, this means that I don't get to watch the news very often.  It's rather sad in a way.  Newscasters are supposed to bring us the news in an honest and unbiased way.  Sadly, most of them don't do this anymore.  Where I once had a lot of respect, I have none now. 

Have you noticed something else about TV that has been creeping in slowly over the past two or three years?  On the Weather Channel, the female weather persons started out all being dressed alike in very unattractive clothes.  Next, came the wicked horrible hair cuts.  Wowsie, the only word for them is ugly! 

This past year, I've noticed that other stations are picking up on the hairdos.  One woman who had stunningly beautiful long brown hair now has blonde hair that has been cut to match this same ugly hairdo.  Other woman on that same channel share the same hairdo.  Are these stations trying to tell us something? 

The women are dressed in super tight clothing, while the men are all dressed comfortably.  Each guy maintains his own style.  So what am I missing?  Is there something wrong with women looking beautiful and keeping their own style?  Some days it's good to be old.

Yesterday I promised some photos of my gorgeous roses and my new crochet tote bag that Deanne brought to me.  Gosh, these roses are just beautiful!  It makes my eyes happy to see them when I waken in the morning.  Thank you Deanne.  I love you.

And here's my new crochet tote bag.  Today I'm going to see about transferring my ongoing crochet projects into it to try it out. 

I took some photos of my new Yorkie calendar, but they still need to be cropped so I'll post them tomorrow.  Meanwhile, another surprise package from a blogger friend arrived in the mail yesterday.  This one contained a most fascinating quilting book.

Each quilt block photo is accompanied by a letter written by a farmer's wife during the 1930's.  I started reading, and oh my, these letters are so fascinating.  The quilt blocks are all so beautiful, and there is a CD included with templates for all the quilt pieces.  Anne, thank you so much. I am absolutely loving this book.

Well, I've been wanting to learn how to make a quilt and take the quilting classes at JoAnn's Fabric shop, so I guess this is the year.  I'm going to have to make a space for a new sewing machine and start seriously checking out which machine I want.  Oh boy, now my year is totally full of projects!  hahaha.

Have you noticed that today is the last day of this month of January?  Tomorrow we start another new month.  A month to celebrate love and new friendships.  So get out your crayons and make a valentine for someone who isn't expecting to get one.  Put a smile on someone's heart.

Now I'm going to refresh my cup of coffee and do a bit of blog reading.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have an awesome day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Waking Up To A Blanket Of White Stuff

January 30, 2018

Good morning.  What a surprise I got this morning.  It started snowing lightly yesterday afternoon, and just kept right on coming all through the night.  Thank goodness it was light.  Somewhere along the way, the snow started picking up speed, and now the flakes seem to be getting a bit bigger too. 

Here's two photos that I took through the windows out in the house.   Well, so much for me going out today.

I'd like to just say "Enough Already!!'  Gosh, in looking at the weather forecast for the next few days, it's depressing.  It says more snow for Friday and Sunday.  Aye yi yi!  Some folks are posting photos of the flowers in their gardens on their blogs and my little gardens are being buried beneath snow, snow and more snow.  Boo Hoo.

I'm hoping that maybe, just maybe, my flowers will bloom better and longer once they get started because they are not getting an early start this year.  I don't know, what do you think?  Hmm, I can hope.

Yesterday, Deanne came by and brought me a bouquet of gorgeous roses, and a storage kit for my crochet projects.  I'll take some photos later today to share with you.  She also brought me a twelve pack of Coke Life and a copy of the DVD of the "Fiddler On The Roof" show that we went to see last October at the Paris Cabaret.  We put the DVD into the player and watched the whole thing.  Nice, nice, nice!!

Right now, the mail truck is pulling up out front.  I need to get out on the porch and clear away some of the snow so that I can get the mail without stepping in the snow.  I keep a shovel out there for just that purpose. 

Hmmm, well, I cleared away the snow on the porch and got the mail.  A package for Helen and some bills for me.  Not fair, I say.  The bills could take a vacation every now and then.  I wouldn't complain a bit. 

Well now I think I'll finish my blog reading that I started earlier this morning.  Then I'll have to decide on what to make for tonight's supper.  I don't want to jinx the weather, but I do believe the snow is slowing down.  Do you think that maybe it will stop?  Gosh, I hope so.

I'm off now.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fantabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Just A Tip Toe Through Memories

January 29, 2018

Good morning.  Have you noticed that January is quickly fading from sight?  Good news!  Woo Hoo!  I know it's not nice to wish away time, but I am so looking forward to Spring and her warmer temps, flowers budding and birdies singing. 

Today is looking to be a cold, gray day.  But, that could change.  Not the cold part, but the gray part.  Ah well, Spring will be here soon.  Some bloggers have been posting photos of the flowers coming up in their yards.  Boo hoo hoo!  None coming up in my yard yet.

Today's post will have to be short.  In a little while, Deanne is supposed to be coming by for a visit.  It's been a while since I've seen her and I'm looking forward to this visit.  It's not that we live so far from each other.  But she has such a busy life and I'm rather set in my ways about going out in the cold. 

I've started to feel a bit stuffy in the nose lately so I'm back to using the Zicam.  So far, it has really helped me.  My breathing, however, has not been so great these past few days.  I've been using the oxygen concentrator at night, but it hasn't been helping.  Last night I looked it over to see if I could find out why it is not working so great.  Aha!!  There's a numbered tube on it that regulates how much oxygen you get.  It seems it has reset itself back on the smallest number.  It should be on number three so I  put it back there.  After that, the oxygen seems to be working much better. 

Today I don't have new photos to share but I do have a couple Dover coloring pages.  This first page represents my childhood years.  Remember Rosie The Riveter?  She represented all the women who went to work in our factories, and other places, while our men were overseas fighting in World War II.  Everyone had to pitch in and do their part for our country.

I so believe Rosie shaped a lot of the women's lives in my generation.  We knew we could do whatever we had to do whenever life threw us a problem.  I guess, though, in looking back that all the women in the years before me all learned the same thing.  Yes, we all could do it and we did!

I think I mentioned before, but 1945 was a big year for me.  Not only did the War end, but progress seemed to pick up a notch too.  We went from ice boxes to refrigerators, music players with large horns to smaller electric record players, big black clunky phones with no dial to phones with a dial.

Televisions came along, portable radios, and little colored plastic sheets to put over the TV screen to turn the TV into a colored TV.  Progress just kept on going.  1945 was also the year that I started in the first grade at the Lincoln Elementary School, and my love affair with learning began to blossom.

This next Dover coloring page is much lighter.  Butterflies are free, and I guess they represent how we all want to feel.  They are also very beautiful.  Enjoy the pages.

Well now I think I should take my leave here.  Deanne should be coming by soon.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have an awesome day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Spring Is Only Fifty One Days Away

January 28, 2018

Good morning.  Tis a lovely warm day, but of course we have to share the warm with the wetness of rain.  Well, why not.  I've noticed that during the winter season, a lot of our warm days are wet days.  Hmmm, food for thought?  Ah well, Spring is only fifty one days away.  Soon we'll have lots of nice days.

Yesterday, Pogo and I did not go out shopping.  We enjoyed just relaxing with the inside door open all day.  Pogo spent a lot of time curled up on the little rug in front of the door, just napping or watching the squirrels play.  We thought we might go out today instead.  We'll see how we feel about it later this morning. 

I did finish the little red baby hats a couple days ago, and stuffed them all into a big plastic baggie.  I seem to have lost my enthusiasm for them seeing as how they are not going to local hospitals, but to ones maybe in Boston instead.  Ah well, lesson learned.  Always check out a charity before jumping in head first.

I got a wonderful surprise in the mail a couple days ago.  My friend Mary Ann sent me a really pretty pattern for a girl's crocheted pullover.  I've never seen one like this, so I'm thinking that I'd like to try it.  I've never worked with bulky yarn though, so I may have to make a few adjustments to use a yarn that is not quite so bulky.  Thank you Mary Ann.  I'm looking forward to making this.

Yesterday, I ordered a refill for one of Pogo's flea medicines.  My little guy is very allergic to fleas so this is something we cannot run out of.  Next, I'll check to see which refills that I need for my meds.  I need to get all of this tended to before we go on vacation. 

These past few days some of my important tax papers have come in the mail.  I mostly now have to start adding up all the yearly expenses and income.  After that, I can set it all aside until it is time to see my accountant. 

I've just made up a "to do" list of things to get done this month.  Next I need to make up copies of our travel itinerary for a few people, complete with important phone numbers for "just in case."   Planning ahead is starting to get exciting now.  Just a few more weeks!!

Did I mention a couple weeks ago that Deanne got me an electric throw blanket?  Folks, it is soooo toasty!  I haven't had to plug it in though because it is quite warm by itself.  Sometimes it feels too warm and Pogo gets off of it and goes to his little sofa.  Thank you Deanne.  We are enjoying our new blanket.

Now I think I'll see about making some breakfast.  Pogo is giving me the "starving" look.  Not to worry.  This is one little guy who will never have to go hungry.  He has trained his mama well.

Before I go, how about a new quick page?  This is a fun one if you love chocolate like I do.

Here is your download link:
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Now I'm off to feed my little guy and then do a bit of blog reading.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fantabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Warm Temps Coming For The Weekend

January 26, 2018

Good morning.  The sun is shining and the temperature is 27F degrees.  Later today, we'll get up to around 33F degrees.  BUT, tomorrow and the next day should each hit 50F degrees.  Woo Hoo!  Pogo and I will definitely have to get out and do a few errands and enjoy those warm temps.

Today I got an email from Best Buy, giving me a coupon code for $20 to spend at Shutterfly.  Oh boy, I guess I'll have to see about making a book.  Now I just have to decide on which photos to use in the book.  Hmmm, shall I use photos of Pogo?  Or Pogo?  Or maybe Pogo?  Gosh, it's so hard to decide sometimes.  hahahaha.

This morning, I've been watching a game show on TV, and one of the questions was "How old is toilet paper?"  Of course, now I had to go look this up on Google.  My goodness, such a lot of information on the history of toilet paper.  Here's the answer to the question.

"Joseph Gayetty is widely credited with being the inventor of modern commercially available toilet paper in the United States.  Gayetty's paper, first introduced in 1857, was available as late as the 1920's.  Gayetty's Medicated Paper was sold in packages of flat sheets, watermarked with the inventor's name."  (info from Wikepidia)

Now, aren't you glad I looked it up?  I love learning.  A day should never go by without learning something new.  Even just a little tidbit like toilet paper's history.  Learning is so good for the brain and the soul.

Yesterday, I also went online checking out some more children's crochet patterns and found another cute poncho pattern.  I'm not sure which project I'll work on in Florida, but at least I have lots to pick from.  Here's the photo of the new pattern.  It has sizes from toddlers to bigger kids.

Goodness, I just looked at my calendar and Florida is less than five weeks away.  Oh boy, I guess now I have to buckle down and get lots of things done.  No more putting it off till tomorrow.  I have entered the Crunch Zone.  First on my list is to mail off the little red hats.  Then on to gathering all my tax stuff into one folder.  That should use up at least half of the time left.  Woo Hoo!

Before I leave today, let me share this adorable little sign that I found on the web.  I had to giggle because it is definitely me. 

Now I'm going to finish my coffee and do a bit of blog reading.  So, till Sunday, Y'all have an awesome weekend.

Hugs, Edna B.

Gift Cards Are So Useful

January 25, 2018

Good morning.  It's another sunny, cold day here in my little part of New England.  We're not supposed to getting out of the twenties today, and tomorrow's high temp should only be in the low thirties.  On a positive note, Pogo and I DO have heat.  That's definitely a plus. 

Well, yesterday I spent most of the afternoon working on my laptop making new quick pages.  Did I have fun?  You betcha!  I want to make a few more just in case I have a few weeks where I don't have time to play on the computer.  I do have a lot of crochet projects for this year, and now it's also time to dig into my tax stuff.  I know, I keep putting it off, but I'm getting close to crunch time now. 

Today I went online to Best Buy and ordered a new 3T external hard drive to put all my scrap resources on.  This will free up a lot of space on my laptop.  I had money left on a gift card from Best Buy, so I used that to pay for my new hard drive.  The good part is that I still have some money left over on the card.  Woo Hoo!

Next I'm waiting for a super sale at JoAnn's Fabric shop, then I'm going to look at their sewing machines and maybe use my gift cards towards a new machine.  I'm in no rush.  I'm waiting for the right price. 

I have a scrap page to share that my friend Beth made.  She got some new scrap kits too and she's been busy having fun with them.  She made this page with one of her new kits.  The photo is the only one we took of the two of us last year in Florida.  We were looking into the huge mirror on the wall.

I'll have to make an appointment for Pogo with his doctor so that he can get a new travel health paper.  It's required for boarding the airplane, although no one has ever asked to see it.  However, just to be safe, we'll get it.  We also need to make sure that all his shots are up to date.  I think they are, but I'll need to make sure. 

Now I think I'll make a fresh cup of coffee and do a bit of blog reading.  I enjoy starting my day like this.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have an awesome day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Here, Ducky Ducky

January 24, 2018

Good morning.  Tis another gray day here in New England.  Temps will only be in the low thirties, but then it is still winter.  Yesterday it rained all day so we have lots of puddles here.  Now if we only had some ducks, they'd be such happy little campers.

Yesterday I spent some time on my laptop, picking out and downloading some new scrap kits.  I got a super coupon from one of the designers and I was having a grand old time using it.  If you hurry, you might be able to take advantage of the sale at Tiny Turtle Designs.  For every dollar you spend, you  get a coupon for that same amount towards more kits.  Pretty good deal folks.

Once I finished downloading my new kits, I, of course, had to play with some of them.  Today's new quick page is the result of that playing.  I had fun with this, I hope you enjoy it.

Here is your download link:
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You know, in a few weeks it will be Valentine's Day.  It's not too soon to start thinking of flowers and hearts and candy.  It sure beats cold, snow and rain!  And it gets even better.  Just a couple of weeks after that happy holiday, it will be time for Pogo and me to go on vacation.  Woo Hoo!

With a little luck, DIL Janet might be able to come by later today after work.  Aside from the fact that we had no heat here, Janet has also been sick with a really nasty bug.  Hopefully, by now she is over it.  I have been missing her visits.

Meanwhile, daughter Deanne is still hobbling around with a brace while her sprained ankle heals, and Jazzy is sick abed with a nasty bug.  When the bad times come, they dump all over you.  This has been a wicked winter for sicknesses.  At least I've had all my shots so if I do get sick, it shouldn't last too long.  I'm knocking on wood and keeping my fingers and toes crossed.

Pogo's appetite hasn't been very good lately so last night I cooked him some hamburger.  That did it!  He had a hearty supper and a bit more of it for breakfast this morning.  Right now, he's stretched out on his blankets right here beside me.  There are very soft snore sounds coming my way.  They sound super happy to my ears. 

Now it's time to do a bit of blog reading, then I'm going to play on my laptop for a while.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fantabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Rain, Rain, Please Fill Up Our Ponds

January 23, 2018

Good morning.  Yup, it's still morning for another eleven minutes.  Gosh, I'm getting off to a very late start today.  Today is gray and wet.  Wet, wet, wet.  It is pouring rain here in New England.  No, I'm not complaining.  Our ponds and reservoirs are still way down, so we really do need the rain.  It's a great day to do crafts and have chowder for lunch.

Yesterday I made corn chowder in my new slow cooker.  I have to tell you that it was delicious!  For supper, I had two and a half bowls of it.  Mmmm, mmm, mmm!  Guess what I'm going to have for my lunch today???

The mail just came and I got an invitation to borrow up to $50,000 at a nice low interest rate.  Wowsie!  Gosh, it's nice to be wanted, but no thank you.  I could have a lot of fun with the money, but then I'd have to pay it all back.  Groan, groan, groan.  Ah well, it was a fun thought while it lasted.

A few days ago, Pogo sent his friend Cisco (in Texas) some doggie bones and a new little playhouse.  Now we're just waiting to see if Cisco likes his playhouse.  Pogo has lots of little places here where he can go to hide or rest that are just big enough for him.  It seems to make him happy checking out each of his little hiding spots.  He will usually leave a blanket and a little toy in each of them.

This is the Chinese Year of the Dog.  So if you can, try to do something nice for a dog, whether they are homeless or someone's family pet.  All animals deserve to be pampered.

I don't have any new photos to share today so I dug out a few photos from last year's vacation in Florida.  There are so many different and beautiful palm trees and plants there.  These are just a few of the palms where my condo is.  When you see them up close, you realize just how beautiful they are. 

Gosh, in just five and a half more weeks, Pogo and I will be on a plane for Florida.  I guess it's time to dig out my little laptop to make sure it's working okay.  It's the one I take with me on vacation.  I'm into packing lighter and smaller.  I also take my smaller camera instead of my big Canon.  Just another way to lighten my bag. 

I've decided that I'll take Pogo's stroller instead of my walker.  This will be more comfortable for Pogo, and I'll still have something to hold onto when I'm walking.  It's a shame I can't rent him a stroller when we get there.  This would make things a lot easier.  Hmmm, I'll have to look into that.

That's about it for my chatter today.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have an awesome day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Good News From My Eye Doctor

January 22, 2018

Good afternoon.  I'm a bit late today, but I had an appointment this morning with my eye doctor for a routine check up.  Once again, I got good news there.  My eyes are very healthy and my eyesight is just fine.  I did get a new prescription so that I can get new glasses.  My current glasses are fine, but they are very very old.  I can't remember the last time I got new glasses or frames. 

My eyes are super light sensitive, so I do need the transitional lenses for that reason.  I have bifocals basically for reading purposes.  I put my glasses on when I wake up and I take them off when I go to bed.  I'm amazed at how long my current glasses have lasted. 

Needless to say, I won't be typing very long on this post as my eyes are still a bit fuzzy from the drops that the doctor put in them.  I do have a couple Dover pages for you to color.  Don't forget, if you like these, you can lots more of them for free on Dover.com.  These two pages will be such fun for folks who love to drink tea.

Shortly after I got home this morning, my new slow cooker arrived.  Oh my, it is just beautiful!  I'm going to use it this afternoon to make a corn chowder.  Tomorrow, I'll let you know how it comes out.
Now I'm off to get started on that chowder.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fantabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

It's Been An Exhausting Week!

January 21, 2018

Good morning.  It's 3:39 a.m. and I've been awake for about an hour so I decided to get up and make myself useful.  Right now, I'm enjoying a big cup of Cream Of Wheat.  It's a tasty way to start off one's day. 

Yesterday afternoon, I was totally exhausted and fell asleep.  I woke up just long enough to whip up some supper and then went right back to sleep until about two thirty this morning.  I should be good now until after lunch later today.  Who knows, maybe I'll last all day.  Now that would be nice.

Friday, the guys finally did show up to start work on my fuel tanks.  They had to unhook the old ones, transfer any fuel over to a holding tank, then cut up the old tanks and bring them out of the basement to the yard to be loaded on to their truck and carried away.  All this before putting in a new tank.  They also had to take out the old vent and fill pipes, and put in new ones. 

Meanwhile, the new tank that they had picked up for me would not fit into the house.  Not by the cellar doors and not by bringing it in through the house and down the basement stairs.  It was about four inches too wide, and a bit too tall.  So, they had to go get me another one, just a bit smaller. 

These guys worked hard all day getting everything done.  Finally, they finished and packed up to leave around 5:45 p.m.  It's just a big old tank, but it sure does look nice down there in my basement.  This new tank holds about fifty gallons less than the old tank, but I'm sure it will be all right. 

This new fuel company is really doing a great job for me.  They have fixed my heating problems and they've taken care of a serious problem (replacing the old fuel tanks).  I think I'm going to be very happy with them. 

Yesterday morning, I got up early and decided to go do a few errands.  I did my grocery shopping, got my second half of the pneumococcal vaccine,  then stopped at the Post Office to mail a couple of packages.  Then I headed to the bank before finally arriving back home.  Joe was home and helped me carry in all the bundles.  Thank goodness, because by the time everything was put away, I was wiped out. 

Today is a new day, and I have high hopes that it will be a good day.  I have a couple stacks of magazines and catalogues that I need to go through before putting them out in the recycle bin.  It's amazing how quickly these things pile up.

Years ago, I had a wonderful crock pot.  It was oblong shaped and I loved cooking in it.  At one point, I had lent it out, but it came back to me in pieces.  First the pan part, and a few months later the base was returned.  By that time, I had gotten rid of the pan part.  Since then, I have never found another one like it.  Until a couple nights ago.  I finally found it in a catalogue.  I looked it up on Amazon and surprise, surprise, they had it too.  So I ordered it for me.

I do have a nice crock pot, but it is very heavy, and it's difficult to remove the ceramic pot for cleaning.  Therefore, I don't use it very often.  I'm sure I'll get lots more use out of this new crock pot.

Friday afternoon, I also called the Paris Cabaret to reserve a table for the February 10th Valentine show.  This will probably be one of Jazzy's last shows at the Cabaret until after her high school Spring drama performance. 

Last week, Deanne had stopped by to see her grandbabies and took this adorable photo of Xander.  He had just woken up from his nap.  Goodness, he is such a happy baby.  This is how he is all the time. 

Later today, I want to work on finishing up my little red baby hats.  I need to get them into the mail soon.  After that, I still have the Cranberry afghan to finish.  In between, I need to get cracking on putting my tax stuff together. 

On that happy thought, I'll take my leave.  So, until tomorrow, Y'all have an awesome day.

Hugs, Edna B.

A Snag In My Plans? What Else Is New!

January 19, 2018

Good morning.  Well, here it is 9:30 and the guys aren't here yet to change over the oil drums.  They told me they would be here between 8 and 9 a.m.  Because of my crazy sleep habits and the fact that I fell asleep last evening for about three hours, I was awake all night so that I would not oversleep this morning.  Ah well, if they are not here by ten, I'll give them a call.

Right now I'm so tired my eyes are having trouble staying open.  I think last night could have been the night that I would have slept all through the night.  Hmmm.

Well, I just called the company who is supposed to be here already, and the woman answering the phone doesn't know anything about it.  She's going to check it and call me back.  Aye yi yi! 

Gosh, what a way to start off my new blog year.  Lady Luck isn't being very nice to me lately.  The lady from the "install" company just called me back and she says no one is coming out today.  Are you kidding me???  This is not funny!  She is going to do a bit more checking and call me back.

Now that I'm in a "not so nice" mood, let me tell you about my latest gripe.  Have any of you watched the newest TV commercial for Turbo Tax?  This newest ad is loaded with animal cruelty.  It takes place on a fishing boat and grown men are laughing at a large sail fish (I think that's what it is) that is screaming and writhing in pain.  I don't find any humor in this type of cruelty at all! 

How about something pretty to look at?  I dug out a few nice photos of the morning sky from a few years ago.  I used to love photographing the sky early in the morning when I was at work or traveling to or from work.  These four photos were taken on my way home from work one winter morning. 

It sort of looks like the day started out pretty nice, but then a storm moved in.  Yup, that's how quickly the weather can change here in New England.  I find this very interesting.

Well, that's my chatter for this morning.  Now I'm going to wait for my phone call to see what's going to be done about my fuel tanks.  So, till Sunday, Y'all stay warm and have a fantabulous weekend.

Hugs, Edna B.

Day One Of Year Eleven

January 18, 2018

Good morning.  The sun is shining, but it is cold outside.  Well, of course, it's Winter!  But in a couple months, it will be Spring.  Woo Hoo!

Well, today is the first day of my eleventh year here in Blog Land.  So, happy anniversary to me and I hope this is a super good year.  I took a photo of my very first post.  It was very short, with no photos.  It's amazing how gabby I've become over the years!  Today's post will be number 3304.

Actually, blogging has been very good for me.  I started it shortly after my hubby passed away, and it kept my mind busy and out of depressed places.  It got me into creative activities, and opened a whole new world of people to meet.  I've made some awesome nice friends, and I've even got to meet a few of them in person. 

At some point, years ago, my daughter Audrey asked if I would leave my blog books to her.  That's when I decided that I would like to scatter a lot of family history and photos throughout it.  It would be something nice to leave for my future generations.

Enough of my prattle.  Last night I finished the baby blanket that I've been working on, and started making the little red baby hats again.  I need to finish these little red hats by the end of the month.  Then I'll give them to Deanne, and she can give them to the hospital of her choice. 

I've already made up my "to crochet" list for this year.  It's quite an ambitious list so it may not all get done before the year is up.  If that happens (which it most likely will) then I'll just move the unfinished items over to next year's list. 

Today I don't have any special plans.  I'm toying with the idea of going grocery shopping.  Mind you, I said "toying with the idea."  I haven't decided yet whether or not I want to go out in the cold.  I may wait until Saturday to go out.  It's supposed to be about ten degrees warmer then.

Before I go, let me share something that I borrowed from the web.  This image had me giggling when I first saw it.  It reminded me of myself.  hahaha. 

Now I think I'll have another cup of coffee and do a bit of blog reading.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fantabulous day. 

Hugs, Edna B.

The End Of The First Blog Decade

January 17, 2018

Good morning.  The sun is not shining today.  Instead, everything outside is being covered with a steady downfall of white snow.   Colder temps are back for a few days, but the weatherman says it will warm up a bit over the weekend. 

Yesterday, I was going to do some grocery shopping but by the time I finished a few things that had to be done, it was too late to go.  I thought I might go today but the snow has changed that plan.  Not to worry.  We still have plenty of food in the freezer and I have a case of water left.  I'll either go shopping tomorrow or Saturday.  It all depends on the weather.

The new burner service man just called and we set an appointment for this Friday to have the old fuel tanks removed and the new one installed.  Hopefully, it will all go smoothly.  Once the new tank is in, I will be able to get a fuel delivery.  The timing is perfect. 

Yesterday, the mailman brought me my newest blog book.  It's always so exciting when my new books arrive.  Each one seems to be even nicer than the one before.  Here are photos of the front and back covers of my newest book.

Speaking of blog books, today is the last day of my first ten years of blogging.  Tomorrow will start year eleven.  Wow, I never thought ten years ago that I'd still be blogging, or better yet, printing it out into hard cover books. 

Sad to say, a lot of the blogs that I used to love reading have all gone by the way over the years.  Most of the scrapping forums that I belonged to years ago have all disappeared.  The person who got me into blogging is Snow Raven, and she still keeps up her blog.  She's a very talented lady and still designs scrap kits that she posts on her blog.  Have a look and check out her beautiful watercolor paintings.

Today I have a new quick page that seems to be quite appropriate, seeing as how it is still snowing outside.  Have fun with it.

Here is your download link:
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Now I'm going to watch for the mailman.  I'm also going to treat myself to a fresh cup of hot coffee and do a bit of blog reading.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fantabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Oh My, The Heat Feels Sooooo Good

January 16, 2018

Good morning.  Gosh, I didn't want to get up this morning.  I've gotten very little sleep these past few nights so my body was very over tired.  It was difficult getting to sleep last night, but when I finally fell asleep, I just wanted to keep right on sleeping all morning.

Even Pogo was enjoying sleeping late without being wrapped up like a snowball and being stuffed into a pile of blankets.  Yup, wearing just a sweater, he jumped up on his little couch, fluffed up his blankets, snuggled down into them and fell asleep.  I have to tell you, it feels good to be warm again.

Yesterday the guy showed up to fix the remote starter in my car, and now that works too.  At least it did when he got done working on it.  I haven't tried using it yet this morning.  Now I'm just waiting for the new burner company to call me and let me know when they will be able to come out and replace my old oil drum. 

Today I may even dig up the energy to do a bit of grocery shopping.  The cupboard is getting a bit bare.  No, we're not out of food, but there's less to pick from when mealtime rolls around.  For supper tonight, I think I'll order Chinese food for Pogo and me.  Our favorites are Pork Fried Rice and Pork Lo Mein. 

A couple weeks ago, I started making a baby blanket.  Once I started, I realized that I did not have the colors that I wanted, so I ordered new yarn and set what I was working on aside.  (I'll finish it later)  The new yarn order came a few days ago and I started a new blanket.  The colors are Teardrops (light blue) and Lily Pond (blue, green and white variegated).  Gosh, they are so pretty together.  Here's a photo of a small bit of the blanket.

I also took a new photo of the Amaryllis plant out in the house.  All it's blooms are open and it is really gorgeous. 

In a little while, I need to call my house insurance broker and find out why I haven't gotten the bill yet for this year's insurance.  It's not that I'm in a big rush to pay another huge bill, but I need to get it taken care of for my own peace of mind. 

In looking at my calendar, our trip to Florida is getting ever so close.  Just six more weeks and Pogo and I will be off to sunny Florida.  It's time to start planning on what to pack for our trip.  It's good to have something happy to plan for. 

Now it's time to get dressed and think about re-stocking the pantry.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all stay warm and have a fantabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

The QP Link Has Been Fixed

January 15, 2018

Good morning.  Wow, what a week it has been.  In the last six or seven days, I only had about sixteen hours of heat.  While I had the heat, it really did feel wicked good.  However, the burner man that I've been using for so many years seems to unfix something every time he comes out to fix something.  In the past week, he was here twice, both times he left me with no heat. 

Last Thursday when I called him, I was hung up on twice, got four no answers, and they knew that I had no heat.  Needless to say, I now have a new company.  I called these new folks last Friday and they said they could come out today.  Their repair man was here early this morning, and in less than an hour he had my heat working. 

(p.s.)  The old company told me on Saturday that they would not be coming back to fix my "no heat" problem until today.  So far, they have not called or shown up.  Some company, huh?)  If they show up I'll tell them that they are no longer needed for any services.

I showed him the different things that the other burner man had said were the problem, and was amazed at the new information that this new fellow told me.  I have to replace my oil tank.  The old burner man told me that I should wait until summer to have it done, that that would be the best time.  This new guy tells me that technically I should not be getting oil deliveries until the new tank is installed.  What if the weight of the oil broke the tank open?  Hmmmm?  Oh gosh, I don't even want to think about what would happen then.

I've already gotten a price from the new company for the installation of the new tank and the removal of the old tanks (there are two of them).  Now I'm just waiting for a call from the guy who will be taking out the old tanks and putting in the new tank so that I'll know when they are coming. 

I have to say that it will feel good to try to sleep and not be wearing a scarf, a sweat suit and a flannel robe to bed, while climbing under two really thick blankets.  Pogo will be very glad too that I won't be wrapping him up like a snowball and tucking him under the blankets at bedtime to keep him warm. 

One problem down and one more to go.  Today, someone is supposed to be coming to fix my car's remote starter.  They were supposed to be here last Friday, but it rained so they rescheduled for today.  I'm hoping that this appointment goes as well as my burner appointment. 

I had a comment the other day that the link for the quick page was not working.  I immediately got a new link and downloaded the kit to make sure that the new link was working.  So if anyone had a problem with the last quick page, please try to download it now.  It should be working fine.  (It is posted on Friday, January 12.)

The phone just rang and it was the fellow who is coming out to fix the remote starter on my car.  He says he is on the way and should be here soon.  Well, that is good news, I hope.

Before I take my leave, I want to share an adorable sign that I borrowed from the web.  My daughter Audrey is going to be getting chickens next Spring.  This giggle made me think of her.

On that note, I need to get busy here.  There is so much to do today.  I've done very little lately because it has been too cold.  Now that the heat is coming up, I have lots to do.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have an awesome day.

Hugs, Edna B.

No Post Today.

January 14, 2018

There's no post today.  I'm busy trying to take care of furnace problems.  As soon as I can get the heating taken care of, I'll be back.  Meanwhile, Y'all have a great day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Just One More Day Of Warm Temps

January 12, 2018

Good morning.  Today is cloudy, but a bit warmer.  The temperature right now is 53F degrees, and should get up to about 59F degrees later today.  This is awesome but there's only one more day of warm temps, so enjoy it!  As for the indoor heat, I'm working on it. 

I've deduced that the problem is between the house thermostat and the furnace.  I'm trying to call the burner repair man but it seems that their mail box is full and I will have to call back later.  Is there something wrong with this picture?  I just tried calling back and the woman answering the phone hung up on me.

Ok, so now I just called back again, and got a rather testy greeting from the owner of the company.  He finally decided to call one of his repair men and said that I would get a call so that the repair guy could set up an appointment for me.  Now I definitely know that I need to change companies.  I have been a good customer of this company since back in the 90's and I'm not happy with the way they treat me as a customer. 

I am getting a little heat out here, so Pogo and I are not freezing.  Besides, I have the little fireplace if I need it.  Now if I could just get the rest of the heating problem fixed, all would be well. Wowsie, it's always something when you own a house.  Especially a big old one!

I was browsing through some of my really old files, and I found a lot of quick pages that are from 2009, 10 & 11.  Some of them are favorites of mine, so I thought I would recycle a few of them.  Here's one from 2009.  I hope you can use it.

Here's the download link:
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Today someone from the company that installed the remote starter in my car is supposed to coming out to fix it.  It's out of warranty, so I'll have to pay a fee, but if it gets fixed it will be worth it.  We have more cold temperatures headed this way and the remote starter will be a huge help to me.

I promised to post the answers to yesterdays puzzles, and here they are.  I hope you had fun with the puzzles. 

Now I have some dishes waiting in the sink that need washing.  Then I'll have to decide what to make for supper tonight.  It's always a challenge coming up with ideas for meals that Pogo will eat.  I'm off now, so till tomorrow, Y'all have a fantabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

When It Rains, It Pours

January 11, 2018

Good morning.  Today is going to be nice and warm outside with temps maybe as high as 50F degrees.  Now if only I could figure out how to get the indoors nice and warm.  SIL Eddie stopped by yesterday after work and checked the thermostat.  It appears to be working.  It just doesn't call any heat to my part of the house. 

This has happened other winters.  It just hasn't lasted as long.  I'm hoping it straightens itself out soon.  I must say though, that there is one bright side to all of this.  My little Pogo has been right with me, all curled up in blankets and tucked beneath a warm afghan.  Together we keep each other toasty warm. 

As if this wasn't bad enough, I got my new electric bill in the mail yesterday.  Would you believe?  For one month, it is $875.00.  That's more than double the last month's bill.  It almost doesn't pay to turn the lights on anymore.  I can't think of anything we've done differently this past December than we've done any other month that would cause such a huge increase in the billing. 

I don't have any new photos today so I thought I would post some Dover puzzles for you to enjoy.  Each puzzle has two identical photos, except that there are five or six differences in each of the pictures on the right.  Can you find them?  Have fun, and I'll post the answers tomorrow.

Well, my coffee is stone cold now, so I think I'll make myself a hot cup of cocoa and watch TV for a while.  On that happy thought, I'll take my leave.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fantabulous day.

Hugs,, Edna B.

A Little Heat Would Be So Nice

January 10, 2018

Good morning.  Gosh, two beautiful days have just gone by and I still haven't gotten out to do my errands.  And it looks like today won't be any better.  I'm frozen.  The furnace just doesn't seem to want to send heat to my end of the house.  Brrrr!

It's no wonder I woke up yesterday with a chill.  Today the chill is even chillier!  Pogo and I spend most of our time cuddled together beneath a blanket and an afghan.  It's not convenient to wear mittens indoors, so I keep my hands beneath the covers too. 

I will have to ask SIL Eddie to come by tonight and have a look at my thermostat.  I did not ask him to come by last night because he had a union meeting after work and got home late.  My thermostat does not seem to be working at all.  I keep checking it, but the reading on it doesn't change.

Today I won't be chatting very long.  It's too cold to just sit here.  Even my coffee won't stay hot long enough for me to finish drinking it.  So, I'll just post a new quick page for you, then I'll be gone.  This page is for all of you who are born in January.  Although it comes in many beautiful colors, the Garnet  is most often found in Red.

Here is your download link:
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Now I'm going to climb back under my warm blankets.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all stay warm and have a fantabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Dealing With My Wonky Furnace

January 9, 2018

Good morning.  The sun is shining and it's going to be another beautiful day with temps in the low thirties.  I may have to wait until tomorrow to go grocery shopping though because I caught a chill during the night.  Hopefully, it will be gone later today.

I just opened the inside door so that I can keep an eye out for the mailman.  Yesterday, I waited all day to give him some mail but the mail never came until after 5 p.m.  Hmmm, I wonder why that was.  Maybe our regular mail carrier was having a day off and his replacement got a bit behind?  Ah well, I'll ask when the mail comes today.

Yesterday was a rather quiet day around here.  I really didn't do very much.  Well, I washed the dishes, cooked for us, and not much more.  I did play on the computer for a while.  Nothing creative, just fun stuff.  I resized a few pictures for puzzles, then I spent a couple hours doing jigsaw puzzles on my laptop.  This is super relaxing.

I don't have any new photos to post today so I thought I'd give you a couple more coloring pages.  These are freebies from Dover Publications.com.  If you go to their website and sign up, they'll send you freebies every week.  Coloring is good for the soul, so have fun.

Today the heat in the house is acting wonky.  Sometimes when it is working really well out in the main part of the house, it doesn't come to my part of the house.  When that happens, I just have to wait for it to find me before the place starts to warm up again.  That's what is happening today.  Thank goodness I have my little fireplace.

I talked with Deanne yesterday, and her ankle is healing very slowly.  This is what happens as we get older.  It takes much longer for the body parts to heal.  My friend Beth has been sick these past two days too.  Last night, she was going to go to the clinic.  I'll give her a call in a while to see how she made out.  Here's hoping that everyone gets well really soon.

Now I think I'll make a fresh cup of hot coffee and do a bit of blog reading.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fantabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Let The Heat Wave Begin

January 8, 2018

Good morning.  And what a beautiful morning it is!  I have the inside door open and Pogo is so happy to be able to see what's going on outside.  Temps have gone up a bit, already up to 27F degrees, and working their way up to the mid thirties.  Woo Hoo!  And, for the next few days, it will just keep getting better.  Yes, yes, yes!

Today is my good friend Kyra's birthday.  Here's hoping that the temps in Holland are going up a bit too.  Kyra, I'm wishing you a beautiful day.  Happy Birthday my friend. May you be surrounded by love and happiness.

I guess today I should make up a grocery shopping list so that tomorrow I can go to the market and refill our food stock.  Yup, that's my first project for today.  Then I have a couple packages to get ready for mailing.  Pogo and I can make a trip to the Post Office in the next day or two.  We have a few other errands to take care of so we're really going to enjoy this burst of super weather. 

Yesterday, I worked for a while on my laptop making new quick pages.  This year, I'm going to try to make a birthstone color page for each month.  I've already got the first three months' pages done.  I'm also working on the little red baby hats.  Last night I made two more of them.  When I finish making a bunch of them, I'll take a photo to share here. 

This morning I went through my photo archives and pulled out a few of the beautiful plants that are by our Florida condo.  Actually, it's a timeshare, and the flora there is simply beautiful.  These are just a few of the beautiful blooms.

This next photo has a rather funny story.  From a distance, I thought it was a flowering shrub so I used the telephoto lens on my camera to take a photo of it.  When I got close to this pretty plant, I realized that it was a shrub with some of its leaves turning yellow.  Ah well, it's still pretty.

Just looking at these photos makes today feel even warmer.  Pogo and I look forward to our vacation every year.  It's two weeks to bask in the sunshine and warm temperatures, and going to flea markets. 

This year, I think I'm going to pack super light, and buy some new clothes while I'm there.  Now that will be a treat!   I don't buy clothes for myself very often, and my wardrobe is getting to look really shabby.  Maybe I can pick up a few cute new outfits for Pogo too. 

There are dishes in the sink calling to me, so I guess it's time for me to get busy around here.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fantabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Where, Oh Where, Is That January Thaw?

January 7, 2018

Good morning.  Brrrrrrr!  It's up to -4F degrees so far, and it might even get as high as 16F degrees later today.  Woo Hoo!  Starting tomorrow, we're supposed to get a mini heat wave with temps in the thirties for a few days.  Super!!  (if it really happens!)

Yesterday, Joe cleared away a bit more of the snow, but it's so cold that he can only do so much of it at a time.  Today he will clear some more of it and probably finish more of it tomorrow.  There's so much of it and it all needs to be put somewhere so that it is not in the way of our vehicles.  Plus the snow on the little roofs has to be cleared and the recycle barrels have to be dug out. 

Friday, Deanne sent me copies of photo layouts that she and Janice made for Jazzy.  They really are cute so I thought I'd share one of them here.  Can you tell how proud we all are of her?

Yesterday, dwarf Helen brought her new Amaryllis out to the kitchen so that we could all enjoy it.  It's a gorgeous orangey red color.  I'm thinking that tomorrow, I'll plant my new Amaryllis.  I can't wait to see what it looks like when it blooms.

I had to order a few colors of yarn that I need for a current project, so I'm hoping that it will arrive by the end of the week.  You would think that with all the yarn that I have now, that I would have what I need.  However, there are two colors that I need so I had to order them. 

Meanwhile, I've been working on the little red baby hats.  When I crochet, Pogo likes to lay on my lap.  Here's a photo I took of him the other night. 

Yesterday, I bought a few more scrap kits so that I can start filling up my quick page folder.  Afterwards, I sat at my laptop for a couple hours working on the new pages.  It feels good to be creative.  I'd like to make enough quick pages so that I don't run out of them while I'm in Florida. 

I just checked on my calendar, and Pogo and I go to Florida in just seven and a half weeks.  Woo Hoo!  Our goal is to stay well so that this year we can get out and do some fun things while we are there on vacation.  Knock on wood, so far so good.

Today I have a new quick page for you.  This one celebrates all this snow that we've had lately.  Have fun with it.

Here is your download link:
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My little pogo is all curled up in a blanket next to me, so I think it's time for me to do a bit of morning blog reading.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all stay warm and have an awesome day.

Hugs, Edna B.

Happy 18th Birthday Jasmine

January 5, 2018

Good morning.  Well, the storm has gone by (except for the howling wind) and the sun is shining but it's still quite nippy outside.  Of course, I realize it is Winter and it's going to be cold.  But I can dream of temps a wee bit warmer, can't I? 

Today is Jasmine's eighteenth birthday.  Where, oh where, have all the years gone?  She is my youngest grandchild and now she's an adult.  She will graduate high school this year, and hopefully begin a new life path that leads to Broadway.  Jasmine, may all your dreams come true.  I'm wishing you a lifetime of happiness and good health.  I love you sweetie. 

Storm Grayson dumped a lot of snow here, but we were lucky not to lose our power.  When Joe came home from work yesterday he went right outside to clear the parking area and the driveway.  He was outside for hours and he did an awesome job. 

Here are a few photos that I took through a window or storm door.   I took these first two photos when the snow started to get heavy. 

I took this photo through the laundry room door.  As you can see, the heat from inside the room was melting the snow flakes as they hit the door.  (Because I had the inside door open, I think.)  Anyway, I thought it made quite an interesting photo.

This morning I took a couple photos through the storm door.  This first one shows our recycle barrels that have not been dug out yet.  Maybe Joe can dig them out later today. 

This next photo shows how the snow plows have come by during the night and pushed lots of ice and snow back into the end of my driveway.  Yesterday afternoon, these piles were almost three feet high and full of frozen chunks of icy snow.  Joe cleared it all away before coming in the house last night. 

This morning, a couple of our smaller cars could not get out until some of it was shoveled away.  I'm really curious to see how the folks across the street are going to handle all the snow and ice blocking their driveways.  They did not bother to come out yesterday and clean it up, so the piles are wicked high.  It's illegal to toss the snow onto the sidewalks or back into the street, so this should be interesting.

Oh gosh, it seems our town has purchased a new sidewalk plow/snow blower.  It just came down the other side of the street, blowing tons of icy snow into peoples' yards and driveways.  I need to watch for it when it comes back up the street on my side so that I can see what sort of damage it will do to the front of my driveway.  Yeesh, you just can't win!

Now what!!!  The sound on my TV went out a few minutes ago.  It does this once in a while.  I have to shut off the TV, wait a couple minutes, then turn the TV back on.  Maybe the TV is getting old?  Or maybe the cable company is having a bit of fun?  Who knows!  The TV is entertainment for Pogo and me, so  it's important that it works.

Well, now I think I should make a fresh cup of coffee and do a bit of blog reading.  So, till Sunday, Y'all stay warm and have an awesome day.

Hugs, Edna B.